Volume 7: One Small Step for Women

[tirepanted3]

Isabella leaned against the hood of the sleek black sedan and tapped her finger against the polished metal.

As Lucille Weldon-Grant's personal chauffeur, she was used to waiting - during board meetings, long work nights, waiting at airports. Her boss was usually a busy woman, and she always counted on Isabella to be waiting to driver her anywhere.

However, Isabella had not had the opportunity to drive her boss anywhere for the past few months. This was because Lucille had been spending time in prison, arrested and convicted on mass fraud charges. Isabella had worked other chauffeur jobs in the interim, but she was still loyal to the woman who paid her salary.

So when the news suddenly came that Lucille was being released from prison, Isabella polished up her vehicle and drove to the outskirts of the prison yard. She parked about a mile from the prison, as close as she was legally allowed. The prison would send Lucille over in a state vehicle, at which point Isabella would drive her home.

Isabella had even dry-cleaned her uniform for the occasion, wanting to make the best impression for a boss who had been languishing behind bars for months. Her black uniform jacket and skirt were finely pressed, and her crisp white shirt had been freshly ironed. Her black driving boots, worn with sheer black tights, had been polished to a shine. Even her black patent leather gloves were freshly clean.

The tan-skinned driver wore her jet-black hair in an elegant bun, just beneath a peaked black cap. She looked the part of a professional, as was always her aim.

She enjoyed being a driver, even enjoyed the waiting. It was a good job, with no real action or incident. Well... there had been one incident, about a year ago. But Isabella preferred not to think about it.

She checked her watch - Lucille would likely be freed in the next twenty minutes. Isabella decided to simply enjoy the fresh air till then, and the serenity of being alone.

She did not know, however, that she was not currently alone. At this moment, in fact, she was being watched.

Hidden in the nearby bushes, Bridget observed the chauffeur with great interest - and a sense of deja vu.

This feels familiar, she thought. It was not the first time she had encountered Isabella in her quest to earn an interview with Lucille Weldon-Grant.

Well, if it worked before... Why not again?

Bridget could briefly hear Mrs. Drake's admonishing voice in the back of her head... but she quickly pushed it aside.

She only hoped that the driver would not recognize her.

Bridget stepped out of the bushes and walked up to the sedan. "Hi," she said.

Isabella turned around, startled. "What...? Oh, you startled me."

"Sorry," Bridget replied as she approached the woman.

"No need to apologize," Isabella smiled. "I just didn't think there was anyone else in the area."

"That's not what I'm apologizing for," Bridget said crisply.

"What do you...?" Isabella paused, and her eyes widened. "Wait a minute... I recognize you! You knocked me out... stole my uniform..."

She turned to run, but Bridget grabbed her, gripping her arm and silencing her with a handgag.

"Yes, I did," Bridget said softly to the struggling woman. "And I'm sorry, but I have to do it again."

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

"So what do you want to do now?" Zuhal asked.

She and Bobbi were back on the road, driving the latest car that Zuhal had "borrowed" in her quest to keep them constantly moving.

Bobbi thought for a moment. "Something recreational, I suppose... but less strenuous than horse racing. My back is gonna ache for days after that race."

"Bet you didn't know equestrianism was such a physically taxing sport," Zuhal grinned.

"Indeed I didn't," Bobbi grinned wryly. "I suppose you learn something new every day."

She thought for a moment. "Hey, how about rollerblading?"

"Rollerblading?" Zuhal raised an eyebrow. "Like with skates?"

"No, with baseball bats," Bobbi laughed. "Yes, obviously with skates. I used to be a great rollerblader - did it all the time - but I lost track of it once I started college. It's just a fun activity that can take our minds off... everything else."

Zuhal nodded, pulling out her phone as they came to a stoplight. "Sure thing... I'll find us a nearby roller rink."

She did a quick search, brow furrowed for a few moments. Then she brightened. "Aha, here we go... There's one about thirty miles north of here."

"That far?" Bobbi asked.

Zuhal shrugged. "Guess you gotta travel if you want to get to the good places," she noted. "Anyway, it sounds like fun. Let's check it out."

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

Lucille Weldon-Grant stepped out the front gates of the prison, shielding her eyes in the sunlight.

A white van was parked in front of the gates, with two prison attendees seated up front.

"That van will take you from prison grounds," the warden standing beside Lucille said. "Your driver called earlier and said she has a vehicle ready just outside the limits. Enjoy your freedom... and don't give yourself reason to come back."

Lucille nodded politely, but grumbled a profane reply under her breath as the warden turned her back.

She approached the white van and climbed into the back. The driver and her associate, both women, glanced at her in the rearview mirror.

"Just take me to my chauffeur," Lucille grumbled. "The less time I spend in this moldy old vehicle, the better."

"Well, we did try to pick one of the less moldy vehicles," the driver commented as she started the engine.

Lucille looked up in confusion. Why did the driver's voice sound familiar?

"And we trekked a long way to get here, believe me," the second woman replied.

Lucille looked askance at the two women. They were both dressed in dark green uniform jackets, white cotton shirts, grey jeans, brown boots, and green baseball caps. But despite the disguises, it took but a moment for Lucille to recognize them.

"Chandra? ...Sonja?"

"Hi, boss," Sonja smiled. "Long time no see."

"What are you two doing here?" Lucille seemed both surprised and indignant. "How did you know I was getting out of jail?"

"Because we're the ones who hacked the computer system and got you out in the first place," Chandra explained.

"And we wanted to give you a warm welcome as soon as you got free," Sonja explained.

"So... you got jobs as prison transport attendants?" Lucille asked quizzically.

Sonja laughed. "No, of course not. The prison already has workers to take care of transporting ex-prisoners off-grounds. But we convinced them to let us do their jobs today."

