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DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE UNDER 18, or if you are offended by sexual material like bondage, chloroform, discipline, foot fetish, knock-out fetish, mind-control fetish, rape, time-stop fetish, or other sexual situations.

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     Titanville's episodes are an on-going collection of fictional stories detailing the lives and times of superheroines in the great metropolis of Titanville.  Although mostly standing on their own, the stories can hark back to previous happenings in earlier episodes.  Thus, it is recommended that you read the stories in their sequential order:

        Episodes 001 ~ 003: "The Mysterious Madame Perloine and the Proficient Professor Pricken" (Parts 1, 2, and 3)

                      Note ~ This story will continue in a future episode.

        Episodes 004 ~ 006: "The Sinister Seven Seas Sensational Spa" (Parts 1, 2, and 3)

                      Note ~ This story will continue in a future episode.

        Episodes 007 ~ 012: "Bank Robberies in Titanville?  Surely, you Jester!" (Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6/Conclusion)

     The key word in the paragraph above is the word 'fictional'.  Everything that you read in my stories is pure fiction and make-believe.  However, in real life, bondage, chloroform, discipline, fetishes, rape, and sexual situations are dangerous and life-threatening.  Chloroform is a very dangerous chemical and is especially life-threatening.  Knock-out fetish, mind-control fetish, and time-stop fetish as described in my stories simply does not exist in real life.  Please do not confuse that which is fiction and make-believe with that which is real and dangerous.

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Episode 012 - "Bank Robberies in Titanville?  Surely, You Jester!" (Part 6/Conclusion) by Titanville

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     The beautiful and golden sunset of early evening had melted into evening darkness.  And as Jester, his male thugs, his female cohorts, and his captive superheroines roused themselves from their late-afternoon slumber, all were re-energized for Jester's penultimate robbery plan that was on the docket for the night's schedule.  Before meeting up for his presentation, Jester pulled Patty and Nancy aside and assigned a special task to them.

     "Do some behind-the-scenes research for me and see if anyone is needing some superheroines-for-hire.  I'm thinking that maybe there's a strip club or escort service out there who might be interested in three of our 'super' girls.  If you find any leads, tell 'em we have two redheads and one brunette who won't be a bother to them at all.  And tell the person that the three have very 'entrancing' personalities." Jester advised Patty and Nancy as he added a giddy laugh.

     If everything went as planned, the nine of them, Jester and his six male thugs and two female cohorts, would have to lay low for a while.  There were no plans in the mix to 'babe-sit' three superheroines.

     Patty and Nancy acted on Jester's direction and immediately left to go make some phone calls to some of 'the usual suspects', that is, to make telephone inquiries of some of their seamier and unscrupulous contacts in and around the various red-light districts of Titanville.  Unfortunately for the proud citizens of Titanville, included in their great city's sprawling confines were those seedier locations where 'the porn hit the pavement'.  It was undeniable and unhide able: the world's oldest profession had its place, even in the forward-thinking, and more importantly, morally high-grounded city of Titanville.

     That one of the area's most highly regarded and highly accepted whorehouses, The Titanville Hills Bordello, was physically located in one of the more affluent, and literally high-ground, districts of the city always made politicians frown when the topic of reducing prostitution found its way back into the local legislative priorities.  Having politicians become embroiled in any prostitution-reducing laws, especially anything targeting The Titanville Hills Bordello, was like putting the mice in charge of protecting the cheese.

     And while some of Titanville's fine citizens understood and looked the other way at prostitution because, well, a profession is a profession and if a girl needed to make a living by selling herself and offering various services, then she should be able to ply her trade, if not her body, even in city limits.  But the same fine citizens were also very naive in their belief that the women, and men for that matter, employed in the city's skin trade had made their decision voluntarily.  None of them could seem to accept the fact that many were forced into the trade and thus had entered the sinister and seedy clutches of Titanville's white-slavers.

     As Patty and Nancy settled into Jester's semi-office/apartment and began making phone calls, they had no doubt that someone out there was, as the rock group ZZ Top described it, lookin' for some tush.  The better question was whether or not someone out there was looking specifically for superheroine tush.  Jester had made it clear to them that only three superheroines were about to be shopped around.  Jester had advised them that the Ravishing Raven superheroine would be taken care of by him.  That left the superheroines Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame to be dealt.  At least they had fantastic tushes, as Patty and Nancy could attest.

     Surprisingly, even to them, Patty and Nancy did have their first lead after only their fifth call.  They had called one of the lesser known strip clubs but one where they happened to know the owner.  The owner had heard a rumor from one of his workers that someone was looking for superheroines.  Seems that an up-and-coming group was looking to open a 'Superheroine Lounge' as part of a new club or introduce it into an existing club.  The owner didn't have all the details but could find out more for Patty and Nancy.  Patty and Nancy had asked him to find out more if possible - they would call back the next day to see if any additional information was forthcoming.  As it turned out, Patty and Nancy were happy to get that one lead, as their next fifteen or so calls were fruitless.

     Patty and Nancy stopped their telephoning and rejoined Jester and his thugs to hear the details of the night's special robbery.  Even the superheroines were at the meeting as it appeared that even the fabulous four would be partaking in the night's festivities.  It was apparent that as the day had gone on further and further, Jester was getting more and more excited for this next robbery at hand.  Although he had seemingly gone into somewhat of a quiet shell, as he had not been dancing or skipping around as much if at all, the jigging jester seemed to be mostly back to being himself.  Mostly.  Patty and Nancy could tell that the new and brunette superheroine, Ravishing Raven, had a seemingly entrancing yet happy hold of their boss' attention.  Neither one of them dared use the 'L' word around their boss.

     And what a plan Jester laid-out before them.  If successful, none of them would ever want for anything again.  It was so simple yet so sneaky.  So superheroine-ish yet so standard.  They all had important jobs and to be successful, they would all have to stay on their toes.  They were all about to see and test just how entranced and dominating the superheroines' spins on the test-Carousel ride had destroyed their wills to do good.  They would also see just how much Jester's superheroines had been, in turn, transformed to do his evil biddings.

     There was a risk factor by including the superheroines, but it was an important and required risk.  It would be made even riskier because the superheroines would be given their powerbelts to wear.  Jester was confident that giving the superheroines their strength back would not affect or change the fact that their minds were now entranced and their wills turned to support his whims.  As Jester reviewed the evening's plans one more time, the golden rays of the earlier sunset had long since changed into darkness.  But there was to be a new 'golden' wave of sunshine about to be cast upon them.

*******

     It was just after 11:00 PM when the Quik & Safe armored-car pulled up behind the grocery store.  It was part of the large and friendly food chain that was home to Titanville and spreading rapidly due to its varied selection, great service, and moderate pricing.  The rider-guard had left the safety of the vehicle to pick up the store's deposit bag while the driver-guard waited patiently.  And as the rider-guard returned from being inside the store, he carried the money bag securely and called on his walkie-talkie to his dispatcher.

     "Dispatch, this is Quebec Sierra Three, pickup number One Eight clear.  Repeat, pickup One Eight clear.  Will check in at next location, One Niner.  Over." the rider-guard calmly said.

    "Quebec Sierra Three, this is Dispatch.  Pickup One Eight clear.  Next check-in is One Niner.  Roger that.  Drive safely.  Over." the dispatcher acknowledged.

     "Dispatch, this is Quebec Sierra Three, will do.  I'll tell Jerry to watch extra-carefully for moose and 'bucks' in the road.  Over and out." the rider-guard stated before chuckling at his bucks/money pun.

     Actually, at this time of night they would be wise to watch for deer crossing their path.  Some sections of their route were sparsely populated and wildlife running across the road could still be a problem for traffic.  The guard secured the grocery store's heavy money bag in the back of the armored-car and returned to the front of the vehicle to continue with the route's pickups.

     Actually, the rider-guard had called-in just a few seconds too early.  He found this out as he opened the armored-car's passenger door and was just about to step inside when the Chloroform Gas hit him.  The ball had been placed quickly under his nose and had exploded instantly.  At the same time, another Chloroform Gas ball had been thrown into the cockpit of the armored-car close to the driver-guard's seat.  In seconds, both guards were gasping for fresh air.  But both guards succumbed quickly to the fiendish fumes of the chloroform and dropped.  The rider-guard dropped to the ground in a mostly silent fall.  The driver-guard slumped in his seat, unable to remove his seatbelt harness in time.

     In a flash, a white van drove up next to the armored-car and four of Jester's thugs, all dressed in black, got out and pounced on the fallen guards.  The knocked-out guards were moved to the back of the van and their arms and legs were secured with zip-ties.  The armored-car's door keys were taken from the guards, as well as the guards' holsters and guns.  Jester, without his white makeup, and two of his thugs were already dressed in the same uniforms of the Quik & Safe company guards, complete with their own hats, coats, and identity badges.  Jester made a quick comparison of his fake badge with one of the guard's real badges.  It was an excellent forgery - Patty and Nancy had done great work.

     One thug jumped into the armored-car's driver's seat and Jester jumped into the passenger seat, after grabbing and securing one of the holsters around his waist.  The second thug also grabbed a holster and gun but climbed into the secured vault area in the back of the armored-car.  And then two of Jester's thugs carried a small locked chest from the back of the white van to the back of the armored-car.  The chest was loaded aboard the armored-car and secured with belts so it would not move about the cabin.

     The two thugs dressed in black returned to the van, joining the other two waiting for them.  Their job was to keep the two chloroformed guards asleep and quiet at the pre-arranged meet-back location.  The white van then drove off on its way.  The armored-car followed a moment later but then turned onto a different road and headed for another location.  Step one had gone precisely to plan.  The armored-car was on perfect schedule.

*******

     About the same time that the armored-car security guards were drifting off to chloroformed-induced naps, so too was the dispatcher.  But not the Quik & Safe dispatcher.  The dispatcher that had just received her own Chloroform Gas ball was the dispatcher at The AGENCY.  Talk about balls.  Ummm, not chloroform balls.  Rather, Jester's balls.  Jester had the balls to direct his cohorts to actually trespass on AGENCY property.  Nancy, dressed as the superheroine Emerald Lynx and wearing a faux-powerbelt, and Patty, dressed as the superheroine Ravishing Raven and also wearing a faux powerbelt, had been guided by superheroine Red Nova, who was wearing her own authentic powerbelt, to the dispatcher's office.

     The trio had entered the AGENCY's compound through the secure turnstile by the company's motor-pool garage.  The turnstile automatically accepted Red Nova's SMART token embedded in her powerbelt - superheroines didn't have the room on their skimpy costumes to hide actual identification badges nor the time to fumble for the same identification badges in most situations.  That the system accepted three rapid entry requests from Red Nova's powerbelt should have triggered an alarm in Security indicating that something was possibly amiss.  But the system's security parameters were not programmed to recognize multiple and successive entry requests from the same powerbelt as a possible intrusion.

     As Red Nova had seductively shifted her shapely hips the first time, the turnstile had accepted her SMART token and beeped and unlocked; Nancy as Emerald Lynx sashayed seductively through the gate.  As a result of Red Nova's second and haughty hip shift, the turnstile accepted the SMART token and beeped and unlocked once again.  This time it was Patty as Ravishing Raven who sashayed through the gate.  If someone had been watching on a monitor, that watcher would have seen Emerald Lynx's sexy butt sashaying and would have recognized instantly the superheroine entering the compound.  They would have also recognized Ravishing Raven's sleek and sexy physique.  Red Nova quickly followed as her third and final hip thrust sent the sensor on the turnstile beeping yet again and allowed entry for her curvy and cute body onto The AGENCY's property.

     The motor-pool area had been quiet due to the late hour and the three superheroines, actually one superheroine and two superheroine imposters, had quickly and silently found their way to one of the elevators.  They had ridden the elevator up to the dispatcher's floor and had crouched low as they got close to the office.  The Dispatcher Office had one door but many glass panels.  One could tell if the dispatcher was busy prior to entering the office.  The dispatcher's door had been opened slightly and a Chloroform Gas ball had been expertly rolled into the room towards the seated dispatcher.

     The dispatcher didn't have a chance.  It had been a very quiet late shift with no action happening - she was not working any active calls at the time.  The chloroform ball exploded and the strong and yellow fumes of the chemical quickly dispatched the dispatcher.  The overwhelmed girl slumped in her chair.  She had anxiously gazed around trying to see her attacker but she saw nothing.  Nothing that is except the yellowish and vile gas consuming her and her thoughts.  Patty, Nancy, and Red Nova then stood up and entered the room and secured the door behind them.  The put the window blinds down and put small masks over their noses.

     The distressed dispatcher was laid-out delicately on the floor.  Patty and Nancy couldn't help but notice the bare and sexy legs and feet on the dispatcher, who was wearing a black skirt and a white top.  The girl was short and very cute.  The cutie had taken off her black pumps while she sat in her chair.  The girl's shift was over at midnight - the girl's feet had been in the black pumps all day and were definitely very stinky.  Nancy commented to Patty that if the chloroform gas hadn't taken down the blonde and buxom beauty, then the odor from her sweaty and stinky feet and shoes would have.  All three of them then chuckled at the expense of the down-and-out dispatcher.  Nancy and Patty wished they had more time to admire and inspect the delicious young blonde.  Step two had gone precisely to plan.  They had secured the Dispatcher's Office and were on perfect schedule.  They each took in the name on the chloroformed dispatcher's name-tag, 'Stacey'.

     "We'll call her 'Stinky-feet Stacey'!" Patty then said out loud.

     Once again, Nancy, Red Nova, and Patty herself had another laugh.

*******

     And not long at all since the dainty dispatcher at The AGENCY had been sent to chloro-land, the hijacked armored-car entered the much secured area of The Titanville Museum of History's rear loading area.  The armored-car was now escorted by three actual superheroines on powercycles.  Two superheroines in front of the armored-car, Emerald Lynx and Ravishing Raven, were the lead escorts and wore thick and bulky black bullet-proof vests with orange safety markings.  Each was on her respective loud and powerful powercycle.  The one superheroine in back of the armored-car, the busty Ruby Flame, was the trailing escort and also wore a thick and bulky black bullet-proof vest with orange safety markings.  She was riding the loud and powerful powercycle that she usually shared with her partner, Red Nova.

