Madame Mayor - Chapter 3: The Database

[tirepanted3]

Trixie glanced at her watch as she jogged up to the bar.

“Five minutes to spare! Phew!”

The young waitress headed to the side of the building and stepped through the employee entrance. She had overslept that morning – damn alarm, refusing to go off! – but she had arrived on time for her shift.

Trixie was a slim young woman with alabaster skin and curly red hair that fell to her shoulders – and, despite her best efforts to pin it back, often fell over her eyes as well. She was already dressed in the uniform she always wore in her job as a bar waitress – a light pink short-sleeve shirt with white buttons, knee-length pink skirt, and white sneakers.

She had only had the job of bar waitress for a few months, but was already getting the hang of it. She prided herself on being punctual, typically arriving at her shift as much as a half-hour early. Today was kind of an off day… but at least she wasn’t late.

Trixie stepped into the employee changing room, which was currently empty. She paused for a moment to tie her hair back in the old wall mirror.

“So you slept a little too long this morning,” she told he reflection. “Big deal! That just means you’re well rested. You’ll be wide awake for the rest of the day!”

She turned to the closet where the employee supplies were kept, swinging the door open.

Before she could blink, a woman’s fist had rocketed out of the closet and slammed into her temple. Trixie’s eyes rolled back, her knees went wobbly; she was unconscious before she hit the floor.

Two hands reached out and grasped Trixie’s ankles, dragging the unconscious waitress into the closet. The door closed.

Minutes later, the closet door opened again, and Marta stepped out. The Russian militant was now buttoning up Trixie’s waitress uniform.

Katerina’s voice sounded in her ear. “Status update?”

“You didn’t tell me the uniform would be pink,” Marta said, wrinkling her nose in annoyance. “I hate pink.”

“I assure you that whatever color you’re wearing now, it’s preferable to the orange of those prison jumpsuits,” Katerina replied. “Did you have any trouble acquiring the uniform?”

“Trouble?” Marta glanced back into the closet, where Trixie now sat unconscious in the corner. The unfortunate redhead had been stripped to her neon-pink triangle bra and matching bikini panties. She had been tied with white cables and gagged with a grey dishcloth.

“You insult me, Kat… This was probably the easiest uniform theft of my career.”

She shut the closet door.

“Stealing clothes in America is almost too easy… Back in Russia, the women I mugged put up more of a fight.” A smile crossed her face. “One time, I infiltrated the VKS and stole a lieutenant’s uniform. Pretty woman, blonde hair, crystal blue eyes… She fought me like an alley cat. Of course, that made my wearing her clothes all the more satisfying…”

“Time to reminisce later,” Katerina cut in. “Let’s get back to the plan.”

Marta nodded. “Very well then. This shouldn’t take long…”

She headed down the hall towards the barroom.

“Are you sure this is the right place?” she whispered into her earpiece.

“According to the police reports we’ve tapped into, this is one of the few bars in the area,” Katerina replied. “The staff of the bar we’re looking for told the cops that they were mugged and replaced by two women a few weeks ago – women who match the descriptions of Oksana and Polina. If this is the right place, we can learn something about their whereabouts.”

Marta smirked. “If this is the same bar, you’d think they would add some security after that last break-in. Make it a little tougher for a woman to break in and punch out a waitress for her clothes.”

“Their loss is our gain,” Katerina agreed. “Do you see anything interesting?”

Marta’s eyes scanned the bar. It was relatively uncrowded at the moment, save for a few young patrons clustered at some of the corner tables.

“Only if a gang of drunk college kids counts as interesting…”

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

Back in their stolen police van, parked a block from the bar, Katerina’s brow furrowed.

“There must be some lead… Something we’re missing…”

She was abruptly startled when Alisa, sitting beside her, let out an excited “Aha!”

“Aha, what?” Katerina asked.

Alisa grinned as she took off her headphones and turned to her team leader. “I’ve been listening to the police frequencies, trying to hear anything of interest… and I think I’ve found something.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense.”

“A local news anchor and her camerawoman were just found tied up in their underwear near the local park,” Alisa explained. “They gave a description of their attackers… and one of them sounds exactly like Sonja.”

Katerina’s eyes brightened. “Well, there’s a stroke of luck. When was this?”

“Just a few minutes ago. Sonja and her friend might still be in the vicinity.”

“Perfect.” Katerina nodded. “Change of plans. Let’s regroup with the others. We can’t let a lead this fresh go to waste.”

A sinister smile spread across her face as she reached for her radio.

We’ll meet again soon, Sonja… and when we do, you will be very, very sorry.

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

Sonja was very, very sorry.

Sorry about her choice of disguise, that is.

“This uniform is riding up my ass,” she whispered. “Just like last time. Why can’t Cerberus switch to more comfortable outfits?”

Chandra shrugged. “I’m starting to think some of these big corporations purposely design female employees’ uniforms to be itchy and uncomfortable… to discourage other women from stealing them.”

Sonja groaned. “They’re so inconsiderate.”

The two women were now walking down on of Cerberus Chemicals’ long metal-lined corridors. Their disguises, while uncomfortable, thus far allowed them to blend in perfectly.

A consulting of the directory told them what they needed to know – Audrey’s office was on the second floor.

As they trudged up the stairs, Sonja lowered her voice. “So, what’s our cover story?”

“We’re just two technicians, sent to fix a gas leak at the office,” Chandra replied. “We’ll send Audrey out of the room for a few minutes. Then I’ll hack into her computer and download any remaining info she has that could incriminate Lucille. Then we walk out with no one the wiser, send the info to the press, and laugh when Lucille gets her ass hauled to jail.”

Sonja nodded. “Good plan. And Audrey probably won’t recognize us… I don’t think we’ve met before.”

“Nope. We’ll be fine.”

They approached the office door. Chandra knocked.

“Come in,” a young woman’s voice came in reply.

Chandra and Sonja entered. There were two desks in the room. At each sat a woman, typing away at her computer.

Audrey looked up in surprise as the two newcomers entered. “Er… can we help you?”

“Gas leak, ma’am,” Chandra said professionally. “We need to clear the room for a few minutes while we take care of it.”

“Oh! That sounds serious.” Audrey glanced at her coworker. “Atsuko, we should get out of here and let the ladies do their work.”

Atsuko nodded. She was about to get up when she happened to glance at the two uniformed women.

“Say… You two look familiar.”

Chandra paused. “Er…”

Atsuko eyed her strangely, then smiled. “Of course, I remember you. And your girlfriend. You were fooling around in a closet that one time.”

Sonja laughed. “Oh, we’re not girlfriends,” she said. “We…”

Chandra silenced her with a look. Then she smiled at Atsuko. “Yes, that’s us. Mind if we do some work here for a few minutes?”

“Sure, no problem. Let me just close my computer.”

Atsuko returned her glance to the computer screen to exit its current program. Then suddenly, her eye caught a “News Alert” notification that popped up in the corner.

Curious, she clicked on it. Immediately, a news item popped up – interestingly, featuring a prominent news reporter. Atsuko recognized her from TV – Georgia O’Day.

”News anchor mugged, clothes stolen, found with camerawoman in bushes. Anonymous tip identified possible suspects – be on lookout.”

Pictures of two women appeared beside the news article. Atsuko gasped. Their appearance precisely matched that of the two women who had just walked into the office.

