Supervillainess: On top of the world

[rufusluciusivan]

Hello. A little separate story, though you can consider it a spin-off standalone of Vigilantes. Not sure yet if this will be canon. Was mostly a way to give birth to a few ideas I got from exchange of comments with tirepanted on Vigilantes and after seeing the latest fanart by letiprincess. Won't give birth to a series, not even sure if the new characters introduced will appear in Vigilantes at all. It was mostly a way to have fun with some interactions and still explore how would function a world where uniform stealings are more numerous than in our world. I hope you'll have fun too.



Supervillainess

**************

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! I want you in my room! Let's spend the night together! From now until forever! Boom! Boom! Boom! B–”

"Shut up!"

Hazel violently hit her alarm clock. She scratched her head with one hand, her stomach with the other. Her hair were messy and all banged up. She got out of her bed with difficulty. The woman had a bad night.

She sighed. It was simply going to be one of those days...

Hazel didn't want to go to work today.

After what happened to her during the heist at Roxane Barca's charity gala, Hazel was given a medical leave. The security guard saw a psychiatrist to check if there weren't psychological scars. Both were standard procedures in case of an aggression at work, and being assaulted by uniform stealers was no exception. Though, to tell the truth, Hazel didn't feel traumatized by her ordeal. The intruders didn't have the time to steal her clothes. In a way, Hazel could still hang on to a small boast: contrary to her friends Piper and Annabeth, she still hadn't been divested of her clothes.

The cinnamon-brown-haired woman even greatly enjoyed her little break. Contrary to Piper and Annabeth, who were also given a medical leave but returned to work as soon as they legally could, Hazel remained on sick leave as long as possible. While she was professional at her job, she wasn't a workaholic either. She was working as a security guard for the salary and the complementary health insurance, not out of a sense of justice.

Her medical leave ended one week and a half ago. She was still having trouble to get back into the rhythm.

Hazel groaned and got out of bed with great difficulty.

Breakfast. Shower. Tooth brushing.

Finally, she got dressed.

Hazel was among the security guards who brought their uniforms at home. Therefore, she didn't bother with civilian clothes. After putting on her underwear, and the official black tank top of Primrose Security, she immediately slipped into her security uniform: thick black combat tactical shoes, military-like dark grey pants, a dark grey shirt, and a black tactical vest on which there were the logo and the name of Primrose Security in red.

A ringing sound made her jump in surprise while she was buckling her weapon belt.

Who's ringing so early in the morning? I swear, if it's the neighbour who wants to borrow some sugar again...

The person rang again.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!” Hazel exclaimed while finishing buckling her belt. She grabbed her black security guard cap adorned with the red logo of her company and put it on.

Hazel smiled. She was glad to be already wearing her security uniform. This pain in the neck of a neighbour was in for a surprise!

She opened the door of her apartment.

“What is it this time?” she asked. “If you wan- What?”

Ultimately, Hazel was the one surprised.

**************

Hazel blinked.

There was a woman in front of her. She was slightly shorter than average. She had a round-shaped face, shoulder-long curly cinnamon brown hair and golden brown eyes; as well as a dark skin, brown as a roasted coffee bean.

Physically, the woman was her carbon copy! Hazel was facing herself!

Hazel blinked again. Her mouth was slightly open. She was flabber-gasted.

Fake-Hazel was smiling. She was wearing casual clothes: grey sneakers, blue jeans, and a dark grey light jacket over a blue t-shirt.

She was also pointing a gun with a silencer at the original Hazel.

“Let's make sure that things don't end up in tears. Keep quiet, take a few steps back, and raise your hands.”

Hazel was still too shocked to do anything but obey.

Fake-Hazel entered the appartment and closed its door.

“Who are you?” Hazel finally asked.

Fake-Hazel smiled. “I fancy myself as a supervillainess. Would actually have called myself the 'Chameleon', but the name's already taken, unfortunately. So I don't have a cool name for now. Still working on it. Don't worry, I'm not some kind of long-lost evil twin. Just a woman very, very good at making masks and wigs. Then all I needed was some makeup to darken the skin and coloured contact lenses.”

Now, that's one woman who loves to listen to the sound of her own voice... the original Hazel thought to herself.

However, she kept silent. Everything seemed so surreal to her. As a security guard working for Primrose, Hazel was fully prepared to face uniform stealers and other criminals during work. But being assaulted at her own home was out of her comfort zone. She couldn't respond to it. This woman wasn't playing by the rules!

“Anyway, I apologize in advance.” Fake-Hazel added. “An identity stealing shouldn't look like a home invasion. However, do you realize how tough times are becoming for people like me?”

“Uh... What?”