     Jester and his goons had long before secured the superheroines' powercycles from the front parking areas at Titanville Amusement Park.  The powercycles had been found the night the superheroines had been corned and captured.  The powercycles had then been moved quietly and quickly to the secluded garage in the unused portion of the park.  The powercycles had then been covered with non-descript tarps in case any roving and wandering eyes had come across the vehicles.

     And now as the four vehicles, one armored-car and three motorcycles, had been allowed through the first set of gates into the 'man-trap' of the inspection area and were now awaiting approval to advance through the second and final gate, the lead gate-officer approached the armored-car.

     "What ya got?" the gate-officer asked as he moved up to the now-open driver's window.

     "Kinda late to making a deposit or withdrawal." the man growled as he read the company name on the side of the armored-car.

     "Dropping off one item for the special exhibit!" Jester said as he leaned over from the passenger seat to talk to the gate-officer.

     "Seems that report in the paper was right and that one of the crew was missed.  Instead of twenty-four crewmen they've confirmed that there is a twenty-fifth.  They wanted to correct the situation quietly and without fanfare as soon as possible." Jester continued to say as he handed over the paperwork on his clipboard to the officer.

     The gate-officer nodded his head, like he was familiar with all the hoopla, as he took his copy of the paperwork.  The officer also took a second and looked at the driver's security badge and compared it to the man's face.  The officer then walked in front of the car and then to the other side to check the credentials of the passenger.  Jester's badge matched his face.

     "Okay, open her up." the gate-officer mumbled as Jester then stepped down from the passenger seat and walked with the officer to the back of the armored car.

     Jester opened the door and the gate-officer peered into the back and saw the small chest secured in the rear cabin.  He checked the identification of Jester's thug sitting in the back.  The door was secured when the officer was happy that no other people were aboard and everyone had proper badging.

     "I don't suppose these three broads on the bikes have identification do they?" the gate-officer asked Jester as Jester returned to his passenger seat.

     "I don't think they do." Jester replied.

     The gate-officer made a frown and started shaking his head.  He hated delays.

*******

     The older gate-officer returned to his post and turned to the special shotgun-toting police detail that had been assigned to the museum's rear loading area.  Four armed police officers were on the watch with the museum's gate-officer.  It seemed like a whole platoon of additional officers were either in close proximity, on the roof of the museum, or hiding in various locations inside the building.

     And he certainly agreed that the added security was needed.  Because the special exhibit was indeed 'special'.  Actually, it was of special value.  A special value of over $15,000,000 to be somewhere in the ballpark.  Currently on display at The Titanville Museum of History were twenty-four bars of gold.  Almost 10,000 troy ounces of the stuff - 9,600 troy ounces to be exact.  Each gold bar contained 400 troy ounces and each bar was worth an estimated $640,000, based upon the fact that gold was currently selling at just about $1,600 per troy ounce.  That put the total value of the twenty-four bars at just about $15,360,000, give or take.  To put it in other terms, there was almost 650 pounds of gold, give or take, sitting on display inside the museum.  And suffice to say, many of Titanville's miscreants and thieves would not want to 'give' of the display but certainly might want to 'take' of it.

     There was another reason why the exhibit was considered special.  It had nothing to do with the gold's value.  More so, it was special because of the twenty-four lives that had been lost while transporting the gold and protecting it during a different time and a different era.

     The twenty-four men of the tramp freighter S.S. Titanville had been tasked in August of 1940 to transport what amounted to be a treasure of over 5,000 gold bars from Great Britain to the United States.  England was, at the time, under siege from Germany during what would become to be known as The Battle of Britain.  Leadership on both sides of the Atlantic knew that the fate of Great Britain was hanging in the balance during those fateful days.  It was thought that the gold would be safer if physically relocated to the continental confines of the United States of America.  And relocated by ship rather than by airplane.  The skies over England were filled with hundreds, if not thousands, of aircraft doing battle in heated warfare.

     The loaded freighter had successfully left Southampton on the evening high tide on Monday, August 12, 1940.  Its progress had been tracked as best as possible by countless agents from Military Intelligence.  It was last seen by human eyes on Tuesday morning, August 13, 1940 off the southern shore of Ireland.  And then it disappeared into time and space.  Or rather, it disappeared into the time and space of the vast Atlantic Ocean.  There was never another recorded sighting of the ship.  No wreckage or flotsam had ever been found.  No distress signals had ever been heard, although the crew would have certainly been aware of their financial cargo and would have never sent a call of distress.  No captured German U-boat records suggested that the S.S. Titanville had been torpedoed.

     By reviewing countless logs of ships that had survived that month, it was deemed that no particular harsh weather had occurred, that is, no hurricanes or huge storms were thought to have been active in the ship's probable course.  And that was the damning fact of the disappearance of S.S. Titanville: the ship simply did not have a dictated or prescribed course.  The captain was at his full discretion to safely navigate a course of his choice to the safety of the United States.

     With all things considered, it was anyone's guess as to the fate of the treasure freighter.  The most accepted belief was that the ship had been torpedoed by a German U-boat and was somewhere on the bottom of the ocean.  And that the torpedoing U-boat was then itself lost, perhaps by depth-charge, aerial bomb, or bad weather, in the depths of the Atlantic.  If that had been the case, the submarine never had a chance to tell its tale of attacking and sinking a lone freighter heading away from Great Britain and heading towards the safety of its American ally.

     Actually, no wreckage of the S.S. Titanville had ever been found prior to 2007.  On Wednesday, August 1, 2007, the gallant remains of the SS Titanville were found by the U.S. Navy's deep-submersible Poseidon III.  It had been an exhaustive and secret search.  In fact, details of the find were not announced until six years later in 2013.  By that time, the entire cache of gold had been removed and recovered during numerous dives by multiple U.S. Navy deep-sea submersibles to the stricken ship.  It had taken a span of six summers to remove the haul of gold.

     And when news of the find had been finally declassified and released, it was clear that the accepted belief of the fate of the ship had been true all along.  There was sufficient evidence at the scene of the wreck to indicate that the freighter had been torpedoed.  No sacred remains of the lost crew had ever been seen at or recovered from the wreck-site.  In fact, the U.S. Navy was still keeping the exact location of the wreck as top secret.  The heroic and long-lost men of the S.S. Titanville would forever stay with their beloved ship.  Their shared coffin that was the iron and steel remains of the S.S. Titanville would not be disturbed or molested by outsiders who might have the financial resources to visit or investigate the wreck-site.

     And so 2013 is when the story of the S.S. Titanville really began for the citizens of Titanville.  Many had not even known that a ship had ever shared the name of their proud city.  Actually, the name and cargo of the ship had only been known to a select few even as far back as August of 1940.  'Loose lips sink ships!' had been the mantra of wartime.  Indeed, the secrets and secret treasure of the S.S. Titanville had been lost for such a long time that it was almost forgotten.  Almost.  Now that the gold was safely stored at Fort Knox, the interest in over $3,000,000,000 in gold bullion was at a peak.  And there was a new problem, or question.  Who actually owned the gold?  Did England still own it because the ship had been lost??  Did the United States own it because they found and retrieved it???  These were important questions for another day and another legal argument.

     And since 2013, the directors of The Titanville Museum of History had tried to come up with a way, a great way, to bring the story of the historic S.S. Titanville to the citizens of the city of which the gallant ship had been christened and named for.  It had been quite easy actually.  Early on, it had been suggested to compare the value of the ship's expensive cargo to the value of the ship's priceless crew in a grand exhibit.  Eyes and ideas had been opened.

     The museum was able to obtain historical pictures and construction diagrams of the ship.  They even knew the names of the twenty-four men lost in the ship's sinking.  That the directors were able to track down all the surviving families of the twenty-four crewmen had been a sign.  The exhibit was going to be something special.  Very special.  One of the widows of the crew even lived in Titanville.  She was almost ninety-six years old and had never remarried.  The loss of her husband when she was barely twenty-one years-old had left a void in her heart.  It was the same emptiness felt by and suffered by multitudes during and after the war years.  It was an emptiness that could never be filled.  Never.  No amount of gold or whatever could return her beloved husband to her side.

     Although the museum directors went through the formal channels and asked if twenty-four gold bars from the wreck could be loaned to and displayed at the museum as part of the exhibit, they figured it would never happen.  It would be too risky.  But they asked anyway, fully expecting the answer to be 'no'.  But the answer they had received, rather quickly for that matter, had made them utterly shocked and utterly excited at the same.  The United States powers that be, and even the English powers that be, thought it was a magnificent idea.  If the particulars of transportation and security could be ironed out and expenses shared, there seemed to be no reason why it couldn't happen.  Imagine, twenty-four almost-priceless bars of gold would be put on display in Titanville to honor the twenty-four absolutely-priceless crewman's lives that had been lost with the sinking of the S.S. Titanville.

     All the appropriate legal parties signed-off on the plans to transport twenty-four of the gold bars to Titanville.  Through the next many months, the museum staff worked work diligently on the exhibit called "The Men Behind the Gold".  It was to be the crowning jewel of anything the museum had ever presented.  The exhibit would run from October 12 until November 11, ending on Veteran's Day.  It was anticipated that even the last day of the exhibit would be as popular as the first day - seeing that many veterans had indicated that they would visit on Veteran's Day itself.  The only downside was that the gold would only be on loan to the museum for one month.  Funds to protect the bullion and provide strong security were being shared by various agencies but there was only so much money in the well to draw from.  The directors knew they were very lucky to get even the one month.

     Finally, after all the planning and diligent work, Opening Night of the "The Men Behind the Gold" exhibit had arrived the week previous.  It received national attention with many national news programs broadcasting from The Titanville Museum of History.  It was a proud day for the citizens of Titanville.  The exhibit was simply wonderful and poignant.  The ninety-five year-old widow of the crewman that was lost cut the red-white-and-blue ribbon that opened the exhibit.  When she proceeded to touch one of the gold bars as she reminisced to one of the on-air news anchors about her husband, there wasn't a dry-eye in the house.  Her husband had been an oiler working mainly in the engine room - he was the love, and only love, of her long life.  The ribbon-cutting was her fifteen minutes of fame.  It had been a long time, a very long time, in coming.

     And the exhibit exemplified class and thought throughout.  The gold bars were put on display in the ante-room outside the main exhibit hall and was the first thing visitors encountered.  The shiny gold bars were aligned neatly on a long velvet-covered table in three rows with eight shiny bars in each row.  The rich velvet table cover was dark-burgundy in color.  Behind the table were enlarged black-and-white pictures of all twenty-four men that comprised the S.S. Titanville's crew.  And at each corner of the table were placed antique and shiny brass nautical objects.  There was a ship's wheel, a binnacle, and two engine order telegraphs.  White and thick nautical ropes surrounded the table not only to add to the theme but also to provide a visible perimeter for the visitors to see but not touch or cross.  Truth be advertised, there were infrared lasers inside the shiny brass antiques which created an invisible web around the perimeter of the table and warned security of any advancement towards the golden display.

     From the viewing of the shiny and interesting gold bars at the entrance, visitors were then drawn into and entered the main viewing hall.  It was a large room.  In the front area of the main room, hundreds of historical photos of the ship as well as many nautical charts were introduced.  There was one small section which highlighted the construction of the ship; there was another small section which highlighted, on huge maps, the many ports-of-call that the ship had visited.  And there was a small section which highlighted World War II and specifically detailed The Battle of Britain.

     The second and larger portion of the main viewing room was dedicated to the twenty-four men.  There were many treasured family pictures on display as each crewman had his own personal alcove.  Many families had participated in candid interviews to talk about and introduce their lost family member - and there were large television monitors in each crewman's alcove to view the historic and captivating media.  Inside glass cases were love letters and other personal mementos that were either owned or given by the lost crewman.  Many of the cases included smaller personal pictures.  One or two alcoves even displayed an old home movie or two of the young crewman introduced in that particular alcove.

     Without question, the second portion of the exhibit brought to life the twenty-four lost men and showed that they had vibrant and meaningful lives.  Vibrant and meaningful lives that were taken by a long and horrific war.  They were sons, fathers, brothers, grandfathers, uncles, and cousins.  The words and recollections from the wives were especially moving.  Many of the men were also loved AND loving husbands.

     And that was the simple yet soul-searching goal of the exhibit.  That is, the goal was to remind everyone that the twenty-four men had, just like each individual visitor to the museum also had, a life to be lived.  Apparent throughout the second portion of the exhibit was that these twenty-four individual men were loved.  And they were loved deeply and immensely.  As deep and as immense as where they now rested in peace.

     And as visitors left the exhibit, they were emptied back into the ante-room to either exit the museum or take another look at the gold sitting on the table.  And to take another look at the large twenty-four pictures of "The Men Behind the Gold".  One could tell the visitors apart.  The ones who were just arriving were excited and uplifted by the sight of the gold bars.  The ones who were just exiting the main viewing hall were somber and reflective.  Nothing, not even shiny and bright gold bars could replace or match the value of the twenty-four shiny and bright lives that they had been just been introduced to.  The exhibit was very well-done and very thought-provoking.  Word of mouth had spread like wildfire throughout the city.

     "You gotta go see the S.S. Titanville exhibit!" was everyone's reaction to the exhibit.

     But as can happen with informational history that has been presented, and more importantly, recognized and made-popular, new information or facts might come to light that put into question the validity of the said exhibit or display.  And such was the case for "The Men Behind the Gold" exhibit.  It seems there was historical evidence recently uncovered that put the total number of lives lost in question.  There was a strong and vocal group based in England that was indicating that there were really twenty-five crewman lost on the S.S. Titanville.  One crewman had signed the ship's articles on the day the freighter had left Southampton.  A copy of the ship's articles left with company officials at the harbor had finally come to light only days ago.  The document rather substantiated one family's long-continuing and hard-fought insistence that their family member had indeed been aboard the ill-fated freighter.

     It was a matter that had not been omitted or neglected on purpose - the document had just been found deep in a long-forgotten archive in London only days earlier.  But it now surely appeared like the true count of the S.S. Titanville's crew was twenty-five and not the previously twenty-four as detailed by the exhibit.  But because of the popularity of the exhibit, the news was front-page material.  And it was quickly picking up steam.  People were anxious to know if a twenty-fifth gold bar would be added to the exhibition to match the breaking news of a newly-discovered twenty-fifth crew member.  Some public opinion had turned nasty with outright demands that the exhibition be corrected.  And corrected ASAP!  Museum staff and even security officers were becoming increasingly assailed to correct "The Men Behind the Gold" exhibit.

