The Price Of Victory Ch. 03

(As we rejoin our intrepid heroine let's reset the scene just a bit...First remember the room, once the grand parlor of an immensely wealthy family, now it is decorated with a row of stainless steel tables, each covered with vials, beakers, Bunsen burners, and other lab equipment. Against one wall is a sort of torture rack that resembles one of those tables only leaned upright, with a pair of large metal shackles affixed to the top. It's here poor Victory is bound. With her powers depleted after a series of clever traps, she was captured by the villainous Cassandra X. and her henchmen. Our brunette heroine has been cleave-gagged with a strip of black cloth, her slim arms stretched over her head and locked into those shackles. Her slender body is outstretched, still clad in the shiny purple Lycra of her two piece uniform, leaving her toned abdominals bare. Her shapely legs seeming as long as ever, running smoothly from her skintight hotpants down to the silver calf length boots. Her powerbelt remains around her waist, though it does her little good as it is itself still regenerating, however some strength has clearly returned to her and her beautiful face is beginning to show that familiar determination. It is here, we rejoin the adventure...)

THEY had left her alone for a time, shackled against the wall with her arms over her head. Victory slumped in her bonds weakly. It was almost a relief, the pain of her spanking subsided quickly and as it did she was able to release the humiliation. Left by herself she was able to regain some composure and as the heroine began to feel her powers recovering as well, her confidence came roaring back. Though she was not strong enough to break the shackles, Victory knew it would only be a matter of time before she would get free and make Blondie, Spanky (as she now thought of him, bitterly) and the one they called Diego pay for their treatment of her...that and of course, their criminal lifestyle choice.

Victory's powers had still not fully returned when Cassandra X. barged into the converted parlor leading a small entourage. The ostentatious cat burglar was wearing a strapless leopard print dress, which clung to every curve of her hour-glass figure. She walked with a confident swagger that seemed only to exaggerate that figure. Her flame red hair was gathered to one side, cascading over her bare shoulder and halfway down her torso. Watching Cassandra X. sweep across the room Victory had to admit (if only to herself) a certain admiration (if not envy) of this woman.

Behind Cassandra X. was an older woman, dressed more conservatively in a gray knee length, pencil skirt and plain white blouse. This woman had the look of an aging beauty queen, with short, silver streaked brown hair pulled into a proper bun and though her face showed the lines of maturity she was still quite the beauty. Her gate was no less confident, though not as much of a swagger, and Victory sensed a very straight forward demeanor about this woman. This must be Evelyn Eldridge.

Third was a man in a white lab coat. He was not near the physical stature of Casandra X.'s three stooges but he looked more sinister. This was a man possessed of the intelligence to do anything he wished and chose to serve evil designs. At least if one were to judge this book by its mustachioed rodent-faced cover, which Victory was not above doing. It was the eyes that gave him away, beady as they were there was a keen intellect glinting in them, and a devious edge. He was already wringing his hands as they crossed the large room.

The three thugs brought up the rear. All grinning as if they shared in some big secret. Of course they did, a secret they'd all wished they could forget before this night ended; Victory had promised herself that much. Her strength had returned enough that she was standing now, not slumped against the wall. She felt fully recovered, the strength having returned to her long legs, no pain wracking her slender body, yet the shackles still held.

Of course they do, she chided herself. Cassanda X. has been one step ahead of me at every turn, if there's a metal that can hold me, even at full strength, she'd've found it.

"My dear, I'm so glad you're awake," Cassandra X. bawled as she approached. "And feeling better too, from the looks of it."

Victory bit down on her gag, wanting to say any number of snide comments leaping to the tip of her tongue. She held them, knowing that the gag would only defeat (her) the purpose if she tried. The captive heroine settled for a baleful glare.

"Allow me to introduce your vivacious hostess," the cat burglar went on. "The lovely Evelyn Eldridge is glad to welcome you to her ever so humble abode."

"Can't we dispense with the theatrics," Evelyn sighed with a dismissive wave.

"Then what fun would she have," said the man in the lad coat. "Cassandra X. lives for the show don't you know"

"I just find it a bit tedious," the older woman replied.

"And the man to her left," Cassandra X. continued. "Is the honorable, the brilliant Doctor Timothy P. Argon."

"At your service, Madam," the Doctor said with a flourish and bow.

"It's true when I say he's brilliant," the cat burglar said. "That gas in the hallway: his concoction! Personally commissioned that one myself."

