So on behalf of Centurion and myself, THANK YOU and enjoy! ~Lady Jane~)Chapter 1
STANDING at the rear of the dance floor, Jordin Tyler felt a bit like a fish out of water. Her luxurious chestnut hair was styled in a fancy up-do, leaving her slender swanlike neck exposed, as well as the glittering ringlets dangling from either delicate earlobe. She was wearing an off the shoulder gown made of an emerald green taffeta that shimmered in the low light. For what seemed like the hundredth time Jordin tugged the neckline back up to cover her cleavage. The dress was a form fitting sheath which clung to every curve of her statuesque figure, however the bodice seemed to be perpetually slipping down. Of course she wasn’t here for the champagne or caviar…as evidenced by her most important accessory; a pair of silvery bracelets.
The Capitol City Civic Center was crowded with men in tuxes and women in luxuriant evening gowns. The occasion was the awarding of a gold medal to the city's Chief Prosecutor, who had just distinguished himself by putting away the notorious catburglar, Cassandra X.
Scanning the crowd for familiar faces, she immediately noticed Evelyn Eldridge and her son Connor. They passed by her on their way to a big table that had no doubt been reserved just for them.
Jordin shook her head and didn't spare them another thought. Tonight she had other fish to fry.
Cupped in her right hand was a small tracking device, attuned to the energy signature of the ZP module, an experimental energy device that had been stolen from Hasselhoff Electronics a few nights prior. As her superheroine alter ego Victory, Jordin had caught the burglars but not in time to recover the module itself. It had already been passed on to a small time loser named Jacob Jones, whom she had crossed paths with more than once. Amazingly, he had apparently done his homework and hidden the device somewhere that blocked its energy output. Fortunately the scanner she had whipped up had tracked him by the energy residue left on his body.
Suddenly the murmur of conversation died down a bit as a policewoman in her dress blues took the podium. Jordin couldn’t help but smile seeing the woman; recently promoted Detective Sasha Cortez.
"Ladies and gentlemen!” she began in her sexy latin accent. “We all know the man we're here to honor tonight. But first the Chief of Police asked me to say a few words for a person who's not here…a person without whom… and as I can personally attest…without her none of this would be happening. Of course I'm talking about our city's premiere superheroine, that peerless protectress of all that is good and decent... VICTORY!"
Jordin tuned out the rest of the speech. Of course, it was flattering to hear her super powered alter ego praised for once, but that wasn't the reason she had become a superheroine. Sparing a quick glance at the Eldridges, she noticed the sour looks on both of their faces.
Good! Jordin thought to herself a bit more smugly than she intended. Okay girl, focus…back to task!
"That looks interesting," another female voice interrupted her thoughts.
Jordin looked up from her device, noticing an attractive girl about her age peeking over her shoulder at the scanner. She had short brunette hair, even a couple of shades darker than Jordin’s own.
"Excuse me?" Jordin said, trying to move the scanner out of sight.
"Your smart phone. Whatever you're looking at must be more interesting than this party."
"Oh, right,” Jordin stammered. “You know some of us never get to leave the office.”
"Heh, wish I had that problem actually," the girl said and held out her hand. “My name’s Jennifer.”
"Jordin."
She couldn't help but give Jennifer a quick once-over as they shook hands. The girl had warm, brown eyes to go with her short brunette hair. Her dress was a strapless chiffon, royal blue in color with a strip of rhinestones from her bust to about her navel. The A-line skirt had a long slit which showed off one rather shapely leg. Her breasts were a little smaller than Jordin's C-cups, although they looked perky and well-shaped, thrust upwards by a push-up bra. Interestingly, she also had a pair of bracelets, only gold rather than silver.
"Jordin," Jennifer said, "could you tell me which of these men is Mr. MacGill?"
"He's the pompous windbag with the bad toupee," Jordin spouted without thinking. Then she blushed. "Don't tell me... he's your long lost father or something right? …and who you're here for a happily-ever-after reconciliation with?"
“I hope not,” Jennifer smiled easily. "No, he was kind enough to send me the invitation to tonight…I'm actually applying for a teaching position at the middle school." She paused for a second and went on. "See I live in Arlington, but with the hiring freeze in D.C., a girl has to find work anywhere she can."
Jordin felt a pang of sympathy. Nice girl, seemingly, alone in a strange city, doesn’t know anyone... No wonder she’s latched onto me so quickly.
"Well, welcome to Capitol City, Jennifer. Is your husband here with you?"
"My fiancé is in the army," Jennifer beamed, showing off her engagement ring. "Right now he's in the sixth month of a two year deployment in Afghanistan, but we're getting married as soon as he gets back. My mother doesn't approve…of course… so naturally she's not speaking to me right now."
"Oh I'm sorry to hear that," Jordin began, then another bundle of curiosity caught up with her. "Do you mean you haven't fucked... er... been with your fiancé in six months? You must be…"
"Don't remind me," Jennifer cut her off quickly, blushing like a rose. "When he gets back, all I can say is he'd better be the first guy off the plane!"
The indulgent smile on Jordin's face faded. She had just spotted Jacob Jones near the front of the room! He seemed to be trying to speak to one of the assistant district attorneys, but she was shrugging him off. Obviously he wasn't carrying the device with him. He must have left it somewhere nearby. Now all Jordin had to do was keep an eye on him until he went back for it. Then... one quick change and the thief was in the bag!
