Volume 4: A Most Wanted Woman

[rufusluciusivan]

Of course, Ashley's return was the highlight of this part for me. I guess she's for me a bit like Macha was for other people, a uniform stealing victim I just love to see pop up again and again. The repetitivity is just funny. Loved the little details about how she tried to make her uniform harder to steal. Though it seemed it wasn't enough... Crossing my fingers to see more of her (or at least the aftermath of her scene).

The other scene I enjoyed the most was probably the one with the referee. Especially the little detail showing that Adelaide can improvise on the spot.

Some nice banter with Marina and her teammates complaining that they can only steal certain types of uniforms.

[tirepanted3]

Esercito, don't worry, you'll be seeing the color guards again. The tournament has yet to begin.

Rufusluciusivan, I enjoyed writing the referee scene, since that's another uniform that doesn't get a lot of traction. (Though Trackman used it well in a recent story.) I think uniform steals tend to be particularly interesting when they're directly linked to the plot (i.e. Adelaide needs to pose specifically as the referee to carry out her plan).

Regarding Ashley, I figured people would be happy to see her return. (And I like listening to reader feedback! ) Not yet sure if she's reached the "Paradigm" yet, although she certainly has merited a turnaround of her own by this point. I'd be happy to write more of her, but I also don't want the character turning into a Macha clone, since Macha was very entertaining and unique on her own. But this will likely not be the last time you see her.

[Trackman281]

I've been looking forward to this okay here we go.

Off to a strong and inventive start. Adelaide tricking the guard with a classic, you've got something on your shirt trick. Nicely done.

Yasmin is showing more and more signs that she should be a type of strategist for future adventures, because if she's winning chess games then she kind of has that frame of mind. But this is purely just my opinion.

The following scene with Zuhal, Bridget and Bobbi getting compromised is an interesting one, I'm curious to what's about to happen next.

It seems that Marina's personality is starting to rub off on Cassandra, I for one like that.

Before I carry on and I don't know why but I laughed when Moira was staring at her milk mix in with her coffee, I just pictured standing there watching it go round and round. Sorry I just thought it was funny, nice little comedy surprise there.

Well they say all evil things come in three's so who knows maybe fourth uniform lucky for Ashley next time. I like the use of continued characters like this. Adds a sense of realism that they wouldn't just fire her or replace because of previous USB incidents.

Felicia's discovered more hints at possible alien life eh? Hhhmm I'm curious to know where your going to go with this idea.

Heck of an ending between Bridget, Bobbi, Zuhal, Chandra and Sonja. You've got me hooked.

That was a fantastic read, things are really starting to heat up and I have so many questions about things, and I genuinely can't wait until the next part, I absolutely love this world you've created.

[tirepanted3]

Thanks, and don't worry, all your questions will (hopefully) be answered!

Yasmin might seem like a cunning strategist, but she's also quite volatile and impulsive, as shown in Volume 3. I'm half-certain she was cheating at the chess game.

I added the moment with Moira and her coffee as a little human detail; it's good to add those in now and then. Helps the characters feel more resonant, I think.

Felicia's scene is a connection to her dabbling in alien speculation in the first two volumes (and particularly the coded messages in Vol. 2). I took a break from the NASA and space-related stuff in Vol. 3 for a change of pace, but it's still a key part of the ongoing storyline.

[Trackman281]

Well to be fair still. Cheating at chess still requires some talent as that's a hard game to cheat at when your opponent is looking right back at you the whole time.

Couldn't agree more and it definitely pays off because your characters are definitely three dimensional. It's great.

I do remember the alien sequences from the other volumes, it was just nice to see it pop up again, even if you don't go full reveal and end up deciding to go down an x file type route and only give off little snippets. It's still really cool.

[tirepanted3]

Well, I don't want this to become a full sci-fi series , but I have some ideas for it going forward. In any case, the alien references make for good character and story continuity, which I try to keep a consistent level of between volumes.

[Trackman281]

What ever you have in mind with your chapters. I'm certain I'll enjoy them all.

[tirepanted3]

Prema reclined the seat at the rear of the FBI van and closed her eyes.

It wasn't easy to relax after what she'd been through in the past 12 hours, but she was trying her best. And the women who'd rescued her had been incredibly accommodating. They'd even given her a blanket to keep herself cozy.

Lorelei drove the van through the FBI gates and pulled up to the side entrance.

"Doreen," she said to her comrade. "Why don't you take our fussy prisoner inside and down to the lockup level. Verna and I will park the car and take Ms. Khatri to the debriefing room."

