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The Story So Far: Striker has been beaten and the Compound X has been secured. What's next for Superia, Fox, Bombshell, and Delphi?

Superia #1: Recruitment Drive pt. 4

by Sigma

VII

"Uhh...is she gonna be okay?" Fox asked.

She, Superia, and Bombshell, stood over an unconscious Delphi. She lay against the ledge on a rooftop of a warehouse near Striker's ship with one hand down her pants and her jacket unzipped to reveal a lace bra half pulled off.

Bombshell sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "When she uses her powers, she sees what the people she connects to sees, but she feels what they feel, too. Her lucky ass only feels pleasure, though, never pain."

"And when you two were getting fucked..." Fox smiled, suppressing a laugh. "Did she lose the connection because she orgasmed?" Her laughing grew louder, harder, but died the minute she noticed Bombshell glaring at her.

The big woman then knelt over Delphi and smacked her gently on the face. "Annie! Wake up!"

Delphi jolted awake, her eyes fluttering open as she looked around. "I...where...oh, yes..." She looked Bombshell up and down and then at Superia and Fox. "Did we win?" She then noticed Striker draped over Superia's shoulder. "Oh, we did win. Wonderful. What do we do with Striker?"

"Sentinel is sending a retrieval team," Fox announced. Almost on cue, a helicopter appeared in the distance and approached them. "Once I hand him off, we can go."

Delphi cleared her throat, stood up, and straightened her glasses. She noticed the others staring at her and then looked down to see her top unzipped and bra half off. She quickly turned around and fixed her clothes, too embarrassed to face the others. "Right, well, Agent Fox, you and Superia can follow me to our safe house. I'll wait by my car until you're ready. I'm not far from where we met," she said before walking off with some haste in her step.

Bombshell sighed and turned to Superia and Fox. "I'll see you there," she said before following Delphi. 

"Well that was fun!" Fox grinned.

"Sure," Superia said, putting Striker down as the helicopter got close.

"What's wrong with you? Hmm?" Fox asked, poking her in the tummy. "Come on, smile," she said, grabbed Superia's cheeks to stretch her mouth into a smile.

"Stop that!" Superia said, smacking her hands away. "Striker kicked my ass. That's twice I lost to him," she sighed.

"So? We still won."

"How the hell am I going to keep doing this if I can get thrown around by someone stronger so easily? He wasn't even a better fighter, just more powerful."

"Ooooh, you're not used to losing. Well, it happens. I've blown missions before. You just pick yourself up," Fox said, shrugging.

"I'm gonna have to join their little club...I can't keep doing this alone."

"You come up with that all of a sudden?"

"No, I've been thinking about it for the past two weeks. More than once, I thought if I got into it with someone truly dangerous like Scorpio, I'm gonna get my ass killed trying to got at it alone."

Fox rubbed Superia's naked shoulders and leaned her head against her back. "Don't get your ass killed. It's such a nice ass."

Superia sighed again.

"I can cheer you up," Fox told her.

"We gonna ruin your car's suspension like I said?" Superia smirked.

"No. Not now. I need a shower and something fattening to eat. You can drive to Delphi's. I have to record my report anyway."

Overhead, the sound of rotors grew louder as the helicopter hovered in place. Fox looked up and waved.

"Can't we ride with them?"

"They're taking Striker back to our closest base, nowhere near the city. Besides," Fox grinned and squeezed her shoulders. "I'm not gonna finger you in front of the retrieval team," she whispered and bit Superia's ear.

Superia jumped when Fox smacked her ass as the helicopter descended toward the roof.

***

"The police department is investigating an apparent explosion on the city docks tonight, which led to the sinking of a freighter. The source of the explosion remains unknown, but officials say there were no casualties as the vessel was apparently abandoned," an INN reporter stated. "In another news, Brenda Wade has announced a new initiative to..."

Delphi turned off the television in the cavernous living room of her penthouse apartment and turned to Bombshell, who stood at her side. Her tattered costume was replaced by a simple t-shirt and shorts, while Delphi had since changed into a comfortable, light blue silk robe.

"So Sentinel covered the whole thing up..." Bombshell commented.

"It may just be better this way. No need to have people panicking on top of everything else going on," Delphi said before turning to her. "So what do you think?" she asked, looking across the living room to the balcony.

"She can fight," Bombshell said. "She talks too damn much, but she can fight."

