of course, Ashley joining the dark side of the uniform stealing marks a turning point
but I believe we are beyond the 'Tirepanted paradigm',
currently , given all the crossovers between characters created by three different writers and related to initially different Universes, now melting into one, we are under the conditions of entropy, and the cases of "fourth wall breaking " observed in some chapters written by Trackman are only a prelude to the incoming phase
...when all the protagonists and characters reach the awareness of being trapped in uniform stealing Universe
Haha. Esecito, you have nothing to worry about, okay yes Stasis is somewhat (but not completely) aware of things, but this exists to her and only her. The rest of my characters will NEVER even get near to anything like a fourth wall because why would they? It doesn't exist to them, it's just a little Stasis feature. So please don't worry as the little comments Stasis makes will always ever be that, just little comments and nothing more. I hope this puts your mind at rest.
Yes, I can attest that Stasis is a unique character in this regard. I don't plan on having any of my characters breaking the fourth wall, at least not directly. I do like references between stories, but mainly as a subtle in-joke for people who have read the different series.
Beyond that, they will at times acknowledge the amount of uniform stealing that occurs in their world, but it's usually done less as a meta-commentary than as a chance to color their personalities and (hopefully) help explore them as characters.
Josie took a few deep breaths, adjusting to her new outfit. "Goodness, this is tight. How do they dance in these things?"
Bella sidled up to her, dressed in another one of the Spinneret outfits. "Just gotta let your body become one with the uniform," she smiled. "Personally, I think it looks gorgeous."
"Of course you do," Nicole grumbled, adjusting her own outfit. "I can't believe we have to wear pink again. How is anyone supposed to take us seriously in these clothes?"
"We'll worry about that later," Josie said. "Right now, we have priorities far beyond civilians taking us seriously."
Parker nodded. "I don't mind the color... just wish I had a better fit."
"At least you girls get uniforms," Rebecca said dryly. "I'm still left out to dry."
Indeed, she was the only member of the FBI team still in her underwear. The others had turned the Chrysalis kitchen into an impromptu changing room and had dressed in the Spinneret costumes.
"Sorry, Becca," Eleanor replied. "There weren't any other girls on the team."
"You can have my costume if you want," Ashley offered. "I've been wearing it for a while anyway... Maybe I can get my spare clothes from my locker."
"That's kind of you, but I'll find some other clothes," Rebecca said. "Though if you don't mind me asking, what sort of field training do you have? This is a dangerous mission we're on."
"Well, I've... had some security experience," Ashley said truthfully. She left out the part about how her "experience" so often resulted in the loss of her uniform.
"Hey, Rebecca," Nicole piped in. "If you want to get some new clothes, you'd better... hop to it."
Rebecca glared at her. "Keep on cracking jokes about my underwear, and I may just break your fingers."
Nicole glared right back. "I'd like to see you try."
"Girls!" Josie interjected authoritatively. "Enough of this tomfoolery. We have some criminals to catch. No more petty squabbling."
She inspected her team. "Now listen up... I'm not quite clear on everything that's going on at Chrysalis tonight, but here's what we do know: Bridget Baxter and Julia Chen are both dangerous women, and both of them - along with their friends and cohorts - need to be behind bars."
She smiled. "Tonight, girls, we get to be the heroes. We bring in the criminals, we get the credit. No longer will the FBI be a laughingstock. No longer will..."
At that moment, she was interrupted by the sound of a radio crackling to life.
As a precaution, Parker had set her wrist-communicator to intercept police calls in the vicinity before the mission began. She put it to her ear and listened. Her eyes widened.
"Guys," she told her friends, "the SWAT teams are here."
Josie blinked in surprise. "What?"
"There are two SWAT vans outside Chrysalis," Parker explained, keeping the communicator to her ear. "They've formed a cordon around the building, and are instructing the patrons inside to stay confined to the auditorium. They're conducting a search of some wanted criminals."
Josie felt her heart sink. "No..."
"They're sending in a bunch of armored officers to search the building and make the arrests," Parker concluded. "Professionals, highly skilled. They're preparing the search now."
The FBI agents were silent as they took in this new information.
Josie leaned against a cabinet and rubbed her forehead in exasperation. "Why... Why does this keep happening."
The other agents stared at each other glumly. Once again, they were being left in the dust. All their hard work, and they'd have nothing to show for it.
Ashley glanced around the room. "So... you're all just giving up?"
Eleanor shrugged her shoulders. "What choice do we have?" she asked. "The SWAT teams have armor... weapons... military-style training. All we have right now are a bunch of dumbass ballerina costumes."
Bella nodded in agreement. "Guess we need to stop fooling ourselves. No matter what we try, someone else will always catch the villains. Someone else always gets the credit."
Ashley looked exasperated. "Well, I'm disappointed." She folded her arms. "You're all throwing in the towel before Bridget and Chen and the others have even been caught. There's still a chance, is what I'm saying."
Josie looked up, listening with piqued interest.
"I've been knocked down a lot in my life," Ashley continued. "But something I've learned from all those times I've been mugged for my uniform... You can't give up while there's still a chance. Keep fighting, keep trying to prove yourself. That's what I do."
A light flicked on in Josie's eyes. She smiled.
"You're right."
Ashley blinked. "I am?"
Josie nodded, and addressed her team. "Listen up, ladies," she said, her voice regaining confidence. "I know it looks bad. Maybe kind of hopeless. But we can't give in. We've worked really hard to get to this point, and the game's not over yet."
The girls listened intently as she continued. "For the moment, Bridget Baxter is still uncaptured... and so is Julia Chen. There will be no more satisfying sound than the sound of handcuffs clicking around their wrists. And we're not going to let anyone else swoop in and arrest them before we do."
"But how do we manage that?" Parker asked. "These SWAT agents seem pretty determined... and if we try explaining that we're FBI agents, they'll take one look at our clothes and laugh at us."
Josie nodded. "I know. So we're not going to waste time explaining ourselves." She glanced around the room. "As of this moment, the SWAT teams are our rivals... and we need to get them out of the way."
A mischievous grin spread across her lips. "What I'm about to suggest isn't exactly legal... and if we're caught, we may lose our badges and perhaps do some jail time. But I think we need to take the risk. If anyone is uncomfortable with that, raise your hand and you are free to back out now."
The other FBI women glanced at each other, but none of them raised an objection.
Bella looked at Josie, a smile on her lips. "We're with you, boss."
"Perfect," Josie grinned. "Now, here's the plan..."
*****************
The SWAT teams were mobilizing outside the Chrysalis building, preparing their weapons and testing their communications.
Judging by the reports they'd received, there were deadly criminals inside the building, and they would need the utmost caution upon entering. Fortunately, the women of the SWAT teams were measured and professional. They were also the definition of intimidating in their appearance, between their black body armor and helmets and assortment of weaponry.
The SWAT women would split into two teams of seven women each. One team would enter through the building through the front, the other through the rear. Other agents would guard the side entrances and exits, and would report any suspicious activity.
"Let's make this a clean op, everyone," ordered Tess, the team leader. The light-skinned woman had her sandy hair cut rather short, the better for it to fit beneath her helmet. "No problems, no funny business. We identify Julia Chen and her goons, grab them, and get out."
As the SWAT women dispersed and headed towards their assigned target points, a police car pulled up across the street.
Meredith glanced out the window anxiously. "They're already here... the authorities. Maybe I'm too late..."
"Stop worrying yourself with maybes," Linda cautioned. "As far as you know, your wife hasn't been captured yet. Now go find her, and rescue her."
Meredith nodded, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. "You're right." She cleared her throat, then glanced again at the building, a look of determination on her face. "You're right," she said, more forcefully.
She stepped out of the car and stood up straight, squaring her shoulders. "If she's in there, I'm going to find her. And no one's going to stop me."