"Roger that, boss." Doreen grabbed Yasmin by the arm. "Come on, crazy lady. They've got a nice prison cell downstairs with your name on it."

"Unhand me, you stupid cow!" Yasmin struggled, but her efforts were futile. Doreen had stuffed her into a tight straitjacket that restricted her every movement.

"Dear, dear... name-calling isn't very ladylike," Doreen smiled as she dragged the squirming Yasmin to the entrance. "We'll have to work on your people skills."

Verna watched her friend disappear inside with Yasmin. "I wish she would take this more seriously... Karima is dangerous, and so are her henchwomen."

Lorelei nodded. "Fair point, but we've caught three of her girls so far. And we'll catch her soon enough."

Verna turned back to Prema, still resting in the back seat. "Honey, do you have any idea why Karima abducted you?"

Prema shook her head. "I think people just like kidnapping me." She chuckled dryly.

"Well, let's get down to the parking garage. After that we'll see about helping you to make sure it won't happen again."

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

"Easy does it. This crate falls, we're both cooked."

Chandra was carefully hoisting one side of a large crate, with Sonja carrying it from the other. The two women were carrying it down to the parking garage.

The side of the crate was marked "Fragile" with a silhouetted picture of a glass on the side. But there was no glass within. Instead, the crate contained the peacefully sleeping, thoroughly bound-and-gagged trio of Bridget, Bobbi, and Zuhal.

Chandra opened the door to the garage with her foot, and the two women eased through. "Now we just need to find some wheels."

"I can hot-wire a vehicle," Sonja offered. "Did it all the time in the SVR."

Chandra watched as a large van drove into the corridor. "That won't be necessary."

The van parked into one of the Reserved spaces. Two women in FBI tactical gear got out of the front.

"Hope Doreen doesn't have any trouble with that prisoner," Lorelei said.

"I'd worry more about the prisoner having trouble with Doreen," Verna chuckled.

Prema was also about to exit the vehicle when, from behind the tinted windows, she saw woman with a crafty smile approach the federal agents.

"Hello, Lorelei," Chandra smiled.

Lorelei's eyes raised. "What are you doing down here, Agent? And... why are you dressed as a technician?"

"Yeah, about that," Chandra stepped closer. "It's been fun snooping around here these last few days, but... well, it's about time we were off."

So saying, she rammed her knee into Lorelei's crotch. The blonde gasped and doubled up in pain.

"Guess the body armor doesn't protect that area," Chandra mused.

Verna pulled out her gun. "Freeze, bit... uugh!"

For the second time in the past hour, Verna had her gun kicked out of her hands. She cursed and glared at Sonja.

"You'll pay for that," she said through gritted teeth, clenching her fists.

"Try it, malishka," Sonja cooed, striking a judo pose.

"Kick her ass, honey," Chandra smiled. But, momentarily distracted, she did not notice a groggy but still conscious Lorelei stagger to her feet, and lunge at her.

"Oof!" Chandra was shoved back, back against one of the granite beams that lined the garage. Pain shot up her spine as it hit solid rock, and she slid to the floor.

Lifting one of her heavy, steel-toed boots, Lorelei prepared to stomp on Chandra's head. The tan-skinned woman swiftly rolled out of the way, the boot slamming down an inch from her ear.

Close call. Obviously, Lorelei was no pushover. Chandra needed to end the fight quickly... but her back was badly hurt.

Fortunately, Sonja sent her an assist - through the aid of a flying Verna. The dark-skinned FBI agent collided with her superior, sending them both to the floor.

Lorelei tried to crawl out from under Verna's unconscious body, but she struggled beneath the weight.

Chandra smiled. "Hold that pose, sweetheart." She kicked out, her foot slamming into Lorelei's jaw. The agent fell unconscious beneath her friend.

Chandra held out her hand. "Help me up, Sonj. Feels like the blonde bitch fractured my spine."

Sonja obliged. "You okay? Sure you can walk?"

"Of course," Chandra said, wincing slightly as she stood. "I've been worse. Come on, let's get these two out of sight."

They dragged the defeated Lorelei and Verna behind one of the larger beams, into the shadowy alcove beneath the stairwell.

Ten minutes later, Chandra and Sonja emerged from the alcove, dressed in new sets of body armor. They adjusted their outfits and were satisfied with the fit.

"We could have just reused the uniforms we'd stolen from Tessa and Mallory," Sonja pointed out.

"I suppose," Chandra mused. "But that would require us to go back through the building, and we've covered enough ground without raising suspicion there. Besides," she nodded in the direction of the alcove, "those snooty bitches needed a lesson."

