Widow's Peak - Marvel: Earth-USB Saga (Part 35) - with Rufusluciusivan

[tirepanted3]

Hello everyone. Here's the final chapter of the Black Widow saga. I'm happy to have it posted at last - I couldn't do it alone. Literally: this last chapter was a collaborative effort, and a big thank you to Rufusluciusivan for contributing several scenes to the story. This whole Marvel saga wouldn't exist without his writing and input over the last three years, so this was a fun way to combine our writing styles into one chapter.

Enjoy. Character descriptions, as usual, are in the second post.




“Natasha!”

Kate hurried over, crouching down beside the fallen Black Widow.

“What the hell happened?” Felicia asked.

Natasha groaned, slowly opening her eyes.

“Poison…” she said. “I overpowered Viper, but not before she hit me with her venom.”

“One of her ‘deadly kisses’.” Kate bit her lip. “I… don’t think there’s a cure.”

“Are you kidding?” Felicia shot back. “We live in a world of wizards and witches and literal gods. There’s gotta be a cure.”

Kate nodded. “Maybe the Avengers could help – but we’d never reach them in time…”

At that moment, the door to the HYDRA vault slid open. Kate and Felicia jumped.

“Easy, easy – it’s just me.” Silver Sable strode into the room, still in her HYDRA disguise. “I had to rough up a few of the guards outside – they wouldn’t let me in to…” She eyed Natasha. “Romanoff? What the hell?”

Natasha slowly rose to her feet. “I am fine… for the moment.” She shook her head to clear it. “And you will not reach Avengers Mansion in time. We’re too far, too isolated. The important thing is, we have the Cube.” She took a breath.

“You all need to get out of here,” Natasha continued. “I will fight as long as I can, distract HYDRA’s guards until the poison takes full effect. But I’m afraid this is our last mission together.”

Sable shook her head. “I refuse to believe that.”

“We’re not abandoning you, Natasha,” Kate added. “You were my inspiration to become a crime-fighter. I’m not leaving you to die.”

Natasha smiled weakly. “I’m flattered to hear that, Hawkeye. But there’s no other way…”

“The ring.”

All eyes turned to Yelena, who had just spoken.

“What ring?” Felicia asked.

“Viper’s ring,” she repeated, pointing at Natasha’s hand. “Did you steal it when you stole the rest of her outfit?”

Natasha thought for a moment, then held up her hand. On one finger was a small green ring with a snake insignia.

“I stole all her clothes,” Natasha nodded. “Everything except her underwear. I’ve mugged so many hundreds of women for their clothes over the years, I suppose it’s muscle memory at this point. So I took her ring, too. But what use is--?”

“It’s a teleportation ring,” Yelena explained. “I overheard some HYDRA guards mention it. She uses it to elude the authorities after a HYDRA attack. It’s why she’s never been caught.”

Kate nodded. “I did read something about it once – though it was unconfirmed. Viper apparently once used teleportation to transport herself into the Serpent Society’s headquarters, and mugged Black Mamba for her uniform…”

Sable raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps that little ring could get us all out of here…”

Natasha thought for a moment. “It’s dangerous… We don’t know if the ring can teleport all of us, and we also don’t know where we’d end up… Teleportation is a risky process, and we don’t know how Viper works the ring…”

“She probably preprograms her ring to transport her to a safe location anytime her plans go sideways,” Felicia offered. “Like a backup hideout or something.”

Kate nodded “Sounds reasonable… And at the moment, that sounds like a safer place than where we are right now.”

At that moment, an alarm sounded above them.

“They must’ve found the guards whose clothes we borrowed,” Felicia observed. “Come on, let’s get out of here!”

Natasha hesitated. For the first time ever, she appeared uncertain.

“Natasha,” Yelena said. “Do not stay here and die. You are the Black Widow, are you not?”

Natasha looked at Yelena in surprise.

Then she nodded. “I suppose I am.”

There was a banging at the door. HYDRA troopers were trying to force their way in.

She glanced around. “All right, ladies, huddle close.”

Kate and Felicia grasped Natasha’s left arm, while Sable and Yelena gripped her right arm.

Natasha placed two fingers on the ring’s insignia and gave it a twist.

There was a blinding flash of light.

The five women felt the world blur around them. They felt themselves moving – yet completely motionless. Frozen at lightspeed.

Moments later, the world faded back into view.

Natasha, Kate, Felicia, Sable, and Yelena looked around.

They were no longer in HYDRA’s weapons room, or in fact the HYDRA headquarters at all.

Instead, they were in a small, somewhat cramped basement office space, a dimly lit room with a lone window, and a single desk and chair in the center. There were a few portraits on the wall. Natasha and Kate recognized them from the Avengers files – HYDRA leaders of decades past.

A robotic sound chimed in. “Welcome, Madame Hydra.”

“What is this place?” Yelena asked.

Sable glanced at her phone. “Judging by the coordinates, we appear to be in uptown Manhattan. About a mile or so from Avengers Mansion.”

Felicia glanced around. “So this is Viper’s safehouse, huh? A simple basement office. Can’t say much for her interior decorating skills…”

“Time for critique later,” Kate interrupted. “Natasha, can you walk?”

Natasha nodded. “I should be fine for another thirty minutes… It’s not the first time I’ve been poisoned…”

“Then let’s get moving,” Sable said. “First, a quick message now that my comms work…”

She switched on her private communicator and listened for a moment. “Change of plans, Claire. We’ve secured the Cube. No need to risk a stampede now.”

She shut the comms and turned back to the others.

“Who was that?” Kate asked.

“Unimportant,” Sable replied. “We need to get Natasha to Avengers Mansion fast. Perhaps Doctor Strange can conjure up a cure…”

“Um… small problem,” Felicia piped up. She gestured at her uniform. “We’re all still disguised as HYDRA agents! And we left our costumes back at their headquarters.”

Kate nodded. “Felicia’s right – if we step foot on the street dressed like this, we’ll be mobbed. We need a change of clothes.”

“How on earth are we going to find new clothes without causing a panic?” Sable asked.

At that moment, they heard a noise from outside the office.

Footsteps. Voices.

The women grew silent. “Who else knows about Viper’s safehouse?” Kate whispered.

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

Claire and Elaine were walking Madison Square Garden in search of the SHIELD squad leader. They were mimicking the behavior of SHIELD agents on patrol – which wasn’t different from what they normally did for Silver Sable Security.

The SHIELD uniforms had two advantages.

First, they allowed them to walk in the open. SHIELD agents commanded a lot of authority – to civilians and other security guards alike. However, the organization was so huge that nobody batted an eye at new faces – even most of SHIELD agents themselves. In a sense, they were the perfect disguises. The ones that gave the perfect blend of authority and anonymity. No wonder everybody kept stealing them!

And second, even though the bodysuit was skintight, it was very comfortable. The material was both smooth and stretchy.

“I hate to say it, but boss really should take a page from SHIELD for uniform designs.” Claire commented. “The new armors feel so overpacked. Too many straps and buckles if you ask me. Sure, they look badass. But they’re such a pain to put on.”

