Madame Mayor - Chapter 1: The Interview

[tirepanted3]

Hi, everyone. It's been a little while since I attempted a long-form story, as I've been mostly focusing on short, generally self-contained stories as of late. But I couldn't resist the draw of writing another long, multi-chapter story to carry on certain arcs from the Spacesuit saga.

For reference, this story will incorporate elements set up in recent short stories, like "Bar Night", "Three Types of Art", "A New Complication", and "Six Uniform Steals Before Breakfast."

Hopefully it will still be easy enough to follow even if you haven’t read all those prior stories. In any event, please enjoy.

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Madame Mayor


Part 1


The prison transport van rumbled down the long gravel roadway. At this hour of night, there were no other vehicles in sight.

The van was heavily armored and well-equipped to deal with the prisoners it transported. Four guards rode inside – two in the cab up front, and two in in the rear. A thick metal wall separated the front and rear sections of the truck, ensuring the prisoners could do little to bother the driver.

Such security measures were important - after all, the van contained five dangerous convicts currently being transported to a maximum security prison.

The convicts were all women – Russian by nationality. They and their associates had been captured months ago in a daring attempt to sabotage the American space program at NASA.

Despite rigorous interrogation, the women had refused to give up the names or contacts of their superiors, or anything beyond their own names and nationality. Understandable, as they were all well-trained to withstand any pressure from the American judicial system.

The state police had determined that the best way to weaken the Russian women’s resolve would be to divide them up. Five of them were in the process of being transported to a women’s correctional facility in upstate Florida; the rest were taken to a federal prison in New York.

The five women on the Florida transport truck were silent, unmoving as they sat in the rear of the rumbling vehicle, hands cuffed behind their backs.

The leader of these women was Katerina, a light-skinned woman with blonde hair tied back in a short ponytail. She fixed the two guards seated across from her with a steely glare.

Beside her was Alisa, the shortest of the group, a fair-skinned woman with jet-black hair tied in two plaited pigtails. She kept her eyes cast downward, refusing to even give the guards a glance.

At Katerina’s other side was Olga, an alabaster-skinned woman with shoulder-length red hair. A former athletic star, she scowled but remained as silent as her compatriots.

Sitting on the bench perpendicular to these three women was Marta, a tall, athletic woman with olive skin and close-cut dark brown hair. She occasionally glared at the guards, but for the most part kept her gaze to the floor.

And sitting beside her was the fifth and youngest member of the team – Svetlana, a woman with light skin and long black hair. She had her head tilted back and her eyes closed.

The two guards seated with these five prisoners were heavily armored, dressed in dark grey Kevlar suits with black gloves and steel-tipped boots. Each woman had a black weapons belt strapped around her waist, with a revolver and knife strapped to the side. The guards’ black metal helmets lay on the floor at their feet.

The first guard smirked at the five prisoners. “Not so high and mighty anymore, are you?” she taunted. A broad-shouldered, athletic Asian woman with light skin and oil-black hair tied back in a strict conservative bun, she surveyed the prisoners with an air of triumph. “Now that you’ll all be locked away for the next few decades.”

Her partner, a similarly muscular woman with tanned skin and close-cropped, lavender-dyed hair, gave a chuckle. “Don’t tease them, Yumiko. They look mad.”

Yumiko rolled her eyes. “Gotta have some fun on the job, Sutton. Besides, they’re all handcuffed. What are they gonna do, frown at me?”

She smiled at Katerina. “You’ve been frowning at me all night, haven’t you, blondie? If you keep making that face, it’ll freeze in that position.”

Katerina’s eyes narrowed. Then, for the first time since the ride began, she spoke. “You would do best to heed your friend’s advice.”

Yumiko raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And why is that?”

“Because in a few minutes,” Katerina said, “you will be the one wearing handcuffs.”

Yumiko and Sutton exchanged a glance. Then Yumiko laughed. “There’s no chance you’ll break out of those handcuffs. Solid steel, state-of-the-art. You might as well try to break a diamond.”

“I’m not going to break them,” Katerina replied coolly. “You are going to take your key and unlock them.”

Yumiko smirked again. “And why the hell would I do something like that?”

“Because,” Katerina replied, “it’s the only way to ensure you continue breathing.”

At that moment, Svetlana’s eyes sprang open. She kicked out with her right foot, catching one of the guard’s helmets off the floor and sending it through the air – right at Sutton’s head.

With a grunt, Sutton fell forward. Marta reacted quickly, slamming her foot into the guard’s jaw. The officer fell to the floor and lay still.

It all took less than three seconds. Yumiko’s eyes widened, and she reached for her gun. “You…”

However, to unholster her weapon, she had to stand up – and that was her mistake. The moment she got to her feet, Olga stuck out one of her long legs, tripping the guard.

Yumiko fell forward, but did not hit the ground. Alisa caught her own legs around the guard’s throat, squeezing tight.

“Ghhkkk…” Yumiko could neither move nor breathe. Her eyes bulged in fright.

“Now,” Katerina said calmly. “By my estimation, you have about twenty seconds before Alisa’s hold renders you unconscious… and another ten seconds after that before you never wake up. I suggest you use the time you have wisely… by taking your keys and uncuffing my wrists.”

Yumiko tried to break free of Alisa’s grip, but the woman’s legs merely tightened around her neck.

“Tick-tock,” Katerina said. “Choose your fate, quickly.”

Yumiko relented. She fumbled for the keys at her belt, then held them out.

Katerina turned and held out her cuffs. “Unlock them.”

Hands shaking, Yumiko inserted the key and, with a last reserve of strength, turned it. Then she groaned and slipped into unconsciousness.

Katerina smiled and let the handcuffs slide from her wrists. “Ah, that’s better. Good teamwork, girls.”

She turned to Alisa, who still had her legs wrapped around the woman’s neck. “You can let her go, Alisa. Better to keep her alive… Dead bodies are such a pain to deal with.”

Alisa nodded and relaxed her grip. Yumiko slid to the floor with a thud beside her partner.

From the cab of the truck came the driver’s voice. “Everything okay back there?”