"Do you want me to join you?" Linda asked. "I'm pretty good at dealing with the feds."
"Thank you, but no," Meredith replied. "This is something I need to do myself."
Linda nodded. "In that case, good luck."
"Thank you," Meredith replied. "For everything."
Linda nodded again. Then, with a last smile to Meredith, she gunned the engine and drove off.
Meredith watched the police car disappear around the corner. Then she turned back to the Chrysalis building.
"Showtime," she whispered to herself.
A look of fierce determination on her face, she crossed the outdoor lot leading to the building, navigating her way around the two SWAT trucks. She approached the entrance, growing more confident with each step...
"Where do you think you're going?"
The tall, well-toned woman who now stepped in front of Meredith had brown hair and tan skin. She was dressed in the standard SWAT uniform - grey sweater and combat pants, black Kevlar vest, black strap-on gloves, knee-high lace-up black boots, and black tactical helmet with face-concealing scarf. Two guns were strapped to her belt, one on each hip, and other pockets on the belt bulged with a multitude of other weapons.
Meredith was startled by the woman's appearance for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "I'm a police officer," she explained, pointing at her badge and uniform. "Here to investigate the situation at Chrysalis."
The SWAT woman rolled her eyes. "We told the local authorities to keep their distance. Our team can handle things."
At this, Meredith couldn't help feeling a bit annoyed. "What do you mean?"
"Just return to your precinct," the woman advised. "We can handle things out here, but we'll handle it better without local cops getting in the way."
Meredith felt herself getting increasingly frustrated, but she kept her cool. "Please," she said. "There are innocent people inside that building, including someone very close to me."
"In that case, you definitely can't get inside," the woman stated tersely. "We can't have anyone getting emotionally attached. This is a dangerous operation, with serious risk of people getting hurt." The tone of her voice was unwavering. "Go on home. The only people allowed inside the building now are those wearing SWAT uniforms."
Meredith was about to continue protesting, but the look in the SWAT woman's eyes suggested that she would brook no further discussion. She nodded slowly and turned away, heading back through the lot and past the large black trucks.
Inside the second truck, something caught Meredith's eye. One of the SWAT agents was still inside the rear of the truck, currently in the process of strapping on her body armor. Her back was turned to Meredith.
"So annoying," the woman muttered. She had strawberry-blonde hair and light skin, and was dressed identically to the woman Meredith had just spoken with. "I swear, they make this armor impossible to put on properly."
Meredith could see that the woman had not yet strapped on her weapons belt. She glanced around to ensure that no one was watching... then she took a deep breath and clambered up into the truck.
The blonde turned around at the sound of Meredith's footsteps. "Hey, who the hell are you? Get out of... Ooofff!"
Meredith tackled the woman, knocking her off-balance. Fortunately, the thick frame of the truck muted the rattling noises.
The SWAT agent had undergone several years of rigorous combat training. She was well-versed in multiple fighting styles, from jujitsu to taekwondo. She was an expert fighter, capable of beating most men in hand-to-hand combat.
Meredith did not have any combat training, apart from a self-defense course she had taken three years prior. She was unfamiliar with most fighting styles. And she had not engaged in any sort of combat in several days.
But there was one thing she had that the SWAT woman lacked - determination. The need to see her wife again, at any cost. She refused to lose because she needed to win.
The women wrestled on the ground for about thirty seconds, and more than once it looked as though the blonde would gain the upper hand. But Meredith pushed herself, refusing to give in. Lucinda's face seemed to appear before her... encouraging her on.
Finally, the blonde collapsed to the floor, unconscious. Meredith let out a deep breath in triumph.
But there was no time to waste. Once she had caught her second wind, Meredith dragged the SWAT agent into the deeper shadows of the truck and began stripping her of her uniform.
Beneath the black ensemble, the blonde's underwear was surprisingly colorful. A red-and-pink zigzag-pattern contour bra and aquamarine boyshorts. Even her socks were a comforting sky-blue.
Meredith used zip-ties from the woman's own belt to bind her wrists and ankles, and some electric tape for a gag. Then she stuffed the woman into a compartment beneath one of the seats, working the lock in place. A few slats near the top of the compartment would allow the woman air enough to breathe.
Meredith donned the uniform, noting wryly that the blonde was correct - it was tricky to put the ensemble on properly. Nevertheless, she kept working, making sure all the straps and buckles were properly fastened. She'd need to make the disguise work in she wanted to get inside without problems.
"Just hang tight, Lucinda," she whispered as she donned the scarf and helmet. "We'll be together again before you know it."
*********************
Seven SWAT women entered through the front door, immediately surveying the lobby. As expected, it was empty; most of the guests and staff had been cordoned in the auditorium.
"Spread out," Tess ordered her six associates. "Search all the rooms. If you find anything suspicious, radio in."
The women nodded, and fanned out. Tess headed for the auditorium, while the other SWAT agents made for some of the other halls.
Lilah, one of the younger agents, strode down a narrow hall toward the restrooms. There weren't many side rooms, apart from the occasional disused closet.
Lilah felt a bit hot and stuffy in her black body armor, but chose not to complain. The athletic light-skinned redhead had previously been an Olympic hopeful, but her hopes of competing had been dashed by an ankle injury, and she had eventually found her way into law enforcement instead. The job was healthy and paid well, and she wasn't going to let a stuffy outfit dissuade her.
As she rounded the corner, Lilah saw a woman in a bathroom attendant's uniform, casually leaning against the wall, toying with her cellphone. The tan-skinned, dark-haired woman looked up as Lilah approached.
"Evening, ma'am," Lilah said in her typical professional tone. "Any suspicious activity happen down this corridor?"
Marina flashed a smile. "Just the usual perils of indoor plumbing," she said cheerfully. "Say... are you a security guard?"
"I'm a SWAT officer," Lilah responded. "Not exactly a guard, more of a militarized policewoman."
Marina let out a sigh of relief as Lilah walked past. "That's what I thought," she said. "I'm telling you, it's been so boring lately... Security guard here, security guard there... As though I can't find any other uniforms worth stealing."
"I'm sorry, I don't have time to chat," Lilah said as she observed the corridor ahead. Then she looked up in suspicion. "Wait... What was that you said about stealing unif..."
Marina directed the karate chop to a precise spot at the base of Lilah's skull. The redhead froze with an "Uurrkkk!" and then slowly fell backwards.
"Sorry, SWAT lady," Marina said brightly as she caught the unconscious officer. "But you've just been swatted."
Lilah remained motionless as Marina dragged her into the ladies' restroom, and into one of the stalls. She shut the stall door and sat the officer down on the toilet seat.
"Damn, honey." Marina eyed the woman's weapons belt. "Those guns look dangerous. I'd better confiscate them... and your knives... and your pepper spray... and all your clothes, too." She giggled.
True to her word, Marina soon had Lilah down to her royal blue t-shirt bra and purple hiphugger panties. She donned the woman's clothes and armor and strapped on the weapons belt.
"A little stuffy," she admitted. "But better than being taped to a toilet all night. Speaking of which..."
She pulled out a roll of silver duct tape. "Hold that pose, darling."
Lilah remained insensible as Marina secured her wrists and ankles behind the toilet pipe, then taped her mouth shut. She exited the stall and shut the door.
"This is Hot Babe to Alpha Leader," she said into her own communicator. "SWAT uniform acquired."
"Good," Dr. Chen responded. "Now wait for everyone else to get their disguises. And enough with the stupid codenames."
Marina stuck out her tongue at the radio, then shut it off and sighed.
"Am I the only one who knows how to have fun around here?" she mumbled.
She wondered how Darla was doing. Probably busy mugging another of the SWAT women...
