Esercito: The "Female-Exclusive Military Muscled Enforcement" team was inspired in part by the old "FIST vs LIPS" story by AngrySoup. I enjoyed that story and wanted to have some fun with acronyms as well.
Meditions: Yes, I figured you'd enjoy a chapter that had a lot of security guards getting mugged. It was also a good opportunity to bring back Ashley, who has inadvertently become one of the most sympathetic characters in the series.
I tried to give Jocelyn and Gabriella a compelling dynamic to make them realistic, even if they're bullies to Ashley. They're not characters one would feel sorry for, but the vending machine was a good way to make them grounded as characters before they were unceremoniously knocked out. (And I also enjoy leaving some things - like Jocelyn's knockout - to the imagination.)
The image of Kendall, tied to a swivel chair, getting sent rolling into a closet was what sparked the idea of the security infiltration scene. I started with that fun image and wrote a whole scene around it, then added several others.
The scene with Colette was also fun to write, as a way of humanizing the FEMME guards. She's the most inexperienced of the guards, so it makes sense that she would be taken out first.
Rufusluciusivan: Moira (like Bridget) usually knows better than to tempt fate. But the girls are looking forward to a relaxing evening after so much tumult in their lives; perhaps they can be forgiven for letting their guard down just a tad.
Bobbi will appear again, probably in the next chapter. I didn't include her in this chapter as I wanted the main focus to be the infiltrations of the celebratory hall. Indeed, it's an important chapter for setup purposes (and of course, a good opportunities for Chen's team and the FBI agents to obtain a lot of new uniforms).
The descriptions of Bridget, Felicia, and Moira at the beginning were meant to be a casual intro to the story, to show how - as far as they know - things are pretty calm and ordinary. Contrasts nicely with the goings-on at the Hall, where over a dozen women are getting mugged for their clothes.
The little details about the guards were certainly important, as was the banter between the muggers. Again, it's the character interactions that make these stories fun to write. Without the dialogue and jokes and clashing personalities, it would all be pretty dry. I'm glad readers enjoy the characters and conversations.
Ashley has become the de facto victim in my stories, so it's understandable that people sympathize with her. Part of the fun here was finding a way for her to appear without being affiliated with NASA. I had already written most of the chapter before reading your latest entry of "Pakal", but I decided to add a little reference to her appearance in that story. the way I see it, Ashley's appearance in "Pakal" tied in with her third appearance in my series (even though her two fellow NASA guards are not mentioned), so this would technically be her fourth time. And possibly her last? We'll have to see if she finally takes intiative... As for Lucinda, I do still see her as a generally bad person, albeit one who clearly as a soft spot for Meredith.
I saw this appear on the updates page, literally sheer minutes before I started work this morning, so I've been itching all day to finally sit down and read this, but enough of that I'm here now, so let's get this review going.
That really was a nice opening scene with Bridget and Felicia, the chemistry between these two characters is really nice and genuine, I like it and yes I know that Bobbi just needs a little bit of time, but hopefully she'll come back to the rest of the group at some point, we need the gang back together.
I chuckled a bit when Moira was wondering where Linda.......And her barrel had gone, oh no, the poor barrel hahaha.
I like this build up of seeing all the main characters putting on their best evenings dresses and get ready for the ball, I mean yes you just know it's all going to go down, but this slow build up of suspense is absolutely wonderful, you've really taken your time not to rush this process........it's eventful, it's filled with excitement and eagerness and it's driving me crazy..........I love it!
Damn that's evil, stringing me alone seeing Prema unable to warn her friends about Dr. Chen and her accomplices, I'm excited as anything, this is just going to be an explosive ending. But don't worry I'm savoring every step along the way in the mean time, as you'll see with the rest of this review.
Before I go on, I loved Kendra's look with her dyed Pink hair.......Have I really made it that obvious in my time that I like women with dyed hair.
Haha, I felt sorry for Colette I mean her mother had just told the exact thing about people putting their trousers on one leg at a time and now this. That was a very clever little joke you put in there and I for one respected it.
Can't have a chapter without Marina's awesome one liner's, it's just something that must always be done haha.
Marina and Darla casually chatting to each other and having a laugh while they strip two unconscious security guard of their uniforms, this is the exact sort of thing I associate with one of your stories and I absolutely love it, it just wouldn't feel right if your chapters didn't include these sorts of scene's.
I loved that entire scene to be honest, USB at it's finest, excellent work.
That entire scene with Kendall was just phenomenal, the idea that we have no idea what situation she's in until it's slowly revealed that Cassandra has taken her uniform, it was just wonderful and I truly loved the bit of where Cassandra just casually boots Kendall, tied to her chair straight into a closet. Excellent work. You really did outdo yourself on this scene.
Oooohhhh you can hear it in the air can't you......the sound of laser guided karma heading straight for Jocelyn and Gabriella.........Seems like Ashley won't be the only one in her undies tonight.
P.S amazing stuff to see Ashley return as well, it's always a nice to see a familiar face return.
Aaahhh, I felt a little bit bad for her then, honestly Ashley, there's no need to get upset, karma is coming for those two any minute now.......I hope.
There we go and as soon as I said it, both Jocelyn and Gabriella will now know what it feels like when they wake up in their undies later on, I hope Ashley is able to see this.
HAHA, I loved the little nod there of Ashley's "Hallucination", subtle and something only your loyal fans would understand, absolutely brilliant work.
WOW!!!!! That scene with Ashley and Lucinda afterwards, was just PURE GOLD, it was well written and so well executed, seriously that was fantastic, I must admit I actually expected Ashley to say something like......"Do you know what, just take my uniform, I give up."............But she didn't she really came through their, a fight she could of easily won if not for that janitor, honestly this scene was sheer BRILLIANCE!
Aaahhh NO! Ashley doesn't know yet, I must admit I'm really routing for here to get free and find Jocelyn and Gabriella all bound and gagged in their undies just so Ashley can have that well earned luxury of saying "Ha, I told you so!"..........Damn, I'm loving this.
Parker and Bella are an awesome duo, they really are and I like reading all the scenes that they are in together and this scene of where they replaced Nancy and Celina was no different, I really did enjoy this scene.
The next scene with Nicole, Josie, Rebecca and Eleanor was just fantastic, it was the whole show and don't tell, so we have to picture it in our imaginations was brilliant and it's something that you've truly mastered, plus I see that luck was on Nicole's side here, she wanted a uniform and behold, a fourth caterer appears for her to chloroform, lucky devil. ...........But as I say, this scene was a treat for the eyes and really was expertly written.
That ending though. You sir are a true genius when it comes to ending things on cliff hanger........GGGGGAAAHHHHH........ And it's really working because I'm absolutely craving more now!
Well it seems you've left me some what speechless, this has just been so good, I have absolutely loved this from start to finish, it was SO worth the wait. You've officially got me craving more and MORE of your stories......They are just so expertly written, I mean it, you really are a master at story writing and I for one can never thank you enough for all these amazing stories you provide.
Your attention to detail, sheer amount of individual personalities that radiate from your characters, all unique, non are the same and they all shine through proudly. Again words can not describe just how amazing your stories are, they are so full of life, full of emotions and of course.......Full of USB scenes.......The waits for your chapter are ALWAYS worth it as you really produce top tier level chapters. Honestly, thank you ever so much for this amazing installment.
Trackman: Thanks, that means a lot. Glad I gave you something to look forward to all day.
As I've pointed out, the early scenes in this chapter are supposed to have a quaint and calm feel to them. Some nice natural banter, not much more - it's great that people are connecting with them.
You've certainly mentioned your love of dyed hair before; I like it too, and it's a good way to add variety in the hair color of the different women in the story.
The Marina/Darla scene was another that was great fun to write. I like their rapport and find them to be more easily connectable than some of the other villains. And of course Marina's one-liners are always enjoyable to write.
It was obvious early on that Ashely was going to lose her uniform again, wasn't it? But the addition of Jocelyn and Gabriella was indeed a good way to engender sympathy towards her. Ditto the scene with Lucinda, which I think is the closest Ashley has ever come to defeating one of the women trying to steal her uniform. Still no luck...
I've been trying to give each of the FBI agents their own "moment in the sun" in the story - so far Eleanor, Nicole, and Rebecca have all had some time in the spotlight, so Parker and Bella needed a turn. As with the other characters, I try to give each woman on the FBI team a personality and dynamic of her own.