Katerina motioned for her teammates to be quiet, then spoke in a perfect approximation of Yumiko’s voice. “All good. One of these dumb bitches was getting rowdy, but we shut her up.”

Then she turned to her teammates, holding up the ring of keys. Her associates nodded.

Moments later, four more pairs of handcuffs clattered to the floor.

Katerina turned to Marta and Alisa. “You two are closest in size to these two imbeciles. Get changed, swiftly.”

Her associates nodded, and swiftly began divesting the unconscious Yumiko and Sutton of their garb.

The underwear of the two security guards provided quite a contrast to their imposing uniforms. Yumiko wore a white racerback bra dotted with pink hearts, and a pair of aqua-blue bikini shorts. Sutton wore a lavender cami top and lime-green tanga panties.

“Use the handcuffs to restrain them,” Katerina ordered Olga and Svetlana while Marta and Alisa donned their new disguises. “And gag them with strips from your prison uniforms.”

The women worked quickly and diligently. Within minutes, the real guards were restrained and their two “substitutes” were ready for action.

Katerina resumed her imitation of Yumiko’s voice, calling to the front of the truck. “Hey… I think one of these dumb prisoners needs a bathroom break.”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere,” the driver called back.

“Just pull over for a minute,” Katerina replied. “She can piss in the bushes.”

There was a pause. “All right, then…”

The van slowed and pulled over to the side of the road.

“Give us a second,” the driver called. “We’ll unlock the rear door from the outside.”

There came the sound of the front doors opening, and two pairs of boots hitting wet grass. The footsteps circled round to the rear of the truck.

Then the sound of a lock being unbolted. The doors swung open.

Two women now stood outside the van, both dressed in uniforms identical to those worn by their partners. The driver, a light-skinned woman with honey-blonde hair in French braids, and her fellow securirty guard, a dark-skinned woman with black hair in a low ponytail.

They eyed the two uniformed women inside the dark van, assuming both to be their fellow security officers.

“All right,” the driver demanded. “Where’s the prisoner who can’t wait till we get to our destination?”

Marta and Alisa stepped forward into view, the moonlight glinting off their teeth as they smiled down at the two officers.

The blonde’s eyes widened. “What the…”

BAMM! Marta’s booted foot took her out of commission. The blonde slumped to the grass.

The black officer reached for her weapon, but Marta and Alisa already had theirs drawn.

“Drop it,” Katerina ordered the officer.

The woman obeyed, raising her hands once she did so. Only now did she catch sight of her two associates, lying bound and gagged on the floor of the van.

“Good,” Katerina nodded. “Now drag your friend into those nearby bushes… Strip her, then yourself. Don’t try any tricks… We’re already behind schedule, and we will not hesitate to kill you if you give us reason to do so.”

The guard gulped. She lifted her unconscious friend by the underarms and dragged her over to the bushes. Marta and Alisa followed, guns never wavering.

Soon after, the two guards lay on the grass, sans uniforms and dignity. The blonde wore a woolen grey sports bra and neon green boyshorts; the black woman sported a blue-and-white-checkered pair of strapless bra and matching hiphuggers. They were cuffed hand and foot, and gagged with strips of cloth from the uniforms of their former captives.

The other two guards were dragged into the bushes as well, and laid beside their two comrades. Then Olga and Svetlana dressed in their newly acquired uniforms.

“Too bad we don’t have any clothes for you, Kat,” Olga remarked as she clipped the weapons belt around her waist.

“I’m quite fine,” Katerina replied stoically. “I’ll leave the dress-up to the rest of you… The important thing is that we now have freedom… Clothing, weapons, transport. Now I need to think of our next move.”

Alisa nodded. “Yeah, what do we do now? We failed our mission against NASA… Our government will never accept us home now… We’re lost in a foreign country… Stranded, fugitives… And half our team is gone.”

Katerina pursed her lips in thought. “Our government won’t accept us… unless we do something to earn their good graces once again.”

Then her eyes lit up. “The rogue agents.”

Alisa raised her eyebrow. “Who?”

“Our former… comrades,” Katerina said, spitting out the last word. “Oksana, Polina… and that traitorous bitch Sonja. They turned their backs on us… on our country. If we could find them…”

Svetlana grinned, understanding. “If we could kill them…”

Katerina nodded. “…our superiors would have no choice but to welcome us back home as heroes.”

Marta grinned. “Sounds great. What’s our first move?”

“First, we drive back to town and get our hands on some proper technology. Then…” A smile spread across Katerina’s face. “…the hunt will begin.”

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

“Good morning, Jacksonville, I’m Georgia O’Day. Leading off the news, the mayor has announced that substantial increases will be made to the police budget. Mayor Delilah Hargrove has spent her first weeks in office pushing for young talents – especially women – to join the police force. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the mayor has said that their goal is to ‘increase the sense of safety and security for women around the city.”

Carolyn gave a slight smile as she spread butter on her morning toast, glancing up at the TV from her vantage point in the kitchen. “Wouldn’t that be lovely.”

“Mayor Hargrove has also been in talks with the freelance security group Female-Exclusive Military Muscled Enforcement – also known by the acronym FEMME – in order to utilize their resources for purposes of citywide safety.”

Carolyn nodded as she bit into her toast. “Go, FEMME... Kick some uniform stealing ass.”

“You say something, hon?”

Atsuko, Carolyn’s wife, stepped into the kitchen. She was all dressed for work, handbag slung over her shoulder.

Carolyn shrugged. “Nothing, babe… Just musing about this crazy city we live in.”

Ever since the recent scare Carolyn had gone through a few weeks ago, being mugged for her uniform by a few unruly female rogues, she had kept things quiet and peaceful with Atsuko. She had not told her wife about the mugging, nor had she told her about the distress signal that a pair of FEMME agents had given her when they arrested her attackers. The less to alarm her beloved, the better.

“Well, I’d love to muse with you, but I gotta run to work.” Atsuko leaned over and gave Carolyn a kiss. “See you later, okay?”

Carolyn grinned. “Always.”

She watched as her favorite person in the world grabbed an energy bar from the kitchen table and headed out the door.