“Well, for a start, there is your security company. But there's also this consultant working for the government. His propositions to combat uniform stealings are giving them ideas. Did you know that because of him, there are now combination locks on all storage rooms in government buildings?! That they are cutting the trees when they are too close of an official building and could be used as hiding spots?! Even some non-governmental companies are doing it! He even proposed to only hire people of unusual size to counter uniform stealers, though luckily this measure wasn't adopted, since it went against anti-discrimination laws. Oh, of course, objectively, I have to admit that these are smart measures. But still... Uniform stealing is supposed to be a part of our country's history and identity! How can he try to make it disappear like that?!”

In spite of the gun pointed at her, Hazel couldn't help but annoyingly exclaim: “This is getting ridiculous! What do you want with me?”

“Take your place to perform a heist at the Sophocle Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development which you are supposed to be guarding today, of course!” her lookalike retorted with a light chuckle. “Security is becoming so tight in the official and company buildings that I decided that one of the best ways to steal a woman's identity... was to nab her before she went to work.”

Fake-Hazel looked at her counterpart's uniform.

“I see that you've already gotten dressed though. That's unfortunate. For you, I mean...”

Hazel finally fully realized the ramifications of what was happening. She gulped. The cinnamon brown-haired woman realized that maybe, just maybe, she shouldn't have teased Piper and Annabeth so much about the times they were mugged for disguise...

“But... But... I have never been mugged for disguise since the beginning of my carreer!” she tried to object.

“Oh, so this is your first time? Don't worry, I'll be gentle.”

“No, I meant that...”

“I have a dart gun. If you want, I can knock you out and take off the clothes myself. I know that some people can't bring themselves to strip in front of a stranger.”

“No! It's not a problem. I mean! It's a problem, of course, but it's not the problem... You see... I... I had this bet, and...”

"Now you're the one who's not making sense."

Hazel sighed and resigned herself. She told herself that it was Fate's punishment for all the times she teased Piper and Annabeth...

There was no arguing with this uniform stealer anyway.

“Fine. I'll do it.”

Fake-Hazel smiled. “Splendid!”

Hazel dropped her clothes on the floor of her apartment one by one. Hopefully, this woman wasn't one of the weirdoes who stole even the underwear...

“By the way, why did you choose me?” the security guard couldn't help but ask while unlacing her combat shoes.

“Because we're roughly the same size. Can you believe how hard it is to find a security guard who's shorter than average? Talk about negative discrimination... Luckily, there's still your company.”

Hazel's eyes widened as she was stepping out of her pants.

Could it mean...? Primrose Security was hired by the Sophocle Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development precisely because there were rumours of infiltrators threatening them. Did this woman spread them on purpose because she knew we would get involved? No way! She doesn't seem smart enough. But still...

Once Hazel was down to her grey socks, seamless white panties and blue t-shirt bra, the impostor told her to stop stripping. (To her relief.)

The woman briefly scratched her chin with her free hand. “You know what? Put back on the tank top. I wanna check something.”

Hazel shook her head. “This is so weird...” she muttered to herself. Still, if it allowed her to be slightly less unclothed, she wasn't going to complain. She slipped into her tank top.

“I knew it!” Fake-Hazel exclaimed. “Somehow, I find it even more sexy that way...”

“Please go back to the normal criminal stuff." Real-Hazel begged. "Things are getting awkward.”

“Sorry. It's just that... In my eyes, uniform stealing isn't a crime. I think it's art! I won't bother you with it again though, I promise.”

There was a short moment of silence.

“And now?” Hazel asked.

The impostor grinned. “Now? You doze off of course!”

Fake-Hazel pulled out a dart gun from her belt with her free hand and shot in Hazel's left shoulder.

Hazel looked at the small dart. “Somehow, I should have seen it coming...” she commented.

She collapsed on the floor.

**************

As a child, Catalina spent all her time reading comics. However, contrary to most of her friends, she never rooted for the heroes. In her eyes, the villains were always cooler. Cooler costumes, cooler designs, cooler powers, cooler origin stories, cooler one-liners... Kid-Catalina wished she was like them. In fact, she even legally changed her first name to be more like one of them once she reached adulthood. Catalina was supposed to be named Katherine. Such a boring name. Therefore, she changed it for Catalina - as in Catalina Casiguaya, legendary pirate and main antagonist of the Red Richard comic book series - her favorite.

Nowadays, Catalina still wasn't exactly like the villains of her beloved comics, but she thought that she was close enough. Before choosing a life of crime, Catalina was working in arts and crafts for the cinéma and the theater. She was designing costumes, sets, props... as well as wigs and masks. She also learned to mimic other people's voice with some comedians, and she was very good at it. She could therefore put her talents to good use. Good criminal use.