“It’s almost as if she did it on purpose to hinder the spies who love to mug us for uniforms…” Elaine snarked.

“Don’t play coy with me. You saw first-hand it didn’t hinder HYDRA one second.” Claire hoped Lina would be able to gather their various teammates without embarrassing the company too much.

“I’ll let you have that one.” Elaine purposefully lingered behind her girlfriend. “Because you look damn sexy in that bodysuit.”

She eyed left and right to check if nobody was watching.

Nobody was.

“Flattery won’t save y-kyah?!” Claire’s retort turned into a higher-pitched shriek when Elaine playfully slapped her butt.

Scorpia chuckled. “You sounded like a shy anime girl...”

“Do you think this is the moment?! Stay focused! The boss is counting on us!” Claire barked.

Her girlfriend shrugged. “Just helping with your disguise. Real SHIELD agents don’t sway their hips.”

“I wasn’t- You- I’ll-”

Elaine put a finger on Claire’s mouth. “Hold that thought. Look here. Seems like the guy in charge.”

She pointed at Agent Coulson. He was busy giving orders and checking things on his notepad.

“I’ll do the talking.” Claire announced.

“Why you?”

“This will need subtlety.”

“What? You insinuate I can’t be subtle?!”

“You wouldn’t recognize subtlety if it shot you in the face!”

Their argument was however interrupted by the sound of Claire’s comm.

It was Silver Sable.

“Boss, good news, we’re about to tell the SHIELD guy in charge to-”

“Change of plans, Claire. We’ve secured the Cube. No need to risk a stampede now.”

“But boss, we just mug-”

The transmission was already cut.

Claire sighed. “Great.”

“So you’re telling me we’ve gone to all this trouble for nothing?”

“Yes…”

“So... our whole adventure was for nothing, uh?”

“Pretty much.”

“Story of my life, I guess. What now?”

“Let’s just leave before they find the real agents. We have fifteen minutes left before they unfreeze. Shouldn’t be too hard with our uniforms-”

She was interrupted by a commotion, and the shouts of two angry voice.

Two angry FEMALE voices.

Agents Heather Sante and Daisy Dugan – still clad in their undergarments and their faces red with anger and embarrassment – were being escorted to their squad leaders by a teammate who was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

“You may wanna scratch that.” Elaine commented, for once sounding sheepish.

Claire glared daggers at her. “They’d stay frozen for thirty minutes, uh?”

“Guess the margin for error was bigger than I thought.” Scorpia bit her lower lip. “Should we… run before they see us?”

They indeed began to run.

“This is all your fault! You just had to show off with your toy!” Claire was complaining.

“Shut up! I have a plan!”

“Which is?”

“To keep doing what we’ve been doing all day.”

Claire groaned. “Boss is going to skin us alive...”

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

Opening the door a crack, Kate and Felicia peeked out.

Outside Viper’s office was a larger room, furnished with two couches and a flickering lightbulb from the ceiling. A group of women were descending the stairs to this waiting room.

There were five of them; all looked tough and mean. Garbed in distinct skintight costumes, they were talking and laughing with one another.

“Who the hell are these party crashers?” Felicia whispered.

Kate’s eyes narrowed. “Of course. It’s the Femme Fatales.”

“The Femme who?”

“The Femme Fatales. A group of female criminals who fought Spider-Man once or twice. I heard a report somewhere that they were working for Viper now.”

The first woman to reach the bottom of the staircase was tall and dark-skinned, with brown eyes and white hair that was cut short and tied tightly back into a loose bun. She wore a skintight black bodysuit and a black collar, with a wide, deep cut down the torso that exposed her navel. Over this she wore a bright yellow blazer with black cuffs and faded blue stripes on the forearms. Her shoes were black high heels with a decorative white surface and gold trimming. Clasped in her fists were a pair of thick brass knuckles.

“That’s Elizabeth Rawson,” Kate whispered. “She’s the team leader. Calls herself Knockout.”

The second woman to enter the waiting room was tall and light-skinned, with blue eyes and long blonde hair that fell over her left shoulder. She wore a skintight green bodysuit that showed off some exposed skin at her cleavage, sternum, and upper thighs. Her golden knee-high boots had a striped pattern, as did her belt and the gauntlets on her arms. A set of golden whips trailed from one of the gauntlets.

“Leeann Foreman,” Kate whispered. “She goes by the name Snake Whip.”

The third woman to emerge into view was a light-skinned, grey-eyed redhead, her hair in a sideswept pixie cut. She wore a sleeveless lavender dress that hit mid-thigh, with shoulder straps and a diagonal pattern across the torso. She also wore arm-length dark purple gloves and black knee-high lace-up boots.

“Sapphire Styx,” Kate identified. “No alias.”

The fourth woman to arrive was a mean-looking one, with oddly pallid white skin and red eyes. Her chin-length white hair had a black streak running across the front. She wore a yellow leotard that was black around the torso and shoulders and had long yellow sleeves, as well as yellow boots with black stripes along the thighs. Clutched in her hands were a pair of razor-sharp daggers.

“Beatta Dubiel,” Kate gulped. “She calls herself Bloodlust.”

The final woman to enter was the most unusual of all, a tall and light-skinned woman with pink eyes and no hair at all – in fact, the top of her head appeared to be transparent, with her brain visible beneath. She wore a pink bodysuit with a angular cleavage window and black and white trimmings, as well as white gloves and shoulder pads, and black boots.

“Danielle Forte,” Kate breathed. “Usually known as Mindblast.”

The Femme Fatales sat down on the couches in the waiting room – all except Beatta, who lurked in the corner.

“Why do you suppose Viper called us here?” Leeann remarked, absent-mindedly coiling one of her whips around her wrist.

“Don’t you mean Madame Hydra?” Sapphire replied with a grin.

Leeann rolled her eyes. “Always hate it when supervillains take more than one name.”

“Didn’t you formerly call yourself Whiplash?” Danielle observed.

“That’s different!” Leeann protested. “There was already a Whiplash, and he threatened to sue me for taking his name… I swear, it’s been so tough breaking into the supervillain field. All the good names are taken!”

“Just call yourself Whipping Girl,” Sapphire suggested.

Leeann frowned at her. “Like I need suggestions from the one member of the team without an alias.”

Sapphire flipped her the bird. “My name’s cool enough! I don’t need one.”

“Enough, girls,” Elizabeth interrupted, “As long as our new boss pays us handsomely, I don’t much care why she called us here.”

“Think she wants us to kill someone?” Beatta asked brightly.

“If she does, you’ll get first crack at it,” Elizabeth assured her. “For now, we wait. She should be arriving any minute now.”

Kate quietly closed the office door, turning to her teammates.

“We should be able to take them out easily,” Sable whispered. “Five of us, five of them…”

“And we have the element of surprise,” Yelena added.

“I’m not so sure,” Kate replied. “Natasha can barely fight in her current state. Plus, some of the Femme Fatales have superpowers, which none of us do.”

“What powers they got?” Felicia asked.

