The Price Of Victory Ch. 05

"I wouldn't expect you to give in to my threats, but..." Cassandra's lips curled in a sneer but the heroine spoke before she could finish.

"Threaten me however you want," Victory said through her tears. "Humiliate me however you can imagine, sell me to the highest bidder, whatever fate you've concocted, I still won't be as ashamed as if I give you what you want!" The heroine's tone was gaining strength as she went. "No, Cassandra X. you won't be able to make Mrs. Eldridge a super heroine tonight, she's only just bought the most expensive silver belt in history and while you'll just be adding another notch to your own, another heroine you've defeated... My name will always have that little astrix beside it that denotes your failure to get what you truly came for."

Now the cat-burglar's beautiful face had twisted into an angry grimace.

"See you may think you've got us superheroine's figured out but you've missed all the important points, I don't do what I do out of pride," Victory continued and seemed to be regaining confidence with every word. "I do this because it's what is right! And no amount of humiliation could make me turn my powers over to a vain, self-serving wanna-be just looking for her 15 minutes of fame...regardless of what that means for myself."

"You little bitch," Cassandra X. snarled. "I'm going to sell you to the fattest, most depraved sheik I can find though...for pennies!"

"Unpleasant as that sounds, it'll never bring you victory," the heroine spat, no tears now. "Cassandra X. you have failed in Capital City!"

Cassandra X. moved so quickly that Victory barely even registered the attack. She felt the pain very clearly though! A straight kick slammed the heroine between her plump C-cups! All the breath exploded out of her lungs, there was enough force behind the kick to flip her and the chair over backwards. The heroine landed with a crack, gasping for breath. After a moment Victory realized the crack had not been from any of her bones but the arm of the chair! The binding of her right wrist had slackened and a thrill ran through the young heroine.

"It seems she got a bit under your skin," Dr. Argon said to the cat-burglar. "Not very professional."

"Shut up, Argon!" Cassandra X. barked spinning on him. "If you hadn't failed with your drugs we wouldn't be here now..."

The catburglar launched into an admonishment of the doctor, blaming him now. In that instant Victory wrenched her arm free and quickly set about loosening the ropes binding her.

"...get her up!" Cassandra X. ordered the doctor.

Victory gripped the arms of the chair tightly, hoping Argon would not notice she was free just yet. Cassandra X. was storming back to her seat on the other side of the desk while the doctor righted Victory's chair, grumbling the whole time.

"Thank you, Doctor," Victory said.

Argon looked at her inquisitively and before he could formulate a question the heroine punched him in the stomach with all the strength she could muster. He crumpled with an explosive exhalation, clutching his stomach. Victory spun to face Cassandra X. who now wore a look of total shock. The heroine wasted no time in lunging for her power items. The catburglar lunged as well, blindingly quick on the draw! Victory snagged her bracelets, groaning in frustration as her belt was snatched just out of reach. Not dwelling on this Victory quickly slipped the bracelets back on.

"How the... what the...?" Cassandra X. snarled in confusion. The catburglar was standing too, clutching the powerbelt and seething at the sight of the now freed heroine. "I've still got your belt," was all the villainess could muster.

"Not for long!"

Victory forced a brave front. In truth she doubted she'd be able to take the cat-burglar in a straight up fight. Casandra X. began to circle around the desk, she was moving cautiously but in such a manner that Victory assumed she had reached that same conclusion.

"You don't have any powers," Cassandra X. purred. "You stupid little cunt, you're no match for me!"

"Bring it, bitch!" the heroine spat.

They were now squared up and facing each other. Victory's bravado seemed to be giving the cat-burglar pause, the redhead glanced at the silver belt in her hand and back at the young heroine. Then she smirked, supreme confidence returning and Cassandra X. came forward. Victory sucked in a deep breath, she wasn't a trained martial artist but she had thrown enough kicks in her cardio kickboxing class...and this time that kick was loaded with the chair that was still tied to one ankle!

"Holy Hell!" the catburglar cried out, caught completely off-guard!