"Chloroform and duct tape can be very persuasive," Chandra added with a grin.

At this, Lucille glanced into the rear of the van, which she had previously been too preoccupied to notice. Sure enough, there were two women lying there, both unconscious - a light-skinned redhead in an aqua-colored cami top and tan bikini panties, and an olive-skinned brunette in a seafoam triangle bra and matching briefs. Both were gagged and bound with black duct tape.

"Chandra wanted to wait and let the prison workers do their job in letting you out," Sonja explained. "But it's been so long since we've seen each other..."

"You idiots," Lucille growled.

Chandra raised an eyebrow. "Beg pardon, boss?"

"You idiots," Lucille repeated. "I've been stuck in prison for months. And only now do you find a way to get me out??"

Chandra and Sonja exchanged a glance.

"Well..." Sonja began. "We had a tough time finding out where you were imprisoned..."

"And we spent some time in prison ourselves," Chandra added.

"Yes, I heard about that," Lucille said tersely. "You spent some time working for that mad scientist woman... a revenge spree that got you arrested. Wasting time when you should have been rescuing me!"

Chandra stopped the van near Lucille's car. She turned around. "Look, we're really sorry, boss. The point is, you're free now, and we..."

"You're fired," Lucille said. "Both of you."

Sonja's mouth dropped open. "But... what?"

"Boss, please..." Chandra began.

"Shut up," Lucille snapped. "You're both idiots and incompetents. I can't believe I used to pay you to be my bodyguards."

She opened the van door and stepped out. "Get out of my sight, you imbeciles. I never want to see either of you again."

She stomped towards the waiting sedan, leaving Chandra and Sonja to simply stare after her in shock.

Lucille got into the back seat of the sedan. She glanced at the woman in chauffeur's uniform, seated up front. "Take me home, Isabella," she said. "I need to make some phone calls... Catch up on everything I missed while those morons let me rot in prison."

From the front seat, Bridget nodded. "Yes, ma'am." She couldn't see the women sitting in the van, nor could she tell why Lucille was so angry. But for now, she was more focused on getting her exclusive interview.

Lucille glanced more closely at the woman in the front seat. "Wait a minute... You're not Isabella."

Bridget gulped. "Er... ma'am?"

"You're Bridget Baxter!" Lucille scowled. "I remember you! You already tried this trick... Disguising yourself as my driver to get an exclusive with me!"

Bridget sighed, and pulled off her cap. "Okay... yes, it's me. But I just wanted to talk with..."

"I'm not in the mood for this," Lucille interrupted. "Where's Isabella? I need to get home."

"Isabella's fine," Bridget assured her. "She's tied up in the trunk, but I promise she's okay."

"What is going on today?" Lucille said incredulously. "I've been out of prison for five minutes, and every woman is disguised in the clothes of another woman. Don't you have something better to do with your life than mugging and stripping one of my employees?"

"Well, I..."

"I don't care," Lucille interrupted. "You're lucky that I've just been released from jail. If I wasn't in such a good mood, I'd have you arrested. Now get the hell out of my car."

Bridget, feeling somewhat discombobulated, could only nod. "Yes... yes, of course..."

She quickly got out of the car. Lucille also exited the vehicle, circling around to the trunk. She popped it open.

Isabella lay there, dressed only in a white bikini bra and blue boyshorts. She was bound with zip-ties and gagged with a white cloth.

"Mmmmrrphhhh!! Mmpppphhh!"

"Oh, shut up," Lucille growled. "I pay you a good salary... The least you can do is take some self-defense classes."

She slammed down the lid of the trunk. Then she walked around to the driver's seat, got in, and drove off in a cloud of dust and fury.

Bridget was left standing there, still in something of a daze. She simply watched the car disappear in the distance, wondering what had just happened.

"Bridget?"

Bridget turned to see the two women from the transport van, standing a few feet behind her. Getting a clear loo, she now recognized them.

"Chandra... Sonja!"

"How come her name is always mentioned first," Sonja grumbled.

"Bridget, what are you doing here?" Chandra asked. "We haven't seen you since the raid on the Caldwell mansion."

Bridget sighed. "I was... trying to get an interview. Thought I could get a few minutes alone with your boss... but she saw through my disguise immediately."

"She's not our boss any longer," Sonja commented.

"What do you mean?"

"We were just fired," Chandra explained. "Devoted years of our life to this woman, and she cans us in two minutes."

Bridget nodded. "That sounds awful... and I would know"

"You were fired too?" Sonja asked.

Bridget nodded. "The day after we last met." She quickly explained what had happened between her and Mrs. Drake.

"Wow, that sucks," Sonja observed. "And now you're just... what, a freelancer?"

"Self-employed blogger," Bridget corrected. "I'm trying to make a name for myself... But it just feels like I'm playing catch-up in the world. Even using the same old tricks, which are apparently getting old. This is the second time I've mugged Ms. Weldon-Grant's chauffeur for her uniform."

She sighed. "It just feels like my life is going in circles lately. I don't really know what to do, where to go. Even my friends aren't much around anymore."

The women were silent for a moment. Then Chandra spoke.

"You want a ride back to town?" she asked. "Come on, we'll buy you a drink."

Bridget looked surprised. Then she nodded slowly. "Sure... yeah, why not."

"Great. Come on."

Chandra and Sonja returned to the front seats of the van. Bridget climbed into the passenger seat behind them. She glanced into the rear of the vehicle and saw the two bound-and-gagged sleeping women stashed there.

She rolled her eyes, and buckled herself in.

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

Jenna hummed to herself as she stuffed the envelopes with "VOTE HARGROVE" flyers. She always enjoyed it when she settled into a routine - especially when working for something she believed in.

A glance at her watch told Jenna she had been working uninterrupted for nearly an hour. That came as something of a surprise - but then again, it was easy to get lost in the zone. She decided to take a quick coffee break.