Kate’s brow furrowed, as she recalled what she’d studied in the past. “Knockout has super-strength and stamina, probably at the level of our Spider-Friends. Sapphire can drain people’s energy by touching them. Mindblast is a telekinetic – she can move objects with her mind…”

“I know what a telekinetic is,” Felicia interrupted. “What about the others?”

“I don’t think the others have superpowers – Snake Whip has her whips, with which she’s quite skilled at fighting with. Bloodlust has her daggers… and she just really enjoys killing people.”

“Charming,” Sable replied. “How do we take them out without being overwhelmed?”

Natasha stood. “Leave that to me.”

The others turned to her in surprise.

“Natasha,” Kate said. “You’ve just been poisoned. You need to preserve your strength for as long as possible. You can’t start battling the Femme Fatales…”

“I’m not going to fight them.” Natasha gestured at her Viper disguise. “I’m going to fool them. I’ll leave the fighting to you girls.”

The others glanced at one another.

“Quickly, search the room for chloroform or some other incapacitating agent,” Natasha ordered. “Here’s what we’ll do…”

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

“I wish she’d keep a TV in her waiting room,” Leeann grumbled. “Or at least some magazines.”

“Just have patience, Whipping Girl,” Sapphire told her.

Leeann scowled. But before she could respond, the inner office door swung open.
All five members of the Femme Fatales were stunned to see the woman standing there, with the appearance and cold, stern glare of the Viper.

“M-Madame Hydra!” Elizabeth stood, and the others quickly followed her example. “We didn’t know you were in there.”

“Where I am at any point is none of your business,” Natasha responded icily. “Now stop gawking, we have business to attend to.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Of course, Madame. Just tell us what to do.”

“First things first,” Natasha said. “You will all need to be assessed, to ensure you are all fit and ready for the mission I have for you.”

“Mission?” Sapphire asked. “Is this some sort of spy thing, or…?”

Natasha silenced her with a look.

“You will step into my office, one at a time, for a full briefing,” she ordered. “Rawson, you first. Come with me.”

Elizabeth nodded. With a quick, assuring glance at her team, she followed Natasha into the inner office.

Natasha shut the door behind them.

Elizabeth turned to her. “All right, boss, what’s the--?”

Her sentence remained unfinished, as several women pounced from their hiding places.

Sable quickly stunned her with a few well-placed judo blows. Before the super-strong woman could recover, Kate and Yelena held her arms, while Felicia pressed a chloroform pad to her face.

Elizabeth struggled for a few moments, but she was clearly outmatched.

“Knockout, huh? Prophetic nickname,” Felicia smirked as Elizabeth drifted off to sleep.

“Good job, girls,” Natasha nodded. “We’ve incapacitated the leader of the Femme Fatales, and things should get easier from here.”

“You don’t suppose the others heard the struggle, do you?” Yelena asked.

Sable shook her head. “The structure of this room suggests that Viper has fitted it with soundproof walls.”

“Great choice, Ophelia,” Felicia chuckled. “Thanks.”

“Take her to the closet,” Natasha instructed Sable. “Once you’ve removed her costume, make sure she’s restrained well. She’s stronger than she looks. I’ll fetch the next one.”

The next one, it turned out, was Leeann. She entered the office, glancing around in confusion as Natasha shut the door.

“Where’s Knockout?”

Felicia immediately jumped out from her hiding spot, pressing a chloroform pad to Leeann’s face. “It’s right here, sister.”

“Are you going to make that ‘knockout’ joke each time we mug one of these women?” Kate asked, grabbing hold of the struggling Leeann’s legs and lifting them off the ground.

“Hey, she set me up for that one,” Felicia protested.

Once Snake Whip was unconscious, the women removed her gauntlets.

“These whips will make good binding material,” Yelena observed. “Strong and firm.”

Felicia smiled. “Always nice when the bad guys provide us with things to tie them up with.”

The third woman summoned in was Sapphire Styx. She looked around in surprise.

“Hey, what happened to the other tw—mmpphh!”

“Grab her wrists,” Sable instructed her teammates as she pressed the chloroform pad to Sapphire’s face. “She needs her hands free to use her energy-draining powers. With her hands caught, she’s helpless.”

Sapphire growled into the white cloth pad as Kate and Yelena each grabbed one of her wrists – but she could do little else. Before long, the chloroform had sent her off to dreamland.

The fourth woman to enter was a grinning Beatta, her knives at the ready. “Give me a good target, boss. It’s been a while.”

Natasha zapped her in the neck with a reserve Widow’s Bite. Beatta groaned and collapsed to the floor.

“Best not take any chances with this one,” Natasha remarked.

Unfortunately, the door had not fully closed. Danielle jumped up, alert.

“What the hell?” Her eyes narrowed, spotting Natasha in the doorway. “Wait a minute… You’re not Viper!”

“Brilliant insight, Big-Brain,” Felicia smiled, holding up her chloroform bottle. “Now, it’s five against one and I’m almost out of sleep juice. How about you just surrender quietly?”

Danielle closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, they glowed bright pink.

“You dare speak that way…. to Mindblast?”

Felicia’s face fell. “Oh no… a villain referring to herself in third person. That’s never a good sign…”

The next moment, one of the room’s couches levitated in the air and flung itself at the office doorway.

Natasha and Felicia quickly jumped out of the way as the couch crashed through the doorframe.

“Why must you taunt the telekinetic, Hardy?” Natasha scowled.

Sable leaped over the couch and aimed a flying kick at Danielle.

It never landed. Sable found herself frozen in midair, then chucked against the side wall. She fell to the floor, winded.

“Split up!” Natasha ordered. “She can’t aim more than a single thought-beam at once!”

Felicia and Kate quickly moved in opposite directions, maneuvering on either side of Danielle.

Danielle scowled. She concentrated again and unleashed another telekinetic blast that sent both Kate and Felicia flying.

“I’ve been practicing,” she said sternly. “Now you.” She looked at Natasha. “You’re the Black Widow, aren’t you? I’ve heard about your exploits. Not impressed.”

Natasha tried to keep a cool face, but Viper’s poison was now coursing through her system.

“You look like you’ve had enough fighting for today,” Danielle smiled cruelly. “I could probably knock you over without any powers.”

“Try it,” Natasha replied.

But Yelena, glancing at Natasha’s face, could see that the redhead was weakening. It was taking all of Natasha’s strength to stand upright.

Danielle looked at Yelena. “And who are you? Black Widow’s sidekick?”

Yelena looked at Danielle, then back at Natasha. Then she focused her attention on Mindblast.

“Maybe I am,” she said. “You have a problem with that?”

“Don’t tell me you think you can take me too,” Danielle grinned. “Didn’t you see what I did to your teammates?”

“I suppose… but my teammates didn’t have this.”

Yelena held up the small device in her hand.

Danielle looked at it in surprise. “Is that…”

“The Chaos Cube,” Yelena nodded. “And it makes me a hundred times more powerful than you.”

“Yelena,” Natasha said quietly. “Put that thing down… You don’t know how it…”

“I know enough,” Yelena replied curtly. “I’ve spent days tracking this device down, and I never had a chance to use it. Until now.”

Danielle held out her hand. “Give that to me, you stupid girl. You can’t handle its power.”