*******

     The gate-officer asked a few of the police-detail officers if anyone recognized the superheroines sitting on their powercycles.  One of the officers stepped forward and checked out the curvy and vested Emerald Lynx as the sexy trio waited patiently on their powercycles.

     "Hey Emerald Lynx!  It's Officer Stone...  We met at the Police Ball in June!!" the officer began saying.

     Emerald Lynx looked at the officer's face and made the do-I-know-this-guy-scrunchy face.  His face finally rang a bell.

     "Yes...  Yes, we danced to 'Beyond the Sea'!  How have you been Officer Stone?" Emerald Lynx asked. 

     "That was a great night.  I thought that you might have called...but that's okay.  I still respect you!" Emerald Lynx said kiddingly with a small laugh.

     The officer laughed but didn't say any more.  He continued checking out Ravishing Raven and Ruby Flame.  But the officer couldn't recall ever meeting either the brunette or red-headed superheroine.

     "I know and recognize the first one but can't help you with the other two." Officer Stone informed the gate-officer.

     The gate-officer nodded his head a few times and then entered his security shack.  He knew the superheroines were probably okay but knew his job was to be thorough.  He picked up the secure telephone [SECfone] and waited a few seconds for the connection to be made.  He saw the red light turn green indicating that he now had a secure connection.

     "Good evening, this is AGENCY dispatch, Stacey speaking.  How may I help you?" 'Stacey' asked soothingly.

     'Stacey' was really Nancy, dressed as the superheroine Emerald Lynx.

     "This is gate-officer Emerson down at Titanville Museum of History.  Do you have any details being worked by superheroines tonight?" the gate-officer asked innocently enough.

     "Let me check the event log schedule Officer Emerson, one moment please...  ...  Yes...Yes, we do have three superheroines for a delivery escort detail for tonight.  Looks like the superheroines are protecting a small shipment from Titanville International Airport to Titanville Museum of History.  The estimated arrival at your location is between 11:00 PM and midnight.  If they're not there yet I would think they will be there soon.  The log does not indicate the cargo they are escorting but the notes mention the use of bullet-proof vests.  Looks like some important stuff is coming your way!  Let's see, the three superheroines are Emerald Lynx, Ravishing Raven, and Ruby Flame.  Is there anything else that you require?" 'Stacey' asked.

     "No, that's more than enough information, Stacey.  Thank you for your confirmation." gate-officer Emerson replied.

     "You're most welcome, Officer Emerson.  You have a good and safe night down there!  Thank you for your call!" 'Stacey' said.

     The light on the SECfone then turned red again as Officer Emerson hung up on his end.  Nancy, Patty, and Red Nova stayed in the dispatcher's office for another twenty minutes or so.

     The gate-officer scribbled some notes in his log and stuffed the inventory sheet from the armored-car under the flap of the book.  He pressed a big button which started the huge and heavy gate which was the last barrier protecting the museum's receiving and shipping area.  The gate-officer then waved the escorting superheroines and armored-car through the opening gate.  The three powercycles moved to one location and clustered as the armored-car turned and backed into an unloading zone next to a small set of stairs.  The superheroines then stepped off of their powercycles and formed a protective triangle around the armored-car.  Jester got out of the passenger seat and opened the rear door.

     Together, Jester and the thug that had been sitting in the back picked up the small but heavy chest and removed it carefully from the armored-car.  With Emerald Lynx and Ravishing Raven walking in front of them and with Ruby Flame trailing behind them, Jester and the thug carried the chest up the short flight of stairs and into the museum.  They walked down one corridor and then took a left into another corridor.  They then turned right into another corridor and continued walking towards the main entry of the museum.  Along the way, they saw two heavily-armed officers who were part of the random patrols working the building.  They then stopped at a small empty desk at the end of the corridor.  Around the corner from them was the ante-room displaying the twenty-four gold bars.  Two armed officers were standing guard at each front corner of the large table which the gold was displayed on.  Jester and his thug lifted the small chest onto the empty desk.

     At that point, the two guards moved from in front of the table to around the corner to meet the arriving shipment.  From his vantage point in an undisclosed security room, another officer saw the two officers walk away from the table on one of his viewing monitors.  He could still see the gold bars sitting on the table but the officers were now off that camera's view.  On another monitor, he then picked up the two officers moving into the corridor and greeting the visitors.  The officer in the monitoring room was excited to see superheroines - three superheroines in the flesh!

     And the two armed guards greeting the visitors were happy to see the three superheroines too.  In fact, they each grew a new 'gun'.  But the guns were not growing in their hip holsters but were growing more so in the center of their pants - close to their belt buckles and zippers.  It didn't help that the superheroines were beautiful, bouncy, and quite thrilled to be so close to the gold.  One officer was taking special interest in both Emerald Lynx's and Ruby Flame's awesome orbs.  He couldn't decide whose tits he'd want to suck on first: Emerald Lynx's tempting titties or Ruby Flame's bodacious boobs.

     "Can we take a closer look at the gold while you guys take-in the shipment??" Ruby Flame asked in an exited and somewhat bimbo-ish voice.

     "Sure, go ahead, be our guests!" one of the officers said.

     Then the officer reached for his walkie-talkie.

     "Tom, our superheroine guests are going to take a closer look at the display.  Just ignore any alarms you get from the lasers in the next few minutes.  Sounds like we're going to be adding a bar to the display, so even Kyle and I will be moving into the secure area in a moment.  I'll report back when we're done." the officer said as he spoke to the other officer in the monitoring room.

     "Roger that." the officer in the monitoring room confirmed.

     As Jester and his thug began opening the secured chest, Emerald Lynx, Ravishing Raven, and Ruby Flame moved to look at the gold.  They quickly stepped over the nautical ropes and past the brass engine telegraphs, ship's wheel, and binnacle.  As Ravishing Raven stood behind the table ogling the gold bars, Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame stood in front of the table admiring the view.  And the officer in the monitoring room was admiring the view too.  The two superheroines in front of the table were blocking his view of the table so he adjusted and advanced the focus of his camera onto the ample asses of the attractive superheroines.

     But Jester was having trouble with the chest's security lock.  The X14 lock wasn't cooperating.  Actually, a lock won't open if one is inputting the wrong combination.  And to stall for time, Jester was doing just that.  He was using the wrong combination on purpose.  Even his little act of getting upset with the lock made the two armed guards watching get more focused on getting the box opened.

     And as the two armed officers were distracted as they watched Jester open the box, and the one officer was distracted by the terrific tushes on Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame, what no one saw was what the superheroines were doing.  Ravishing Raven had unloaded the lighter and seven fake gold bars quickly from the front of her bulky bullet-proof vest and had placed them on the table.  She had then put four heavy and real bars from the table back into the front pockets of her vest.  And as she had unloaded her fake bars, Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame had unloaded each of their seven fake bars.  Emerald Lynx loaded four real bars from the table into her front pockets on her vest.  At the same time, Ruby Flame loaded four gold bars into the pockets on the front of her bulletproof vest.

     And then Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame turned in place.  The officer in the monitoring room couldn't believe his luck.  Instead of staring at superheroine asses, he was now staring right into superheroine pussies.  What he couldn't see was Ravishing Raven loading four real gold bars into the back pockets of Emerald Lynx's vest.  And then he couldn't see Ravishing Raven loading four heavy and real gold bars into the back pockets of Ruby Flame's vest.  Ravishing Raven then neatly arranged the twenty four bars on the table.  She left three real gold bars at three of the corners of the arrangement - three rows of bars with eight bars in each row.

     Ravishing Raven did good and speedy work.  She had quickly and precisely arranged the bars like she had found them.  She remarked to herself how closely and accurately the twenty-one fake bars matched the three real ones, except for their respective weights.  Jester and his thugs had scouted the location and the gold bars expertly during their previous tours of the exhibit during the daytime.  Out of the original twenty-four gold bars, three were still on the table and the superheroines had a total of twenty bars in their vests.  Each of the three superheroines had four bars in the upper-front pockets of their vests.  Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame each had four bars in the back pockets of their vests.  Ravishing Raven had one gold bar in the lower-front pocket on her vest.

     Ravishing Raven was carrying about 110 pounds of gold in her vest, 120 pounds if you counted the heavy weight of her reinforced bulletproof vest.  Each gold bar weighed a little more than twenty-seven pounds.  And Emerald Lynx and Ruby Flame were each carrying about 230 pounds - 220 pounds of gold and ten pounds of vest.  But they were superheroines.  Mighty superheroines.  Their powerbelts gave them the strength of at least ten men.  Walking around and carrying 230 pounds on their magnificent bodies was nothing.  If anything, their muscles bulged even more in a delicious display of superheroine power.

     As the terrific trio of superheroines gathered close to Jester, Ravishing Raven whispered into Jester's ear.  He gave her an annoyed look.

     "Well, I'll try that one, but I think I know what I'm doing!" Jester said in his armored-car uniform in a somewhat exasperated voice.

     He reset the X14 combination lock and tried the new combination that Ravishing Raven had suggested.  The secured box opened on the first try.  Jester offered a somewhat happy, somewhat relieved, and somewhat dunce-like expression.  Jester opened the top and they all gazed in at the shiny gold bar sitting by itself in the packing foam which secured it in the small transportation crate.  It certainly looked real, at least to the armed officers.

     "It helps if you use the correct combination!" Ravishing Raven admonished with a confident and sarcastic voice.

     She was also standing in a magnificent superheroine stance.  Legs spread, arms on hips, breasts thrust out, and head held at a tilt and also held mockingly.  When the two armed officers saw Ravishing Raven standing in her seductive and superior stance, they each wondered if they had been ogling the right superheroines.  The ravishing brunette had what looked to be a beautiful and chiseled face, not to mention her beautiful and chiseled ass.  Ruby Flame saw the looks on the two armed guards and made her own strong and pouty statement.

     "Anyone got a camera so I can have my picture taken with these two handsome hunks?" Ruby Flame said in a sexy voice as she moved in between the two officers.

     She wasn't going to be outdone by any seductive superheroine stance.  There was a pause as nobody had a camera to offer.

     "Well, then they're just gonna have to remember me by these two puppies!" Ruby Flame said coyly.

     At that, she lifted her spandex top and bra and revealed her naked and bountiful breasts to the eyes-suddenly-popping officers.  Indeed, the officers received quite an eye-full before Ruby Flame quickly lowered her bra and top back in place.  Jester coughed and Ravishing Raven had come out of her majestic stance.

     "Ummm, gentlemen, might one of you take the honor of placing..." Jester stated matter-of-factly as he even acted captivated by the quick glimpse at Ruby Flame's lovely and luscious boobs.

     Both officers were still speechless, so one of the officers carefully lifted the gold ingot from Jester's hands without saying a word.  While they had been severely distracted by Ruby Flame's quick titty-show, the two officers had not noticed that Jester had given the fake gold bar taken from the chest to Ravishing Raven.  And they had not seen Ravishing Raven, in turn, give the real gold bar taken from the table to Jester.

     The superheroines had already completed 'The Switch'.  That is, they had switched out twenty-one real gold bars with twenty-one fake ones.  They had even pulled-off a follow-up 'switch' by swapping the delivered fake gold bar with the real bar carried by Ravishing Raven from the display table.  And now Jester was ready to complete 'The Sell' portion of his plan.  As the officer lifted the real and heavy gold bar carefully from Jester's hands, Jester let go and backed away.  He closed the shipping crate and spun the X14 lock.

     "I figure you're now holding about $640,000 worth of gold." Jester said to the officer.

     As the officer had been speechless at the cheap-thrill of seeing the superheroine's naked tits, the officer was now speechless and breathless as he walked towards the gold display.  Jester, the one thug, and the three superheroines all followed the two officers into the ante-room holding the gold display.  The officer was strong but even he wrestled with the relatively small size of the gold bar but immense weight of the ingot.

     "Anyone have any suggestions on where to place it in the display?" the officer asked.

     He really didn't want to have to rearrange everything.  He was there to guard it, not make it look pretty in the arrangement.

     "How about put it in its own row in front?  Make it stand out as the twenty-fifth!" Ravishing Raven finally said.

     Everyone nodded as that sounded like a good plan.  And so it was that the officer carried the gold bar over the nautical rope carefully and placed in on the burgundy velvet neatly in the center of a new row on the table.  It looked good.  There were three rows with eight bars in each row.  And now there was a new row with one bar centered accordingly.  They all looked at the display with prideful awe.

     "I hope they follow-up with a picture of the twenty-fifth crewman!" Emerald Lynx offered.

     They all agreed and nodded affirmatively.  Everyone looked at the display for a few more seconds.  Jester and the thug moved first as they headed out of the display area.  Jester and the thug picked up the now-empty shipping container and the three superheroines followed them back out to the armored-car.  The two armed officers returned to their protecting posts.  One officer called the officer in the monitoring room and indicated that everything was clear and to respond to any laser alarms.  Each of the protecting officers then gave a thumbs-up to the camera.  All three of the officers had good hard-ons that were now subsiding.  They each wondered in their own way if there were any special security details available that involved being around gorgeous and tasty superheroines.

     The superheroines went to their powercycles, and Jester and the thug secured the container in the back of the armored-car.  The thug took his place in back and Jester took his place in the passenger's seat.  And then Emerald Lynx and Ravishing Raven once again escorted the armored-car out the gate with Ruby Flame trailing.  They stopped after going through the first gate and waited for the gate-officer.

     The gate-officer did his job thoroughly as he had Jester open the back of the armored-car once again.  This time, he wanted to see inside the shipping container.  Jester obliged happily and opened the empty box for the gate-officer.  The gate-officer then quickly determined that there were no other hiding places for anything else in the back of the armored-car.  As Jester secured the rear-door of the armored-car and returned to his passenger seat, the gate-officer pressed the button to open the exit gate and motioned them through.  The gate-officer logged the exit-time of the shipment on his clipboard.  The excitement of his night was over.