"So you're saying yes now?"

"Yeah...we can't really turn down the extra help. I get to punch if she starts running her mouth too much, though."

"Lea..."

Bombshell shrugged. "You know I won't be the only one, Annie. Asa's probably gonna use that death grip thing she does within two minutes of meeting her. Maybe Thera knows a spell that can keep her from talking..."

Delphi chuckled and shook her head. 

"What about the little one?" Bombshell asked, motioning to Fox. "Can we trust Sentinel?"  

Delphi put a hand on her friend's arm. "I'm actually going to find that out now...Come on."  

The two of them walked across the apartment and went out onto the balcony, which looked out onto Delta City's impressive skyline. The city lights glowed in the night and a warm summer breeze carried on the air.

"This is your place?" Superia asked, turning away from her conversation with Fox when Delphi and Bombshell walked over. She was in one of Delphi's spare sweatsuits; a jacket that was too tight across her chest and pants that somewhat stretched on her legs.

"She's a billionaire..." Fox whispered. She still wore her baggy fatigues.

"It is," Delphi told her. "It's also one of our safe houses. You would have access if you joined us, Naomi."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it on the ride here. Striker kicked my ass twice. You wouldn't happen to know how to fight someone who physically outclasses you, would you? I doubt he'll be the last one..."

"Not me," Delphi told her. "But...join us, and you'll get to meet my good friend Asa Miyazawa, also known as the Iron Crane. She can help you there."

"Is that the ninja?"

"She despises that term...but yes."

"Fuck it," Superia said, holding out her hand. Delphi looked down, smiled, and took her hand, and the two women shook.

"I'm so glad you're joining us. Welcome aboard. I'm sure Mantis will be happy to hear that as well."

"Yeah, I bet..." Bombshell muttered to herself.

"Aww, this is so nice," Agent Fox beamed.

"Are you sticking around?" Delphi asked her.

"Yup. When I made my report to Director Escher and turned Striker and the X over to our retrieval team he said Sentinel is officially in business in Delta City. And guess who the ranking field agent is," she grinned and pointed her thumbs at herself.

"Good, good," Delphi said, walking toward her. "Because I'd like to ask you something about Compound X..."

"Oh crap..."

"Where does it come from? I already have a pretty good idea, but I want to hear it from you."

"Heh...well, you see..."

"Bombshell told me how she and Naomi beat the soldiers. It's the same way an Aphrodite can be beaten in battle. Agent Fox...is Compound X sourced from Aphrodites?"

"Hehe...Aphrodite hormones, to be exact," she said sheepishly.

"What?!" Superia and Bombshell both said at the same time.

Fox backed up when they approached her.

"If I don't like this explanation, we're gonna see if you know how to fly," Superia said, pointing to the balcony's ledge. They were 70 stories up.

"It's all voluntary, I swear!" Fox told them as she backed up against the ledge. She dared look back and at the city street below. "Oooh boy, that's a tall drop..." She then turned back around. "We've had Aphrodites working with us since the 1930s. There aren't nearly enough of you, so we explored ways of making more. We didn't force it on anyone who didn't ask. I swear!"

"It's all right, you two," Delphi told them, causing them to back off. "I think we can trust Sentinel for now..."

"You can. Scout's honor!" Fox told them before climbing on the ledge. "You ladies served your country tonight and made it a little safer. We won't soon forget that."

Before long, the sound of a helicopter drowned out anything else as a sleek, black gunship rose from the side of the building. Fox then jumped aboard and the aircraft took off as she waved at them.

"Okay, that was pretty cool," Superia said, watching it fly away.

"What an odd woman..." Bombshell commented.

"Tight little body, though," Superia added.

Bombshell turned and stared at Superia.

"What? Come on, you wouldn't?" She's got a ton of energy and you can pick her up easily."

Bombshell rolled her eyes and walked away. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Annie."

"Can I bunk with you?" Superia said to Bombshell's back. "You can be big spoon." She laughed when Bombshell kept walking and gave her the finger as she went inside. She then turned to Delphi. "She's warming up to me."

Delphi simply suppressed a laughed. "Come on, Naomi. I have a few more things I want to show you," she told her before leading her back inside. She led her through the apartment, down a hallway, and to a door with a biometric lock. She put her hand against it and when the door opened, she led Superia into a large conference room with a giant circular table and computer screens covering every inch of the walls.