There was no chance of maintaining her balance and Victory fell hard as the weight of the chair yanked her off her feet. However that was after the chair smashed into the approaching villainess! All three landed in a tangled heap. Victory quickly freed her ankle and scrambled to get to her feet. When she put her hand down to push herself up, a familiar feeling surged through her. She glanced down and saw that her hand was resting on her powerbelt! Cassandra X. must have dropped it when she had been bashed by the chair-kick. Already her powers were coursing through her statuesque body. Victory could feel the return of her heightened reflexes and super strength, rising slowly before her adversary. The restored heroine stood, holding the belt before her almost in awe. As she lifted her gaze to face the cat-burglar a confident grin spread across her face.

"Ahh......fuck," Cassandra X. drawled.

The evil redhead immediately made a dash for the door of the small office. Victory savored the moment of once again buckling her powerbelt securely around her waist. She grabbed the remnant of that chair and hurled it at the fleeing villainess. Cassandra X. ducked back just as the chair smashed into the closed door with a crash. She whirled to face Victory who now strode forward calmly, in one hand she held the video camera. Without a word the heroine crushed the device into an unrecognizable wad of plastic and wires, dropping it at Cassandra's feet.

"Guess we're back on level ground," the cat-burglar said.

"We're a long damn way from level," Victory snarled grabbing for the mask.

Cassandra X. lunged forward grabbing her wrist, instantly an intense electrical current flowed into the heroine. Victory cried out in pain, the charge would no doubt have killed her if she hadn't had her powers to augment her body. The stunned heroine staggered backward.

"Ok..." Cassandra X. growled. "I'll admit...you were right..."

"About?" Victory asked shaking her head.

"This night doesn't seem to be quite over."

"On the contrary, YOU were right," the young heroine replied, straightening. "We're very near the end now."

"Perhaps," Cassandra X. lunged forward whipping a handful of some acrid powder into the heroine's face.

Victory held her breath, ducking away from the chalky cloud. Cassandra X. made a dash past the heroine before she could recuperate, out the door and down the hallway! The redhead scattered something from another of her belt's pouches as she ran.

"You're not getting away from me now!" Victory shouted after the villainess.

She gave chase determined not to let the villainess get away this night. Halfway down the hall her foot slipped on a small metal BB. Victory skidded to a halt, surveying her surroundings, not wanting to be caught unaware again. There were more of the glittering pellets littering the hallway floor.

Surely you didn't think this could stop me, the heroine thought taking a few cautious steps forward. This isn't a cartoon.

Suddenly all the BBs began rolling towards her. Stepping cautiously Victory kept moving even as they gathered at her feet. Then they began to gather over her feet, linking together magnetically. Soon they had gathered halfway up her calf and continued to climb up her shapely legs, locking together into a metallic web. The heroine began to find her steps hampered more and more. It wasn't from the weight but some force rooting her down. There were far more of the BBs than she expected and after only a few more strides, Victory could go no further. She growled in frustration, once again caught in one of Cassandra's traps.

"This isn't the end you bitch!" Victory called out, thinking the villainess escaped.

"The arrogance of you heroines never ceases to amaze," Cassandra X. replied smoothly.

To Victory's surprise the cat-burglar stepped back around the corner. She was once again wearing that smug expression.

"You've got your powers back, you could have escaped at any point, but instead you pursue," the cat-burglar went on. "An obviously superior foe, outsmarting you at every turn, did you really think I was out of tricks? That I didn't have contingencies in case you got free?"

"You truly just do not get it," Victory growled, straining against the strange entrapment.

Cassandra X. pulled out another small black device, brandishing it with some flourish. "Don't get it, don't care...I'm going to flood this hallway with sleeping gas and we'll be right back at square one."

"Oh I don't think so," Victory growled.

"After you get a little beauty sleep, maybe some breakfast to keep your strength up," said the gloating redhead. "Then we'll get started with another round of the good doctor's serum..."

Victory mumbled something interrupting the villainess's rant.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Cassandra X. asked condescendingly.

"I said, you're monologuing!" Victory spat and kicked mightily with all her super strength focused.