Happy that you're enjoying the story and connecting with the characters. It's tough writing so many different characters and storylines - not to mention so many USB scenes - in each volume, but it's great that people are responding well. I'll try to be a little faster with posting the next chapter, although life has kept me busy as of late. But there's certainly a lot of story left to tell.
Oh and I forgot to mention, yes I did notice that Bobbi was not present in this chapter, but as I've just had a glance through the other comments I can see you've already said that she'll be returning in the next chapter, which of course is extremely delightful news indeed, but also fully understandable as there were a lot of characters to cover in this chapter. I can promise you, it didn't stop this chapter from being anything less than perfection.
See I've always ended up being a hypocrite of myself, for you see....... I love women of power and authority, like military women, police women and mercenaries, I love how they represent order, justice and stability.......... BUT......... I also love rebellious women, women who want to go against the law, women that are anarchists. Women that get a load of tattoos then dye their hair green or blue, that sort of thing............Yeah I know, I don't know what it means either haha.
Well regardless of how little or how long it takes, I can certainly promise that everytime you post a new chapter, I'll be ready and waiting.
Oh and of course I'm still very much routing for Ashley. I hope she gets her chance to be a bit smug to Jocelyn and Gabriella, she deserves it.
Sure, this chapter was more about the ceremony setup, and thus Bobbi's storyline didn't quite fit. But of course she's one of the most integral characters in the series, and definitely plays a key role in this story.
Without giving much away, this will not be the last we see of Ashley. She's simply too popular to ignore.
Linda stirred, and slowly opened her eyes. She could feel a pounding in her head, perhaps the onset of a migraine.
She was still bound and gagged, still in her underwear, and still tightly stuffed inside a barrel. And following the lengthy "spin" she had been taken on, she was quite woozy, and still unsure of her surroundings.
Still, the downhill journey had evidently damaged the barrel enough that it had cracked open. This also allowed Linda enough movement that she could gain some slack in her ropes. She flexed her biceps, labored her breathing, and carefully rotated her wrists back and forth.
Within a few minutes, she had slipped free of her wrist-bindings, and was able to crawl out of the barrel. She pulled off her gag and looked around.
Linda was in a long and foul-smelling alleyway. Her barrel roll had evidently been stopped be a pile of trash bags, which had cushioned the impact and prevented her from serious injury. She would perhaps be more grateful if they didn't smell so awful.
Linda untied her ankle bonds, then slowly got to her feet. She kept a stoic expression on her face; but inside, she was fuming.
Moira. She clenched her teeth. That blonde bitch... She was as good as dead...
A biting pain jabbed Linda's head again. She winced. She needed something to help cure her headache.
Fortunately, she had already spotted a potential cure. The alley she found herself in appeared to be behind a red-brick tavern. The scent of strong alcohol wafted on the wind. Linda smiled. A few drinks would certainly perk her up.
She approached the rear entrance of the tavern, and frowned. A sign on the window read, in big block letters: "No shirt, no shoes, no service."
Linda glanced down at her wardrobe... or lack thereof. She was still down to her bra and panties. Damn it.
The turning of the doorknob alerted her. Linda quickly stepped back and melted into the shadows as the door opened.
From the doorway exited a tall woman, with light skin and sun-kissed cheeks below a mop of dark blonde hair. She was dressed in a maroon blazer over a forest-green shirt, blue jeans, and knee-high brown leather boots. She was humming softly to herself as she stepped on somewhat wobbly legs out of the bar.
Linda's dark skin and dimly-colored underwear allowed her to blend easily into the shadows. However, the precaution seemed rather unnecessary - while the blonde was not stone-cold drunk, she was tipsy enough that she was not paying much attention to her surroundings.
Linda sized the woman up from behind, smiling craftily. She couldn't help but notice that the blonde bore a passing resemblance to Moira. Linda cracked her knuckles... She was going to enjoy this.
As the blonde stumbled through the alley, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Lurching slightly, she turned around. "Yeshh? Who'sh it?"
"Pardon me, ma'am," Linda grinned. "But you forgot your nightcap."
Before the woman could react, Linda's fist sped into view. It connected with a satisfying THRAK.
One punch was enough to fell the already-weakened girl. She moaned and collapsed forth, into Linda's arms, and did not move as she was dragged back into the shadows.
The act of stripping off the woman's clothes proved both a simple and therapeutic one, allowing Linda to clear her head and regain focus. As a former Marine and field agent, she was well-practiced in the art of stealing another woman's clothes.
Once the blonde had been reduced to her cocoa-brown bralette and red-pinstriped white hipsters, Linda pulled some clothesline hanging from above the alley and used it to bind her wrists and ankles. An old green rag fit snugly in her mouth and around her lower face. Linda dragged the woman deeper into the shadows, ensuring she would not be detected.
Then she dressed herself in the clothes and pulled on the boots. She was feeling better already.
A small bell jingled as she entered the bar. As indicated by the intoxicating smell of liquor, the inside of the tavern was rather crowded. Mostly male patrons, about a dozen in all, each one more drunken than the last.
Three men gaggled at one table - they'd clearly been imbibing for a while. As Linda passed by their table, one of the smiling men reached out and pinched her buttocks. In one swift motion, Linda grabbed two of the fingers on the offending hand and bent them sharply backwards. She smiled inwardly at the snapping sound.
The man pulled his broken hand back, howling in pain. His friends recoiled in horror. Linda ignored them and continued her way toward the bar.
"Whiskey sour," she told the bartender, sitting down on one of the stools. "Extra lemon."
She paid for the drink with some cash in her stolen jeans' pockets. As she sipped her drink, a voice piped up from the side of the bar.
"Nice outfit... Seems to be a popular one."
Linda turned. The voice belonged to a woman seated a few stools down - tall and athletic, with light skin and short dark hair. Apart from Linda, she appeared to be the only female patron in the bar.
"Seems like I've seen that outfit before," the woman continued. "Some pretty blonde in here was wearing a set of clothes just like it... just a few minutes ago." She took another sip of her drink. "Isn't that a coincidence."
Linda glared at her. "You trying to start something? Because I'm a fighter."
The woman held up a hand. "No, no... I didn't mean to offend. Honestly, I don't care if you beat that girl up and stole her clothes... She was rather annoying, anyway."
Linda rolled her eyes. "I'm not in the mood for this. I'm just here to get my bearings... Once I've done that, there's a newspaper reporter I'd like to get my hands on..."
"Oh?" The woman took another sip. "Might I ask her name?"
"Moira. You wouldn't know her..."
"Moira Mitchell?"
Linda looked surprised. "How did you...?"
"She's been a pain in my ass as well," the woman continued. "She and her friends cost me my career... my livelihood... and possibly my marriage."
Linda nodded. "I'd like to put a bullet in her... Maybe two or three."
"Don't bother," the woman retorted. "Revenge will get you nowhere. Bearing a grudge is guaranteed to keep your life miserable. That's certainly what it did to mine."
Linda gave her a funny look. "Who are you?"
The woman finished her drink, and gave a lopsided grin. "My wife called me sweetheart... but everyone else sticks with Meredith."
"I'm Linda."
Meredith winced.
"You okay?" Linda asked.
"Sorry, that... almost sounded like my wife's name. Never mind."
Linda was no great fan of girl talk, but something about this woman struck her as someone more than the average drunken barfly. "Marriage problems?"
"I guess." Meredith wiped her mouth and signaled the bartender for a refill. "But I feel like... like some of it is my fault. I love her, but... but we just see things differently."
Linda nodded. She hadn't married - in fact, she hadn't dated in several years. But she could see this woman was clearly aching.
At that moment, she heard an angry growl behind her. She turned to see a pair of drunk yet tough-looking men glaring at her.
Evidently, these two were friends with the man whose hand she had just broken. And they wanted some payback.
Linda glared at them. "Now, boys... I'm not in a great mood tonight. So I'll give you one chance to back off."
The men stepped closer, fists clenched.
Linda turned to Meredith and sighed. "Looks like I'm about to get some exercise," she commented, cracking her knuckles again. "Pardon me a minute."
********************
Dr. Chen tapped her fingernails against the steering wheel. Her dark grey sedan had been idling for what seemed like an eternity.
A glance at her wristwatch told her that it had been in fact only thirty minutes since her last radio communique. She was tense, no question. Had anything gone wrong?
In her time at NASA, before her criminal activities had been exposed, Dr. Chen had earned a reputation for planning projects with smooth and calculating precision. It was a skill she continued to retain, to this very night. Her revenge scheme depended on multiple moving parts, and several other people doing their jobs. Had she placed too much faith in her henchwomen?