Jenna got up and walked past some busy interns, stepping out of the campaign quarters and into the break room. For the moment, it was mostly empty - with the exception of one woman, sitting in the corner.

It was Sandra, the deliverywoman from earlier. She had been given a campaign T-shirt and some spare jeans to dress herself following the theft of her uniform. Nevertheless, she did not look happy; in fact, it looked as though she had just been crying.

"Hi," Jenna gave her a sympathetic smile. "Is everything okay?"

Sandra wiped her eyes and quickly nodded. "Yes... yes, I'm fine."

Jenna could see that she wasn't fine. She approached the woman and sat down beside her.

"Honey, don't worry," she said softly. "We called the police and described the woman who mugged you. I'm sure they'll catch her soon."

"Thanks..." Sandra replied, though she still looked troubled.

Jenna placed her hand on the woman's arm. "Sandra, what's the matter? Please tell me... Maybe I can help."

Sandra took a deep breath. "I... I got fired."

Jenna raised her eyebrows. "What?!"

"I called my boss... at the delivery service," Sandra explained. "I told him what had happened... that some woman had attacked me... tied me up and stole my uniform. He yelled at me for being so careless on the job... Then he fired me."

"He can't do that," Jenna said indignantly.

"Apparently he can," Sandra replied. "Apparently I'm not the first deliverywoman at this company to be mugged for her uniform in recent months. My boss has basically given up on new deliverywomen... He'll probably replace me with a man, since no one attacks men for their uniforms."

She sighed. "I have a baby girl at home... I need this job." She started crying again.

Jenna felt her sympathy bubble up for this woman... as well as her fury against women who partook in uniform stealing and the men who ignored them.

"Sandra," Jenna said stoically. "When Councilwoman Hargrove wins the election next week, I promise you will have a job. You can deliver packages for City Hall if you want. You won't lack for financial support."

Sandra looked at her. "Thank you... but... how can you be so sure you'll win?"

"Because we're doing the right thing," Jenna told her. "And the public will realize that. I know it."

Zephyr poked her head in the room. "Hey, Jenna... The mayor is speaking at a city event downtown. Claudia and I are gonna attend, stage a protest, make him look bad and our candidate look good. Wanna come?"

Jenna glanced at Zephyr. Then she looked back at Sandra.

"You gonna be okay in here?" she asked softly. "I can have one of the interns fetch you lunch or something."

Sandra nodded. "Thanks, you're too kind... I'll be okay. Go join your friends... and go win this election."

Jenna smiled, then stood up and turned to Zephyr. "Let's go."

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

Moira was understandably excited about covering the new NASA launch. It had been a while since she had been assigned any space-related stories.

The last time she had been tasked with attending the NASA grounds, her trip had been interrupted by Bridget Baxter, who had knocked her out and stolen her clothes. That was quite a while ago - and Moira had since grown close with the woman she once considered her rival and enemy - but she had spent all that time hoping for another story about the topic.

Now she had it - NASA was planning to send their first all-female crew not merely to space, but to the moon. A historic day, and Moira would be there to cover it.

In order to prepare for the event, Moira decided to research NASA's historical archives, to learn about the history of women in the space program. The Internet gave her some basic info, but to truly get a feel for the material, she had to go straight to the source - the archives center at the local state-owned library of records. In here was housed every available info about the history of NASA, as documented by the government.

Moira flashed her press pass at the front desk, and was allowed into the records center. She was greeted by a young woman who worked for the library.

"Hi there." The young lady shook her hand. "I'm Gail. Nice to meet you."

Gail was tall and slim, with light skin and sandy-brown hair tied back in a traditional bun. She wore a light green long-sleeve button-down shirt, a black pencil skirt, tan tights, and black high heels. She seemed nice and polite, and Moira instantly felt at ease with her.

"Follow me to the hall of records, please," Gail said. "I'll do my best to answer your questions."

"Thanks." Moira followed the woman down the hall. "So, you know a lot about NASA?"

"A fair amount," Gail nodded. "I'm very excited about tomorrow's launch. First women to the moon! It's like a dream come true."

She stopped at one office and unlocked the door. "Here you'll find the general records of prominent women who've worked at NASA. Some of them astronauts, but a lot of them brilliant mechanics and mathematicians."

"Cool," Moira smiled as she entered the room, sizing up the file cabinets. "Seems kind of small, though. Is this all you have?"

"The more extensive files are down in the basement," Gail told her. "We keep hard copies of all our records for security purposes, including about all NASA launches dating back to the Sixties."

Moira brightened. "Yes, that's what I'm looking for. Would be great detail for the story I'm writing. Could I go look at those?"

Gail shook her head. "I'm sorry, that info is off-limits to civilians. We keep some very secure documents down there. Can't give access to anyone without clearance."

She turned back to the filing cabinet, opening one of the drawers. "Here, I'll find some interesting profiles for you. These will be great for your story."

Moira watched Gail sort through the files. The place was interesting, but Moira wanted real detail for her story - something readers would be buzzing about. She wanted to take a look at some of those basement files... but how?

Moira glanced at Gail again and noticed that they were about the same size. The archivist's passkey - and her clothes - could help Moira get places she would otherwise be barred from entering.

Moira quietly reached into her handbag and pulled out a white rag and a small bottle of chloroform. She soaked the rag and stepped up quietly behind Gail, who still had her back turned.

She prepared herself, ready to pounce on Gail and render her unconscious. But she hesitated.

Moira thought of Bridget, who had lost her job a few months ago due to her penchant for uniform stealing. Moira could similarly be putting her job at risk - especially since Gail or someone else at the facility could probably identify her later.

Moira also thought of Prema, the love of her life, who disapproved of her uniform stealing tactics and would often try to politely but firmly steer her away from them.

