The Adventures of the Jade Dragon

Episode 3

The Jade Dragon’s Subjugation

Chapter 12 Retribution

Natassia screamed as the lash cut into her. Her beautiful body was being destroyed by the brutal crime boss. Blood poured from the deep gashes the scourge had ripped in her smooth skin. Her breasts, shoulders, and belly were covered with bleeding welts. Her knowledge of the brutality of Metros City’s top villain had prepared her for rough treatment if she ever got caught, but she had not expected that he would try to flog her to death. The healing power of the Dragon’s Eye had saved her from the full pain of Brick’s initial strokes. This was an aspect of the Dragon’s Eye that she had not anticipated. She knew that it made her stronger, but she had not realized that it could heal her as well. Even while experiencing the pain of her flogging she wondered at what other powers the mysterious gem might have. And then Brick’s lash had ripped open her costume, exposing the Dragon’s Eye. He tore it from her throat and then she experienced real pain. The lash shredded her costume and her flesh as if it was tissue paper. Natassia stood it as long as she could, then the shock of the beating and the loss of blood overwhelmed her. Her senses reeled as merciful darkness overtook her and she drifted into sweet oblivion.

She must have only been unconscious for a few minutes. She was awakened by shouts and screams. An incredible sight greeted her eyes. Groveling on the floor in front of her was Brick Henson. He was lying in a huge pool of his own vomit. Across the room two women, naked except for their masks, were battling with about twenty of Brick’s henchmen. Considering what had been done to each of them, they had made an amazing recovery. Natassia marveled at the incredible strength of will and body that was being displayed by the Jade Dragon and Scarlet Falcon as they fought against overwhelming odds.

The third woman was missing. Natassia wondered at this for a second until she saw a number of Brick’s men stumble and fall for no apparent reason. Then she understood. The Blue Avenger was there, but invisible as usual.

Most of Brick’s men were unarmed. It was a strange situation for a gang of thugs, but Brick had a morbid fear of being bumped off by his own troops and forbade all but a few of the most trusted of his squad of goons to carry guns in his presence. As a result, the contest boiled down to hand-to-hand combat, and in this area the Jade Dragon and Scarlet Falcon held a decisive advantage. The two women tore into the assembled thugs like avenging angels, striking down all who opposed them. A couple of Brick’s close lieutenants drew their guns and fired off a couple of rounds, but in the confused melee none of the bullets came anywhere close to hitting either woman. And then the Blue Avenger was upon them, striking invisibly. The combined assault was too much for most of the gangsters. Those who were still able took to their heels and ran for their worthless lives, leaving a dozen or so of their comrades littering the floor behind them.

Although Natassia was alert enough to witness the route of Brick’s gang, she was so thoroughly debilitated from her ordeal, that she was unable to stand. She watched the action, held upright by the steel triangle she had been clamped into. Suddenly she was aware of someone behind her. She could not see who it was, but quite incredibly she heard a clanking sound, and her manacles were opened. Unable to stand without the support of the massive frame, she collapsed, falling backward toward the cement floor. She was caught awkwardly before she hit the floor. Whomever, had released her was not very strong, as the weight of her body drove him to his knees.

"Oof, you’re a heavy girl."

It was Retinoff. For whatever reasons, the diminutive madman had freed her. But he barely had the strength to carry her. Natassia felt herself being dragged toward a door at the back of the room. Too weak to struggle or even cry out, Natassia was being separated from the three superheroines who were still occupied with the last of Brick’s gang. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, she was dragged through the doorway and into another room. She noticed as Retinoff closed the door that it appeared to be constructed of heavy steel plate. It would be very difficult for anyone to follow her if the door was locked.

To her dismay, Retinoff pulled a heavy bar across the door, effectively sealing the room. Natassia lay sprawled on the floor, too weak to move.

"I hope you don’t mind my dear," said Retinoff, "but I am going to give you a great honor today. You see, I have never had a woman before and you are to be my first. Brick promised me a share of his captives, but he reneged. He preferred to torture you all to death. Such a waste! Fortunately, I have been able to save you for myself."