As if to answer her concerns, the radio on her dashboard buzzed to life. "Boss, this is Cassandra. Do you copy?"
Dr. Chen quickly picked up the radio. "Yes, of course I copy. How is the plan proceeding?"
"So far, so good," Cassandra replied. "All the security guards in the building have been incapacitated. We've got their uniforms and weapons."
A relieved smile spread across Dr. Chen's face. "Splendid," she replied. "Good job, girls."
"I've commandeered the monitoring room, so I have eyes on the whole place. Will let you know when Bridget and her friends arrive."
She glanced at one of the monitor screens. The camera was trained on the front entrance. "Well, well... speak of the devil."
"Come again?" Chen asked.
"Bridget Baxter just walked through the door," Cassandra reported. "Two other women - one blonde, one redhead - alongside her."
"That must be Felicia and Moira," Chen nodded. "Any sign of Bobbi? White girl, dark hair?"
Cassandra shook her head. "Don't see her."
"Well, it's a start." Dr. Chen glanced out the car window. "Keep on with the next phase of the plan. I'll join you girls inside shortly."
"Roger that, boss."
Dr. Chen shut off the radio. She stepped out of the car, then headed around to the back.
Opening the trunk, she smiled down at its occupant - a frightened, bound-and-gagged Prema. The tan-skinned woman shrank back.
Dr. Chen chuckled as she pulled a backpack from the trunk. "No use getting worked up, little lamb," she said. "I'm not going to hurt you... yet." She hoisted the strap on her shoulder. "Right now, I've got some bigger fish to catch."
She shut the trunk, plunging the trembling Prema into darkness once more.
*******************
"Table 12," Bridget read from the card she'd received at the front desk. "There it is!"
The auditorium was large but crowded, segmented by round tables draped in white satin cloths. At one end of the marble-beamed hall stood a large mahogany stage, a spot for the hosts, presenters, and award recipients to address the crowd.
Bridget navigated her way to the table, Felicia and Moira following behind. Two of the seats were already occupied by a pair of women.
"Hi!" Bridget sat down with a smile. "Robyn, isn't it? We met earlier today."
Robyn glanced her way, giving a curt nod. She said nothing.
The brown-haired woman seated beside her stuck out her hand. "Hello there. I'm Chloe - Robyn's sister. Nice to meet you."
Bridget shook hands as Moira and Felicia sat down. "Likewise. I'm Bridget Baxter."
Chloe gaped in surprise. "From the Tribune? My gosh, I love your work!"
Bridget blushed. "Thank you."
"No, really... The stories you get... the exposés... they're incredible! You're an inspiration to young women everywhere."
Bridget held up a hand. "Please, please... I just do my job."
"Do you know her?" Chloe asked Robyn. "It sounds like you know her. Has she given you any journalism tips?"
Robyn groaned. "Can we get some more wine at this table?"
Felicia brightened. "Good idea. I wouldn't mind a drink. They should be sending the sommelier around soon."
Moira turned to a passing waitress. "Scuse me, ma'am... Can we get a bottle of bubbly here?"
The waitress nodded, then wordlessly walked off.
Moira turned her attention back to the table, away from the waitress... but the waitress remained focused on the table.
She spoke softly into the microphone embedded in her collar. "Bridget's here... and she's brought her friends."
"Great job, Rebecca," Josie's voice responded. "Maintain positions, girls. We'll make our move when the time is right."
"Why can't the right time be now?" Eleanor whispered into her mike from across the room.
"We need to make this look good," Josie explained. "The FBI has had too many screw-ups lately. We need to wait till people are settled, till the cameras start filming. Then," she smiled, "we'll give them a shock that every reporter can write about in their paper tomorrow."
"It is pretty convenient, operating in a place which will give us all this free publicity," Nicole observed.
"Yeah, well, I'd be happier if we operated in a place with better air-conditioning." Eleanor tugged at her collar. "This waitress uniform is tight and stuffy. I'm starting to sweat."
"Just deal with it," Josie radioed her. "Not every disguise is going to be the most comfortable. But this job isn't about comfort - it's about bringing criminals to justice."
"I know, I know." Eleanor mopped her brow. "I'm just gonna step outside for a few minutes. Need some fresh air."
"Don't take too long," Josie cautioned her. "We all need to be present and alert, in case of any unexpected developments."
"Copy that."
*******************
Dr. Chen advanced quietly to the rear of the Chrysalis building.
The alleyway was dark and a bit foul in smell, but she steeled her mind and kept moving. She glanced at her watch. According to her calculations, the janitor was due to step out of the back entrance any minute now, in order to take out the trash. The woman's uniform would be a good fit, Chen surmised.
But... where was she? The rear door was closed and silent. One of the trash bags lay on the ground before it, untouched.
Chen's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong.
Noticing slight but apparent scuff marks on the ground, she began to wonder what had happened. Then the sounds of moaning caught her attention.
Chen peeked behind the large metal dumpster and was surprised to see two women, both bound and gagged in a seated position and stripped to their underwear. One was a mid-sized woman with blue eyes and black hair; the other was a slightly taller woman with hazel eyes and salt-and-pepper hair. The shorter woman was conscious, but her friend was out cold.
Chen quickly spoke into her radio, irritated. "Who was in the alleyway recently?"
Silence at the other end. Then Lucinda spoke up. "I... I was there a few minutes ago. Mugged a janitor for her uniform."
"We went over this in the plan," Chen snapped. "I was the one who was going to mug the janitor. Why didn't you steal the uniform of the security guard?"
"Sorry, boss... I tied the guard up... but her uniform didn't fit me."
Chen groaned. "Fine. I'll take the guard's uniform. Where is it?"
"Er... I had to tear it into strips... to tie up her and the janitor."
Chen shut her eyes in exasperation. "Damn it, Lucinda..."
"I'm sorry, boss... I can find you another uniform if you want..."
"No... no. Just... stay out of my way," Chen replied. "I don't want your incompetence ruining my plans any further."
Lucinda winced. As a woman in the corporate world, she had fielded a lot of insults and learned to ignore them - but still, that had hurt. "Y-yes, boss."
Chen shut off the radio and looked down at the dark-haired security guard. "I have the most incompetent henchwomen."
Even in the dim lighting of the alleyway, Ashley recognized the woman from her days working at NASA. Julia Chen... so she's the brains behind this. What is she up to?
Dr. Chen did not recognize Ashley, either from NASA or from the guard's previous uniform mugging.
Chen shrugged. "Whatever. I've got to maintain focus. There are plenty of other opportunities for disguise in this place."
As she turned away, Ashley felt her cheeks burn. Twice in the last two weeks... this woman has gotten me mugged for my uniform. When I get my hands on her...
But in her current predicament, Ashley couldn't get her hands on anyone.
Chen stepped cautiously over to the metallic rear door. Footsteps approached, and the heavy door began to creak open. Chen quickly dove for cover behind the doorframe as the newcomer stepped out.
Judging by her white shirt, red vest, and black trousers, the woman was a waitress. She had light red shoulder-length hair, green eyes, and light skin. More importantly, at least as far as Dr. Chen was concerned, she appeared to be about the appropriate size.
Eleanor inhaled a lungful of cool - if not especially fragrant - night air. "Ahh," she sighed. "That's more like it."
Ashley watched from behind the dumpster as Chen slowly crept up behind the unsuspecting redhead. She tried crying out through her gag. "Mmmmmppphhh! Bmmmhhnnnddd yymmmppphhh!"
But she was too far, and the waitress was clearly distracted by her surroundings.
"Now," Eleanor smiled to herself, "if only I could get out of this uniform..."
Without warning, a hand slithered over her face, pressing a cloth against her nose and mouth. An arm then swiftly hooked itself about her slender neck.
"That, my dear," Dr. Chen whispered with a frothy chuckle, "can certainly be arranged."
Eleanor had trained for countless hours about how to respond to sudden attacks. She knew six different types of combat styles, and was well-versed in the art of disarming an opponent. But after all, she was only human - and when faced with a sudden, shocking attack, she had the tendency to gasp.
It was the gasp that cost her, filling her nostrils with trichloromethane - the chemical compound known to infiltrators and uniform thieves everywhere as chloroform.
The chemical was strong and intoxicating. Dr. Chen had purposely chosen a fast-acting variety in order to limit the amount of physical work. She did not know if this sort of chloroform would do any substantial damage to the victim, nor did she particularly care.
