The Omicron Conspiracy

[mistahgone04]

AS GOLDENMAYNE, GINGERLOXX'S NEW CRIME-FIGHTING CO-VIXEN, SYLVIA ROTHBERG EARN THE RESPECT AND ADULATION OF THE PEOPLE OF RIVER CITY, BUT THERE WAS ONLY ONE PROBLEM...NOBODY KNEW IT WAS HER BEHIND THAT GOLDEN EYE MASK.

It was best that the public not know because in their eyes, Sylvia Rothberg was still Mindah, the villainous henchwoman whom helped her brother Mentro the Magician and father Simon Kellerman rob the River City Savings Bank months ago. Although she was pardoned for helping Gingerloxx capture Mentro, and it was publicly revealed that she was blackmailed into helping Mentro in the first place, Sylvia was still a marked woman. Most cynics believe the showdown was just a stalling tactic that both brother and sister used while daddy ran away with a cool $13 million in cash and gold. Had Dr. Bonnie DiSalvo not took her under her wing, providng her with a research position in her laboratory, she may not have been able to land a job anywhere (It's important that superheroines stick together after all)

Our adventure begins with Sylvia scrambling around her dorm room getting dressed; she overslept and has a Economics Class in 20 minutes. She frantically pushes back the strands of blonde hair out of her eyes, then straightens the waistband of her black tights before reaching for her tapered-leg blue jeans. She flopped on the bed and effortlessly pulled them on, momentarily realizing she had lost some weight by virtue of the intesive training Dr. DiSalvo has been putting her through, then stood up and fastened them. Already having on a black Champion bra-top tank, she quickly stuck her feet into a matching pair of matching Champion cross-trainers, grabbed her knapsack, her keys and purse, and headed out the door.

If she was going to get to class on time, Sylvia knew she was going to have to have to haul tail. It was a good thing Dr. DiSalvo's training regimen including running two miles a day, she thought, compared to that, a jaunt halfway across campus should be a breeze. As Sylvia made it to the lounge, three men in long black leather coats, black suits and burgundy dress shirts approached her. In addition to dressing alike the trio all had the same shoulder-length dark brown hair and fair complexion.

"Uhm, can I help you?" Sylvia asked.

"We're here to see Sylvia Rothberg," one replied in a stony voice.

Sylvia had trouble getting a read on their minds, but obviously knew they were up to no good. "Okay, I'm running late for my class, but I'll tell you what," she said trying to think up of a really good lie. "I know Sylvia, you just give me a message, and I'll make sure she gets it, cool?" Sylvia pleaded slowly easing her way to the door as the trio advanced toward her.

"You cannot fool us, Sylvia," a second one said, swifty darting in front of the door. "Just come along quietly..."

"And you will not be harmed." the third man continued as the trio circled around her like a school of famished marlins.

"Listen, guys, I really don't have time for this," Sylvia said, pointing at her watch. "I have an Econ class in like 10 minutes, soooo," she added and apathetically walked through a gap in the circle and down the corridor towards the exit.

"You know, I don't she..." the first man said.
"...quite comprehends the..." the second man added.
"...magnitude of danger she's in." the third said.
"Let's stop playing games!" the trio agreed in unison, then the second one quickly rushed over to the door before Sylvia could open it and grabbed her around the waist.

"Hey, put me down!" Sylvia cried out. "Let go of me!"

"Quickly, the blindfold!" the second triplet shouted, and the first one ran sped over with a burgundy handkerchief in his hand. "Hurry, get it on her before she..."

Just then, Sylvia began using her tele-kinetic powers to whip up the winds, breaking the glass of the doors with nearby debris, and sending shards whipping toward her abductors, but it was too late. The first triplet threw on the burgundy blindfold with an black "O" monogramed on the front mere milliseconds before a jagged piece would have plunged through his hand, leaving him with a bad case of stigmata, the winds died the debris fell where the floated. Unable to concentrate, Sylvia was powerless.

With their prize now in hand, the triplets, bound Sylvia's hands behind her back and carried her outside through the Emmergency Exit of the dormitory.

WHO ARE THESE STRANGE MEN? WHAT DO THEY WANT WITH SYLVIA? WHAT DOES THAT "O" STAND FOR? TUNE IN TO PART 2 TO FIND OUT...

[mistahgone04]

A black late model Lincoln Continental snakes its way through the streets of River City's Industrial Park district during the late morning hours. Bound and blindfolded in the trunk lies Sylvia Rothberg. The car is driven by a team of indentical triplets dressed in black and burgundy, taking the hapless heroine to an uncertain doom. Angrily, Sylvia kicks on the decklid, as the car winds down asphalt, then gravel roads before arriving at their destination--a large abandoned garage near 27th Street. The triplets hop out the car and the driver pops the trunk.

"Let me go, you freaks!" Sylvia promptly cried, feeling the presence of two of the men standing over her. "Let me go!" she screeched, squirming as the carried her out of the trunk. "Put me down! Let go of me!"

"Silence, and..." the first said,
"..for God's sake hold still..." follow the second,
"...or else we will..." the thris chimed in,
"...gag you!" the trio then said in unison."

The triplets brought the kicking and screaming woman inside the garage, untied her hands, and removed the blindfold.
"Here she is signed..."
"...sealed..."
"...and delivered."

"Excellent work, Samson, Cyrus, and Solomon!" a sepulchural, synthesized voice from the concealed shadows replied as the garage doors closed behind the triplets and Sylvia. "You will be paid handomely for your efforts," it added as a lone spotlight flashed onto Sylvia.

"Thank you, Cronus!" the trio said in unison and walked forward into the shadows.

"Okay, your boys just made a huge boo-boo, taking tat blindfold off me!" Sylvia said clenching her fists and furrowing her brows.

"Did they?" the voice asked. "Look around you! Nothing but darkness. I've been watching you, Miss Rothberg! I know the limitations of your power! Your tele-kinetic powers are useless when you cannot manipulate what you cannot see!" He gloated then laughed scornfully.

"Who the hell are you?"

"I am Cronus, leader of the Omicron Guard, a clandestine Vigilante group devoted to eliminating criminals like you from the streets of River City."

"But, I'm not a..."

"YES, YOU ARE! And the worst kind! You're second generation scum! You have the filthy Kellerman genes in you!"

"But, you don't understand, I didn't know he was my..."

"SILENCE! It was bad enough you aided and abetted your brother all those years by looking the other way, but then you let him bully him into helping him and your father into stealing money from our fair city!"

"No, I made ammends, I helped Gingerloxx catch my brother..."

"While your father got away, right? How convenient!"

"God damn it! When is everyone going to stop making me feel guilty about this? Sure, my father is an asshole, my brother is an asshole, but that doesn't mean that I am. When the hell is anyone going to give me a fair shake? I am a totally different person. Does it matter that my brother blackmailed me? Does it matter that my real father never even let me know that he existed and that I had to find out in a jailhouse confession? Does it matter that the only parents I grew to know and love have disowned me over this bullshit? If you're gonna kill me Cronus, Uranus, Neptune, or whatever Greco-Roman god or Titan you named yourself after go ahead!" Sylvia angrily blurted out and stratched out her arms.

"That was very touching," Cronus replied sarcastically. "Were it not for the a-bombs and s-bombs, it would have certainly been ABC Afterschool Special Material, but no I'm not going to destroy you."

"So, are you going to let me go?"

"Hell no, that's going to be up to my latest pledge," Cronus replied. "You see, tonight is Initiation Night, and you're the demise is the prize," he added and guffawed as two figures emerged from the shadows and shackled Sylvia's ankles and wrists down to the floor. "I know these won't hold you forever, but they ought to hold you long enough for our guest to arrive." Cronus added, then he along with a kabal of other people laughed as Sylvia frantically tried to get out the chains.

SO WHO IS THIS MYSTERY PLEDGE CRONUS IS TALKING ABOUT? IS GOLDENMAYNE DONE FOR? STAY TUNED FOR PART III OF THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY FOR THE ANSWER TO THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS...

[superpics4les]

Boy! Sylvia (Goldenmayne) is really having a rough initiation into the heroine ranks! :( I hope she gets a chance to show what she can do! Looking forward to more of the story! Nice update! 8)

[mistahgone04]

While Sylvia awaits her fate at the hands of her mysterious captors, an investigation into her sudden disappearance is already underway. The police had taped off the entrance to the dormitory, and four uniformed officers milled around the outside of the building and throughout the hallway looking for clues. Gingerloxx stood in the rear of the building with police chief Kayla Andrews near the Emergency Exit.

“It looks bad, Gingerloxx,” the chief remarked. “Given the damage to the front door, it appears that whomever taken Miss Rothberg just busted right through, snatched her up, and took her out the back to the waiting car—quick and easy. She didn’t have a chance to put up a fight.”