As he spoke, the pint-sized madman was peeling off his clothing. In a few minutes, he had stripped himself naked. Natassia saw that he was certainly not much to look at, with a penis that hardly measured three inches, however, she did not welcome the idea of losing her virginity to such an evil little runt.

Somehow, drawing strength from a source that she did not know she had, Natassia managed to sit up. She was not going to give in without a fight. She tried to rise to her feet, but the effort proved to be too much. She was still bleeding from multiple lacerations, and the more she bled the weaker she got.

"Ha ha, a little weak are we?" Retinoff scoffed at her attempt to resist. "It must be so strange for one who is usually so strong to be so helpless, but let’s just make sure you don’t make a miraculous recovery."

Retinoff moved behind her and pushed her forward. Struggling feebly, Natassia felt the mad villain draw her arms behind her. Within a few seconds, he had lashed her wrists behind her, using his own shoelaces.

Natassia began to tremble uncontrollably. She had never felt so helpless, not even when she was being brutally beaten by Brick. Too be bound and threatened with rape by one as feeble as Retinoff filled her with despair.

Retinoff saw her discomfiture. He could not resist one final taunt before he started on her. Reaching into his pile of clothes he picked something out of his jacket pocket. Kneeling before her he opened his hand only a few inches from her face. In his palm was a blazing stone. It was the Dragon’s Eye!

"I’ll bet you would like to have this wouldn’t you?" the diminutive madman leered. "It is an amazing phenomenon. How does it give you such power? And why did it almost kill Brick? When I am finished with you here, I am going to take you back to my laboratory and perform some experiments that will tell me what I want to know."

Natassia realized that she had only one last chance. Retinoff had underestimated her determination. Drawing her body together, she lashed out with her last reserve of strength. It was all she had left. If she failed, Retinoff would be able to do with her as he wished.

He hands were bound, but her feet were free. Arcing her right foot back, she caught the underside of Retinoff’s hand. The kick was too feeble to do any damage, but it was strong enough to pop the stone straight up into the air. Retinoff grabbed for the falling gem, but he was too uncoordinated and it dropped between his outstretched fingers and right into Natassia’s mouth!

With her hands bound, her mouth was the only way she had to catch the spinning gem. She had played her last card and she had won!

"You little viper!" screamed Retinoff. Leaping to his feet he aimed a vicious kick at Natassia’s head.

The kick never made contact. An incredible transformation came over the defeated heroine. Her pale skin regained its color. Her muscles rippled, and her amazing grey eyes flashed. With an audible pop the shoelaces binding her wrists snapped and her hands flew forward and seized Retinoff’s ankle. She was free, and Retinoff was finished.

The gnome-like scientist scrambled to escape. The last thing he wanted was a confrontation with someone who could fight, but he was too late. Natassia leapt to her feet and seized the little man by the throat. "You little rat," she growled, "I think I’ll ring your cowardly little neck."

"No!" screamed Retinoff in pure terror. I meant no harm. I was just testing you. I’m a scientist, not a criminal."

"You are also a disgusting liar. You devised traps and torture instruments to aid Brick Henson, and for that you should be punished. Death would be too good for you."

"Please don’t hurt me," begged Retinoff, bursting into tears. "I’ll never do anything bad again."

Natassia was already moving toward the door, carrying the whimpering scientist by his collar. "I’ll deal with you later," she said, "I have some friends who made need help." With a flick of her wrist she bounced the cowardly madman off the wall, leaving him in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Natassia rummaged in the pocket of Retinoff’s coat and found the pendant and clasp that had held the Dragon’s Eye. She replaced the stone and hung the ornament about her neck. Then she removed the bar from the door and jerked it open. She strode into the room, ready for action. To her amazement, except for a number of bodies littering the floor of the room, none of Brick’s men were anywhere in sight. In the center of the room stood the three heroines she had come to rescue. They seemed to have dealt with the problem by themselves.

