One Final Aria - Apotheosis - Marvel: Earth-USB Saga (Part 23)

[rufusluciusivan]

One Last Aria

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

Apotheosis

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

Playing the part of Phantazia, Firestar was flying. She was pretending to patrol. Hidden in plain sight, so to speak, she could scout the area and lead her friends through the maze of crates, containers, and small warehouses around the main building. With her help, they avoided several patrols.

“Entering the building proper will be easier if we also have disguises.” Gwen informed Firestar, talking in a small earpiece-microphone set.

“I’m on it.” Angelica answered in her own earpiece-microphone set, which she was wearing under the mask.

It took her some time, but she finally led them to a storage area filled with empty containers.

And to a group of patrolling henchwomen. They were all wearing the same uniform.

A grey metal helmet was covering the upper-half of their heads, concealing their identities as it only left the mouth, jaw, and part of the hair exposed. They were dressed in yellow protective bodysuits with black sleeves and shoulders, as well as yellow gloves and black boots. A stylized black ‘R’ was featured on the torsos of the costumes.

While Firestar was hovering around, Gwen, Jeanne, Kate, and Yuri hid behind a big container and observed the patrol.

Gwen identified the group. “The New Resistants.”

“New?”

“Regular humans who believe in Magneto’s cause. They think mutants should rule over mankind. They named themselves after the group that opposed the Mutant Registration Act. Wear the same outfits as well.”

“Magneto has brought reinforcements…” Jeanne deduced. “Though we’re lucky this group is all-female.”

“Either that or Mystique had a hand in this. She doesn’t exactly like working with men.”

Kate glanced one more time at the henchwomen’s uniforms, and smiled harshly. “Maybe she should have thought of the downsides…”

They all exchanged glances, nodded, and came up with a plan.

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

The four henchwomen turned around a corner. The one leading the patrol was a tall white-skinned redhead with long curly hair. Next to her, a brunette of average size and with shoulder-long hair but with a curvy figure was walking. The two mooks walking at the back were a blonde with collarbone-long slick hair and a black-haired white-skinned woman with an armpit-long ponytail.

Their senses were on alert, they were on the lookout for any suspicious activity. However, the people stalking them were on a league of their own.

Gwen, Kate, Jeanne, Angelica, and Yuri were all in position.

Using her flight to have a vantage point, Firestar sent a silent signal to her teammates. The coast was clear.

Then, she deliberately flew over the patrol.

The henchwomen noticed her, mistook her for Phantazia, and therefore didn’t react – save for a respectful nod of salute. They were distracted.

All-New Hawkeye released a blunt arrow that hit the black-haired woman at the back of the group. The New Resistant’s helmet was leaving a very small part of the neck exposed, and while it was covered by the collar of the bodysuit the protective fabric wasn’t enough to block the impact. The thug barely had the time to grunt. The arrow hit the exact spot. She was knocked out instantly.

Before her unconscious body hit the ground, before the sentry right next to her could even register what had happened, Finesse jumped out of her hiding spot behind some crates, and used a baton of hers to choke the blond woman to unconsciousness. At the same time, she dragged her away.

The sound of scraping heels and muffled gurgles alerted the two remaining guards.

The brunette opened her mouth to call for help, but a string of web covered her lips and gagged her. Before the henchwoman could react, Ghost Spider snatched her away.

The red-haired guard reflexively grabbed her weapon. Wraith jumped out of her own hiding spot behind a bunch of trash cans, and grasped her. Clamping a hand onto the minion’s mouth, she pulled her away behind the cans. Sounds of a brief scuffle, and frantic muffled cries, followed suit. Then the henchwoman’s first-class ticket to slumberland was – quite literally – punched.

After knocking out the sentry she had web-gagged with a neck chop, Gwen breathed out. Everything was going as planned.

They dragged all the unconscious sentries behind the big dumpster nearby, and stripped them off their uniform bodysuits, boots, gloves, and helmets.

Smiling to herself, Angelica kept flying in the area to watch out for any sign of trouble.

Ten minutes later, Gwen, Kate, Yuri, and Jeanne walked in front of the dumpster, clad in the uniforms of the New Resistants.

The four henchwomen had been stripped down to the undergarments they were wearing under their costumes: a white tank top and plain grey boyshorts for the redhead, a light pink blouze bra and plain white knickers for the blonde, a red push-up bra and pink cheeky panties with a white waistband strap for the brunette, and a camouflage green cami bra and matching classic briefs for the black-haired one.

They left the pile of defeated half-naked henchwomen locked inside an empty container. The girls were all bound and gagged with Gwen’s web – wrists, ankles, and lower faces encased in web. They closed the container to hide the minions, though they took note of its location to signal it to the police later.

Gwen, Jeanne, Yuri, and Kate adjusted the helmets, gloves, boots, and bodysuits to properly conceal their identities. Kate was forced to leave her bow behind however, as it would betray her deception immediately.

Then, they pretended to be the patrol they had just ambushed.

Angelica flew over them, pretending to take command of their group.

“And now we can enter the building.” Gwen concluded. “Let’s be quick. Our enemies aren’t amateurs. They’re bound to find out quickly something is wrong with the patrols.”

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

Taylor didn’t like how events were turning out. She had a bad feeling about today.

Phatanzia and the New Resistants were maybe extra security – but their costumes were also dead giveaway something suspicious was happening here. If only one witness got a good look and managed to report them...

She also had heard echos of Orchis making a move – Jefferson was in contact with the US Army, trying to borrow heavy weaponry. The hideout was maybe compromised already.

Sarah was more withdrawn than ever, she apparently had holed herself in the prison room. Charlotte was high on a sugar rush – Taylor suspected she had gotten her hands on some cans of Michelle's coke. Screwball was streaming in secret. Even Jenna was getting antsy. And Trapstr was probably thinking to desert the moment she’d have an opportunity – not that Taylor blamed her. Michelle was smart enough to deduce Magneto was their secret employer. He was clearly never going to let their team walk out of the operation, and Michelle wasn’t exactly on the list of the people he wanted to protect.

Something bad was going to happen. Taylor had learned to trust her instinct.

So when Jenna regrouped with her, her face grim, Taylor knew her hunch was correct.

“Phantazia didn’t make her hourly report. And yet I saw her flying from the window.” the brunette informed her.

“Did you call her?”

“Of course not. We both know what her silence means. Didn’t want to tip them off.”

Indeed she knew. They had been infiltrated.

Orchis couldn't hire someone able to fly to impersonate Phantazia. The Avengers were busy with Magneto himself, same with the X-Men. It only left one possible culprit. Apparently, Gwen had chosen to take the risk and mount a rescue operation with a couple of minor heroines.

Taylor pondered for a moment. She wouldn’t have the time to grab Charlotte and Sarah, and run. She therefore had no choice but fight her way out.