And when Catalina heard the stories of this team of infiltrators who weaponized uniform stealing to fight against Olympus both before and during the civil war, she knew this was her call...

True comic book villains couldn't exist in their world, but she was proud to be one of the closest things they'd got. She was something akin to a freelance mercenary, specialized in corporate espionage and robberies, doing it both for the money and for the thrill.

Catalina checked Hazel's pulse. The woman was deeply asleep. Good!

The self-proclaimed supervillainess grabbed Hazel's forearms, placed them in parallel and taped them behind her back, also wrapping tape around the wrists, the hands and the fingers. She was whistling a merry little tune. Then, she mummified the security guard's calves and her thighs. Catalina shoved a sponge into Hazel's mouth and wrapped tape around her lower face, though she was very careful to not tape the woman's hair.

They were so fluffy and curly, it would have been a crime to damage them... Catalina ought to know. She spent hours carefully making a wig mimicking them!

Once she was sure that the security guard wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, Catalina disguised herself with the woman's discarded uniform.

They were the right size. Logical, since she chose to ambush this guard precisely because they were roughly sharing the same height and build.

Catalina then carried the bound-and-gagged Hazel in her arms, bridal style, to the bathroom.

She seated her victim on the toilet.

One last time, she looked at herself in the mirror to check if her appearance was matching the original Hazel's. She took advantage of the fact that the real woman was right next to her. Indeed, the mask was perfect, and so was the wig. Nobody could be able to tell them apart...

Her ability to craft full-head masks able to embrace the shape of the face so flawlessly that she could showcase emotions while wearing them, something that should be impossible with a mask, was actually the reason why Catalina considered herself a decent heir of comic book villains. To her knowledge, nobody but her was able to craft such masks, which allowed them to perfectly steal someone's identity.

Catalina grabbed in her bag one last roll of tape. She taped Hazel's thighs to the toilet seat, leaving her seated on it with the back of her head resting against the tiled wall. The cinnamon brown-haired woman was still deeply asleep, and would continue to doze during the next few hours. The time for Catalina to do her business...

The self-proclaimed supervillainess took the time to stroke Hazel's hair, as she couldn't help but admire how fluffy they were. She kissed the dozing woman on the forehead.

“Enjoy your beauty sleep! I'll take care of everything for you!”

She left the bathroom after closing the door, and grabbed the keys of Hazel's car on the table.

“Time to go to work!”

**************

Reyna was a woman in her late twenties with braided shoulder-long dark brown hair, brown eyes and a tanned skin. She had a fit body and was slightly taller than average. And, given the fact that she was often partnered with the slightly shorter than average Hazel, she looked even taller than she really was.

Primrose was usually trying to avoid same-sex patrols as part of her tactics to foil infiltrators. However, in spite of her best efforts, she wasn't always able to do it. Indeed, there were more women than men in her private security company; and for a very simple reason: most of the candidates applying for a job at Primrose Security were former victims of uniform stealings. And while there were male infiltrators out there, the female ones were more numerous. Therefore, when she couldn't do differently, Primrose usually paired up guards with a difference in size to try to limit the probabilities that infiltrators could find suitable clothes. Reyna, who was tall and fit, hence often had Hazel, who was shorter and skinnier, as her partner.

Speaking of her partner...

Hazel was a lot quieter than usual today. 'Rough morning' she explained when her partner asked her why. Reyna didn't try to learn more. They were good colleagues and appreciated working together, but not friends. Reyna wanted to keep her relationship with the other guards strictly professional. She didn't want to mix her personal and her professional lives. Things were already awkward enough when she had to mention to her aquaintances that she was mugged for her uniform once, back when she was still working for the Skiron family!

Currently, Reyna and Hazel were patrolling the corridors of the Sophocle Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Recently, rumours that infiltrators may be sent to steal the data of the latest medicines developped here were spread. Therefore, the heads of the laboratory hired Primrose Security.

Paradoxically, the events of Roxane Barca's charity gala ended up being good exposure for the private security company. Sure, technically, they failed: security was compromised and they didn't catch the robbers. However, in the end, nobody cared since Primrose discovered the documents that allowed to prosecute Morgane Myrine and Valeria Chione. Everybody talked about Primrose Security in the press.

Reyna checked her wristwatch. “In five minutes, it'll be the time to change shift with Octave and Felice.”

Hazel nodded with a light smile. She whispered something to herself. Reyna could have sworn she was saying: “Perfect.”

**************

“My uniform's itchy... Did this bimbo get a new haircut while wearing it?” Maddie complained.

“It's just a trick of the mind, because you're not used to the fabric. Stop complaining and watch the road!” Carol retorted. “Catalina gave us a tight schedule.”