Atsuko glanced up at Chandra and Sonja, trying to hide her surprise. It didn’t work – Chandra caught her eye, and immediately read her facial twitch.

“Audrey,” Atsuko said slowly. “We should go…”

“Grab them!” Chandra cried.

Atsuko tried running for the door, but Chandra was faster. She grabbed Atsuko and covered her mouth before the young woman could scream. With her foot, she shut the door.

Audrey stared in shock. Before she could react, Sonja had grabbed and handgagged her as well.

“Mmmmpphh!!” Atsuko tried fighting back as Chandra placed her in a sleeper hold.

“Quiet,” Chandra hissed as she applied pressure to Atsuko’s neck. “We’re not here to hurt you. You’re not going to die… You’re just going to sleep.”

“Hmmmpphhh… rrrggghhh…” Atsuko tried fighting back, kicking out in the open air.

“Tough girl,” Chandra remarked. “Stronger than you look. But this only ends one way… Just pass out already.”

Despite her best efforts, Atsuko’s strength ebbed. Within moments, she went limp in Chandra’s grip.

“Good. Now you,” Chandra dropped Atsuko and turned to Audrey, who was still struggling in Sonja’s grip. “Maybe you don’t remember us, but we used to work for Lucille Weldon-Grant… just like you did.”

Audrey’s eyes went wide. “Mmmpphh!”

Chandra continued. “We have a few questions for you, and if you’re a smart girl, you’ll answer them without any problems. Are you a smart girl?”

Audrey nodded, her eyes still wide with fear.

Sonja removed her hand from Audrey’s mouth. Audrey caught her breath.

“Like I said, we used to work for Lucille,” Chandra continued. “Now, we want to send her to jail. I could easily hack your computer and grab whatever files you have on her, but you can save us a lot of time by just getting the files for us.”

Audrey looked fearfully down at the unconscious form of Atsuko on the floor, then back up at Chandra. “I… I don’t have any files on Lucille,” she said.

“Liar,” Chandra countered coldly. “You kept all her records, even after she went to jail. There’s no way you would delete such valuable information.”

“I didn’t delete it,” Audrey explained. “After… after Ms. Weldon-Grant went to jail, I got a call from the police… They were investigating her and her associates – like Gina Caldwell – and wanted information on her. I was scared… I didn’t want to go to jail… so I agreed to give them what I had.”

“So the police have all the info?” Chandra asked.

“Well… not exactly,” Audrey continued, a bit flustered. “I agreed to meet up with a pair of policewomen and exchange the info… but the real policewomen had been ambushed before they could meet with me. Some women who worked for Caldwell tied them up and stole their uniforms to impersonate them, and… I gave them the file. I only found out later that I had been tricked.”

Chandra groaned. “Are you serious?”

Audrey nodded. “They probably destroyed the file.”

Chandra was silent for a moment. “Did you give them… everything?”

“Er… yes,” Audrey admitted. “They probably destroyed all the files. I’m sorry.”

Chandra sighed. “There has to be a backup somewhere. Doesn’t Cerberus keep a record of their company emails?”

“There… might be something in the database,” Audrey admitted. “All the old employee records are digitally stored there… Emails, documents, everything.”

“Database?” Sonja inquired.

“There's a data center... the building at the other side of the Cerberus facility,” Audrey explained. “But it’s under heavy security. You won’t be able to get in.”

Chandra raised an eyebrow. “Are there female security guards assigned to the area? Any of them our size?”

Audrey looked confused by the question. “I… think so. But…”

Chandra grinned. “Then we’ll be able to get in.”

She turned to Sonja. “Knock her out. Gently, please.”

“Wait, I… uuurrgghhh…” Audrey’s thoughts were interrupted as she quickly succumbed to Sonja’s sleeper hold.

“So what now?” Sonja asked.

“We need to tie them up,” Chandra noted. “Make sure they don’t wake up and spread the alarm while we head to the data center.”

She glanced at Atsuko’s computer screen and frowned. “Dammit… the city has put out an all-points bulletin on us. Lucille must have ratted us out… She’s probably angry at us for making her miss her interview.”

“So now the cops have more reason to come after us,” Sonja groaned.

Chandra nodded. “We’ll need to move fast. Are you up for stealing more disguises?”

Sonja smiled. “I’m offended you even have to ask.”

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

Dahlia finished her boring history class and was one of the first students out the door. She had already taken her phone out of her handbag and was scrolling through her social media feed.

“Come on, Athena,” she remarked as she passed the woman in the hall, eyes still on her phone. “I told Mom I’d meet her at work after class.”

With her focus on the phone, Dahlia did not give so much as a glance to the woman waiting for her, other than enough to know that she was wearing the black pantsuit she always associated with her bodyguard. She did not notice that her bodyguard was no longer a dark-haired black woman but a light-skinned brunette.

Oksana suppressed a grin as she adjusted her sunglasses and followed Dahlia down the hall. This girl was not particularly bright, which made her job all the easier.

They reached the street, just in time for the gleaming silver Porsche to meet them. Dahlia got into the back seat, eyes still glued to her phone. Oksana followed her, shutting the door. The car pulled away from the curb.

“To my mother’s office, Mollie,” Dahlia said, still focused on her phone. “She should be expecting me.”

“Sure hope so!” her driver replied.

The voice made Dahlia pause… and at last look up from her phone. Mollie didn’t have a Russian accent…

Her eyes widened as she caught the driver’s eye in the rearview mirror. Polina winked at her.

“You’re not Mollie,” Dahlia said in confusion. She turned to her seatmate. “Athena, what’s going…?”

She lost her words as she realized that the woman sitting beside her was not, in fact, Athena.

“Who… who are you? What happened to Mollie and Athena??”

“The usual,” Polina replied as she kept her eyes on the road ahead. “Mugged, stripped, bound, gagged… You’re a woman in the twenty-first century, you know how it goes.”

Dahlia began screaming in a panicked voice. “HELP! Someone help, I’m being kidnapped! Hel—mmmmppphhh!”

Oksana quickly covered Dahlia’s mouth with a firmly clamped hand.

“Screaming,” she said sternly, “is not very ladylike.”

Polina grinned. “Oksy, did you just crack a joke? I think I’m rubbing off on you.”

“For the hundredth time, don’t call me Oksy.” Oksana frowned at her friend, then turned back to Dahlia, whose eyes were wide with terror.

“I’m going to remove my hand from your mouth,” she said, “and you are not going to scream. If you scream, I will do to you what I did to your friend Athena. Is that clear?”

Dahlia whimpered softly.

“I said, is that clear?”

Dahlia stopped whimpering and nodded, tears in her eyes.

Oksana removed her hand. “Good. And hand over the phone. We can’t have you calling for anyone during our private chat.”

“My phone? But my mom will kill me if I lose it! I can’t just…”

Oksana gave her an icy glare.

Dahlia gulped. “Yes, ma’am.” She meekly handed over her phone.

Oksana shut off the phone and tucked it into her jacket. “Now, let’s talk. First things first: we are not kidnapping you. We simply want your help… or more specifically, the help of your mother.”

“My… mother?” Dahlia looked confused.

“Heather Smythe. She’s a diplomat and a high-ranking member of the American immigration board. We want to talk to her.”

“But… why?”

“We want to become US citizens. And unfortunately, we can’t wait months and months for ‘the system’ to get around to us. We need it done today. And for that, we need your mother to help us.”