     The armored-car was dropped back at the pre-arranged meet-back location and the still-chloroformed guards were put in the front of the armored-car and left at the location to awaken.  Jester's four thugs had watched the armored-car guards and reported no problems.  A couple of the thugs moved the empty crate from the armored-car to the white van.  Jester himself took the time to peruse both the front and back of the armored-car to ensure they were leaving nothing behind and that everything looked as they had found it.  And then Jester and his six thugs drove back to the amusement park's garage in the white van with the superheroines following on their powercycles.  They all parked in the secluded garage and met-up with Patty, Nancy, and Red Nova, who had returned from The AGENCY.  They had moved Stacey, the chloroformed dispatcher, back to her chair before leaving the dispatcher's office.

     And then the superheroines removed and emptied their vests.  And they all took in the sight of twenty beautiful and beaming bars of gold bullion.  Jester figured that almost thirteen million dollars was sitting in front of them.  The superheroines then joined together and moved the heavy cache over and into a safe that Jester had obtained.  It was party time.

*******

     Jester and Ravishing Raven quickly paired up and Jester escorted the sleek dressed-in-black superheroine to her room.  And the six thugs quickly grabbed the luscious redheaded superheroines Red Nova and Ruby Flame and escaped to the room where the redheads had been kept.  That left Patty and Nancy to escort the brunette and sassy superheroine Emerald Lynx to the one last room.  Emerald Lynx had a somewhat pouty face as she saw the six goons walk off with red-haired Red Nova and Ruby Flame.  She wanted cock and wanted it bad.  Nancy saw the way Emerald Lynx looked at the goon cocks walking away and tried to comfort her.

     "Don't worry sweetie, Miss Patty and I will make sure you're attended to...  We still have some surprises up our sleeves!" Nancy reported devilishly.

     Emerald Lynx's deep green eyes widened and she turned her pout into a smile when she heard the word 'surprises'.  Patty and Nancy continued escorting Emerald Lynx by the hand.  The scantily-clad superheroine was helpless to resist Jester's female cohorts as the three of them entered the room for their sexual tryst to celebrate the evening's heist.

     Patty and Nancy first tied Emerald Lynx's hands together and then tied her arms straight over her head.  Her bound hands were then tied to a hook attached to a strong chain extending down from the ceiling.  Patty put a green ball-gag in the unsuspecting superheroine's mouth and secured it behind the girl's head.  And then Emerald Lynx was raised up about a foot in the air as Nancy manipulated the mechanical hoist controlling the heavy chain that the superheroine was dangling from.

     The gorgeous green-costumed Emerald Lynx was then swaying at the end of the hook with her booted feet of the ground.  Patty and Nancy took a moment to take in the sight of the bare and muscular legs dangling in the air and also to take in their seductive and exposed state.  Then they moved quickly.  They bent down to the dangling superheroines booted feet and quickly unzipped the fetching superheroine's black boots.

     "Mmmmm...  Whmmmm  Rrmmmm Uummmm Duinkmmmm Dowmmmm Thermmmm??  Mmmmm Nnnnn Nooommm  Pleezmmmm Nnnmm Nottmmmm Mymmm Feeetmmm!!  Pleeezzmmmm Nooommm!!!" Emerald Lynx pleaded into her gag.

     She started whipping her legs wildly about in heated resistance.  She moaned and whimpered loudly.  She didn't want her secretive feet and toes exposed or touched, let alone smelled or sucked.

     "Nnnnnnnnn Mmmmmmm" was all the worked-up superheroine could try and say.

     As Patty removed each of the fighting superheroine's boots, Nancy stood and started spanking the delicious dangling superheroine's butt with a small paddle.

     "Don't make me paddle you harder!  Miss Patty and I just want some foot-play!!" Nancy exclaimed with a wicked smile.

     Emerald Lynx settled down but was still whimpering into her gag.  The besieged brunette then felt Patty peel off her black socks and then the lovely lynx was dangling with sexy bare legs and scenty bare feet.  Emerald Lynx could only close her eyes and try to relax as her tormentors attacked her defenseless and denuded feet.

     Patty and Nancy were like kids in a candy store.  But instead of eating candy, they were going to be eating and tasting Emerald Lynx's tasty toes and sexy soles.  They quickly laid down prone on the floor below the delicious and dangling legs and feet of the powerless vixen.  Emerald Lynx's feet and toes were simply sensational.  Their heady aroma intoxicated and aroused Jester's female foxes.  Patty and Nancy licked and sucked and then sucked and licked the ten toes that were the luscious lynx's dangling delicacies.  Patty and Nancy quickly stripped naked, revealing their quickly wetting pussies and their own aromatic and enticing feet.

     And then Patty and Nancy suddenly realized that the swinging superheroine was moaning in a different way.  Emerald Lynx's moans were moans of arousal.  And they looked up.  The superheroine's dainty and dark-green panties were absolutely dripping with moisture.  The helpless heroine was so debilitated with arousal that her eyes had glazed over and she was breathing with quick and short breaths.  Very short breaths.

     "She's getting off!" Patty exclaimed with glee.

     Patty then twirled her hot tongue and lips over and around the toes on Emerald Lynx's left foot.  The dazed and glazed superheroine only moaned louder.  Nancy noticed and heard the moans too and quickly dove her own tongue hotly between the tempting toes on Emerald Lynx's right foot.  She sucked and lapped up the superheroine's sweet foot sweat.  The feel of two hot mouths and hotter tongues on her tasty toes and scenty soles was too much for the shapely superheroine to handle.  Emerald Lynx came mercilessly and spasmed and vibrated like a fish on a hook as she dangled from the chain.  The spent superheroine could barely open her eyes as she continued to whimper softly as she came down from her heavenly orgasmic reaches.

     And then two things happened.  First, Emerald Lynx's dainty panties were ripped down and off her powerful legs and feet.  Her moist muff was glistening gloriously as her helpless hips and pelvis continued to dangle stoically.  And then second, Patty and Nancy each grabbed one of the superheroine's legs and proceeded to spread the cummed-cutie wide.  Really wide.  By the time Patty and Nancy had spread the superheroine's legs open, Emerald Lynx's magnificent and muscular legs formed a 180-degree straight angle below her.  Emerald Lynx's legs had been pulled apart as far as they could go.  Her ankles received thick cuffs.  And then her ankles were secured to two more chains dropped from the ceiling.  The shapely superheroine looked like an upside-down 'T' as her spread legs formed the horizontal portion of the 'T'.  The spread superheroine couldn't lower her legs.

     And then two more things happened.  First, Nancy raised the chain even higher with the hoist control.  Emerald Lynx's ass and pussy were now about three feet up in the air, matching the height of Patty's and Nancy's respective crotches.  And then second, Patty produced two humongous and handsome strap-ons from a drawer.  Patty also produced a small tube of lube.  As Patty raised the long and thick dildos up to Emerald Lynx's anxious eyes, the now-stunned superheroine could only twist and sway as she tried to resist the inevitable: her pussy and ass were about to be filled with spasming strap-ons.  Patty and Nancy were grinning from ear to ear.

     They weren't ordinary strap-ons.  They were double-delight reverse-thrusting strap-ons.  As one female did the physical thrusting into another female, the sensors inside the forward-thrusting dildo forced an equal thrust into the female doing the thrusting with the reverse-thrusting dildo.  Basically, as a women fucked another woman with the strap-on, the woman doing the fucking was fucked herself as the reverse-facing dildo penetrated the woman doing the fucking.  And, the harder a woman thrust into a woman, the harder her own body was penetrated.  Imagine, the woman doing the fucking getting fucked herself.

     Patty and Nancy quickly put some lube all over the double-delight strap-ons and put them on.  As the slick reverse-thrusting portions of the dildos entered their own pussies, they gasped and felt their pussies stretch and tingle.  And then Patty moved behind Emerald Lynx and lubed the wide-eyed and trembling superheroine's ass.  Nancy took her position in front of Emerald Lynx.  Emerald Lynx's pussy needed no lubrication.  In fact, Emerald Lynx's pussy was still oozing hot juice due to the feisty female's previous foot-fucking.

     Patty winked at Nancy and Nancy winked at Patty.  They both entered Emerald Lynx at the same time.  Slowly.  Very slowly.  And then with a little more force.  And then with still some more force.  Patty was inside Emerald Lynx's sculptured butt.  Nancy was in Emerald Lynx's dripping vagina.  Emerald Lynx could not wink.  Her ass and pussy had just been filled with giant and delightful faux-cocks.  Faux-dicks.  Faux-pricks.  Phallics.  Dildos.  Emerald Lynx didn't care what you called them.  All she knew was that she was about to be destroyed.  And destroyed by dildos.

     Nancy was pounding her pussy.  Patty was pounding her ass.  Having her legs pulled so taught and having her pussy and ass pummeled was quickly and absolutely destroying the proud and proper brunette superheroine.  She could barely breathe let alone think.  She had never been reduced to such a dominated and defenseless fuck-toy by two females at the same time.  She came.  A minute later, she came again.  Two minutes later, she came a third time.  Actually, it was her fourth orgasm, if you count her feet getting licked, tasted, and teased - the previously mentioned 'foot-fucking'.

     Emerald Lynx couldn't stop cumming.  She was reduced to a stupored and silent cum-bot.  She didn't even moan or whimper.  She took each delightful orgasm that came her way.  A few times, she smelled her own foot odor wafting up and into her nostrils.  The erotic scent coaxed one or two further climaxes from her body.  She lost count of her orgasms.  She drifted off into a deep sleep knowing that her dangling and delightful body was fuck-meat for Jester's female cohorts.  She drifted off trying to determine which felt better: goon cocks on real men, phallics on wooden horses, or strap-ons on real women.  She couldn't decide as yet another orgasm tore into her body and sent her off to dreamland.

     And with Emerald Lynx's last climax, Patty and Nancy finally came at the same time too.  They had thoroughly enjoyed their own pussies getting fucked by their own thrusts into the bodacious brunette.  As they thrusted, they felt a thrust into their own excited pussy.  The harder they pumped the primed body of the sexy superheroine, the harder their own vaginas were pumped.  At last they were each there.  As they witnessed the exquisite Emerald Lynx climax yet again, each of their own bodies erupted with fantastic climaxes that made them shudder and shiver in ecstatic release.

     After a few minutes, they relaxed and removed their strap-on harnesses.  And then they lowered the climaxed and unconscious Emerald Lynx and placed her on a couch in the corner.  They smelled her sweet and dreamy feet one more time before dressing themselves.  As they left the room to return to their apartment, they looked back at the dreaming and dreamy superheroine.  Emerald Lynx was out and dreaming about orgasmic strolls in 'Dildoworld' and 'Strap-on City'.

     The room Jester and Ravishing Raven were in was quiet.  The raven-haired superheroine was tired and asked what she could do to please her leader.  Jester sensed the girl's tiredness and asked for a blowjob.  His heart skipped a beat whenever the superheroine's seductive mouth was working his monster cock.  Once again, Ravishing Raven reveled in having Jester's enormous prick pounding into her succulent mouth.  Jester himself practically cried due to the way his cock hurt, hurt so good, from the bountiful blowjob that he received from the crafty cocksucker.  She drank his cum and cleaned his cock with a loving mouth and a loving tongue.  She was simply ravishing.  He didn't know if he had more control over her, or if she had more control over him.  He didn't care either way.  His was a happy cock.  A very happy monster cock.  He returned to his apartment after locking Ravishing Raven's door.

     The room the six thugs and the two red-haired superheroines were in was loud.  Patty and Nancy could only imagine the debauchery going on in the loud and heated room.  Six men and two females.  Six thugs and two superheroines.  Suffice to say, each superheroine was working three cocks at a time.  One cock was in each superheroine's orifice: mouth, pussy, and ass.  The lusty and loud yelps of masculine and feminine orgasms emanated loudly from the room.  One could have measured the cum not by cups but by gallons.  It was a gang-bang for the ages and most of Jester's gang was in the room.  Ruby Flame still couldn't get enough dick in her hot ass.  The redheaded superheroines outlasted the slumped and sleeping thugs.  Red Nova and Ruby Flame relaxed and got into their own mini sixty-nine position.  They licked and stroked each other's tantalizing tits until even they extracted one last heavenly orgasm from the other before drifting off into heavenly sleep.

*******

     Jester awoke with a start in his apartment shortly after 8:00 AM.  He awoke with the strange feeling that it was going to be a bad day.  He couldn't explain it - it was just a feeling.

     He stayed in bed and thought about the things that could have gone wrong the night before.  They didn't steal the money from the grocery store pick-up.  They had kept the bag on the floor in the front part of the armored-car while at the museum and had moved it to the back of the armored-car after leaving the museum.  Jester knew the security guards were late for or had missed their next schedule pickups entirely, but no bags of money should have been missing or stolen.

     Jester reflected on what Nancy had reported to him about her time at The AGENCY.  Nancy indicated that everything went perfectly.  There were no other calls to the Dispatcher Office while they were in the office, except the one call from the museum.  Nancy had entered the call on the log sheet on the dispatcher's desk.  Furthermore, Nancy reported that there were no visitors to the office, nor had anyone walked by the windows.  Lastly, Nancy said that during both the walk into the building and the walk out of the building they saw nobody and nobody appeared to have seen them.  Jester wondered if there were security cameras that recorded action around the turnstile gate that Nancy, Patty, and Red Nova had used, or even additional cameras that tracked movements in the elevators and hallways of The AGENCY building.

     And then Jester began reviewing all the actions taken at the museum.  Getting into the loading/unloading area - walking into the museum - having the superheroines make the switch - letting the officer place the real and heavy gold bar on the table as part of the sell.  In his mind, he couldn't have asked for his plan to have gone any better as far as the individual details were concerned.  But Jester still had a nagging feeling that something was or had gone wrong.  Of course, he knew that the continued success of his historical theft counted on the need for the theft itself to remain undiscovered for days, or perhaps, even for weeks.  Having at least a few days would allow him time to travel to and fence the valuable horde to some of his unsavory contacts away from the city.  Even better if the great theft wasn't realized for weeks.

     Jester figured that there would be initial confusion as to who sent the twenty-fifth bar of gold, but he could also see the museum staff simply accepting the bar and not following-up with any verification of the shipment.  He figured the museum staff would absolutely rejoice in the receipt of the twenty-fifth bar and move full-speed-ahead in adjusting the exhibit by adding the history of the twenty-fifth crewman based upon news reports.  And he could even see the management at Fort Knox not even realizing or knowing about the news in faraway Titanville about the museum receiving a twenty-fifth gold ingot.  The appropriate people at the fort knew how much gold had been shipped initially, twenty-four bars, and they knew when to expect the return shipment of their precious gold.  They weren't missing any gold from their inventory.