The self-proclaimed supervillainess was able to afford three henchwomen. Carol and Maddie were the first two she hired. Originally, they were small-time crooks working as drug dealers and enforcers for a lousy small gang. However they quickly realized that, while the self-proclaimed supervillainess was slightly bonkers, she was also in spite of her screw loose (or perhaps because of it) a genius when it came to plan heists.

Carol was a auburn-haired green-hazel-eyed woman in her late twenties with a fair light skin and a round-shaped face. Her wavy shoulder-long hair were kept loose. Maddie was around the same age, though slightly taller and broader. She had closely-cropped black hair, dark brown almond eyes, and a tanned skin.

Both were wearing the same (stolen) clothes: thick black security shoes, dark blue jeans, blue t-shirts with matching blue light jackets, and blue and white caps. These were the clothes of delivery women. And indeed, they were currently driving a delivery van.

However, both the uniforms and the vehicle weren't theirs...

**************

Felice and a guy called Octave whom Reyna couldn't stand were monitoring the back entrance of the Institute, the one used for the deliveries, from a small guard office in a corner of the building. There were a desk, a few chairs, several shelves with folders, as well as a coffee machine and a small fridge in a corner. A door was leading to a small washroom. Several screens linked to surveillance cameras were allowing the guards to watch the outside of the main building, its back entrance, and the portal that vehicles had to cross if they wanted to enter the complex, as well as most of the corridors of the main building. They were able to communicate with the outside thanks to an interphone.

“Shift change.” Reyna announced to the two guards. “Nothing to say?”

“Nothing interesting.” Octave answered.

“Good luck for the most boring part of this assignment!” Felice added with a teasing smile. “See you in about an hour.”

The two security guards left to patrol the corridors. Reyna was glad to see Octave gone.

“Well, let's make ourselves comfortable!” Hazel cheerfully said.

Reyna nodded, though she remained professional.

However, they weren't able to make themselves comfortable... In the security screen, they saw a van stop in front of the portal used for the deliveries.

“Well, talk about timing.” Reyna commented.

Hazel nodded and smiled. Then, she jabbed the needle of a syringe in the dark-brown-haired woman's neck and pressed the plunger, injecting her with a colourless liquid.

“Uh!”

Reyna's eyes widened. She didn't anticipate the betrayal at all!

“Indeed. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect.” the cinnamon brown-haired shorter woman said.

“H... Hazel?”

Hazel winked. “Not exactly.” Her voice suddenly sounded different. As if...

As if she was another person!

“An impostor... But when... did you... take her place? Guuuuhhhh...”

Reyna fell on the desk and everything went black.

**************

Nataleigh was waiting in the back of the delivery van while Carol and Maddie were driving it. Both because they could only steal two sets of clothes and needed to hide her, since there were only two delivery women, and because they needed someone to make sure that the two real delivery women wouldn't cause too much fuss during the travel.

Though the precaution proved to be unncessary, as their victims barely dared to move and whimper. They certainly weren't going to try to make noise, they were too scared for that.

The unlucky real owners of the uniforms that Carol and Maddie stole were thoroughly trussed up in their undergarments. They were bound with strings and brown package tape that were found in their own van. They were also gagged with several strips of package tape.

The first delivery woman was wearing a light pink t-shirt bra and salmon boyshorts. She was a chestnut-haired green-eyed woman with a chin-long bob cut. The second delivery woman had dark blond hair tied into a loose bun at the nape of the neck and blue eyes. She was clad in a navy blue tank top, with no bra underneath, and white-and-turquoise striped knickers.

“We're almost there. Get ready.” Carol said from the passenger seat.

“Finally!” Nataleigh exclaimed.

**************

Catalina laid Reyna on the floor behind the desk, to conceal her unconscious body, then pushed the button opening the portal.

The fake delivery van parked near the entrance, in a reserved parking space.

Catalina's three accomplices (though she preferred to call them: 'henchwomen') exited the vehicle. They followed their boss in the guard office.

The self-proclaimed supervillainess pointed at the deeply asleep Reyna.

“Nataleigh, you're roughly her size. Take her uniform.”

Primrose Security had a policy when it came to patrols. Women of standard size and height were paired up with men. When they couldn't avoid same-sex patrols, they were using women of less common size.

Well, that was the exact reason why Catalina hired a tall woman among her henchwomen...

She gave more instructions to Nataleigh: “You'll stay here in case someone asks to enter. An empty guard station would immediately inform everyone that something fishy is going on. Play the part of the professional sentry. Remember however that all the guards working for Primrose Security know each other. If you come across one, you have to neutralize them at all costs.”

“Understood.”