“I don’t think so.” Yelena took a step forward. “In fact, I think… Hey!”

Immediately, the small metal object flew out of her hands and into Danielle’s.

Danielle grinned, staring intently at the device. “Lovely. With this, I can magnify my telekinetic powers a thousandfold. No one will ever be able to…”

She paused, looking at it oddly. “Why does it say ‘made in China’?”

Natasha punched her in the jaw. With a groan, Danielle fell to the floor, unconscious.

Kate, Felicia, and Sable stood up, rubbing their sore necks.

“What just happened?” Kate asked.

Yelena shrugged. “I just distracted a supervillain with a paperweight from Viper’s desk.”

“Good work,” Natasha smiled at her. “I couldn’t have taken her without you.”

Yelena grinned. “Admit it… I had you fooled for a moment, too.”

“Well…”

Natasha’s sentence was cut short, as she collapsed again to the floor.

Quickly, Kate rushed over to her and, with Yelena, helped her to her feet.

“I’m… still okay,” Natasha said. “I can hold out another thirty minutes or so. But let’s hurry up and get into the Femme Fatales’ costumes.”

Felicia stared at her in admiration. “Even on the brink of death, your first priority is still stripping women of their clothes. The Black Widow really is a badass.”

“Felicia!” Sable called. “Enough color commentary. Help me drag Mindblast into the back with her teammates.”

Felicia complied. Soon, all five Femme Fatales were lying motionless at the rear of Viper’s office.

Natasha’s team made their selection of uniforms and began to get changed.

Within minutes, Natasha was dressing herself in Knockout’s costume, while Kate was donning Sapphire’s outfit. Sable had chosen Mindblast’s uniform, and Felicia was putting on the clothes of Snake Whip. Yelena was wriggling herself into Bloodlust’s garb, though – after a moment’s hesitation – she decided not to pick up the daggers.

The real Femme Fatales were left locked in a closet, to await the authorities. They had all been bound with Leeann’s whips and gagged with green, HYDRA-branded duct tape. Their underwear appeared color-coordinated – Elizabeth’s was black, Leeann’s was green, Sapphire’s was lavender, Beatta’s was yellow, and Danielle’s was pink.

“Fashionable icons,” Felicia remarked as she shut the door.

“Let’s hurry up,” Kate told the team. “We need to get Natasha to Avengers Mansion, fast!”

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

Once the five women were outside, alerting the Avengers proved easy.

Kate located a phone and called Clint, explaining the situation as succinctly as possible.

Within minutes, a Quinjet was hovering over their heads.

Clint gave the women a funny look as they climbed aboard the vehicle. “Do I want to ask why you ladies are dressed like that?”

“No time,” Kate replied. “Come on, floor it! We’ve taken too much time as it is. Natasha needs help, stat!”

Clint smiled. “Buckle up, I’m about to break some speed limits.”

“Please mind the air traffic, Clint,” Natasha instructed, sounding forceful even as her voice was weakening. “I can resist the poison for a few minutes more, and we do not need you risking the lives of the people aboard any passing planes.”

Yelena leaned over to Felicia. “Is she always like this?”

Felicia shrugged. “She’s the Black Widow for a reason.”

Yelena did not respond.

Clint – mindfully – broke some speed limits.

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

Few people knew of the existence of Molly Fitzgerald – heroine name ‘Shamrock’. And the few who did thought she was a joke.

True, Molly couldn’t hide her Irish heritage even if she wanted. Her curly shoulder-long red hair, light freckles, and green eyes just screamed ‘Irish Girl’. And her costume was as stereotypical as it could get. Light green ankle boots and elbow-long gloves, dark green trousers, long-sleeved shirt, and cowl. There was a clover on the chest of her shirt, another on the forehead of her cowl. She looked more like the mascot of an Irish beer than a crime-fighter.

This was probably why SHIELD had recruited her. Who in their right mind would think much of ‘Miss Ireland’? She was the perfect cover agent. With her outrageously loud costume, she was easily blending among the various performers.

Truth was, Molly had one edge over most other masked heroines. She was incredibly lucky – some were talking of ‘good luck powers’.

SHIELD was thus counting on her to uncover any nefarious plan. Or, more accurately, they were counting on her good luck. Lately, it meant trying and find disguised infiltrators or mugged victims in their undergarments. The organization hadn’t forgotten the various humiliations it had endured lately – nor that all of them had been because of an infiltration.

However, the latest message she had received from SHIELD was leaving her puzzled. Two agents had been mugged by fake contestants. That meant at least two criminals were currently infiltrating the area.

And she hadn’t come across them or their victims.

Something was off.

Why wasn’t her good luck helping her?

Instructions were now to check the IDs of all female performers and SHIELD agents.

Shamrock decided it was best to check the identity of the performer she was currently inquiring on, then to regroup with SHIELD operatives.

Molly raised her head to glance at the airborne figure.

Aviatrix – real name Sarah Starr – was something of a retro superheroine. Her whole costume was meant to evoke the plane pilots of the beginning of the 20th Century – she wouldn’t have looked out of place in a PULP story. She was wearing a brown leather flight jacket over a red shirt, light brown leather gloves, a black leather belt, light grey trousers, and black long leather boots. And of course, the winged jet-pack which was behind her moniker. Her face was hard to distinguish right now since she was wearing a leather brown old-fashioned pilot cap, with assorted goggles.

Aviatrix was training outside the buildings of Madison Square Garden. Which was logical, since for her number she’d do sky acrobatics with a jet-pack.

She did a few more stunts, then landed on the grass next to some bushes.

Molly approached her. She didn’t have to fake being awed. “That was impressive!”

Sarah removed her pilot cap and goggles. She had black hair, grey eyes, and a boyish-looking pixie cut. “I know, right?”

Molly noticed Sarah's physical appearance matched the description SHIELD had given of her. Though given how many shapeshifters had chosen a criminal career, it didn’t mean much. She better ask a few questions to check if she was the real deal.

“So this is your part of the spectacle.”

“Yep.”

“It’s like you become one with the sky!”

Sarah smirked. “Well, I don’t like to brag...”

“Is it because you were a pilot before?”

“Of course. It helps a lot.”

“And… where did you work by the way?”

“US Army. I was-” Sarah interrupted herself, and eyed Molly suspiciously. “Why are you asking me all these questions? Come to think of it. What’s your part in the spectacle?”

Shamrock gulped.

Oh gosh! She’s on to me! Come on, good luck powers! Don’t fail me now! Get me out of this situation!

Suddenly, a woman jumped out of the nearby bushes and attacked Aviatrix.

Before Sarah could react, she was instantly knocked out by a neck chop. The black-haired woman groaned faintly, and collapsed onto the grass.

“Nothing personal, girls. We just need your outfits.”

NOT LIKE THAT! Molly furiously thought to herself.

However, the redhead couldn’t do anything about it.

She suddenly heard somebody move behind her.

“Wait-”

Molly briefly felt a pain in the back of her neck – right at the junction with the shoulder.