Damn old man, always setting things up to make sure she doesn’t have a choice…

“I’ll gather the guards inside and deal with Charlotte. Send a few Resistants fetch Sarah and the redhead. We need a hostage.”

“Got it.”

Jenna and Taylor left the room.

Neither noticed Mystique had been eavesdropping, nor did they notice her discreetly leaving and heading to the cells first.

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

Felicia had a bad feeling. Call it a hunch, but she could clearly sense something bad was going to happen. She had learned to trust her instinct.

So when Mystique entered the room holding the cells, she wasn't surprised. The redhead's face was hard.

Sarah gagged and recoiled.

Whatever were the emotions of the newcomer, they weren’t pretty.

Mystique stood in front of Felicia. She was holding a gun.

“Some of your friends are here. Looks like we overestimated your value.” she commented. Suddenly, she began to smile. “I’m glad we did. I’ve been hoping to do this for a long time.”

In her back, Sarah was glaring at her.

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

Her joy. Her pleasure. I can feel them.

They’re disgusting.

She barely pays me any attention. To her, I’m just a weak-willed girl who somehow happens to have a useful power. She doesn’t see me as a threat…

She aims her gun at Black Cat. “I’ll make it quick, but not too quick.”

I remember the blond policewoman – didn’t have the decency to learn her name.

The snap. The pain.

I helped it happen.

This is something horrible.

I am something horrible.

“See you in Hell, Kitty.”

Hell… surely I’ll be going to Hell… now... Guess I'm not the victim anymore. Haven't been for a long time.

I can be a sheep or a wolf, she says. I need to toughen up, she says. Taylor won’t always be there to hold my hand, she says.

She's smiling.

Something snaps in me.

It's the smile. I can't bear that smile.

I grab Mystique’s face.

“Hey! What are you-”

Then I unleash my power.

Mystique gags.

I'm hit head on by her feelings. I clench my teeth, and use all my willpower to not faint.

“This is what people feel when they die. It’s horrible, isn’t it?”

She doesn’t speak now. She gurgles. Her mind is being overflown with emotions.

“Now, imagine what it’s like to feel it a long time… intensely… continuously…”

My eyes are crying. My nose is bleeding, I think.

Her eyes widen when she sees I’m wearing the enhancer.

I don’t let go of her. I think of the policewoman. I want Mystique to feel it. To feel what she made her feel.

To feel what she made ME feel…

I enhance my powers to their maximum, hitting her point blank with everything I have. Enough power to affect a whole crowd, focused on her alone.

“… It would be enough to break anyone’s mind... don’t you think?”

I sense a snap. Not her neck though.

Her mind.

Of course, she can’t answer. Maybe she never will. Maybe she’ll spend the rest of her life in a vegetative state.

I try to feel sorry for her, and realize I can’t.

I let go. She falls on the floor and doesn’t move, save for some drooling.

The backlash hit me. I fall on my knees, and start throwing up. The pain…

Get up.

Tears are still coming. I can’t stop the sobs.

Get up.

I tear the enhancer off, and throw it away.

How much time passes?

Get up.

The prisoners are looking at me. I sense their confusion, their fear.

It reminds me of the lab.

My legs are shaky, but I manage to stand on my two feet.

I wipe my tears – and the blood from my nose.

I’m glad Taylor and Charlotte aren’t with me. I hope they’ll be able to escape in time.

And it’s selfish, but I don’t want them to see what I’m about to do. Don’t want them to see me betraying them...

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

Everything happened so quickly, the prisoners hadn’t managed to recover from the shock. Even Felicia could only stare with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Sarah unlocked Mary-Jane’s cell first.

The redhead made a conscious effort to not glance at Mystique. “What... What did you do?”

Sarah unlocked Felicia’s cell next. “You heard her. Your friends are here. I’m breaking you out.”

“Why?”

Sarah stayed silent for a moment, as if pondering to herself. She was looking unbelievably tired. “Because I want this to stop.”

“We’ll also break these two out.” Felicia informed her, pointing at Guillotine and Meseret Senai.

Sarah glanced at the SHIELD Agent. Once again, anger briefly glimmered in her eyes. Then she lost all will to fight. “Do as you want.”

Felicia took the keys, and went to unlock the doors. “What about you?”

Sarah shook her head, and glared at Mystique on the floor. There was a thin sad smile on her face. “You don’t realize what I did to her… It’s worst… worst than killing… the kind of thing that gets you to Hell… the Hell for the murderers and the traitors…”

Mary-Jane grabbed Sarah’s hand. “Come with us.”

The pale blonde blinked. She was genuinely taken aback by the proposition. All the more because she could sense it was genuine. “Why?”

“Magneto won’t take kindly to your betrayal! He’ll kill you if you stay here!” MJ insisted.

“Trust me. You’re the only one who cares.”

“What about Taylor and Charlotte?”

That argument managed to reach to her.

Sarah opened her mouth to say something, but the door being burst open interrupted her before she could say anything.

“Miss Mystique!”

The three women were part of the New Resistants, wearing the inimitable black boots, yellow gloves, yellow-and-black bodysuit with the ‘R’ on the torso, and metal helmets covering the top half of the head. Their leader was a dark-skinned tall slender Afro-Hispanic woman with brownish-black braided cornrows. She was followed by a slim olive-skinned black-haired woman with a low chignon and a tan-skinned auburn-haired woman with two shoulder-long ponytails.

The leader of the trio looked straight at Sarah.

“Miss Sarah! Miss Taylor sent us! We’ve been asked to take the redhead with us. She needs her as leverage.”

Then the Resistants noticed Mystique was lying on the floor, and the prisoners were out of their cells.

They moved their hands to grab their guns.

Trying to avoid bloodshed, Sarah reflexively focused her attention on them. She used the full extent of her powers to lull the three women’s anger, fear, and alarm.

The three sentries stood awkwardly, their mouths slightly agape, their protests dying in their throats.

Felicia and Mary-Jane exchanged a quick glance. They knew first-hand the effects of Sarah’s powers. They had been subjected to them.

The trio of henchwomen had a brief moment of hesitation, their sense of duty clashing with the huge wave of calm they were feeling – their emotions overflowing their reason, telling them everything was alright.

It wouldn’t take them long to recover – maybe only a few seconds. They were trained women, and the breach of security was too blatant.

But with the people they were facing, a few seconds made the difference.

Guillotine wrapped her arms around the throat of the auburn-haired Resistant, and put her to sleep with a tight viselike chokehold. The woman’s limp body slumped into Jeannine’s arms like a ragdoll.

Agent Senai moved at the same time as her partner, and grabbed the vagus nerve of the olive-skinned henchwoman. One pinch knocked the woman out almost instantly, and she crumbled onto the floor.

Felicia dispatched the last sentry with a neck-chop, catching the Afro-Hispanic woman under the shoulders as she was falling.