Then Carolyn leaned back in her chair and sighed with content.

This was the life she had asked for… No drama, no peril, no crazy adventures involving mugging women and stealing their clothes. Carolyn had left all that behind… and hopefully forever. For now, the only thing that mattered to her was Atsuko.

“Mayor Hargrove has made it clear that, in the words of the aforementioned spokeswoman, ‘women need to keep their fellow women safe’.”

“You bet they do, sister,” Carolyn smiled at the television as she finished her breakfast. “And I’ll do anything to keep my woman safe.”

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

“Coming up later today – we will interview disgraced businesswoman Lucille Weldon-Grant, a former executive and convicted fraudster recently released from prison. What are her plan for the future? Stay tuned. And now, over to Chet with the weather.”

Georgia lowered her microphone and turned to her camerawoman. “Well, how was that?”

Quinn smiled and gave her boss a thumbs-up. “Great, boss. You look amazing on the air.”

Georgia grinned nonchalantly. “Hopefully people watch for more than just my looks, though.”

The two women were currently standing beside their news van, which had been parked in a quiet field some distance from the local park. Georgia had chosen the spot because it offered an eye-catching shot of the morning skyline behind her.

Georgia knew the value of a good camera shot – having served as a newswoman for the better part of five years, she understood that the first step to reaching an audience was getting their attention. Hook them with a good visual, and reel them in with good substance.

Georgia was among the more prolific investigative journalists in Miami. A tall, imposing woman in her mid-thirties, she had alabaster skin and shoulder-length chocolate-brown hair. Today she was attired in her preferred work outfit – a lavender microfiber pantsuit, white button-down shirt, and black slingback heels.

Quinn, her coworker and trusted camerawoman, was in her mid-twenties and just a year out of college. The wiry young woman had light skin and long straw-blonde hair, usually tied back in a messy ponytail. She wore a dark green sweatshirt, faded blue jeans, and scuffed white sneakers, along with a faded grey baseball cap over her hair, the rim facing backwards. As the woman behind the camera, she didn’t care as much about her own wardrobe, and Georgia didn’t seem to mind.

“Want to record anything else now?” Quinn asked. “I’ve got a little film left on this roll.”

Georgia glanced at her watch. “Actually, we’ve got to get moving… My interview with Ms. Weldon-Grant is scheduled to start in under an hour. Besides, I thought my intro covered all the bases, don’t you?”

“Pretty much,” Quinn nodded. “Though I’m a bit surprised you didn’t mention the main draw of the mayor’s speech.”

Georgia rolled her eyes. “You mean the part where she prattled on about ‘uniform stealing’? Yes, a lot of people seem to be obsessed with discussing that… Rather tasteless, if you ask me.”

“But it’s news, isn’t it?” Quinn inquired. “Shouldn’t we report it?”

“It’s tabloid sensationalism,” Georgia replied. “I’m a serious journalist… I report serious stories… I don’t care to discuss exploitative trash about women stealing other women’s clothes.”

Quinn nodded. “When you put it that way, I guess it does sound kind of silly…”

“It’s incredibly silly,” Georgia continued. “And the more attention we give these kooky ‘uniform stealing’ women, the more empowered and encouraged they’ll feel to continue what they’re doing. Our best course of action is to ignore them… Report the news that actually matters. Those irrelevant women will fade away.”

Quinn nodded again. “Well said.”

“Anyway, we should be off to the interview,” Georgia said, turning towards the van. “Hopefully there isn’t too much traffic…”

“Sounds good, boss,” Quinn replied. “Let me just go refill my water bottle… It’s a long drive, and I don’t want to get thirsty.”

“Of course… Go ahead.”

Quinn stepped away from the van, taking a shortcut through the tall grass. She had spotted a water fountain on her way to the clearing.

Stepping onto a quiet gravel path, she saw the fountain. Unscrewing the cap of her water bottle, she bent over and filled it to the brim with cold water.

Around her, some birds chirped. A squirrel scampered up a nearby tree. Quinn smiled. It was a lovely morning… Too bad she had to leave the park. She would just love spending the whole day lying in the grass.

Affixing the top to her water bottle, she took a refreshing gulp of water. “Ahh, that hits the spot!”

“Actually,” said a woman’s voice from behind her, “this hits the spot.”

Before she could turn around, Quinn felt a sharp blow to the side of her neck. She let out a sudden, brief gasp of shock. Then her vision blurred, and everything went dark.

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

Lingering outside the van, Georgia tapped her foot impatiently. What was taking so long?

“Quinn?” She stepped around the tall grass, careful not to damage her dress. “Come on, let’s get moving. Where are you?”

She spotted the water fountain, and then saw Quinn’s water bottle lying beside it. Nearby, the bushes were rustling. Georgia raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

“Quinn, are you there?” She stepped toward the bushes. “Come on, this is no time for hide and seek… We have to—”

She never finished the sentence. Two hands burst out of the bushes and grabbed her shoulders.

“Hey, what… OOOP!”

With that rather unprofessional cry, she was pulled roughly into the underbrush.

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

“How about a smile?”

Chandra looked up from the unconscious newswoman, whom she was currently in the process of stripping. She turned to see Sonja filming her with a video camera.

“Say hi to the camera,” Sonja grinned.

“What are you doing?” Chandra asked.

“Capturing the moment on film, of course,” Sonja replied. “Stealing clothes is so much fun, but we never get the chance to record it. I decided to change that. Besides, this camera’s pretty cool.”

Chandra sighed. “Sonja, have you forgotten we’re still wanted by the cops? Maybe we shouldn’t risk supplying them with video evidence of us committing crimes?”

“The cops won’t find this video,” Sonja retorted. “Besides, don’t be so melodramatic. We’re just mugging some ladies for their clothes. That doesn’t make us hardened criminals.”

“The new mayor would disagree,” Chandra murmured. “Anyway, we don’t have time to play moviemaker. Put down the camera and tie up the blonde.”

She pointed at the unconscious camerawoman who lay in the grass behind Sonja. The unfortunate Quinn had been stripped out of her clothes, and now lay simply in a maroon triangle bra and pink hipsters.