Dahlia bit her lip. “My mother won’t stand for this… She won’t let you in her office.”

“But she will let you in her office,” Oksana replied. “You will help us get inside, without causing any trouble. And then we will have a chat with your mother.”

Dahlia was about to argue further, but the look in Oksana’s eye told her the conversation was over.

“Cheer up, kid,” Polina grinned in the rearview mirror. “Unlike your chauffeur and bodyguard, you get to keep your clothes. We won’t be stealing them. Although,” she added slyly, a glimmer in her eye, “I do love those leather boots of yours…”

Dahlia suddenly wished she was back in her boring history class.

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

The data center for Cerberus was certainly more secure than the chemical plant. After all, it was where the company’s most valuable information was stored.

The center required retinal scans and thumbprint IDs for employees. It also limited the number of outside visitors allowed into the facility, apart from the twice-a-day deliveries of food and supplies for their employees.

It was at this moment that one such delivery was being made, as the light blue truck marked “Carter’s Coffee Beans” pulled up to the gate.

The armed guard at the gate approached the vehicle. The window rolled down, and the two women seated up front smiled politely at her. They were both dressed in light green short-sleeve shirts, tan pants, white sneakers, and grey baseball caps.

“ID badges, please,” the guard demanded.

“Of course, officer,” the driver, a tall woman with tan skin and chin-length black hair, nodded. She handed the guard a pair of digital ID badges from her and her partner, a woman with light skin and a bob of blonde hair.

The guard scanned the IDs at the small keypad at her booth and glanced at the photos that popped up beside them.

Then she nodded and returned the badges to the deliverywomen. “You’re clear. Go on inside.”

“Have a lovely day, officer,” the driver grinned.

The guard nodded, and pressed a red button on her keypad. The gate opened, and the truck rumbled through.

Sonja glanced out the window as they entered the facility. “Nicely done.”

Chandra smiled from behind the wheel. “So far, so good.”

“I’m impressed you were able to tamper with those ID badges,” Sonja added. “Don’t they use incredibly advanced tech these days?”

“Cerberus does… The delivery company doesn’t,” Chandra explained. “It wasn’t too hard to reconfigure those ID cards from the back end. They did involve some reassembly, but thankfully that guard didn’t look at the cards themselves too closely.”

Sonja nodded. “Cool.”

They reached the rear end of the building and parked the delivery vehicle at a designated truck stop.

Chandra turned and peered through the small window into the rear of the truck. “Sorry about commandeering your shift today, ladies. I promise you’ll be fine and able to resume your usual course of business tomorrow.”

Her polite tone did little to assuage the feelings of the two women she was addressing. They were both sitting on the floor in the rear of the truck, bound with grey adhesive tape and gagged with white cloths. One of them, an alabaster-skinned woman with sandy brown hair in two slim braids, wore a pink balconette bra and white hiphuggers. The other, a caramel-skinned woman with short hair dyed a bright shade of red, wore an orange push-up bra and matching bikini panties.

Both women were struggling against their bonds, still upset at having been ambushed earlier that day.

Sonja gave them an encouraging thumbs-up. “Cheer up, girls. You both look great!”

Chandra gave her an odd look. “I don’t think that’ll cheer them up.”

Sonja shrugged. “It’s the thought that counts.”

They two women stepped out of the delivery truck. Chandra glanced around.

“Well, we’re past the fence, at least. Getting into the building itself will be trickier.”

Sonja nodded. “I assume we’ll need to look like guards?”

“Something like that,” Chandra replied. “We’ll also need to stay out of sight as much as possible.”

She crouched down and glanced beneath the vehicle. “Follow my lead.”

She got on her hands and knees and began crawling under the truck.

“Eh?” Sonja raised an eyebrow.

“This place has security cameras everywhere,” Chandra explained from beneath the vehicle. “We can’t wander around out in the open… Not in these clothes.”

“But… it’s dirty under there.” Sonja wrinkled her nose.

“Stop stalling, let’s go.”

Sonja sighed, but crouched down and began crawling beneath the truck.

Chandra had crawled a little further, towards the far end of the lot. She stopped and smiled. “Bingo.”

From her vantage point, she could see a pair of tall black boots – women’s boots – stepping into view, framed against the metal wall at the edge of the lot.

The boots were polished and professional – likely those of a security guard. There was a faint whiff of tobacco in the air.

Smoking break, Chandra thought with a smirk. In an isolated area. This gal’s begging to get her uniform stolen.

The guard was facing the front of the truck. Quiet as a mouse, Chandra crawled out from beneath the vehicle, positioning herself behind the unsuspecting woman.

The guard was slim but athletic, with light skin and short curly strawberry-blonde hair. She was dressed in gunmetal blue – from her thick woolen sweater and sleeveless Kevlar vest to her combat pants, which were tucked into her tall black lace-up boots. There was a pistol strapped to the left hip of her belt.

The guard took one last drag on her cigarette before dropping it to the floor and grinding it beneath the heel of her boot.

It was the perfect moment of opportunity, and Chandra didn’t waste it.

She sprung at the guard, wrapping a muscular arm around her throat, and pressing the other arm into the base of her neck.

The guard’s crystal-blue eyes widened, and she tried to struggle free, but Chandra simply tightened her hold.

“Bet you’ll think twice before taking your next smoking break, honey,” she whispered.

The guard’s black boots kicked up dirt as they scuffed against the ground, trying to gain some level of purchase. Chandra had been through this process dozens of times, and knew the drill – she simply let the guard tire herself out.

Finally, the guard’s eyes began to flutter, and her kicks began to slow. She continued gurgling for a few moments as the strength drained from her body. Then she went limp.

“There we go,” Chandra said in satisfaction as she lowered the unconscious guard to the floor. “Now let’s see about your unif—”

“Hey!”

Chandra whirled in surprise. Another uniformed guard had just rounded the corner of the truck. She stared in shock at Chandra and the unconscious woman lying beside her. Then she pulled out her gun.

“What did you do to Kallista?” the guard demanded, pointing the weapon at Chandra. She was slightly shorter than the blonde, with apricot skin and dark brown hair in a ponytail.

“Hey, hold on… I can explain.” Chandra held up her hands.

“Don’t move, or you’ll be sorry,” the guard said. “I’m calling for backup.”

She reached for her radio as she walked forward. “Attention, all available units. This is Padma. Intruder in the parking lot. I repeat…”

Abruptly, a hand shot out from under the truck and grabbed the guard’s ankle, twisting it suddenly. The guard gasped and lost her balance, hitting her head against the corrugated metal wall. She slid to the ground, out cold.

Chandra smiled. “Thanks for the save, Sonja.”

The hand beneath the truck gave a thumbs-up. “Mind helping me out from under here?”

“Just a second.” Chandra scooped up the fallen guard’s radio, and spoke in a near-perfect imitation of her voice. “Attention all units, this is Padma. False alarm – Kallista was just playing a prank on me.”

A voice came moments later in response – a woman, annoyed. “Don’t fool around, girls. This job is serious.”

“Sorry, boss,” Chandra replied into the radio, now speaking in Kallista’s voice. “Won’t happen again.”

She shut off the radio, then knelt down to help Sonja up. “That should buy us a few minutes.”

“Long enough to get changed, I hope,” Sonja nodded.

They dragged the unconscious Kallista and Padma behind the trucks. Chandra found one with rear doors unlocked and opened it. They dragged their burdens inside, Sonja shutting the door behind them.