As the door clanged open the three women turned their heads as one toward Natassia. The Jade Dragon was the first to speak. "Incredible!" she exclaimed.

"She’s healed!" Suzi said, her voice echoing Lin’s disbelief.

"It’s the gem,’ said Kyla, "she has it back."

Natassia glanced at her body. As she watched the last of the ugly wounds Brick had inflicted faded away, leaving not a trace on her perfect skin. In her excitement at having escaped she had not realized the transformation that was taking place. The power of the Dragon’s Eye was truly amazing.

Natassia’s eyes swept the room. The Jade Dragon stepped toward her.

"Brick’s not here," she said. "If he was we would have dealt with him. He must have crept away during the fighting, but we will find him, even if it means searching this place room by room."

Natassia saw that none of the women facing her was in any condition to go chasing after the criminals that had escaped. All of them were covered in blood and grime and it was plain that all of them were on the verge of collapse. They had been in the hands of Brick Henson much longer than she had and had clearly suffered considerably. Their recent battle had used up their last reserves of strength. Even now, Kyla was swaying unsteadily and looked ready to collapse.

Natassia stepped toward the Jade Dragon. "I am Nova," she said. "I came to join you."

Sun Lin extended her hand. "Welcome Nova, I am the Jade Dragon."

"Welcome Nova," echoed Suzi, stepping forward with her hand outstretched.

Kyla took a step toward her, and then staggered, about to collapse.

Instantly Nova moved past the other two women and caught the Blue Avenger as her knees buckled. Lifting her like a baby, she carried her over to one of the tables in the center of the room.

"Oh my," Natassia exclaimed, "that scum!"

Kyla’s nipples were still pierced by the two fishhooks. In the excitement of the escape she had forgotten about them, but now she was overcome by a wave of nausea as the pain of her injuries caught up with her.

Natassia’s took one of the fishhooks in her fingers and straightened the end of the hook. Then she pulled the barbed object from Kyla’s breast. Immediately a tiny spurt of blood flowed from the wound. Ignoring the bleeding for the moment, Natassia repeated the operation on Kyla’s other breast. Between Natassia’s high breasts the Dragon’s Eye flickered brightly, throwing a ghostly light about the room.

"Aaah!" Kyla gave a little gasp of pleasure. She felt as if a mild electric current was flowing through her body.

Behind her, Natassia heard both the Jade Dragon and the Scarlet Falcon gasp.

"She’s healed," said Suzi, amazed. "You healed her," she said to Natassia.

Sun Lin moved over to Kyla, who was already sitting up. All marks of the abuse she had suffered had disappeared from her body.

Natassia, herself, was astounded. It had to be the Dragon’s Eye. She had no idea that it could heal others the way that it had healed her. Dumbfounded, she stood there with her mouth agape.

"In your hands that stone has great power," said the Jade Dragon. "You are truly blessed."

Kyla climbed off the table and took Natassia’s hands in hers. Gently she guided her toward Lin and then lifted her hands so that they rested on the Jade Dragon’s shoulders.

Sun Lin gasped. A powerful surge of energy coursed through her body as the healing power of the Dragon’s Eye manifested itself. Within seconds the pain and weakness of her ordeal had left her.

Now it was Suzi’s turn. This time Natassia took the initiative herself, taking the statuesque blonde’s hands in hers. Within seconds Suzi too was restored to full health.

The four women formed a circle each holding the hands of the one next to her. The Jade Dragon reached up and removed her mask. "Nova, I am Sun Lin, also known as the Jade Dragon. You are one of us."

Suzi repeated the gesture, giving her real name and intoning the ritual welcome. Kyla completed the formal greeting.

Nova stood looking upon the unmasked faces of the heroines she had sought for the last few months. She removed her mask. "I am Natassia Green, also known as Nova, and I am honored to join you."

Sun Lin smiled. "Now let’s find our costumes and see if we can see where Brick Henson crawled off to."