"What the hell...?" Superia asked, looking around.

"This is the situation room. Every safe house has one, and they're all networked, so we can all talk no matter where we are. I usually run mission control and support from one if I don't tag along personally."

"Mantis did say there were quite a few of you."

"Mhmm," Delphi brought up images of other heroines on one of the monitors. Superia only recognized Bombshell and Mantis, and then she saw the name Iron Crane under the profile image of an Asian woman with long dark hair and sharp features. Those three images were among many others, including a woman who stood out as having green skin and what looked like vines for hair. The name under her picture read 'Thorn'.

"Oh, the plant lady," Superia pointed.

"Yes. You'll meet the others soon enough, Delphi told her. "But we also have this," she directed Superia's attention to a similar screen with a large collection of images. Superia thought they were more heroines until she saw Striker's image with an X over it. Then a smirk crossed her face when she saw Riot's picture, also crossed out.

"Current threats facing Delta City and any associated intelligence we have on them. As you can see, we cross out the ones that have been dealt with, but there's still a lot of work to do."

"Damn...it's really that bad, huh?" Superia asked, noting that the number of threats far outweighed the number of Delta's active heroines.

"It is." Delphi then brought up a map of the city, divided into areas. Most areas were red, but a small, scattered number were green. "These are the areas where threats are concentrated. Red for dangerous, green for safe. Here's your neighborhood, Prospect Heights," Delphi told her while zooming in. "As you can see, it's quiet, but that will be your turf. Everyone has their own," she told her while images of Delta's heroines appeared across the map in the different neighborhoods. "We aren't everywhere, as you can see. We have team members in Neptune Park, Tokyotown, Northwood, and a few others. Some places, like Sugar Town, The Stacks, and Saldana are hotspots where we need to tread very carefully because we don't have any embedded support there yet. You may be called on to help in other neighborhoods as needed, and you can call for help in turn when you need to."

"Cool," Superia said before sitting in one of the chairs at the conference table. "So, what, I just hang out here when I'm not out punching people?"

"You can. There are beds, showers, and food here. There's also a gym, a pool, and a sauna. Oh, and particular to your interests, a combat training room with a boxing ring and wrestling mats."

"Oh shit..."

"You can also stay home. Just live your life as you normally would until you're needed."

"You have all that here on this floor?"

"Floor?" Delphi blinked. "Oh, no...I own the building. I lease most of the space to businesses. This floor and the three below it are exclusive to us, however."

"Uh huh..." Superia said while putting her feet up on the table. "If I choose to hang here, can Lex come?"

"Lex?"

"My friend who lives across the hall from me. She's kind of my number 2."

"Ah, yes, Ms. Adelson. Certainly. Mantis vetted her, so it's fine."

"Hey, what about my job? Alotta horny, thirsty people in this city. It'd be immoral to let them walk around with blue balls while I'm sitting here waiting for some idiot with a gun to rob a liquor store."

"No one said you had to quit," Delphi told her, sitting down at the table. "But, from what Mantis told me about the club where you work, you can make your own hours as long as you pay your fees, correct?"

"That's right."

"Good, so you have that flexibility. Besides, being a member of this team means you get a monthly stipend in case you have to take extended time away."

"Time away?"

"Recovery from injury. Long-term missions...er...various occupational hazards..."

Superia straightened up. "Like..."

Delphi sighed. "In case you get kidnapped, brainwashed, imprisoned, dragged to hell, abducted by aliens..."

"Huh...those are all things, are they?"

"Unfortunately," Delphi answered while adjusting her glasses. "But...we never leave anyone behind. You have allies here, Naomi and, in time, hopefully friends."

Superia leaned back and put her arms behind her head while looking at the ceiling. "This conference room is bigger than my apartment. Who the hell are you, lady?"

"Someone of considerable resources, as I'm sure you've guessed. I'm just trying to make the world a little less insane. I suspect you're largely the same."

"Right," Superia said while sitting back up. "Well, I'm in on the superhero sleepover or whatever you want to call it. I just hope none of these other chicks snore," she said while getting up.

"Wait," Delphi said to her before adjusting her robe and folding her arms. "There's something else I wanted to talk to you about since we're alone."

Naomi blinked and sat back down.