Once the last Resistant was dispatched, there were a few seconds of awkward silence.

Mary-Jane looked at Sarah. “Thank you.”

Sarah grimaced as she was glancing at the defeated henchwomen. “I just wanted to prevent them from shooting...”

“Thank you nonetheless.”

Sarah smiled sadly. “And now I betrayed Taylor and Charlotte as well…”

“From my point of view, you saved our lives.” Felicia intervened. “And thanks to you we have a way to escape the area without any bloodshed.” She took off the Afro-Hispanic Resistant’s helmet, revealing a beautiful face with dark freckles. “We just have to borrow these three’s outfits.”

MJ noticed Sarah’s expression. “We won’t hurt them.” Her voice also carried off a warning to Guillotine and Agent Senai – especially to the latter.

The French heroine nodded. “We’ll just tie them up and lock them in the cells.” She laid the auburn-haired Resistant on the floor, and worked on removing the woman’s boots.

Meseret also nodded, and crouched down to take off the olive-skinned Resistant’s gloves. She was muttering to herself. “Those powers are incredible… I can’t even fathom the possibilities-” She stopped talking.

MJ was glaring at her. Her gaze would have melted steel.

Meseret finished stripping the henchwoman in silence, leaving the olive-skinned woman clad in boxer undershorts with the colors of the Greek flag and a matching white-and-blue t-shirt bra. The auburn-haired henchwoman, once Guillotine had finished stripping her, was wearing a white cage bra with a palm tree pattern and Brazilian panties with a multicolored flower pattern.

“The thought occurs to me there are four of us and only three disguises.” Mary-Jane then commented.

Felicia finished peeling off the Afro-Hispanic Resistant’s suit, revealing the woman’s sexy-looking deep purple lingerie – a lace adorned full cup bra and matching lacy cheeky panties, both with a pattern of wishing stars made of light purple translucent lace. “Won’t be a problem. These three were sent to fetch a hostage. You.”

“I don’t like where this is going…”

Felicia ignored her. “How do you feel being bound by a friend?”

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

A few minutes later, Guillotine, Agent Senai, and Felicia were now clad in the New Resistant costumes, using the helmets to conceal their identities.

The three real Resistants were each locked inside one cell, gagged and bound hands and feet. Strips of Meseret’s and Jeannine’s discarded prisoner t-shirts had been used as makeshift ropes and cleave-gags.

They also left Mystique inside one cell. The sight of her comatose body was unnerving, but they didn’t comment on it for Sarah’s sake.

“I’m not quite sure the gag is necessary.” MJ commented, as she was nervously shifting on her feet, her hands fake-handcuffed behind the back.

Felicia shrugged. “Don’t worry. It’s just for show.” She knotted the gag.

“Mph?!”

“I mean. It’s working, but I tied it in a way that’s easy for you to remove.”

“Mmm…” MJ glared daggers at her.

Guillotine and Agent Senai shared a glance, and wisely didn’t involve themselves in the argument. Sarah was staring, a bit confused by their antics. She was still looking sad and pale, but a little more resolute than before.

Felicia checked that MJ could also easily remove the handcuffs, then took the redhead’s shoulder and got in-character. “Alright, hostage, move!”

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

Word had apparently spread that Taylor had sent people to fetch Mary-Jane – nobody questioned why the redhead was being escorted - moreover since Sarah was with them. The sentries were regrouping for the assault, and apparently none of them was bright enough to notice Felicia’s group was actually fleeing the building.

Luckily, they didn’t come across someone smart enough to see through the deception – like Taylor, Trapstr or Jenna.

The New Resistant masks were perfect – or perfectly inadequate, depending on your point of view. But for prisoners trying to escape, they were perfect.

Felicia’s group went to the back exit of the warehouse.

Could it be? Was it going to be so easy?

Near the exit, they came across an other group of Resistants – who weirdly enough were coming from the outside. They were led by an ominous-looking masked villainess who was hovering above them, and whom Felicia vaguely recalled as a mutant minion of Magneto.

“Keep calm.” she whispered to MJ and the three other women walking behind her.

However, this specific group of henchwomen didn’t react well to the sight of them escorting Mary-Jane.

Felicia immediately saw them tense up. The cat burglar could read the telltale signs. These women were preparing themselves for combat.

Felicia noticed the Resistant at the front was taking a familiar stance.

No.

She couldn’t allow it!

No!

MJ would never let her live it down.

“Wait! Don’t shoot! That’s me!”

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

Gwen saw the group escorting Mary-Jane.

Only three Resistants, and Sarah. Nobody else in the vicinity. No need to be subtle. Without warning, she immediately took a stance and shot web at the henchwoman leading the patrol.

“Wait! Don’t shoot! That’s me!”

Gwen recognized the voice too late. By the time she stopped shooting web, Felicia’s entire torso was already restrained.

“Don’t!” Gwen instructed her friends when they moved to assault the other Resistants. “That’s them!”

Mary-Jane moved her wrists. Her handcuffs fell onto the floor. She took off the gag. “I take back what I said. Playing the hostage was a great idea.”

“Ha. ha. ha. Can someone un-web me, please?”

Gwen eagerly complied with MJ’s help, then embraced her and Mary-Jane. The redhead obviously immediately returned the embrace, and Felicia ended up trapped in a group hug. Not that she minded – at least not entirely – but she still had a reputation to maintain.

“I thought we agreed I don’t do hugs.” she joked.

Gwen took a step back, and dried her eyes. “Sorry. I got carried away.”

Felicia winked. “I’ll let it slide for once.”

Angelica squeezed her and MJ’s shoulder. “Looks like I managed to return the favor.” she said with a smile. "Though I should have known you'd find a way to mug a couple of these punks before I got to rescue you."

“Let’s not make it a habit though. The role of damsel in distress doesn’t suit me. It’s more a redhead’s thing.” Felicia teased.

“Hey!” MJ exclaimed.

Next to them, Jeanne was also happy to be reunited with Jeannine and Meseret, though their reunion was more quiet and subdued.

Yuri mentioned Sarah. The blonde was standing quietly in a corner. “What about her?”

“She’s with us.” MJ retorted. “She saved us from Mystique.”

Yuri hesitated, but then nodded. “And what about Mystique?”

Sarah avoided looking anyone in the eyes.

“She’s been neutralized. She won’t be a problem anymore.” MJ finally said in her stead.

“Maybe we should post-pone this talk to after we’re out of the building.” Felicia proposed. “After all, we can still-”

“FREEZE!” a voice shouted.

“- be discovered.” she finished with a groan.

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

Facing them, a big group of New Resistant henchwomen.

And in front of the minions, Taylor – flanked by Trapstr armed with her paste gun, Screwball wearing her tacky white-and-fuchsia outfit, and Jenna dressed as a carpenter because she was still trying to have her 'Carpenter' shtick.