“You’re right about one thing,” Ginger replied, using her eye mask to scan the tread. “They did take her back out here to the waiting car, but she did put up a fight.”

“I don’t follow,” the chief said, scratching her head in disbelief.

“There!” Ginger exclaimed, noticing an onyx cufflink trimmed with gold near the doorway. “Did you notice this?” she asked, picking it up with her red-gloved fingers.

“It’s a cufflink, maybe one of the guys dropped it,” the chief remarked casually. “Stevenson!” the chief called inside the building. “Did anyone lose a cufflink in there?”

“I didn’t,” one officer replied back, “What about you, Jenson?”

“Nah, not me!”

“I doubt that it is department issue, Ma’am,” Ginger said. “The symbol on it is an O, like the Greek letter Omicron, and it’s black and gold.”

“Hmm, it could belong to one of the frats or sororities around here,” the chief said, rubbing her chin.

“It couldn’t be,” a slim, wiry man with gray hair interrupted walking over to the two woman. “I apologize for my rudeness, ladies. I am Aaron Augustine, the School Chancellor. I just came to see how the investigation was going and couldn’t but overhear. Now, as for that cufflink, there has never been a chapter of a Greek organization carrying the Greek letter Omicron in the University’s 158-year history.”

“Thank you, Mr. Augustine,” Ginger replied, “but that’s not the only clue around here shows there’s more than meets the eye.

“What’s that?” the chief said as she and Mr. Augustine followed her back inside the building.

“Notice how neat and clean the shards are,” Ginger said, picking up with her free glove. “There isn’t a speck of blood on them. If someone bashed the door in, we’d at least find some blood, or least of skin and clothing fragments. Sylvia broke the door to fend off her attackers. They were already here, waiting…for…her. “

“Gingerloxx, what’s wrong?” the chief asked.

“Somebody here on campus is responsible for the kidnapping of Sylvia Rothberg. They knew where she was staying, her schedule, and her daily routine. If I didn’t know any better I’d say it’s somebody in this…”

Suddenly five shots rang out; the uniformed officers and Chief Andrews collapsed where they stood. With a demonic sneer curling his lips, stood Chancellor Augustine with a .45 Magnum in his hand. “Well, congratulations, Gingerloxx, I must say you are as brilliant as they say you are,” he remarked as Ginger put her hands slowly, well aware of the possibly that Augustine was smart enough to shoot her in the head instead of her bulletproof body-stocking. “You see, I could not afford to have a criminal like Miss Rothberg continue to attend my school any longer, and because of the law’s failure to punish her properly. I felt it best to ally myself with an organization that would deal with riff-raff like her properly. We once tapping you for our ranks—a pity you went soft with Sylvia. But enough talk, you and I have a date tonight, and we mustn’t keep them waiting.

IT LOOKS LIKE GINGERLOXX IS ON THE OMICRON GUARD’S GUEST LIST AS WELL. HOW WILL SHE AND SYLVIA GET OUT OF THIS ONE? TUNE IN TO PART IV OF THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY FOR ANSWERS TO THIS AND OTHER NAIL-BITING QUESTIONS…

[SGWriter]

Nice stories Mist, I also enjoyed your first Gingerloxx story. Thanks for adding them to the site.

[mistahgone04]

Using the spotlight as her guide, Sylvia feverishly tried to free herself of the shackles as Cronus cackled in the shadows and looked on.

"Yes! Dance, my little puppet!" he echoed. "Dance!"

"My feet are already free, you know," Sylvia remarked. "What's to stop me from kicking this pledge of your's in the ass?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Cronus asked. "He has just arrived, and I see he has brought a very special guest," he added as Gingerloxx was thrust into the spotlight with her hands bound behind her back with metal cable and mouth gagged with duct tape. Ginger staggered forward nearly knocking over Sylvia. "Well, well, well. Look at that. Your only hope for rescue wrapped up here with you. What a pity! Nice work, recruit!"

"Thank you, Cronus." Mr. Augustine replied emerging into the gleam of the spotlight. "I apologize once again for being so fashionably early, but Gingerloxx's interference gave me no other alternative."

"Quite all right, Professor Swift! Five traitors for the price of one makes up for this."

"Professor Swift?" Ginger and Sylvia said to each other telepathically.

"Five you say?" Augustine asked.

Three shots rang out in the dark followed by the screams of the triplets, and the thuds of their bodies hitting the ground. "Were it not for their sloppiness, Gingerloxx would not have been put on our trail in the first place. Now, destroy them!"

"Heh, heh, heh, heh! With pleasure!" Augustine replied, wringing his fingers as his eyes glowed red.

"Chancellor Augustine, why are you doing this to me?" Sylvia asked telepathically, shutting her eyes.

"What...the...hell...are you doing? Stop that! Where did you get this power from? Get...out of...my...head!" Augustine thought as he strained.

"Profeesor Swift! What's going on? Finish them!" Cronus ordered.

"I could give a damn why Cronus wants me dead, but why you, Chancellor? Aren't I one of your best students?" Sylvia asked telkepathically, continuing to probe and continually to loosen the shackles on her hands.

"Stop it, damn you!" he growled, shooting a laser beam from his eyes, but hitting the shackles instead of Sylvia as he intended.

"See, you know this is wrong! Your powers won't let you kill me. Just tell me why you're so angry."

"Swift, stop playing around, and kill them!" Cronus fumed!

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY HEAD, YOU WITCH!" Augustine shouted out loud and fired again. Sylvia leaped behind Gingerloxx, untied her, removed the gag, and dragged both of them into the darkness. "Brilliant move, Miss Rothberg, but you seemed to have forgotten that you have no power in the dark. Fortunately, with my infrared eyes, I do!"

"Ha, ha, ha! Now, we're talking! Cronus exclaimed as Augustine entered the dark corner Sylvia pushed Gingerloxx into seconds earlier .

"Yeah, but you seemed to have forgotten to disarm me when you tied me up, Mr. Augustine," Gingerloxx replied and dropped a blue billiard ball marked "F" for flash right in front of Augustine. The ball exploded with a huge burst of light.

"Aagh! I'm blind!" Augustine screamed covering his eyes.

"Peek-a-boo, you son-of-a-bitch!" Sylvia shouted, using her telekinetic powers to hoist Augustine skyward into the darkness and into what sounded like a plate glass window.

"Let's get out of here!" Cronus cried out in a less-omonious voice. The lights came back on, and the bodies of the triplets were strewn on the floor of the garage, while Augustine lied bloody and lifeless in a two-way mirror revealing a room with seven seats.

IT WAS CLEAR THAT GINGER AND GOLDIE HAD NOT HEARD THE LAST OF THE OMICRON GUARD AND PART V WOULD BE LIVING PROOF OF HOW MUCH FARTHER HOW DEEP THEIR LITTLE RABBIT HOLE GOES...

[superpics4les]

This is getting really good! I like it! Keep it going, mistahgone! 8)

[mistahgone04]

THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY PART V

WITH FOUR OF APPARENTLY ELEVEN MEMBERS/PLEDGES OF THE OMICRON GUARD NOW OUT OF COMMISSION, THE TASK LEFT FOR OUR HEROINES WAS NOT ONLY TO CAPTURE THE REMAINING SEVEN, BUT ALSO FIND OUT IF IN FACT THERE WERE MORE DEADLY ESTABLISHED MEMBERS OR ZEALOUS NEWBIES LIKE MR. AUGUSTINE AKA PROFESSOR SWIFT...

Back at Ginger's lab, the duo (Goldenmayne now in costume) were each busy at work analyzing a swatch of material from each chair that was in the secret back room of the garage, hoping to find hairs, or some residual genetic trace, of the Omicron Guard's Principal Members. Their search turned up nothing on the swatches of the first six chairs. But on the final swatch...

"Aha!" Ginger and Goldie both exclaimed, peering into their microscopes.

"You first." Ginger said.

"I found strand a dark brown hair, female, what about you?"

"A fiber, apparently from opaque burgundy tights. Obviously Omicron Guard's Signature Color. We won't be able to find much more from the fiber than that. Let's test the hair."

Gingerly, Ginger plucked the lone dark brown hair off the leather swatch with a pair of tweezers, then placed it on a separate petri dish. She set the petri dish underneath a hot light, which was connected to a computer. All Ginger had to do was to enter the command, "IDENTIFY SOURCE" and immediately the computer the computer monitor began flashing images of a myriad of brunette women.

"How did you program a computer to do that?" Goldie asked.

"It's a variation on the FACES program," Ginger told her partner. "The only difference is that I've set it up to scan anything--fingerprints, hair, you name it." The computer beeped three times and the monitor flashed in bold red letters, "MATCH FOUND." Slowly the picture melded onto the screen and Ginger gasped in disbelief. "Oh, My God! Not Her!"