"I'm just going to ask, flat-out. What did you do to Riot? Mantis is being frustratingly cryptic and won't tell me. I know she hasn't been arrested, and any Jane Does in area hospitals matching her description aren't her. Thankfully, that's also the case with the city morgues...So, please, be honest, Naomi...where is Riot?"

A smirk crossed Superia's face. "Chained to the floor in a room at the club. She needed to pay for fucking with me and kidnapping Lex."

Delphi's expression remained neutral as she intertwined her fingers in front of her. "You've been pimping her...?"

"If you want to call it that."

"It stops. Today. Let her go and turn her over to the police. We don't do things that way here."

"That bitch deserves so much worse than a jail cell. You've seen her fucking rap sheet," Superia growled.

"Yes, but we are not judges, nor are we executioners, Naomi. If you want to be on this team, you need to get used to a certain way of doing things."

Superia huffed and folded her arms.

"Think of it this way," Delphi started, softening her tone. "Today you imprison Riot and sell her body, what happens tomorrow when you deal with a villain and decide taking their life is the best path? Then you're no better than her, or Striker, or Scorpio, or anyone else we're trying to protect this city from. And you have my word, if you go down that path, you will be seeing me, Bombshell, and the others..."

Superia's jaw tightened and she avoided looking at Delphi.

"I'm telling you this as someone who would like to see you as a friend. Sometimes a friend needs to tell you a hard truth."

"I already have Lex for that."

"Well, she failed you as a friend in this regard..."

She glared at Delphi.

"Because she's too close to the situation..." Delphi finished her sentence.

The two women stared at each other. Superia quietly fuming, but Delphi remaining cool.

"Let her go, Naomi. We can win this fight without becoming monsters ourselves."

"Fine!" she said, getting up from her seat. "God, you assholes are rubbing off on me already and it hasn't even been a day!"

"It's for the better. I promise you," Delphi told her while she walked past her. "You're a good person, Naomi. A bit much, but you have a good heart."

Superia stopped when she was right next to Delphi, she let out a deep sigh and put a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Thanks. I guess now is as good a time as any to try and tone down being an asshole, huh?"

"It will certainly help."  

Superia nodded and leaned in closer to Delphi. "By the way, don't be ashamed of your tits being out like you were on the docks. You, this whole package..." Naomi said, motioning up and down in front of Delphi. "I would," she grinned. "Fox said she would, too."

Delphi looked down at the table, her face red. She adjusted her glasses and barely suppressed a smile. "Th...thank you, Naomi," she stuttered.

Superia pat her on the shoulder and moved toward the door. "I'm going home now. I'll drag Riot's sorry ass to the cops tomorrow morning after I feed her. I'll bring Lex by later. Fair warning, she might rearrange the furniture. See ya."  She then walked out the door, waving a hand at Delphi as she left.

Delphi chuckled and turned back to the conference table. Once the door was closed, she brought up a holographic computer screen and opened a chat window. A keyboard of similar design then appeared and she began typing.

OracleofDelphi: One hand washes the other

It took a few moments before a reply came.

MindsEye: And the Eagle flies at midnight

OracleofDelphi: I managed to recruit a new member today. The woman who stopped the biker gang a few weeks back. She's a good fighter, but headstrong. Bombshell worries about a personality clash with some of the other more straight-laced members. She's got a skewed sense of morality, too. I'll have to watch that. She helped us with a big bust today.

MindsEye: That's good to hear. I've been tracking the crime trends. Something is definitely happening in Delta City and it's only going to get worse, it looks like.

OracleofDelphi: I know. We ran into a Sentinel operative. We had aligned goals. They're setting up here. They wouldn't do that unless they suspected something out of the ordinary was behind it.  

MindsEye: Sentinel? Are you sure?

OracleofDelphi: Yes. She said her name was Fox.

MindsEye: I guarantee it's an alias. They all use them. I can't help you learn more about who she actually is. A list of Sentinel personnel is my holy grail. Besides the actual Holy Grail, I mean.

OracleofDelphi: She was after something called Compound X.

MindsEye: A combat drug. I've heard of it.

OracleofDelphi: She said it's made from Aphrodite hormones.

MindsEye: I believe it. Sentinel's history with the Aphrodites goes way back. The good news there is I don't think she represents a threat to your team because Sentinel and the Aphrodites usually worked together. But keep an eye on her anyway.  I'll send you some files. Basic history, projects, operations, that kind of thing.