Eleanor's limbs turned gummy, and flopped at her sides. Chen smiled with satisfaction as the woman's eyes fluttered closed.
Lowering the woman to the ground, Chen got busy stripping her. By this point in her villainous career, removing another woman's clothes had become methodical. The shoes... the belt... the pants... the vest... the badge...
The badge?
Chen looked again. Inside the waitress' vest pocket was a black leather wallet with a gold-yellow badge insignia. Flipping it open, Chen saw an ID card with the redhead's face, identifying her as "Eleanor Pierce." Just to the left of the photo were three letters, in emboldened black. "FBI."
A million thoughts raced through Chen's mind at once. This woman was not a real waitress, but an impostor. The FBI? What the hell were they doing here? Did they suspect her? No... they had no reason to... they couldn't have...
Forcing herself to calm down, Chen picked up her radio. "Girls," she said in her usual authoritative voice, "we have a complication."
Cassandra responded for all. "What's up?"
"It seems we're not the only ones who had the idea of infiltrating this gala," Chen said. "The Feds are here. They're posing as waitresses... and possibly other staff members and guests. I've taken one of them out, but there may be more."
Whitney piped in. "Does this mean we're abandoning the job?" There was just the slightest trace of hope in her voice.
"We're not abandoning anything," Chen retorted. "I've worked too long and too hard to give up now. Everything stays on schedule. Besides, we have no reason to believe they're after us... I haven't left any trace for them to follow back to me, or any of you. Just continue the plan as we organized it."
"Say, doc," Chandra asked. "This FBI agent you found - what does she look like?"
Chen glanced down at the unconscious woman at her feet. "Light skin, red hair. Name of Eleanor."
"Hmm," Chandra thought. "I think I know her.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Sonja and I may have had a run-in with her team a few days ago."
"Are you saying you'll recognize them?"
"Probably. Shouldn't be too hard."
"Perfect," Chen smiled. "I'll trust you two to... deal with them. The rest of you... resume course. We still have plenty of work to do."
"Yes, ma'am," a chorus of voices sounded in her ear.
Chen shut off the radio and resumed stripping the unconscious Eleanor. Soon the agent was down to her sky-blue demicup bra and vermilion briefs.
Chen used white plastic zip-ties - swift, efficient, no hassle - to bind the woman, and gagged her with thick grey tape. She dragged her behind the dumpster and sat her beside Ashley and the slumbering janitress.
Ashley continued to fume as she watched Dr. Chen button up the waitress uniform.
You'll pay for this, Chen... I swear you're gonna pay...
******************
During the standard daylight hours, the Oakwood Park had plenty of visitors - joggers, skaters, and tourists. It was a large and spacious stretch of land, with gentle hills and a placid lake, perfect and welcoming to any visitors who set foot inside. As afternoon turned to evening, though, the fields usually emptied, and most of the patrons set off for home.
So it was that by the time Bobbi reached the entranceway, the area had grown rather quiet. A few joggers passed by, and a couple of elderly folks sat quietly on the wooden benches. No one paid her much attention.
This was a mistake. Bobbi wanted to turn around and go home. She didn't feel comfortable here, and she just wanted to return to the security of her own world. But Zuhal's voice had been soothing and understanding over the phone... Bobbi had finally agreed to meet with her.
It's just a conversation. Just some girl talk. Nothing to get worked up about. Bobbi tried convincing herself that she was making the right choice by meeting with a woman who was currently a wanted criminal and escaped convict - and had worked in the past with such vile criminals as Karima al-Bariqi and Julia Chen. But that was in the past. Zuhal had changed...
Or perhaps Bobbi had changed?
She took a deep breath. Zuhal had told her to meet near the entrance, by a pink ice cream truck. Although it was getting dark, Bobbi could see the truck, parked a ways off on the asphalt road near the lake. She approached with caution.
Zuhal didn't appear to be anywhere around. Bobbi scanned the area, wondering if the woman was running late. Or if she planned to show up it all. "Hello? Zuhal?"
At that moment, a woman poked her head out of the window of the ice cream truck. "Roberta! You came!"
Bobbi raised an eyebrow. Zuhal stepped over to the door of the truck and beckoned her closer. "How you doing, girl? Come on in!"
Bobbi looked the woman up and down. Zuhal was dressed as an ice cream truck driver. She wore a white short-sleeve button-down shirt with red bowtie, a white fiddler cap with black brim, black cropped pants with a white apron, and white running shoes.
What the hell? Bobbi thought.
"Don't just stand there," Zuhal urged. "Come on inside! You wanna talk, don't you?"
"I, er..."
"I've got ice cre-eam," Zuhal added, in a sing-song voice.
Bobbi looked around, then sighed. She stepped toward the door of the vehicle.
The inside of the truck was roomier than it looked. A few cabinets, a freezer, plus a large metal ice cream dispenser.
Zuhal shut the window, then turned smiling to Bobbi. "So, are you in a chocolate mood? Vanilla? Pistachio?"
"No thanks." Bobbi looked around, still confused. "Zuhal, why are we meeting... here? Why are you dressed like that?"
Zuhal laughed. "I wanted to speak to you someplace private," she explained. "A non-suspicious place where we wouldn't be bothered. Naturally, I chose the park during quiet hours. And for extra cover, I decided to borrow this friendly, non-suspicious truck. Of course, once I started using the truck, I had to dress the part." She gestured at her uniform. "Not my favorite disguise, but it serves its purpose."
She bent down and opened one of the cabinets. "And Leah has been kind enough to let me make use of both her truck and her business for the evening."
Bobbi glanced inside the cabinet. Crammed within was a light-skinned woman with shoulder-length hair, dyed the same shade of pink as the truck. She had been stripped to a peach full-cup bra and sapphire blue bikini panties. The woman had been bound with grey nylon cords and gagged with two strips of blue painter's tape. Her head rested on her bent knees, and her breathing was soft and rhythmic.
Zuhal shut the cabinet with her foot. "A special drug I picked up a while back... She'll sleep soundly till morning." She turned back to the ice cream dispenser. "So? What flavor can I get you?"
"I'm... not hungry," Bobbi replied.
Zuhal looked to her, and her expression changed to one of concern. "Honey, are you okay? You sounded kind of sad on the phone. Have you spoken with Bridget and Felicia?"
Without meaning to, Bobbi began to cry.
Zuhal quickly embraced the young woman. "Shh... Shh... It's okay, girl. You don't need to worry. I promise, whoever is bothering you, we'll take care of them."
"It's... it's not like that." Bobbi swallowed. "It's my fault. I keep fucking things up."
Zuhal handed her a tissue. "That can't be true."
"It is true." Bobbi wiped her eyes. "Today I got into a fight with Felicia. She's been my best friend since high school. We never fight, but today..."
Zuhal unfolded a wooden chair and set it beside Bobbi. "Sit down, hon. Tell me what happened."
After a moment's hesitation, Bobbi agreed. She caught her breath as she took the seat, then beginning telling Zuhal all about that day's events. Zuhal listened the whole time, nodding occasionally, never interrupting.
"...And that's where we left things," Bobbi finished. "Bridget kicked me out of her apartment, and I could tell she really was angry with me. And it's all my fault."
"But I do," Bobbi nodded sadly. "Ever since I learned how to mug other women for their clothes, it's become almost... a habit for me." She breathed inward. "It's emboldening. It gives me a confidence in myself that I've never had... And now I'm practically looking for excuses to do it." She rubbed her forehead. "I know I shouldn't be... but I don't want to stop."
Zuhal nodded. "I was just like you a few years ago," she said.
Bobbi looked up. "You keep saying that."
"Because it's true. I got my career started on the streets... I was a pickpocket - best of the best. I stole wallets, watches, purses, you name it. Total professional before I had turned twenty."
"Doesn't sound at all like me," Bobbi groused.
"Maybe not at first," Zuhal continued, "but one time, I was unwittingly caught on camera. The authorities started searching for me... They had my picture, they knew what I looked like. A lesser criminal would have given up pickpocketing and gone into hiding." Zuhal smiled inwardly. "But of course, Zuhal Azimi is no lesser woman. I continued pulling my little heists - but I had to start disguising myself. Clerks, waitresses, maintenance workers - if I was wearing a mundane uniform, people wouldn't think twice about me.
"Of course, I couldn't simply shop off the rack for these items. At first I started breaking into employee lockers to steal them, but that quickly proved difficult - I was never guaranteed a uniform that was my size. So," she chuckled, "I began stealing them directly off the women who wore them."