Sonja gave a last glance into the alcove. Their two victims were resting peacefully, Lorelei's head on Verna's breasts. Lorelei was dressed in a flora violet bra and matching hipsters; Verna wore a chartreuse sports bra and off-white boyshorts.

"Sleep well, dorogayas," she smiled.

Chandra had popped open the crate and was tossing the three women inside in the back of the van. "Wish I knew Russian... Such a fun language to taunt people in."

"I can teach you if you want," Sonja offered. "My rates aren't too high."

Chandra laughed as she shut the rear doors of the van. "Maybe later. For now... let's drive these ladies out of here and do a little 'enhanced interrogation'... okay?"

Sonja nodded as the two piled into the front of the vehicle. "Sounds like a plan."

As the engine started, neither women noticed movement from the rear of the vehicle. Prema peeked out from beneath the blanket, which she had draped over herself while lying on the floor.

She had not had the courage to exit the van while Lorelei and Verna were attacked. So now she was stuck... stuck with two insane women in the front seat planning who knows what.

Prema glanced at one of the bound-and-gagged, underwear-clad women on the floor beside her. She gasped.

It was Bridget.

What's she doing here? Or do I not want to know? Prema recognized Bobbi... but the third woman on the floor was not Felicia.

That's... Zuhal? She worked with that crazy Dr. Chen. What's going on?

Prema remembered how Zuhal had stuffed her, bound-and-gagged, into the back of an FBI van. Now Zuhal herself was bound and gagged in the back of another FBI van. Prema couldn't help but smile at the irony.

As the van pulled out of the parking lot, it hit a bump. Prema felt herself jolted. She bit her lip, trying not to cry out.

If those women driving the van find me back here... I'm dead.

Looks like she'd once again need Bridget's help. Although this time, she would need to help her first.

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

"Let the games begin!"

The color guard teams filed onto the field. The Tampa Tigresses looked splendid in their hot pink leotards; the the Miami Maples radiant in orange; the Orlando Opals gorgeous in dark blue.

For some reason, the Jacksonville Jades had not shown up. Being rather antsy for a tournament, the other teams had decided to compete without them. Besides, the crowd in the stands deserved their money's worth.

The three other coaches - Joanna, Lucia, and Annette - approached each other and shook hands.

"May the best team win," Joanna smiled.

But even as she said it, her eyes glanced over to the referee by the sidelines. The referee winked at her.

Joanna smiled. Adelaide had successfully infiltrated the stadium and replaced the real referee. Tampa would almost certainly win now.

Lucia had no idea that the referee was an impostor, but anyway, her mind was distracted by other things. She had hired the Saboteuses to plant their small but harmless bomb - hopefully, it would go off within the half-hour.

Annette was completely unaware that her two fellow coaches had planned elaborate cheating schemes. She was prepared to win the color guard tournament the honest way.

She approached her team and smiled. "Okay, girls... Since Jacksonville didn't show up, we're set to go first. Ready?"

Five of the girls cheered. The sixth one merely smiled, then remembered to cheer with the rest.

Farah felt her cheeks getting warm. She couldn't risk blowing her cover now.

Thankfully, her youth had allowed her to blend in easily with the other color guard girls, who were either too dumb or too distracted (perhaps both) to notice that one of their own had been replaced.

Farah smiled as she eyed the other teams. So many beautiful girls... and she would capture them all. Already she could see the dollar signs flash before her eyes.

Then something else flashed before her eyes - the sight of the referee. Farah's eyebrows raised. No question, it was Adelaide in disguise.

"This day just keeps getting better and better," she smiled to herself. Getting revenge on Adelaide would be the cherry on top of today's ice cream sundae.

As Farah began to plot and plan, she did not notice the two uniformed security guards skulking their way past through the stadium corridor behind her.

"Let's hurry it up," Cassandra said. "We need to get out of here before someone wonders what happened to the real guards."

"I know, I know." Marina carefully held the small black box beneath a towel. "But we need to plant the bomb somewhere where it won't seriously hurt anyone. And it's a pretty crowded stadium."

"That restroom," Cassandra pointed. "It's closed for cleaning."

Marina smiled. "Looks like it's about to be... renovated."

Cassandra sighed as they approached the restroom. "Always with the jokes."

"It's how I get through the day."

After planting the bomb beneath one of the sinks and setting the timer for thirty minutes, the two Saboteuses headed for the exit.

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

"Come on, honey-pie, get moving."

Doreen pushed Yasmin forward as they headed down the corridor. The handcuffed woman simply glared at her FBI captor.