Minutes passed without incident. Finally, the doors opened again. Chandra and Sonja stepped out in the guise of Cerberus security guards.

“This uniform feels better than the last one,” Sonja remarked as she exited the truck. “Feels like they’ve been employing better material.”

“As have we,” Chandra observed, glancing back into the truck.

Kallista and Padma lay sleeping on the floor, tied and gagged with strong brown packing tape. Callista was dressed in a rose-colored plunge bra and pink bikini panties, and Padma had been left in a slate-grey sports bra and dark blue boyshorts. They had been lain beside the two sleeping delivery women.

“We’re building up quite a collection in here,” Sonja grinned. “How many ladies do you think we can fit in this truck?”

Chandra shut the door. “No more for now,” she replied. “Let’s get to those data servers.”

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

Lucille Weldon-Grant groaned, and slowly stirred awake.

The first thing she noticed was that she could not move her hands or feet – they had been bound with plastic zip-ties. She lay on the floor of her own sedan, still wearing her stolen janitress uniform.

Adelaide sat in the front of the car, a calm look on her face. She glanced in the rearview mirror. “Wow, that knockout powder didn’t keep you out as long as I expected. I may need to check my formula…”

“Adelaide,” Lucille said, trying to remain calm, even as she tugged against the tight bonds on her wrists. “Let me go.”

Adelaide let out a soft chuckle.

“Lucy, dear… You set me up to take the fall for your crimes… You had your henchwomen ambush me and knock me out… And most importantly, you attacked my dog. So no, I’m afraid I can’t let you go.”

Lucille scowled. “You have no proof that I did anything to you! And you… you’re a professional criminal! If you take me to the police, I’ll have you locked up too!”

“I’m not involving the police in this,” Adelaide replied, her voice still calm and measured. “I’m going to teach you a lesson on my own.”

She paused for a moment. “Where are your two goons, by the way? Cam and Gwyneth… I still owe them for what they did…”

Lucille scowled, thinking back to her two ex-henchwomen, who had now betrayed her for Mayor Hargrove. “They… no longer work for me.”

“Oh? Such a pity. I guess you’re on your own.”

“Adelaide,” Lucille said, a note of pleading in her voice. “I know you’re angry… I can make it up to you. Name your price, and I…”

Adelaide laughed. “That’s always the default with you rich women, isn’t it? Think you run the world… that you can solve all your problems with money. Well, don’t worry about me… I plan to take all the money and valuables you have on you… after I drive you out to the middle of nowhere and tie you to some trees.”

Lucille’s eyes widened. “You can’t…”

“I can,” Adelaide replied tersely. “You crossed a line, Lucy. No one messes with my dog.”

Lucille gritted her teeth, and tried again to pull at her bonds.

“No use, hon,” Adelaide said. “You’re not breaking free. You’ll spend the rest of the day tied up in the middle of nowhere… If you’re lucky, someone will find you tomorrow.”

Lucille blinked back tears. “Please… I…”

“You’re scared, aren’t you?” Adelaide asked. “Good. Maybe you’ll think twice next time about taking advantage of other women.” She kept her eyes focused on the road. “It’s hard enough for a professional like me to get good business when the mayor is cracking down on uniform stealing… Now I have to deal with…”

“The mayor!” Lucille cried.

Adelaide glanced back in the rearview.

“You… you hate the mayor, don’t you?” Lucille said, keeping her voice even. “Yes, of course… She’s threatening your job, your livelihood. She’s declared war on professional infiltrators like you.”

“I suppose,” Adelaide said cautiously, wondering where these comments were headed.

“I know how to take her down,” Lucille said. “I know a secret that will destroy Delilah Hargrove… But I can’t do it myself… I need the skills of a professional infiltrator to help.”

She glanced up at Adelaide. “I’m serious this time. We may not agree on everything, Adelaide… but we agree that Delilah Hargrove needs to be stopped.”

Adelaide was silent for several seconds. Then she pulled the sedan over to the side of the road. She stopped the car and turned to the woman tied in the back seat.

“Start talking.”

Lucille winced as she pulled at her bonds. “Could you untie me first?”

“Do not test my patience, Lucy.”

Lucille started talking.

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

Carolyn hummed to herself as she entered the front door of the Cerberus building, a smile playing on her lips.

Every so often, when her bus route passed by this corner of town, she liked to pay Atsuko a visit at her office. With her own workload rather light today, Carolyn figured that today would be perfect for one such visit.

The secretary at the front desk smiled as she handed Carolyn her visitor pass. “Here you go, ma’am. I assume you remember where your wife’s office is.”

“I do… Thanks.” Carolyn nodded politely at the woman.

As she stepped down the hall, she passed by a couple of uniformed Cerberus women talking to one another.

“Any idea where Keisha and Cassidy are?” one of the workers asked the other. “Last I saw, they were in middle of taking out the trash, but they just vanished!”

The other worker shrugged. “They probably decided they’d worked enough today… I imagine they’re lounging around somewhere outdoors without their uniforms.”

Carolyn paid little attention to the conversation of these workers, and instead hurried along down the hall toward her wife’s office.

She knocked softly. Getting no response, she opened the door a crack.

“Hello?”

The lights were on, but the office was empty. The two desks – Atsuko’s and Audrey’s – had the computers humming, but there was no sign of either woman.

Glancing at Atsuko’s computer screen, Carolyn saw that her wife had stopped typing in middle of a word. A suspicious look crossed her face.

Then she heard the sounds – muted, muffled sounds from the closet.

Carolyn opened the closet door. She gasped.

Atsuko and Audrey sat on the floor of the closet. Both women had been bound with charger cables and gagged with white handkerchiefs.

“Goodness!” Carolyn quickly knelt down and ungagged Atsuko. Then she did the same to Audrey. “What happened? Who did this?”

Atsuko caught her breath. “Two women… disguised as technicians,” she explained. “They knocked us out… tied us up…”

“They’re breaking into the data center,” Audrey added. “They work for Ms. Weldon-Grant, I think...”

Carolyn began untying her wife. “The data center… You mean they’re still on the premises.”

Audrey nodded. “We have to call the police.”

Carolyn thought for a moment. “No… I’ve got a better idea. We call someone else.”

She reached into her pocket and withdrew the small signal button. The one that an agent of FEMME had given her a few weeks ago.

“We call the professionals.”

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

Polina pulled the Smythe’s silver Porsche up to the curb across the street from the embassy building.

Oksana turned to Dahlia. “Now… you know what to do?”

Dahlia nodded, slowly. “I… I take you to my mother’s office. And I won’t try to alert anyone else that you’re not my real bodyguard.”

“Not if you know what’s good for you.” Oksana then turned to her partner. “Polina, you wait in the car. Keep a lookout and radio me if you see any trouble. With luck, I should be able to get into Heather Smythe’s office, have a chitchat with her, and be out in under thirty minutes.”

Polina nodded. “I’ll stay right here. Good luck. And remember to bring me back her boots.”

She winked at Dahlia, who gulped.

Oksana grasped Dahlia’s elbow. “Come on, hurry up. And remember to smile when we’re in the building.”

Dahlia tried to keep her chin up as she walked towards the office building, Oksana following close behind.