Right before falling unconscious, Molly finally realized the reason why she hadn’t come across any disguised infiltrator. It was because they would have easily dispatched her before she could stop them. So her good luck powers had protected her. Until she was put into a situation in which being mugged herself would conveniently protect her cover story.

Could someone be unluckily lucky?

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

Elaine caught the unconscious Molly under the shoulders. Wasting no time, she dragged her into the nearest convenient bushes. Claire kicked the Aviatrix cap and goggles into the bushes, then grabbed Sarah by the armpits, and did the same.

Scorpia took a glance at the Shamrock costume. She discreetly eyed her partner, and waited until Claire had laid the motionless Sarah onto the ground.

“Hey, Claire! Catch!”

She pushed the unconscious Molly onto her girlfriend. Reflexively, Claire caught the limp woman against her torso.

“You’re taking Paddy’s outfit.” Elaine added.

“Why do I get the dumb costume?! You’re the one who wears green all the time! You take it!”

Claire then pushed Molly into Elaine’s arms.

“And how am I supposed to impersonate a redhead?! You have red hair, you take her!”

Elaine pushed Molly into Claire’s arms again.

“It’s auburn!” the latter retorted.

“Meh. Close enough if you ask me. It’s not like anyone knows – or cares – about Miss Ireland here.”

“You’re the one who got us into this situation! You wear the dumb costume-”

“I’ll keep the Scorpion suit.” Elaine interrupted.

“What?”

“Next time, I’ll keep the Scorpion suit. I’ll use the tail. Trust me, you have no idea how much I can do after removing the dart. I can bind you, wrap you against me, and when it goes between your…”

Claire’s cheeks turned red. “I- You- Fine! But you better make it worth it!”

“Oh, trust me… You won’t be disappointed…” Elaine answered with a seductive smirk.

Then, before Claire could change her mind, she grabbed Sarah Starr, and began to strip the woman off.

Claire sighed, and did the same with Molly.

As it turned out, Elaine still drew the short end of the stick. The Aviatrix outfit was annoying to pull off – especially the jet-pack. The Shamrock costume was quite the opposite – its stretchy fabric made it easy to take off.

Claire pulled off Molly’s cowl, shirt, gloves, boots, and trousers with ease. The Irish-themed heroine was left wearing emerald green boyshorts with orange polka dots, white socks with a pattern of green four-leaf clovers, and a forest green bra sports bra with a pattern of black clovers. Claire rolled her eyes. “Figures…” She tutted. “Poor, poor Ireland...”

Elaine worked hard to unstrap the jet-pack, then the belt and the boots. After removing them, she unzipped the pilot jacket and took it off. Then she pulled off the shirt, revealing Sarah’s blue racerback bra with black edges. Finally, she shimmied the trousers down the woman’s legs – leaving her clad in black socks and deep blue seamless knickers.

Thankfully, SHIELD agents were carrying zip-ties on their equipment belts. Thus, Claire and Elaine had enough material to restrain the two C-list heroines.

They were unwilling to allow the women to crawl out of the bushes, but unfortunately there wasn’t any tree strong enough nearby. Thus, they rolled Molly and Sarah back-to-back. They zip-tied each woman’s wrists in front of the other’s stomach. Then, they bound Molly’s left ankle to Sarah’s right ankle, and the redhead’s right ankle to Aviatrix’s left ankle.

The gloves of the SHIELD uniforms were flexible – they were perfect to stuff the two unconscious women’s mouths in order to silence them. SHIELD Agents also carried small utility knives. Claire and Elaine used them to cut a few strips from one of the bodysuits, and used these straps to cleave-gag Molly and Sarah.

Next, Elaine and Claire dragged the trussed-up pair deep into the bushes to conceal them out of sight.

Then they got dressed in their respective costumes. Claire let her hair down, and used the cowl to hide her facial features as best as she could. Elaine put on the pilot cap and goggles.

“Okay. Hopefully, Lina has managed to sort out the whole mess.”

They exited the bushes.

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

Kate and Silver Sable waited with bated breath outside the Avengers’ incantation room.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Doctor Strange stepped out.

“How is…?” Kate started to ask.

“It took a few spells, but Natasha will be fine,” Strange replied.

Both women breathed a sigh of relief.

“She held out quite well considering the strength of the poison. Luckily I was able to isolate the toxins in time…”

“Yes, thank you, Stephen.” Natasha appeared in the doorway. She appeared stronger than before, already regaining her footing, although she still seemed a bit shaky. “The important thing is that the Avengers take the HYDRA base before Viper has time to relocate.”

“I just heard the reports from Steve,” Kate replied. “The Avengers stormed the HYDRA base a few minutes ago. Captured several key officers and dozens of soldiers – but Viper herself was nowhere to be found.”

Natasha nodded, unsurprised. “There will be another time. There always is.”

Sable smiled at Natasha. “Very glad you’re doing well, Romanoff. I don’t think any of this would have been possible without you.”

Natasha nodded. “Always a pleasure working with you, Silvija. If you ever reconsider my offer…”

“I appreciate it, Natasha, but I’m not interested in joining the Avengers,” Sable replied. “I have my own team to look after.” Her phone buzzed, and she glanced down at it. Her expression darkened.

“Speaking of which… it appears I have another mess to clean up…”

She turned and quickly walked off.

As Sable headed down the hall, she nodded at Felicia, who was lingering near the exit.

“Thanks for your help as well, Hardy. You broke me out of HYDRA’s prison. If there’s anything I can do to repay you...”

Felicia gave a sly smile. “Oh… there’s no need for that. In fact, you can consider us even.”

Sable eyed Felicia strangely, unsure of what she meant. However, before she could inquire any further, her phone buzzed with another text from Lina Abbas.

“All right, all right!” She hurried off.

Felicia turned to see Natasha approach her.

Black Cat put on her best Cheshire Cat smile. “So… that was an adventure, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed it was,” Natasha nodded. “Thank you, Felicia. Your help was invaluable.”

Felicia nodded back. “Any time, BW. Happy to consider you my role model.”

“I suppose I’m flattered. But please do not call me BW.”

“Sorry, sorry…” Felicia paused for a moment. “So… we’re good, right? I mean, we did make a deal…”

“I know,” Natasha replied. “And you’ve certainly held up your end of the bargain.”

“Right. So… that means you’ll talk to the other Avengers, right?” Felicia batted her eyelashes innocently. “Especially Wasp. I know she thinks I’m the one who mugged her, but…”

“I will speak to Janet,” Natasha said. “And you will not have to worry about me or my fellow Avengers anymore.”

Felicia smiled brightly. “Okay, then. Till next time…”

She turned to go.

“Oh, Felicia… Just one more thing.”

Felicia paused, turning back to Natasha.

“A few months ago, I was participating in one of SHIELD’s routine Internet security sweeps, and discovered a website that was designed for selling superhero/supervillain weapons and gadgets. A lot of interesting paraphernalia up for auction there.”

Felicia blinked. “…Oh? Well, you know the Internet…”

“One of the items I noticed was… a peculiar set of underwear. A silver-grey sports bra, boyshorts, and tights. The description claimed they belonged to Silver Sable, and were threaded with authentic silver.”