Finally, Moira thought of Gail herself, a nice and polite young woman who did not deserve to spend the rest of the day locked in a closet, tied up and gagged in her underwear.

"Ah, here we go!" Gail stood up, file in hand, and turned around. Moira quickly hid the chloroform pad behind her back.

"This should be what you're looking for," Gail smiled at Moira. "There are other interesting files in there as well, but this one's a good place to start."

Moira nodded as she took the file. "Th-thanks."

Gail's brow furrowed as she sniffed the air. "Hey, do you smell something funny?"

Moira quietly stuffed the chloroform pad in her back pocket. "No... nothing at all."

Gail shrugged. "Must be my imagination. Anyway, let me know if you need anything else."

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

Bobbi and Zuhal reached the roller rink within the hour. The large bowl-shaped building sounded abuzz with activity, even from the parking lot.

"Just like old times," Bobbi mused as they stepped out of the car. "I can't wait to lace up some skates and get rolling."

"It certainly sounds fun," Zuhal agreed.

The two women approached the front entrance to the building. But they were suddenly blocked by a large man at the door.

"Sorry, ladies," he said. "The roller rink is reserved today. No other guests allowed."

"Reserved?" Bobbi was perplexed. "By who?"

The man pointed to a nearby poster on the wall. It showed a group of punk-looking women, dressed in black T-shirts and shorts and roller skates. The name on the poster advertised them as the "Blade Babes."

"They're a team of professional skaters," the bouncer explained. "Dozens of young women, practicing for a tournament next week. They rented out the entire skating rink today and asked for privacy. No one else is allowed."

Zuhal scowled. "But... we drove all this way..."

"Not my problem. Come back tomorrow."

Bobbi looked crestfallen, but she turned and walked away. Zuhal followed.

"I can't believe this," Bobbi muttered as they stepped back down the walkway. "I just wanted a few hours to skate my troubles away, and those 'Blade Babes' refuse to let us in. How selfish is that?"

"It's awful," Zuhal nodded. "If only there was some other way..."

They stopped talking suddenly as two young women walked past them. Both were dressed in the tight black T-shirts and shorts of the women on the poster, and both carried helmets and roller blades with them.

The two women turned the corner and headed to the quiet alley behind the roller rink. One of them was holding a pack of cigarettes, presumably for the relaxing break they planned to have.

Zuhal turned to Bobbi with a gleam in her eye. "Bobbi, dear... Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Bobbi grinned maliciously. "Zuhal, dear... I think I am."

They followed the two women behind the building.

The two Blade Babes were standing near a green metal dumpster, chatting casually with one another. In addition to the T-shirt and shorts, both wore stockings and black sneakers, as well as black elbows and knee pads. One of the women was tall and light-skinned, with short, spiky green hair that matched her green stockings and green helmet. The other girl was a few inches shorter, but just as tough-looking - she had olive skin and a dark ponytail with streaks of pink laced in; it matched the hue of her pink stockings and helmet.

The two girls were about to light up their cigarettes when Bobbi and Zuhal entered the area.

"Beat it, you two," the green-haired woman scowled. "We want some privacy."

Zuhal smiled at her, glancing around. "Oh? Did your team reserve the back alley too?"

"Don't be cute," the brunette said, irritated. "Get your flat ass out of here before we pound it into the pavement."

"Flat?" Zuhal looked hurt. She glanced at Bobbi. "Does my ass look flat?"

"Not at all," Bobbi assured her.

"Maybe it's just the clothes I'm wearing," Zuhal mused. "I'm sure my ass would look much better in a pair of roller girl shorts."

"Are you two deaf?" The green-haired girl stepped towards them, pulling out a pocketknife. "I said scram. You can either leave with your own two feet, or you can leave in an ambulance."

Zuhal eyed the sharp, glinting knife. "Wow, lovely. That must be why you're called the Blade Babes... I mean, it can't be because of your roller skating talents - since I don't think you have any."

The green-haired girl snarled and lunged at her. But Zuhal was unexpectedly quick - she dodged the girl's thrust, then grabbed her arm and twisted painfully, forcing her to drop her knife.

The girl let out a cry of pain, which was quickly stifled by Zuhal's elbow between her eyes. She slumped to the ground, out cold.

Zuhal smiled as she turned to the second Blade Babe, who looked both startled and shaken. "Now, honey... What were you saying about my ass?"

The brunette pulled out her own knife and charged at Zuhal. "You dumb bitch, I'll slice you like a pizza!"

"Well, she doesn't sound very sporting," Zuhal commeted to Bobbi. "Would you like to handle her?"

Bobbi politely declined. "You're doing great so far."

"Thanks." Zuhal turned back to the Blade Babe just in time to dodge her attack. Then she quickly punched the rollerblader in the stomach, driving the air from her body. "Amateur mistake, darling - leaving yourself open like that."

One neck chop later, the second Blade Babe fell unconscious next to her friend.

"That was fun, wasn't it?" Zuhal mused.

Bobbi nodded. "It wasn't what we planned, but... yes. It's always fun."

Zuhal knelt down beside the unconscious girls. "Come on, let's strip these losers."

Predictably, the Blade Babes wore underwear that matched the colors of their hair - the green-haired girl wore a green bralette and matching hipsters, while the pink-dyed brunette had a pink sports bra and cotton briefs. Zuhal and Bobbi used some white twine to tie them up and some black tape to gag them.

"These girls love trash-talking," Zuhal observed. "So let's put them where they belong... in the trash!"

So saying, she picked up the green-haired girl and tossed her into the dumpster, where she landed on a pile of black garbage bags. Zuhal tossed the second Blade Babe in to join her.

"Toodle-oo, girls!" Zuhal grinned down at the two unconscious prisoners. "Enjoy your new home."