     After reviewing everything that had transpired in relation to his sensational gold theft, Jester began to relax.  But only a little.  He figured that the idea of having almost thirteen million dollars in gold bullion in close proximity was putting him on edge.  And then he heard a soft knock on his door.

     "Come in." Jester said without too much anxiousness.

     His door opened and in walked Nancy.  She had a concerned look.

     "Boss, have you checked the news this morning??" Nancy asked apprehensively.

     Jester shook his head.

     "I think you should turn the TV on..." Nancy then said in a quiet tone.

     Jester looked around for the remote on the stand next to his bed and pointed it at the small television sitting on a bureau close to his bed.

     "And if you're just tuning in, once again, there is huge and BREAKING news down at The Titanville Museum of History this morning as we go live to reporter-in-the-field Shane O'Grondigan.  Shane? ..." the news anchor introduced.

     "Thank you, Bob.  Yes, this is Shane O'Grondigan reporting live from perhaps, if you can believe, the largest theft in Titanville's history.  And if that is indeed true, then it is only fitting that the scene of the crime is here at The Titanville Museum of History.  It was discovered early this morning that TWENTY gold bars from the popular S.S. Titanville Exhibit have been stolen.  And if you haven't been under a rock in Titanville the past week, you know that the S.S. Titanville Exhibit details the lives of the twenty-four valiant men who gave their lives so long ago in attempting to transport a huge treasure of gold from England to this country at the start of World War II.  It appears that the theft was discovered innocently enough as one of the replacement officers guarding the gold was handling one of the real gold bars and accidently dropped it on another gold bar.  The gold bar that received the hit broke in half and revealed it as a fake and definite forgery.  A quick inspection of all the gold bars revealed that only four were real and that all the others were fake!

     "Details are still very sketchy at best, but this news reporter has learned that the thieves apparently received access to the gold display in the pretense of delivering a twenty-fifth gold bar to the display.  As you probably know, there has been great enlightenment in recent days concerning a twenty-fifth crewman thought to have joined the S.S. Titanville's crew on the day the ill-fated ship left England.  And there has been considerable and anxious public opinion since that news broke about the additional twenty-fifth crewman about adding a twenty-fifth gold bar to the well-received exhibit.  And that's not all.  I have heard comments that it is believed that SUPERHEROINES from the local AGENCY may have had a hand in this horrendous heist.  Some are estimating the value of the stolen gold at more than thirteen MILLION dollars!  But forget about the monetary value of the gold, no amount of money would want me to be in the shoes of the gold thieves right now.  Just wait until they feel the wrath from Titanville's finest and also the wrath from Titanville's proud and fine citizens.  Speaking of superheroes and superheroines, I think the gold thieves have just tugged on Superman's cape.  And as the famous Jim Croce song warns...you just don't do that!

     "Bob, that's all I can report at this time.  But I will be staying here at The Titanville Museum of History for when there are new updates.  With superheroines possibly involved in the plot, I'll be sure to stay abreast of the situation!  This is Shane O'Grondigan reporting live to you!!  Back to you Bob in the studio..." the popular ace TV reporter said breathlessly.

     Back in the studio, Bob had a small smirk on his face when he heard Shane's superheroine-abreast intended or unintended pun.  He managed to regain his composure before seeing the red-light on the camera pointing at him indicating that he was now back on live-camera.

     "Thank you Shane for that great report.  Again, this is huge and BREAKING news in Titanville this morning.  I'm sure there will be many more details to follow and we will certainly keep" < click >.

     Jester had heard enough as he clicked the TV off with the remote.

     The blood had left his face.  The gold thief was in deep thought.  He had to do some fast thinking.  Nancy stayed in the room.  She had more news for Jester but let her boss keep thinking.  Finally, she saw him lighten up a bit and saw take a deep breath.

     "Boss, I have another thing.  This morning, I got back to the person I spoke with yesterday about our superheroines.  The person that I spoke to finally reached the person that he had thought might be looking for superheroines for a lounge or whatever.  The other person is definitely interested in all the superheroines that we have and is willing to pay.  I think he mentioned $10,000 per superheroine.  I have an address and everything.  Do you want me to arrange a drop-off?" Nancy asked.

     Jester then moved his hand to his mouth in further deep thought.  His mind was being somewhat overwhelmed.  Finally, he answered Nancy.

     "Yeah, go ahead and arrange the transfer.  Tell him we have three superheroines.  $10,000 isn't bad but I wish it was better.  Unfortunately, I think I'll have to take the initial offer.  I don't feel I will have the time to haggle with them over the price.  Things just heated-up big time.  But indicate that I would like to get $20,000 for each superheroine.  Tell them that the three superheroines in question are 'A+' material.  Oh, and I know we have a total of four superheroines.  But I will be taking care of Ravishing Raven.  Start getting all four of the superheroines ready for travel, powerbelts included." Jester directed his curvy cohort.

     "And Nancy, tell everyone to be ready to vacate this place at a moment's notice.  Pack a bag or whatever, but everyone needs to be ready to leave if need be and prepared to gather at the secondary lair.  Today's start has not been a good one." Jester added sadly.

*******

     Nancy found Patty and together they prepared the superheroines.  They made sure the sexy superheroines received breakfast.  And then Emerald Lynx, Ravishing Raven, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame all showered and shampooed and redressed in their hastily laundered and pressed superheroine costumes.  Once again, all four of the shapely and stunning superheroines were clean and smelled delightful.  They all exuded the supreme and sensational sensuousness that made them simply irresistible.

     In one white van, Cory, the thug who had driven the armored-car the night before, sat in the driver's seat with Nancy in the passenger's seat.  Nancy had the address to the location and had downloaded directions from the internet.  Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame were loaded into the back of the van.  Jester then entered the back of the van and reluctantly chloroformed them all with some of his Chloroform Gas balls.  He liked the idea of having the sultry sex-pots around but things were getting dicey.  He took a long look at their spectacular bodies before closing the van's door.

     In the other white van, Rory, the thug who had sat in back of the armored-car the night before, sat in the driver's seat with Patty in the passenger's seat.  Jester and Ravishing Raven stepped into the back of the second van.  And then both vans drove together to the location to deliver Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame.  Everyone was quiet in both vans as they made the trek into the warehouse district of Titanville.

     "Here it is." Nancy finally said in the lead van.

     Both vans pulled up to a warehouse that looked like one of the hundreds in that part of the city.  Nancy got out and rapped on the door next to a large garage door.  In a few seconds, a voice called out from the other side, rather gruffly.

     "Whaddaya want?" the voice asked.

     "My name's Nancy.  I'm here for a possible transfer." Nancy said through the door.

     The door popped opened a hair and Nancy was verified as were the two vans.  By this time, Jester was out of his van and was standing next to Nancy.

     "Come on in." the voice said as the large garage door began to open.

     Jester and Nancy walked in and then motioned for the first van to follow them in through the open garage door.  Once the van was in, the door was closed.  The voice of the man behind the door was that of a thug dressed all in black.  He was all business.  And then the new thug was introduced to the three superheroines lying chloroformed in the back.  He liked, actually loved, the look of Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame.  That they were wearing their powerbelts was even better.

     The new thug and Jester broke away and began talking price.  They talked for a few minutes.  Jester was anxious to get going but knew he had a few minutes.  The thug was strong but not unbending.  He knew a good deal when he saw one, and he certainly knew real superheroines when he saw them.  Jester did admit that the superheroines had been only lightly chloroformed and should be waking soon.  He also indicated that the superheroines had been entranced and transformed into obeying fuck-bots.  The thug's eyebrows raised.  Jester wanted to get going so he cut to the chase.

     "I know I was looking for $20,000 for each superheroine and I know you were looking to offer $10,000 for each.  Let's make this easy and meet in the middle, $15,000 for each superheroine." Jester said matter-of-factly.

     "You won't be sorry." Jester said honestly as he recalled the red-haired superheroine sluts on the floor back in the room at the amusement park.

     His monster cock moved a little at the recollection of Ruby Flame taking one up her ass.  The thug thought for a second and nodded his head.

     "Okay, $15,000 each." the thug said as he then shook Jester's hand.

     The thug then disappeared into an office and was gone for a minute or so.  The thug returned with a briefcase in hand and gave it to Jester.  Jester opened the case and saw the nine stacks of cash.  He removed the rubber band from one stack of cash and proceeded to count the fifty $100 bills in the stack.  Jester examined the notes while he counted and also felt the currency.  The stack was a nice mixture of older and newer 'Uncle Benjamins' - $5,000 worth of real and unmarked bills.  He did the same thing to another stack.  And then Jester examined the other seven stacks.  He didn't count each stack but wanted to make sure the bills were real and not counterfeit.

     "Looks good to me." Jester then said to the thug.

     Two stacks out of the nine were exact and the other stacks were also a mix of older and newer bills.  Jester was not going to fret if any of the other stacks were short a few Benjamins.  Jester then shook the thug's hand in acceptance of the payment.  By the time Jester had put the nine stacks of cash into the pouch around his waist and he and the thug had returned to the van, the superheroines were waking up.

     The thug was happy, as was his rising cock, to see the beautiful superheroines awaken and respond to his instructions.  Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame were led out of the van and directed to walk over to the small office where the thug had kept his money.  The dreamy superheroines followed their orders and offered no resistance.  Jester remarked to himself yet again how thorough and complete his changes to the test-Carousel had afforded him the opportunity to entrance and transform the bodacious beauties into willing slaves.  He secretly hoped to himself that there would be a next time when he could watch the process unfold again with different and unsuspecting superheroines.  He so wanted to witness the next entrancement and transformation in person.

     And then they went their separate ways.  Jester and Nancy departed the building and the white van backed-out through the once-again opened garage door.  Jester went to his van and Nancy went to hers.  This time Nancy's van followed Jester's van to its next stop.  And the thug who was now less $45,000 now looked at the gain of three impressive superheroines.  He called his superior.

     "Yup, they look excellent!  I think you will be impressed!!  I'm about to put them in their holding rooms as previously directed." the thug indicated.

     The voice on the other line heard his voice and was excited.

     "Purrrrfect!" Madame Perloine replied in her sinister, yet sultry, voice.

     The mysterious Madame Perloine and the proficient Professor Pricken had been back in business.  They had simply transported their wicked ways to a new warehouse.  In fact, they really weren't that far, as the crow flies, from their original location where the professor and two thugs had been arrested previously.  Madame Perloine and Professor Pricken already had Star Babe and Emerald Minx and were eager to incorporate more superheroine flesh into their soon-to-open business.  They were preparing to open "The Superheroine Lounge" within the confines of an upscale and highly-touted 'gentlemen's club' close to the warehouse's location in one of the city's pricier red-light districts.

     "Keep our newest sex kittens quiet.  The two of us will be over in a few hours to meet our new girls!" Madame Perloine purred into the telephone.

     She never used actual names over the telephone.  Since the professor's arrest, both she and the professor had curtailed their actions and limited their exposure to the outside world.  But they were looking forward to their shared business venture.  They were both equally excited to begin again their desire to hynocum and hypnospray their collection of superheroines.  Once ensnared and enslaved, the superheroines would be put on display and forced to partake in the provocative sex trade of the city.  And how provocative the plans were indeed! 

     Madame Perloine and Professor Pricken would offer real and hypnotized superheroines to high-paying customers and clients in their new and high-brow "The Superheroine Lounge."  In the lounge, the controlled superheroines would be forced to dance and strip and provide ultra-expensive and anything-goes services to the paying clientele.  "The Superheroine Lounge" had been created on its own separate floor above an existing and popular strip club.  Madame Perloine would get wet just thinking about her hypnotized and controlled superheroines dancing and stripping down into the nude and then partaking in any and every sexual whim in the lounge.  She and the professor would become wealthy beyond their wildest dreams.  She agreed that the initial name, "The Superheroine Fuckfest", was too strong a name to use instead of the agreed-upon name "The Superheroine Lounge."

     "Roger that boss.  I'll make sure they stay quiet." the thug told his boss before hanging-up the phone.

     After setting down the telephone, the thug gave a little laugh as he looked down.

     "Remember, you girls have to stay quiet!" the thug said and then laughed out loud.

     Red Nova and Ruby Flame were topless and on their knees.  They were already giving the thug a dual blowjob.  They were completely enthralled with the thug's beefy cock and were enjoying themselves quiet heartedly.  But they heard the man's words and quickly quieted their slurping and sucking of the huge goon cock before them.  The purplish head off the goon's cock was wet and slippery with the saliva from the succulent redheaded superheroines.  Their heads took turns bobbing seductively on the man's meat.  The thug had always wanted to receive a dual blowjob - today was his lucky day.

     Off to the side sat the entranced brunette superheroine Emerald Lynx.  She had dropped her dark-green panties and was softly and delicately caressing her quickly-wetting pussy with delight.  Her head was bobbing too as her magnificent body reacted to the pleasing plucks of her hand on her vagina.  As the red-haired superheroines got further and further into providing heady head for the goon, so too the black-haired superheroine moved her head in masterful glee as she masturbated.

     Soon, the thug waved Red Nova and Ruby Flame away and motioned for Emerald Lynx to drop to her knees in front of him.  He wanted to know if she was as adept a cocksucker as the radiant redheads.  To his utter delight, she was.  Actually, she was better.  She was more fervent - more hungry - more fierce - more spirited - more eager - more hot for cock.  She seemed to match the wonders of a blowjob checklist that he had just recently read on the internet.  When he came and she sucked down every drop of his cum, he knew she was worth every penny of the $15,000.  Every fucking, and sucking, penny!

     He looked over to where the red-haired superheroines had moved to and took in the show that they were providing.  Red Nova and Ruby Flame were sucking and slurping on each other's teasing tits in a mini sixty-nine position.  But then it wasn't too much longer and then the two fiery redheads moved into a full sixty-nine position.  They had yanked down each other's red spandex pants and were heatedly eating each other out.  The goon couldn't quite recall two absolutely gorgeous women going at each other with such excitement and candor.  He had been to a lot of strip clubs and VIP lounges but could never remember seeing such eager beavers.  That is, seeing two women so eager for the other's beaver.