Here a dreamy look entered Zuhal's eyes. "Those were the days," she mused. "You have to understand, this was almost ten years ago. Uniform stealing wasn't as common back then - certainly not as widely utilized as it is today. In fact, I like to think I helped popularize the technique." She chuckled.
"Anyway... eventually, I met up with Nadyne - you remember her, don't you? And pretty soon we fell in with Karima... who was pretty cool back then, honestly. Not the heartless bitch she turned into."
Bobbi was listening with a mixture of awe and confusion. "That's a nice story, but... how is it like mine?"
Zuhal smiled. "I remember the rush I got when I stole my first uniform," she said. "It was a way of expressing myself, asserting my own independence. For a while, I started mugging women for their clothes even when the disguise wasn't really necessary. It was just so much fun."
She glanced down at Bobbi. "I assume you know how that feels."
Bobbi was silent - then she nodded. "I... I do."
"Atta girl."
"So... what does this mean?" Bobbi asked. "When I started the whole disguise-and-infiltration bit, I was doing it because Felicia and Bridget dragged me into it. They convinced me that mugging a few innocent women for their clothes was necessary for the greater good. But now," she winced, "now I'm just doing it because it's fun. I like stealing clothes, and I don't know if I can stop... or if I want to." She looked up at Zuhal. "Am I... am I the villain?"
Zuhal gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Roberta," she said warmly, "the world is more complicated than heroes and villains. You're not a bad person... you just need a purpose to channel your energies."
"What do you mean?"
"Your friend Bridget... she steals a lot of women's clothes. But it's all part of her job. She's a journalist, will do anything to get a story, y'know? She doesn't let the prospect of mugging innocent women overtake her, because she knows it's a means to an end. Same with Felicia, who is a budding journalist in her own right. They have jobs that require them to disguise themselves regularly."
"So... what are you saying?" Bobbi asked.
"I'm saying, you need something like that. Find a vocation which allows you to work uniform thefts into your daily life. You'll get paid to do something you love, and you'll be able to structure your life better."
"You really think that's what I need?" Bobbi asked. "I... I don't know..."
"Trust me," Zuhal smiled. "You have a lot of potential, girl. I think you can utilize it in a positive and constructive way... Certainly better than the way I used it for so many years."
Bobbi nodded. She wasn't fully convinced, but she understood... and she felt better.
She stood up. "Zuhal... thank you," she said. "This was more helpful than I thought it would be."
Zuhal gave her a hug. "My pleasure," she replied. "Good luck, little sister."
Bobbi began to walk towards the door. Then she stopped and turned around.
"Y'know," she said thoughtfully, "I think I am in the mood for an ice cream cone. Maybe a chocolate."
Zuhal laughed and opened the freezer. "One scoop or two?"
****************
Dr. Chen tied her hair back into an austere bun as she stepped past the dining hall.
She was dressed in the waitress uniform she had liberated from the FBI agent; however, her face would still be recognizable to Bridget and her friends. Ergo, she would not risk entering the large room where they were currently seated.
She spoke softly into her wrist-communicator. "Girls, I'm in. Let's proceed to Phase Two. Cassandra, where is Bridget now?"
From her comfortable seat in the security room, Cassandra propped her feet up on the desk. She picked up her coffee thermos as she glanced at the row of monitors before her. "She's at table 12. With Felicia and Moira, plus a couple of other women. They've just started on the appetizers."
"Good," Chen replied. "They still don't suspect a thing. Remain in the security room and keep watch, in case anything changes."
"You got it, boss." Cassandra took a sip of coffee. "I'll let you know."
"Darla, Marina, Haleema," Chen continued. "The next part is up to you."
Haleema, currently situated by the side entrance, gave an affirmative grunt. She headed off in the direction of the foyer.
Darla and Marina, still in their FEMME security disguises, were stationed outside the main ceremonial room. Darla responded. "Copy that, boss. We're on our way."
"Finally," Marina sighed. "I was getting bored of this uniform."
Darla chuckled. "Hope you like your next disguise."
"Same to you, girl."
The two friends gave each other a quick fist-bump - for good luck - and then stepped off in opposite directions down the hall.
*******************
Chrissy nodded at the patron who exited the restroom. "Enjoy your evening."
The older woman gave a curt nod, then headed back down the hall. Chrissy sighed inwardly. She didn't expect to get tipped, but would it hurt to get a "thank you" every once in a while?
Still, she couldn't really complain - the owners of Chrysalis Hall paid her handsomely for her job. And it was a simple job - stand outside the ladies' room all evening and make sure everything ran smoothly.
Chrissy was on the taller and thinner side, with light skin, water-blue eyes, and blonde hair that she had tied back into a double-braided ponytail. Occasionally, an errant strand of hair would droop in front of her face, provoking her to absent-mindedly brush it back. As usual, she was dressed in the standard-issue restroom attendant uniform - a crisp white button-down shirt with grey lavallière scarf, slim black pants, and solid black shoes.
Chrissy yawned softly and glanced at her watch. The journalism ceremony had started, but it would be going for a while. She wondered if she could leave her post for a minute, perhaps to grab a drink.
Ease up, Chris, she thought to herself. You've got a simple job, just stay put and do it.
From the distance, a tall, tan-skinned woman rounded the corner. She was dressed in a security guard uniform, albeit not the standard Chrysalis outfit.
Oh yeah... Must be one of those "FEMME" guards we hired to beef up security. Chrissy smiled. Well, glad to have the extra help. With all the stories circling in the news lately about security guards getting mugged and tied up, it's good to have some professionals on our team.
Of course, Chrissy had no way of knowing that the FEMME guards had all been unwillingly replaced upon their arrival at Chrysalis, or that the woman approaching her now was an impostor.
Marina had no interest in divulging that information. But a playful smile danced on her lips as she approached the restroom.
"Hi!" she said to Chrissy. "Is this a private bathroom, or can anyone join?"
Chrissy smiled back warmly. "Of course you may use it. It's my pleasure to let a a FEMME guard inside."
Marina chuckled. "That's sweet."
"I'm serious," Chrissy replied. "I think your team is doing excellent work. FEMME is an inspiration to girls and women across the country. Keep up the great job."
Marina nodded brightly. "Yes, of course. I will definitely carry on my work... as a FEMME guard... which is what I am. But first I gotta pee."
Chrissy opened the restroom door. "Please, go right in."
Marina nodded at her and stepped inside. She let the door swing shut behind her, then looked around.
The restroom was indeed quite posh and fancy - shiny porcelain sinks, pristine bathroom stalls, freshly waxed tiled floor. The scent of lavender soap filled Marina's nostrils.
"Wow," she muttered. "Is this a bathroom or a day spa?"
Her words echoed across the room. The facility was currently empty. That meant there was no one to laugh or groan at her attempted humor - but it would make the next part of her job fairly easy.
Marina waited almost a minute, then opened the door to the restroom and poked her head out. She flashed a toothy grin at Chrissy.
"Everything all right?" the attendant asked.
"Just a teensy problem," Marina responded. "The toilet - I think it's jammed."
A concerned look crossed Chrissy's face. "That's odd - I checked them all this morning, and they were in perfect condition."
Marina shrugged. "They always seem that way."
"Let me take a look." Chrissy stepped past Marina and entered the restroom.
She looked around as Marina shut the door. "Which toilet was it? I think I can figure out the problem."
"That's okay," Marina said, approaching from behind. "You've already solved my problem."
"What are you talking ab - hhhhrrrkkkhhh!" Chrissy felt herself pulled sharply backwards as Marina's arm wrapped around her neck.
"The toilet's not really in a jam," Marina giggled as she applied a viselike sleeper hold. "But you certainly are."
Chrissy tried to struggle, but her feet found no purchase on the freshly waxed floor. Marina kept a steady and determined grip; she was clearly superior in pure strength.
"This is the restroom, isn't it?" Marina inquired. "Well, it's time for you to get some rest."
She giggled at her own joke, but also felt a bit bad - none of her coworkers were around to hear it.
"Do you like my puns?" she asked Chrissy. "My friends think they're hit-and-miss... usually miss. Maybe I need some new material."
But Chrissy could not respond, as she had already lapsed into unconsciousness.
"Well, that was rude," Marina frowned. "You couldn't stay awake another ten seconds?"
She sighed. Stealing disguises wasn't as much fun when there was no one else around to trade quips with.
"Can't win 'em all," she shrugged. Then she picked up Chrissy by the underarms and began dragging her to the farthermost stall.
*******************
Squeak, squeak, squeak...