So saying, she shut the lid of the dumpster and walked away.

Bobbi hesitated for a moment. Then she picked up a branch from the ground and approached the dumpster. She opened the lid a crack, and propped the branch in place.

Zuhal smirked. "I didn't know you were such a bleeding-heart, Bobbi."

"They need a little air," Bobbi explained. "You don't want them to suffocate, do you?"

Zuhal shrugged. "I guess not." She glanced down at the piles of clothes on the floor. "Anyway, let's get dressed. We came here to skate, and we're gonna skate."

Bobbi gave Zuhal a momentary strange look, but said nothing. They both dressed in the freshly stolen Blade Babe uniforms.

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

After about two hours of research, scribbling notes down into her pad, Moira had a pretty clear outline for her article. Of course, the centerpiece could not be written until she had witnessed the impending NASA launch, but for now, she had gotten all she needed.

"How'd it go?" Gail smiled at her as she approached the exit.

"Very well, thank you," Moira said. "This place has been really helpful. Thanks for letting me spend some time here."

"My pleasure." Gail waved as Moira exited the lobby. "Good luck with your article!"

Moira smiled as she left. Gail was a lovely young woman - it would have been a shame to have mugged her, and Moira was proud at herself for resisting the temptation.

Gail returned down the hall toward her office, humming to herself. It was a quiet time of day, with many employees out on their lunch break. But Gail was fine with a bit of peace and quiet.

As Gail turned a corner, she detected a blur of movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned in confusion, but only saw an empty broom closet.

"Hello?" she called.

No response. Gail shrugged her shoulders, and began walking on.

She made it two more steps before she was grabbed, a sinewy arm encircling her throat.

"Hkkkhhhh... hhmmmpppphhh!" Any attempt to cry for help was quickly muffled by her assailant's hand. The frightened, struggling Gail was dragged into the closet, the door shutting behind her.

With no other employees in the immediate vicinity, the punches and kicks emanating from the closet went unheard. Gail's struggles and moans grew slower and weaker, then ceased entirely.

Minutes later, the door to the closet reopened. Out stepped Sabira, her feet clicking in a freshly obtained pair of black high heels. She had already donned Gail's skirt, blouse, and tights.

Sabira felt the electronic passkey in her pocket and smiled. She turned back to the closet. "Thanks for your key... and your clothes, darling."

No response, not that Sabira expected one. Gail was unconscious, sitting in the corner of the closet, stripped to her blue full-cup bra and white briefs. She had been tied up with brown rope and gagged with white tape.

Sabira shut the closet door and grinned wickedly. "Now, let's see what they've got in that basement..."

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

Bridget wrinkled her nose as she took a whiff of the beer-stained air.

"Not a fan?" Chandra asked.

"Not sure," Bridget shrugged. "I haven't been to one of these places in a while."

"Me neither," Sonja replied. "But sometimes it's the only place worth being."

The three women had found a small bar in a quiet corner of the city, and were now seated at a side table. A waitress walked up, carrying a tray of beers.

"Your drinks, ladies," she announced. placing the mugs down on the table. "Let me know if you need anything else."

Bridget watched her walk away.

"You know," she said softly, "this reminds me of the night we first met."

Chandra sipped her drink. "When was that?"

"At some nightclub, a few months ago," Bridget recalled. "You two were accompanying Lucille on a business meeting. I was there to spy on it and maybe get a story. I tied up a waitress and stole her uniform."

"Ah yes, I remember that night," Chandra nodded. "Nice club. I tied up a bartender and stole her uniform."

"I remember it too," Sonja added. "Though unfortunately, I didn't steal anyone's uniform."

Bridget sighed. "I guess I got lucky all those years," she mused. "Mugging women for their clothes was just part of my job... a secret part, obviously, but an important one. But eventually my luck just ran out."

"What happened?" Chandra asked.

"My boss found out about it and fired me," Bridget explained. "Someone sent her some photos of me mugging another woman of her clothes." She clenched her fists. "I loved that job... If I ever find out who exposed me..."

Then she sighed. "But what am I feeling so self-righteous for? My boss made the right call. She couldn't keep me on her payroll once she found out that I'm a criminal."

Chandra snorted. "Oh, don't feel so sorry for yourself, Baxter. Stealing clothes isn't a big deal. Tons of women are doing it! It's just a part of life."

Sonja nodded. "I've been mugging women for their clothes for years. Some people might call me a criminal, but screw them. It's a useful tactic, it keeps me active, and it's fun!"

Bridget glanced at Chandra and Sonja. "Sometimes I wish I had your self-assuredness," she commented. "But lately, I just feel so guilty every time I steal another woman's uniform. Even if it does feel necessary."

"Maybe you need to mug women with more colorful underwear," Sonja suggested. "Nothing cheers me up like a set of brightly colored bra and panties."

Chandra nudged her in the ribs. "What my friend is trying to say is... don't let your conscience weigh too heavily on you. Uniform stealing is here to stay, it's a part of our lives. We might as well take advantage of it."

"And appreciate it, for what it's worth," Sonja added. "I didn't truly appreciate the art of uniform stealing until I came to America. The women have such imaginative underwear..."

Chandra sighed. "Enough with the underwear, Sonja."

"But it's true," Sonja protested. "Remember when those Russian operatives kidnapped me a few months ago? I could not believe how dull their underwear was..."

Bridget's ears perked. "You were kidnapped?"

Sonja nodded. "By my old friends - or 'friends,' I should say - in the SVR. They wanted my help them with their plan to destroy NASA or something. Anyway, their bras and panties were the plainest white you could imagine, and..."

"Hold on, hold on," Bridget interrupted. "Please stop talking about underwear. What was that about destroying NASA?"

"They were... I don't remember exactly what they told me," Sonja admitted. "It was very complicated and involved a lot of science. And I was mostly concerned about escaping. The only thing I really remember were two words... 'Project Pluto'."