******************
Alas, Darla did not have the ability to mug any SWAT women... or anyone, for that matter. She was currently stuck where Haleema had left her - in a dark closet, bound with grey cords and gagged with a white cloth, stripped to her orange elasticized bra and mauve bikini panties.
Darla grunted and struggled against her bonds. This wasn't fair! She had been loyal to Dr. Chen, and didn't deserve this kind of treatment...
Footsteps in the hallway. Darla grew silent as she listened to the heavy footfalls - the sound of boots on carpeted floor.
Squirming and maneuvering herself across the closet, Darla peeked through a crack in the door. She could see two women in black body armor, making their way carefully down the hallway.
"I'll check the western hallway," said the first agent. "You take the security room."
"Copy that," her friend replied.
Darla felt her cheeks burn as she realized what was happening. A SWAT team had been deployed to investigate Chrysalis. No doubt Dr. Chen was retaliating, and her fellow teammates were preparing to retaliate by taking out the SWAT women and likely taking their uniforms.
Can't believe I'm missing the fun, she thought to herself.
********************
Irène approached the door Marked "Security Room", guns holstered. She was one of the taller SWAT agents on the team, with tan skin and short magenta-dyed hair.
She knocked on the door. "Police, anyone inside?"
The door almost immediately. A woman in security uniform stood on the other side. "Good evening, officer. Have you found those crooks yet?"
"Not yet... May I take a look at the video camera feeds?" Irène asked. "It would be a good way for my teammates and I to get the layout of the building?"
Cassandra smiled. "But of course. Come inside."
"Thank you." Irène stepped into the room, and a still-smiling Cassandra shut the door behind her.
The SWAT officer studied the monitors on the wall. "This is great. This will allow us to see everything happening in the building."
Cassandra picked up a fire extinguisher from the corner of the room and hefted it in her hand. "Well, not quite everything."
"What are you talking abou... uurrgghh!"
The extinguisher, swung like a baseball bat, connected just below Irène's helmet with a satisfying WHUNK.
Irène's eyes rolled upwards, and she tottered back and forth for a moment before collapsing to the ground.
"You didn't see that," Cassandra chuckled.
After checking to ensure that the SWAT woman was unconscious, Cassandra relieved her of her uniform and weapons. Once Irène had been reduced to her tangerine sports bra and pink-heart-dotted blue bikini panties, Cassandra used some spare tape from the desk drawer to keep her silenced and secured.
Cassandra opened the door to the broom closet, smiling at the bound-and-gagged woman inside. "Room for one more?" she asked.
Kendall growled angrily into her gag, and pulled once again at the tight bonds immobilizing her.
"I'll take that as a yes." Cassandra tossed Irène into the closet and shut the door.
********************
Back in the auditorium, all the guests were seated at their tables, trying not to worry about the arrival of the SWAT women and what it might portend.
"Stay calm, ladies and gentlemen," Tess said in her typical professional voice. "My colleagues are searching the building. If they find anything or anyone suspicious, you will be the first to know. In the meantime, just stay level-headed and talk amongst yourselves... Try to keep each other company."
Bridget didn't feel like staying calm and level-headed - she wanted this opportunity to find Chen and strike back. But no one was allowed to leave the auditorium until Tess gave the say-so.
Felicia could see that Bridget was worried. More worried than usual.
"So," Chloe piped up, smiling at Felicia. "Looks like we're going to be stuck here a while."
Felicia nodded idly. "Hopefully not long."
"I have a few books in my handbag." Chloe began rummaging around in her satchel. "Always take a couple in case of emergency. You like fantasy novels?"
Felicia shrugged. "I prefer sci-fi, actually. You know, spaceships and aliens."
"Those can be fun," Chloe nodded. "I've always been more of a fantasy gal myself. Check it out." She pulled out a blue softcover novel. "This is Pakal. Have you read it? One of my favorites."
Felicia shook her head. "Can't say I have."
"How about this one?" Chloe withdrew a green paperback from her bag. "It's called Vendela. I just started reading, and it's really good."
Felicia shrugged. "Sorry, I don't read much fantasy."
"You should try these," Chloe offered. "They've got some great characters and exciting storylines." She put the books on the table. "The only downside is that the women in the stories tend to go about their quests by stealing other women's clothes and uniforms. It's a clever tactic, I guess, but it's obviously not the kind of thing that women do in real life."
Felicia gave a sly smile. "Oh yes... definitely not realistic."
"Chloe, give it a rest," Robyn interrupted. "No one wants to read your books right now. We're just wondering what the hell all these SWAT people are doing here."
Chloe gave her sister an annoyed look. "I'm just making conversation, Rob. Why do you have to be so rude?"
"Whatever." Robyn rolled her eyes and glanced around the room. "Where'd that sommelier go? I need another drink."
Chloe frowned. "Come on, Robyn, cheer up. Enough with this angry routine."
As the two sisters bickered, Felicia turned back to her friend. "Hey... Bridget."
Bridget looked up. She managed a small smile. "Hey... Don't worry, I'm sure this will all pass pretty soon."
"Yes, I'm sure it will..." Felicia leaned in closely, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Bridget, what is going on?"
Bridget looked surprised. "I... I don't know what you mean..."
"Enough," Felicia said, growing annoyed. "You've been acting funny all evening. You're hiding something. What is it? Do you know why these SWAT agents are here?"
"I..." Bridget looked around. Dare she tell?
None of Dr. Chen's goons appeared to be in the auditorium. If Bridget had to guess, they were probably elsewhere in the building, acquiring the SWAT uniforms that the officers were "helpfully" providing them.
Bridget couldn't take it anymore. She had to tell someone, and Felicia was the best "someone" she knew.
She lowered her own voice and looked intently at her young friend. "Felicia," she said slowly, "Dr. Chen is alive. And she's here."
Felicia looked shocked for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "How... how long have you known about this?"
"Less than an hour," Bridget said truthfully. And she began to explain to her highly attentive friend.
******************
"More black outfits?" Whitney grumbled to herself.
She and Haleema were peeking out the doorway of a second-story anteroom, watching as a pair of SWAT officers ascended the steps.
"And those outfits are probably all sweaty and smelly, too... I can't."
Haleema glared at her. But Whitney was growing tired of the Arab woman's harsh stares.
"I'm not joking. I'm sick of it already. Every time I steal a uniform, it's some ugly-ass outfit that smells like it was fished out of a dumpster bin. It's gross and..."
Haleema put a hand over Whitney's mouth, motioning for her to be silent. The officers were getting closer.
The two SWAT women were attired in the same black body armor as their cohorts, though they had removed their helmets due to the heat. Both were tall and athletically built. The one leading the way had light skin and copper-colored hair that reached down between her shoulders. Behind her was a bronze-skinned woman with curly black hair arranged into a ponytail.
Haleema, still dressed in her sommelier outfit, exited the anteroom and stood in the hallway before the two SWAT agents. She hefted a bottle of chardonnay in her hands.
The two SWAT women looked at Haleema in surprise. Then the copper-haired woman spoke. "Ma'am, you shouldn't be up here. Wait downstairs with the rest of the staff."
Haleema grinned a broad smile that showed off her gleaming white teeth. Then she pressed her thumb beneath the bottle's cork and pushed inward.
With a soft "POP" the cork flew out of the bottle. It hit the copper-haired officer square in the forehead. She lost her balance and fell to the ground.
The dark-haired officer gasped and tried to draw her weapon. She was a moment too slow. Haleema swung the bottle at her head, connecting with a THONK.
A pair of quick karate chops - one for each officer - completed the task that the wine bottle had started. Haleema grabbed the two SWAT women by their collars and dragged them into the anteroom.
"Impressive," Whitney said dryly, as Haleema began stripping the copper-haired guard. "Have fun with her uniform."