"Who is she?" Goldie asked.

"Dr. Jordan Grace," Ginger said numbly, "we were roommates at the same Advanced Doctorate Degree program at Brown. If Cronus has recruited her, there's no telling what kind of other brilliant minds we're up against."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Goldie exclaimed! "Dr. Grace is your college roommate? I took her for Sociology in my Sophomore year. She seemed like a very nice woman."

"She was when we rooming together, too, and in fact, she encouraged me to come out here to River City with her after my Dad got busted, but after I started playing pool and winning more tournaments, I kind of...lost touch...with...her." Ginger said, beginning to see a very dismal and dangerous connection. "You know what, I think it's about time I look Jordan up, what do you think?"

"I'm coming with you."

"No! I better go alone. If she's as dangerous as we think she is, we can't risk us both getting attacked," Ginger said, "but first, I'll have to change into some street clothes. If come at her like this, she'll definitely know something's up."

So, back upstairs Ginger went and donned a pair of blue jeans and a red New Jersey Devils hockey jersey over her costume, then removed her eye mask and slid back down the pole into the lab. After instructing Goldenmayne to search for her if she had not returned in two hours, Ginger now as Bonnie DiSalvo, mounted her motorcycle and rode out the home of Dr. Jordan Grace.

WHAT DANGERS AWAIT GINGER AND THE HOME OF DR. GRACE? TUNE IN FOR PART VI OF THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY TO FIND OUT...

[mistahgone04]

THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY PART VI


THE SUN IS BEGINNING TO SET ON WHAT HAS BEEN A LONG VIOLENT DAY IS RIVER CITY. NINE POEPLE ARE DEAD--INCLUDING THE CHIEF OF POLICE. GINGERLOXX'S ONLY LEAD IS HER FORMER COLLEGE ROOMMATE AS SHE APPROCHES HER HOME, SHE DOES IT WITH GREAT APPREHENSION, LACKING HER EYE MASK THAT ALLOWS HER THE ABILITY TO DISCERN WHETHER DR. JORDAN GRACE IS TELLING THE TRUTH, SHE CAN ONLY RELY ON THE NEXT BEST THING...TRUST AND BLIND FAITH.

The sun completely dissapeared over the horizon as Bonnie arrived in front of the four-bedroom brownstowne owned by her ex-roommate. She removed her helmet and dismounted the bike. The humidity of the day lingered, and made Bonnie's palms sweaty--as if her nerves weren't doing a fine enough job already. After all, It's not everyday you get to ask your old friend: "Hey roomie, how's it hanging? I'm sorry I haven't been catching up with you for the last three years. By the way, did you join an evil vigilante organization? Just throwing it out there!"

Bonnie rang the doorbell gently. After ten seconds, a young woman wearing a black tank dress and opaqu burgundy tights answered the door. "Bonnie? Bonnie DiSalvo is that you?" Jordan asked as Bonnie sheepishly smiled. "Oh, My God! How the hell have you been?" she asked, hugging her and dragging her inside. "I saw you on TV winning that 9-Ball tournament against, what's her name, the Black Widow, on ESPN2 last week, and then I hear on the news your protege, Sylvia Rothberg got kidnapped this morning. Aw, Are you feeling okay?"

"That's kind of what I came here to talk to you about," Bonnie said.

"Oh,man, where are my manners? Sit down, sit down," Jordan said guiding her into the living room. "Whoa, don't forget, take off those boots."

"So much for making a quick getaway," Bonnie thought kicking off her red boots and proceed to the living room in her black tights-clad feet.

"Sylvia was a student of mine once, is she okay?" Jordan asked as both took a seat on the couch.

"I think you already know the answer to that question," Bonnie replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I think you know who's responsible for kidnapping her and why? There's no point in playing dumb, it got old the minute you opened the door."

"I could never hide anything from you, could I?" Jordan sighed. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear. I left before I knew what happened you or Sylvia."

"Wait a minute! How did you know I was there?"

"You could never hide anything from me either, Bonnie. I've known you were Gingerloxx ever since your first collar."

"Does Cronus know who I am?"

"Your secret identity has been safe with me as long as you've had it."

"But, I don't understand, Jordy, how did you get mixed up with a madman like Cronus?"

"He wasn't always a madman. He was a cop. He retired after 27 years on the force, and formed The Omicron Guard as a Private Ivestigative Agency to liason between police and super heroes of River City. That's how I joined."

"You're a super herione?" Ginger asked in disbelief.

"I am Third Eye," Jordan replied. "Remember that accident at the Radiolody Lab back at Brown Tommy Franks caused, and they claimed, 'luckily nobody was hurt?'" Bonnie nodded. "Well, let's just say, Superman has some competition in the X-ray vision department now.
Anyway, Cronus recruited me for The Omicron Guard, but when Gingerloxx started coming along and fighting crime, he grew jealous, accusing you of stealing his thunder. He became more obtuse and radical with his judgements of criminals. You saw what he did to the triplets just for carelessly leaving the cufflink behind."

"Men."

"Tell me about it. I even lobbied him to try to get you to join us, but he wouldn't hear of it. And then, the incident at the River City Savings Bank occured. Now, that you helped Sylvia turn her life around he thinks you've gone soft. He will stop at nothing until both of you are killed."

"It all makes sense now. That's why Cronus was trying to draft Professor Swift because he felt as must disdain as he did about seeing Sylvia walking around free as he did."

"Worse, Chancellor Augustine was in the bank that day," Jordan said. "He told Cronus he recognized Sylvia immediately, and it was enough to drive him to the brink."

"Jordy, we you have to help us stop him." Bonnie pleaded with her old friend. "You realize he has gone too far."

Jordan nodded her head in agreement and pulled off her dress to reveal her the black tank leotard she wore underneath with a burgundy "T" on the front. "Let's go!"

ARMED WITH A NEW ALLY,THIRD EYE, GINGERLOXX IS READY TO TAKE ON THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY IN PART SEVEN ALTHOUGH THE ODDS ARE STILL STACKED UP AGAINST HER...

[superpics4les]

Mistagone:

Nice job, man! Just read both installments and I have to say I like the way this is going! Keep it up! 8)

[mistahgone04]

Third Eye donned the remaining elements of her costume--knee-length lace-up black boots, a black eye mask, elbow-length velvet black gloves and a burgundy utility belt equipped with a stun gun, spray can of mace, minature smoke bombs, and a fun-sized assortment of other crime-fighting knicknacks. As Bonnie stripped off her plain clothes, and watched Jordan putting on her mask, she remembered that she left her eye mask behind at the lab.

"Damn, she muttered, "I forgot my mask!"

"Here," Jordan said, tossing a spare black one over to her former roomie. "You know, it goes a lot better with your outfit than red," she remarked."

"You think so?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"God, this feels a lot like old times, doesn't it?" Ginger asked, tying the mask behind her head, then reaching for her right boot.

"Yeah," Third Eye sighed. "The only difference is we're not double-dating some seniors who think we're freshmen," she added and the two heroines laughed.

The front door suddenly flung open and Goldenmayne was levitating in the doorway. "All right, Dr. Grace! Where's...Ginger...loxx?" she asked gradually surprised to see the two women all buddy-buddy. "Well, I see you managed to get her on our side. Good for you...sorry about your door," Goldie said sheepishly floating down with a rye smile on her face.

"Goldenmayne, meet Third Eye, you know her as Dr. Grace, of course." Ginger said, re-introducing student and teacher.

"Nice to see you again, Sylvia," Third Eye said, extending her hand.

"Likewise," Goldie said, shaking Third Eye's hand, still embarassed about nearly knocking the door off the hinges. "So what's the story? How big is The Omicron Guard and what do they want with me?"

"As I told Ginger, they want both of you..." Third Eye went on to explain again. "...and when I saw Chancellor Augustine bring Ginger to the garage bound and gagged I didn't want any part of this mess anymore. I got up and ran. I don't know how you two managed to get out of there alive, but I'm glad you did."

"Now that you said that again, something he told me back at Sylvia's dorm is starting to come back to me now. He said that The Omicron Guard were considering tapping me, but me getting involved in Sylvia's kidnapping just blew my chance." Ginger said as she finished zipping up her boots.

"You don't mean that Cronus was still considering having you join, do you?" Goldie asked.

"That's just sick!" Third Eye remarked.

"Sick like a fox!" Ginger replied. "You say you didn't tell him Sylvia Rothberg is Goldenmayne or that Dr. Bonnie DiSalvo is Gingerloxx, but maybe someone else knows. That someone had to know us inside and out, know our powers, know our weaknesses backwards and forwards, and report directly to Cronus."

"But who do we know close enough to pull that off?" Goldie asked.

"Psst. Hey, Sis, Remember Me?" a voice echoed telpathically, then laughed mischeivously.