"Soon as we get you locked away downstairs, you're going to spill all the beans you have on Karima."

Yasmin remained tight-lipped. She was scanning the surrounding area. There had to be a means of escape... but how?

"Keeping quiet, eh?" Doreen laughed. "Well, don't worry... ve have vays of making you talk."

The corridor was empty, apart from the two of them. Yasmin just needed the right opportunity...

At that moment, the loudspeaker blared overhead. "Delta Squad, assemble in the northwestern corridor. Delta Squad, assemble..."

Doreen looked up. "Sounds like another fun mission... Too bad I'm not part of Delta... I'm still in the mood for more action tod... Ooougghh!"

Yasmin took advantage of the momentary distraction to punch Doreen in the stomach. Then she hit the security officer with a number of karate blows. Doreen fell to the floor, out like a light.

"Idiot," Yasmin smiled.

Footsteps - running footsteps - echoed down the corridor. Yasmin quickly grabbed Doreen by her underarms and dragged her into a nearby closet.

They got out of sight just in time. Four women in black combat gear jogged past, headed for the northwestern corridor. Delta Squad, no doubt.

Once they had gone, Yasmin turned her attention back to Doreen. She used the keys from the agent's belt to unlock her handcuffs. Then her brow furrowed. "You're a little tall for me," she said. "Not sure I could convincingly get out of here in your uniform."

Then, another set of running footsteps. Yasmin peeked out into the corridor to see one more FBI agent heading down the hall.

"Happens every time," she muttered. "We always get the call when I'm in the bathroom."

The straggler wore black combat gear - shirt, pants, Kevlar vest. Her black combat boots drummed against the floor. She had an angular face, white skin, and strands of reddish-brown hair stuck out beneath her helmet and above her sunglasses. More importantly, she was the correct size.

As the woman passed by the closet, Yasmin stuck out her arm. The agent slammed into it, knocking her off-balance. Before she could get to her feet, Yasmin had trapped her in a viselike sleeper hold.

"Perhaps this will teach you not to be late," she chuckled as she dragged the insensible girl back into the closet.

Yasmin stripped the woman of her boots and combat uniform. This left her down to a green Wonderbra and lavender hiphuggers with a sequined pattern.

Yasmin found some a roll of tape on one of the closet's higher shelves. This she used to secure the underwear-clad woman's wrists and ankles. She wound a thick piece over the woman's mouth. "There, that should hold you. Now for the other bitch..."

"Like I said," a voice came from behind her, "that isn't very ladylike."

Yasmin whirled. Doreen had regained consciousness, and was now pointing a gun at her.

"No!"

"Yes," Doreen smiled. "Should've tied me up first, hon." She looked over at Yasmin's prisoner. "Oof, poor Parker. She's gonna be pretty cranky when she wakes up."

She grabbed the handcuffs and once again snapped them shut on Yasmin's wrists. "Well, I'll free her later. First priority is getting you safely locked away."

Yasmin cursed angrily as she was led out of the closet and back toward the elevators. "You'll be sorry for this. Just wait till Karima gets here."

Doreen laughed. "She will... soon enough."

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

Moira hated long car rides on a good day. She definitely hated one on what was clearly becoming an awful day. Bound and gagged, stuffed into a trash bag, secured at the rear of an old van that smelled of old fish, and travelling across a bumpy road to god-knows-where.

To add insult to injury, Linda was a rock music fan, and insisted on playing it over the van's radio as it juddered along the pathway. Moira hated rock, but the trash bag wasn't close to being soundproof - and she had no ability to cover her ears or ask that her driver change to a pop music station.

Just kill me now, she thought. Wait, on second thought... don't. I wanna live. Please.

After what seemed like an eternity and a half, the van finally rolled to a stop. Moira had no clue where they were, though she could hear the sound of flowing water and crashing waves.

Sounds like we're near the ocean... But I live too far inland for that. Maybe it's Saint Johns River?

Moira gulped. What did her captor have planned?

She heard the rear doors of the van open, and felt two powerful hands reach out and grab the bag, dragging her out into the open.

This is just like one of those old mob movies! Moira felt her heart pound. She's going to send me up the river... literally! She tried struggling, but it was no use.

Finally, she was dropped on the grass. A knife blade poked its way into the bag. Moira initially felt extra-frightened, before she realized that her captor was cutting the bag open.

Moira squinted in the sunlight. She was at the river's edge; the occasional spray of foam from the rushing rapids tickled her face.

It could have felt nice... if the whole situation wasn't terrifying.

Linda bent over and looked Moira square in the eye. The helpless blonde shrank back.