Haleema gave her another look, but Whitney ignored her.
"Like I said, I'm done. Stealing other women's uniforms might be fun for you, but I'm tired of putting on all these ugly and sweaty new outfits. Enough. No more."
She turned away, arms crossed, as if to prove her point as final.
Then she heard a clicking noise behind her.
Whitney turned to see, to her horror, that Haleema was pointing a gun in her direction.
"That's... not funny," she said. "Put it away. Someone will get hurt."
Haleema kept the gun trained on Whitney. Her eyes remained cold and stern. With her free hand, she pointed to the second unconscious SWAT agent.
Whitney laughed nervously. "Are... are you being serious right now? You're going to shoot me if I don't put on her uniform?"
Haleema's icy gaze remained fixed on Whitney. Cold, steely, merciless.
Whitney gulped. "Okay... okay, you win. I'm stripping her." She knelt down and began unlacing the second SWAT agent's boot. "Look, I'm stripping her. Please... please put the gun away."
Haleema watched Whitney work for another few seconds, then returned the gun to its holster.
The two women worked in silence for the next few minutes, stripping the SWAT women of their boots, clothes, and armor. The copper-haired officer wore a cyan underwire bra and matching bikini panties. The dark-haired officer sported a grey T-shirt bra and blue-green checkered boyshorts.
Whitney kept a calm expression as she changed out of her current clothes, but inside, she was fuming.
This was a mistake, she thought to herself. I figured that a criminal career would be fun... Exciting, even. But it's just turned into a huge mess.
She slipped into the SWAT uniform, wrinkling her nose. I'm gonna go nuts if I have to steal one more woman's smelly wardrobe.
Currently, Haleema was in the process of binding and gagging the two officers with torn lavender drapes from the windows. She cast a glance at Whitney.
Whitney smiled and gave a thumbs-up. "All good! I love this uniform!"
Then she returned to her own thoughts. I gotta get the hell out of here...
*********************
While several SWAT agents had entered through the front of Chrysalis and had fanned out to begin their search, another six officers were entering through the back.
Leading the group was Rachel, a porcelain-skinned woman with reddish-blonde hair and sea-green eyes. She observed the long and winding corridor ahead. "Okay, ladies... follow me."
The other five armored women did just that. The hallway was long and narrow, compacted to allow for more space within the rooms around it. Thus, the SWAT team walked single-file, one after the other, their bootfalls muted by the carpeted floor.
The hall was dimly lit and appeared empty. The SWAT agents, as per their training, kept their eyes focused forward as they slowly made their way past seemingly empty closets and side rooms. They were well-trained officers, but the lack of any sound or movement in the area may have subtly coaxed them to relax their guard.
The last woman in the line was a recent SWAT recruit named Loretta. Tall and fit, with black hair and almond-brown skin, she was closely watching the back of the woman in front of her. But no one was watching her back.
If Loretta detected any movement or the approach of a shadow from behind her, she didn't give any sign. She was too busy training her eyes on her teammates walking in front of her. She did not notice anything out of the ordinary until it was too late.
As the gloved hand slipped over her mouth, Loretta's blue eyes widened. She tried to cry out, but an arm quickly snaked around her throat, preventing her from even a muffled scream. She was pulled sharply backwards, away from her forward-moving teammates.
"For what it's worth," Parker whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry about this."
Loretta gurgled and gasped as she was dragged back into a dark supply closet. She struggled to reach for her weapon... but before her fingers could close around it, Parker's hand had quietly and expertly hit a nerve cluster at the base of her neck.
"Sleep well," the FBI agent whispered. "Now let's see about that uniform of yours..."
The other five SWAT women continued their pace, unaware that one of their number had disappeared. It was a level of negligence that would cost them.
The FBI agents maintained a simple but efficient process. It would focus on the last woman in line. As the SWAT officers would turn a corner, the final woman in line would suddenly and quietly find herself hand-gagged, and pulled into a nearby closet before a sound of hers could alert her teammates.
Once out of sight, the SWAT officer would be dispensed with by means of a quick judo chop or harmless nerve pinch. Once unconscious, the women would raise no objection as they were relieved of their uniforms.
So it went with the fifth officer in line, a white-skinned brunette named Debbie. Then the fourth woman in line, an olive-skinned, chocolate cherry-haired woman named Stephanie. And then the third woman in line, a black-haired Asian woman named Lin. Every ten seconds or so, the line of women would grow a little shorter, as one by one, the SWAT members were quietly plucked from their positions.
The second SWAT agent - now by default the "last one" in the line - felt her senses buzz slightly. A woman with chestnut-brown skin, ruby-fusion brown hair, and electric blue eyes, she turned around suspiciously. Not noticing any of her teammates, she opened her mouth to call out.
Before she could do so, however, the door to her immediate left popped open, and Bella sprang out. She grabbed the SWAT officer by her shoulders and yanked her into the closet.
"You say something, Zoey?" asked Rachel, the first - and last remaining - SWAT agent in line. She kept her eyes forward - not letting anything break her concentration while in the field.
Receiving no response, she paused and turned around. The hallway was empty.
Rachel reached for her radio, intent on raising the alarm. But before she could press the call button, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." It was a woman's voice. Strong and authoritative.
Before Rachel could turn around, Josie's hand covered her mouth and she was harshly pulled into the last remaining storage room in the hallway. THWACK.
Fifteen minutes later, all the SWAT women had been corralled together into one large back room, the better to conceal them. After all, they would be less easily found if they were all hidden in one place.
All six women were still unconscious, and currently in the process of being gagged with tape and bound with sashes from the Spinneret costumes. They had all been stripped to their underwear, and what a colorful assortment it was.
Rachel wore a a pair of brunette tanga panties and a boysenberry underwire bra. Zoey sported some spruce-blue tap pants and a daffodil-yellow front open bra. Lin had a cloud-white longline bra and charcoal hipsters. Stephanie was reduced to a gingerbread-brown demi bra and a lemonade-pink G-string. Debbie was left in a chartreuse balconette bra and butter-yellow French cut panties. And Loretta was down to her cerulean shelf bra and ocean-blue classic brief panties.
While Ashley secured the six women - back-to-back in three pairs, to save time and bonding material - the six FBI agents dressed up in their uniforms.
"Good job, ladies," Josie addressed her team. "I trust none of these SWAT girls had to be seriously hurt?"
"Mine was a bit of a fighter," Nicole admitted. "But I took her down without much fuss."
"Good." Josie smiled as she zipped up her Kevlar jacket. "Remember, these women are law enforcement agents. We don't want them hurt, we just want them... out of action for a while. Nothing too serious."
Ashley finished her binding and gagging and stood up, dusting herself off. "Y'know... not to sound rude or anything, but for FBI agents, you guys seem to spend a lot of time mugging non-criminal women for their clothes."
"All part of the job, dear," Josie said nonchalantly.
"I dunno." Ashley shrugged. "I mean, I kind of expected... kind of hoped that the FBI would be above this sort of thing. As someone who has been mugged multiple times for her uniform, it's a little sad to see the Feds resort to such tactics."
Eleanor nodded. "I hear your complaint, and... I wish we didn't have to do it so often. But that's the peril of being a woman in the Bureau."
Ashley gave her a strange look. "What do you mean?"
"The government gives a lot of funding to the FBI for stealth gadgets and gimmicks," Eleanor explained. "Unfortunately, most of the funding goes to the men. Male agents typically have an easy time on missions, since they get all the cool toys."
Parker nodded. "Meanwhile, the Bureau barely saves any gadgets for the female agents. They don't take us too seriously. So we have to resort to some... less-than-heroic tactics when we're in the field. We need lots of disguises, and unfortunately the Agency doesn't give us a traveling closet."
Ashley frowned. "Wow, that sucks."