“Carol and Maddie. You go with me. We'll look for an opportunity to enter the room in which the samples of the new medicines are stored.”

**************

Left alone with her victim, Nataleigh got on with her job. She pulled off each part of Reyna's uniform: cap, boots, belt, uniform pants, tactical vest, shirt, and tank top. The security guard was left wearing only a black sports bra, and matching boyshorts and socks.

Nataleigh was indeed the best choice to impersonate Reyna, as she was tall, with a fit muscular athletic-looking body. She had neck-long jet black hair, short with the exception of one longer lock falling on each side of her face and on her shoulders, dark eyes, and a white skin.

The henchwoman used the zip-ties strapped on Reyna's discarded belt to bind her wrists and ankles. Just to be safe, she also tied her shoulders, her upper-arms, her thighs, her calves, and her wrists (again) with the sturdy strings she took in the delivery van. She shoved the security guard's socks into her mouth, and gagged her with package tape, also taken in the delivery van.

Nataleigh quickly removed her clothes and slipped into the security guard uniform.

She concealed the trussed up unconscious body of Reyna in the small washroom of the guard office, and closed the door.

**************

Catalina knew she hit the jackpot when she and her associates came across the two laboratory technicians.

The first had a tanned skin, dark brown eyes, and smooth midback-long light brown hair tied up into a ponytail. She was thin and fit, with an oval-shaped face. According to her badge, she was named Laura.

The second had a white skin and hazel green eyes. Her collarbone-long light red hair were tied into a bushy ponytail. There were freckles on her cheeks. She was slightly shorter and chubbier than her companion, with a round-shaped face. According to her badge, her name was Loretta.

Both women were wearing the same protective plastic goggles and white long-sleeved lab coats. They were also wearing scrub pants and V-neck scrub tops, though of different colours: Loretta's scrubs were blue; Laura's were burgundy. Both were walking in white laboratory safety shoes.

Catalina got in character. She was supposed to be Hazel, a confident security guard holding some authority.

“Good day. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I need your help to retrieve some supplies.”

“Do you really need us? We still had a lot of hard work to do at the lab...” Laura objected.

“This is a question of security.” Catalina confidently answered.

The two lab technicians were obviously not on board with the idea, but due to their low rank in the hierarchy of the Institute, they couldn't argue much with a guard asserting that it was a question of security. Laura and Loretta shared a resigned glance.

“It's always the same people who do all the work...” Laura commented with a sigh.

Catalina led them to a supply room that she noticed on her way. “Please follow me inside. These two delivery women need some of the supplies of this room.”

The fake Hazel entered first, followed by the two technicians. Carol and Maddie were the last to enter. Maddie closed the door behind them.

A short commotion followed. The door was brutally opened and Loretta, the technician with light red hair, almost managed to flee the supply room. However, a pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders and dragged her inside before she could escape – or even scream for help.

“Yeeeeeeep!” she shrieked.

The door was closed once again.

During a few seconds, there were the sounds of two women being rendered unconscious.

Then, silence.

**************

While stripping the technician with the light red hair, the three criminals noticed that Loretta also had freckles on her shoulders, her thighs, and her breasts. She was indeed wearing a camellia strapless bra, mango tanga panties, and light pink socks. Her colleague Laura's underwear consisted of an amethyst balcony bra, lavender bikini panties, and lilac socks.

The two lab technicians were tightly trussed up with tape. (There were indeed numerous rolls of strong grey tape in the supply room.) Several layers were therefore wrapped around their upper arms, both above and below the breasts, to immobilize them. Their wrists and hands were taped behind their back. Silver tape was also mummifying their legs from the knees to the ankles. Catalina and her two accomplices made sure Laura and Loretta wouldn't be able to call for help by filling each woman's mouth with a few rags found in the supply room and wrapping a copious amount of tape around each woman's lower face to properly obscure and seal the mouth.

Carol and Maddie dropped their current uniforms on the floor, and slipped into the shoes, the scrubs and the lab coats. They put on the protective plastic goggles for the last touch.

By the time the two fake delivery women were now disguised as fake lab technicians, Laura and Loretta had regained consciousness. They were glaring angrily at their captors, especially the two impostors currently wearing their clothes. They angrily groaned in their gags and hit the floor with their bound feet.

“Shouldn't we put them to sleep?” Carol asked.

“Had to leave my dart gun in the car: it's not a regulation weapon.” Catalina answered. “Primrose Security even searches its own guards. Bringing one syringe hidden in my cleavage was already a huge risk.”

“What about the taser stun gun?”

“Well, I don't want to be mean either. Nobody can hear them anyway, and I'm sure they'll promise to be nice. Right ladies?”