The shiny net of BBs exploded outward. The cat-burglar had to dive for cover under the violent hail of pellets. One of them shattered the remote in Cassandra's hand and others tore through the spandex of her cat suit, some breaking skin. Breaking the magnetic web caused the rest of the ball bearings to release and scatter back across the floor. Victory stepped forward, planting her fists on her narrow hips striking a confident pose before the villainess. Cassandra X. got unsteadily to her feet, scowling at the empowered heroine.

"Alright super-whore, I surrender," Cassandra X. said smugly. "Take me to jail and give me phone my call, my lawyer will have me..."

"I'm sorry," Victory cut her off. "Do I look like the police?"

A confused expression crossed Cassandra's face. Then Victory slugged her, holding back little of her super strength! The catburglar rag-dolled down the hallway and slammed against the far wall, where she slumped, unconscious but alive. The heroine hadn't hit her hard enough to cause any fetal damage but that one blow, to the cat-burglar's smug face, seemed enough catharsis for her ordeal that evening. Standing there over the slumped and defeated villainess, the mighty superheroine once again knew the thrill of victory.

***Epilogue***

JORDIN Tyler laid her two silver bracelets on top of her dresser and rubbed her eyes with a sigh. Back in her own bathroom she stripped off her clothes and started to run a hot bath. Her body ached all over and she was practically salivating at the sight of the steam rising from the tub. Before she could climb in the phone began to ring, the red phone; the phone to which only one man had the number. Jordin hesitated at first, taking a longing look at the hot bath awaiting her.

Duty calls, Jordin thought begrudgingly.

"Yes, Mister Mayor," she answered flatly, unable to manufacture any enthuse.

"Victory?" the Mayor intoned urgently. "Turn on the news."

Chewing at her bottom lip, and dreading what she might be about to see, the young woman grabbed her remote and clicked on the television. The very first channel she turned to was blaring a breaking news report.

"...Your previously scheduled program to bring you this special report!" an announcer rambled. "More scandal in the Eldridge household, we go now to top correspondent, Danielle Sterling on the scene." The screen switched to a pretty blond reporter standing outside of Eldridge Estates. In the background there were lots of flashing lights and uniformed officers running all about.

"I'm here with a familiar face outside of Eldridge Estates," the reporter began. "Though details are still sketchy...well... Officer Cortez perhaps you can shed some light on the situation?" Jordin let a grin spread over her face as the camera panned over to the beautiful face of a very familiar Latina officer.

"Earlier tonight I received an anonymous tip that the internationally wanted criminal known as Cassandra X. was hiding out at Eldridge Estates," Officer Cortez began in her sexy accent. "We knew we had to act right away and with help from the Mayor were able to secure a warrant and move quickly." In the background Jordin could see the redheaded cat-burglar and Dr. Argon being led from the house and loaded into the backs of squad cars.

"And how is the Eldridge family involved in all of this?" the reporter asked.

"I'm afraid I can't comment on that at this time," Cortez replied.

"And any idea on the source of your anonymous tip?"

"Unfortunately, no," the Latina said after a moment's hesitation. Then she looked directly into the camera. "But on behalf of CCPD I'd like to thank them, they've helped us achieve a great VICTORY tonight."

Grinning ear to ear, Jordin shut off the TV and lifted the phone to her ear. "I assure you mister Mayor; the Eldridges were involved, in particular the lovely Miss Evelyn."

"Obviously," the Mayor replied. "But don't worry this is just the beginning. And besides Cassandra X. is the real prize...of course once we find the Knox Diamond in the house they'll all have trouble wiggling out of this one. Great job tonight Victory, I'm not sure where this city would be without you."

"Sounds like Officer Cortez did most of the heavy lifting tonight," Jordin said.

"I think we both know that's not true," he chuckled.

"And how can you be so sure?"

"What kind of Mayor would I be if I didn't?"

Jordin hung up the phone feeling confident that her ordeal this night had been worth it. As she slipped into that hot bath, groaning in relief, she knew that she would always answer the call no matter what perils she may face. Victory would always be there to defend Capital City and her citizens.

THE END....................for now...