OracleofDelphi: Thanks.

MindsEye: I might be going silent for a bit. There's some chatter on the web about movement on something called Panopticon. Only rumors at this point, but it's making my brain itch. It might be nothing. I'll let you know if it's relevant to you and your team.

OracleofDelphi: Right. Okay.

And then the chat window closed. Delphi sat in the silence of the conference room, her holographic screen the only light. A message popped up with the subject line: Sentinel/Aphrodite files.

She looked back at the door one more time before opening the file.

***

"Carter is on board, sir," Fox reported, seated in the back of the gunship as it flew above Delta City's skyline. "The others should fall in behind her."

"Excellent," Director Escher's voice came in over her comms. "I just listened to your report. Good work putting Striker down. We'll interrogate him and the men we fished out of the harbor once we have them back at the blacksite."

Fox stood up and began shedding her stolen fatigues. "Is the field office set up? I need maintenance. I couldn't say anything with Superia in my car."

"How bad?"

"I just took some rifle fire. No systems compromised," she was in the ruined Stealth Suit now, its fabric marked with bullet holes. She unzipped it and slid the top half off of her narrow shoulders, drawing the attention of co-pilot.

"The field office is still being set up, but techs are onsite. Get yourself patched up and get some rest. I have a feeling this is going to be a long assignment. I may send other field agents to you if it comes to that."

"I will, sir. I'll need someone to go to Carter's and get my car to bring to the field office," Fox said, sliding the suit off completely and dropping it to the floor. She stood in the back of the helicopter wearing only her panties and poked at the holes in her chest and tummy. She then looked at the long tear in her arm and frowned.  

"I'll arrange that," Director Escher told her.

"What are my orders now, sir?"

"We wait to see what Carter's team does for now, and then follow her lead if necessary. Until we begin carrying out our own operations, you'll be shadowing them. Did you bug Grant's apartment?"

"I did, sir. Her friend's, too."

"Alexis Adelson? Good. We'll know what they know when they know it. I'm assuming Carter's place proved to be more difficult."

Fox stretched her arms over her head. "Yes, sir. I probed the network and security was tight. I didn't have time or opportunity to try and get around it. Carter mentioned they have other safe houses. It might be worth looking into where they are and seeing if I can get into any of those."

"Hmm...good catch. I'll have intelligence bring up a list of properties that Carter's companies own in Delta City. If she's as good as we think, they'll be buried under layers of shell companies, so it may take some time to uncover them."

"Should I fill my time visiting the others on her team?" she asked, bending over at the waist to stretch her legs and back.

"Absolutely not," Director Escher told her. "Let the three you already met make those introductions. Tread carefully with holding threats over the heads of these women to get their cooperation. It worked with Grant this time, but she's not the type to be pushed around repeatedly. That applies to the others, too. Some of them wield great power, and the carrot will definitely be preferable to the stick. It was before your time, but you heard about what happened to Room 31 when Meteor Woman got tired of being led around, right?"

"Room 31 was full of idiots, sir. We almost lost Star City because they fumbled so badly, didn't we?" Fox asked, still bent at the waist. She noticed the co-pilot had a big grin on his face when she saw him between her legs. She smiled and waved.

"Be that as it may, their folly is a lesson in how to handle things the right way. Room 31 treated superhumans and people like you like they were tools. That's not how Sentinel does things."

"Understood, sir."  She said as she skipped up to the open cockpit of the ship and wrapped her arms around the neck of the co-pilot and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"For the time being, Agent Fox, you have the resources of Sentinel at your disposal during your posting in Delta City. Do what you will to carry out your mission."

"I will, sir," Fox said, sliding her hand down the co-pilot's chest and down the front of his pants. "Agent Fox, out."

She ended the communication and giggled as she continued molesting the co-pilot. "Did you hear that? The boss says you boys are all mine."

"Yes, ma'am," the two pilots said in unison, giant grins on their faces.

VII

Naomi brought her motorcycle to a stop outside her building and climbed off. She yawned and stretched her long limbs as morning broke over Delta City. The sleeves on Delphi's jacket ran up to her elbows.

"Holy fuck, I am tired." She said to herself before going inside. After a tired climb upstairs, she reached her apartment and put her key in the lock when the door behind her opened.

"Oh, there you are," Alexis beamed at her when she came out of her apartment. She then looked her friend up and down. "What the hell are you wearing?" 