The two technicians immediately stopped struggling. They nodded, desperate to not be tased.

“Look on the bright side ladies.” Carol said with a smile. “You were complaining that you had to do all the work around here. Well, we're taking over your job for today! We'll help you do all your hard work at the lab.”

“Don't forget to ask for a compensation for occupational injuries.” Maddie added. “And don't hesitate to sue them if they try to refuse: they are legally obliged to compensate you for your uniform stealing, as per the latest Work-related Compensation Act.”

“Send your thanks to Hieron's government of national unity.” Catalina concluded. “They are maybe making things more difficult for us uniform stealers, but at least they are also thinking of the most important: to help the victims.”

“Mmmm...”

“Mph!”

“Apparently, they don't realize their luck yet.” Catalina shrugged. “Oh, well! It doesn't really matter... To me at least. We still have some data to steal! With the corresponding sambles to boot. Come, my henchwomen!”

“Please stop calling us that...” Carol begged.

Catalina and her two accomplices left the maintenance closet after turning off the light, leaving the trussed up Laura and Loretta behind.

“This lab coat is itching me!” Maddie suddenly complained.

**************

Catalina was confident. Her idea to mug a security guard and steal her identity before she started her shift worked perfectly. She had a free hand to help the other infiltrators of her team from the inside. This heist was as a rousing success!

A bad surprise was however awaiting her and her two accomplices.

The room in which the samples and their datas were stored wasn't empty. A light-skinned ponytailed scientist with light blond hair and ocean blue eyes was currently storing samples of medicine in a special briefcase. She was wearing a white lab coat with matching lab pants and shoes, as well as a black shirt and rectangular glasses.

The scientist was escorted by two guards: a tall dark-skinned black-haired woman and a short black-haired light-skinned woman. Brigid and Roberta, according to their nametags. Just like with Hazel and Reyna, Primrose had paired up a tall and a short guard.

The three women were probably here to move some of the samples in another part of the lab.

Shit! I didn't expect that! There wasn't supposed to be any guard here!

“Hazel? What are you doing here?” the tall guard asked.

I can't let them reach their walkie-talkies. They only need to press one button to raise the alarm!

Luckily, Catalina still had Hazel's guise thanks to her mask, wig and contact lenses, something no other uniform stealers could have had. She could walk in plain sight, and not be recognized as an impostor as long as she remained in-character.

“I was sent to escort these two assistants. They will help you move the samples.” she lied with assurance, perfectly mimicking Hazel's voice.

I just need to buy a few seconds... The time to approach the scientist and take her hostage...

“Who told you that?” Brigid asked. “It goes against the procedure.” She was already looking wary. If Caralina had merely been disguised as a random employee whom she didn't know, she would already have raised the alarm. However, Catalina looked and sounded like her colleague Hazel. The illusion was perfect. Therefore, Brigid had no way of suspecting that there was a breach of security.

“The director of the Institute told me, on the phone.” Catalina lied, approaching the blond scientist.

“But why would he...”

Suddenly, the fake Hazel grabbed the handgun strapped on her belt, jumped the blond scientist, and pressed the barrel of the gun against her head to take her hostage. Brigid and Roberta didn't anticipate in time the betrayal of someone whom they thought were their colleague.

“Don't you dare try to touch your weapons!” Catalina barked, without bothering to imitate Hazel's voice anymore. “Or your walkie talkies for that matter! Hands on the wall, or the pretty nerd gets it!”

Internally, Catalina was overjoyed to be able to talk like a true supervillainess.

Roberta and Brigid shared a look.

“It's not Hazel's voice...” the first couldn't help but whisper.

“Who are you?” the second asked out loud.

Catalina smiled. “Not your friend, unfortunately for you. She's not even in the building, she's currently all tied up at home. As I already said to her, I'm just a woman who's very good at making masks and wigs. I also don't have a lot of patience. And I remember ordering you to put your hands on the wall, legs wide apart.”

Since she had a hostage, the two guards had no other choice but comply.

“Now, henchwomen, relieve our two heroines of their weapon belts.”

“Please stop calling us that.” Carol begged again.

Still, she and Maddie unbuckled the weapon belts of the two security guards.

“Also, give them a good jolt.”

Carol and Maddie took the taser stun guns strapped on the belts and used them to knock Brigid and Roberta out. The two guards crumbled on the floor.

Catalina chuckled. “Get it?”

Carol and Maddie ignored her. Since they didn't want to waste time, they used the security guards' own plastic zip-ties to bind their wrists and ankles. They gagged them by wrapping a few layers of tape around the lower face with a roll of duct tape from the supply room that they had brought with them, just in case.