     The dark-haired superheroine that he had just shot his wad down the throat of was also taken in by the sight of the rousing redheads hot for each other.  She was back in her chair with her legs opened wide.  She had removed her top, releasing her full and firm tits from their tight-fitting spandex prison.  She was stroking herself in magnificent form as she watched the superheroine show in front of her.  The thug joined her in masturbating.  He sat back and stroked his long and hard cock with utter glee as the hotter-than-hot superheroines ate and munched on their partner's moistened muff.

     The thug actually had two shows to entertain him.  The first being the determined duo in front of him on the carpet and devouring each other's carpet.  The second being the firm and fabulous tits on the black-haired superheroine.  Her breasts were full and her areolas were inviting.  The girl's nipples were extended and thick.  They looked so invitingly hard.  They were so engorged and hard that they looked like you could hang coat-hangers off of them.  At least the three enchanted and enchanting girls were quiet.  About the only thing he heard from them were their soft and erotic moans of rapture and contentment.

     The thug was close to erupting again so he stood and moved closer to Red Nova and Ruby Flame.  He separated the radiant redheads and put them back down on their knees.  He stuck his excited cock in Red Nova's mouth first and then moved it to Ruby Flame's youthful lips.  The two exquisite redheads continued blowing the thug's cock with equal enthusiasm.  He pushed their faces together and quickened his mouth-fucking of the two.  It wasn't long before the goon was shooting his hot and yogurt-like cum into the waiting mouths of the two superheroines.  They gobbled the goon's tasty cum down like twin turkeys at Thanksgiving.

     Even Emerald Lynx got in on the action as she quickly came at the site of the two superb superheroines sucking down cock and cum.  The brunette superheroine bounced and bucked in her chair to a joyous orgasm.  The brunette's boobs bounced and bobbed up and down methodically to the girl's bouncing and bucking body.

     Soon, he moved the girls downstairs into three separate and small rooms.  He had them remove their powerbelts.  The goon couldn't believe how quickly and how harmlessly the bimbo-bots took their powerbelts off.  He then secured each superheroine to a floor-standing X-shaped rack in their respective room.  And then he put each superheroine to sleep.  He used a can of knock-out gas that was quick and thorough.  The three superheroines were secured, powerless, and helpless.  All three were also out cold, oblivious to the 'superheroine fuckfest' they were all about to join.

*******

     Rory, driving Jester's van, knew where he was going.  He was going to the same place where he had released the policeman the day before.  No harm had come to the officer so Jester had directed him to go to the same place.  Jester was in the back with Ravishing Raven.  He was a mess.  He hoped he was doing the right thing.  He knew without a doubt that he didn't want her with the other three superheroines that he had just turned over to the thug at the warehouse.  And he knew he didn't want her staying with his gang, especially if they were caught.  He held her tightly, as if he didn't want to let go of her.  She didn't know what was going on and remained quiet.  He asked her to close her eyes.  She did and he took the moment to put her out with one of his chloroform balls.  Her sweet and gorgeous face fell silent as her eyes closed and she went into a light slumber.

    "About another fifteen minutes or so and we'll be there boss." Rory offered from the front of the van.

     Jester took the time to hold Ravishing Raven and kiss her sweet face lightly.  He silently hoped.  And then soon after, Jester could feel the van slowing and turning off the road.  He closed his eyes and sighed.  He held her even tighter.  She was a superheroine but she seemed so fragile.  She had complained that she was tired the night before and might be coming down with something.  But she had acted flawlessly through the gold heist and had done a magnificent job, albeit a sexually-transfixed and mind-turned magnificent job.  Before opening the door, he gave her one last tight hug and whispered in her ear.

     "I love you.  And I will be back for you." Jester said very softly.

     And then he opened the door and left her by herself in the alley.  The van backed out of the alley but parked across the street with the other van and waited.  Both vans waited until they saw Ravishing Raven awaken and stand up.  The superheroine walked out of the alley in a rather confused state and walked shakily down the sidewalk and then into a mom-and-pop deli on the corner.  Knowing that the superheroine was now relatively safe - she had not been accosted in the alley - both vans drove away quietly and made for the amusement park.

*******

     And once back at Titanville Amusement Park, Jester discovered the reason why he had awoken with such a strange and worrisome feeling.  Jester's four other thugs and the entire cache of stolen gold were gone.  Gone!  Jester stood expressionless as he gazed into the empty safe.  Even the three vests that the superheroines had used and had left next to the safe were gone.  Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory also stood without emotion or thought.  They had been out-swindled by members of their own team.  Jester was especially upset with himself.

     "I should have never let those four be alone with the armored-car guards last night.  I knew there was something about those four.  I saw it when I watched them fucking the redheads.  There was just something about the way..." Jester said as his voice dropped off.

     Jester just stared and stared at the empty safe.  As Jester remembered that one of the thugs was brought onto the team specifically for his safe-cracking abilities, the costumed genius started shaking his head in bitter understanding.

     "We were all duped boss." Patty finally said as she moved forward to comfort Jester.

     "All duped." Cory also offered as the thug himself shook his head in disgust.

     "Is everyone ready to go - has everyone packed?" Jester then asked everyone.

     They all nodded or answered affirmatively.  Jester then thought of a new place for them to meet and gave them his newest cell phone number.  Patty had been tasked just the previous day to get him a couple of cheap phones and activate them.  And then Jester reached into his pouch and gave each of them two stacks of cash totaling $10,000.

     "I want you to stop and quickly count your amounts, just to be safe.  I take care of my team and I don't want anyone short-changed." their saddened boss explained.

     The four of them counted their bundles and where happy to report that all were correct.  Jester then went to a secluded corner of the room and stayed down by the floor for a minute or so.  He came back and gave them each $50,000 from the previous bank robberies as their portion of the final take.  As the leader and guiding genius behind the robberies, he kept a nice sum of over $150,000 for himself.  Jester would have much preferred having the gold.

     "You should now each have $60,000... $10,000 is from today's superheroine switch and $50,000 is from the nine bank robberies.  I can't tell you how proud I am of each of you.  And I also can't tell you how disgusted I am with the other four who took..." Jester said but couldn't finish.

     He was back to staring at the empty safe and shaking his head back and forth.

     "You all have my new cell number and also have our new meet-up location.  Remember the sign I will use if I am at the location and it is safe to enter.  Also remember the sign I will use if it is unsafe.  We must all be extra careful now.  With the kidnapping of the police officer and with the theft of the gold, there are huge targets on all of our chests.  Go slow and go safe..." Jester advised with heartfelt words.

     "You all don't have to leave this second, in fact, let's all take a look at this place and make sure we're not leaving any clues.  Think about where you have all slept or possibly left things and take a good look." Jester further advised.

     And then everyone did as Jester asked and walked around the "Jester's Jaunt" service room and also through the three rooms where the superheroines had been kept.  Jester found it especially difficult to go into the room where Ravishing Raven had been kept.  And then Jester, Nancy, and Patty went over to their rooms above the house of mirrors and checked to make sure they weren't leaving anything important behind.  While they were all in Jester's room, Jester clicked the TV back on to see if there was any further news.  After a few commercials and a quick update from the museum, there seemed to be no new important information.  It seemed like everything was going to be a rehash of what everyone already new.  But just as the news anchor was about to start rehashing, the anchor stopped talking, like he was listening to something in his ear bud.  A wide bar announcing 'BREAKING NEWS' started running across the bottom of the screen.

     "I've just been informed of SHOCKING and BREAKING NEWS from our contact at Police Headquarters!!" the anchor was just about shouting to his TV audience.

     "THE GOLD HAS BEEN RECOVERED!  THE GOLD HAS BEEN RECOVERED!!" the anchor was now shouting.

     "We're now going to an impromptu news conference at Police Headquarters!" were the anchor's next words.

     Sure enough, the footage switched to a small room at Police Headquarters.  Police Commissioner Borden was approaching a collection of microphones.

     "I am very pleased to announce to the residents of Titanville that the cache of gold stolen last night from The Titanville Museum of History has been recovered.  About forty minutes ago, a car leaving the city on the interstate was stopped by state police.  They had been contacted by a concerned and suspicious citizen who had seen a car carrying four hefty men in it.  The person was suspicious of the car because there was something weighing down the trunk of the car to the point where metal was dragging on the road and producing sparks.

     "After pulling the car over, state police requested additional backup, whereby Titanville Police also arrived at the scene.  The four suspects were advised to exit the car while the trunk of the car was searched.  And at that point, officers confiscated three bullet-proof vests containing a total of twenty gold bars.  It is estimated that the gold weighed over 500 pounds and was the reason why the car's trunk was overloaded.

     "I am also happy to report that nobody was hurt in the arrest and that the four suspects have been safely transported to the city jail.  I must remind the citizens of Titanville that this investigation is not finished.  While the precious gold has been recovered, there will be continuing investigation into who was behind the gold heist and how it was accomplished.  I'm sure we will be having many informational updates for you in the coming days.  I will now try to answer any of your questions." Police Commissioner Borden offered.

     < click >.  Jester had heard more than enough and turned off the TV.

     "Those FUCKING fools!  We all have to get out of here NOW!" Jester directed.

     He quickly washed the white makeup from his face and changed into regular clothes.  He put his Jester costume in his suitcase and grabbed a few more things from his apartment.

     "When those four assholes start singing, Titanville Police will be all over this place like shit on a fan." Jester added.

     The three of them quickly took one last look and raced back to the service room for "Jester's Jaunt".  They found Cory and Rory and told them of the breaking news.  They all took a quick look around at each other and began working their way to the garage in the secluded portion of the park.  At the garage, they said their goodbyes.  Jester took off in his truck and Patty and Nancy exited in Nancy's compact car.  Cory and Rory drove off in anther truck.

     Before Jester drove off, he gazed over and looked at the three powercycles belonging to the superheroines.  He wished he could have covered them with a tarp but he didn't have time.  Jester also gazed at the heavy carrier belonging to the Titanville Police that they had stolen and had used to get to safety after having been 'arrested' at the bank on the second day of the robberies.  Even though only a few days had passed, Jester felt that day was a long time ago.  In a way, he was right.  So much had transpired since that day.  Jester was able to chuckle to himself as he thought how confident the police had been and how cocky Emerald Lynx and Ravishing Raven also had been.  Just thinking of Ravishing Raven brought a lump to his throat.  He prayed she was okay.

     As the three vehicles turned out of the amusement park, they then all went their separate ways.  And Jester had been right.  Within minutes, Titanville Police was all over Titanville Amusement Park.  Each of the four thugs caught with the gold knew they were in deep shit.  They all sang like canaries.  About the only thing the police eventually found were the superheroines' powercycles.  They were dutifully analyzed for clues and photographed before being returned to the AGENCY.  They also found their own police carrier.  It was analyzed and photographed for clues as well.

*******

     The AGENCY thus had three powercycles returned to them but zero superheroines returned.  But that soon changed.  News quickly broke that a superheroine had been seemingly released and was now at a local hospital for observation.  Although the superheroine was shrouded in questions, The AGENCY's security detachment kept her isolated and protected at the hospital.  Her health had been monitored carefully as numerous blood and urine tests confirmed that the beautiful girl was definitely under the spell of some entrancing and mind-altering chemicals.  Her doctors weren't quite sure yet of the exact makeup of the chemical compounds.  Fortunately, Ravishing Raven was showing improvement with each passing day.

     And there was yet another thing that Ravishing Raven's doctors confirmed.  Her doctors confirmed that Tara was pregnant.  And pregnant in the utmost and earliest stages of pregnancy.  They had informed AGENCY management.  Specifically, they had talked to Mr. Yellow, the Case Manager.  Mr. Yellow indicated that he would talk to Tara soon, but at a more appropriate time.  The beautiful and stunning superheroine had been through so much during the past few days.

     But The AGENCY still had three superheroines missing.  Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, and Ruby Flame were nowhere to be found.  In fact, when one added the names of Star Babe and Emerald Minx to the list, the company had a total of five superheroines that were missing.  The AGENCY was also somewhat out of contact with four additional superheroines.  Crimson Spark, Blue Lightning, Crimson Strike, and Blue Charger were all assigned to "The Seven Seas Sensational Spa" case.  But those four superheroines were considered as being undercover.  At the moment, no one at The AGENCY was worried or concerned about the young and beautiful blonde superheroine twins or the older and beautiful blonde superheroine partners.

*******

     A week later, Tara was finally about to be released from the hospital.  Her medical tests had shown that no drugs or chemicals were in her system.  She was approved for release but only for home release.  Superheroine work was still out of the equation for her while the gold theft was still investigated.  There was another reason too.

     Tara would not be able to be her true Ravishing Raven persona for quite a while, in the least about nine and half months for sure.  Although Mr. Yellow wanted to talk to Ravishing Raven in the hospital, the Case Manager did not yet want to inform the shapely superheroine of her delicate condition.  What Mr. Yellow did want to talk to Ravishing Raven about was a new program being introduced by The AGENCY.  The program was called 'Sanctuary'.  The program had been suggested and wanted for a long time but it was only now gaining some much needed momentum.  The nationally-publicized gold heist had put Titanville on the map for the wrong reasons.  The gold heist was the impetus for the need for a new and different AGENCY team.

     The AGENCY wanted to form a team of intelligent go-getters who could work 'outside-the-box' and who could work with minimal AGENCY supervision.  The team would work the cutting edge between crime and crime prevention.  One goal of the team would be to analyze current crime sprees and find common traits or habits.  One goal of the team would be to analyze important or valuable exhibits or holdings in the city and to suggest ways to increase their security.  One goal of the team would be to actually pull-off robberies and thefts.  They would be like 'white hat' hackers as they penetrated and tested a secure perimeter or building to find its weaknesses and vulnerabilities.  Moreover, the team would not be comprised of superheroines.

     AGENCY management knew it would be difficult to find or create such a team.  But, the team behind the failed gold heist may have just provided themselves a way to get back into the good graces of the authorities.  Commissioner Borden had given his support for such a team, as long as The AGENCY funded the team and provided secure boundaries and rules of operation for the team.