"It's basically just airborne chloroform with a synthetic anti-estrogenic," Dr. Agron explained. "I tweaked the chemical balance so it inhibits neuro..."

"Basically it disrupts a super-slut's biologic patterns so she can't use your powers," Cassandra X. cut him off. "Brilliant but long winded... and completely unacquainted with the term layman, I'm afraid."

"...Unfortunately the effects are only temporary," Dr. Argon mumbled in conclusion.

"And it's not the only concoction he's got up his sleeve," the redhead swept one arm towards one of the tables. It was lined with bottles and vials, all filled with different colored liquids.

Victory eyed the table. What did they have in store in for her? What effects might those potions have? Rage simmered within the captured superheroine, arms bound above her head and that infuriating gag keeping her from even speaking. She tugged at the bindings, powerfully now, but they didn't so much as give.

"Oh come on girlfriend," Cassandra X. laughed. "Haven't you figured out by now I'm no novice to you heroine-whores, those shackles are reinforced unobtanium...more than enough to hold you, with or without your powers."

"Cassandra, let's get on with it," Mrs. Eldridge seemed to be growing impatient.

"Oh fine," the catburglar replied with an exaggerated sigh. "See Lady Eldridge here actually orchestrated, by which I mean bankrolled, this entire operation because she wants to be the new superheroine of Capital City. So you can understand her impatience."

The voluptuous redhead slid up next to Victory, leaning against the table she was bound to and stroking her captive's bare stomach with her fingers. Her touch sent a chill through the heroine. Slowly that hand lifted and caressed Victory's cheek. She recoiled but bound as she was could not go far.

"Relax honeybunch," Cassandra X. purred. "All she wants is to know the source of you powers and we can all go our separate ways." Here she hooked her fingers in the gag and started to pull it loose. "This is your one chance to make this all so very easy and just tell us what we need to know."

She pulled the cleave-gag out of Victory's mouth letting it fall around her throat like a necklace. The heroine spat it out gratefully, licking her soft lips and considering the ultimatum she'd just received. Of course they wouldn't simply go their separate ways, she wasn't that naïve, but why would Evelyn Eldridge have any desire to become a superheroine? Much as she want to simply start spewing every caustic retort she'd been able to think of while gagged, Victory knew there was more at stake here.

"You can inform your client," Victory glared at the cat-burglar. "That kidnapping and false imprisonment are no ways to start her career as a super heroine."

"She makes an interesting point," Dr. Argon chuckled.

Cassandra X. looked at the heroine with sympathetic pout. "Make things easy on yourself, I know it's hard to accept being defeated, twice, but look around...this is only going to get more unpleasant."

"Cassandra you may have captured me but this is far from over," Victory snarled. "I'm far from defeated!"

"Well my dear you are right...about this being 'far from over'," Cassandra X. purred. "Doctor, you may begin."

"I'm going to give you this one chance, let me go, return the Knox Diamond and turn yourselves in," Victory said without a hint of trepidation. "Save me the trouble of breaking loose and yourselves the trouble of the beat down you'll all get when that happens."

"Oh I don't think so," now it was Mrs. Eldridge speaking. "The diamond has already been given to my son, Connor, its rightful owner." Victory didn't understand but there'd be time for explanations later. "As for me, it's been far too long I've been nothing but arm candy, a pretty face for my husbands at their press conferences and charity balls, now I'll be the star...once you tell how to become the next 'Victory'! So save yourself the trouble and just..."

"Mrs. Eldridge not that I'm unsympathetic to your motivations," Victory cut her off. "But my powers are one of the few things money can't buy."

"We'll see," the older woman snorted.

"And fair warning," the heroine added. "It takes a lot more than super strength to be a superheroine."

"You mean dressing like a hooker? Being incendiarily arrogant?" Cassandra X. taunted.

"More like honor, determination, bravery," Victory spat. "Oh and actual noble intentions as opposed just wanting your fifteen minutes of fame."

Dr. Argon had been working at one of the tables but now he approached the bound heroine with a ready syringe. Knowing that she could not afford to be injected with whatever he had there, Victory pulled against the shackles mightily. Summoning all the strength she had the superheroine strained against the unobtanium to no avail. A small twinge of fear ran the length of her spine as Victory realized she wasn't yet strong enough (and may not ever be) to break the shackles. As such she was defenseless when the doctor plunged that needle into her soft neck. Gritting her teeth and squirming just a little, Victory felt a flood of warmth, followed by a tingling sensation that crawled over her entire body. A gasp escaped her lips as she began to feel light headed.