Bridget's eyes widened. She pulled out her pen and notepad. "Tell me more about these women."

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

Claudia pulled her car up to the curb, across the street from the large, glamorous dining hall. The hall currently housed a combination luncheon-fundraiser for the incumbent mayor, with several of the city's wealthiest residents in attendance.

"So what's the plan?" Jenna asked from the back seat.

"I've cooked up a little something that will turn this quaint gathering of rich hobnobbers into a lunch that no one will ever forget," Claudia smiled. "Just a few drops of this special chemical, slipped into the soup, and everyone will be sick for the rest of the day. I bet the mayor's poll numbers take a hit after that!"

"You sure this is a good idea?" Jenna asked.

"It's a week before the election," Zephyr reminded her. "We're doing well, but not well enough. I'd say there's nothing wrong with a little sabotage at this point... especially considering how important this election is."

Jenna thought for a moment, then nodded. "Fair point. So, how do we do this?"

"Zephyr and I will head around back and sneak inside the building," Claudia explained. "You stay here and keep a lookout. Call us if there are any signs of trouble."

Jenna nodded. "Will do... and good luck."

She watched as Claudia and Zephyr exited the car and headed across the street, disappearing into the alley behind the building. Then she sat back and smiled.

Things were going well, after all - despite the heat of election season, Jenna felt reasonably confident that Concilwoman Hargrove would prevail. Already Jenna was imagining a post-uniform stealing future, a better world for women everywhere. Well, except the ones who would be locked up for mugging other women, of course.

As she did periodically, Jenna thought of Ashley, the security guard who had set her down this path. Jenna had not seen Ashley since that night; she wondered if the woman - who, by her own account, had been mugged for her uniform at least a half-dozen times - was doing okay.

Jenna's eyes fell on the seat beside her, and she noticed that Zephyr had left her phone behind.

Jenna didn't want to leave her post in the car, but she figured it would be okay to do so for just a minute - after all, Zephyr might need a way to communicate with her.

She scooped up the phone, then stepped out of the car and jogged across the street.

Jenna entered the alley and circled around to the back of the large building. Sure enough, Claudia and Zephyr were there.

"Hey, guys," Jenna smiled. "Zephyr, you forgot your..."

A gasp escaped her lips.

Claudia and Zephyr were in the alley - but they weren't alone. There were two other women - both of whom appeared to be waitresses. They wore crisp white shirts with black bowtie, red vests, black pants, and black shoes. One of the waitresses had light skin and light short blonde hair, while the other had tanned skin and dark hair in braids.

Perhaps most importantly, both waitresses were currently struggling and losing consciousness, thanks to the sleeper holds that Claudia and Zephyr had put them in.

Jenna froze. She could not believe what she was seeing.

"What the hell are you doing?" she cried.

Zephyr put a finger to her lips. "Shh! Not so loud. Do you want to get us all arrested?"

"Let go of those women this instant!" Jenna said indignantly. "You're hurting them."

"Not really," Claudia replied. "These sleeper holds are mostly harmless. They'll have a headache when they wake up, but that's about it."

"Of course, in order for them to wake up, they need to go to sleep first," Zephyr muttered, maintaining her grip on the struggling waitress. "Come on, honey, please pass out. I promise you'll be fine."

"Ah, there we go." Claudia smiled as her waitress finally lost consciousness.

"Why are you doing this?" Jenna glanced back and forth between her friends, a mix of shock and confusion on her face.

"Because we need their uniforms," Zephyr explained matter-of-factly. "We need to disguise ourselves if we want to sabotage the food, and their clothes will provide perfect cover."

She let out a sigh of relief as the waitress she was mugging at last ceased her struggles.

Then both she and Claudia lowered the two waitresses to the ground and began stripping them.

"But... but you can't do this." Jenna sounded incredulous. "We're supposed to fight back against uniform stealing... not commit it ourselves!"

Claudia sighed. "We are fighting back, Jenna," she explained. "Once we win the election, we'll be able to combat uniform thieves everywhere."

"But in order to win the election," Zephyr added, "we sometimes need to adopt some uniform stealing tactics ourselves."

"Sometimes?" Jenna asked. "How many women have you mugged for their clothes during this campaign?"

"Just a few," Claudia assured her. "Look, we hate uniform stealing just as much as you do. But for the moment, it is necessary. We absolutely must win this election, even if it means resorting to some unethical tactics."

Zephyr nodded. "We're stealing uniforms today to prevent the uniform steals of tomorrow."

Jenna didn't know what to say. She glanced back and forth between Claudia and Zephyr, and the two increasingly unclothed waitresses lying before them.

"This isn't right," Jenna finally said. "We can't win by copying the tactics of our enemies. We just can't."

"Of course we can," Claudia countered. "Jenna, you've got a good heart, but don't be naïve. All's fair in love and politics."

By now, both waitresses were down to their underwear. The blonde wore a lavender balconette bra and matching hipsters, while the brunette had a pink bralette and green boyshorts.

"These women will be fine," Claudia said, pulling out a roll of black duct tape. "We'll hide them behind those trash cans. They'll be found in a couple of hours."

She glanced at Jenna. "Do you want to help tie them up? Or would you rather wait in the car?"

Jenna felt herself going numb. She finally found the words. "I... I'll go wait in the car."

"Okay. We should be back in about twenty minutes."

Jenna stepped back down the alley and returned to the car. She got in the backseat and stared off into space for several minutes, lost in an endless spiral of cascading thoughts.

One surfaced above all else: What is happening to the world?

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

The park air was crisp and clean today. Felicia enjoyed the warm breeze against her face.

"It's a lovely day, isn't it?" Ellen asked. "Sometimes I just enjoy strolling around here and clearing my head between workdays. Really helps you appreciate the little things in life."