"Oh, My God! Not Him! NOOOO!" Goldie shrieked, holding her ears.

"Heh, heh, heh-heh! Guess who?" Mentro laughed like Woody Woodpecker after appearing in the room living room with flourishing plume of smoke wearing a maroon tuxedo and black bowtie. "Come on now, Baby Sis, you didn't think you were the only one with telepathic powers, did you?"

"Mentro, what are you doing out of jail?" Ginger asked.

"Cronus gave me an offer I couldn't refuse," he replied.

"Let me guess," Goldie asked. "Give me up on a silver platter in exchange for freedom and membership in his fine organization, right?"

"Close, but noooooo!" Mentro replied, then utlized his tele-kinetic strength to toss his estranged twin against the wall, knocking her unconscious.

"You son of a bi..ahhh!" Third Eye screamed as Mentro threw her across the living room into the kitchen, yanked out the telephone wires, and used them to bind her ankles and wrists. "I'll deal with you turncoat bitches later! I want red!"

"So how did he offer to sweeten the pot?" she asked reaching for one of her billiard balls in her ultility belt "He couldn't offer Sylvia, she was already pardoned for her role. Did you give up your Dad? If you told him, why can't you tell me? It's a moot point, but Sylvia would like some closure. Don't you think she's at least owed that?"

Mentro laughed, and asked, "You stupid bitch, you still don't get it, do you? He wanted you! That's what this whole thing has been about. He already had me and my Dad, way before your old roomie there joined the team. He fed her the same phony baloney shit about trying to clean up this town. You super heroes are all alike. You are all so naive that you don't find out what you're a part of until it's too late. You see Cronus and my Dad used to go way back when Cronus was a rookie the police force. He used to do favors for my Pop for serious coin." Mentro explained pulling out a deck of trick cards from his sleeves. "Ah, ah, ah! No fair trying to sneak away while I'm talking," he remarked, as he whipped one of the razor-sharp edged cards at Ginger's hand that was reaching for her billiard balls. "You might wanna pay attention to this."

Ginger winced in pain as the edge of the card grazed her hand at a quick enough velocity to pentrate her skin--obviously a brand new trick, or at least one she had not had the chance to encounter before.

"As I was saying, all these years, Cronus has been in my Dad's pocket. It was a sweet gig until you showed up, Gingerloxx, and started arresting baddies willy-nilly. You were making him look bad. You were making us look bad. So you know what the ultimate penalty for that it is, don't ya?"

"Let me get this straight!" Third Eye interrupted, snapping free of her telephone cord binds. "You mean to tell us that Cronus has been recruiting innocent super heroes to help him keep the city safe for his thugs?"

"Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!" Mentro replied, turning his attention to Third Eye. "Correctamundo, tell her what she's won! Why, a beheading!" he added scornfully, flinging another razor-sharp card toward Third Eye at blinding speed. "Don't bother running or ducking, it will just seek you out, my dear!" he said and laughed manically as Third Eye knocked over the kitchen table and dove behind it for cover. The card sailed over the table as if it were remote controlled, and Third Eye had no other option but to put up her arms to shield her face--allbeit a temporary solution. "Ha, ha, ha, gotcha!" he shouted triumphantly when the card suddenly stopped spinning two inches from hitting Third Eye's arms, then dropping on the floor. "Damn it, don't tell me you're awake!" he muttered to Goldenmayne, realizing whom had foiled his plans, but not bothering to turn around to face her.

"What's the matter, Big Brother?" Goldie asked. "Aren't you gonna tell me the rest of the story? Or was that it? I know the authorities are gonna love hearing it again," she remarked taking out blue striped "T" ball for tape-recorder. "Let me play you my favorite part," she said, pushing the tiny rewind button, then pressing play when Mentro quipped, "...all these years, Cronus had been in my Dad's pocket. It was a sweet gig until you showed up, Gingerloxx, and started arresting baddies willy-nilly. You were making him look bad. You were making us look bad..."

"Big damn whoop!" Mentro laughed scornfully, "You got me on tape," he remarked, and with a flick of his wrist, he wrested the blue-striped billiard ball from Goldie's hand and smashed it against the wall, "and now you don't!"

"Sylvester, what was the real purpose behind robbing the bank?" Goldie asked, slowly beginning to levitate off the floor. "Why did you really need my help? Was it the money? Was Simon recruiting me for Omicron, too? WHERE THE HELL IS SIMON? ANSWER ME, DAMN YOUUUUUU!!!!!" The more intense Goldie's anger grew, the stronger did the wind outside, breaking the windows, causing all types of debris to circle and churn around her like a whirlwind.

"I THINK THIS IS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO STOP DICKING AROUND WITH HER, DON'T YOU THINK, MENTRO?" Ginger called as she fought to stay vertical in the gusty wind all the while favoring her cut hand.

"ALL RIGHT FINE, YOU BIG BABY! CALM THE HELL DOWN!" Mentro called, folding his arms in disgust, his forced apology reminiscent of fights the two sibblings had back when they were children.

Goldie realized this was about as much of a sign of surrender as the three of them were going to get out of her older brother without having to triple-team and nearly kill him. She eased down her powers, and the winds calmed, but the damaged done to Dr. Grace's hall, living room, and kitchen was irreperable. "So, what's the story, the whole story?" she asked, lightly floating down to her feet.


TO UNVEIL THE TRUTH BEHIND THE KELLERMAN CLAN, STAY TUNED FOR THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY PART VIII--BLOODKIN FOR MORE SURPRISING REVELATIONS...

[superpics4les]

Dang, man! You sure know how to do a cliffhanger! :x I guess we'll have to wait 'til the next installment! 8) Nice job!!

[mistahgone04]

"If you're looking to take your pound of flesh out of Dad, you're too late!" Mentro remarked indignantly as he moved one of the few remaining intact chairs over from the kitchen into the living room and sat down. "When we failed to take Gingerloxx down at the bank, Cronus told me that his punishment was swift and painless."

"No way!" Ginger exclaimed looking at Goldie. "Tell me he's pulling your leg! I don't have my regular mask, so I can't if he's..."

"Telling the truth?" Goldie interrupted somberly. "I'm afraid so. Simon is Dead."

"We tried everything to get you to join us, Sis," Mentro continued. "Do you see what we're dealing with now? I had no choice but to blackmail you. Dad and I knew you didn't want a damn thing to with this life, but Cronus insisted that three of us take Gingerloxx out. He said it would look bad for him if one of his superhero friends did it and he knew some of his other cronies weren't up to snuff. I'm sorry." Mentro said, as his voice cracked.

This was the first time in a long time Goldie had seen her brother this close to crying. "Sylvester," she asked, "Where is Cronus now?"

"I can field that one," Third Eye replied. "Chances are he at his mansion on South Avenue right now, awaiting news from Mentro."

"Then, let's not disappoint him," Ginger said.

"What do you say, Big Brother? Are you up for some revenge, Kellerman Style?" Goldie asked.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha! I thought you never ask," Mentro replied.


Moments later, at Cronus' mansion, five people--three men and two women dressed in super hero attire--were seated at the dining room table enjoying a multi-course meal as a Bose radio played classical music through strategically placed speakers. A fourth man in a black suit, black tie, and burgundy shirt entered the room holding a glass of red wine and clanked his glass.

"Attention, ladies and gentleman! Your attention, please!" the fourth man announced. "I know you wonder why I have called you here despite the heavy casualties to our cause earlier this afternoon. I was talking on the phone to another one of our recruits, a recently reformed ex-convict from the River City Jail and he has procured for us not only the ones responsible for the carnage of this afternoon, but also the traitor the was discovered amongst out midsts, Third Eye. Is that not exciting news?" he asked and the five guests cheered. "Yes! I knew you would be excited. Continue enjoying your steak, for upon the arrival of these three urchins, we will all have an opportunity to avenge to death of our fallen comrade Professor Swift!!" he said.

"To Professor Swift!" the five people cried out, hoisting their wine glasses, then partook of the savory drink.

The fourth man chuckled privately, then mumbled to yourself, "Yes, drink and get soused. Your blood will be on their hands, and I'll be permanently rid of that buttinsky Gingerloxx for good. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm."


Meanwhile few blocks away from the mansion, Ginger, Goldie, Third Eye, and Mentro were putting the finishing touches on their grand deception.

"Are you sure you three are up to this?" Mentro asked.

"Look, you said it yourself," Ginger replied, "The only way we're getting in that mansion alive and in one piece is as your prisoners."

"It's gettin' out that concerns me."

"Sylvester,stop being a chickenshit and gag me already!" Goldie said, half-light heartedly.

"Alright, alright, Don't rush me," Mentro said to his already tied-up sister,and slapped a piece of duct tape on her mouth, then covered her head with a burlap sack. "Okay, who's next?"