"Not entirely unpleasant is it," Dr. Argon hissed into her ear. "It's a rather ingenious brew really, part sodium penethol, part iranium nitrate, a few synthesized enzymes added for flavor, oh, and I even threw in a little bit of Ex to facilitate the process."

"You bastard," Victory snarled. "What will it do to me?"

"Let's just say it'll make you very susceptible to...suggestion," Dr. Argon replied cryptically.

"Like a truth serum?" Victory asked, feeling a haze already descending over her mind.

"Nothing so quaint," the doctor replied. "Truth serums are far too subjective and unreliable. Like lie-detectors they are easy to circumvent if you know the tricks. How are you feeling, my dear?"

"Strange," Victory responded right away without realizing it. "But no matter how smart you think you are, your little potion won't get you what you want."

"Oh I think you'll be surprised once you start to feel the full effects," the doctor continued. "Describe what you're feeling to me."

The heroine started to reply but stopped herself. "I'm feeling like you'll be surprised when you're sitting in a jail cell," she spat instead. "It'll be sooner than you think...much sooner."

"Don't be so smug," Dr. Argon replied calmly. "Describe for me what you are feeling."

"Hazy," she said hesitantly. "Kind of light headed."

"Is it like being drunk?" he asked.

"Yes, kind of...or..." Victory's mouth had gone dry. She licked her lips and blinked hard, that light headed sensation was becoming more pleasant. The room beyond the doctor was blurring; the tables, the people, the walls all seemed out of focus. Victory tried to force her eyes to adjust but they would not.

"Or?" the doctor asked. "Or what?"

Victory felt compelled to respond. "It's like I'm lost in a fog."

"And how does the rest of your body feel?"

"Tingly..." Victory replied. It was becoming harder to think clearly. That numb feeling had settled in her mind; making her forget the shackles binding her wrists, the cold feel of the metal against her back...it was something of a relief actually.

"Relaxed?"

"Yes."

"Victory, you are beginning to feel warm." When he spoke a flood of warmth swept through her body. "Your heart is beating faster." She instantly felt the pounding in her chest. "You're breathing harder." Her breasts began to rise and fall more quickly. "You're sweating." A cold sweat broke across her slender body. "Do you feel it?"

"Yes," Victory gasped. "What are you doing to me?"

"Your body is no longer your own," his voice seemed so loud. "Your body now belongs to me."

"No!" It was hard to believe but she forced the denial. "Never!"

"Really?" the doctor questioned. "Your head is spinning." The heroine did feel dizzy now. "There are butterflies in your stomach and you're breathing even harder." Her body responded to each of his commands accordingly. "The butterflies move upward, becoming a rush of desire!" Victory was suddenly swept with a yearning impulse. "Your nipples are getting hard." The ends of her heaving C-cups tingled and under the skintight Lycra the hard little nubs stood out visibly.

"Stop this!" Victory gasped. "You can't do this to me!"

"Admit your body is now mine," the doctor demanded.

"Never," the heroine spat between gasps.

"The butterflies are gone now, the desire is turning to intense arousal." Again her body responded, heat began to gather in her cheeks, then spread across her chest and flushed down towards narrow hips. "Every part of you is becoming charged with sexual energy." As he spoke the words that sensation washed over her, the peach fuzz on her arms stood on end. "Your body yearns to be touched." Every inch of bare skin seemed to tingle. "Victory, are you feeling horny?"

"Oh gawd yes," Victory breathed no longer able to control her own body. "I mean, no!"

"Really? Because your little cunt is getting wet." No sooner had he spoke than a bolt of electricity rushed down her slender torso pooling between her thighs. "You're so horny your knees are shaking." As commanded her legs began to tremble. "Is your pussy wet, superheroine?"

"Yes," Victory said through trembling lips. "Please stop..."

"The desire is growing within you." The receptive heroine gasped as her body assaulted her with a wave of pure lust. "You have lost control of your body, say it."

"I have lost control of my body," the heroine moaned.

"Tell me who owns your body now," the doctor demanded.

"You do," her voice was weak. "My body belongs to you."

"Victory, I want you to look at me," the doctor said.

Everything else had fogged over completely. Her mind was spinning, adrift in a sea of desire. The only thing she could see clearly was the doctor. Victory met his gaze. He seemed more handsome now. His stern glare made her feel small and insignificant.

"Victory, can you hear me?" his voice thundered in her head.