“It seems you’ve managed to one-up me once again.” Taylor commented when she got a good look at the group assembled. “But it’s the last time.”

“Police is on its way, Taylor. Yuri called them the moment the hostages were rescued. Magneto won’t be here in time to save you.” Gwen retorted. “Things don’t have to end in violence.”

“It was going to end in violence the second you refused to play nice and stay out of this."

"We don't have to-" MJ began.

"I wasted enough time debating with you already." Taylor interrupted. "I don't have anything more to say. Either step down or die. Release Sarah. Now.”

"She's with us on her own free will. And we won't give up."

Several New Resistants grabbed their machine guns.

“Be careful. You might hit Sarah.” Taylor instructed.

Yuri took advantage of their short moment of hesitation, and threw a few smoke bombs in-between the group. She was maybe a police captain, but she was also Wraith – the vigilante using fear and darkness to fight crime when the legal system failed.

The thick dark grey smoke filled the building.

Several New Resistants (and Screwball) let out shrieks of fear and surprise. They briefly lost their composure.

Taylor immediately rushed forward, using her enhanced speed. Gwen, the only one fast enough to keep up with her, shot web, forcing her to change course abruptly in one fell jump.

When Gwen attempted to press her advantage, Trapstr opened fire with her paste gun, and Gwen was forced to dodge as well.

Several New Resistants aimed their machine guns. Firestar used her powers to overheat the butts of the weapons, forcing the henchwomen to drop them. She however couldn’t press her advantage. Using her enhanced speed, Taylor had run on a the wall, and attempted to jump her, forcing her to dodge.

Meanwhile, Trapstr and Jenna – the latter using some sort of modified high-pressure nail gun firing deadly sharp needle-like projectiles – were shooting at Gwen to keep her at bay.

Yuri, Jeanne, and Kate sprang into action, shortly followed by Jeannine, Meseret, Felicia, and Mary-Jane. They attacked the group of New Resistants before the henchwomen could recover from the surprise, and regroup to take advantage of their sheer number.

Wraith was as terrifying an opponent as her namesake entailed. She attacked the henchwomen from their blind spots, using fear and hit-and-run tactics in the smoke. Each of her jabs incapacitated an opponent – whether it was a neck chop or paralyzing strikes at pressure points.

Guillotine’s fighting style was blunt, a bit brutish, but no less effective. Her swift punches were catching the henchwomen off-guard, hitting them in the chin or the stomach. One Resitant pointed a gun at her. She grabbed the weapon, disarmed the gun, and retaliated with a mighty stomach punch in one swift motion.

Finesse was covering her countrywoman’s back. She was more nimble – albeit just as effective. She too was taking advantage of the smoke. She was moving with the speed and grace of a will-o-wisp, hitting her opponents in the stomach with her batons to stun them before they could open fire, then aiming at the helmet’s weak spot in the back of the neck to knock them out.

All-New Hawkeye was maybe first and foremost a sniper, but she hadn’t neglected hand-to-hand combat. The Resistant facing her thought she’d have an easy time – she was bigger and more muscular. Kate swiftly proved her wrong when she expertly used her opponent’s strength against her, and threw her onto the floor in one judo move.

Meseret was maybe (with Mary-Jane) the only ‘non-masked heroine’ of the group, but she was still a highly-trained SHIELD Agent. Plus, she was eager to get some payback after her long humiliating imprisonment. The two henchwomen who thought the ‘plain one’ would be an easy target were instantly proven wrong when Meseret disarmed them with ease, and began to pummel them with swift precise punches.

Black Cat had recovered enough to face normal ‘human-tier’ opponents. As agile as her namesake, she was dancing in-between her enemies. Her kicks were devastating. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Trapstr trying to snipe her from afar with her glue gun. She nimbly dodged, letting the Resistant trying to attack her be hit with the paste.

Taylor was fast-forwarding in-between Gwen and Angelica, using her enhanced speed to keep them at bay. Jenna and Michelle were shooting at the two heroines to prevent them from using their number advantage.

Mary-Jane grabbed Sarah by the arm, and led her away from the fight. The blonde was shaking, tears flowing from her eyes. There were too many strong emotions. Her senses were overloaded. Then the redhead jumped into the fray as well. She attempted to flank Jenna and Trapstr to help Gwen and Angelica get a good shot at Taylor.

Screwball cartwheeled in front of her. “Time to pay your tab, Red!” she exclaimed.

Mary-Jane didn’t waste breath criticizing her villainous one-liner. She simply punched. The other woman dodged.

While Screwball was eager for some payback for the two times she had been mugged for her outfit, it quickly became apparent MJ was far superior in a fair fistfight. The blond daredevil suddenly retreated with an other cartwheel, and MJ was blocked by a New Resistant and unable to run after her.

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

The New Resistants were losing the battle. They weren’t observant enough to see the tide was turning, but Michelle was. Taylor wouldn’t be enough to reverse the situation.

So Trapstr discreetly began to take steps back. She played it defensively, firing her paste gun to keep her foes at bay, but slowly disengaging herself.

It was nothing personal. Taylor was a decent boss, all things considered. But Trapstr had always considered herself a freelance mercenary. Things were all fine and dandy when they were plain heists, but then their team had be become involved in politics.

Michelle had long deduced Taylor was working for Magneto. And she certainly didn’t want to be around when Avengers or the X-Men would crack down on them!

Or, you know, when Magneto would decide Taylor’s human partners were a liability to be silenced…

She knew how to recognize an opportunity when she had one. Time to bid her farewell!

Near the emergency door, she almost bumped into Screwball.

The two women exchanged a glance.

“You’re thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I think so.”

Trapstr and Screwball swiftly turned tails, and fled the warehouse.

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

Jenna saw Trapstr and Screwball escape the premises. She saw the New Resistants were falling one after the other. She saw Taylor busy duking it out with Ghost Spider and Firestar.

Things were getting out of hand – they had been for quite some time now, and she was feeling overwhelmed. Jenna had been part of a gang, she was no stranger to crime and violence. But she had thought she’d be part of a thief gang – not a terrorist group.

She only had put out with everything so far because Taylor was a fair leader and she was afraid to be killed by their true employer – whom she suspected was Magneto – if she tried to walk away.

When she saw her two teammates flee the fight, she made her choice.

Yes, Taylor was a fair boss and had taught her many things, but she wasn’t the one calling the shots anymore.

“Sorry boss.”

She took advantage of the chaos to flee too.

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

Knives had appeared in Taylor’s hands. Sharp nasty weapons made to cut through the bones. The metal blades were jolting with electricity. Several times, she almost grazed Gwen’s or Angelica’s bodies. The electricity left burn marks on their skins. She was moving too fast for either of them to hit her with their powers – so fast she could even run on the walls.

Suddenly, she managed to disengage from the fight. Mary-Jane was in her line of sight.

Sarah couldn’t stand it anymore.