“She looks lovely, doesn’t she?” Sonja mused, turning her camera to Quinn. “Too bad she’s asleep… The camera would love her smile.”

“Hey, Spielberg, cut the film,” Chandra said wryly. She tossed Sonja a roll of green duct tape. “Come on, let’s hurry up. We’re on a time budget as it is.”

She finished stripping Georgia of her suit, shirt, and shoes.

Sonja used the tape to bind and gag the camerawoman, then did the same to the unconscious news anchor. The anchorwoman had been left in a white silk comfort bra and light blue satin panties.

“That underwear looks expensive,” Sonja said, eyes twinkling. “I wonder where she does her lingerie shopping.”

Chandra rolled her eyes. “Next time, you can ask her before you knock her out.”

Then the two women got dressed – Chandra in Georgia’s clothes, Sonja in Quinn’s.

“How do I look?” Chandra asked, tying her dark hair back in a professional bun.

“Gorgeous,” Sonja replied. “Unlike me… These clothes look like they came from a garage sale.” She wrinkled her nose.

“You look fine… Totally convincing as a camerawoman.”

“How come you always get to wear the fancier disguises?” Sonja grumbled.

“I wear whatever clothes fit me,” Chandra replied. “That’s what matters in the end.”

“So you claim,” Sonja retorted. “But the next time we have to mug a woman in a expensive outfit, I’m the one who’s going to wear it. Deal?”

“Deal,” Chandra replied offhandedly, glancing at her watch. “Damn… We need to get moving, now.”

Leaving the two news employees safely hidden in the bushes, she and Sonja made their way back to the van.

“Remind me again why we need these disguises,” Sonja said, tugging at her baseball cap.

“It’s the only way Ms. Weldon-Grant will let us into her home,” Chandra explained as she climbed into the van. “Georgia O’Day was scheduled to interview her today… By taking her place, we’ll get inside, and our old boss will finally have to hear us out.”

“And maybe she’ll finally rehire us,” Sonja added as she got into the driver’s seat.

“That’s the idea.”

Chandra and Sonja had spent several years working as bodyguards for Lucille Weldon-Grant, the wealthy business executive whose illegal dealings had sent her to prison. After Chandra and Sonja had freed her, she had unceremoniously fired them in a fit of anger. With no place to call home since then, Chandra and Sonja needed a job, and were banking on Lucille welcoming them back as her trusted employees.

After all, they figured, it was not like the disgraced businesswoman had many other options.

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

Dahlia Smythe checked her makeup in her sequined pocket mirror.

“How do I look, Athena?” she asked.

Sitting beside her in the rear of the Porsche, Dahlia’s bodyguard – a tall black woman in a dark pantsuit – gave a curt nod. “Gorgeous as always, Ms. Smythe.”

The college girl smiled. “You just say that because my mom pays your salary.”

“I’m paid to be honest, Ms. Smythe.”

Still, Dahlia had a point. Her mom paid her bodyguard’s salary… and many other salaries as well. One of the side effects of having a powerful and influential mother.

Dahlia Smythe was rich, one of the wealthiest girls at her college. And she made sure her classmates knew it. She wore all the fanciest clothes, and carried around the latest designer handbag. She had a sleek black Porsche with her own chauffeur, and an intimidating bodyguard who shadowed her everywhere. Boys pined for her, girls envied her. And that was just the way she liked it.

And it was all thanks to her mother, who worked as a high-ranking diplomat in the US government. Though her office was based in Orlando, Mrs. Smythe was constantly jetting off around the country, but she was sure to leave her daughter with a nice chunk of change to compensate for it.

It was a typical weekday morning, and Dahlia was on her way to college. The twenty-year-old girl wore a dark blue blouse, a knee-length grey skirt, and shiny black leather riding boots. Her light blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, accentuating her porcelain skin. She was in the process of checking her makeup in her pocket mirror.

Dahlia glanced up at the front of the vehicle. “What do you think, Mollie? How do I look?”

Dahlia’s chauffeur, a sunny brunette in a black uniform, smiled in the rearview mirror. “You’re gonna knock ‘em dead today.”

“I hope so,” Dahlia replied, tucking her mirror back in her handbag. “I’ve got midterms today, and Professor Criswell is pretty tough with tests. Hopefully I can convince him to curve the grade… by showing a few curves of my own.”

Mollie pulled the car up to the corner of the block where the college was situated. “Apologies, Ms. Smythe… There’s a construction crew doing work on the road… I’ll need to let you off here.”

“That’s fine, Mollie.” Dahlia stepped out of the car, with Athena following behind. “I suppose some extra fresh air will be healthy.”

She paid little attention to the two construction workers who had set up the traffic cones by the road – after all, she had other things on her mind that day.

And she certainly did not suspect that those same construction workers had more than roadwork on their mind.

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

“That’s her,” Oksana whispered.

She was crouched over a patch of road, pretending to study it. Engaged in this task, she wore a cotton blue T-shirt beneath an orange reflector vest, dark blue jeans, and white sneakers, along with a yellow hard hat.

Polina looked up, casually tipping the visor of her own hard hat. “You sure?”

She wore a construction outfit similar to Oksana’s, though her shirt was white and her jeans a faded grey.

“Matches the pictures,” Oksana nodded. “Gorgeous, blonde, obviously rich – and the spitting image of her mother. She’s the one we want.”

Polina smiled. “Phase One complete!”

Oksana raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“We’ve accomplished our first objective,” Polina explained. “Locating the girl. Now we need to grab her.”

“Easier said than done,” Oksana observed. “She’s got a bodyguard with her, and they’re heading toward the college now. If we’re going to talk to her, we need to do it privately.”

She eyed the black Porsche, with its tinted windows, as it pulled away from the college and drove in the direction of the nearby parking lot.

“You take care of the chauffeur,” she told Polina. “I’ll handle the bodyguard.”

Polina nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Only… that bodyguard looked pretty tough. You sure you can take her?”

“If I wasn’t sure, I would say so. Come on, let’s get going.”