Jones suddenly moved hurriedly back through the room as if he'd seen something he didn't like. From her vantage point Jordin saw exactly what that was: two big bruisers were following him as he made a not-so-casual dash for the lobby.
"Er... excuse me, Jennifer," Jordin said distractedly. "Ladies room."
Jordin got to the lobby just in time to see the two thugs disappear down the hallway that led to the conference rooms. The girl followed as quickly as she could but in her gown and heels she could only go so fast without falling flat on her face. Trying to rush also caused her breasts to jiggle about, aggravating her slippage problem. This forced Jordin to have to hold her top up as she went just to keep from exposing herself.
Women’s evening wear is just not conducive to crime fighting, Jordin thought frustrated. Oh blast it…
Rounding the next corner she came into view of a flight of stairs, the only way they could have gone. Of course this wouldn’t be an issue for a man in a suit, but for a woman in a tight sheath dress it was certainly a hindrance. With a sigh, Jordin gathered up the skirt of her gown so she wouldn’t trip on it and started up. It was impossible for her to climb with any haste and by the time she reached the top, Jordin had lost all trace of the men she was following!
Great, eluded by three common thugs, the young woman admonished herself. Some super heroine I am…
Jordin continued up the hall, hoping some clue would present itself. She paused about halfway down beside a pair of French doors which led out to the gardens. She was getting the feeling (call it woman’s intuition) that it was about time to click her silver bracelets together and transform into Victory. However, before she could do just that, unexpected company arrived.
"Funny place to put a ladies room!" It was Jennifer again.
The pretty girl, strolling gracefully in her beautiful blue gown, came up beside her. Jordin didn’t hide her sigh; the last thing she needed was some nosy girl getting in her way if there was trouble! She was trying to think of some way to get rid of her when they both heard a male voice out in the garden.
"Jonesy, the minute pleasure it would give me to kill you, wouldn’t be worth the effort of covering it up...”
"This sounds like trouble," Jennifer whispered. And before Jordin could stop her, she quietly glided out into the garden. Delicately biting her lip, Jordin followed.
Jennifer and Jordin both took off their high heels so that they wouldn't make a sound on the cement paving tiles. Together the girls crept up and knelt behind a massive rose bush where they could eavesdrop on the three men.
She’s done this before, Jordin realized watching her counterpart move with practiced ease. Middle school teacher my ass…
“Now for once in your miserable life,” closer now, the girls could hear the voices more clearly. “...think before you answer my next question: you weren't planning to double cross Mr. D, were you?"
"Wha-whatever gave you that idea?" Jones stammered, trying to smile at the two thugs, he looked terrified enough to throw up.
"Don’t you know not to answer a rhetorical question with an even stupider, obvious question," said the second goon. This one reached inside his jacket and brought out an odd-looking pistol. "Where is the device?"
Jordin's ears perked up. “The device” had to be the ZP module!
"I-i-it's in a safe pl-place," Jones stammered.
"See Jonesy, now you’re talking," said the first thug. "So take us to it… right… now!"
"This sounds serious," Jennifer whispered turning to Jordin. "Okay, here's the plan. One of us goes back to the lobby and rounds up some of those brawny security guards..."
Who put her in charge! Jordin almost laughed. Who does this girl think she is, Nancy Drew?
"Great idea," she whispered acidly. "While you're doing that, I'll stay here and... er... I'll..."
"Don't be silly," said Jennifer quickly. "The gun that thug is carrying is a proton phase pistol. It's made of ceramic composite. That's how he got it past the metal detectors. That's not your typical hoodlum's sidearm."
"I know that," Jordin replied coolly. "I'm an electronics engineer, middle school teacher…" Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How did YOU recognize it?"
“I..er…my fiancé IS in the military!” The other girl replied unconvincingly.
"Listen, sister..."
"Shhhhh! Wait I don’t hear anything? Did those guys just stop talking?"
“Not exactly toots,” said a familiar male voice, unsettlingly close.
The young women looked up sheepishly at the two strapping thugs towering over them. They were positioned on either side and grinning down in a way that did not look at all friendly.
"Um... hi, guys!" Jennifer said brightly.
"Don't you chicks know that spying ain’t very polite?" the first thug said.
The girls scrambled to their feet, trying to make a run for it, but hampered by their dresses they were easily caught. Jordin's attacker seized her slim waist and lifted her right off her feet! She squirmed and kicked to no avail, realizing that the time for secrecy had passed and she must transform into Victory…Before she could, his free arm snaked around her torso pinning one of her own arms to her side, making it impossible to bring her bracelets together! She grabbed at his wrists with her free hand, trying to loosen his grip. Jordin’s heart sank with the realization that without her powers, she was too weak to even put up much resistance. Her high-boned cheeks flushed with embarrassment, but there was nothing else she could do. She drew in a breath to scream for help... Too late, suddenly the thug clamped his hand over her mouth!
"Nnnhhhmmm! Lemme gmmm!" Jordin protested, her words hopelessly muffled by the rough hand-gag.
With ease, he now pinioned both her arms behind her with only one of his own. Jordin groaned, futilely trying to wrench free. Looking over at Jennifer, she saw that the other thug had already immobilized her the same way. Like her the young brunette struggled valiantly but with only the meager strength of a skinny girl she too was easily overpowered. They were both helpless!
To Be Continued...
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