"It really does," Parker agreed. "Hopefully, our leaders will soon give us a little more respect... and then we'll have no need to mug civilian women for their clothes."
"Hopefully not too soon," Nicole murmured.
Eleanor glanced at Ashley. "Hey, are you coming? You'll need a SWAT uniform as well."
Ashley scratched her head. "I dunno... I'm still not used to this tactic the way the rest of you are. Besides, there are six of these women... six uniforms. None left for me."
At that moment, footsteps echoed down the hall. A woman's voice could be heard, growing closer.
"Rachel? Zoey? Where are you girls?"
The newest SWAT arrival was a Latina woman with light auburn brown hair and chestnut-brown eyes. "Hello? It's Rosetta. Sorry, I was running a bit late. Anyone around here?"
Eleanor peeked through the crack in the door, then turned to Ashley. "She looks about your size. Better make up your mind quick..."
Ashley sighed. "Fine. Okay. Get me her uniform."
Hearing voices, Rosetta approached the door and opened it. "There you all are! Wait, I don't recogniz... Eek!"
Eleanor and Nicole pounced on her. The fight was quick and mostly quiet.
Beneath her outfit, Rosetta wore an orange push-up bra and matching thong. Bella bound and gagged her alongside her comrades while Ashley put on her uniform.
"Feels good, doesn't it?" Eleanor asked. "Way more confidence-boosting than that Spinneret outfit."
"It's not bad," Ashley admitted as she laced up the boots.
"Right, girls," Josie addressed her team. "With these uniforms and weapons, we're unstoppable. Time to catch Bridget Baxter and get the credit we deserve."
**********************
Chandra and Sonja crouched by the kitchen door, preparing for an ambush of their own.
"There should be a SWAT agent or two heading this way," Chandra reasoned. "Just need to wait a little longer..."
"We've been waiting for ten minutes," Sonja complained. "I'm getting a cramp."
"You shouldn't eat so much while working, girl," Chandra chuckled. "I told you it'd give you a stomach-ache."
"Hey, I didn't eat that much," Sonja said defensively. "Just had to try some of the soup those chefs were cooking. It was delicious."
Chandra nodded. "So not only do we steal the chef's uniforms... but you steal their food as well!" She laughed.
"I'm a culinary connoisseur," Sonja said with mock pride.
Chandra chuckled again, then shook her head. "Honestly, it's been such a weird couple of weeks. Since Lucille got arrested, it feels like it's just the two of us against the world."
"What about Chen and her team?" Sonja asked. "They've been helpful to us, certainly."
"No question," Chandra said. "But... we've been partners at work for years now, and we're on the run together as well. No matter how crazy things get, I always have a best friend to confide in."
Sonja beamed. "Thanks. I certainly feel the same."
Chandra smiled, and glanced through the crack in the door again. "Say... do you hear footsteps?"
She squinted. Around the corner appeared a pair of armed officers, dressed in the same black combat outfits as their colleagues.
"Today's special order," Chandra whispered to Sonja. "Two SWAT uniforms, delivered on a silver platter."
Sonja nodded, eyes glinting. "Can we get fries with that?"
Chandra grinned. "Maybe get the duct tape instead. It should be in one of the drawers. I'll take care of these two."
"Aye-aye, cap'n."
The two SWAT officers were both on the taller side. One of them had light skin and pixie-cut black hair; the other had white skin and bright red hair in a bob cut. They moved carefully through the hallways, checking each doorway for any signs of activity.
As the women reached the kitchen door, a smiling Chandra stuck her head out. "Good evening, ladies," she said jovially. "Lovely night for a mugging, isn't it?"
The two SWAT agents exchanged a glance. But before they could inquire as to Chandra's meaning, the Indian woman had grabbed them by their collars and pulled them forcefully into the room.
Dispatching the officers was easy work, and despite the heat of the kitchen, Chandra barely broke a sweat. A few punches, a judo chop or two, and the fight was over.
"Strip that one." Chandra pointed at the redhead. "She's about your size."
"You always make me strip the heavier ones," Sonja grumbled. But she kept an amused smile on her face as she said it.
Beneath their imposing uniforms, the SWAT agents sported some relatively unthreatening underwear. The redhead wore a magenta balconette bra and grey kidney warmers, while the brunette was left in an apricot plunge bra and vermilion speckled bikini panties. Their threat level was further imposed as Sonja liberally applied the duct tape to their forms, keeping them silenced and immobilized.
Chandra and Sonja dragged the two helpless SWAT officers to the back of the kitchen and over to the pantry. Sofía and Ximena were still trapped inside. They glared angrily at their captors.
"Make some room, girls," Chandra grinned at them, as she and Sonja tossed the two SWAT agents inside. "These ladies will be spending the night."
She shut the door with a chuckle, then turned to Sonja. "We should check on the broom closet as well... Make sure the FBI agents are still trapped inside."
"We don't have time for that," Sonja shook her head. "We're running late as it is. Let's hop into those SWAT uniforms and meet up with Chen and the others."
"Fair enough. Let's move."
********************
Bobbi steered the motorbike through the narrow side streets, strategically avoiding any traffic as she sped along her way. The strategy worked - it was not long before Chrysalis Hall appeared in her headlights.
Bobbi pressed the brakes, letting the motorbike slow to a crawl. She admired how smoothly it handled - almost like it was made for her.
I could get used to this... Maybe I should buy a bike of my own. Or just keep this one...
She pushed the thoughts from her mind. Bridget... Felicia... got to get inside and find them.
Hopping off the bike, she entered the Chrysalis lot and approached the front gate.
The tan-skinned, dark-haired SWAT agent stationed at the front door watched as Bobbi neared. She held up a hand. "Whoa, miss. Where do you think you're going?"
"My friends are inside," Bobbi said, not in a particularly friendly way. "I need to rescue them!"
"Easy, Supergirl," the officer said dryly. "We have the situation well in hand. My teammates are inside, securing the area and making sure everyone is safe. Just let us take care of everything."
Bobbi frowned. "You don't understand. My friend wouldn't call me unless she really needed help. They're in danger... and it might not be enough for you guys to handle."
The SWAT officer rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't have time for this. We're on a dangerous operation. You need to leave or you may get hurt."
A year ago, Bobbi would likely have obeyed the officer, without argument or fuss. She would probably have gone home and assumed the police would sort things out.
But a lot had changed in the past year. Bobbi was no longer so trusting of authority. No longer did she believe they could take care of the job - certainly not as well as she could.
Bobbi stepped closer to the officer. "Let me inside, now."
In response, the officer whipped a taser out from her belt. "Enough games. Either you turn around and go home, or you get 30,000 volts in your system."
Bobbi pretended to take a fearful step back... Then she charged at the SWAT officer.
The officer frowned. "I warned you." She jammed the taser into Bobbi's arm.
There was a crackle of electricity. Bobbi grit her teeth... but the shock swiftly dissipated.
Bobbi opened her eyes. The SWAT woman was looking at her in surprise.
Bobbi smiled. "My turn."
Before the SWAT agent could react, Bobbi snatched the taser from her hand and jammed it at the woman's neck. The agent gasped as she felt the electricity course through her. She froze for a few eternal moments, then sank to the ground.
Bobbi patted the shoulder of her motorcycle jacket and smiled. "Thick leather... great at blocking electricity." She looked around. "Now let's get out of sight, shall we?"
Grabbing the SWAT agent by her underarms, Bobbi dragged her around to the side of the building and behind some bushes. "Always a great hiding spot when you want some privacy with your uniform donor," she mused.
She began stripping the woman of her uniform, starting with the boots. It was not the first time she had mugged a SWAT woman - a few weeks earlier, she had helped take down a pair of officers so that Bridget and Moira could wear their uniforms. Still, this would be the first time that Bobbi would be wearing a stolen SWAT uniform herself. Trying on a new uniform was always a thrill.