Without another word, she strode off in the direction of the college.

Polina straightened her hard hat, then walked over to the nearby red pickup truck. “Just need to pick something up first…”

The rear of the pickup truck was covered with a brown tarp. After making sure no one was near enough to notice her, Polina lifted the tarp and glanced around. “Got to be here somewhere…”

The rear of the pickup truck was filled with standard construction equipment – tools of all sizes, orange traffic cones, rolls of black-and-yellow striped construction tape.

The bed of the truck also, at this moment, contained some rather non-standard contents – specifically, the real construction workers.

The two women now lay back-to-back in the rear of their own pickup, snoozing soundly. One of them, a tall young woman with light skin and chin-length strawberry-blonde hair, was dressed only in a pink sports bra and black hiphuggers. The other, a well-toned girl with tanned skin and braided black hair, wore only a violet exercise bra and matching boyshorts.

Both women had been tied and gagged with black-and-yellow construction tape, wound around their wrists and ankles and thighs and over their mouths. Their ample chests rose and fell with each snore.

“Excuse me, girls,” Polina said politely as she brushed aside some of the tools near the side of the vehicle. “I don’t mean to disturb your nap… I’m just looking for something… Ah! Here it is.”

She picked up her gleaming silver tranquilizer gun. “Hello, beautiful,” she smiled. “Ready to do some more work?”

Tucking the gun into the rear of her pants, she smiled back down at the two slumbering construction workers. “Thanks for letting Oksana and I fill in for you this morning, ladies,” she said, tipping her hat. “All for a good cause, I promise.”

She pulled the tarp back over the truck, covering the construction workers in darkness.

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

Indeed, it was all for a good cause… so to speak.

Oksana and Polina were still women without a home, abandoned by the Russian government and now fugitives in the USA. They needed a way to settle down… and their best course of action was to try becoming American citizens.

Heather Smythe was a prominent member of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services board. However, the list of people she was busy helping attain citizenship was a mile long. Oksana and Polina couldn’t wait… so they decided to circumvent the system.

They had to get close to Heather Smythe… and what better way to do so than through her daughter, Dahlia?

Oksana and Polina had tracked Dahlia down by scouring the Internet and finding out which college she attended. They had spent all morning keeping an eye on the college, keeping allow profile with the help of the “borrowed” construction uniforms. Waiting for their moment.

And now was the time to move.

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

The news van pulled up to the gate of the Weldon-Grant estate.

Sonja glanced out the window. “Nice house… though not as nice as the one she had when we worked for her.”

Indeed, Lucille’s new home was smaller and less impressive than her old mansion. But it was still a well-designed two-story building with a nicely kept garden.

Chandra hit the buzzer. A moment later, a voice sounded. “Yes?”

“We’re here for the interview,” Chandra said, in her most elegantly professional voice.

The gate buzzed and opened. Chandra drove the van through.

After parking in front of the house, Chandra and Sonja stepped out of the van, Sonja lugging the large camera over one shoulder.

“Think she’ll be happy to see us?” Sonja whispered.

“She’s had some time to reflect on things since firing us,” Chandra replied. “I’m sure she’ll be relieved.”

She pressed the doorbell. A moment later, the door buzzed.

Chandra and Sonja entered the foyer. It was a bit more lavish than the outside of the house had suggested. A pair of expensive-looking old paintings hung from the walls.

From the next room, a familiar voice called: “I’m in the living room.”

Chandra absent-mindedly straightened her hair and glanced at Sonja, who nodded. They both entered the next room.

Lucille Weldon-Grant was seated in a comfortable satin chair at one end of the room. “Welcome, Ms. O’Day,” she said with a smile. “What a pleasure to meet you… Can I offer you a drink, or—”

She stopped smiling and stared at the two newcomers. At once, her eyes narrowed, and her voice turned cold. “What the hell are you two doing here?”

“Surprise, boss,” Sonja said with a peppy grin. “How are things?”

Chandra shot her a look, then turned to Lucille. “Ms. Weldon-Grant, I understand this is not what you expected…”

“You’re goddamned right it’s not,” Lucille hissed. “I’m expecting an interview… a chance to rehabilitate my image with the public. Georgia O’Day graciously agreed to give me that chance. Where is she??”

“She got a little tied u—” Sonja started to say before Chandra nudged her in the ribs.

“Unfortunately, Ms. O’Day couldn’t make the interview… But we’d be happy to do it in her stead! You know we’d do anything for you, Ms. Weldon-Grant.”

“What are you talking about?” Lucille snapped. “I fired you, didn’t I?”

“Yes, but that was months ago,” Chandra replied, stepping closer to a nearby couch and easing herself to sit down. “And you were angry then… I understand if—"

“Do not put your flabby ass on my furniture,” Lucille interrupted.

Chandra froze, then slowly stood again. She was starting to feel agitated, but tried to keep her cool.

“I was angry enough to fire you, and I don’t go back on my word,” Lucille continued. “I don’t want the two of you in my life anymore. Now get out before I force you out.”

At this, Chandra dropped her air of polite professionalism. “Look, Lucille,” she said hotly. “We were your bodyguards. We each know six different styles of martial arts. So you’re not going to throw us out… You’re going to give us a chance to talk, and—”

“No, I’m afraid I won’t,” Lucille replied. “You were warned, girls. Now you’ll need to be taught a lesson.”

So saying, she pressed a button on the armrest of her chair.

Chandra and Sonja exchanged a glance, not sure of what to say next. They could hear footsteps in the distance.

The next moment, two tall, well-toned women entered the living room. They were both dressed in white sweaters, black pants, and white sneakers. One woman had light skin and shoulder-length copper-red hair, with a few freckles dotting her face. Her accomplice was a Korean woman with fair skin and black hair tied back in a ponytail.

“Chandra, Sonja,” Lucille said with a wicked grin on her face. “I’d like you to meet Gwyneth and Cam... my new bodyguards.”

Sonja gulped. “Your…?”

Lucille nodded. “You’ve been replaced,” she declared. “And these two are much better at their jobs than you’ve ever been.”