One by one superheroine trio were gagged with their hands bound behind the their backs--tight enough to appear as though their escape was impossible, but at the same time loose enough for them to slip free with little or no effort. For the final touch of authenticity, Mentro marched the restrained women the rest of the way on foot.

WILL GINGERLOXX'S PLAN WORK? WHAT DEVIOUS PLAN DOES CRONUS HAVE IN STORE OUR TRIO OF INTREPID SUPERHERIONES ONCE MENTRO ARRIVES WITH THEM? IS THERE MORE TO THE FATE OF SIMON KELLERMAN THAN MENTRO HAS TOLD GOLDENMAYNE? IS HE EVEN AWARE? WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE REMAINING FIVE PRINICPAL MEMBERS? ARE THEY AS NAIVE AS THIRD EYE? FIND OUT THE ANSWERS TO THESE AND OTHER NAIL-BITING QUESTIONS IN THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY PART IX--REVELATIONS

[SGWriter]

Looking forward to the conculison mistahgone. Hey next time why don't you post your story in a single thread, I think it makes for better continuality.

[mistahgone04]

Having completed the pseudo-victory march to Cronus's mansion with his bound-and-gagged

prize of heroines, Mentro approached the front door to find it unguarded--only locked. He

rang the doorbell, which sounded off an all Church-bell rendition of "Tubular Bells."

Mentro rolled his eyes in disdain at the show of opulence.

"All the money this prick stole and he couldn't get a decent novelty doorbell, Christ!" he

muttered to hisself.

"What an ass!" Goldie, telepathically concurred with her brother.

Finally, the man in the black suit and burgundy shirt arrived at the door, still with the

wine glass in hand. "Ahhh, Welcome!" he exclaimed, like a drunken guest at a cocktail

party. "Welcome! Don't just stand there. Come in. Everyone is waiting."

"You heard the man, " Mentro replied to his captors, jabbing Third Eye in the back with is

fist, pushing her forward into Ginger. "Move it, you worms! Get in there!" he growled as

both women heaved feigned muffled grunts of helplessness. "Not you, Sis! I'm not quite

done with you!" he said, firmly grabbing her arm before she blindly hobbled inside the door.

"You and me still have a matter of family loyalty to discuss yet!" he added as Goldie began

to let out muffled whimpers and pleas to be let go as he dragged her inside.

Witnessing this, the man could not help, but guffaw and wring his hands reminiscent of a

cliche silent movie villain; all that was missing was the top hat and a greasy black

handlebar mustache to twirl in his fingers.
After taking a second to compose himself, the man, closed the door, and returned to his

guests.

"Ladies and Genteleman," he proclaimed as Mentro lead the three subdued women into the

dining room, "as I promised you minutes ago, our new pledge has arrived with our three most

wanted: Gingerloxx, Goldenmayne--aka Sylvia Rothberg, and our former college- turned

traitor-Third Eye. Give Mentro the Magician a hand!" the five guests cheered and clapped,

raising glasses of wine. "The moment has arrived for which you have been invited here. I,

Julian Cronus, give you each a free shot, the proverbial fish a barrel if you will, at these

three malcontents. However," Cronus announced, before being interrupted by the hoops and

hollers of the five superheroes. "However, don't forget to save a big piece of Goldenmayne

for old Mentro here. After all, not only is she family. He already called dibs." he

continued, and the sextet laughed. Cronus elbowed Mentro, and he joined in with a light

chuckle.
"Right! Who's first then?"

"I want that little Miss Hollier-Than-Thou Third Eye!" one man in a steel grey bodystocking,

black boots, matching utility belt, and eye mask with sandy brown hair , and a black "Z"

emblazened on his chest sshouted.
"She's the little smart apple that beggin' us, 'Let's get Gingerloxx on our team.' You see

all the trouble she's caused. That little wench has been trying to take us down since day

one!"

"YEAH!" the two other men chimed in.

"Bullshit! How can you guys say that?" one woman with long black hair and purple highlights

and dressed in a black long sleeve leotard with a "V" on the front, purple tights, black

knee-high boots, purple gloves, and a black eye mask stood up. "Zephyr has a point,

Gingerloxx has taken a lot of the crime-fighting away from us in this city, but that's why

Third Eye wanted her to join us. I mean take a look at the Rothberg Twins, if it weren't

for Gingerloxx interfering, they wouldn't be law-abiding citizens right now.

"Violett is right," a blonde woman in a teal long sleeve leotard, teal tights, black boots

and eye mask. "We had no right being jealous of her, or even trying to get her to join us.

We should have been trying to joining her."

Ginger and Third Eye used this moment of epiphany to wriggle free of their binds, but Goldie

thought it best to stay tied for the duration.

"What kind of sentimental rubbish is this?" Cronus shouted, angrilly jumping up and down at

his maturing comrades. "Violett, Mysteria, have you ladies turned on me too, then? Well,

no matter! Zephyr, destroy them!" he demanded, but Zephyr stood still with his arms

folded. "Right, you traitorous dog! Pyrotechnus, Goldsabre, finish them!" Both men rose

from their chairs at the dining room table, and advanced toward Cronus.
"What the bloody hell is this? Turn on Cronus Day?"

"Pretty much!" Mentro replied, as Ginger anbd Third Eye removed their gags. "I just

telepathically let them in on you little scheme. You're through in this town, Cronus."

"Not really, Sylvester," Cronus proclaimed levitating and snagging Goldie in mid-air as

well. "You see, you little sister took a way too long to untie herself, so I decided to

customize the rope on her hands so that the ropes get a little tighter the more she

struggles. And oh, since, I'm more powerful than she is, I won't be needing this stupid as

sack to control her." he said, yanking the burlasp sack off Goldie, and the duxt tape gag.

"Sylvester, help me!" Goldie screeched.

"You son of a bitch, let her go!" Mentro shouted.

Ginger and Zephyr flew up only to be greeted by a force field and a guffawing Cronus as the

fell back earthward.

"Fools, you'll need a lot more than that to stop me! Oh, and by the way, I lied. Your

father is alive, Sylvester. Who do you think hooked me uip with all these neat powers?

Ahhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaa" he gloated.

"Let go of me, sick fuck!" Goldie screamed as Ginger hurled a green "B" billiard ball for

bomb. "Let go! Let me go!" The ball hit the force field with clank and fell back toawrd

the floor. Fortunately Zephyr had the presence of mind to use his wind-powered lungs to

blow it outside.

"You may have turned my superhero friends against me, but with your partner in my clutches

and the power of the underworld and my secret weapon at my disposal, you will never stop me,

Gingerloxx! AHHHH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAA!" Cronus laughed before finally disappearing with Goldie in his clutches without a trace.


WHERE COULD CRONUS HAVE GONE WITH GOLDENMAYNE? NOW THAT IT HAS BEEN REVEAL THAT HE HAS LIED

ABOUT SIMON BEING DEAD, WHERE IS HE? WILL GINGERLOXX BE ABLE TO STOP CRONUS AND HIS NETWORK

OF DEVIOUS FELONS AND HIS SO-CALLED SECRET WEAPON STAY TUNED FOR THE OMICRON CONSPIRACY PART X--ENDGAME

[mistahgone04]

My apologies for the the quality of this installment. I did it on all on a rush and I was feeling a little under the weather at the time. I promise Part Ten will answer more questions and may answer new ones. Thanks for you understanding...See you soon :twisted:

[mistahgone04]

A NOTE TO THE READERS...I APOLOGIZE FOR KEEPING YOU WAITING SO LONG :oops: AS A RESULT OF MY DILLY-DALLYING, I'VE OPTED TO SPLIT THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS EPIC GINGERLOXX AND GOLDENMAYNE SAGA IN HALF AND GIVE YOU WHAT I HAVE ALDREADY WRITTEN RIGHT NOW :D . HOPE YA LIKE IT.....SO< WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, HERE"S PART TEN_A: ENDGAME.


In what seemed like a matter of moments, Julian Cronus and his captor Goldenmayne reappeared in the bedroom of another opulent mansion. This one was located in the posh suburb of River City known as Bellington Corners. Cronus tossed the hapless heroine on the four-post king size bed like a sack of potatoes before floating down to his feet light as a feather.

"Comfy?" he asked sarcastically. "Oh, of course not! Where are my manners? Let me help you with those boots," he said, using the tele-kinetic powers admittedly usurped from Simon Kellerman to unzip and peel off Goldie's yellow boots. "You've been on your feet nigh on all day, haven't you? Besides, I wouldn't want you to get any ideas about flying the coop. Yes, I knew that whether or not I managed to subdue your tele-kinetic powers, your boots still gave you the power to fly. You would be surprised what I know about you, Sylvia."