She stood on shaky legs, and yelled: “Enough!”

A sudden burst of her power hit everyone – making all the people who were still conscious briefly gasp and flinch.

Including Taylor.

The black-haired woman lost her footing.

Gwen didn’t miss this opportunity. One shot of web pinned Taylor’s left foot onto the floor.

At the same time, Angelica used her powers to overheat the knives, forcing the other woman to drop them.

More web was shot to cover Taylor’s hands and feet, effectively neutralizing her.

Seeing their leader defeated, the few remaining New Resistants attempted to flee, but Gwen and her friends made short work of them. Those who weren’t knocked out were webbed to the ground.

When the last henchwoman was neutralized, there was a short moment of silence.

Then Felicia made the V-sign. “Score one for Team Felicia!” she exclaimed.

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

Gwen took the time to restrain all the unconscious New Resistants with her webs. At the same time, Firestar, All-New Hawkeye, Guillotine, Agent Senai, Finesse, and Wraith were securing the area.

A few foes were indeed unaccounted for – Trapstr, Carpenter, and Screwball, as well as Charlotte.

Taylor was sitting in a corner – she was obviously the more thoroughly restrained of the lot.

Sarah was sitting nearby, under the care of Felicia and Mary-Jane.

“So. You’ve sided with them?” Taylor finally asked.

The blonde didn’t look her in the eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to get caught. I just wanted this to stop. I’m… tired of running. Tired of… hurting people.”

Taylor stayed quiet for a long moment. “I understand.”

“Where’s Charlotte?”

“I told her to run.”

“Good.”

She didn’t add anything. Neither did Taylor. What else could they say?

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

A high number of police officers were dispatched to collect all the captured criminals, and give chase to the few who had managed to escape.

For the occasion, they were led by a member of the Avengers in the flesh – Janet Van Dyne, Wasp herself. The bulk of the team was still keeping Magneto and his heavy hitters at bay.

“The cavalry… Late, as always…” Felicia commented. She took a side glance at Sarah. “If you want to sneak away, I’m sure that can be arranged…”

Sarah weakly shook her head. “I’m tired of running. I just want things to stop… I want to go to jail… and to pay for my crimes…”

“I’ll make sure everyone knows about you. About what they did to you.” Mary-Jane insisted.

“Canada’s government won’t like it. Nor will the CIA.” Felicia remarked.

“Screw them. They can go to hell for all I care.”

The platinum blonde smiled. “That’s the spirit, Red! Screw authority! I’ll help you cover your tracks.”

Taylor stared at them in silence.

The task force led by the Wasp regrouped with them.

“I see you’ve apprehended a lot of them.” Janet commented.

MJ stood in-between the group and Sarah.

“She wants to go to jail.”

“Obviously that’s what-”

The redhead interrupted her. “To JAIL. Not a government agency. Not a research facility. Jail.”

There was a beat. Mary-Jane was most likely the weakest person in the room – barring Sarah. Yet, at that moment, she commanded the most authority.

“The Avengers will make sure of that.” Wasp finally promised.

Mary-Jane didn’t move at first. She glanced at Sarah.

“She’s not lying…” the blonde assured.

Satisfied, MJ stepped aside, and Sarah allowed herself to be taken in by the authorities. The many officers escorting Janet collected the various webbed henchwomen and Taylor.

Gwen’s team and the rescued hostages were left alone with Wasp.

Felicia grinned broadly. “All’s well that ends well!” She moved to walk away.

Wasp put a hand on her shoulder. “Say, Felicia. I’ve been meaning to have a talk with you. About the time my maid and I were assaulted, robbed of our clothes, and left trussed up together in a closet.”

Felicia’s face didn’t betray anything. She lied without missing a heartbeat. “Must have been Taylor. That chick’s devious! I heard she stole high-tech equipment from Oscorp that day. She probably used your suit to sneak inside.”

“Really? Because Isabel recalls a mousy-looking BLONDE.”

“She probably used a wig.”

“And also used the fake name ‘Felicity’?”

“Come on! Would I use an alias so similar to my real name? Obviously she was trying to frame me!”

“Uh uh. So that’s why she actually stole the uniforms of two health inspectors to enter the building?

“Infiltrators like convoluted schemes.”

“I think police would like to have a word with you, Miss Hardy.” Wasp offered her a fake sugary smile. “Unless you prefer I involve Silvija? Because I doubt Taylor’s the kind of woman who’d steal a girl’s underwear to sell the silver parts.”

Gwen blinked in confusion. Mary-Jane glared at Felicia, her face full of disapproval. She was clearly shaming. Kink-shaming even.

“This is NOT what it looks like!”

Felicia noticed everyone was staring – not just her two friends. Angelica, Kate, Jeanne, and Yuri. Even Jeannine and Meseret.

“She’s taking things out of their context! I swear there’s a perfectly rational explanation!”

"You will come with me, Miss Hardy."

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

Outside the hideout, the police was very busy. In-between the various New Resistants, Phantazia, Taylor, the comatose Mystique, and Sarah herself, there was no shortage of people who needed to be taken into custody. Plus, Charlotte, Jenna, Trapstr, and Screwball were still on the loose.

It actually took Wasp quite some times to find two officers available – who had been until now busy combing the area to make sure no bound-and-gagged underwear-clad henchwoman was forgotten behind.

“Be careful with that one, officer LeLoup. She’s slippery.” Wasp instructed the first policewoman.

“Roger, that! We’ve been trying to catch her for months!” Officer Jane LeLoup answered.

She was a light-skinned woman with shoulder-long auburn hair and blue eyes. Her figure was slim, befitting a well-trained policewoman.

“To think I got caught because I saved the world… And people wonder why I don’t do good deeds…” Felicia complained melodramatically, waving her handcuffed hands to emphasize her point.

“Quit your whining.” a second police officer, LeLoup’s partner, interrupted her. She was a short chubby black-haired white-skinned brown-eyed woman with puffy cheeks and a square-shaped haircut. Her nametag read Officer Mia Williams.

Both wore the standard dark blue jackets, pants, peaked caps, and black shoes that made up the uniform of the NYPD.

Wasp looked at the prisoner with a thin smile. “Don’t worry, Felicia. We’ll put in a good word to the judge. You’ll see. You’ll feel much better after paying your debt to society.”

Then she activated the Wasp suit, and flew away.

“I thought superheroines didn't hold grudge!” Felicia shouted at her.

Jane grabbed her by the shoulder. “This way.” she instructed the prisoner.

“Guess you and DeWolff have something to celebrate together.” Mia said to her partner.

LeLoup rolled her eyes, and paused in her walk. “Why does everyone keep thinking we’re associated?”

Mia looked sideways at her. “You even speak French?”

“What does it have to do with anything?”

“Girls, girls, please stop arguing.” Felicia called to get their attention. “It’s not like you’re going to keep me for long anyway.”