Catalina looked at the scientist that she was still keeping hostage. “Now, miss, can you please indicate me which samples and which folders of data correspond to the latest medicines developped by your laboratory?” she asked with a smile.

**************

The scientist complied. Funny how convincing a gun to the head could be!

While Catalina was retrieving the samples and folders she was supposed to steal, Carol and Maddie bound the blond woman with the zip-ties their boss had stolen along with Hazel's uniform.

“And I have everything!”

Catalina pointed at the scientist.

“Now, henchwomen, gag this nerd and we'll be on our way!”

“Please stop calling us that!” Carol begged for the third time.

Maddie approached the blond scientist.

“Why do you work for this wacko?” the latter couldn't help but ask.

Maddie shrugged. “Eh! It's a living...”

She then grabbed the scientist's ponytail to raise it out of the way and wrapped a few layers of tape around the blond-haired woman's lower face, completely obscuring her mouth and gagging her.

“Mfff!”

**************

“So, Nat', did you hold down the fort while we were away?” Carol exclaimed with a smile after they returned to the guard office.

“Without any trouble.”

“I love it when I hear these three words together...” Catalina commented with a smile.

She ignored the soft thumps of a woman hitting a door with her bound feet coming from the washroom. Reyna had woken up apparently.

“Let's go!”

They exited the building without any problem – which was logical since the guards supposed to watch the entrances and the exits had been mugged and replaces by Catalina and Nataleigh.

They left the delivery van in its parking space, with the two bound-and-gagged delivery women still inside, and piled into Hazel's car which was parked on the employee's parking.

Catalina started the engine. In the Institute, the alarm was sounded at the same time.

The self-proclaimed supervillainess pulled off her mask and her wig, then grinned.

“Nice. A cool car chase to finish in style!”

She stepped on the gas. Her three henchwomen hung on their seats.

"You'll never catch us alive, you cretins!" the self-proclaimed supervillainess screamed through the open window.

“Here we go again...” Carol resignedly commented.

**************

Reyna was thrashing against her bonds and trying to scream through her gag, but she stopped when she heard a voice in the guard office.

"Hey, Reyna, you in there?"

Goodness no! Not him! Not Octave!

She couldn't let him see her trussed up in her underwear!

Why me? First, with Leo in Skiron Manor. And now with him!

Reyna actually went quiet. She stopped moving, stopped banging for help and stopped trying to scream. She wanted to be found, but not by him. With a little luck, he would search another room and she could wait until a woman of the squad found her.

The tall security guard mentally cursed the impostor responsible of her plight.

Still, I can't figure it out... When did she take Hazel's place?

**************

Hazel woke up taped to her toilet seat, thoroughly bound and gagged in her underwear. Probably not the best way to spend the morning...

Well, she knew from the beginning that it was going to be one of those days, even if she didn't anticipate the exact reason why it would suck.

The first impression is always the right one. Especially when it's bad!

THE END

[tirepanted3]

An interesting idea, with some nice continuity following up from "Vigilantes" and some clever commentary on the trickiness of infiltrations post-"Final Gambits". And welcome to Uniform Stealing Victims Anonymous, Hazel!

I confess that, like shapeshifters, facemasks are not my preferred method of disguise, so I wasn't quite as invested in Catalina as some of your other characters. Though I did enjoy her backstory, as well as some of the banter between her and her henchwomen (particularly how Carol hates that term).

As this was a fairly short and conventional story, most of my points are in regards to small observations and little in-jokes:

1. Apparently Vengaboys exists in this world. I'm always amused by the connections between these stories and real pop-culture, though I wonder to what extent they are intertwined.
2. That consultant sounds awful. He should be fired immediately.
3. I see Brigid and Roberta are back (and Felice gets mentioned). Still can't figure out why I feel extra sympathy for these characters.
4. Nice touch in naming Laura and Loretta after the two lab techs in Letiprincess' latest pic.
5. Apparently Clover and Posy aren't the only ones interested in looking beneath their victims' tank tops. Seems like this is a new fad.

[rufusluciusivan]

Now, that was a fast answer. I was actually adding a few things in the epilogue probably while you were writing this comment . Nothing much, just a few short scenes to wrap things up, though you may wanna check back the ending.

Glad you liked this short installment, even though it wasn't your favorite method of disguise. The point was indeed to tie in with some ideas of Vigilantes (especially the trickiness of infiltrations) while writing some funny banters with a self-proclaimed comicbook villainess. Catalina was very fun to write. I was itching to write a scene with Hazel ever since her last appearance in Vigilantes... Did it show?