Chandra scowled. “That’s a load of crap… They don’t look like they’ve had half the experience we do.”

“Nevertheless, they are quite effective… And now they will promptly toss you out of my home.” She motioned to the two new bodyguards, who advanced on Chandra and Sonja.

Chandra stood her ground. “We’re not leaving,” she repeated.

Gwyneth, the redheaded guard, grinned and cracked her knuckles. “Oh, but you are. The only question is whether by choice or by force.”

Chandra snarled and lunged at Gwyneth. But she miscalculated the restrictive nature of Georgia O’Day’s pantsuit. Her attempt at a high kick was hindered, allowing Gwyneth to grab her leg.

“Sorry, babe,” the redhead grinned. “One chance is all you get.”

So saying, the redhead flipped Chandra over, sending the woman sprawling.

Shocked, Sonja took a step forward towards Chandra, but was quickly intercepted by the other guard. Cam smiled at her. “Going somewhere?”

Sonja frowned at her. “Don’t make me do something I regret.”

“Too late,” Cam replied, a twinkle in her eye.

Sonja tried pushing past Cam, but the young bodyguard grabbed her by her bulky sweatshirt, then swiftly pulled the garment up and over Sonja’s head.

“Hey!” Sonja stumbled around blindly for a moment, her cries muffled beneath the shirt. Her sight obscured, she was not prepared when Cam’s foot slammed into her stomach.

With a moan, Sonja crumpled to the ground beside Chandra. Both women were conscious but too winded to stand back up.

“Good job, girls,” Lucille addressed Gwyneth and Cam. “Now would you be so kind as to remove this trash from my house? We’ve got a busy schedule today.”

The two bodyguards nodded, then bent down to scoop up their two defeated opponents.

Chandra and Sonja didn’t have the strength to fight back as they were carried out of the house and tossed to the side. They landed amidst a pile of old garbage bags.

“And stay out!” Gwyneth called. She and Cam laughed as they stepped back inside, shutting the door behind them.

Sonja groaned. “Ow, my back… and my front… and my everywhere.”

Chandra removed a banana peel from her hair and flicked it away. She looked absolutely furious.

‘So what now?” Sonja asked.

“Well,” Chandra replied, measuring her words carefully, “she’s not going to hire us again. So we go to Plan B.”

“What’s Plan B?”

“Revenge, of course.”

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

City Hall had a number of features to highlight importance. Chief among these was a large underground parking lot to accommodate its burgeoning staff and visitors.

The parking lot always had an attendant on call. Their job was to stand in a booth at the gate and wave cars through, in or out, as well as making sure that everyone who entered the parking lot had a pass granting them the right to be there.

On this day, that attendant was Muriel.

The young woman was minding the booth on what had thus far been a slow morning. She had waved the mayor through, of course, and Ms. Hargrove had treated her to a pleasant “Have a good day” as always. Muriel already found herself liking this mayor, and was happy to give her a smile each morning in return.

Muriel was in her mid-twenties, with light skin and curly brown hair that brushed against her shoulders. Her uniform consisted of a long-sleeved white shirt beneath a black sleeveless vest, a grey pencil skirt, and shiny black pumps.

She enjoyed the quiet aspects of her job, to be sure – but occasionally it could get a bit boring. A glance at her watch told her that no cars had come by in over ten minutes. There was probably time to take a quick break to wash up.

She stepped out of the booth, hanging a little “Back in a few minutes” signs on the window just in case. Then she walked down the corridor straddling the parking lot till she reached the restroom.

As she stood by the sinks, washing her hands, Muriel began humming to herself. A happy tune, to put her in the mood for the day ahead.

Unfortunately for Muriel, the humming obscured some of the sounds around her – including the sound of one of the restroom stall doors behind her slowly creaking open.

As Muriel dried her hands and straightened up, her smile faded. In the reflection of the mirror, she caught sight of a woman standing behind her – a woman with a sinister grin on her face.

Muriel opened her mouth to inquire who this woman was – but it was a question that she would never ask, let alone know the answer to. The next moment, a white cloth pad clamped over her nose and mouth.

“Hmmmppppphh??” The startled Muriel was too confused to fight back, particularly as it quickly became clear that this other woman was stronger than she was. She struggled and gurgled helplessly as she was dragged back into one of the stalls, as the sweet-smelling fumes of the cloth gradually overcame her…

Ten minutes later, the slumbering Muriel was seated on the toilet seat, stripped to her purple T-shirt bra and lime-green hipsters. Her arms had been bent behind her and around the toilet pipe, where black tape had been used to bind her wrists together. More such tape had been wound around her ankles, and one more strip of tape covered her mouth.

Her assailant shut the stall door and worked the lock into the “Occupied” position. She had already changed into Muriel’s uniform.

“Sorry, dear… Hope you enjoy your parking space for the day,” she grinned.

She turned heel and left the restroom, returning to the parking lot entrance booth.

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

Jenna walked briskly down the long City Hall corridor, newspaper clutched in hand.

Normally, she would take time to admire the lavish paintings on the walls and the ornate statues in the alcoves. This time, however, she paid them no heed. She was too angry.

Jenna made a beeline for the Chief of Staff’s office. She didn’t bother knocking, but rather swung open the door and stormed right in.

Claudia, seated at her desk, looked up in surprise. Zephyr, sitting on the couch against the far wall and flipping through a magazine, also looked up. She gave a smile.

“Good morning, Jen! Was wondering if you’d be at the office today…”

Jenna glared at her. Zephyr’s smile disappeared.

“Something wrong, Jen?”

Jenna turned to Claudia. The furrows in her brow deepened.

Claudia eyed her strangely. “Is there a reason you barged right into my office?”

Jenna glanced back and forth between the two women. “Where were you two last week, Tuesday morning?”

Claudia blinked. “Er… working. Like we do every morning.”

“Helping Mayor Hargrove make this city the shining beacon it is!” Zephyr added.

“You weren’t in the office,” Jenna replied. “Neither of you.”