     And that's why Mr. Yellow was now talking to Tara about Sanctuary.  He finally had the green light.  He didn't know how much Tara knew about the great gold robbery; the doctors had told him that the chemicals that had been in her body were very powerful.  As Mr. Yellow continued to talk to Tara about the new team, he indicated to her that the team behind the gold heist might be good candidates for the new team, especially the team's leader.  He asked her to mention the idea of Sanctuary to anyone from the gold theft team that might contact her in the coming days.  If a person did contact her, that person could also call The AGENCY and use the code words 'Sanctuary 20' if they ever wanted to discuss the idea further directly with the Case Manager himself.  Mr. Yellow even gave a few of his business cards to Tara and wrote the code words on them, just in case.  And then the Case Manager was out of her room and she was free to check-out of the hospital.  A member of her security detachment was waiting downstairs in the lobby to take her home.

     Mr. Yellow was a smart man.  He knew that Tara was now pregnant.  He also recognized that something had happened to Tara - she had changed - she had an encompassing peacefulness to her being.  Also, he surmised that she had been released for a reason, he just didn't know the exact reason.  Finally, from the confidential AGENCY surveillance reports that he had received, he knew that there was a male 'visitor' now living in Tara's and Ashley's apartment.  He had his strong suspicions.  Indeed, Mr. Yellow was a very smart man.

     Tara understood Mr. Yellow perfectly and had offered her opinion that if the new team was successful, then the city of Titanville would be even safer from villains and villainesses.  That made her happy.  And it made her happy to finally be going home.  Tara knew that she continued to be tired, but other than that she felt good.  Secretly, she missed Hughie deeply.  She wondered if anyone from the gold heist team would indeed contact her, especially Hughie.  She had watched all the news about the gold heist with particular interest from her hospital bed as she had relaxed and returned to good health.  But public opinion about the gold heist was strong.  Even though the gold had been recovered, people wanted blood.  They wanted everyone connected with the crime to be found and imprisoned.  And imprisoned for a very long time.  And there was still a considerable portion of the public who wanted more details, specific details indeed, on the role the superheroines had played the historical heist.

     Tara left her hospital room and said goodbye to the nurses at the nurse station.  In the lobby, she found her driver and he drove her home.  The driver then walked her to her apartment door.  Tara dreaded going in.  Although happy to be home, she had been told that her roommate, Emerald Lynx, was still missing as were four other superheroines.  Tara thanked the driver for the ride and also thanked him for walking her to her door.  She indicated that she was good to go and proceeded to open the door to her apartment.  She went in and tried to relax.  After a few minutes, the silence and stillness in the apartment was too much.  Although someone had nicely stocked the refrigerator and cabinets with fresh food and such, probably someone from The AGENCY, Tara felt very alone.  She started to cry as she stood by the empty couch.

     "Please don't cry." Hughie said from somewhere behind her.

     His voice startled her but only for a second.  He was coming from her bedroom.  He had broken into her apartment and had been waiting for a week for her return.  He had only left the apartment for food.  Hughie knew that all of Titanville was looking for him - he figured that Tara's apartment was as safe as anywhere to hide.  Tara had not had to wait long at all from someone from the gold heist team to contact her.

     She turned to face Hughie.  She barely recognized him without his white makeup and Jester costume.  He was wearing jeans and a white shirt.  And it was Hughie this time who rushed to her and held her tightly.  She held on to him tightly too and wept.  Although she had been relaxing the whole week, she continued to be tired.  And the weeping at the drop of a hat was beginning to annoy her.  She knew she was stronger than that - she was Ravishing Raven, a strong superheroine even without her powerbelt.  But she had been tired all week.  And all week she had silently wondered...could she be...was she...could she be pregnant?  They call it 'a woman's intuition' for a reason.

     "Don't ever stop holding me." Tara pleaded.

     Hughie held her as tightly as he could.  Fortunately, the chemicals that he had used to entrance and control her mind had had no impact on her heart.  They laid down on the couch together and simply held each other for what seemed like hours.  It was Tara who spoke first.  The time had come for a talk.  Even Hughie knew it was time.

     "Hughie, above all things, I love you.  Don't ask me why.  I don't even know why.  I just do..." Tara said in a soft voice.

     "I would never want to change you, but I hope you see that things have changed.  The kidnapping of the police officer...  The gold heist...  People want blood.  They want you.  They want Jester caught and sent away.  Some reporter keeps saying that you've tugged on Superman's cape.  It doesn't sound good." Tara continued.

     So far Hughie was keeping silent and not denying anything.  He had been watching the news intently as well.  He knew the public's opinion about him and what people were saying.

     "My employer is looking to create a team...  I have a business card...  The Case Manager mentioned you to me.  Not by name, but by describing the leader of the heist.  Hughie, you're a genius.  You have a talent.  You know people - you know how they're probably going to react - you're always prepared and have a backup plan!" Tara was saying.

     Hughie was listening.

     "I wasn't prepared for you...  I didn't have a backup plan when you came across my path." Hughie interjected and admitted.

     Tara was also listening and heard his words.  She looked into his eyes.

     "I'm a dark and secretive person.  I'm a superheroine who wears mostly all black.  No amount of preparation could have prepared you for me.  Your best backup plan would have been to just simply backup, literally, and get away from me." Tara offered.

     She had a way with words.  Actually, she had a way with everything.  Hughie smiled.

     "I'm so glad I didn't back up." Hughie said with an honest intonation in his voice.

     "The AGENCY wants to build a team, Hughie.  You would be great for it!  You've done some very bad things.  But that can all be in the past.  Even when you wore your white makeup and your Jester costume, I still saw a good and strong person under that makeup and costume facade!  YOU have the power to do good!!  Can you let that power out?  If you can, I think you have a chance." Tara said before she thought and said some more.

     "But you must be the one that wants to change...  You must first want it for yourself.  Not for me, and not for anyone else...  And if you first want it for yourself, then you can then also want it for me...for us.  You and I." Tara spoke innocently.

     She was wise beyond her youthful age.

     "I can understand and appreciate what this must all sound like.  It would be like asking me to stop being a superheroine and commit to a new life of crime." Tara continued as she reached into her pocket.

     She looked at the Case Manager's business card and then handed it to Hughie.

     "Here's a future for you.  It's not the only future.  But it is a possible one.  I hope you'll think about it and call him.  I wanna say that you've everything to gain and nothing to lose if you make the call.  And I also want to say that you've nothing to gain and everything to lose if you don't make the call." Tara said directly as Hughie took the card.

     He was listening and she could tell by his face that he was thinking of a thousand things at once.

     "And Hughie...you're NOT a loser!" Tara told him emphatically before kissing him.

     She wanted to jump his bones right then and there.  In addition to being tired most of the time lately and weepy some of the time, she was also super horny at times.

     "A superheroine being super horny.  Go figure." she thought to herself.

     But she wanted to let Hughie do his thinking.  She burrowed into his side and took in his marvelous scent and the feel of his arms around her.  She was so glad to be home.

     "I hear you.  That's all I'll say for now.  I hear you." Hughie said.

     "And Tara...  I love you." Hughie added softly.

     He felt her squeeze him.  He also thought he felt a tear drop off of her cheek and onto his hand a minute later.  He felt like he was home, finally.

*******

     "I'm going out for a while." Hughie finally said to Tara as he gently nudged her awake.

     She had fallen asleep in his arms as they had lain together quietly.  It seemed like the first silent and peaceful time that they had together.  No thugs; no other superheroines.  It was nice.  He loved hearing her breathing and gazing at her simply beautiful face.  He realized that he didn't know much about her.  He knew that she was an absolutely beautiful and striking girl.  And he was beginning to see how absolutely beautiful she was on her inside too.  She had a fantastic way of talking with him and not talking down to him.  She had a fantastic way of making everything seem easy.  She had a fantastic way of making him feel that they had always been together and that they always would be together.

     "I have to go out for a while but I will be back.  Stay here and don't go anywhere." Hughie said again as she finally was awake and could hear him.

     At that, Hughie left the apartment and drove into the city.  He found a quiet parking lot and turned on his cell phone.  He looked at the business card in his hand for a few seconds, while also looking outside and around him.  He kept forgetting that no one knew what the villain Jester looked like.  Without his white makeup and loud Jester costume, he fit in rather well.  Still, he was on edge.  He dialed the number.

     "Good afternoon, this is Mr. Yellow, how may I help you?" the calm voice asked.

     "I'd like to talk...  I'd like to talk to someone about 'Sanctuary 20' please." was all Vik could get out as there was a short pause on the other end.

     "I was hoping that I would get this call.  Can I assume that this is Mr. Vikwatrum calling?  If so, please do not hang-up Hugo.  I realize that you may be nervous and anxious and not want to stay on the phone.  I want to meet you.  You are a special person and I have a need for special people like yourself.  Think of a place where we can meet in person so we can talk one-on-one.  I give you my word of honor that this is not a trap.  If I wanted to trap you, I would have already done so days ago at Ravishing Raven's apartment." Mr. Yellow said quickly and determinedly.

     Vik's mind was racing as he thought.

     "Mr. Yellow, please call me 'Vik'.  There's a little seedy place called 'Al's Handy Lunch' on Broad Street.  Good food though if you like a nice burger.  I'll be wearing a burgundy baseball cap and sitting close to the back.  I can be there in twenty minutes for say, 1:30 PM.  You?" Vik asked.

     "I'll be there, Vik." Mr. Yellow replied and then disconnected.

     Vik turned off his cell phone.

     Actually, Vik got there in just four minutes.  He wanted time to sit there and reflect on everything.

     And just about exactly 1:30 PM, Vik watched as a fifty-ish man walked into "Al's Handy Lunch" with a briefcase.  The man didn't look totally out of place, but the man did look like someone on a mission.  The man certainly was on a mission.  Time was running out.  He had to get his new team up and running soon.  Top AGENCY management wanted and needed an answer.  The man looked around and noticed Vik's burgundy cap.

     "Vik?  I'm Mr. Yellow." Mr. Yellow said as he walked up to Vik's booth as he extended his hand.

     Vik stood up and shook the man's strong hand.  Vik liked men with strong handshakes.  Character.

     "May I sit down?" Mr. Yellow asked.

     "Please do, Mr. Yellow." Vik stated as he also waved a waitress over.

     "They make a mean patty melt if you're in the mood for a good burger." Vik offered casually.

     "That sounds good.  I hadn't had a chance to grab lunch yet." Mr. Yellow answered.

     Vik looked at the waitress.

     "Two patty melts with fries.  And a glass of water for me and whatever the gentleman is drinking." Vik said to the waitress.

     "Black coffee, please." Mr. Yellow piped up as he looked up at the waitress.

     The waitress was happy.  Quick orderers.  She didn't even have to give them menus.  The waitress turned and walked away and put their order in with the cook.  Mr. Yellow started.

     "I can't thank you enough for calling me.  I'll try to be brief but thorough.  You're a wanted man, Mr. Hugo Vikwatrum!" Mr. Yellow started with a rather sincere chuckle.

     "Tell me something I don't know!" Vik quipped.

     "But wanted in a good way, I assure you, Mr. Vi...Vik.  Not just any person would have attempted, let alone completed, the recent gold heist.  And we probably would not be here talking if not for a bumbling officer who picked up one of the real bars of gold and dropped it on one of the fake bars.  To be blunt, your fantastic crime has raised a lot of eyebrows.  Raised impressively, I must say.  Allow me to cut to the chase.  ...  Oh, sorry, no offense intended." Mr. Yellow said, trying to not be funny.

     "I forget that you are rather being chased at the moment, to put it mildly, by the police." Mr. Yellow added.

     "None taken.  And, uhh, thanks for the reminder..." Vik replied.

     He liked Mr. Yellow and also liked Mr. Yellow's style.

     "The AGENCY wants to hire you and your remaining team members as part of our first specialized unit to counter crime that will not utilize superheroines.  You will be known as the 'Sierra Alpha' team.  The 'sierra' stands for 'Sanctuary' and the 'alpha' represents the first letter of the Greek alphabet.  As you probably know, the word 'sanctuary' has many meanings.  For The AGENCY, it means immunity as afforded by refuge in a secure environment.  As funding and need arises, we hope to create additional Sanctuary teams.  But you and your team will be the trailblazers - the first team to help The AGENCY's core mission in new and exciting ways.

     "Your team will have as its core mission three fundamental tasks.  One, to analyze ongoing crime sprees and attempt to discover hidden clues or traits and help solve them.  Two, to analyze security for special events and make recommendations for increased security.  And lastly, to perform special actions as actual 'white hat' thieves to provide penetration testing for special events.  Your team will report to me.  I am The AGENCY's Case Manager.  And you should know that 'Mr. Yellow' is not my real name.

     "I've read your file Vik and know many things about you.  I see some bad things, but I also see a lot more good things such as planning, preparation, attention to details, aspects for spatial geometry, knowledge of social engineering, timing, predicting people's responses and actions, fairness, and honesty.  AND leadership.  You point the way for others and you treat your teammates with respect and fairness.  You deserve to be a well-respected man.

     "My mother always used to tell me to first give the strokes and then give the pokes.  So, here are the strokes.  I am prepared to offer you right now a position with The AGENCY as the leader of the Sierra Alpha team, complete with an annual salary and company benefits.  And I am also prepared to offer your teammates positions with salaries and benefits as well.  I am giving you my personal promise that, as long as I am your supervisor, I will make your work exciting, innovative, and worthwhile.  You will not be bored.  However, you WILL be appreciated and allowed to grow.  And here's a good one.  All of your slates will be clean.  The thousands of dollars recently stolen during the nine robberies will be paid back to the banks by The AGENCY.  Thankfully, the gold's already been returned and secured - that would have been the deal breaker.  The AGENCY does have deep pockets and relatively long arms.  But convincing the company to pay millions to the government for the gold so this team could be created, well...that would have been a tough sell.  A very tough sell!

     "And now for the pokes.  Your team will have to dress appropriately.  I'm sorry, but no white makeup or Jester costume on company time.  Having said that, what you do on your own time and in the privacy of your own home is for you to decide.  And no team members dressed all in black on company time, unless of course you're in the field completing actual penetration testing.  Here's a big one.  Whatever you steal as part of your employment must be returned to The AGENCY or to the victim.  Also, if you choose to resort to your former persona, i.e. a person who chooses a life of crime, your employment will be terminated and The AGENCY will have no other recourse but to try and apprehend you.  And then there's the usual suspects...  No drugs, no sexual harassment, no excessive drinking, do your company training as required, and fill out your time-sheet on time, yada, yada, yada.