"Why didn't you just let me live in peace?" Goldie asked as she mustered the strength to sit up on the bed. "You knew I wanted nothing to do with my brother or my father, let alone any of the criminal bullshit you have greasy paws stuck in, so why me?"

"I have my reasons, and they all will be revealed in due time, Dearest Sylvia," he replied.

"Fuck you!" Goldie shouted, leaping to her feet and charged him with her hands still bound behind her back. "Nothing gives you the right to call me that! Nothing!"

"You will restrain yourself!" he shouted, using telepathy to stop her in her tracks, causing her to collapse on the hardwood floor, writhing in agony.

"Ahhh, stop...it! You're...hurt-ing...me..."Goldie grunted as she twitched and held her head.

"That's the general idea, yes," Cronus remarked. "You'll be a good girl and behave, then?"

"Yes! Yes!" Goldie pleaded.

"Right," Cronus said, and released from his telepathic hold. "Now, stand up. It's time to meet your father."


Meanwhile, back in River City, the superheroes and superheroines have split up into teams of two searching for signs of Cronus and Goldie in four separate quadrants: Zephyr and Ginger took the Northwest Quadrant, Goldsabre and Misteria took the Northeast, Third Eye and Pyrotechnus took the Southeast, and despite his insistences to search alone Mentro searched with Violett on the Southwest Corner.

"You've got to stop blaming yourself what's happened to your sister," Violett said as they stolled down Simmons Boulevard in plain clothes--he in blue cargo jeans, red Pumas, and a matching hooded sweatshirt, and she in a man's purple Baltimore Ravens jersey, black denim leggings and black 6" Timberlands.

"How can I not?" Mentro asked the entered a Mini-Mart for a quick break and to ask the clerk for permission to put up a wanted sign for Cronus. "I literally put a..." he said, caught himself, then whispered to her, "I literally put a gun to her head, and threated her to help me rob a bank, all for the sake of appeasing a father who's barely present in our lives."

"At least you know your father is not dead now. That means Cronus is probably holding him prisoner, too," Violett said as she headed for the freezer.

"That meakes me feel a whole lot better," Mentro said, following close behind.

"Boss, Mentro and Violett are here," the clerk whispered with his heavy Greek accent into a burgundy communicator marked with the Omicron's "O" insignia.

"I'm on my way," a garbled, gravelly voice replied. "Stall them, and capture them yourself if you have to."

"Yes sir, over and out," the clerk responded and quickly put the walkie talkie away as the duo approached the counter.

"...As I was saying, if your sister's half the fighter you are we'll find her in no time." Violett said to Mentro as she approached the counter with two tall cans of Arizona Grapeade in her hand.

"Excuse me, young lady, I couldn't help overhear you talking to your friend," the clerk said. "You missing your sister, yes?"

"Do you know something about it?" Mentro asked, furrowing his brow.

"I might, I might," the clerk replied, rubbing his chin.

"She was kidnapped by that man earlier tonight," Mentro said, sounding like a hard-boiled detective from classic TV shows he had seen growing up as Violett handing the clerk the flyer with pictures of Goldie and Cronus. "Have you seen either of them?" he asked, returning his tone to that of the concerned brother. He didn't need his powers to deduce the clerk was hiding something, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

"I'm sorry, I cannot say that I...Wait! Is this man who I think he is? The great Julian Cronus? Can it be?" the clerk asked.

"He's wanted for kidnapping for kidnapping, sir," Violett replied. "I doubt you'll think he's that great once he's sitting in the River City Jai--"

"Lies! Blasphemy! This is Joke, yes? Fraternity, Sorority, College Prank, Maybe?!?" the clerk roared, tearing the flyer up three times furiously. "This could not be the same man! When I first come here from Thessaloniki to this country, who make sure my store safe from young hoodlums like you? Cronus! Who make sure my home and family and neighborhood safe? People like Cronus, that's who! Now, you waltz in my store and tell me that he's gone and snatch a pretty girl after you ingrate superheroes turn on him? Bah!"

"Whoa, ho, ho, ho! Cool your jets, buddy," Violett said as her eyes glowed a deep purple. "How did you know we were superhereos?"

"And by the way, I'm a recently reformed super villian turned anti-hero. There's a difference," Mentro said as he levitated with his arms folded. "Wanna find out, or wanna tell us where the hell my sister is?"

"I don't know. I don't know." the clerk pleaded, shielding his eyes and dropped to his knees as Mentro pulled up his razor-edged cards. "I swear to you, I do not know. He just told me to stall you, I swear to God please don't hurt me," He pleaded tearfully.

"Who told you?" Violett asked as she leaped on top of the counter, her eyes still glowing a deep purple. "Ahh!" she cried as a sudden laser beam hit in the ribs, knocking her forward on top of the clerk.

"Violett!" Mentro shouted.

"That would be me. Dead-Eye's the name." a gravelly-voiced man replied as he entered the store. "She'll be fine, I had Ol' Jim Beam set on stun," he added, holding up what appeared to an assault rifle. "But, trust me, I ain't got it set that low for you, Tenderfoot."

"Jim Beam? Tenderfoot? Okay, somebody has watched too many westerns on Encore," Mentro remarked and aimed five cards at the long trenchcoated interloper.

"Sheddup, Boy! I aim's to bring you in and I'mma do it!" the man shot at the cards so quickly the cards didn't have the time to dodge out of the way. "Well, I'll be damned. Full house, Kings over eights, a dead man's hand." He remarked after picking up and looking at the shot up cards. "Now, are you gonna come peacful like, or do I have to flambed you and your girlfriend?" Dead-Eye asked as the clerk finally managed to crawl from underneath Violett's unconscious body.

"Yes," the clerk said, standing up and powerlifting Violett over his shoulder. "What he said," he added in a different voice before turning into a bronze-skinned muscle-bound behemoth.

"What the hell?" Mentro thought to himself.

"Kamelior is the name," the clerk said "and if you know what's good you, and your lovergirl, you had better drop the sharp cards, Card Sharp."

Mentro knew he could take these clowns easily, but couldn't afford to the risk of hurting Violett,whether or not they were right about his feelings toward her. In the short time they had searching, he did feel an attraction toward her. He dropped the card and heaved an audible sigh. Dead-Eye used the opportunity to bind a bolo rope around Mentro. Their prizes in hand, Dead-Eye and Mentro left the store with the subdued superhero and superheroine.



Back at the mansion, Goldie was lead down a long corridor which lead to a laboratory. Three young blonde female scientists in white labcoats, short white dresses, white tights, and white clogs were feverishy scrambling and carrying on indistinct conversations with one another as montiors displayed a man restrained in a hospital bed in the next room with intravenous fluids flowing in and out of him, whom was also visible from a glass partion.

"Behold, your father, Sylvia!" Cronus proclaimed, untying her hand. "Alive and...somewhat well."

Goldie, ran up to the partition and pressed her face and hand up to the glass. She looked at the pallid figure being syphened of its vitality, and the rage bubbled inside of her. She couldn't help wondering why Simon was showing her this. What did she want with her?

"Motherfuckers!" she cried out, slapping the nearest scientist so hard, the woman fell out of her shoes. When the other two came to help her up, she swung wildly and shouted, "Do you want some of this too, you vampires?" One scientist was so frightened, she fell backwards and lost her left shoe as well.

"Nien, nien," the scientist with her shoes still intact pleaded with her thick German accent pleaded, backing away. "Please, ve vere hired by Herr Cronus to try und save him, Ja? Ve deed not do zis to him!"

"Katya is telling the truth, Sylvia," Cronus said, holding Katya's left shoulder and her hand as the other two women stood up. and picked up their shoes. "They are completely innocent."

"Herr Kellerman ist in responsive condition, Herr Cronus, Sir," the one-shod scientist said, replacing her white clog.

"Excellent work, Eva," Cronus said. "You three can take ten."

"Danke, sir," the three women said in unison and the trio left the laboratory--the scientist whom was slapped still carry her shoes in her hand.

"Ahh, alone at last," Cronus remarked, returning his attention to Goldie whom continued to stare at the lifeless man lying on the bed. "Would you like to speak to your father now? Don't be shy. Just press down the red button to your left. He'll be able to hear you."

Unable to unlock her gaze, Goldie, aimless felt around for the red button until she could hear the beeping of the apparatus in the other room along with the man's heavy breathing. "Simon? Simon is that really you?" she asked.

"Ssssyyyylviiiiiaaaaaaaa," the man heaved laborously. "Whyyyy...did...you...ccccccooooommmeee?"

"I had no choice. Cronus kidnapped me," she answered. "What has he done to you? Tell me!"

"Did it...for you...aaaaand...your brother. Whole truth...toooo...much..."

"What you mean? What whole truth? You have to tell me he's...ahhhh!" Goldie shrieked as Cronus used his powers stolen from Simon to make her collaped to the floor once again holding her skull, writhing in agony."