1. I can't even explain why I chose this music. Perhaps because it's catchy.
2. I don't know who this develishly handsome fiend is either, but he should be ashamed to try to destroy a country's sacred tradition.
3. I knew you'd appreciate this little mention, though I confess that I was also happy to not have to invent new characters thanks to them. The power of cameo!
4. They were indeed a homage to this pic, which I really liked even though it contained nudity. And I think that lab workers had it too easy on this board lately...
5. Though Clover and Posy did it to check if their victims weren't concealing weapons. Catalina did it because she's a pervert.

[tirepanted3]

Yes, that was a nice ending. thanks for alerting me.

The story definitely had some fun banter and good disguise scenes - but I'm upset because it's gotten the "Boom Boom Boom" song stuck in my head...

[rufusluciusivan]

Sorry... I also have had this song stuck in my head since I heard it. Upon reflection, maybe that's the reason why I featured it?

[Trackman281]

I know you've posted two chapter, so I'll read this one first because you've made it sound really interesting then I'll go straight on to your next outing of Pakal as I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Oh my goodness, the horror hahaha, I remember when that song was popular and hearing it on the car radio.

So far this whole chapter is really great, although I'm sure poor Hazel won't be thinking that, this new villains is really good too, I know she can't have the name Chameleon but what about......The blender, copycat, sideswipe or F2F (face to face), I'm just throwing some names of the top of my head here.

The whole scene was written perfectly, it was a great way to introduce us to the fake Hazel and the fact that it also points to Primrose has really peeked my excitement even more.

Oh it's Catalina, the following scene with her remembering stories of infiltrators was times before was intriguing, the histories of your worlds are rich and filled with life and lore, so it's always great to see more of it through tales or memories via your current infiltrators.

Ooff poor Maddie, I just hope that uniform she acquired doesn't hinder her too much on this heist. You really have written a well rounded and a real potential threat to your characters with Primrose, they really are the yang to your infiltrators ying, I actually liked Reyna's betrayal, the idea that as she slowly slips into unconsciousness, the last she hears before she wakes up was the supposed voice of her partner slowly changing to reveal she had been tricked. Nicely done.

Close call there for Catalina, I genuinely thought she was going to have to get her hands dirty when it came to Brigid and Roberta, but she's showed she was more than ready to handle this task much more professionally.

Catalina's personality is great, calling Carol a nerd several times, shows that she's actually more resourceful that what we think, as she finds something small like a saying which annoys your opponent, then you exploit it fully, either that or she was just being mean, hahaha either way I love it.

I know you said this story is potentially non canon, but I think it really should be, there were some great connections here indicating that this chapter takes places within the same universe, it was an incredibly well written chapter, the characters both old and new great (Oh yeah I noticed it was the same Brigid and Roberta ), you have a way of writing worlds that bring your stories to life and this one was no different, as I say I really do hope you do consider making this one canon as I'm sure these events can happen during the same timeline as Vigilantes.

Brilliant work, thank you for this new addition.

[meditions142]

I cannot even fully describe what a fun story this is.

First off, I love that you put in the debate of where a knocked out woman is actually sexier in a tank top than just her bra. That little part with Catalina and Hazel is fantastic!

And what a great comment “Now? You doze off of course!” Little comments like that make it so fun!

Love to see Reyna back. And the way she was knocked out was so perfect. Tricked by a master of disguise and then injected in her neck. I do love the fact she has some time to realize what is happening but is not able to do anything other that question things before she is off to dreamland.

I felt little bad for the Laura and Loretta. While the guards were drugged and tasered they actually gotten beaten up.

Just such a great story!

[rufusluciusivan]

trackman: The song of the demon indeed.

Primrose and her team are in my opinion very compelling antagonists, and I really enjoy how they force the uniform stealers to think outside the box and come up with new tactics.

Catalina was indeed a fun character to write and a good villain. Same with her henchwomen Carol and Maddie with their little quirks. Needed a new more 'humorours' bad girl now that Lizéa and her team were out of commission. I'm taking notes for her potential names.

Given the returns I got, I can assure you that theis story will be canon, though wether it will only result in brief passing mentions or if the newly-introduced characters will become regulars, I'm still not entirely sure.

meditions142:

I love that you put in the debate of where a knocked out woman is actually sexier in a tank top than just her bra.

Got the idea by reading one of your comments. I thought it would be a good detail to give Catalina more personality, same for her little comments such as "Now? You doze off of course!"

That little part with Catalina and Hazel is fantastic!

It was the part I liked writing the most. Basically, this short story was an excuse to feature this scene somewhere (along with the scene with Laura and Loretta). Everything else was just added to give these two scenes a reason to exist.

Laura and Loretta were indeed the most unlucky, though you can imagine that they were simply subdued (perhaps roughly), but rendered unconscious via sleeperholds instead of a swift beating. I willingly left the phrasing ambiguous.