     "Speaking of time, I meant to put that as one of the good things too.  You will be spending a lot time outside of the AGENCY's walls in scouting and analyzing locations.  I will be busy managing my ten case analysts.  I want someone who I can trust and someone that can keep me up-to-date on the team without a lot of supervision from me.  I'm not a micromanager - that will be your job.  I can tell you this - I have met you and can now match a man of character to your history.  I like the match and I am liking more and more the opportunity to work with you and this new team." Mr. Yellow said from the heart.

     And then Mr. Yellow got even more serious, personal if you will, and reached for and tapped Vik on his hand.

     "And Vik, there's something else that's entirely different and in play here, and really is not my place to mention.  But I'm going to go ahead and mention it anyway.  The AGENCY is a great company, a rather private and secretive company, but a great company nonetheless.  We care about each other.  By that, I mean we watch out for each other too.  I've noticed a change in Ravishing Raven this week.  Since being assigned to your bank robbery spree, she's changed.  And I've read some of the police transcripts from the thugs that stole your gold.  Some of them seem to think that you have changed too." Mr. Yellow acknowledged.

     And then Mr. Yellow tapped Vik's hand again.

     "Tara's a very beautiful girl...  And I'm just talking about how she is on her inside.  ...  She's had a tough go of it.  Tara lost her mother when she was just twelve years-old to a drunk driver.  Her father then became a lost soul and couldn't take it anymore.  Nobody even knows where he is now or even if he's still alive.  We're pretty sure he left town and became an alcoholic.  Thank God for Tara's aunt and uncle.  Tara's aunt, her mother's sister, took Tara in and gave her a home.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that Tara is familiar with tough times and change.  And that she's a very beautiful girl.  She deserves a good man.  You're a good man, Vik.  Perhaps misguided in the past, but you're still a very good man.  You need to hear that." Mr. Yellow said as he finally finished.

     And with that, Mr. Yellow opened his briefcase and handed all the paperwork over to Vik.  The paperwork included five job offers for Hugo, Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory.  Cory and Rory were the two thugs who did not turn against the gang.  The paperwork also put down into words more specific guidelines for the team and mentioned many of the things that Mr. Yellow had already introduced.

     "I don't mean to startle you, but the four men who were found with the gold have been talking, check that, the four men who were found with the gold have been SINGING about who they were working with.  That's how we came to know your names.  We've only used your names to fill out the job offers.  That's all.  I'm here to build a new team and help five people and one city.  And also to help one of my more 'ravishing' superheroines.  I'm not here to apprehend anyone." Mr. Yellow added.

     Vik saw the waitress bringing their order and got up.  He left is offer letter on the table and took all of the paperwork to another table.

     "Be right back - the burgers are coming!" Vik said to Mr. Yellow.

     Vik walked over to another booth and gave all the paperwork to Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory.  Their meet time was 1:45 PM at the restaurant - and Vik had drawn a little green flower on the chalkboard that listed the restaurant's specials outside on the sidewalk before he entered.  The team had seen his written signal and entered.  If Vik had felt that they were in danger, Vik would have erased his flower and would have redrawn a red one as he left the restaurant.  Vik had felt safe and had decided to meet with Mr. Yellow.  Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory had arrived a few minutes earlier.  They knew to act unassuming and let Vik approach them.

     "Look these papers all over carefully in the next few minutes and either give me a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down.  I don't think we're in any danger sitting in here.  I think this may be something good, life-changing, but good." Vik told his team.

     And then Vik returned to Mr. Yellow so he could sit and enjoy lunch, and also to talk casually with Mr. Yellow while they ate.

*******

     Vik enjoyed his lunch with Mr. Yellow.  He also liked what he saw on his job offer.  He would start with a $75,000 salary with ample opportunity for bonuses.  It appeared to be a very good benefits plan.  What company offered a really fantastic benefits plan these days?  Vik also liked his lunch chat with Mr. Yellow.  They talked sports, specifically football.  They both seemed to have a shared and deep interest in NFL football.  Vik liked how Mr. Yellow could change his tone and voice inflection when discussing something serious but then could turn on a dime and talk about things like football in a very carefree and breezy way.  Above all else, Vik felt that he could trust the man.

     "Do you play poker?" Vik asked Mr. Yellow innocently enough.

     "I like to watch it on TV but I could never play in a real game.  I'm too honest.  I've got no poker face - I couldn't be much of a bluffer.  And I hear that's the key to winning at poker...ya have to be able to bluff." Mr. Yellow stated as he munched down a few fries.

     "Excellent burger I must say.  And great coffee too!" Mr. Yellow said when they were done.

     The man had really enjoyed his burger and fries.  Mr. Yellow's wife was always on him to watch his fat intake and caffeine.  Her reason was simple.  His wife loved him dearly and wanted him around for a long time.

     "Before I head along, do you have any questions for me?" Mr. Yellow asked as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

     Vik paused and looked towards the other booth.  Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory saw Vik look their way.  They each gave strong thumbs-up.  They had a good deal in front of them.  A very good deal.  Vik nodded to his team.

     "Just one question.  When can we start?" Vik asked.

     "I leave that to you.  Tomorrow...the next day...a week from today.  But pay attention to the date and time detailed in the job offers.  I think the offers are only good for seven days.  This was not the easiest sell.  And not the hardest sell either, mind you.  We're going down this new path together!  Remember that this is new for The AGENCY as well.  My suggestion is to take your time.  Be sure.  Read the job offers and guidelines carefully.  When you're team is ready, come into The AGENCY and tell the receptionist that 'Mr. Burgundy and his team is there to meet with Mr. Yellow'." Mr. Yellow said as he stood.

     He was happy that it seemed like Vik's team was close by - he suspected that they were using some sort of code to indicate that it seemed safe for all of them to be together.

     "Please introduce me to your team!" Mr. Yellow then stated enthusiastically.

     Vik escorted Mr. Yellow to the other booth and introduced him to everyone.  They all shook hands.

     "It's nice to put faces to the offers.  Please read your offers and guidelines carefully and if you have any questions then talk to Mr. Burgundy here.  He knows how to contact me.  I can't tell you how excited I am to see this team in action.  I'll leave you now so you can talk." Mr. Yellow said as he left.

     The five of them waited a minute or two and left as well.

     They reconvened a few minutes later a few blocks down in a coffee shop to discuss the offers and guidelines.  They all agreed that reporting to The AGENCY sooner rather than later was the better thing to do.  To have all five of them, including especially Vik, all ready for a new start together was a good thing.  Before they all left, they agreed to report to The AGENCY together the next morning at 8:00 AM.  Vik liked the sound and color choice for his 'Mr. Burgundy' moniker.  He couldn't wear his dark-burgundy and dark-green Jester costume anymore.  He knew he was going to miss being dressed as his former clown and jester persona.  He knew that change can be good.

*******

     Once again, Vik was happy.  'Jester' was out.  And 'Mr. Burgundy' was in.  Like 'Jester' had been happy previously because the bank robberies were going to begin and also because he had a feeling that a superheroine or two might cross his path, so too 'Mr. Burgundy' was happy.  He was once again part of a plan.  It was hopefully a long-term plan that would bring new challenges and new meaning to his life and career.  He liked where his life was heading.  And he loved the fact that it very much appeared that there would be a very special someone to share his new life with.  And that special someone was indeed a superheroine.  He couldn't wait to get back to Tara's apartment.

     He rushed up the stairs as fast as he could.  He was even humming the theme to "The Love Boat".

     He knocked on the door, but no one answered.  He banged louder and then tried the doorknob.  The door was unlocked.  And the apartment was dark and empty.  Tara was not on the couch.  She was not on her bed.  She was gone.  And it appeared that her superheroine costume was gone too.  And then he found and read the note on the table:

H

Ashley's powercycle is back downstairs in the sub-basement.

The AGENCY brought it back while you were gone.

She belongs here - I can't stand the emptiness.

I left the apartment unlocked for you, obviously!

I've gone to find Emerald Lynx.

She's my superheroine partner and I love her.

I ♥ you too.

T

PS.  Here's my spare apartment key - No break-ins allowed!

PPS.  Did I mention that I ♥ you?

     Vik didn't sleep at all that night.  He waited and waited for her to come back.  But Tara did not return.  As he watched the sun rise, he ate breakfast by himself and proceeded to get ready for his first day as the leader of the "Sierra Alpha" team.  When he left, she was still not home.  He left her a note which was just a picture of a hand with a big thumb pointing upwards.  On the thumb, he wrote 'A'.  On the index finger he wrote 'G'.  On the middle finger he wrote 'EN'.  On the ring finger he wrote 'C'.  And on the pinky he wrote 'Y'.  He hoped that she would be back by the time he returned but he had a bad feeling.

*******

     As they had all agreed, the five of them, Vik, Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory all met at The AGENCY for 8:00 AM.  They strode in together and walked to the receptionist.

     "Mr. Burgundy and his team to meet with Mr. Yellow." Vik indicated to the nice receptionist.

     The receptionist called up to the Case Manager's office.

     "Mr. Yellow will be right down, Mr. Burgundy." the receptionist informed Vik.

     As his four teammates looked around the entrance lobby to The AGENCY, Cory couldn't help make a quip.

     "Classy place.  Remember to stay classy, Mr. Burgundy!" Cory offered.

     They all had a good laugh to break the nervousness of the first day, courtesy of movie Dom's Ron Burgundy.  Vik had to remind himself not to laugh like Jester.  Soon, Mr. Yellow arrived and they were all taken to Human Resources where they signed their job offers and were given badges for entry into the building.  They were now all employees of The AGENCY.  Vik took Mr. Yellow aside and showed him the note that Tara had left.  He also told Mr. Yellow that she wasn't back in her apartment as yet when he had left that morning.

     They then went down to a previously unoccupied floor.  The AGENCY building had a few empty floors and this was one of them.  The company had plenty of physical room in which to expand.  And the Sanctuary teams would all be on one floor.  Since they were the first team, they had a floor all to themselves.  As they checked out Vik's office and the four large cubes for the team members, they were all happy to see that there were a few more cubes for growth in case new members were needed.  They also noticed that their location was set aside specifically for their team.  They would not be sharing office spare with other Sanctuary teams when other teams came online.

     Vik's office and their cubes all had name tags done nicely in the company's color scheme, blue and silver.  And, in a small glass case next to Vik's name plate was one of the fake gold bars recovered from The Titanville Museum of History.  The fake gold bar was sitting on rich velvet and had a display light focused on it.  Mr. Yellow was somewhat worried about how the team might react to seeing and having the fake gold bar in close proximity as a daily reminder of their heist failure.

     "I hope you're all okay with what is in this small glass case.  It is a reminder of why you are here.  The newspapers are already calling your gold heist Titanville's 'Crime of the Century'.  You all should be proud of what you accomplished.  I'm not saying that what you did was right.  I'm just saying that you all worked magnificently as a team and pulled it off.  On those days when you're having trouble focusing, trouble focusing as a team or trouble focusing as individuals on a team, use this fake gold bar as a resource to remind you of what you can do.  Use it as a daily reminder to work together to do good!

     "You all know that this journey is not going to be easy.  There's going to be a lot of small steps and there's going to be a lot of big steps.  Work with each other and respect each other.  And also respect The AGENCY, your employer.  Okay, I'm done with speeches.  Welcome to The AGENCY!" Mr. Yellow said as he walked to a refrigerator in their small kitchen area and produced a bottle of champagne and six glasses.  He popped the cork and poured the bubbly into the glasses.

     "Here's to Mr. Burgundy and to his 'Sierra Alpha' team!!" Mr. Yellow said proudly as they all clinked glasses.

     After they had finished a toast.  Mr. Yellow gave a file to Vik.  As Mr. Yellow left them so they could begin their first day, Vik read the top memo in the file.

     "We have our first case.  We are to find six AGENCY superheroines who are currently missing in the field." Vik announced.

     He got a lump in his throat when he saw that the typed message originally had 'five' as the number of missing superheroines.  Mr. Yellow had crossed-out the word 'five' and had written the word 'six' above it.  Mr. Yellow had also hand-written Tara's name as Ravishing Raven on the list of the missing.  He must have changed it after Vik had shown him Tara's note.

     "We will be looking to find and save Caralyn Davis, a.k.a. 'Star Babe', Alisa Trond, a.k.a. 'Emerald Minx', Ashley Donaldson, a.k.a. 'Emerald Lynx', Penelope 'Penny' Brindle, a.k.a. 'Red Nova', Rosy 'Ruby' Nikoden, a.k.a. 'Ruby Flame', and Tara Wilcox, a.k.a. 'Ravishing Raven'." Vik read out loud to the team - he had trouble saying the last name.

     "Here are pictures of the superheroines and everything that is known so far.  There's even some quick notes on how to check-out AGENCY vehicles and notes on how to call for backup.  Let's get busy and read everything we can.  We happen to know four of these superheroines very well due to our own actions.  One might even go as far as saying that the four were part of our team that stole the gold.  My first thought is that if we can find these four superheroines, we just might find the other two.  Here's to our first case." Vik then said with a strong and dedicated voice.

     He was saving his joy for when they found the superheroines, especially the ravishing one.

     They all looked at each other with strong wills and dedication.  Vik put his arm straight out with his palm facing down.  One by one, they each placed a hand over Vik's hand until there was a stack of five hands in the middle of them, and five arms pointing into the center.  Vik, Nancy, Patty, Cory, and Rory.  The first Sanctuary team - the "Sierra Alpha" team.

     "Team!" was the only word they shouted in unison.

     They were glad to be working together again.  Bank robberies were out.  The AGENCY was in.  The "Sierra Alpha" team was on board.

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END of Episode 012 - "Bank Robberies in Titanville?  Surely, You Jester!" (Part 6/Conclusion) by Titanville

Stay tuned for the next episode, Episode 013, when my "The Mysterious Madame Perloine and the Proficient Professor Pricken" (Part 4) story continues and we see how the superheroines Star Babe and Emerald Lynx are faring!  Not to mention the superheroines Emerald Lynx, Red Nova, Ruby Flame, AND Ravishing Raven!!

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