Claudia shrugged. “We must have been at a meeting. You know how it is… being the mayor’s Chief of Staff means a lot of running around, lots of business calls…”

“Does it involve mugging women at the airport and stripping them of their clothes?” Jenna asked.

Claudia’s eyes widened. “Er… what?”

Jenna tossed the newspaper on the desk.

“Page seventeen… Has a piece all about some ‘hijinks’ at the airport. A dozen women were found bound and gagged, stripped to their underwear. Eight flight attendants, three security guards, and a janitress.”

Claudia frowned. “It… er, must have been those hooligans… The Uniform Swiping Babes. They’re always causing trouble. They’ve mugged dozens of women for their clothes in the past week alone…”

“Two of the flight attendants spoke to the police,” Jenna continued, her eyes not wavering from Claudia’s. “They said they had been mugged by two women in security uniforms. The physical descriptions of these two women don’t match any of the USBs we have on file… but they do match the two of you.”

Claudia kept silent.

Zephyr tried to change the subject. “Hey, Jen, speaking of uniforms, have you seen those outfits the FEMME agents are wearing? Pretty badass…”

“I want a straight answer,” Jenna said tersely. “I thought we agreed – once Hargrove was elected mayor, you would stop resorting to uniform stealing tactics. We’re supposed to be fighting crime, not committing it!”

Claudia sighed. “Okay… yes, fine, that was us at the airport. But it wasn’t what you think,” she quickly added. “The flight attendants gave up their uniforms willingly, we paid them well… But then things kind of… got out of hand…”

“I can cover it all up,” Zephyr said brightly. “As the mayor’s Communications Director, I have a lot of access to the media. Trust me, no one will be able to trace that airport story back to us.”

Jenna sighed, and sank down into a chair. “You don’t get it, girls… We can’t keep doing this.” She glanced sidelong at her two coworkers. “We’re fighting to protect women, remember? Make sure no one feels unsafe to put their uniform on in this city.”

Claudia nodded. “We know, Jenna,” she said quietly. “And we are fighting. That’s why we’ve authorized FEMME to combat uniform thieves. We’re cracking down on clothes-stealing crimes. We’re rounding up these crooks and sending them to jail. FEMME agents have caught two dozen uniform thieves in the past week alone.”

Jenna nodded. “That’s good, but… if we need to become uniform thieves in order to fight uniform thieves… then we’ve already lost.”

She took a deep breath and got to her feet.

“I’m… sorry I busted in like this. I just… have had a lot on my mind lately.”

Zephyr patted her shoulder. “We all do.”

“This won’t happen again,” Claudia assured her. “Zephyr and I are committed to fighting uniform stealing at all costs. We won’t resort to their tactics anymore.”

Jenna nodded again. “I… have a meeting with Mayor Hargrove soon,” she murmured. “Gotta go.”

“See you around,” Claudia said with a sympathetic smile.

Jenna exited the room.

Zephyr glanced at Claudia. “Oof, she seemed upset.”

“She’s been through a lot lately. Transforming the government and implementing Hargrove’s agenda has taken a lot of energy. And she deals with Hargrove more than any of us.”

“So… you mean what you said? About that airport incident.”

Claudia nodded. “I don’t plan to steal uniforms anymore.” She looked sidelong at Zephyr. “And I assume the same of you?”

Zephyr grinned mischievously. “Well, unless I happen to cross paths with a girl in a really cute summer ensemble…”

“Zephyr…”

“Kidding! Only kidding.” Zephyr chuckled and sat down on the couch again, returning to her magazine.

Still, she had to admit – she did have some fond memories of that airport escapade. Watching six flight attendants strip to their white bras and panties, then tying them up and gagging them and locking them into a closet…

Zephyr was only an ordinary woman, after all. And just the thought of those beautiful flight attendants – well, it made her heart beat a little faster.

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

The front entrance to the prestigious college was unsurprisingly well-guarded – only students and faculty with proper IDs could enter.

Oksana didn’t even bother trying to slip in with a crowd. The first rule of infiltration: There was always a back entrance.

The college perimeter was surrounded by a twelve-foot-high brick wall, too tall and smooth to climb without attracting attention. However, after navigating her way around the block to the rear of the facility, Oksana found what she was looking for – a section of wall that had been neglected by the campus gardener. It looked old and worn, and vines had begun growing along its surface.

Doffing her stolen reflector jacket, Oksana grasped one of the vines and pulled herself up. The shrubbery was sturdy enough, and she was in peak athletic condition. She swiftly clambered up the wall.

Poking her head over the top of the wall, she surveyed the scene before her. She was overlooking the rear of a building that appeared to be the campus cafeteria. There was only one person in the area – a woman with her back turned to the wall, emptying some bags into an old green dumpster.

Oksana vaulted over the wall, touching down lightly on the campus pavement. A startled cat ran for cover.

The woman at the dumpster sensed the noise, and turned in surprise. Oksana got a good look at her – she was young and trim, with light skin and greasy brown hair. She wore a light green smock and matching skirt, and a white apron was tied around her waist. Her hair was tied into a bun beneath a hairnet, and on her feet were a pair of white clogs.

The lunchlady was clearly surprised to see Oksana, who did not look like either a student or a teacher at the school. She opened her mouth, presumably to call for help.

Oksana held up a hand. “Ma’am,” she said calmly, “I’d advise you not to make a sound.”

The woman blinked. She saw the stern look in Oksana’s eyes, and then closed her mouth.

“Smart girl,” Oksana nodded. “Now, I don’t have a lot of time, so let’s cut to the chase. Take off your clothes.”

The lunchlady’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to scream.

“Ma’am,” Oksana said sternly. “Let me put it clearly: I have a complicated task ahead of me, and I would much rather preserve my strength for later. You are obviously no match for me physically, and I’d rather not waste my time and energy rendering you unconscious. But if you make a sound and complicate my work here, I won’t hesitate to make you regret it.”

The lunchlady closed her mouth. She looked scared.

“The bottom line is, I will be wearing your uniform within the next ten minutes,” Oksana continued. “Your only question is, how much pain do you wish to endure before I take it?”