Felicia nodded. "Nicely said. And it is indeed a lovely day."

The two women were strolling along the pathway in a quieter section of the park. There were few other people around, which was just fine. Felicia had grown to appreciate the quiet.

They passed a female hot dog vendor presiding over her stand - a tan-skinned woman with long dark hair, dressed in a red-white pinstripe uniform, red skirt, white sneakers and apron. There was also a light-skinned blonde woman seated on a bench, dressed in a smart dark purple business suit and black heels, reading a financial newspaper. Both women nodded politely as Ellen and Felicia passed. Felicia nodded back. She was enjoying the day.

"Let me show you something amazing," Ellen said softly. "I was strolling this area a few days ago, when I discovered a bird's nest with three freshly laid eggs. It was the most adorable thing - I wonder if they've hatched by now."

Felicia found Ellen's fascination with nature enchanting. "Where is it?"

"Right down the next pathway, I believe," Ellen replied. "Here, we can take a shortcut through these bushes..."

She stepped delicately around some green hedges lining the walkway. "Careful not to damage the plants. Just follow me through the trees and..."

She gasped and stopped abruptly, so abruptly that Felicia nearly bumped into her.

"What's wrong? What..." Felicia paused and gasped as well.

Seated on the ground, secured back-to-back to one of the tall oak trees, were two women. One of them, a tall college-aged girl with light skin and short pink hair, was dressed only in a green bandeau bra and ladybug-patterned red-and-black bikini shorts. The other, an older woman with olive skin and a bun of brown hair, wore a white comfort bra and beige hipsters.

Both women were bound with white clothesline and gagged with grey tape, and both appeared unconscious.

Ellen put her hand to her mouth. "My goodness... These poor women..."

"Who did this?" Felicia asked incredulously.

Ellen pointed at the younger woman. "That pink hair... I think I recognize her... She's the woman who's always selling hot dogs at the park..."

"But we just passed a hot dog vendor," Felicia said. "Do you think she..."

"...was an imposter?" came a laughing voice from behind them.

Felicia and Ellen turned in surprise to see two grinning women standing behind them - the two they had passed earlier. The brunette dressed as a hot dog vendor, the blonde dressed as a businesswoman. Both with cruel grins on their faces.

"Brilliant deduction," the brunette continued. "I suppose we should have hidden these girls a bit better."

Ellen looked at them in shock. "Who are you two?"

The brunette gave a mock bow. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, girls. I'm Autumn, my friend here is Summer. And we are both proud members of the USB resistance!"

Felicia stared at them. "The what?"

"The Uniform Swiping Babes," the blonde explained. "We're a group of women fighting back against the stigma opposing uniform stealing."

Felicia looked at them blankly. "The... stigma?"

"Sure! We mug women, tie them up, and steal their clothes. There are politicians campaigning to end this practice, but we plan to keep it alive... forever!"

Felicia stared at her. "That's... the dumbest thing I've ever heard."

Summer cracked the knuckles of her fist. "Laugh if you want... but in about five minutes, I'll be wearing your clothes. We'll see who's laughing then."

Felicia tried to keep her cool. She could see that Ellen was plainly frightened of these women.

"It's okay," she said to her friend softly. "They're not going to hurt us."

"That's right," Autumn said. "We won't hurt you... provided you give us your clothes. Strip, girls!"

"Our... clothes?" Ellen asked in scared confusion. "Please, we don't want any trouble. Why do you need our clothes?"

Autumn shrugged. "We like to steal clothes from other women. Who says we need a reason?"

"We've stolen six outfits so far today," Summer chuckled. "And it's not even lunchtime!"

Ellen gulped, but Felicia kept her cool. She glared at Summer.

"You want my clothes?" she said stoically. "Come and get them."

"Felicia... what are you doing?" Ellen said nervously.

Summer sneered. "It'll be my pleasure."

She lunged at Felicia, fists bared. She was fast - but Felicia was faster. The nimble redhead dodged the woman, then stuck out her foot, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Well, well," Autumn grinned. "Looks like we've got a wild one."

From the pocket of her apron she drew a penknife. "Last chance to surrender, honey... Unless you want things to get ugly."

"The only ugly thing around here is you in that uniform," Felicia countered.

Autumn scowled. "I'll shove those words down your throat."

She lashed out with the knife, but Felicia grabbed her wrist and twisted hard. Autumn let out a cry of pain and dropped the knife. Her mouth was then swiftly closed by an uppercut from Felicia.

Summer got to her feet just in time to watch Autumn fall unconscious to the grass. She glared at Felicia. "You bitch, I'll make you pay for that!"

She charged headfirst at Felicia, who sidestepped once again. Felicia then aimed a well-placed judo chop to Summer's neck. The blonde grunted and fell forward, landing unconscious atop her friend.

Felicia let out a deep breath. Then she glanced at Ellen, who was still trembling.

"Are you okay?" Felicia asked.

"That... that was incredible," Ellen said shakily. "I didn't know you were so good at self-defense."

Felicia smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "Years of training... plus, these women really made me mad."

She glanced down at the two unconscious women. "I have no idea what these idiots were thinking... but we'd better let the authorities deal with them. I'll tie them up and call the police."

Ellen looked at the hot dog vendor and businesswoman tied to the tree. "We should help them as well."

Felicia nodded. "Yes, let's untie them and give them their clothes back."

She knelt down beside Autumn and Summer. "Sorry, ladies... but your clothes need to go back to their original owners."

It had been a while since Felicia had stripped an unconscious woman of her clothes - but this felt like a constructive opportunity.

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

Soon after, the hot dog vendor and businesswoman had been freed, and had redressed themselves in their own clothes. Both were shaken by the experience but extremely grateful.