Still, as Bobbi unstrapped the woman's jacket, she couldn't help but see Zuhal's face clouding her vision.
It had been under two hours since her conversation with Zuhal... a conversation that had helped Bobbi sort herself out. Yet in the brief time since, Bobbi had mugged three different women for their clothes - and in one instance, a bike. And each mugging felt more natural - and more exciting - than the last.
But Bobbi pushed these concerns to the back of her mind. After all, she had good reason for these muggings - her friends were in danger. She would steal a hundred uniforms if it meant helping Bridget and Felicia!
Then she paused. I wonder if I can steal a hundred uniforms before sunrise... Would probably be a world record. She chuckled to herself.
Then she forced herself to concentrate. Time for jokes later. Just get this bimbo out of her clothes and then get moving.
Beneath her uniform, the SWAT agent wore a khaki-green underwire bra and faded grey hipsters. Bobbi used the last of the duct tape from her handbag to bind and gag the woman.
That's it... I'm out of binding material. Gotta remember to pick up some more. After all, never know when I'll need to mug another woman for her clothes! She laughed.
The SWAT uniform felt good. Although Bobbi had stolen other law-enforcement uniforms in the past, this one was more detailed and and imposing than the others. The Kevlar vest, the guns at her hips. Bobbi slipped the weapons belt around her waist - the two ends met with a satisfying click.
She felt cool, confident, and ready to kick ass.
A moaning sound at her feet alerted her. Bobbi looked down; the SWAT agent was waking up.
The officer looked up groggily. As her vision came into focus, she saw a woman in uniform... her uniform.
Bobbi grinned down at her. "Don't worry," she said in a mocking tone. "I have the situation well in hand. Just let me take care of everything."
The bound-and-gagged woman simply stared up at her, in a mix of fear and bewilderment.
"Now if you'll pardon me, I have some friends to rescue. Thank you..." She gestured at the uniform she wore. "...for your assistance."
The officer simply watched pathetically as Bobbi stepped out of the bushes and headed for the Chrysalis entrance.
"The clothes make the woman," she whispered merrily to herself.
********************
Lucinda tapped her foot impatiently. She needed a disguise, pronto. But none of the SWAT women had ventured down her sector.
She was currently holed up in a broom closet down a disused hallway. Not the best or most inviting spot, but she figured someone would come this way. All she needed was one set of clothes... but so far, no luck.
Lucinda shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. This was growing monotonous. She was beginning to suspect that Dr. Chen was growing wary of her, despite her loyalty. Chen seemed to be saddling her with the more disposable parts of the plan.
Lucinda glanced at her watch. The other members of Chen's team had acquired their uniforms by now. It looked like she was the last one left without a disguise... Not a great look.
Footsteps echoed down the corridor. Lucinda breathed a sigh of relief. Finally...
The woman was dressed from head to toe in the standard black body armor and uniform. She shifted along, less professionally than hesitantly, looking from one room to another.
As she passed by the closet, Lucinda sprang out and grabbed her. "Surprise." She pulled her into the small room.
Lucinda was about to use one of her patented neck chops to knock the officer unconscious when she heard the woman cry out. "Luci, no! Wait!"
Lucinda paused. Did this agent just call her "Luci"? But no one did that... no one except...
She let go of the woman, then stared at her.
The "officer" pulled off her helmet, revealing her short dark hair, and lowered the scarf. She smiled meekly.
Lucinda's mouth dropped open. "M... Meredith?"
Meredith nodded. "Hi, honey."
*******************
Cassandra, Marina, Chandra, Sonja, Haleema, and Whitney all reached the lobby within a few minutes of each other. They all sported the SWAT uniforms they had procured within the last half-hour.
Cassandra looked around. "I don't see Lucinda here..."
"Or Darla," Marina chimed in. "What's taking her so long?"
"We're running late as it is," Chen said brusquely. "We'll have to just carry on as we are. Get moving, girls. Head to the auditorium immediately."
"Yes, ma'am," Cassandra replied. "What about you? Do you have a uniform as well?"
"I'll be fine," Chen assured her. "Concentrate on your end of the plan. This is the moment of truth, girls."
Chen shut off her radio, indicating that she was not interested in further discussion.
Cassandra turned to the other women. "Okay, ladies, let's hustle. We bag Bridget and get moving."
The women began shuffling down the hall to the auditorium, their boots clumping on the satin carpet.
Marina leaned over to Cassandra and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Cass, have you seen Darla? I... haven't spoken to her since we first got inside the building." There was a note of concern in her voice.
Cassandra had in fact seen Darla - on the monitors in the security room. She had watched as Haleema, at Chen's command, had incapacitated Darla and dragged her into a closet.
Cassandra didn't approve of Chen's treatment of Darla, but she wasn't about to argue. Having already gone through a series of upheavals with Sloane and Toshiko, she didn't want to do anything that would upset the applecart. Chen was not likely to listen to her, anyway.
Cassandra glanced at Marina, noting the worry in her eyes. Darla and Marina had been best friends for years... She would be crushed to learn about Chen's actions.
"Haven't seen her," Cassandra said. "But I'm sure she's fine. Probably working on another part of the plan."
Marina smiled. "Yeah, you're right."
Cassandra felt bad about lying. She quickly changed the subject. "Let's hurry it up... Don't want to keep Chen waiting."
************************
Felicia remained silent until Bridget had finished recapping her recent encounter with Dr. Chen - about her threats, her taunts, and the speech she had prepared for the journalist to read.
"And that's it," Bridget concluded. "Haven't heard anything since that last text. I think she's trying to figure her next move."
"And what's ours?" Felicia asked. "We need a plan to fight back, don't we? What's our strategy?"
Bridget fiddled with one of her bracelets. "I'm... still figuring that out. Don't have much leverage, so long as Moira and Prema are hostages. I used the phone signal to notify Bobbi, but I'm not sure if she got the message. And even if she did, not clear what she can do."
Felicia's brow furrowed. "Don't be so downbeat. We've outsmarted Chen and her posse before, we can do it again. Just need a plan..."
She looked around. "How about I pretend to be really sick? Someone will call the paramedics, and they'll take us to a private room to check on me. If the paramedics are female, we can jump them, grab their uniforms, and sneak out."
Bridget shook her head. "Chen will see right through the 'fake sickness' plan."
Felicia nodded. "Okay... how about I secretly cut a few wires in the building's fuse box? They call some maintenance workers. Maybe we can swipe their uniforms and get out."
Bridget sighed. "Chen will have all the exits guarded. She's not going to let you sneak around the building with a wire cutter."
Felicia thought some more. "Well... maybe we can find a couple of SWAT agents our size, and..."
Bridget chuckled wryly. "I have no doubt that Chen and her squad are taking care of the SWAT agents," she said. "Probably have obtained a ton of uniforms by now." She glanced sideways at Felicia. "Do you have any plans that don't involve stealing other women's clothes?"
Felicia looked sheepish. "You know... I've gone the last two weeks without stealing any uniforms. All because of a bet I made with Bobbi. But I guess it's still the easiest and most effective tactic when the going gets tough."
Bridget glanced at her watch. "The two-week period is still going for another hour."
Felicia shrugged. "I'll happily lose the bet if it means defeating Dr. Chen."
Bridget smiled. "You're the best friend a gal could ask for."
Felicia grinned. "I will be, when I think of a plan."
As Felicia kept brainstorming, Bridget glanced down at her drink. Felicia was a great friend... as were Bobbi... Moira... and Prema. Bridget didn't want to let her friends down.
Peering into her purse, she saw the envelope. The speech that Chen had given her. The one that had the potential to end her career.