Felicia gulped. “Oh? Guess Silvija was really committed to the bit…”

Natasha stepped closer. “And I noticed the seller’s username – ClassyCatBurglar194.”

“That… could be a common name.” Felicia stepped back. Natasha grabbed her arm and spoke in a low voice.

“It was you, wasn’t it, Hardy? You’re the one who mugged Silver Sable at Oscorp. Then you stole her silver underclothes and sold them online.”

Felicia wanted to deny it, but Natasha’s steely gaze made her think twice.

She bit her lip. “Please… please don’t tell Silver Sable. She’ll hunt me down...”

“Here’s how this will work,” Natasha said coldly. “You will walk out of this room, and you will return to the straight and narrow. You will not engage in any further burglaries, you will not partake in any thrill-seeking heists. And you certainly will not harass any of my fellow Avengers again.”

She leaned close to Felicia’s face. “And if I discover you’ve crossed any of these lines, Silver Sable will learn exactly what you did to her. And I will allow her a free hand to deal with you however she sees fit.”

She paused to let her words sink in. “Is that clear?”

Felicia nodded, eyes wide with terror. “Crystal.”

“Good.” Natasha stepped back and smiled warmly. “Thank you again, Felicia. We could not have gotten the Chaos Cube back without you.”

Felicia nodded, her heart still racing. “Anytime. Gotta go.”

She exited the hall as quickly as she could.

Once outside, she took a deep breath.

“Okay… that’s that, then. No more burglaries.”

She thought for a moment.

“Well… fewer burglaries. A girl still has to get her kicks somehow. I just have to be a little more careful from now on. Besides…”

She fished around her pocket for a moment, then came up with a little green ring.

Viper’s teleportation ring.

Felicia grinned as she slipped the ring on her finger and admired its glint in the light.

“…it would be a shame to let such a useful little gadget go to waste.”

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

In Silver Sable Security’s headquarters, Claire and Elaine were being scolded by their boss.

Claire was standing to attention, as still as a statue.

Elaine was too, but somehow she was finding a way to make the respectful position look slightly mocking – just enough to convey the message without breaking any rule.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t fire you on the spot.” Silver Sable finally told her two best (and at the same time worst) mercenaries.

“When we mugged these SHIELD agents, we were acting on the assumption HYDRA was about to blow up the stadium.” Claire explained.

“And the two women you mugged afterwards?”

“Imagine the scandal if SSS Agents were caught red-handed in stolen SHIELD uniforms.” Elaine intervened. “We wanted to spare the company the bad press. You know the saying. It’s only a crime if you get caught. We weren’t caught. We can just pretend it was Lady Chameleon or some shit. I mean… Lina and her team were mugged as well. Obviously, there were impostors who had stolen Claire’s and my identities running amok.”

“And what about before the stadium? In the Garage? In the hospital?”

“We thought your life was in danger.”

Silver Sable rubbed her forehead. “You have an answer for everything, do you?”

“We did go though this whole adventure to help you, only for you to call us off at the last minute. How were we supposed to know you’d turn the tables in the nick of time?” Elaine complained.

Silver Sable exhaled a long painful sigh. “You have a point. You’re lucky I helped stop HYDRA’s plans with the Cube. Should give me enough leverage to convince Fury to wipe the slate clean this time. You can keep your jobs – and my protection.”

Elaine grinned.

“Wipe that smirk off your face, Coll.”

“Working for you is a delight, boss! Can Claire and I take the day off, as compensation for having to run left and right for nothing? There are some experiments I need to perform… with my tail.”

Claire blushed madly.

“Don’t push your luck, Coll. My building is not your love nest. You're still on thin ice.”

"Don't worry, boss. We'll be on our best behavior!"

"Somehow I doubt that."

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

Dr. Suzi Endo was not in a great mood.

The head of Stark Enterprises’ cybernetics division had just reached the peak of her career – the completion of her Cybermancer suit, the most powerful suit of armor developed by the industry since the Iron Man suit itself. She was all ready to show it to her colleagues, to present it as the next innovative step in robotics technology… when she was ambushed by some thieves, knocked unconscious, and stripped of her suit.

Suzi had spent the night crammed inside a cabinet, bound and gagged in her underwear. Luckily, it had been a female janitor who had found her.

Now she sat at her office desk, back in her boring old science-nerd clothes. She was scouring the Internet for any news of the Cybermancer suit. There had to be something. There had to…

“They can’t fire me! I quit!”

Suzi looked up from her computer at the sound of this voice. A pair of women were walking down the hall – one storming along angrily, the other hurrying to catch up.

“Imagine!” the black-haired woman huffed. “Firing me after all the good I’ve done for this company over the years!”

“Marilyn, we’ve been working her for six weeks,” her blonde friend replied.

“Who’s counting, Ruth?” Marilyn answered. “This is ridiculous… getting fired from a security job because we were mugged for our uniforms once? Orchis kept me on even after I got my uniform stolen four times!”

“It’s definitely unfair,” Ruth agreed. “But… well, what do we do now?”

“Find new jobs, I suppose,” Marilyn said. “There must be some new security positions open… Preferably for a boss who isn’t so judgmental.”

“Or maybe we could find jobs that… don’t involve being security guards?” Ruth offered. “That seems to be a rough business these days.”

Marilyn shook her head. “We just need to keep at it. We’ll get it right on the next job. Besides, what are the odds of me getting mugged for my uniform a sixth time?”

Ruth bit her lip. “If you have to ask…”

The women’s voices disappeared down the hall. Suzi shook her head, sighed, and returned to her computer.

“Dr. Endo?”

Suzi looked up. A young brunette was standing in front of her, dressed in a purple archer’s costume.

“Oh wow,” Suzi’s eyebrows shot up. “You… I’ve seen you on the news. You’re… Hawkeye?”

“One of ‘em, yeah,” Kate grinned. “I’ve got a present for you.”

She held out a suitcase. “I was told you were missing this.”

Suzi looked at Kate in surprise. Then, cautiously, she reach out and took the case.

The sight of her Cybermancer suit, all folded up inside, made her gasp.

“You… Where did you get this?”

“I came across the crooks who stole it from you,” Kate explained. “A criminal group called HEART. After we took them into custody, we learned that they were the ones who had broken into Stark Enterprises a few nights ago. I did a search of their hideout, and voila – your suit was in their closet.”

“Thank you, Hawkeye,” Suzi smiled. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

“Please, call me Kate. And I gotta say – this suit is an impressive piece of technology. Have you tested it in the field yet?”

Suzi shook her head. “I wanted to run a few more tests on it, but the recent break-in probably means all lab testing at Stark Enterprises is on the backburner now. They’ll be too focused on tightening security around here to allow for a cybernetic suit to start blasting lasers in the vicinity.”

Kate nodded understandingly. Then she brightened. “Hey – you could take it to GIRL!”

“Which girl?” Suzi asked, confused.

“Not girl – GIRL,” Kate explained. “Genius In action Research Labs. It’s a research facility designed for brilliant women who want to change the world with science and technology. They’d be thrilled to allow you space to design the suit.”