"Here's how this works, Ms. Mills," Linda said calmly. "I know you're trying to write a story about Rucon. I know you tied up one of our employees and took her uniform so you could sneak around and spy on us. Well, know this: Your little spying game stops now."

She twirled the knife between her fingers. "If you continue investigating Rucon... if a single word about that facility gets published in your media rag... I will find you. And I will kill you, along with all those you keep close. Is that clear?"

Moira was nearly frozen with shock. Linda used her knife blade to pry the gag loose. "Is that clear?"

Moira nodded, slowly, then more quickly. "Y... yes. Yes, yes. I swear I'll stop writing."

Linda smiled. "That's a good girl."

Then she grabbed Moira's shoulder and dragged her along the river's edge.

"Ow, hey! What are you doing?"

"Just giving you some privacy," Linda smiled.

"Please, I said I wouldn't write about it, and I meant it!"

"I think you did," Linda replied. "But you still need a bit of a 'time-out', as it were."

She dragged Moira into some riverside flora. "Just take some time to think over what you've done. Eventually, if you're lucky enough, you may be able to get free and find your way home."

"Please, I... mmmpphhhhh!"

Linda slapped a fresh piece of duct tape over Moira's mouth. "So long, honey," she laughed.

Returning to her vehicle, Linda hummed herself a jaunty tune. It had been a productive morning, and she was about ready for a quick brunch.

Stepping into the driver's seat, she opened her satchel. Inside was a couple of onion bagels. She had swiped them from the breakfast cart at the hotel after mugging the room service attendant.

Linda sniffed one bagel and took a bite. Delicious. Too bad most of the uniforms she stole didn't come with food.

She started the van and dialed up her boss.

"Yes?" Cheryl's voice came through the speaker. "What happened?"

"All taken care of," Linda smiled between bites. "That pesky reporter won't bother you again."

"Excellent," Cheryl chuckled. "Sounds like you're about due for a salary raise, Linda."

Linda swallowed another bite. "Thanks, boss." She smiled as she drove the van back on the roadway.

Moira was left, cold and shivering, at the riverside, wondering how she would ever get free or get home.

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

The old storage house had been built in the 1950s, during the economic boom of the postwar years. But it had been abandoned by workers decades ago. Now it sat in the lonely corner of its small, once-bustling town, its paint chipped and its windows cracked.

To a normal outsider, it was simply an old, abandoned building, not worth any attention. But Willa was no ordinary outsider. Watching the building from the garage across the street, she noticed the little details - the lack of rust around the door, the dim light from behind the grime-coated windows. Yes, this was certainly Toshiko's hideout.

Willa had traced the phone call from Valencia's mansion to this area, and had searched a few other buildings. But she quickly deduced that this one had to be the "secret" hideout of the Saboteuses. It was simply too obvious.

Willa pondered her options, searching for a way to approach the warehouse inconspicuously. In her butler outfit of black suit and bowtie, she looked rather out of place.

At that moment, fortunately, an opportunity arrived.

The girl on the bike appeared to be in her mid-twenties - tall, dark hair, ovular features.She wore a green-and-white checkered blouse, a dark green skirt, and sneakers. Her light green baseball cap read "Sushi Sweet", and there was a large food carton in the bike's basket. She was obviously making a delivery.

The girl rolled her bike to a stop across the street from the storage house and hopped off. She stood, her back to the garage and to Willa, checking the address on the package.

"Someone really lives there?" she wondered aloud. Then, hoisting the package, she prepared to cross the avenue.

"Excuse me, ma'am."

Willa had been trained to be a proper butler from a young age. The first rule of that meant being polite - addressing others as "sir" or "ma'am" had become second nature for her.

The sushi girl turned. "Um... hi?"

"Good day," Willa smiled. "I hate to trouble you when you're obviously busy with work, but would you mind doing me a favor?"

The delivery girl was on a time budget. Still, something about this elegant blonde made her curious. "What kind of favor?"

Willa beckoned her closer. "I wish to make use of your uniform," she said. "Purely for professional purposes, of course. I shall return it when I'm done."

"My... uniform?" the sushi girl asked quizzically.

Willa nodded. "Yes, please. I'll need all your clothes to effect the disguise. Except your underwear, obviously," she added.

The sushi girl laughed. "Weirdo." She turned to leave.

Willa sighed. Though she was no stranger to disguises, she always found it polite to ask the owners of her desired uniforms if they would surrender their clothes willingly. But with one or two exceptions, most women she came across were unwilling to part with their uniforms. And so Willa would have to resort to more direct forms of action.