Viola frowned. She had left a note with the management to fix the wheel on her cart. But as she now pushed the cart down the long, satin-carpeted hallway toward the Chrysalis dining hall, it was clear that they had tossed her request in the circular file.
Viola suppressed a groan. How was she to maintain an image as a professional worker if her cart sounded like a hungry mouse? Still, she pushed forward; perhaps the noises in the hall would drown out the sounds of a rebellious metal wheel.
Viola was one of the higher-paid staff workers at Chrysalis - she was a sommelier, a wine server with a taste for understanding an abundance of alcoholic drinks and beverages. The metal cart she pushed along balanced an array of high-class drinks - Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rosé, Chardonnay. She was an expert at detecting the differences in the wines, and fulfilling each patron's request when they asked for it.
She had inherited the skills from her family - her grandfather had been one of the most celebrated sommeliers in Europe. He had taught the skills to Viola's father, who had passed them down to her. Now she worked at Chrysalis, overseeing the wine service whatever classy gala events they held.
Viola was tall and fair-skinned, with close-cropped red hair and olive-green eyes. She wore professional attire suiting that of her position - an ivory button-down shirt with black necktie beneath a black fitted suit jacket, and black dress pants. Her white satin gloves gripped the cart handle firmly, and her black tap shoes padded softly against the carpeted floor.
Squeaky wheels aside, Viola enjoyed her job. She was a fine wine connoisseur, and was always happy to impress the patrons with her talent. She was looking forward to the night ahead.
As she rounded the corner, Viola saw a pair of security guards standing in the hallway. This was not unusual; the Chrysalis guards were always on patrol during these gala events.
However, these guards seemed... different. Viola's acute senses could tell that there was something... unusual about them.
Her suspicions mounted as the guards approached her in the empty hallway.
"Hi there," Whitney smiled. "You're the wine girl, aren't you?"
That was a sting to Viola's ego. "I'm a sommelier," she said with an air of importance.
"Smellier than what?" Whitney asked. "Actually, never mind... I'd rather not know. I've worn too many foul-smelling outfits in the past twenty-four hours already."
"If you'll pardon me," Viola said, feeling a bit uneasy around these women. "I have some drinks to serve."
The other guard stood before the cart, blocking her path. She glared at Viola.
Viola gulped. "What... what is going on? Please don't hurt me..."
Whitney gave her an affectionate pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry, sugar. No one's going to hurt you. Just give us what we need and you'll be fine."
"What... what do you want?" Viola tried to keep calm, but there was a slight tremor in her voice.
Whitney put her arm around the sommelier. "Long story short, you won't be doing your job tonight," she explained. "Come on, why don't we go someplace private." She pointed at a nearby storage closet. "That room seems nice enough."
Viola did not know what was happening, but she could already tell that she was not going to like it. Still, she had no choice but to let Whitney guide her through the dark closet door. Haleema followed inside, shutting the door behind her.
The wine cart stood alone and unattended outside the closet door. The seconds dragged on, turning into minutes.
Finally, the door reopened. Haleema stepped out, dressed in Viola's clothes. She dusted off her suit jacket and straightened her tie.
The hallway was still empty, as expected. It was not an area for guests, and most employees were currently at the gala. Haleema pulled the white gloves onto her hands and, gripping the wine cart firmly, began pushing it down the hall towards the auditorium.
Inside the closet, Whitney was putting the finishing touches on Viola. The poor sommelier had been stripped to her green lace bra, amaranth boyshorts, and grey ankle socks. Whitney had gagged her with a light grey cloth and was securing her wrists and ankles with thick baling twine.
"I know these knots are kind of tight," she explained. "But trust me, it's better than the alternative."
Viola began to sob softly.
Whitney pulled a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at the woman's eyes. "Hey... hey, don't cry, sweetie. Please, I did my best to make this easy. Haleema was planning to punch your lights out so she could take your clothes. I had to convince her that we'd be better off with a less physical route."
Viola sniffled, staring at the floor.
"I promise you'll be okay," Whitney said. "Just sit tight for a few hours. Someone will find you, and everything will be all right. But in the meantime, I just need you to sit tight and keep quiet. Okay?"
Viola sniffled again, but she slowly nodded.
"Great, you're a doll." Whitney kissed the woman on the forehead, then stood up. "And by the way... you don't smell bad at all."
Viola could only stare in confusion as Whitney shut the door, leaving her in the darkness.
Whitney walked away from the closet quickly. Hopefully, the woman wouldn't start sobbing again.
The truth was - much as she hated to admit it - Whitney felt a little sorry for the woman. But she had been a necessary victim...
Yeah... Necessary for Dr. Chen's plan...
Whitney made a sour face as she quickened her pace down the hall.
*********************
Linda arched her back and stretched her arms skyward. "Thanks, boys. I needed that."
On the floor of the bar lay a dozen men, all unconscious. All had tried - some individually, some as a group - to beat Linda in drunken physical combat. All had failed.
Meredith surveyed the scene, mouth agape. "That... that was incredible."
"All those years in the Marines paid off." Linda padded her bicep. "Come on, what say we get out of here?"
Meredith didn't know what to say. But as Linda held out a hand, she took it, hoisting herself up off the barstool.
"I... I guess I've had enough to drink," she reasoned.
Casually, the two women strolled out of the bar. No one tried to stop them.
"So," Linda said once they were out on the street, "tell me about your wife. That is... if you want to."
Meredith nodded. "Honestly, I feel l like I need to talk to someone." She took a deep breath. "Her name is Lucinda. Tall, blonde, gorgeous. I met her at a corporate retreat six years ago... We hit it off right away. We've had a good life together... at least we did, until recently."
"What happened?"
"We had a good business... Dennison Drilling... a competitive corporation with perhaps some... not-so-legal activity on the side. It was doing well until some nosy reporters started to investigate it. Lucinda tried to have them eliminated, but they turned the tables on us."
"I know how that feels," Linda muttered.
Meredith nodded. "We were arrested by the Feds, but we managed to escape. Lucinda wanted revenge on the women who'd wronged us, and I happily went along. But our plans failed... and then they failed again..."
She sighed. "I've given up on revenge. It just leads to more stress, more pain. But Lucinda... She doesn't want to stop. She won't stop until Bridget and Moira and their friends are ground to dust. And now she's allied herself with a madwoman who is pure evil... And with vicious plans of her own. I'm... I'm worried for my wife... Worried she's going to get hurt, or... or worse..."
She wiped a stray tear from her face. "Forgive me, I'm not always like this."
Linda nodded. "It's perfectly understandable. And... maybe you're right. Maybe revenge isn't the best way to use my time. Now that Cheryl's been arrested, and Rucon is gonna be tied up in legal tape for months, I don't have any place to go... I need to figure my life out, and I shouldn't waste time focusing on the past. Especially when I'll probably be running from the law for some time now."
Meredith looked at her in surprise. "You're a wanted woman?"
Linda nodded. "But I plan to lay low. No sense in alerting the world to my presence. After all..."
Her words were interrupted as the sound of a siren filled the air. A police car screeched around the corner, pulling up to the curb right in front of Linda and Meredith.
"Shit," Linda growled. She tensed herself to run, but before she or Meredith could make a move, two policewomen jumped out of the car and pointed guns in their direction.
"Freeze!" the brunette officer said. "Better not try anything."
Her blonde officer shined a flashlight at Linda's face, causing the woman to squint. "We got reports of a bar brawl down at the corner of Fifty-First. The bartender's description of the woman matched the photo sent to precincts all over the county in the wake of the Rucon scandal."
She held up a large photograph. "Linda Sheller, you have the right to remain silent."
"And so does your friend," the brunette added, gesturing at Meredith.
Begrudgingly, Linda and Meredith both raised their hands.
*****************
The door to the restroom slowly opened, and Marina poked her head out. The coast looked clear.
She stepped out into the hallway, gingerly shutting the door behind her. Then she took up her new position. Now fully dressed in Chrissy's uniform, she appeared the part of a standard restroom attendant.
Her eye settled on a security camera mounted on the far wall. It was currently trained in her direction. Marina smiled and waved. "Hi, Cass."
From the security room, Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Hi, Mari. Please don't wave at the cameras."
"Just want to make sure you're still monitoring."
"Of course I am. Just do your part and I'll do mine."
A squeaking noise alerted Marina. She glanced down the hall to see a black-suited woman pushing a wine cart towards the ceremonial room. It was Haleema.