"Thank you so much," the businesswoman said, shaking Felicia's hand. "If only there were more good-hearted women like you..."

"Free refreshments, anytime you want," the vendor offered. "All you gotta do is ask."

Felicia felt flustered. "Thanks... Anyway, I'd recommend you both get back to your normal lives. The police will take care of the attackers."

"Thanks again, young lady," the businesswoman smiled, as both departed.

Felicia was left with Ellen, who also looked quite proud.

"You did a great job," Ellen told her. "I know a lot of women feel unsafe lately with so many of us being attacked and getting our clothes stolen."

Felicia nodded.

"And now some of these women are just doing it for fun! What kind of girls think this sort of thing is fun? Well, I'd say they're about to learn their lesson."

She and Felicia glanced to the nearby tree, where Summer and Autumn had taken the place of the two women they had previously mugged. Both of them were now tied with some green tape from the vendor's booth, and both had been stripped of their stolen clothes.

True to their names, Summer wore a sunny yellow bikini set of bra and panties, while Autumn wore an amber T-shirt bra and light brown boyshorts. Both of them had just awoken from their bout of unconsciousness, and neither looked happy.

"Serves you girls right," Ellen said indignantly. "Perhaps Felicia taught you not to mess with other women."

"Come on, let's get out of here," Felicia urged. She was starting to feel uncomfortable, unwillingly drudging up some old memories.

Ellen nodded. "Sure, hon."

The two women left, heading back down the path they had come from.

Summer and Autumn watched them leave, venomous glares in their eyes.

This isn't over, they fumed.

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

Sabira returned to the large warehouse, her mission accomplished. In one hand she clutched a small pocket camera, holding the precious photos she had taken of the government library's top-secret files.

A measured spring in her step, she walked down the corridor, past the gymnasium. From within, Sabira could hear the sounds of training - wrestling, fighting, all sorts of combat to ensure the mercenaries were in top physical form for the mission ahead.

Sabira reached the end of the hall and knocked at Dr. Chen's office.

"Enter," the voice called from within.

Sabira stepped in. Dr. Chen was seated at her computer, brow furrowed as she typed away. She looked up briefly at Sabira.

"Did you get it?"

Sabira held up her camera triumphantly. "All here, boss."

"Just put it on the desk," Chen said. "I still have a lot of work to do before we're ready for NASA."

Sabira set the camera down.

Chen remained focused on her computer. "This is ridiculous. I've been searching the NASA employee database for hours... Can't find what I'm looking for..."

Before Sabira could ask what Chen was looking for, another knock came at the door.

Lana stepped in, holding a cup of coffee. Sabira could see her neck was still a bit bruised where Chen had grabbed her.

"Just set it on the desk," Chen said tersely. Her eyes did not move from the computer screen. "I swear, why is it difficult to find just one employee..."

"Which employee?" Sabira asked.

"Just one woman who could potentially spoil my plans... Aha!" Chen grinned. "Here she is."

Both Sabira and Lana looked at the screen. There was a photo of a young woman - light skin, shoulder-length black hair - in a security guard uniform.

"Her name is Ashley," Dr. Chen mused. "And she's just the woman I was looking for."

"What's so special about her?" Sabira asked.

"A few months ago, I infiltrated NASA as part of a previous plan," Chen explained. "This woman... Ashley... She was the first security guard unlucky enough to cross my path. I knocked her out and stole her uniform... but not before she had recognized and identified me."

Lana's eyes widened. "Hey, I recognize her," she said. "When I infiltrated NASA last year... I knocked her out and stole her uniform too!"

Sabira chuckled. "Sounds like she's quite popular among women in our line of work."

"Be that as it may," Chen intoned, "she represents a liability. Most of NASA doesn't know I'm still alive, and probably wouldn't think to trace these plans back to me. But this Ashley woman... she recognized me. She knows I have a vendetta against NASA. If she notices me there again and alerts the authorities, this whole plan could go up in smoke."

Sabira shrugged. "So we'll take her out... Shouldn't be too difficult. Both of you already have experience with mugging her in the past. Sounds like she's a total pushover."

Lana chuckled. "Sure... she's a complete loser. I wonder if she still remembers me."

"Let's not be glib," Chen said. "I don't want any loose ends. If this woman poses a threat to my plans, I want her taken care of. We may need to dispose of her... along with anyone else who may be able to trace this back to me. Will that be a problem?"

Sabira grinned. "None whatsoever, boss."

"Good." Chen turned back to the computer. "There's one more thing - another woman I worked with some time ago, during a prior NASA infiltration. She has information that could prove useful... Her name is Zuhal, and I need her brought here at once."

[simon4242]

wonderful story.....chandra,sonja and respecially sabira hopefully need to be brought to justice lol justice for gail lol

[tirepanted3]

Certainly some of these characters are deserving of comeuppance - but as we'll soon seen, justice works in mysterious ways.

[simon4242]

yep poor gail took a beating ...revengeeeee lol

[esercito sconfitto]

Autumn and Summer... I am so sorry for them

please mr Tirepanted free them they deserve to strip all the girls they want


PS fantastic addition , a great new chapter

[simon4242]

nope just desserts for autumn and summer ..time for the good girls to win lol

[esercito sconfitto]

Uniform stealing Forever ! UNIFORM STEALING FOREVER! free Autumn and Summer! Let's fight back against the stigma!

[simon4242]

nope autumn and summer must pay lol

[esercito sconfitto]

Must pay what? F/f clothes mugging is not even a crime anymore, but just a new step towards women inclusivity

Defunded Police won't cite, "woke" District Attorney won't charge, "Democratic Party" judges won't convict

Uniform swiping Babes forever!

[simon4242]

rubbish lol inclusivity lol maybe on another planet certainly not on planet earth lol paging Dr smith we need help with patient sconfitto lol