"I believe it's best if I field that one, and well look who just showed up to join the festivities," Cronus said as he watched on a monitor located in a nearby corridor Dead-Eye and Kamelior bringing Violett and Mentro inside the laboratory gagged and their wrists bound together. "Gentlemen, you're just in time. I was just about tell Goldenmayne here the Story of the Strongarm Syndicate."

"Whooo-whee, I love it when he tells this one!" Dead-Eye remarked, slapping Mentro hard on the back.

"It all started 22 years ago, back in St. Louis. It was a proud day for me because I had just learned my wife was pregnant with twins; it was good news for me because I could not only stay gained the dual-citizenship I had always wanted, but I could also have the family I dreamed of as well. I could not wait to break the news to my only friend Synapsis aka Simon Kellerman, St. Louis' answer to the Batman. Instead of using solely hi-tich gadgetry and detective skills to take down criminals, he used his uncanny psychic abilities such as tele-kinesis. He was the Batman, and I was his Commissioner Gordon, locking up the bad guys he busted, but taking a little on the side for myself unbeknownst to him of course," he continued, as Kamelior and Dead-Eye Laughed.

"Unfortunately, little did I know Synapsis was keeping a secret from me as well. He already knew my wife Angela knew was pregant because it was he whom was repsonsible! While Synapsis and Angela were unaware me being on the take, they secretly became partners in crimefighting and eventually in love. Angela named herself the Blue Lotus and the two became a very powerful team until that night the fatal mistake of going out when Blue Lotus six months pregnant. Blue Lotus was mortally wounded in the battle. The twins she was caarying was you two. The only way to save you was to induce labor. It was then and only then that Synapsis confessed to me that he and Angela were having an affair. So, we compromised. We put you and Sylvester up for adoption, and Synapsis hung up his tights for good and went to work for me."

"Mothmfckmphm!" Mentro bellowed a muffled growled as he tried to charge Cronus by Dead-Eye held him back. "Ymm lmm tmm mm, ymm sick fmmf"

"So that's what this is all about? Revenge? You are a twisted son of a bitch, you know that? I don't get it" Goldie asked, standing up. "Why have Simon track us down all these years? Why try to turn us into criminals just like you? You gave us up. That's just fucking stupid."

"Don't you get it, my dear?" Cronus asked. "Every father wants to live vicariously through their children," he replied with a crooked smirk curling his lips.

"Scratch that, you're not fucking stupid," Goldie remarked. "You're out of your god damn mind!"

"Now that's no way to talk to you father, young lady," Cronus replied, and forced her back to her knees.

"Enough, Uncle!" Kamelior said and tossed Violett at Cronus, toppling him to the floor, and breaking his psychic hold on Goldie. "I have had enough of your bullshit for one night." he added as his voice and and form changed into Violett's and Violett turned into Kamelior.

"I was wondering when you were going to change back," Goldie said with a smirk curling her lips as Mentro bent down and with a tele-kinetic push knocked Dead-Eye on his back.

"I just needed and opening is all," Violett replied and untied Mentro.

"Uncle?" Mentro asked.

"I'll explain later," Violett said. "Let's get out of here."

"What about Dad?" Mentro asked.

"We've got to find those nurses," Goldie said. "They're the only ones who can tell us how to get him out here without doing more harm than good."


CAN MENTRO, VIOLETT, AND GOLDIE GET SIMON OUT OF CRONUS' LAIR IN TIME? AND WHAT HAPPENED TO GINGERLOXX AND THE OTHERS? WILL THEY CATCH ON TO CRONUS' LOCATION AND PUT AN END TO THIS MADNESS ONCE AND FOR ALL? THOSE QNSWERS WILL HAVE TO WAIT FOR PART TEN-B.

[mistahgone04]

"Get off me, you absent-minded oaf!" Cronus shouted, tossing Kamelior off of him and onto the computer

equipment, causing all the monitors in the makeshift hospital room to shut off enitrely, showing snowy

white screens. The impact finally broke Kamelior's binds, allowing him to reassume his true form--a

musuclar man in a black body stocking, lime grren boots, and matching eye mask and "K" on the front of

his chest. "Would you mind explaining what the hell that was about?"

"Numbnuts here stunned your ex-patsy of a niece of yours and she landed right on top of me!" Kamelior

explained, pointing at Dead-Eye.

"Don't point the finger at me, Mr. I-Have-Quick-Recouperating-Powers-Like-Wolverine!" Dead-Eye

replied, folding his arms.

"Recouperating powers have no effect when a leech like Violett lands on top of you and drains you dry

when she's unconscious, Genius!" Kamelior retorted. "She took over my powers, temporarily draining

me, and thereby pulling off the switch!"

"Brilliant! You two are brilliant! I should have left you in Phoenix, Dead-Eye. And as for you,

Kamelior, you better hope, your twin brother isn't as big of a screw-up as you are, or I will send you

back to St. Louis!" Cronus growled, shaking his head. "Well don't just stand there with hands on your

balls watching me bitch! Go after them while I round up the rest of the Syndicate to clean up your mess!

Go, go, go!" Kamelior and Dead-Eye quickly sped after the three heroes while Cronus picked up his cell

phone from his inside suit pocket and dialed a number. After three rings, he said, "Yeah, it's me. It's

all turning to shit. Get everybody down here. Sooner or later, Gingerloxx and the others will be here

too, and I want you to be ready for them...I don't want to hear it! Do what I say, and get your ass over

here now!"


"So what's this about you being his neice?" Mentro asked Violett.

"Not biologically," Violett answered as the trio weaved their way through the labyrinth of corridors.

"I'm more like his adopted daughter. You can say my story is much like Rogue from X-Men's. I was

born with the ability to suck up people's life essence through touch, but it wasn't until I was 16 or 17

that it really manifested itself. My boyfriend didn't become comatose or anything when I kissed him,

but when I was able to toss the pigskin as hard as he could, that freaked him out. My Doctor could find

out what was wrong with me, but I suddenly remembered the name of his sixth grade crush. In my

backwood, footloose town I was considered a demon. Soon nobody wanted anything to do with me. I ran

away to River City where Uncle Julian took me in under his wing. He introduce me to all the others

and we became a team, a family that looked out for each other. Now I find out it's all a lie."

"So you're pretty much considered an outcast where you from just like I am," Goldie said, comparing

what she had been though the last several months to what Violett had told them.

"But at least you two finally found each other again."

"Yeah, you'd think that," Mentro said as he suddenly stop running.

"What do you mean?" Goldie asked as the other two stopped running.

"I'm so sick of this sentimental bullshit," Mentro replied.

"I was wondering when you were going to show your true colors again, Big Brother," Goldie said as she

and Mentro both levitated a few inched off the ground.

Mentro chuckled, and said, "You stupid cunt! Your brother's not here! He never left the safe confines of

River City Jail."

"Oh My God, of course!" Goldie exclaimed. "Mentro didn't use any special tele-kinetic powers to re-tie

my binds, YOU tied me in that special knot that made my hands tighter the more I struggled!"

"Bingo!"

"Wait, if he's not your brother, then who is he, Goldenmayne?" Violett asked.

"He's mine!" Kamelior interrupted, emerging from around the bend in the hallway, followed closely

behind by Dead-Eye. "Nice work, Dopplegangor!"

"Ah, ha, ha, ha! We tooled them big time, didn't we bro?" Dopplegangor asked, floating down as with his

arms folder and assuming his true from--a spitting image of Kamelior, but with a lime green "D" on his

chest. "God damn, if she actually didn't believe I was her brother for awhile Hee, hee, hee, hee!"

"Apparently you cholos forgot that," Violett said as she metamorphosized into Dopplegangor, "I have

your powers now," she concluded in his voice.

"Very impressive, Mrs. Kotter." the real Dopplegangor remarked a-la Horschak from "Welcome Back,

Kotter"

"That was pretty good. Now prepare to say, 'Ooo, ooo, ooo!'"Goldie said levitating again. "Ahhh!" she

yelled out after being struck her tights-clad right leg by one of Dead-Eye's immobilizer darts.

"There won't no more of that there fancy floatin' crap, Missy!" Dead-Eye cracked with a sinister grin as

Goldie dropped to the floor like a sand bag.

Goldie was still awake, but could not reach down to yank the dart out of her leg. The temporarily

paralyzing serum continued coarsing through her bloodstream and lightning speed. Every second the

dart remained in her leg, the less mobile she became. Violett rushed over to help her new friend, but

was quickly restrained by the Change-O Brothers (Kamelior and Dopplegangor)--each holding one arm

well aware of her ability, but well aware that have taken their powers anyway.

"Not so fast, traitor! Uncle Julian will want to have a word with you!" Kamelor said.