Suzi looked surprised. “You think so?”

Kate nodded. “The facility is run by Nadia Van Dyne, cousin of the Wasp. She’ll be eager to meet you. Just give the facility a call. Tell them I recommended you.”

Suzi nodded. “I will. And… thanks.”

“See you ‘round, Dr. Endo,” Kate smiled, turning to the door. “Maybe next time we meet, you’ll be New York’s shiniest new superhero.”

“A gal can dream,” the scientist smiled back. “And please call me Suzi.”

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

Yelena sat alone in a windowless room, staring at the wall ahead.

Affixed to the wall was a large mirror, but there was no doubt that this mirror was in fact a one-way window – and she could sense the SHIELD agents watching her on the other side.

The door opened. In walked Natasha.

“Hello, Yelena,” she said, professional as ever – but with just a hint of concern to her voice.

Yelena gave her a curt nod. “Did they catch Viper?”

“Unfortunately, she escaped,” Natasha replied. “She’s quite good at that, as the past several years have taught me. Still… this was the first time I’d ever bested her in hand-to-hand combat. There will be another time, and I will be ready.”

“And the Cube?” Yelena pressed.

“Safe and sound in SHIELD’s vault,” Natasha answered. “We couldn’t have done this without you.”

At this, Yelena let out a short laugh.

“You wouldn’t have had to do any of this without me,” she said sourly. “I was the one who stole the Chaos Cube and sent everyone on a chase. Everything that’s happened these last few days can be traced back to me.”

Natasha said nothing.

“And now I suppose you will order your SHIELD allies to take me to jail, won’t you? After all the trouble I’ve caused, you’ll just lock me up and throw away the key.”

“I suppose,” Natasha said slowly, “that would be the consensus choice.”

Yelena stared at the floor. “…Well?”

“I’m just curious,” Natasha continued. “Why haven’t you tried to sneak away, amidst all the chaos in the past hour? I counted at least three female SHIELD agents posted nearby who are approximately your height and build – yet you’ve made no effort to incapacitate any of them for their uniforms.”

“Do you want me to escape?” Yelena asked.

“I’m just wondering why you haven’t taken the opportunity to attempt a return home.”

“Home!” Yelena spat. “That’s a laugh… Where do I have to go home to? I failed my mission… Failed the Red Room.” Her face darkened. “Not that… not that I have reason to live up to them, anyway… After… after everything…”

She paused, and wiped her eyes.

There was a tissue box on the table. Natasha pushed it closer to Yelena.

“The memories are difficult,” Natasha said softly. “It’s been nearly twenty years, and I still get nightmares every now and then.”

Yelena took a tissue and looked up at her in surprise.

“The Red Room made me a cold and ruthless weapon,” Natasha continued. “It took years for me to break free of their conditioning, to learn to harness my abilities for good. But I had people to help me. And today, I am my own woman. I am who I was meant to be.”

Yelena nodded. “The Black Widow,” she said softly.

“Indeed,” Natasha replied. “I know what you’ve been through, Yelena. I may be the only woman left who does. And I can tell you – there is a way to be free. To repurpose yourself, to use the skills you were trained with for good.”

Yelena returned her gaze to the floor. “That’s ridiculous. I’m not a hero.”

“Your actions today suggest otherwise.”

Natasha stood, and Yelena looked up at her again. “The choice is yours, rooskaya.”

Yelena bit her lip.

Natasha glanced at the door.

“There’s a SHIELD agent stationed right outside this room,” she said. “A young woman, blonde hair, similar to you in height and build. After I leave this room, she will enter it and ask you to come with her.”

Natasha glanced back at Yelena. “You have the option to follow her. You also have the option to overpower her, don her uniform, and attempt to escape this building. Considering your skill at escapes in the past, I would give you modest odds of success.”

She stepped toward the door. “But as I said… the choice is yours.”

Natasha opened the door and exited the room, leaving Yelena to sit there in contemplative silence.

Moments later, the door opened again.

The SHIELD agent who entered was indeed a blonde, with light skin and blue eyes. Her hair was pulled back into a bun. Her uniform was the standard black outfit with white gloves, boots, and belt.

“Good evening, Ms. Belova,” she addressed Yelena. “I’m here to escort you to the Avengers briefing room.”

The woman looked to be just about Yelena’s size, although the boots looked a little small.

“Ms. Belova?” the SHIELD agent asked. “Something wrong?”

Yelena stared at the ground for several seconds.

Then she looked up at the blonde and managed a small smile.

“Not at all,” she said. “I’m very glad you’re here.”


THE END

[tirepanted3]

Most of these characters in this story are based on actual characters from Marvel Comics. Links below. (See previous chapters for additional character links.)

The Femme Fatales
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Femme_Fa ... Earth-616)

Elizabeth Rawson (Knockout)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Elizabet ... Earth-616)

Leeann Foreman (Snake Whip)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Leeann_F ... Earth-616)

Sapphire Styx
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sapphire ... Earth-616)

Beatta Dubiel (Bloodlust)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Beatta_D ... Earth-616)

Danielle Forte (Mindblast)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Danielle ... Earth-616)


Molly Fitzgerald (Shamrock)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Molly_Fi ... Earth-616)

Sarah Starr (Aviatrix)
https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Sarah_Starr_(Earth-616)

[esercito sconfitto]

Tirepanted PLEASE continue , from the very last scene, Yelena staring at the boots of the SHIELD girl

[tirepanted3]

Well, that ending is purposely ambiguous. Felt right to give Yelena some leeway and a chance to not mug the SHIELD agent (or "DHIELD" agent, as AI apparently calls it ) for her uniform, despite her history of doing otherwise.

That said, considering SHIELD's recent history, this agent will probably get unlucky at some point either way.

[rufusluciusivan]

And an other arc is over. I was happy to contribute to this specific chapter. It's thus true I knew beforehand all the details of the end of Claire's and Elaine's subplot, but reading the paragraphs out of context and reading them while included to the general story doesn't exactly feel the same way. Their banters is a delight to write. Plus, I was happy to discover two other little-known Marvel heroines. Shamrock and Aviatrix are welcome additions to the Marvel USB roster.

The part I had the most fun writing was however Claire's and Elaine's discussion about the merits of SHIELD uniforms over Silver Sable Security uniforms. Sure, the canon-inspired new battle armors look cool, but I liked the joke that Silver Sable is basically trying to overcompensate after her failure during the previous arc, and thus came up with this cool-looking but slightly impractical design. Plus it was building from a line Natasha has said while stripping Amy Chen... Speaking of which, I regret a bit not having added a part with the other SSS agents (Lina Abbas, Amy Chen, Sherry...) having to deal with the fallback, but sadly I don't have much time lately...

“Who was that?” Kate asked.

“Unimportant,” Sable replied.

Ouch! Right in their feelings! Then again, it basically sums up their subplot in this arc.

(Teleportation ring... Well, I take it the device is canon in Marvel, so I'm not going to say anything... )

The whole "Natasha poisoned" subplot was as suspenseful as it needed to be, though her "It’s not the first time I’ve been poisoned…" speaks volumes about the adventures she's had offscreen.