Naomi looked at the too-small outfit. "Long story."

"Did you get your guy? What happened at the warehouse?"

"It's all the same story. I'll call you later and tell you. I just need some sleep now," She then looked at Alexis' outfit, a tight sports bra and leggings that did everything to show off her curves, running shoes, and headphones around her neck. "You're going for a run this early?"

"Girl, I don't know what happened, but I had the best damn sleep. I feel amazing!" She said, running in place.

Naomi suddenly remembered what Fox said about the drug she slipped Alexis. "Right, well, have fun. I'll be here. Passed out."

Alexis then took off down the hall.

"Oh wait, Lex!" Naomi called after her.

Alexis turned and ran back up, and kept running in place.

"I joined Mantis' team. They've got a cool clubhouse. We'll go there later."

"Yeah, okay, cool," Alexis said before turning around and running off again.

Naomi went inside and locked her door behind her. She jumped in place when she turned around and saw someone leaning against the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.

"Fuck! God dammit..." Naomi sighed as her heart raced in her chest.

"I heard you had a good day," Mantis said with a smile, arms folded and one leg against the wall.

"Something like that," Naomi told her while walking to the door that led to her bedroom. She stretched her arms. "Does no one in this city know how to use a phone?"

"I have a flare for the dramatic," Mantis smiled, pushing away from the wall. "So, Delphi told me you're officially in."

"Yup. I took Riot and her goons by myself, but that Striker asshole was something else entirely. Even I had to admit I might not walk away from the next one if that trend continued."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I scouted the location, but I should have done more to learn about him specifically before I sent you that message." Mantis approached her until they were less than arm's length apart. 

"Fuck it, don't worry about it," Naomi said, rubbing her neck. "I walked away. He didn't. That's all that matters." She then looked Mantis up and down, taking in every detail, her sculpted abs, her curvy tits, her jet black hair and light brown eyes, the way her skimpy costume wrapped around her athletic frame.

Mantis then reached forward and put her hands on Naomi's shoulders, rubbing them gently. "Can I make it up to you anyway?"

Naomi felt her nipples grow hard at Mantis' touch. When Mantis leaned in and planted a kiss on her lips, she didn't resist. Her taste was sweet. Her delicate fingers ran down Naomi's chest and worked the zipper on her jacket, pulling it all the way down until it was open and exposed her bare chest underneath. A light gasp escaped Naomi's lips when Mantis lightly kissed her neck and upper chest. The heroine's left hand slid down Naomi's side, brushing her hip and ultimately resting on her thigh while the other took Naomi's hand and their fingers intertwined.

Naomi felt warm, her heart fluttered. She tightened her grip on Mantis' hand while the nails on her free hand scraped against the wall behind her. 

"Welcome to the team," Mantis whispered with a sensual chuckle. Naomi bit her lip and smiled as Mantis led her into her own bedroom.

Epilogue

"488...489...490..." Riot gasped, sweat dripping from her brow and naked chest as she pushed up from the ground. She held the movement at the top, let out of a deep breath, and then continued.

"491....492...493..."

Her toned muscles rippled, and the muscles in her back flexed with each movement. The sweat pooled underneath her body and her heart pounded in her chest. She fought the burning sensation in her limbs. "This fucking collar..." she growled. "494...495..."

She stopped and looked forward when she heard the lock on her door turning just before it opened. The sounds of the club beyond flooded into the room, bringing in two very large men in black suits and sunglasses. Behind them was a woman, tall and slim with dark brown hair tied back into a bun. She wore a dark red suit jacket and skirt over a white blouse, and her black heels clicked against the floor.

Riot continued with her exercise. "Did that cunt stain Naomi send you?"

"She did not, Ms. DuPont," the woman said before nodding to one of her men.

The guy walked over and knelt down in front of Riot. She stared him in the eye as he reached up and put a key to her collar. It then fell off and hit the floor. The chains soon followed, leaving Riot completely free. The woman grabbed a chair and sat down while her men left the room to stand guard outside.

"All right..." Riot said, stopping her workout to sit on the floor. "Talk."

"I have a proposition for you," she started, slipping one shapely leg over the other.

"Go," Riot urged her, her eyes catching a flash of lace underwear as she crossed her legs.

"How would you like a job, Jackie?"

"Doing what?"