It would end her career... but it would save her friends. She would be outed as a criminal - a reporter who had mugged countless innocent women in the name of getting a good story - and would likely go to jail. But maybe her friends would survive.
Felicia glanced over at Bridget's purse. She saw the envelope. Then she looked up at her friend in concern.
"Bridget," she said slowly. "Don't do it."
"I don't have a choice," Bridget replied.
"Of course there's a choice," Felicia urged. "Just stay calm. We'll figure this out. We..."
But Bridget was already standing up. "I'm sorry, Felicia," she said, trying to hide her fear and concern. "This is the only way."
Before Felicia could say another word, Bridget was on her way to the stage.
The emcee looked up in surprise as Bridget approached. "Ma'am, please sit down. The SWAT team hasn't finished their search..."
"Pardon me," Bridget brushed past him. "But this speech I'm about to give may save all our lives."
She climbed onto the stage and took the mic. "Excuse me."
All eyes in the auditorium turned to her.
Felicia bit her lip, shaking her head meekly.
"I know I didn't win the award tonight," Bridget said slowly. "But I still have a speech." She held up her envelope. "An important speech. And I'd appreciate if you all would listen."
Silence in the hall. One person coughed.
Bridget began tearing open the envelope. "I just want to say, before I begin... It's been an honor just being here tonight..."
However, before she could say another word, the doors to the auditorium were flung open. A half-dozen women in SWAT uniforms marched in.
The woman at the lead pointed to the stage. "There she is."
"What?" Bridget looked stunned. "No, wait, I..."
But two of the SWAT women made a beeline to the stage. They grabbed Bridget and held her arms tight.
"Game over, Baxter," Chandra whispered as she brandished a pair of handcuffs.
"And you lose," Sonja added.
"What is going on?" the emcee asked the the lead uniformed woman.
"We're apprehending a dangerous criminal," Cassandra explained. "Two of them, in fact."
Haleema approached Table 12, grabbing Felicia and hoisting her to her feet.
"Hey, ow!" Felicia winced at the woman's tight grip.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Cassandra addressed the crowd. "There is nothing to worry about. We've found the women we're looking for... They will swiftly be put in custody, and you can resume your normal activities."
Both Bridget and Felicia were escorted from the room, handcuffs around their wrists, before anyone could raise an objection.
"Dr. Chen's got plans for you," Chandra said smoothly as she pulled Bridget down the hall towards the lobby.
Bridget said nothing, but simply glanced helplessly in Felicia's direction.
Felicia didn't look helpless. She was glaring at Haleema as she was marched down the hall. "You're not as tough as you think you are."
Bridget could see the anger and fury in Felicia's eyes. And the determination... She wasn't about ready to give up.
Bridget watched Felicia... and she began to feel those emotions reflected within herself. Yes, things looked dire... but Chen had finally made her move. She was taking Bridget away from Chrysalis, away from the crowds, away from the setting where she'd nearly divulged her greatest secrets.
Bridget felt herself growing angry, and that anger melted into useful energy.
The game was not over.
It was time to fight back.
Last edited by tirepanted3 on Thu Jun 03, 2021 11:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
Another chapter to build up the suspense and the final confrontation. The last one? The different storylines seem to be converging... Meredith is reunited with her wife, Bridget and her friend will finally be in a position to stike back, the FBI is back in business, and given what happened to Darla and Whitney Chen's alliance is about to break...
As far as the muggings for disguise, this is a SWAT-centric episode apparently! Not my favorite kind of damsel personally, but they make for great mass-uniform stealings. Plus, there's the strange charm of watching these confident women, some of them clearly thinking themselves above normal law enforcement because of their uniform, being knocked down a peg. A good variety of underwear (including the classic 'woman who looks tough but ahve surprisingly colorful underwear) and ways to knock them out (including an extinguisher, one that's rarely seen - perhaps it's even the first time; also, interesting use of a bottle as a weapon).
Also a Zoey? It can't be a coincidence!
Good descriptions and lines, but that's a given.
Marina's dialogue with Lilah was definitely my favorite part as far as uniform stealings are concerned. Though I'll admit, the "Room for one more?" was a tough contender.
Good thing there were two teams of SWAT agents. For one second, I thought we would have a scenario of the FBI taking the uniforms, only to be mugged right afterwards...
I appreciated the fact that you addressed the problem with the FBI's actions (through Ashley, just perfect), and also the fact that you gave their point of wiew/their side of the story to explain their attitude (with the discussion about the fundings). It was a good way to give more depth to these characters, something they definitely needed. Plus they had good dialogues between themselves ("you'd better... hop to it.") and with Ashley ( she's actually the one who give them the courage to keep on fighting). Showing them slightly more apologetic during the scenes with the SWAT team was also a useful addition in the regard of giving them more depth.
The part with Bridget ready to sacrifice herself and her career to save her friend was very powerful, a great character moment. I'll be honest and say that a part of me was hoping it would go all the way just to see the interesting developments it would bring, but I guess the change of status quo would have been too extreme for the story to work afterwards. (Sometimes, it feels that the plot is going out of its way to prevent she, Felicia, and Bobbi from facing long-lasting consequences for their actions. Or perhaps it's a consequence of reading a long story over several months.) A very strong emotional moment, one that was needed to showcase the fact that she and Felicia are back!
I'm starting to wonder if this story will be Bobbi's "Protagonist Journey to Villain", to quote TV Tropes. Either outcome would be probable and believable, but there's one I definitely dread more than the other!
I noticed the little shot-out by the way. Are you trying to bribe me? 'Cause it's working! Now, joke aside, thanks a lot. This kind of reference is even better when it's a complete surprise.
Absolutely loved the opening scene, I like the little jab at Rebecca's undies, I liked Ashley's considering side of offering Rebecca her clothing and I once again quite enjoyed seeing Ashley's personal side come through, it helps seeing this from a USB victims perspective too and I think this is something you capture in your stories wonderfully.
A very beautiful scene with Meredith and Linda there, it really adds some heart to the situation, damn it, I really want her to succeed.
I enjoyed the takedown of the swat officer as well, very well executed and overall a very enjoyable scene.
Hahaha, what an amazing scene with Lilah and Marina afterwards and heck yeah, Marina's one liners, are always needed and always amazing, she is so awesome!
Oh I get the feeling, Darla will be joining in on the fun, pretty soon.
Again, another fantastic scene with Irene and Cassandra, good grief this chapter is just USB scene galore, I'm loving it! Plus at least now Kendall will have some company.
Hahaha, my goodness a shout out to Pakal and a shout to........Vendela........You really do me the absolute honour of having a shout out, honestly, thank you ever so much!
So the cat's out of the bag, the others now know about Chen being in the building to, here we go, things are really about to do go down aren't they.
Okay first of all, I thought that was a brilliant idea having one of the swat officers be knocked back by the shot of a cork popping out of the chardonnay bottle, nicely done.......But whoe, I was expecting the mood to suddenly turn like that, Haleema isn't messing around now, it seems for her the fun is over.........Well done, that was a nice curve ball that actually took me by surprise.
What an amazing afterwards, all six of those swat officers were taking down swiftly and expertly, it was pretty cool, seeing them one by one disappear until it was just poor Rachel. I really did enjoy the whole conversation with Ashley and the FBI agents about them supposedly representing the law, yet here they are not just mugging non-criminals for their uniform but fellow law enforcers. But then of course Parker gave a very fair point. So I really did see it from both sides respectively........Very nice work on that.
Plus then we see poor Rosetta, just walk onto the scene without a clue what's happened, still, at least Ashley now has a disguise too.
Oh yeah, that needs to be done, if Sonja is going to steal a chefs uniform, then by all means she might as well steal the food too, it's only fair and it complete her disguise, so I agree with her!