Marina caught Haleema's eye and winked. Haleema nodded curtly in response as she passed the restroom.
Cassandra spoke into her radio. "Boss, plan is proceeding smoothly. Haleema is heading towards the target."
"Perfect," Dr. Chen responded. "Stay focused, everyone."
Haleema entered the auditorium, silently scanning her surroundings. The place was crowded, but most guests and patrons had by now found their seats. Thus, it was rather easy for her to map out the area and locate the table where Bridget and her friends were seated.
Moira perked up as the wine cart approached. "Yes! Drinks are here!"
"Moira, restrain yourself," Felicia chided, though she too was ready for some wine.
Bridget and Felicia had only met Haleema once before, briefly. It had been rather dark outside at the time, and Haleema had been wearing a yellow hazmat suit. Thus, none of the ladies at the table suspected that the tuxedoed woman preparing to pour their drinks had previously allied herself with Karima, and was now partnering with Dr. Chen.
Moira held up her glass. "I'll take some of the white Chardonnay," she said.
"I'll have the same," Felicia agreed.
Robyn shrugged. "Just give me something strong."
Chloe laughed. "My sister and I will have a sherry," she told Haleema.
Moira turned to Bridget. "What's your preference, babe?"
Bridget smiled and held up a hand. "No alcohol for me. I'm driving, remember? Besides," she mused, "I like to stay focused during these award events... y'know, on the slight chance I win something."
"There's that wishful thinking again," Robyn muttered.
Haleema picked up the bottle of Chardonnay and used a cloth towel to open it. While the women at the table were focused on one another, she quietly slipped a pair of small white pills through her fingers, letting them fall through the neck of the bottle. The pills were a special narcotic developed by Dr. Chen to be undetectable in alcohol, and they did the trick. Upon hitting the liquid within, the pills instantaneously dissolved, leaving not a visible trace to be found.
Bending over, Haleema poured the contents of the Chardonnay bottle into Moira's glass. The blonde nodded appreciatively.
But as Haleema turned to serve Felicia the drink as well, she "accidentally" jarred the bottle, letting some of the Chardonnay spill onto Bridget's dress.
"Oh!" Bridget gave a start. She gazed down in annoyance at the stain on her dress.
Haleema's little maneuver had not been an accident; nevertheless, she gave Bridget an apologetic look and offered her a towel.
"Thank you." Bridget did not want to appear rude to the sommelier. She began to dab at the stain.
"Clumsy," Moira said, glancing at Haleema in annoyance. "You should watch what you're doing."
"Moira, it's fine." Bridget looked again at the stain. "I... think I need to wash this off. Where's the bathroom?"
"Outside the auditorium, make a left," Chloe offered. "Then it's down the hall."
Bridget nodded and stood up. "I'll be right back."
As she headed off, Haleema began filling Felicia's glass.
The redhead looked at her strangely. "You don't talk much, do you?"
Haleema simply shrugged her shoulders and reached for the bottle of sherry.
Felicia watched her oddly. Had she met this woman before? Something about her seemed familiar...
"Hey, Felicia," Moira interrupted the young woman from her thoughts. "How about a toast?"
Felicia nodded and raised her glass. "Um... to further and greater adventures."
"To me scoring some action tonight," Moira added as they clinked glasses. "Sorry... that's the alcohol talking."
Felicia laughed. "You haven't had any drinks yet."
"Right, right..." Moira smiled. "Let's fix that now." She took a sip from her wine glass.
From the corner of her eye, Haleema watched as Moira and Felicia drank the doctored wine. A crafty smile crept across her face.
******************
Bridget wandered through the large and vacant hallway. "Let's see... restroom, restroom... That looks like the place."
A dark-haired, tan-skinned woman in an attendant uniform stood outside the door marked "Ladies." She smiled as Bridget approached.
"Good evening, ma'am. Are you in need of any service?"
Although Marina had never met Bridget before, she recognized her easily from Dr. Chen's photographs. Bridget, however, had no idea that the woman standing before her was an impostor.
"Thank you," Bridget replied. "I just need to clean this stain off my dress."
Marina glanced at the spot on the dress. "Oof. Yeah, that's quite a fashion statement. Go right on in." She opened the door and allowed Bridget to enter.
Once Bridget had stepped inside, Marina let the door swing shut. Then she spoke into her wrist-radio. "This is Hot Babe to Alpha Leader. The Flamingo is in the cage. I repeat, the Flamingo is in the cage."
There was silence at the other end. Then Dr. Chen's voice responded. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm trying some different call-signs," Marina explained. "I think it would be cool if we all had codenames. Be more like a spy mission, you know?"
Dr. Chen groaned. "Enough clowning. Just speak English."
Marina sighed. "Bridget is in the ladies' room."
"Perfect," Dr. Chen replied. "Stay where you are."
"Roger that," Marina copied. Then she whispered to herself, "Hot Babe out."
********************
Bridget rinsed a few washcloths at the bathroom sink, then carefully dabbed them at her dress. She glanced in the mirror. "Should be okay... good thing this isn't dry clean only."
As she prepared to dry the stain, a low humming noise caught her ears. At first, she attributed it to the air conditioning, but this sounded different... higher-pitched, almost feminine...
Bridget blinked. It was coming from the far stall.
She approached with caution. A sign on the stall said "Out of Order," but someone was clearly inside.
Bridget jimmied the lock on the door, then swung it open. She gulped as her fears were confirmed.
Seated on the toilet was a tall young woman with light skin and blonde hair. She was slowly regaining consciousness, although she had clearly been out for a little while. She wore a crimson strapless bra with black trimming, and khaki-green hiphuggers. An abundance of black tape had been used to secure her to the toilet, her legs bent back and secured to the S-bend. A washcloth had been tied around her mouth, secured at the back with a girlish bow.
Multiple thoughts raced through Bridget's mind. No... No, not now... Not tonight... This was going to be a fun night... A fun time out with the girls... What is going on?
She was about to reach over and unhook the gag from the poor blonde's mouth when a voice drifted in from behind her, its every syllable laced with cruel and gleeful malice.
"Hello, darling."
Bridget felt her blood run cold.
She recognized the voice. It was a voice she had hoped to never hear again.
Slowly, shakingly, she turned around. Standing behind her, arms crossed, eyes gleaming, a triumphant look on her face, was Dr. Julia Chen.
"Such a pleasure to see you again," Dr. Chen grinned. "Though I'm afraid that this time, the pleasure will all be mine."
I must admit, a smile came across my face when I saw this in the newly update screen, I'm extremely looking forward to getting stuck into this, so let's go right on in.
Haha, I chuckled a bit with this intro, I was wondering what happened to Linda and her barrel, well now we know.
Haha, loved the classic "no shirt, no shoes, no service" bit, something that proved quite literal in this case. I enjoyed the scene with the drunk woman, plus I enjoyed the little "nightcap" pun thrown in there too.
Hell yes, Meredith is back on the scene, I can already tell this is going to be one of your finest chapters to date, I'm loving it already.
Excellent scene as well with Chen afterwards, damn she is an unnerving villainess isn't she, I'm actually genuinely excited to see what happens next, this build up your making is so strong and powerful, when it goes down, it really is going to go down isn't it......My god this is brilliant!
WOW! That next scene, the FBI agents are moving in too, unaware that Chen and her henchwomen are close by, you can really feel the tension looming as it makes the air thick with delight and excitement.......Your really pully all the stops out on this one, needless to say I've got one heck of a smile on my face as I'm reading through, you've really done a fantastic job with this build up.
I liked the little scene with Lucinda and Chen, good grief, well to be fair it wasn't entirely Lucinda's fault because as we saw in the last chapter, things got complicated when Lucinda bumped into Ashley.......Speaking of which, nice to see her returning again.
Oh Elanor, such a poor choice of words. That was an amazing scene, so Chen and her gang now know the feds are here, this is going to make for some tense confrontations isn't it, I absolutely love the dialogue as well in these scenes, the scheming, the planning, the conversations themselves, everything is just written to perfection! Well done.
Haha, Zuhal is awesome she really is and if I do say so, nicely done with an icre cream truck lady being replaced, very original and very unique......Plus Leah has dyed pink hair which only sweetens the scene for me........No pun intended........Okay maybe a little.
Either way I absolutely loved this scene, Zuhal is such a quirky, joyful and over the top comedy style characters, she's amazing she really is..........Aaaahhhh you really got to feel for Bobbi, she is such an amazing character, I genuinely did the feel the emotions she was giving off, you can truly feel all the pain she's going through, but it really did warm my heart to see that her sister still has her back.........Bobbi is truly TRULY one of my most favourite characters........this scene was very impactful and very moving........You nailed it, you really did.