The college girl and her “bodyguard” stepped into the building’s lobby. Seated behind the front desk was a receptionist – a tall young woman with light skin and frizzy red hair, from the curls of which poked the eraser end of a pencil. She wore a dark blue peplum blouse, a black pencil skirt, sheer nude tights, and flat black shoes.

“Good afternoon, Dahlia,” the girl smiled at the visitor.

“Hi, Corinne,” Dahlia replied. “Is… is my mother in her office?”

Corinne nodded. “She has a meeting in about twenty minutes, but I’m sure you can pop in. Shall I tell her you’re here?”

She reached for the phone, but Dahlia, remembering what Oksana had told her, shook her head.

“No, that won’t be necessary… I’d prefer to surprise her.”

“Ah, I understand.” Corinne grinned. “That’s fine, you can go right in…” She glanced up at Oksana, and a look of confusion crossed her face. “Where’s Athena?”

“She has the flu,” Dahlia replied, a little too quickly.

“Oh, the poor dear,” Corinne said. “Well, it’s nice to see you have a replacement. Ms…?”

“Just call me Sana,” Oksana said dryly.

“Lovely to meet you, Sana,” Corinne nodded. “And watch out for Dahlia… She can be a handful.”

Corinne chuckled. Dahlia managed a small smile before a look from Oksana told her it was time to keep moving.

The two women bid adieu to Corinne and headed into the main hall.

“You’re doing great so far,” Oksana whispered. “Keep it up.”

Dahlia averted her gaze. “They… they won’t let you upstairs.”

Oksana raised an eyebrow. “Pardon?”

“You don’t have clearance to go to the second floor, where my mom’s office is… You’re not my regular bodyguard. And you’re not a regular member of the embassy security.”

Oksana processed this new information. “That’s easily remedied… I’ll just need a change of clothes.”

She glanced down a side hall. A woman in a security uniform was idling by the soda machine.

Oksana glanced at Dahlia. “That security guard… Help me lure her into an empty room.”

Dahlia looked over at the guard. The woman in question was tall and well-toned, with tanned skin and dark hair tied in a ponytail that was held in place with a French hair pin. She wore a grey button-down uniform shirt with embassy pins, black dress pants, and brown loafers, as well as a grey baseball cap on her head.

Dahlia’s eyes widened as she realized Oksana’s plan. “No, please… That’s Rosalie. She’s one of the nicest guards in the building… Always treats me with a smile. So polite…”

“I don’t need to hear her life story,” Oksana replied impatiently. “All that matters is that she’s a woman my size wearing a uniform I need.”

“But…”

“Besides, if she’s nice and polite, she should be easy to mug. I just need you to trick her into following you.”

Dahlia was about to protest further, but Oksana fixed her with a steely gaze.

“I’m going to hide in that empty lounge. You have thirty seconds to lure her into the room, or you will be sorry. Understand?”

Oksana didn’t give Dahlia a chance to answer. She disappeared into the lounge.

Swallowing her concerns, Dahlia approached the guard.

“H-hi, Rosalie.”

Rosalie had just selected a Diet Pepsi from the machine. She smiled at Dahlia. “Hey, kiddo. What’s up?”

“I…” Dahlia wasn’t sure what to say. She stood there in silence for several long seconds.

Rosalie eyed her strangely. “Everything okay?”

Dahlia glanced around, unsure of what to do. “No… It’s not.”

Rosalie put a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You can tell me anything, Dahlia. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

Dahlia nodded. “I know…”

Rosalie glanced at the nearby lounge. “Hey, if it’s something you prefer to discuss in private, we don’t have to hang around the hall. Follow me.”

She walked toward the lounge, beckoning Dahlia to join her.

Dahlia remained silent as she followed the security guard into the lounge.

Rosalie shut the door. “Now, honey, what’s troubling you?”

Dahlia swallowed. “I’m sorry.”

“For what? What happe… hhhggghhhhhhh!”

Rosalie clutched at the muscular arm that suddenly looped around her neck.

Dahlia bit her lip. “She… she made me do it.”

Rosalie’s eyes widened in shock as she struggled in Oksana’s grip. But the Russian agent was all too familiar with administering sleeper holds. The security guard didn’t stand a chance.

Rosalie’s shoes scuffed against the floor, her arms flailed about. Then, slowly, her eyes began to flicker. Her struggles slowed, then ceased.

Oksana lowered the unconscious guard to the floor. “Excellent work,” she said to Dahlia.

Dahlia glared at Oksana. “I hate you.”

“I can live with that.” Oksana began stripping Rosalie of her uniform. “Find something to tie her up with, will you? Maybe that roll of cables in the corner will do the trick.”

Dahlia said nothing. She wanted to fight, she wanted to scream… but she knew better than to cross Oksana.

Still, a seething anger burned within her as she watched the Russian woman callously strip her unconscious friend.

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

Jenna reached Mayor Hargrove’s office and knocked on the wooden door.

“Come in,” the familiar voice called.

Jenna entered the room. Mayor Hargrove was inside, along with two muscular and imposing women in security uniforms.

“Ma’am,” Jenna said in a shaken voice. “There’s been a security breach. Two security guards were found in one of the waiting rooms… stashed behind one of the couches. They were in their underwear, bound and gagged. There are probably imposters walking around in their uniforms…”

“Settle down, Jenna,” Hargrove said with a smile. “It’s taken care of.”

Jenna gave her a confused look. “Eh?”

Hargrove gestured at the two other women in the room. “Jenna, meet Cam and Gwyneth… the two newest members of our security team. They entered by stealing the uniforms from two other guards, but now they’ll no longer have to steal another security uniform again.”

Cam smiled at Jenna. “Your boss pays a good salary.”

Gwyneth nodded. “And drives a convincing bargain.”

Jenna looked, dumbfounded, from one woman to the other.

“Thank you for your time, girls,” Hargrove told Cam and Gwyneth. “Would you leave us, please? I’d like to speak to my assistant alone.”

The two guards nodded and headed for the door. Cam caught Jenna’s eye and gave her a flirtatious wink. Jenna did not return the gesture.

Once the door had closed, Jenna turned to Hargrove. “So… now we’re putting uniform thieves on our payroll?”

“It was an unusual circumstance,” Hargrove admitted. “These girls and their boss entered with intent to threaten me… I turned the tables. Money has its advantages, you know.”

“But… can we trust them? They mugged two of your employees…”

“And I set them straight,” Hargrove replied. “Uniform stealing can be combated in many ways, Jenna. Sometimes by force – which is why we’ve recruited FEMME – and sometimes with bribery. I feel confident in saying that Cam and Gwyneth will never mug another woman for her uniform again.”

Jenna wasn’t sure about this at all. But she tried a different tack. “So… what should I tell the two guards who were mugged? That the women who attacked them will now be working alongside them?”

“Give them the rest of the day off,” Hargrove advised. “Their tempers will likely have cooled by tomorrow. Overall, I think this is a good learning experience – it will train the guards to be more alert and weary of uniform thefts in the future.”

She thought for a moment. “That’s what happened with you, isn’t it, Jenna? You’re a former security guard… You were mugged for your uniform, and that wound up changing your perspective and making you more alert and aware of the problem of uniform stealing.”

Jenna nodded. “That’s… true.”

“Ending uniform stealing won’t be easy,” Hargrove continued. “When I was first elected several months ago, I thought a few sweeping policies would do the trick. But sometimes, we need to use more… unconventional methods. Recruit uniform thieves to our side, on occasion.”