The lunchlady didn’t hesitate any further. With trembling fingers, she reached behind her back and began untying her apron.

Oksana nodded again. “Like I said, you’re a smart girl.”

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

Lucille was still irritated by the trickery performed by her two ex-bodyguards, but she tried not to let it bog her down. Years of being a woman in the corporate world had taught her it was best not to dwell on things that frustrated her.

She did not know what Chandra and Sonja had done to the real Georgia O’Day, nor did she care at this point. Her attempt to rehabilitate her image with the interview had been shot, but she had more important things to focus on today.

“Gwyneth, Cam,” she called to her two bodyguards. “Tell Isabella to bring the car around… I don’t want to be late for my meeting with at City Hall.”

Her anger over the botched interview dissipated as she reached for her coat.

“Mayor Delilah Hargrove,” she whispered to herself. “The most powerful woman in the city.”

A smile played across her lips as she donned her coat.

“Well, not for long, dear… Not for long.”

[Disguisedagent]

A great opening! Love to see you revisit this universe.

[rufusluciusivan]

Well, first things first, I know I already said it in a PM but I’ll say it again, good luck with this new saga.

Good introductory chapter. The ‘television news’ is a classic way to do some exposition and remind a bit the current state of the story. Quinn’s and Georgia’s was good for that too – I as always enjoy the way characters discuss the ramifications of uniform stealing. And I also enjoyed the irony of Georgia dismissing uniform stealing as mere tabloid sensationalism – clearly she doesn’t realize in what kind of story she is. And of course karmic / ironic mugging came right afterwards.

We also have a lot of classic USB scenarios in a row (being pulled into bushes, being mugged in the restrooms and left in a toilet stall, girls stuffed in the back of a truck) – which is fitting for an introductory chapter.

Nothing much to say about the uniforms themselves. Anchowomen and camerawomen are always a cool change of pace – they pop up from time to time, but are still unusual enough to be a welcome sight. Construction workers are a classic. So will be the bodyguard and driver. Not many lunchladies thought – in fact, there were cooks several times, but college luchladies I think it’s technically a first?

Many characters are being reintroduced, so we’ll see where this is going and which loose ends will be tied up.

The story seems to be hinting some things with Zephyr, but then again I’ve never had a good feeling with her or Claudia, so...

I knew Lucille was a bad egg, but cheating on Chandra and Sonja by hiring new bodyguards?! How low can she sink!

Though I appreciate the joke Chandra’s and Sonja’s stunt actually fails – and actually ruins their boss’ plan to try and rebuild her reputation. It’s pretty realistic all things considered.

Still pleasant to read your style, quips and one-liners.

“Ahh, that hits the spot!”

“Actually,” said a woman’s voice from behind her, “this hits the spot.”

Girls, please, just stop giving easy openings like that...

She would just love spending the whole day lying in the grass.

The moment I read that line I knew what was going to happen...

On a side not, with its very first scene, I believe the story sets a new low when it comes to ‘dumb guard’ standards. Being defeated by infiltrators is one thing. Being defeated by tightly restrained infiltrators after you gloated to their faces is an other. Though joke aside, this was a clear way to show the dangerousness of the Russian team. Clearly these women are a league above…

And yes, I noticed Atsuko and Carolyn are back.

[esercito sconfitto]

mr Tirepanted I am sorry this is all what AI allows to picture the scene with the prison van

[tirepanted3]

Disguisedagent: Thanks! I missed this universe, and am happy to return to it, and certainly some characters who I felt were a bit underserved before.


Rufus: Thank you. Been cooking up this story for a while, hope people like it.

The television news segment was definitely a useful way to introduce exposition at the beginning of the story, as well as to feature some ironic discussion between the anchor and her camerawoman about whether uniform stealing is worthy of "real" journalistic coverage. It was also fun to weave them into the larger tapestry of the story through Georgia's (hijacked) interview with Lucille.

As with many introductory chapters, I try to lay a lot of the groundwork through USB scenes, in order to show how natural the act of uniform stealing remains to many characters (despite Mayor Hargrove's continued efforts). It's also easier to feature more unusual uniform thefts in early chapters (like the college lunchlady) before the overall plot gets too detailed.

As I mentioned before, this story will be an excuse to reintroduce a lot of characters from the previous saga and give some of them form of closure. I can't promise it will tie up every loose end, but it should hopefully give some underused characters from prior stories a moment to shine.

Claudia and Zephyr were two characters I wanted more time to explore, since they were introduced quite late in the Spacesuit saga. They are not "antagonists" in the traditional sense, but nor are they all that heroic, and there's definitely room to develop them.

Lucille has been a fun character to write since Volume 1, as she is very short-tempered and ego-driven. Definitely one of my more villainous characters - even as she rarely engages in USB tactics herself.

I needed this first chapter to have some kind of "instigating event" - specifically, some sort of plan that backfires due to different characters' goals and motivations. Chandra and Sonja replacing the interview crew to try and get on Lucille's good side - only for her to get more angry at them than ever - was the first example in this story of how uniform stealing can spoil multiple people's plans, including those of the uniform thieves. Trust me, it won't be the last.

The quips remain one of the most fun parts of writing these stories. As are the foreshadowing lines like the one about "lying in the grass." I just can't resist...

The Russian team are indeed meant to be seen as a serious and capable threat. I tried not to make the guards too dumb, but they certainly underestimated their prisoners.

And yes, Carolyn and Atsuko are back. I missed them and needed some sympathetic "good" characters for the story. Since Bridget, Bobbi, and Felicia's arcs were generally resolved, it was time to Atsuko and Carolyn back. Their appearance in the first chapter was generally brief, but they will certainly play an important role in this story.


Esercito: Well, I appreciate the effort. Though I admit the images of the mugged women in the background are kind of creepy-looking. I suppose this is partly why AI images don't always sit right with me.

[Muskra2]

.

[tirepanted3]

That's certainly why I prefer human-made drawings. There's just something more fun and natural about USB scenes drawn by hand (or with computer tools, like 3D models) rather than those entirely crafted by computer. Computer algorithms on their own just can't understand what makes these scenes so memorable.