“Stop whining!” Mia roughly interrupted her. “Even your friends thought you deserved to be arrested! Last time I checked, they didn't lift a finger to bail you out!”

“I’d be curious to see you try escaping. Those handcuffs are NYPD’s finest!” LeLoup added with a smug smile. “Now move, the police car is this way.”

Now, both statements were of course wrong, but Felicia didn’t correct either.

She trusted her escape artist skills.

And she knew perfectly well neither Gwen nor Mary-Jane had abandoned her. Case in point, they hadn’t warned Janet or the officers just how BAD an idea it was to leave Black Cat unsupervised with only two policewomen and her wrists merely handcuffed. For all her qualities, Janet didn’t know Felicia as well as Gwen or MJ. She had heard a bit of her cat burglar exploits, but knowing and experiencing weren’t the same thing. Only Gwen and MJ could fathom just how slippery Black Cat truly was – especially at the moment of her arrest.

In a way, the two goody two-shoes were helping Felicia the best way lawful good paladins like them could – they were leaving her a chance to escape.

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

Taylor’s hands had been encased in rubber gloves to block her electric touch. Her wrists and ankles were handcuffed. Super-speed wasn’t of any use if one couldn’t freely move her legs…

So that’s it, uh? That’s how it ends?

Taylor couldn’t even get angry at Sarah for betraying her. How could she blame Sarah when it was her fault?

She had thought helping Sarah would be some kind of redemption for her – and ultimately she had become so convinced she knew best… that she had become blind to Sarah’s needs.

Had she been selfish?

Did I help her for her sake? … Or for mine?

Maybe it was for the best. Sarah didn’t have the stomach to live like a fugitive. In a way, Taylor had broken her out of a cage… only to lock her in an other. Trapped in an endless flight, then trapped working for Magneto.

No! She didn’t regret breaking Sarah out of that lab! That horrible place where she was treated as less than human! Just like Taylor had been… just a tool in the hands of a government...

And she decided she also wouldn’t regret how everything had ended. Sarah had made her choice. Taylor would respect her decision. Maybe it was the only way for Sarah to have peace...

As for her, Taylor didn’t believe in the justice system. She knew her trial would be a farce, no matter what that red-haired self-proclaimed heroine thought. The judges going to condemn Taylor took their orders from the same government which was employing dozens of assassins like her in secret. The mere idea of sitting through all this comedy was unbearable.

An officer seated her on the backseat of a police car, and closed the door.

“Okay, Kim, let’s take this one to the containment facility.” he told the driver.

“Roger that.”

The policewoman sitting behind the wheel was slim but short, with slick brown hair, a light skin, and hazel eyes. Her haircut was a professional-looking bun. She was wearing the standard NYPD uniform: dark blue jacket, pants, and peaked cap, plus black shoes.

Kim immediately turned on the engine, and drove away.

She ignored her partner’s frantic calls: “I meant with me! Kim! With me!”

Kim chuckled in a very ‘un-policewoman-like’ way. "The look on his face..." she snorted.

Taylor squirmed on her seat. “For the love of- Charlotte?! I told you to run away!”

“What a twist!”

Taylor noticed Charlotte was driving faster and faster. “Charlotte… Did you drink coke today?”

“Nooooooooo...?” the other woman lied in a very unconvincing way.

Taylor’s eyes narrowed. “Charlotte Beaulieu. You will stop this car, unlock my handcuffs, and let me take the wheel.”

Of course, Charlotte put on the sirens, and stepped on the gas.

Taylor therefore realized there still was an other young woman she had to protect – though in Charlotte’s case, she also had to protect the rest of the world from zaniness overload.

... Was it some cosmic punishment?

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

Officer Ronald Hamill could only watch the police car drive further and further away, and scratch his head in confusion.

“Was it something I said?”

Then he heard some banging from the nearby dumpster.

“Oh dear…”

He opened the lid with the grimace of a dead man walking.

And indeed, inside the dumpster, he discovered Kim – bound and gagged with tape. Her hair were loose – falling on her shoulders. The fake Kim had even stolen her hairpins. And, predictably, the brunette was only wearing her undergarments: a black sports bra, dark purple boyshorts, and white socks.

“Oh dear… Captain Watanabe won’t like it…”

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

“I advise investing in better handcuffs. Those models are too easy to pick open. At least, when you’re me…”

Felicia adjusted the cap and belt of her outfit.

“Bless the fact superheroes are technically vigilantes...” Black Cat added to herself. “… as it means they have to deliver crooks to the police...” She looked at herself in the rearview mirror of the patrol car.“… and police officers wear convenient uniforms.”

Perfect! With her hair tied up into a stern-looking neck-bun, she looked the part of the policewoman.

The two police officers were sitting in the back of their car. Both were bound with their own handcuffs, and gagged with strips of Mia’s uniform shirt. Strips of shirt turned into makeshift ropes were also restraining their legs.

The short chubby Officer Williams was still wearing her trousers, but to cover her breasts there only was a jade green t-shirt bra. The unfortunate Officer LeLoup was clad in only a blue exercise bra, matching boxer undershorts with a black waistband strap, and white socks.

“I must say, I rock this outfit.” Felicia commented as she finished admiring herself.

A concert of angry muffled moans answered her.

“Still sore about the neck chops I used to knock you out? Don’t worry girls, I’ll leave a tip for your colleagues to find you.” She winked. “After I gave them the slip, of course!”

Black Cat thought it felt good to return to good old-fashioned ‘anti-heroing’. For a moment, she thought she had lost her edge!

She noticed two figures were observing her from afar, on top of a building – one was a blonde, the other a redhead.

Well, looks like LeLoup and Williams will be found even sooner than I thought.

Felicia closed the door of the car, and blew a kiss towards Gwen and Mary-Jane.

“Till next time, I guess. Black Cat is back in business. Catch me if you can!”

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

Gwen saw Felicia blow them a kiss and walk away, leaving the police car in an empty alleyway. Soon, she blended into the crowd.

“You’re okay with letting her go?”

Mary-Jane shrugged. “She helped stop a civil war. That ought to count for something.”

Gwen nodded to herself. “With Jefferson and Taylor out of the picture, I anticipate things will deescalate. Magneto can’t fan the flames alone with the X-Men and the Avengers breathing down his neck. Kelly will once again be the only head of the anti-mutant side. For all his flaws, he isn’t a warmonger. He won’t go as far as open confrontation. It won’t be easy, there’s bound to be a lot of troubles, but at least the country won’t collapse.”

“I’ll make sure Jefferson is very busy the upcoming weeks, when news of his crimes are published in the Bugle.” Mary-Jane promised her friend.

“Maybe Felicia will help you… Looks like you two have become closer.”

MJ avoided looking her in the eyes. “Hopefully. I can’t stand her. But… I don’t have many friends either, so I'm glad to have her as my rival.”