Femme Fatales... And an other group of female criminal mercenaries to add to the list... How many of these are there anyway? Oh well, they have nice designs. Not the most memorable out there, but as the eleventh-hour addition, they do the job. Nice designs - except Mindblast to be honest, she unnerves me - they certainly look the part of the tough mercenaries. Those are always a type of victims I love, even if I prefer when they have standardized uniforms like FEMME, Silver Sable Security, Orchis or SHIELD (technically law-enforcement but they have the same vibe).

A bit amusingly though, their banters are surprisingly casual - you wouldn't expect these intimidating criminals to lightly quip about villainous nicknames. USB stories sure allow to see the characters' hidden sides - and not ALWAYS with their underwear.

In general, as always, I enjoyed the characters' various quips. The second Knockout was introduced I knew somebody would quip about her nickname... I got a double treat.

The scene in which they're ambushed and the fight with Mindblast were nice. Don't know why, but the whole "call them one by one to knock them out discreetly" reminded me of a similar set-up in Tintin's Cigars of the Pharaoh. Loved the resolution of the fight, with Yelena tricking Mindblast.

I, however, don't see how their costumes are less conspicuous than HYDRA uniforms, but who am I to judge New Yorkers' fashion sense?

(A bit of a shame Mary-Jane wasn't part of this arc. Sapphire Styx feels tailor-made to be impersonated by her...^^)

I noticed the little detail we never got an aftermath shot of Viper. Madame HYDRA retains some aura.

That final exchange between Silver Sable and Black Cat... Felicia knows, and she relishes every minute of it...

Felicia's epilogue was quite amusing. Looks like she's found her match in Black Widow. On the other hand, it felt logical Natasha wouldn't let her get off scott-free.

(ClassyCatBurglar194 though? In-between that and her fake moniker of FELICITY... Looks like she still has room for improvement. )

Really a highlight of Felicia's character - pocketing the ring under everyone's nose.

Yelena's character development wasn't as central as I thought it'd be (I notably regret there weren't much parting words between her and Silver Sable). The finale was quite crowded, so unfortunately she didn't have much room to shine. Still, it was a nice development - the detail of her not getting angry by being called Natasha's sidekick or not reacting when Felicia fangirls about Natasha the Black Widow is subtle, but speaks volumes.

Still, the journey may have been quicker than expected, but I really like the destination. Her epilogue is open-ended and ambiguous on purpose, I like that. So I suppose we may hear from her again. Or not. This could also be a good open-ended conclusion.

Scratch that, I have two regrets. The other being we don't get to see what befell on HEARTS. A bit of a shame - they started out strong, were introduced as major players, but were dealt with relatively easy and without a fuss, and disappeared from the plot and didn't receive the epilogue their lengthy introduction was suggesting.

I didn't expect Ruth's and Marilyn's cameo at the end. It seems they can't shake off their bad luck - even when they get to keep their uniforms. I sympathize with their anger though. You didn't see Endo get fired for falling for the exact same trick. It's always the low-leveled employees who get punished... I'm not too worried though. They'll get back on their feet. Now, will they be safe from USB shenanigans? On that, I can't make any assumption.

Suzi's cameo may pave the way for something new... We'll see where it gets her...

[tirepanted3]

Indeed, it's always nice and satisfying to wrap up another story. Another thanks for your help, as I'm not sure I'd have had the time to turn this chapter around as I did without some assistance. Since you introduced the Claire/Elaine dynamic into the saga, it seemed only fitting to help you write those scenes here.

Silver Sable Security has been routinely unlucky in this saga, and it's perhaps ironic that Claire and Elaine are the ones getting a stern talking-to, rather than Amy, Lina, and the other agents mugged for their uniforms. Presumably Sable will give them another chance as well... It's not like women are lining up to join a security force that is routinely mugged for their uniforms (no matter how intricate or cool those uniforms may be).

(Teleportation ring... Well, I take it the device is canon in Marvel, so I'm not going to say anything... )

Viper's teleportation ring is indeed canon, and has popped up in the comics from time to time. It's even been used for USB purposes - Viper once used it to teleport into the Serpent Society's hideout, where she then mugged Black Mamba for her maid outfit. (viewtopic.php?p=3433)

I like the idea that Natasha is a "seen it all" superheroine. She's faced the greatest threats in the world, infiltrated the most impenetrable strongholds, and faced impossible odds routinely, all while mugging more women for disguises than any other woman on Earth-USB. For her, it's all in a day's work.

The Femme Fatales were a late discovery, and I figured this was a perfect opportunity to use them - not as the central villains, but as a final team the heroines take down for disguises. Mindblast certainly looks unsettling, but she made for a good superpowered threat for the main team to face. I tried to give them a touch of personality, despite their brief time in the story. (And as soon as I learned there was a female villain called "Knockout" in Marvel Comics, the jokes just wrote themselves.)

The scene in which they're ambushed and the fight with Mindblast were nice. Don't know why, but the whole "call them one by one to knock them out discreetly" reminded me of a similar set-up in Tintin's Cigars of the Pharaoh. Loved the resolution of the fight, with Yelena tricking Mindblast.

I liked how the scene turned out, and I'm sure I've done a similar scene like it in the past. I believe I was inspired by one of the old Dave Dorc stories in which a group of female soldiers are called into their superior's office one at a time, not realizing their boss has been replaced by an imposter who is setting an ambush for them. Love that type of scenario.

I assume New Yorkers are used to seeing all sorts of colorful costumes in the city, so as long as they're not dressed in HYDRA outfits, most people probably wouldn't pay them heed.

(A bit of a shame Mary-Jane wasn't part of this arc. Sapphire Styx feels tailor-made to be impersonated by her...^^)

MJ is enjoying a cup of coffee with Peter. She's earned it.

I was debating whether to include an aftermath of Viper, but decided against it, both to keep the story moving and because it helps her character retain some ambiguity in the event she returns. (Still, pity the poor intern who found her...)

I like how Felicia's arc wrapped up here - she'll always be a cat burglar and thrill-seeker at heart, but it helps to see her somewhat humbled by Natasha at the end. She's still who she is, but she'll have to be a bit more careful now. (The "194" in her username is a reference to her first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #194.)

I like how Yelena's story concluded as well. She could have used a bit more time (a downside of such a crowded story), but I felt it made sense to conclude her arc on an ambiguous note. From this point on, her choices are her own to make.

I do wish I had done more with HEART, especially in these later chapters. Unfortunately they were mostly added in the first place because I wanted to do a Stark infiltration story, and then struggled to incorporate them into the larger saga. Usually when I write these multi-part stories, I plan in advance how the different characters/arcs will eventually fit together. But in the case of HEART, I mainly just wanted to add them in because I liked the idea behind the characters.

Couldn't resist another Ruth/Marilyn cameo. They're franchise staples at this point. I find them inspiring - the world keeps putting them down, but they persevere, from one ill-fated security job to the next.

Suzi's cameo may pave the way for something new... We'll see where it gets her...

As always with Marvel, every "THE END" comes with a little question mark after it...