"Let go of me, you monsters!" Violett screeched as she tried to tug herself loose. "Let go!"

"Ah, you two have decided to stay!" Cronus remarked as he emerged from around the bend and

approached Goldie. "Here, let me help you up," he added, yanking the dart from her leg and using his

tele-kinetic powers to hoist both women two women in the air inside a force field. "I knew you couldn't

leave without hearing the rest of my story."

Suddenly, there was a crash in the left exposed wall. When the dust settled, there was Ginger, Third

Eye, and the rest of the betrayed Omicron Guard standing side-by-side with their hands on their hips,

waitng for a final showdown. "Good, I hope you make it quick, Cronus," Ginger said. "We don't have all

night to kick your ass."

"Gingerloxx?" Dead-Eye asked in total shock.

"How did she find us?" the Change-O Brothers asked in unison.

"Easy, when Mentro voiced his 'doubts' about Violett tagging along to search for Goldenmayne, I knew

something was up, so I planted a tiny homing device on neck. All I had to do is sit back and wait for you

to lead me here. I must say it was a pretty sneaky plan. You just couldn't play the sappy caring brother

role long enough, could you?"

"No matter, it was long enough!" Cronus exclaimed. "You have arrived just in time to hear this,

Gingerloxx," he said and chuckled. "This part of my story concerns you also. You see, while I was

building up Strongarm, I of course had to maintain my reputation as a legitimate lawman, so I recruited

a few two-bit villains to help me: Dead-Eye and the Change-O brothers, whom you've had a chance to

meet, Catch 52, Mouthpiece, and my most favorite acquisition your father Whyte Kollar!" Cronus said,

each syndicate member appearing as he was being introduced.

"Dad?!" Ginger exclaimed, gawking at the muscular, middle-aged man in a navy pinstripe three-piece

suit with a navy ski mask covering his face.

"Don't 'Daddy' me!" Whyte Kollar hissed. "I was grooming you from a little girl to be a smart, ruthless

businesswoman, to follow in my footsteps, and what do you do? You turn me in to the SEC! You

ungrateful little worm. Fortunately, Mouthpiece was able to get me out within a year."

"Dad, you were wrong," Ginger said slowly approaching her father. "It's time that you go back to--"

"No, Gingerloxx, don't get too close to--AHHGRRLRRRRLRRRAAA!" Goldsabre cried as he leapped in

front of her and got a shock from Whyte Collar's electrical adding machine tape for his trouble--killing

him instantly.

"You sick son of a bitch!" Ginger cried, as the others examined Goldsabre's smoldering corpse. "You've

turned my father into a killer! What have you done to his mind?"

"No, Gingerloxx, I freed it," Cronus explained. "I gave his criminal mind the full potential to germinate

a boquet of unimagined sociopathy, and I can do the same for you, Gingerloxx. You have his genes, and

twice his brilliance. Join us, Bonnie! The world will be our oyster, NAY OUR OWN LITTLE

DIAMOND TO CUT, SHAPE, AND POLISH TO PERFECTION!"

"You know, he has a point." Ginger said softly.

"WHAT?!?" The other heroes said.

"Gingerloxx, this man has poisioned the minds of so many people," Third Eye said. "How can you say

that?"

"I opened my mouth, didn't I?" Ginger replied, turning to Third Eye with a furtive half-wink, a signal

from their college days that she has a plan.

Goldie, having read Ginger's mind, is way ahead of her. "Oh, you know what, to hell with Simon. He's a

asswipe," she said. "He is sooo dead to me. He fucked your wife and as far as I'm concerned you're my

father now, he's just the dick I rode in on. So if you let me and Violett down, we'll join you too."

"What? I will--Oh, Yeah!! I'm with Cousin Sylvia all the way on this." Violett said, after Goldie relayed

her plan to her telepathically.

"You see that's what I like to see here," Cronus said, easing the force field down. "Three new members

and only one casualty, now that's gotta be a new record. It's a shame we have to leave River City and

start anew somewhere else, but hey that's the breaks. All's fair in love and family, and all that rot."

Cronus added and the syndicate added, and the entire group, including their trio of new femme fatales,

laughed. "So that leaves one question: What are we gonna do with you five?"

"Don't you mean what am I gonna do, Father?" Goldie asked chuckling as she levitiated once again. "I

mean, it's only fair I despatch of these annoyances for you," she added as he eyes filled with lightning

bolts.

"Can I help to, Uncle Cronus?" Violett pleaded, grinning as her eyes glowed a deep purple. "Pretty

please."

"Why don't you go help your friends, Bonnie?" Whyte Collar asked, patting Ginger on the shoulder.

"Dad, I thought you'd never ask," Ginger said, reaching in her utility belt for her newly made

retractable, laser shooting cue stick--able to stun a foe at 250 yards. "Ready, Girls?"

"Ready!" Violett and Goldie said together as the others got in stance for what would be the final

showdown.

"Well, enough jawin' let's finish 'em off!" Dead-Eye shouted.

"Okay, okay, I just have one more thing I have to say to these rejects first," Goldie said as manipulated

pieces of brick from the wall to loosen from the wall.

"Jeez, it figures the traitor to the city wants to have the floor again," Third Eye remarked, folding her

arms. "What do you want this time?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to say...PSYCHE!" she replied and directed a brick right at Cronus' head,

knocking him unconscious. Fights promptly began breaking out.

Ginger shot her laser backward, hitting Dead-Eye in the chest, knocking him backward, outside through

the broken wall Ginger and the others had just blasted though, against a nearby tree. "Ooops, I had the

silly thing in reverse, how careless of me!" Ginger remarked sarcastically. "Hey, give me that back!"

"Not a chance, Ginger-crock!" Dopplegangor said, after snatching the cue-laser from Ginger's clutches.

"Ginger-crock?"

"Shutup I needed a villain-type way screw up your name! Now that I know which end to fire this thing,

you're toast!" Dopplegangor said.

"No please, I was sincere, I really did it backwards. I'm sorry if it came out sarcas..."

"Save it, Ginger-Boob! I knew you were lying all along. "

"Okay, stop doing that. It's totally not cool. But seriously don't fire the laser so close of a range to me,

it packs quite a whallop."

"Like I beleive anything you sayyyyyyyyyyy--unhhhh!" Dopplegangor shouted after firing the laser and

being blown backward from the force of it being placed against his stomach instead of it placed at its

side, and landing on the ceiling.

"By the way, you still had it in reverse, dumbass!" Ginger called up to him just before he dropped to the

floor with a heavy thud.

"Aha, I have you!" Whyte Collar said to Misteria as he bound her inside a cocoon of his electrical adding

machine tape. "WHAT THE..." he exclaimed in puzzled amazement when he saw the cocoon collapse

and a teal mist rise from the bundle of paper like a discolored plume of smoke.

"Since you are Gingerloxx's father, I will give you the opportunity to surrender!" Misteria said, her

thick, distinctive Balkan accent echoing as the teal smoke forming a more ominous storm cloud.

"Show yourself!" Whyte Collar demanded, staggering around. "Show yourself, damn you, whoa!" He

shouted and tripped over a purple "C" billiard ball for "Cage." Before he knew what hit him, a 10' by 10'

cage had sprouted up around him and Misteria had reassumed human form.

EPILOGUE

Zephyr and Third Eye had no problem with Mouthpiece and Catch 52; realizing the three heroines were

not interested in switiching sides, the illegal bookmaker/casino owner and the crooked lawyer wanted no

part in getting their hands any dirtier, they quickly gave up. In all the chaos and fighting, Cronus was

able to come to with the help of Kamelior and sneak away with millions of dollars, but it didn't matter

to Omicron Guard whether they caught him or not. The trust was betrayed by a heartless man whom

destroyed not only a family, but the foundation of an entire city. Wherever he was going to start over

now was anybody's guess, but it was going to be hard with the heart of his Syndicate behind bars.

Whyte Collar and Simon Kellerman were taken to the same clinic in Luxembourg where Katya, Eva,

and Sonja originally work. Ginger personally has commissioned the three women to research any cure,

if any for the effects of what Julian Cronus had done to them. Misteria, Zephyr, Phyrotechnus, and

Violett meanwhile had resolved to ben together and search for Cronus across the country, never resting

until he is captured.

Third Eye has joined Ginger and Goldie's fight to tackle the mean streets of River City--together the

trio are known as THE RIVER CITY SIRENS.

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT...MONTHS OF PAINFUL DEVISING WORK FINALLY OVER. I'M

GOING TO TAKE A BREAK FROM THE GINGER LOXX SERIES FOR AWHILE AND I HOPE YOU

ENJOYED THESE ADVENTURES. I MAY COME BACK WITH A WHOLE NEW HERIONE, SO SATY

TUNED...MISTAH GONE, SIGNING OFF.