"Life goes on, I guess. Come, we'll regroup with Angelica, Kate, Yuri, and Jeanne. I anticipate a big party. Peter and Miles will be here too."

"Yeah... I'd like that."

[rufusluciusivan]

Note:

The uniforms of the New Resistant henchwomen draw their inspiration from this (thank you tirepanted for the idea):

https://comicvine.gamespot.com/the-resi ... 060-55836/

The LeLoup / DeWolff joke comes from the fact that Officer Jane LeLoup’s design is based on an alternate universe version of Jean DeWolff.

https://marvel.fandom.com/wiki/Jean_DeWolff_(Earth-194)

[meditions142]

Wow, what a fun chapter! You had to know how much i would enjoy the mass sentry take outs.

First loved the scene with the first group of four. First loved the idea of Hawkeye hitting the sentry one just the right spot on the neck with a blunt arrow to knock the woman out instantly.

Then we get the choke out of the blonde before she can even registered that her collague has been hit and before the other woman's body even hits the ground.

Then love the description of the redhead being taken out "then the henchwoman’s first-class ticket to slumberland was – quite literally – punched."

Really also loved the brunette being web gagged and being grabbed and then getting a neck chop to knock her out!

The entire scene is a spectacular fast action multiple sentry take out and it is fantastic.

Then you had to know I would absolutely love the scene where Sarah uses her powers on the three sentries. Great description of the impact of Sarah's powers on their minds "The trio of henchwomen had a brief moment of hesitation, their sense of duty clashing with the huge wave of calm they were feeling – their emotions overflowing their reason, telling them everything was alright."

Then love the take out of the brunette in particular. Got to love the Vagus Nerve Pinch! Great description "One pinch knocked the woman out almost instantly, and she crumbled onto the floor."

Also love the variety. One chockhold, one neck chop and one pinch. Made all the better by the woman making themselves easy targets because of Sarah's powers being used on them.

Two really, really great scenes!

[tirepanted3]

An enjoyable final(?) chapter which ties together most of the lingering threads. (And ties up a bunch of henchwomen as well.)

Some very fun takedowns of the New Resistants (whose uniforms I was happy to provide inspiration for). The "picked off one by one" tactic to take out a group of sentries is always a classic, and it was well-utilized in the scene with Gwen and her team. Love the idea of Finesse using her baton to incapacitate one of the henchwomen.

The scene with Sarah rescuing Felicia and MJ was also quite good (and there's no love lost for Mystique, who earned a fitting fate). MJ's reluctant use as a hostage while the other women don Resistant uniforms was amusing (and called to mind a scene from that great "Session Zero" story from DevanMuse). And Felicia getting webbed up by Gwen was pretty funny. Probably my favorite moment in the chapter:

“I take back what I said. Playing the hostage was a great idea.”

Although if I recall my Marvel continuity correctly, it takes about an hour for Spider-Man's webs to dissolve. Guess things are different on this Earth...

Speaking of Felicia, I like how you left her character - punished for what she did to the Wasp, but ultimately able to escape and roam free again, with Gwen and MJ allowing her to go. The relationship between those three has developed nicely over the saga.

Generally speaking, most of the characters' stories wrapped up well. Even Taylor's final scene seems oddly fitting.

That said, I can see what you mean in your comment from the last chapter about having so many characters to deal with. The climax did feel a little overcrowded, to the point that heroines like Finesse, Hawkeye, Yuri, and Firestar kind of blurred with one another in terms of personality. And overall, it was trying to wrap up quite a lot (including Sarah's arc, and the overall Magneto arc) to the point that some things felt a bit rushed. And I enjoyed the Resistants muggings, but I can't help feeling the climactic fight would leave more of a mark if they had been introduced before this chapter.

Still, I sense this is not the true conclusion of the saga, and definitely offers potential for future ideas for the Marvel world (I would be lying if I said I didn't have a few of my own ). Overall, a solid continuation of the series.

[rufusluciusivan]

Wow, what a fun chapter! You had to know how much i would enjoy the mass sentry take outs.

First loved the scene with the first group of four. First loved the idea of Hawkeye hitting the sentry one just the right spot on the neck with a blunt arrow to knock the woman out instantly.

Then we get the choke out of the blonde before she can even registered that her collague has been hit and before the other woman's body even hits the ground.

Then love the description of the redhead being taken out "then the henchwoman’s first-class ticket to slumberland was – quite literally – punched."

Really also loved the brunette being web gagged and being grabbed and then getting a neck chop to knock her out!

The entire scene is a spectacular fast action multiple sentry take out and it is fantastic.

Then you had to know I would absolutely love the scene where Sarah uses her powers on the three sentries. Great description of the impact of Sarah's powers on their minds "The trio of henchwomen had a brief moment of hesitation, their sense of duty clashing with the huge wave of calm they were feeling – their emotions overflowing their reason, telling them everything was alright."

Then love the take out of the brunette in particular. Got to love the Vagus Nerve Pinch! Great description "One pinch knocked the woman out almost instantly, and she crumbled onto the floor."

Also love the variety. One chockhold, one neck chop and one pinch. Made all the better by the woman making themselves easy targets because of Sarah's powers being used on them.

Two really, really great scenes!

Mass take-outs are always tricky to integrate into a story, so I'm glad you enjoyed this one. Plus, it indeed allowed for some variety in the ways these henchgirls were taken out.

It seems you really clicked with Sarah and her powers. Glad you've liked them being featured one last time as part of a USB scenario.

Vagus nerve pinch - it has been a while since last time I used one, but I thought it fitted Meseret Senai's status as an agent of a secret organization like SHIELD.

For late additions into the plot (and also late additions in the development of the story), these New Resistant henchwomen apparently left quite the impact. Good for them I guess!

An enjoyable final(?) chapter which ties together most of the lingering threads. (And ties up a bunch of henchwomen as well.)

Not exactly final - we still have the epilogues waiting around the corner.

That said, I can see what you mean in your comment from the last chapter about having so many characters to deal with. The climax did feel a little overcrowded, to the point that heroines like Finesse, Hawkeye, Yuri, and Firestar kind of blurred with one another in terms of personality. And overall, it was trying to wrap up quite a lot (including Sarah's arc, and the overall Magneto arc) to the point that some things felt a bit rushed. And I enjoyed the Resistants muggings, but I can't help feeling the climactic fight would leave more of a mark if they had been introduced before this chapter.

Yes, I understand the frustration to see so many famous and less famous characters get as much exposure as bit characters. I've always envisioned this arc as centered around Sarah's and Taylor's developments first and foremost, and while many characters were added along the way - drastically changing the details of the events - in the end it still remained Sarah's story first and foremost.