Her arm looped around the sushi girl's neck. With a sharp, guttural noise, the brunette was pulled back into the shadowy garage.

"My most sincere apologies," Willa said, pinning the girl's arms to her sides. "I promise to make this experience as painless as possible."

The sushi girl struggled, her feet scuffing the ground. Willa allowed her a few seconds to tire herself out.

Once the girl realized that escape was impossible, Willa continued. "In my experience of tying up women - and I've had plenty of experience - I've found that most girls prefer to be bound with ropes and cloths, rather than duct tape. It's less painful to untie ropes than to peel off tape. On the other hand, tight rope bindings are likely to give people cramps. Do you have a preference?"

The sushi girl began struggling again. "Don't... wanna be... tied up..."

"I understand that, ma'am," Willa said. "But I'm afraid you'll need to be restrained and hidden while I carry out my plan. I can't risk an underwear-clad girl running around and potentially blowing my cover. Now, please answer the question. Ropes or tape?"

The girl didn't know what to say. "R... ropes?"

"Excellent choice," Willa smiled. "Next question: What sort of knots would you prefer? I was a girl scout for many years, and can do all sorts of..."

"You're insane! Let me go!" The sushi girl tried to break away again.

"I guess we'll just skip the questions," Willa sighed again. She applied pressure to the base of the girl's neck. The brunette squeaked briefly, then crumpled in Willa's arms.

She dragged the girl to a table, lay her down upon its surface, and stripped her. Before long, the girl was down to her vanilla-colored bikini bra and lime seamless panties.

Willa located some thick but pliable ropes in the corner of the closet. These she used to bind the sushi girl in a spread-eagle position, securing one limb to each of the four table legs. A pile of old washrags sat in another corner. Willa picked out the cleanest one she could find and used it to gag the girl.

"Someone will find you eventually," she assured her slowly-stirring victim. "Just stay calm until then."

As the sushi girl regained consciousness, she was treated to the sight of Willa dressing in her uniform and sneakers.

"A beautiful fit," Willa smiled as she adjusted the cap. "Have a pleasant day."

The sushi girl began to moan and struggle as Willa exited the garage, shutting the large door behind her.

Willa turned toward the storage house, food package in hand. It was time to make her delivery.

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

I'm so fired, Ashley thought to herself.

She had just regained consciousness and had quickly become aware of her situation. Stripped to her coral sports bra and orange boyshorts, bound with wires and gagged with tape. Watching as Dr. Chen now fit herself snugly into her uniform.

Three times. Not even a question. I might as well pack my bags now.

Dr. Chen adjusted her uniform cap, and turned to Lucinda and Meredith. "Stay here and keep an eye on her. I'll be back shortly with two more uniforms."

Well... not right now. Can't pack bags when I'm tied up. But whenever I get free...

Once Dr. Chen had left, Lucinda turned to Meredith. "Honey, you okay? You seemed tense earlier."

Meredith sighed. "I'm... I'm okay. I just worry... You're spending so much time talking to Chen, and not enough time talking to me."

Uh-oh... Sounds like these two are having a lovers' quarrel...

Lucinda stroked Meredith's cheek. "Sweetie, it's not like that. She's just helping us along now. You're the one I've married, the one I've pledged my life to."

Meredith pulled away. "I know... I know. But I feel like Chen is coming between us. That her 'revenge' plan is controlling our lives now."

"Meredith, listen to me. We control our lives. No one else. Chen is just a detail."

Wish i had some popcorn while watching this. Not that I could eat it, what with being gagged and all.

"Do you want to quit?" Lucinda asked. "We can quit the whole plan if you want. I promise."

Great. They go to all this trouble to steal my uniform, and now they're not even interested in using it.

Meredith smiled. "I appreciate your saying that... but the truth is, I do want revenge. Not against NASA or whatever, but against Bridget... Prema... Moira..."

"I understand. And don't worry... we'll get them soon enough."

How sweet.

Lucinda looked up. "Ah, here comes Chen with our new disguises."

Dr. Chen was indeed returning, with two other guards behind her. "Right this way," she was saying. "I know I heard suspicious noises behind these bushes."

Ashley could see them from between the leaves. Oh, great... She found Kathleen and Tabitha. Turn back, girls, it's a trap...

The women were two of the taller and more athletic guards at NASA, dressed in similar uniforms to the one Ashley had recently been robbed of. Kathleen had light skin and shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair, while Tabitha had tan skin and blonde hair in a short tomboy style.

Maybe they're smarter than I am... Maybe they won't go walking blindly into a trap like amateurs...

The two guards stepped behind the bushes. they immediately caught sight of their fellow guard in her current and rather unprofessional state.