Hahaha, that entire scene with Marina and Chrissy was fantastic, don't worry Marina, I hear your jokes and I think they're amazing haha. I always find it funny when other unknowingly compliment the security guard for prtoecting them fromm infiltrators, when actually who their talking to is a real an infiltrator themselves. Nicely done, that was a nice touch........Also, a BATHROOM ATTENDANT............Damn, how, how do you do it, I genuinely wouldn't have thought of that in a million years, honestly well done!
Quite an enjoyable scene afterwards, although yeah in hindsight even I felt a little bit sorry for Viola at the end, poor thing and I mean that too. But I hope Whitney's words bring her some comfort until she's found a few hours from now..........Plus I love Whitney's sense of humour, very enjoyable!
The next scene too, the brief call backs their to the other issues in your "spacesuit" series was very nice, it really does show just how far all these characters have come......Well you did it again, you made me feel emotions for Meredith........It must be so hard, watching the one you love get consumed in a void of darkness known as revenge.......To lose sight of all those who love you while you chase a pointless grudge........I feel Meredith's pain and to be honest.......I'm on her side.
Damn.......That was a great scene that followed, I sat here holding my breath throughout this entire scene, just thinking......Will they notice......Won't they notice.....Maybe a glimpse........A jolt of a memory.........honestly you have written this to absolute perfection, you know how to keep the reader on the edge of their seats with these type of scenes........You are a MASTER at these types of scenes, you really are!
Hahaha, heck yeah, Marina's call signs are definitely needed, it's just too good an opportunity to pass up, I for one greatly appreciated it.
I was wondering what happened to Chrissy as well, again now I know don't I.
Well, I just have to say WOW!.........I mean that too, this has been an absolute delight and an absolute treat to read through......You really had ups and downs in this chapter, the comedic characters such as Marina were simply awesome as per usual, the emotional scenes with Bobbi and Meredith were absolutely tremendous, see you have this way of how you walk such a perfect line between comedy and seriousness......When you want us to laugh, you make us laugh, with these incredibly written jokes, both subtle and not so subtle........then when you want us to feel for your characters, then my god you grab on these heart strings and you pull and pull........If such a fantastic experience..........I love being invested in these characters, I love the world they inhabit, I just purely love everything about this series..........Again, I have no idea how you do it, your truly a master at writing stories......I thank you whole heartedly for this amazing chapter, it's so damn good!
P.S......I counted at least three original new uniforms that I've never seen or have so rarely seen in USB scenes before, you really are the gift that keeps on giving aren't you.....I bow to the Alpha Hunter.
Another well-done part that builds up the climax all in all.
Still waiting for said climax to happen, as all that build-up makes it look promising, but given the ending I guess that it'll be soon. So many wild cards are on the loose: Bobbi, Linda, Meredith (who makes a surprising return and will probably form a temporary alliance with Linda, I didn't see that one coming.). And even some wild cards are not on the loose. With the foreshadowing you're making with Ashley, I'm convinced that this story will finally be her moment of glory. And of course the three main sides at the journalistic event.
Good lines, as always. Including the painfully ironic, but still delectable: "If only I could get out of this uniform..." Linda's one-liner at the very beginning was pitch-perfect. And Marina was enjoyably on fire. The puns. The code names.
Honestly, I'm starting to find the FBI's incompetence a little saddening. I'm feeling bad for mocking them. It's just that, with all the plans in motion around them, it seems they always end up getting the short end of the stick. For now, it's as if their greatest achievements only involved mugging innocent bystanders and picking up Bridget's team's tablescraps. I'm crossing their fingers for them. Hopefully, the climax will be a three-way battle royale. Hopefully, the FBI agents won't end up as mere uniform donors.
Nice uniform stealings, nothing much to say. Trackman already mentioned it, but I appreciated the apperance of rare or unseen sets of clothes in this part (ice cream girl, sommelier). Linda's very first scene reminds us how quickly the tide turns, from victim of uniform stealings to uniform stealer. Though I must say that my inner-Frenchman is finding the mugging of a sommelier intolerable. SACREBLEU!
All joking aside, I enjoyed a lot Whitney's scene with Viola, especially since it hints that there may be dissensions in the future between Chen and her henchgirls...
Bobbi's and Zuhal's talk was certainly interesting. I always enjoy the character moments. Plus, it gives a break in between two mugging sprees to catch our breath. Seeing Bobbi question herself was definitively a needed moment, and you pulled it off flawlessly. (Though I think that Zuhal may be a little biased when it comes to the topic.) I'm still curious to see where this is going, 'cause I feel the moral dilemnas aren't over. Fingers crossed. (I'll admit that I'm feeling the most sorry for Leah though. Mugged just so that two women can have a private conversation, and spending the night bound and gagged inside a closet. That's going to hurt a lot... Hopefully, they'll have the courtesy to put her out of the closet once they're done... )
Trackman: I was also quite glad to finally getting my latest chapter posted; hopefully the next one will arrive faster.
Chen is certainly an unnerving villainess, and I'm really trying to give her a meaty role as the criminal mastermind in this volume. She's evil, but she believes in her cause, which makes her more dangerous than a lot of of the villains-for-hire in my stories.
I did promise Ashley would return, didn't I? Jokes aside, she will have a larger role in this story than in previous volumes. That's all I'll say for now; you can interpret it as you wish.
The Bobbi/Zuhal scene was the one I worked hardest on, to get the tone and characterizations right. Bobbi is in a dark place (hence why she turns to Zuhal, a woman she once considered her enemy), but I didn't want the scene to feel overly depressing, so I had her meet Zuhal in an ice cream truck. And I tried to contrast her serious outlook with Zuhal's bouncy responses. I'm generally happy with how it came out.
As you note, I tried to use a few underserved uniforms in this part. The bathroom attendant was a style of uniform I had not seen often, though I think it may have been used in one the old Stanton comics. In any case, that scene presented some good opportunities for bathroom jokes.
It's great that people are sympathizing with Meredith; I love that a character introduced as such an icy villainess has gained so much as a character. revenge is a dish best served cold, but she's grown warmer over time.
Thanks a lot for your compliments - balancing comedy and drama remains a challenge, especially when there are so many characters involved. Mainly I just try to give each woman her own distinctive personality - some funnier, some more serious - and take it from there. Not always easy, but often rewarding to have these characters interact (and to see how readers respond to them).
Rufusluciusivan: Note to self, add sound effects to stories. Especially helpful for cliffhanger endings.
Believe it or not, the true "climax" of this story is still a few chapters away. There are a lot of characters to juggle, a lot of important developments left to occur, and a lot of uniforms left to steal. As you note, there are the main character teams, plus several wild cards - amounting to about two dozen characters in all. This chapter has set up a number of future developments, but some will take some time to pay off.
As always, half the fun of these stories is the dialogue. I love writing these interactions and giving the characters quips and one-liners. Marina especially, but I try to give most of the characters their moment in the sun.
It's true that the FBI have never been the most respected or luckiest characters in my series. So much of these stories involves women going undercover and circumventing authority, with both heroes and villains working outside the law. So naturally, the FBI doesn't always fit in. However, I'm trying to give them a bit more backbone in this volume - they're still not very lucky, but they'll get their moments to shine.
Apologies for offending any French sensibilities with the mugging of the sommelier. I was originally going to have Haleema mug another waitress, but that had already been done by the FBI agents in the previous chapter, so I decided to do something new. (Good news for the other waitresses at Chrysalis, but bad news for Viola. )
I'm also trying, as you note, to develop Chen's henchgirls individually. Not all of them are quite on board with her plans, and Whitney seems like she'd be one of the more reluctant recruits. As to where this is going, that's for a future chapter.
Bobbi's moral dilemmas are still far from over, and a little conversation with Zuhal isn't going to suddenly completely change her. But it was important for her character arc to have her discuss her situation with someone beyond her inner circle of friends, to gain an outside perspective. And also important for Zuhal to mug Leah of her uniform, to remind us that Zuhal is still not a good person and enjoys mugging innocent women of their clothes more than she probably should.
Thanks for the feedback; with luck, the next chapter will be posted later this month.
It was also a good opportunity to bring back Ashley, who has inadvertently become one of the most sympathetic characters in the series.
As for Lucinda, I do still see her as a generally bad person, albeit one who clearly as a soft spot for Meredith.