"Whatever I tell you," the woman answered. "You get paid, you get resources, but you work for me."

"Will I get to cave that bitch's head in?"

"You mean Ms. Grant. No, not for the time being. My organization has plans for her and the others of her kind."

"Well, you and your organization can shove it up that perky little ass of yours, lady. I ain't interested. I'll just go back to my gang since you've freed me."

"Most of the Delta City Grim Reapers are either in prison or the hospital right now. The few who managed to slip the net have left town to join other chapters or, I believe you people call it 'go nomad'."

Riot searched the woman's features for a lie, but only saw a stone-neutral expression. "Fuck..."

"And what will you do, Jackie? You've got open warrants in 10 states. You're on the FBI's list of dangerous superhuman criminals. Even Sentinel has an active order to detain you if they find you."

"What the fuck is Sentinel?"

"An organization that will make sure you never see the light of day again if they catch you."

Riot stood up and stretched every muscle of her naked, tattooed body, never breaking eye contact with the woman. "Not a lot of options, then, huh?"

"No. Unless you come with me. Which you're going to."

"Uh huh. And why would I?"

"Because you acted exactly as my models predicted. From how quickly you built your gang to the activities it carried out."

"What?"

"I've been tracking you since your ill-fated trip to Star City, Ms. DuPont. Your fight with Mirage was quite entertaining," she smirked.

"That bitch just got the drop on me...that's all..."

"If you say so. My point is, I knew what you were going to do, until you went and got Superia involved. She was an X-Factor, an agent of chaos. I don't like chaos that I'm not behind, Jackie."

"And you want me to help you sow your kind of chaos?"

"Now you're getting it!" the woman in red smiled. "Do this, and for all I car, you can have Superia's head for your trophy room once we're done with her. Hell, do good work, and we'll put a bow on Mirage and deliver her to you, too. My organization's plans start here in Delta City but there's no reason we can't eventually expand."

"What do you mean after you're done with Superia?"

"Hmm...you're quite fixated on her. Fair enough. She ruined another plan of mine earlier tonight. She and some other troublesome cows. I lost another one of my better pawns because of them."

Riot gave the woman a big helping of side-eye. "What do you mean 'another' pawn?"

The woman sighed. "Jackie, dear, you're good at hitting things and making impressionable people follow you. I'm playing a more abstract game, and yes, you were a pawn in that. One I had intended on using longer."

"No one fucking controls me, lady." Riot growled.

"And yet, here you are...still hearing me out. That you didn't attack me and my men the moment your collar came off shows you know that I am a shark, and you are a guppy by comparison."

"Ugh...bitch..." was all Riot managed to get out. Deep down, she knew this woman had her number.

"Cheer up. I like to think I'm a fair and reasonable master," the woman smiled. "To get to my point, we've been working to sow chaos throughout Delta City since Star Woman's demise, and the resistance we're facing is greater than we anticipated. So I'm putting you back in play, Riot."

Riot put her hands on her hips and looked the woman over. She then shrugged. "Not like I have much choice, lady. What do I call you?"

"My name is Sloan Adams," she said while standing up. She then held out her hand.

Riot took it and shook. "Right, well let's get the hell out here, Adams."

Sloan smiled and reached forward, brushing her fingers against the tense surface of Riot's hard, sweat soaked abs. "Magnificent..." she whispered before licking the sweat from her fingers. She then turned and knocked on the door.

"What the fuck was that about...?" Riot asked herself quietly.

One of the guards opened the door and came in holding up a garment bag.

"That's yours. I find your taste in clothes appalling, but, it is your style." Sloan said to her. Riot took the bag while Sloan and her men walked out. "The car is outside. Get dressed and meet us there."

Riot opened the bag to find a pair of black leather shorts, with a gray tank top with holes in it, fishnet stockings, and a pair of leather boots that went halfway up the shins. The shorts barely covered her ass, the tank top was extremely low cut and the boots needed breaking in, but she could work with all of it.  She slipped the outfit on, straightening things out before deciding she was satisfied.

She tossed the garment bag aside and opened the door to find one of Sloan's men waiting with something in his hand.

"Ms. Adams thought you might want this, too."

Riot stepped back when the man presented her with an aluminum baseball bat. She then took the weapon and a grin crossed her face as she gripped it tight. "Oh, fuck yes. Your ass is mine, Superia."

END