Jenna processed this. “I suppose so.”

Hargrove glanced at her computer. “I still have that park ceremony to attend, don’t I? A few hours from now. Do we know what time I’m speaking?”

Jenna nodded. “Around three PM. You’re the keynote speaker, ma’am.”

“All right, then. I’ll just take care of some local business till then. And Jenna?”

Jenna had just turned to leave, but glanced back. “Yes, ma’am?”

“If you find any more of my employees tied up in their underwear, we have spare uniforms in the basement.”

Jenna nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

She suspected there was something her boss wasn’t telling her about Cam and Gwyneth, but had no idea what it was.

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

“…and that’s how I ended up in a janitress uniform, trying to break back in.”

Lucille finished up her story and glanced expectantly at Adelaide. The professional infiltrator looked deep in thought.

“So… no one else knows about this?”

“Just my two bodyguards… former bodyguards, Cam and Gwyneth. Given how susceptible they were to her money, Hargrove has probably bribed them for their silence.”

“And this tape recording… You think Hargrove still has it? That she wouldn’t have it destroyed?”

“She wouldn’t,” Lucille assured her. “Hargrove just humiliated me… She probably wants to hold on to the token of her victory for a while. She calls herself noble, but she’s got an ego. She’ll probably keep the tape close to her until she feels ready to get rid of it.”

Adelaide nodded. “And she’s probably surrounded by heavy security.”

“Which is why I need someone like you,” Lucille said. “You’re the best in the business… There’s no place you can’t infiltrate, no disguise you can’t immerse yourself in…”

“Easy on the flattery, darling.” For the first time since the car ride began, Adelaide smiled. “Okay… let’s say I agree to help you. What’s in it for me?”

“The satisfaction of destroying Mayor Hargrove and her administration,” Lucille replied. “You won’t have her strike force breathing down your back every time you steal another woman’s uniform.”

Adelaide nodded. “That’s nice… but it’s not quite enough. You still owe me money from the time you betrayed me… And now I want double that amount.”

Lucille nodded. “Of course. So…”

“And you’ll pay me all the money now,” Adelaide interrupted. “Before I set you free. No one double-crosses me twice.”

Lucille scowled. “Fine. You… have a deal. There should be all the money you need in the glove compartment.”

Adelaide opened the glove compartment, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the money inside.

Lucille tugged at her bonds. “Now will you please untie me!”

Adelaide slipped a wad of bills into her jacket pocket. Then she opened the car door and stepped out.

“Where are you going?!” Lucille cried.

“I’m going to untie your chauffeur,” Adelaide explained. “Poor Isabella has been in that trunk for nearly an hour. She needs to be set free first.”

Lucille scowled. “I can tell you’re enjoying this.”

Adelaide flashed a grin. “My life does have its perks.”

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

Oksana fitted the security cap over her head, tucking her honey-brown hair beneath it. She was already clad in the rest of the uniform. “There… A good enough fit.”

Dahlia was currently in the process of binding and gagging Rosalie, who had been stripped to a cyan sports bra and zebra-striped hiphuggers. She hated having to treat a friend of hers this way, but Oksana hadn’t left her any other options.

Once she was done, Oksana tested the bonds of thick black cable that held Dahlia, and the grey towel which gagged her. “Very good… You could have a promising career ahead of you in ropework.”

Dahlia didn’t know how to respond to that.

Oksana gestured to a small broom closet. “Lock her in there and let’s keep moving.”

Dahlia did as she was told. But as she dragged poor Rosalie into the closet, an idea suddenly came to her.

Moving quickly, for she was only out of Oksana’s sight for a moment, Dahlia removed the French hair pin from Rosalie’s hair. It was made of metal, and fairly sharp. Sharp enough to be a useful weapon.

She quietly slipped it into her belt.

Then she stepped out of the closet and locked the door. Oksana beckoned her to leave the lounge.

Dahlia tried to look calm and composed as she walked past Oksana, who followed her back down the hall.

The college girl kept quiet… but she was waiting for her moment.

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

Polina sat in the driver’s seat of the sedan, strumming her fingers on the wheel and humming a happy tune.

She was excited about the future – for the first time in ages, things seemed to be looking up! She and Oksana were on the cusp of leaving their former lives behind and starting anew.

She gazed nonchalantly out the window – and then froze in shock.

Across the street, she could see two women were walking up the front steps of the embassy building.

She immediately recognized both these women – Lupe and Elena.

It had been a few weeks since Polina and Oksana had helped Lupe spring her cousin Elena from jail, where the woman had been held after an arrest on accusations of uniform stealing. Polina had tried using the occasion to get a bit closer to Lupe, whom she had developed quite a crush on, but Lupe remained cold and disinterested.

What were they doing here, now, at the embassy?

The two women disappeared through the building’s front doors. Polina weighed her options.

Oksana had instructed her to wait in the car. Polina knew it would be risky to enter the building. She didn’t want to jeopardize the plan.

But at the same time… her heart beat a little faster whenever she thought of Lupe. She couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste.

Polina opened the car door and stepped out. Then she swiftly headed for the embassy building.

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

“This is so exciting!” Elena exclaimed as she and her cousin stepped into the building. “I’m about to become an American citizen!”

“I’m surprised,” Lupe said. “You never showed much interest in this country until a few weeks ago.”

“But it’s so amazing,” Elena told her. “The food, the culture… and of course, the uniform stealing.”

Lupe sighed. “Here we go again… Elena, I already explained to you that uniform stealing is illegal here.”

Elena looked confused. “But I keep hearing about it on the news. So many women mugging other women for their clothes… It’s exciting! I want to live in an exciting country.”

“It’s not exciting if you’re the victim,” Lupe replied. “I was mugged for my paramedic uniform a few months ago… Spent hours tied up in my underwear before someone found me. Trust me, it’s not fun.”

“Well, I don’t plan to be the victim,” Elena said proudly. “I will be the best uniform thief in the city.”

Lupe was about to argue further, but by this point they were nearing the front desk.

The redheaded receptionist smiled at them. “Good afternoon, ladies. How can I help you today?”

Elena smiled at the woman, reading the nameplate on her desk. “Hello, Corinne,” she said. “I love your clothes. Be careful, or I might tie you up and steal them!”

There was an awkward silence. Corinne gave Elena a strange look.

Lupe spoke up. “Please forgive my cousin… She’s a bit confused about this country’s customs. Anyway… we have an appointment to see Mrs. O’Quinn. Should be under the name Lupe Valdez.”

Corinne checked her computer. “Oh, yes… You may go in.”

Lupe nodded. “Thank you.”

“I wasn’t really going to steal your clothes,” Elena said. “It was a joke. You’re not really my size anyway…”

Lupe tugged at her sleeve. “Let’s go, Elena. Now.”

They left the receptionist to stare curiously after them.

Moments later, Polina hurried up to the desk. She was just in time to see the elevator doors slide shut on Lupe and Elena.

She was about to follow when the receptionist looked up. “Where do you think you’re going, ma’am?”

“Oh!” Polina smiled at her. “Just need to… meet with someone.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

“Er… no,” Polina admitted. “But I really need to see her.”

“And I really need to spend my afternoons on a beach in Maui while a handsome lifeguard hands me mai tais,” Corinne replied. “I suppose we’re both disappointed. You can’t go to the upper floor without an appointment… and I’m afraid there’s nothing available today.”