"Ashley?" Kathleen gasped. "What the hell's going - mmmmmppphhh!"

Lucinda had handgagged her from behind. "Naptime!"

Meredith hit Tabitha with a neck chop. "That was gonna be my line, honey."

"Get your own material," Lucinda laughed as she applied a sleeper hold to Kathleen's neck.

Ashley watched helplessly as her two fellow guards slipped into unconsciousness.

This isn't fair... it isn't right. And I think today is Tabitha's birthday. She doesn't deserve this now.

Meredith and Lucinda stripped the two women in tandem. Before long, the guards were uniform-free. Kathleen wore a honey-colored bikini bra and purple control briefs; Tabitha wore an orange plunge bra and aqua-colored boyshorts.

"Get dressed," Chen ordered her two accomplices. "I'll tie these two jokers up."

She did just that, using spare wires and tape from her pack. Ashley caught a glimpse of the open pack, and what looked to be a gleaming metal handgun inside. It did not look like any gun Ashley was familiar with.

What is going on? What is this woman planning?

By the time Chen had finished, Meredith and Lucinda had fully dressed themselves in the security uniforms.

"How do I look?" Lucinda asked.

Meredith smiled. "Gorgeous as ever."

"I know," Lucinda laughed. "I just like hearing you say it."

"Enough, lovebirds," Chen said. "Let's get moving."

The three women stepped from the bushes and headed for the facility, leaving the three captives behind.

Slowly, Kathleen and Tabitha began to stir. They awoke, stunned by their current predicament, and began trying desperately - but pointlessly - to free themselves.

Ashley gave them a sympathetic nod.

First time, girls? she thought. Welcome to the club.

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

Karima pulled the van to a stop on the lonely road beside the river.

She was silent for a moment, then banged her fist on the dashboard. "Damn it!"

"It's okay, boss," Sabira said. "We're safe. No one's following us."

"We were this close to being caught," Karima said angrily. "I was careless. I was stupid."

"You weren't stupid..."

"I was very stupid." Karima opened the door and stepped out. "And because of me, Yasmin has probably been caught."

Sabira followed her. "Karima, wait up..."

"Everyone who worked for me has been caught. Or betrayed me. Or both." Karima reached the river. She plopped down and stared angrily at the water.

Sabira approached. "I'm still here," she offered.

Karima grumbled something.

Sabira sat down beside her. "Karima, listen... You are the strongest, smartest, bravest woman I know. And it's been my privilege to work for you these past five years. Sure, we've had some setbacks... but we're still here. Still free to do what we please."

Karima sighed. Then she looked at her henchwoman and managed a small smile.

"You're the only one, Sabi. The only one who never left me."

"And I never will. I swear."

Karima looked back at the water. "I don't like it when people leave me," she said. "They've been doing that my whole life. My father, my mother... my cousin..."

"Cousin?"

Karima nodded. "Haven't seen her in years. She was just a kid. I was taking care of her... Came home one day and she had vanished."

Sabira squeezed her hand. "I had no idea..."

Karima suddenly stood up. "Enough of this... enough self-pity. Like you said, we're still free. Still active."

Sabira nodded. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to reclaim my position... as the top renegade in the tri-state area. We had that title stolen from us... by the Bombshelles, and now the Saboteuses. I hate competition."

She took out her phone and began searching the web. "I hacked the Saboteuses' emails... they've got a job today at some color guard tournament."

"What do you propose?"

"I... propose... we intercept them and show them who's boss." Karima smiled wickedly.

Sabira always loved to see that special smile spread across her employer's face. "Let's do it."

The two women returned to the van. Karima began explaining the details of her plan, as Sabira listened eagerly.

They did not notice the bushes softly rustle behind them.

Moira couldn't believe what she was hearing. Karima... Sabira... the Saboteuses... Bridget had written about these names in the past. She had... not said good things.

Although Moira desperately wanted to be rescued from her current bound-and-gagged state, she was likely fortunate that those two women had not stumbled upon her.

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

Felicia reached the main floor of the FBI facility, still trying to reach Bridget. "Come on... pick up..."

Why wasn't she answering? Could something have happened? A feeling of panic began creeping into Felicia's head.

"No... no... stay calm." She tapped a few buttons on her own phone. "You can track her cell, remember?"

Felciia scanned the screen for the location of Bridget's phone. It was outside the FBI building... and rapidly heading west.

Why would she leave? She wouldn't, without letting Felicia know. Something had happened. The plan had gone sideways...