Another brilliant scene with the two swat officers getting beaten up by Chandra, I loved her takedown style and I loved her little comment before hand too. It's actually a very clever way, I mean if an infiltrator makes a little comment about there intentions as like Chandra did, then it throws your victim off for a split second allowing the infiltrator to get the jump on them. Very clever.
Hahaha! Okay THAT was my favourite scene in this whole chapter. My god Bobbi is just so awesome she really is. I loved her takedown of the swat officer, she took that voltage shock like a beast as well, I loved her little jabs when the swat officer woke up and above all else......YES........Yes, if anyone deserves a world record for most uniforms stolen, it definitely deserves to be Bobbi. I'll nominate her, that's for sure!
Things are really getting me excited now, we have Meredith finally reunited with Lucinda which I really can't wait to see how that goes AND now we have Chen's goons questioning one another, especially about Darla's disappearance........Hhhhmmm, I wonder if Cassandra will just be honest and tell them the truth forcing the others to start questioning Chen or maybe even flat out turn against her...........I'm really enjoying this!
WHOE!!!!!! Now that was an amazing scene afterwards, wow, just think, ten seconds alter and Chen could have won, Chen and her goons have effectively caused themselves their own downfall...........Wow, just wow, seriously......THAT! Is how you make one heck of a powerful scene, my heart skipped a beat when they all entered the room. This is just amazing.
*sighs very deeply*.........God damn it, I'm at the end again.........
Wow, and I do mean wow, what a marvellous and spectacular chapter this has been, I genuinely had goosebumps in some of the scenes as I was jsut flat out excited to see what happens next, seriously what a remarkable, well thought out and amazing chapter........How, do you do it? Every single chapter you've ever done has just made me more and more hooked. Truly, TRULY incredible.
I also want to give you one hell of a massive thank you as well, as you gave me not one, but TWO shout outs from this entire chapter, first with Vendela and of course second with the swat officers themselves. A fantastic Easter egg, to those with keen eyes and to those who follow both our worlds. ...................It's incredible as now I've had characters of both major and minor being used by not just one, but BOTH writers / authors who I consider to be my mentors and I to which I hold both a great deal of respect and appreciation for! From the absolute bottom of my heart, I thank you greatly!
Rufusluciusivan: Yes, we're nearing the climax and final confrontation now. I suppose I could keep the suspense going for another five or six chapters, but I will have mercy. Character bonds are being tested, several of the different threads are converging - all will be resolved soon.
I decided to base this whole chapter around women stealing SWAT uniforms, to give it some connective structure. It was a good way to focus less on the uniform descriptions (since they all look the same) and more on the variety of takedowns and underwear choices. I think the fire extinguisher has been used a few times in the past; it's a handy knockout weapon where available.
The "Zoey" in the FBI/SWAT scene is not a coincidence. The seven agents mugged by the FBI and Ashley are some of the SWAT women from Trackman's latest chapter (#34 of the Clone Saga). I thought it would be a fun in-joke to include the names and descriptions of those women in this story as well, and Trackman agreed to let me do it.
I love writing Marina's dialogue, perhaps more than any other character. A lot of women in my stories tend to quip and joke as they steal uniforms, but she really goes all out. Glad she's so popular.
I heard your previous feedback about the FBI agents and decided to make them a little more sympathetic. A little background explaining why they so often resort to USB tactics, and just trying to make them seem a little more humanized overall. Using Ashley as a focal point is a good way to do that, since she's a civilian who's been caught up in their escapades and has a unique POV of her own.
I knew I needed a strong character moment to show Bridget about to give up, which would in turn prime her to fight back. It would have been interesting to see her actually give the speech, but I'm holding off on that sort of development (for now). The heroes will face consequences now and then (notably in the form of internal conflicts), but probably not to that level.
Bobbi's arc is structured so that, at this juncture, she'd be believable as either a hero or villain. But I know that people are rooting for her.
I figured I should throw in the occasional reference to your stories, since your tales have included several references to mine. Happy you liked the surprise.
Trackman: Ashley is definitely a woman formed and developed by her experiences as a USB victim. That's helped make her one of the most sympathetic characters in the series. Meredith is also someone I've worked hard to develop. Glad they resonate so well.
Unfortunately, Darla will be out of action for the time being. But I didn't want to exclude her from the chapter entirely, so I gave her an inner monologue of her own.
Happy you liked the shout-out(s). I'm always happy to honor some of the best writers at our board.
The Haleema/Whitney contrast is meant to show the deep divides in Chen's ranks. Haleema takes the job very seriously, Whitney doesn't take it seriously at all. These internal conflicts could soon reach a boiling point.
As I said to Rufus, the FBI scenes were an important way to give those agents some depth. It was also of course a great way to utilize some of the SWAT women from your most recent story, so thanks for that.
Little comments like the one Chandra makes are why I love writing these stories. The jokes, the banter, the one-liners. Just fun to come up with them and put them in the context of USB scenes.
I'm not sure if Bobbi holds the record for most uniforms stolen - she didn't begin the practice until some time in Volume 1, whereas Bridget has been doing it for years. But at this rate, Bobbi will probably catch up eventually...
In a strange way, it seems that Chen's team interrupted her own plans. Ironic, but helpful in order to keep the story going. I spent a lot of time writing that scene, glad it resonated.
Thank you again for your comments; these stories are tough to write, but worth it when people enjoy them. And you're welcome for the shout-outs, I'm happy to include these little crossovers now and again.
Trust me, your hard work has really paid off as both Meredith and Ashley are such outstanding characters, they each have grown in their own unique way and it's been an absolute joy to witness.
Now I'm really intrigued and keen to see what happens next, a bit of a civil conflict between Chen's henchwomen would ultimately be the final nail in the coffin of their defeat. Okay, now I'm really hyped.
Aahh geez, your going to make be blush. I don't consider myself anywhere near yours or Rufus level as I still have a way to go, but thank you very much all the same.
Oh believe me, I can tell that you really put in a lot of effort, a lot of time and a lot of hard work into each and every single one of your chapters. But just so you know. All of your hard work does not go unappreciated as I absolutely love reading your stories and I really enjoy everything about them, from the characters, to the settings, to the plot itself and everything else in between.
...this is precisely what I envisaged and predicted and wrote right at the top of this page
The same SWAT team of the Trackmann tale number 34 is now in the Tirepanted’ Saga
Just imagine how confusing this can be if seen from the point of view of the victims, confusing and also depressing
no matter how long they have been trained and practiced to be a SWAT team, they are there only as " uniforms donors"
given the almost entropic level of the action , soon the ten members of the SWAT team will realise they are trapped in a USB universe, inside a circular destiny – where the arrival point is the beginning of the same predicament
and things can only go worse…
because eventually, they will end in a story by Rufusluciusivan …in the same role , ending stripped and tied up somewhere.
Trackman: Indeed, I'm glad my efforts seem to be paying off. It's an absolute joy writing these characters and their relationships, so it's great that people are responding positively. Thanks again.
Esercito: I feel a bit sorry for the SWAT team, getting mugged for their uniforms twice, in two different storylines. But the timing just happened to work out that way. I'm sure their luck will improve... I don't think SWAT teams exist in the Pakal universe...
Esecito, you have nothing to worry about, okay yes Stasis is somewhat (but not completely) aware of things, but this exists to her and only her. The rest of my characters will NEVER even get near to anything like a fourth wall because why would they? It doesn't exist to them, it's just a little Stasis feature. So please don't worry as the little comments Stasis makes will always ever be that, just little comments and nothing more. I hope this puts your mind at rest. 
Either outcome would be probable and believable, but there's one I definitely dread more than the other!
I don't consider myself anywhere near yours or Rufus level as I still have a way to go, but thank you very much all the same. 