Polina stood at the desk, weighing her next words. Her thoughts were interrupted, though, as the elevator doors slid open again. A woman stepped out, pushing a cleaning cart with a mop attached.

The cleaning woman was tall and wiry, with light skin and strawberry-blonde hair tied under a red bandanna. She wore a light blue button-down tunic, black skirt, and white sneakers. A dark blue apron was tied around her waist, and her hands were covered in a pair of bright yellow rubber gloves. A nametag pinned to her uniform read “Rayna.”

Polina watched with interest as the cleaning woman crossed the hall and headed down a side corridor with an arrow pointing to “Restrooms.”

Polina turned back to the receptionist. “Would I be able to use your bathroom?”

The receptionist didn’t look up from her computer. “Right down the hall.”

“Thank you kindly.”

Polina turned and headed down the side corridor, quickening her pace once she was out of sight of the main lobby.

The cleaning woman was just up ahead, pushing her cart and humming softly to herself. Polina recognized the tune – it was “Firework” by Katy Perry.

Hate to mug a woman of good musical taste, but alas…

Polina reached for the spot on her hip where she usually kept her tranquilizer gun. But her fingers grasped nothing.

In her haste to follow Lupe, she had forgotten the tranq gun back in the car.

So much for my favorite knockout method… Guess we’ll have to go with an old-fashioned sleeper hold.

She moved swiftly and quietly, positioning herself behind Rayna, who still did not realize she was being followed.

The Polina sprang into action. She covered the cleaning woman’s mouth with one hand, then wrapped an arm around her neck.

“Hhhhrrgggmmmpphh??” The startled Rayna was pulled sharply off her feet.

“Sorry, babe,” Polina whispered. “But the only one getting mopped up tonight… is you.”

Then she paused. No, wait a minute… I used that quip the last time I mugged a cleaning lady.

The blonde struggled in Polina’s grip, her feet scuffing at the floor.

“Just give me a moment, honey,” Polina told her. “I need to come up with a new one-liner.”

She thought for a moment. “Hey, how about… ‘Sorry for sweeping you off your feet!’… No, that doesn’t work. Sweeping is for brooms, not mops.”

The cleaning woman’s struggles were slowing down. Her eyelids began to flutter.

“Maybe… ‘Your uniform was MAID just for me!’…” Polina wrinkled her nose. “Nah, that one’s just lazy.”

Unfortunately, Polina did not have time to think of any more quips. The cleaning woman, with a soft gasp, slumped unconscious in her grip.

“Damn,” Polina sighed. “Oh well. I’ll try to do better next time.”

She dragged the cleaning woman into a nearby storage closet and shut the door.

Minutes later, Polina exited the closet, pulling the rubber gloves over her wrists. She was already clad in the rest of the cleaning uniform.

The real cleaning woman sat in the corner of the closet, peacefully slumbering in just a white triangle bra and sky-blue bikini panties. She had been tied up with green adhesive tape and gagged with a clean dishtowel.

“Sorry I couldn’t provide you with any memorable one-liners,” Polina told her. “And also sorry for stealing your uniform. It’s for true love, I hope you understand.”

She shut the door and began pushing the cart back down the hall, humming “Firework” to herself.

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

“How much longer is this going to take?” Sonja asked, a hint of anxiety in her voice as she glanced at her watch. “All those ladies we tied up are going to be found eventually.”

“Just give me a few minutes,” Chandra replied, brow furrowed as she typed away at the keyboard.

The two intruders had located a computer at the data center, and Chandra had successfully bypassed its firewall. She was now scanning its contents for any hint of an email trail that could take down Lucille.

“This place is huge,” Sonja commented, glancing around at the walls lined with data servers. “Like something out of a Star Trek movie. How are we ever going to find what we’re looking for?”

“Keep the faith, Soni,” Chandra assured her. “I’ve got a good feeling about—”

There were footsteps and muffled voices outside the server room door. A jiggling of the lock.

Chandra and Sonja exchanged a glance.

The next moment, a steel-toed black boot had kicked at the door, splintering it off its hinges.

Two women burst into the room, both clad in black body armor. They each wore a black baseball cap with the letters “FEMME” emblazoned on it in white letting.

“Hands up!” one of the women ordered. She had light skin and dark red hair tied back in a ponytail, and was pointing a stun gun at Chandra and Sonja.

“Back away from the computer!” the other woman added. She had coffee-brown skin and close-cropped black hair, and was brandishing a baton.

Chandra and Sonja caught each other’s eye. They immediately recognized the uniforms of the FEMME agents – they had mugged and replaced a few of them as part of Dr. Chen’s crew at Chrysalis Hall.

Sonja took a step forward. “Ladies, there’s some misunderstanding. As you can see by our uniforms, we’re security guards for Cerberus, and…”

The redheaded officer didn’t hesitate. She shot the stun gun right at Sonja.

The blonde Russian froze for a moment as the electricity coursed through her. Then, with a groan, she sank to the floor.

“Good shot, Ronda,” the dark-haired officer commented.

“Thank you, Carmen,” her partner replied.

With a snarl, Chandra lunged at the two FEMME agents, moving quickly before they could reload the stun gun.

But she had not counted on these agents being quick as well. Ronda grabbed her arm and pivoted to one side, sending Chandra crashing into the wall.

Before Chandra could get back to her feet, Carmen had rammed a knee into her back and twisted her arm behind her.

“Rrrgghhhh… Get off me!” Chandra’s words burned with fury, but she had no leverage to fight back.

Ronda glanced from the downed woman to her unconscious friend. “Partner, I think we’ve hit the jackpot,” she said. “These two look like Chandra Patel and Sonja Baranova.”

“Is that who you are?” Carmen asked Chandra.

“Go to hell… aarrgghh!” Chandra winced with pain as Carmen bent her arm more tightly.

“Answer the question,” the FEMME agent ordered.

Chandra grit her teeth. “…Yes. That’s us.”

Carmen grinned as she glanced at her partner. “We’ve scored an amazing catch. They’re both on the list.”

“What?” Chandra growled. “What list? What the hell are you talking about?”

“You’ll find out soon enough, Ms. Patel,” Ronda chuckled, unclipping a taser from her belt and jamming it against Chandra’s neck. “Pleasant dreams.”

There was a flash of electricity, and Chandra’s world went dark.

[meditions142]

Another really fun chapter.

The plot lines are getting really intricate and deep. Making for a fun evolving story.

Also, some great knockout scenes.

It starts off with the really fun scene with Trixie. I love the description: "Before she could blink, a woman’s fist had rocketed out of the closet and slammed into her temple. Trixie’s eyes rolled back, her knees went wobbly; she was unconscious before she hit the floor." Such a wonderful almost comedic scene. The idea of as soon as she opens the door a fist flies out and she is out for the count.

Another scene was the Kallista and Padma scene. First, we get the classic dumb guard mistake of taking a smoke break.

Then, I really liked was Sonja's taken out of Padma. Now, the question is if Sonja was really that good that she could make Padma fall so that she hit her head and was knocked out or if that was a lucky break.

The Rosalie scene was also fun. Great to see a very reluctant Dahlia being forced to lure the woman into a trap by Oksana.

Then we get the wonderful scene with Rayna. First off, love that Polina was mad at herself for not having the tranquilizer gun and having to do a physical knockout.

And love the idea of Polina using multiple one-liners and not liking them. So funny that she says to Rayna “Just give me a moment, honey I need to come up with a new one-liner.”