Personally, my biggest frustration will be the way Charlotte's character was handled - compared to my initial plans, she's the one who suffered the most from the shifts in the story, reducing her to a mostly comedic role where she should have had more depths - exploring the more serious (shall we say creepy?) implications of her being basically an overgrown child living her little fantasy adventures - except said adventures involve real women and real crimes. Felicia put it best when she muses that it's a good thing Charlotte is an air-headed but good-natured ditz because if not she'd be a cold-hearted sociopath.

That being said, hopefully the upcoming epilogues will ease some of that frustration, because I want to give each important player of the saga their one moment of spotlight.

Still, I sense this is not the true conclusion of the saga, and definitely offers potential for future ideas for the Marvel world (I would be lying if I said I didn't have a few of my own ). Overall, a solid continuation of the series.

Being 100% honest, as of now I don't have any idea for a future story set in this universe. As far as I'm concerned (at least for the time being), the upcoming Part 24 will be my good-bye to these characters. I enjoyed writing this saga a lot - and it reached a scope I hadn't anticipated - but all good things must end at one point, and I hope I was able to give this saga a satisfying conclusion.

Of course, the ending is open-ended - in a "the adventure continues" kind of way - as I didn't see any other way to conclude that comicbook story, but for me it's an ending.

That being said, if there's one thing that's certain about Comicbook universes, it's that they never truly end - they're merely put on hold, so if you have ideas for future stories, I'm all ears.

Some very fun takedowns of the New Resistants (whose uniforms I was happy to provide inspiration for). The "picked off one by one" tactic to take out a group of sentries is always a classic, and it was well-utilized in the scene with Gwen and her team. Love the idea of Finesse using her baton to incapacitate one of the henchwomen.

Happy you liked it. It was my favorite uniform stealing scene of this part (though not my favorite damsels - that ought to be LeLoup). I love the mental picture of the ambush.

In hindsight, Finesse's batons were criminally underused. Those have so much potential to bring more diversity to the way girls are knocked out...

The scene with Sarah rescuing Felicia and MJ was also quite good (and there's no love lost for Mystique, who earned a fitting fate). MJ's reluctant use as a hostage while the other women don Resistant uniforms was amusing (and called to mind a scene from that great "Session Zero" story from DevanMuse). And Felicia getting webbed up by Gwen was pretty funny. Probably my favorite moment in the chapter:

This version of Mystique is indeed meant to be quite unsympathetic, and I enjoyed coming up with her karmic fate.

Glad you enjoyed Sarah's development - I've always seen her as a hit-or-miss character - either people would sympathize with her or would find her too whiny.

The climax is darker, but I still tried to retain light-hearted parts - albeit without overdoing it - the scene with MJ is meant to be a bit humorous, but I toned it down. In the early draft, Felicia was a lot more teasing and had more quips, but it didn't fit the more serious mood of the part.

(The resemblance with DevanMuse's story is a pure coincidence though. For once, I wasn't trying to reference something. )

Although if I recall my Marvel continuity correctly, it takes about an hour for Spider-Man's webs to dissolve. Guess things are different on this Earth...

Let's just say there have already been several similar... "friendly fires" shall we say... in the backstory. Gwen learned her lesson after the first one, and came up with a solvent to dissolve them quickly, just in case the henchwoman today turns out to be a friend of hers undercover. (If you recall, in Part 2, MJ remembers an incident when she was impersonating a henchwoman and Gwen webbed her.)

Speaking of Felicia, I like how you left her character - punished for what she did to the Wasp, but ultimately able to escape and roam free again, with Gwen and MJ allowing her to go. The relationship between those three has developed nicely over the saga.

Gwen, Felicia, and MJ weren't always in the center of the plot - and their relationship clearly wasn't the theme of the arc - but I still wanted to highlight their friendship.

Wasp gets some callback (and payback?), but what would be a USB story without the mistress of disguise escaping police after she's arrested?

Generally speaking, most of the characters' stories wrapped up well. Even Taylor's final scene seems oddly fitting.

To be honest, even I can't decide if her fate is too lenient or too harsh. This is Charlotte we're talking about. Though joke aside, this is actually a valid question. I've hesitated for the longest time on what would be her fate.

[tirepanted3]

Not exactly final - we still have the epilogues waiting around the corner.

Ah, I wasn't sure, but it makes sense that there's a bit left to wrap up in the character arcs. Plus, I notice that a few of the villainesses escaped without engaging in any uniform stealing; I predict the epilogue will rectify that.

Personally, my biggest frustration will be the way Charlotte's character was handled - compared to my initial plans, she's the one who suffered the most from the shifts in the story, reducing her to a mostly comedic role where she should have had more depths - exploring the more serious (shall we say creepy?) implications of her being basically an overgrown child living her little fantasy adventures - except said adventures involve real women and real crimes. Felicia put it best when she muses that it's a good thing Charlotte is an air-headed but good-natured ditz because if not she'd be a cold-hearted sociopath.

I'm actually totally fine with how Charlotte was handled, but that may be because I prefer the comedic villainesses in these stories to the more tragic ones. And Charlotte's silliness was needed to offset the darker and more serious aspects of Taylor and Sarah.

That being said, if there's one thing that's certain about Comicbook universes, it's that they never truly end - they're merely put on hold, so if you have ideas for future stories, I'm all ears.

Indeed. As someone who has also written a share of stories that seemed like they could be the "ending" and then weren't quite that, I understand. Only time will tell...

[rufusluciusivan]

Not exactly final - we still have the epilogues waiting around the corner.

Ah, I wasn't sure, but it makes sense that there's a bit left to wrap up in the character arcs. Plus, I notice that a few of the villainesses escaped without engaging in any uniform stealing; I predict the epilogue will rectify that.

Personally, my biggest frustration will be the way Charlotte's character was handled - compared to my initial plans, she's the one who suffered the most from the shifts in the story, reducing her to a mostly comedic role where she should have had more depths - exploring the more serious (shall we say creepy?) implications of her being basically an overgrown child living her little fantasy adventures - except said adventures involve real women and real crimes. Felicia put it best when she muses that it's a good thing Charlotte is an air-headed but good-natured ditz because if not she'd be a cold-hearted sociopath.

I'm actually totally fine with how Charlotte was handled, but that may be because I prefer the comedic villainesses in these stories to the more tragic ones. And Charlotte's silliness was needed to offset the darker and more serious aspects of Taylor and Sarah.

That being said, if there's one thing that's certain about Comicbook universes, it's that they never truly end - they're merely put on hold, so if you have ideas for future stories, I'm all ears.

Indeed. As someone who has also written a share of stories that seemed like they could be the "ending" and then weren't quite that, I understand. Only time will tell...

Epilogues will be after a timeskip actually, though they won't be devoid of uniform stealing.

Glad you liked the way Charlotte was handled. If she felt like a satisfying character to the readers, then it's the most important.

Of course there might be one day an other story or one-shot set in this universe, I'm not closing that door , but if the saga ends now I think this will be a satisfying conclusion.