"Yes."

"You hear nothing but me," said the doctor. "Correct?"

"Yes."

"Tell me the source of your powers," he commanded.

Victory felt compelled to reply but fought it back. He may control her body but her mind, sluggish as it seemed, was still her own. "No, never!"

"Victory, you cannot resist me," the doctor said sternly.

"Yes, I must..."

"Your will power is beginning to wane, overwhelmed by your lust." Again she was assaulted with a sensual charge so strong it made her gasp. "Your clit is swelling as you are overcome with arousal." The heroine moaned feeling her body respond, the heat mounting between her shapely thighs. "And your cunt grows even wetter." Another bolt of electricity raced down her skinny body, the surge left her pussy feeling slippery. "You cannot resist me, say it!"

"Nnngh! I cannot resist you."

"What is the source of your powers?"

"You may hold sway over my body," Victory said mustering her will power. "But I'll never tell you my secret."

"Your will power is already weakening," the doctor replied. "You are beginning give yourself more and more to my command."

"Yes..." A strong compulsion swept through her, she wanted to tell him. She fought the feeling down, her mind was still her own, no drug could change that...could it?

"Your body is trembling with sexual energy." the doctor spoke and her body complied. "Your lust is building towards climax." Victory's hips began to undulate on their own, her firm breasts heaving with each gasp. "You grow hornier, yearning for release, your will power bending to my own." Every breath became a soft pre-orgasmic moan as the heroine's body shuddered. "Victory, tell me the source of your power!" The command hit her with the force of a blow! The heroine reeled feeling her will power waver but not giving in. "You want to give in, don't you?"

"Ohhh, nnnnhh, Yes," Victory moaned. "But I mustn't..."

"Victory, hear my words," the doctor's voice boomed in her ears. "And repeat them...You are weak."

The compulsion to respond was too powerful and the drugged heroine could not resist. "I am weak."

"As does your body, you too now belong to me."

"As does my body so I belong to you," with every word she felt her will power growing weaker.

"Surrender your will power to me!" the words washed over the heroine irresistibly.

"Yes," Victory gave in at last. "I surrender my will to you."

"Now tell me the source of your powers!" The command washed over her with a wave of compulsion that the dominated heroine was unable to resist.

"My belt," she moaned in surrender.

"Good girl," the doctor said, causing a rush of satisfaction through Victory. "Your body is beginning to calm."

Right away her breathing began to slow, the sensual charge subsiding. Victory felt like she was coming out of a trance, she knew she had betrayed herself but only vaguely. The drug was powerful. She shook her head trying to clear it.

Evelyn Eldridge rushed up to her, beaming with eager glee. She immediately grabbed Victory's belt and unbuckled it.

"No!" Victory gasped even as the elder woman slipped it off her waist. The heroine felt her powers drain away the instant it was gone. She slumped dejectedly in her bonds.

"Now your power is mine," Evelyn hooted, quickly buckling the belt around her own waist. "I can feel the power flowing through me!"

"Boys, now that she's powerless take her down," Cassandra X. instructed. "Mrs. Eldridge there will of course be the matter of payment..."

Evelyn was lost in the marvel of her new accessory. The three thugs approached Victory and unshackled her wrists. She let herself collapse into their hands, and though her lithe body was not even enough to unbalance one of them they weren't quite prepared to catch her. Thus they did not have a good hold on her but why would they need to, she was just a normal girl now. No threat to this band of hardened miscreants.

"Cassandra X. I'm not sure I can ever repay you?" Evelyn went on.

"Oh you can indeed," the cat-burglar replied quickly. "In fact I believe we have previously agreed on a price..."

"The power is incredible!" Mrs. Eldridge wasn't paying any attention. "Now that I'm as strong as Victory, nothing can stand before me...NOTHING!!"

The elder woman cackled wickedly, flexing her skinny arms. Then she turned to the nearest wall and clenched her fist. Intent on a demonstration of her new powers Evelyn Eldridge (who had never thrown a punch before that day) drew back her arm. Victory watched closely. When the aging beauty queen's fist collided with the sturdy oak paneling there was an audible snap. Evelyn pulled her now broken hand away with a shocked expression that didn't seem to register the pain...yet. The wall didn't so much as dent. While everyone else stared in confusion, Victory slipped the meager hold those thugs had on her (just a normal girl, right, no big deal) and lunged at Evelyn. Of course her hand had broken, not just any one could don her powerbelt and gain the powers of Victory!