Just so much fun in this chapter!

[tirepanted3]

Thanks for your thoughts, Meditions.

As you probably know by now, I love intricate stories with multiple evolving plotlines. I kind of thought I was done with those after Volume 7 of the Spacesuit series, but there's just something irresistible about featuring several parallel arcs of infiltrators and conflicting agendas in one story, and then slowly allowing them to merge and connect over time.

The Trixie scene was a forceful way to start the chapter, perhaps a bit brutal, but I wanted to show that the Russian militants have no compunction when it comes to mugging innocent women. Many of my characters will use chloroform, neck chops, or sleeper holds, but these villainesses simply prefer to punch a woman's lights out. (Without spoiling much, this won't be the last time they resort to such methods.)

The Kallista/Padma scene was a good way to give Chandra and Sonja another amusing double uniform steal. Being able to poke fun at the "smoking break" trope was a nice bonus.

And I suppose the knockout of Padma may have been luck. Sonja and Chandra have had a fair bit of good luck over the years... though things may finally be about to turn.

The Rosalie scene was key to give a little development to Dahlia, and to show that Oksana is not above manipulating and threatening women to do her bidding. (Oksana has become one of the "heroes" in the series lately, but like many of my heroes, she's not really a good person.)

The Rayna scene was my favorite part of the chapter to write. Polina has become one of my favorite characters to write about, and her fixation on one-liners (carried over from "Bar Night") makes for some good light comedy.

Glad you enjoyed.

[meditions142]

The Trixie scene was a forceful way to start the chapter, perhaps a bit brutal, but I wanted to show that the Russian militants have no compunction when it comes to mugging innocent women. Many of my characters will use chloroform, neck chops, or sleeper holds, but these villainesses simply prefer to punch a woman's lights out. (Without spoiling much, this won't be the last time they resort to such methods.)

Indeed. As you know I am more of a fan of the neck pinch, tranq dart, etc. However, the more physical scenes certainly add a interesting concept to the story. What is fun about the scene here is Trixie is just your typical ordinary woman going about her business. She opens the door with no idea anything can happen only to be immediately met with a punch out of no one. Just an intriguing scene.

[tirepanted3]

I get what you mean. I like writing sleeper holds as a knockout method (particularly for "stealth" vibes, which this chapter contains a lot of), but I was a bit worried this chapter relied a bit too heavily on those. (If only Polina hadn't forgotten her tranq gun... ) So the sudden physical force of the Trixie scene adds a bit of spontaneous tension to the chapter.

[rufusluciusivan]

Story is still building up the climax(es) I see... And several cliffhangers for the various storylines.

The most original part must be Dahlia's (and Oksana's and Polina's) - interesting and rather unusual dynamic here. Dahlia isn't the first "reluctant uniform stealer" (well, she doesn't still the uniform but she takes part in the process), but I don't think there were many instances where the reluctant one is coerced into helping by someone - usually they are forced by circumstances, not coerced by an other character.

I wasn't expecting for other important players to be introduced yet, but it looks like all important characters weren't introduced yet. If I had one criticism, it would be that the coincidence is stetching my willing suspension of disbelief... Didn't have the time to read thoroughly the previous chapters, but I don't recall Lupe's and her cousin's presence in this arc being foreshadowed. Or did I miss something?

Beginning is the classic intro of a lady minding her own business, giving us a few details about her life, before USB-related shenanigans ruin her day. I must say, uniformed women complaining about being tired or their job being boring are tempting fate, but so are the ones who proclaim they're "well-rested" and will spend the rest of the day "wide awake". Basically, when you're in a USB story, it's best to say nothing. Yeah, you may have noticed that as far as USB-scenes went this one caught my attention.

(Of course there would be a complaint about the pink uniform... )

The story keeps on conveying its theme that society has adapted to Uniform Stealing tactics, and it's making life for the infiltrators harder and harder. The recurring theme of convoluted uniform stealing shenanigans biting the uniform thieves in the ass continues here with Chandra and Sonja.

On a similar topic, I also enjoyed the comment that a woman of the 21st century should know about them by now.

On a side note, I knew Atsuko and Carolyn would be involved in infiltration hijinks again, though at least they got to keep their clothes this time. And I'm a bit impressed by Corinne. She encountered two uniform thieves in the same chapter, even got sassy with one, and did NOT lose her clothes in the process. Let's hope for her that her luck doesn't run out.

Still reading the story for the one-liners, by the way...

Sonja gave them an encouraging thumbs-up. “Cheer up, girls. You both look great!”

Chandra gave her an odd look. “I don’t think that’ll cheer them up.”

Sonja shrugged. “It’s the thought that counts.”

Stop giving these two good comedic banters! I don't want to appreciate them!

The other worker shrugged. “They probably decided they’d worked enough today… I imagine they’re lounging around somewhere outdoors without their uniforms.”

The irony of this statement is so painful it hurts...

And Polina trying to find quips and failing... Still an other way to include meta humour.

And that's it. Not much else to say. We're still in the build-up part of the story.

[tirepanted3]

Yes, we're still in the buildup phase of the story, setting the various arcs up before they start to interweave. I was hoping to have this chapter posted sooner, since there is a lot of setup in the saga, but am glad to finally have it posted.

The character of Dahlia was partly inspired by Millie Porsche, the mayor's daughter from the chapters you and Trackman wrote in the Heartfelt City world. But I wanted to make her more than just a spoiled brat who gets her comeuppance (though I do enjoy that trope), so in this story, she becomes an unwilling pawn in Oksana's infiltration scheme. It emphasizes Oksana's skill of manipulation and paints Dahlia in a slightly more sympathetic light (at least for now).

And yes, nearly all the major players in this story have been introduced in these first three chapters. I was planning to reintroduce Lupe and Elena in Chapter 2, but that chapter was already getting a little too long and busy, so I decided to introduce them when Polina first spots them. I understand it may strain credibility, but it's certainly nor the first time in this universe that coincidental encounters have an effect on the story (and paved the way for more uniform thefts, as with Rayna).

The opening scene of this chapter was actually not my favorite, as I mostly needed it as a way to reintroduce the Russian militants (who hadn't been seen since the beginning of Chapter 1). But I did enjoy adding some personality to Trixie and using her introduction for a forceful knockout (literally and figuratively). The line about the pink uniform was also fun - and a good way to add some personality to Marta.

I knew when I featured Carolyn getting the distress signal button from the FEMME agents in "A New Complication" that it would make its return in a longer story. And the reintroduction of the FEMME agents is a good way to demonstrate that Chandra and Sonja, for all their uniform stealing practice, can still be one-upped by women prepared to deal with them.

Atsuko and Carolyn indeed got to be a part of the infiltration scheme, albeit unwillingly. And their part may not be over... Though with luck, they'll continue to keep their clothes on.

Corinne also got lucky here, considering both her appearance and clothing were described in detail. As to whether that luck holds, stay tuned.

I'm afraid Sonja and Chandra will continue to have banters and one-liners - they're too much fun to not write. And if that makes them more compelling, well, I'm afraid I'll just have to live with that.

I always love some good ironic statements and meta-humor, especially when it calls back to previous chapters and stories. Polina's preoccupation with one-liners is very fun to explore.

Thanks for your thoughts. There's still some more buildup till all the characters come together, but we've generally got the introductions out of the way now.