She needed to follow the signal. But to do that, she'd need an FBI vehicle... preferably a fast one. But to get one of those, she'd need to be wearing the right clothes.

Perhaps it was time to mug someone? After all, this could be an emergency. What if her friends were in danger? She would have to start stealing clothes again, bets be damned...

At that moment, she heard a steady thumping coming from a nearby closet.

Felicia peeked inside and gasped. On the floor of the closet was a young brunette, taped up and gagged and half-naked. Beside her wriggling form was an FBI uniform of black body armor and boots.

Felicia approached the helpless girl, who was trying desperately to reach a small penknife from the uniform belt with her feet. She looked up as Felicia stood over her.

"Is this your uniform?"

The woman nodded. She moaned into her gag.

Felicia considered. Someone had gone to all this trouble to strip this girl and tie her up, and had not even bothered to steal her uniform.

Then she grinned. She had promised not to mug other women of their uniforms... but that didn't mean she couldn't steal uniforms from women mugged by other people!

Happily, she removed her lab coat and began dressing in the combat gear, while the real FBI agent looked on in shock.

"Sorry... Parker," Felicia read the woman's ID card. "But it'd be a shame to let these clothes go to waste."

Parker grunted into her gag as Felicia laced up the boots and adjusted the helmet and sunglasses.

"Thank you for this... really," Felicia smiled. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some friends to rescue."

She left the closet and shut the door, leaving a hopelessly confused woman trapped inside.

[rufusluciusivan]

Two surreal situations for the price of one:
- Willa allowing the sushi girl to choose how she would like to be trussed up (and the other even briefly playing along in a way).
- And Ashley's detached observations of what is happening around her. (Though it's not as if she could do something else in her current position). Her last remark makes me think that these women should create something like the Mugged Anonymous. Too bad for Ashley, it looks like she won't be able to follow the Paradigm this time... Wish i had some popcorn while watching this. Not that I could eat it, what with being gagged and all. That line alone makes her worthy of being a recurring character!
Humorous additions and, as always, a way to diversify the USB scenes.

I don't know which one is the most unlucky: Moira or Prema.

Felicia's running gag continue, and you manage to incorporate a nice twist to it. Good job. Poor Parker though...

I noticed that for uniform stealers, Bridget and Bobbi regularly end up as victims as well. Perhaps some form of karmic irony?

We learn more about Karima's backstory. Though she remains very unsympathetic in my eyes, I really like the fact that you're developping her as a character.

Quick question though: Is the climax of the story near? It looks like a number of things are about to be resolved. We've already discussed this extensively after the end of Volume 3, and you've already made your point about your preference of multi-thread stories, so I don't want to become annoying about that topic... But I have again the feeling that too many plotlines are going on at the same time, meaning that too much time passes sometimes between two parts of a specific plotline, therefore I'd be curious to see if some of them will be resolved here.
(On a side note, I think you said at one point how many volumes you had planned but I don't remember where - is it 5 or 6 volumes for this saga?)

[tirepanted3]

I'm always looking for new ways to create new types of USB scenes. Willa presented one opportunity, since she's a new character (apart from her brief appearance in Volume 3). And Ashley's commentary presented another. She's fun to write for, certainly, and this will probably not be the last we see of her. (Though whether she follows the Paradigm next time remains to be seen... )

I think Prema is unluckier than Moira, since Moira goes looking for trouble regularly, while Prema just has bad luck following her no matter how quaintly she wants to settle down.She's probably the most down-to-earth character in the series.

I wasn't sure how to get Felicia a new disguise without breaking her rule, but Yasmin/Parker presented a good opportunity. Glad you're still enjoying her little running gag.

Bridget and Bobbi (and Felicia, when she's with them) do get mugged a lot by the series' villains. Since they're the standard "heroes" of the saga, it only stands to reason that they'd be captured a lot. Though perhaps it is a fitting form of karma as well.

Karima's development is important to this volume, as you'll soon see. I understand she isn't very sympathetic, but her character arc is heading somewhere quite pivotal.

I wouldn't say the climax of the story is here yet, although Volume 4 is certainly more than halfway over by this point. I hear your criticism about having too many story threads, so don't worry - a lot of these different plotlines will start tying together in the next couple of chapters. The color guard storyline is more than just a subplot, as you will see very soon. And yes, certain ongoing storylines will be resolved before this volume ends.

There will definitely be a Volume 5, and possibly a Volume 6. It depends on whether I can think of enough story to justify new volumes. Perhaps I'll do what you did with "To Overthrow the Utopia" - end the original story with Volume 5, but continue with a new saga with the same characters. We'll see how it goes.