The Scarlet Dove - Issue 08

Issue Eight ~ Bio-Hazard

Chapter One

"CHASE GET THE HELL IN HERE!"

Starling cringed hearing Ed shouting for her. He had been pretty happy with her after the favorable reviews, and spike in sales her Compromised Heroes article had brought the River Run. His current tone relayed the clear message that that happiness had passed.

The red-haired reporter got up and walked into the editor's office. Lacey Stewart, the publication's gossip writer and Starling's only real friend, was already in there. The brunette was wearing blue jeans and a black blazer over a green T-shirt. She had a slightly concerned look on her pretty face.

"What's going on?" Starling asked.

"Shut the door," Ed instructed. "Sit down."

Starling did as she was told, smoothing out her loose navy skirt as she sat. Her top was a lighter blue, hugging the curves of her ample chest, sporting a modest neckline. Her scarlet hair was down as usual, and she had taken the time to meticulously straighten it that morning.

"You oughta see this?" Ed said, sliding a magazine across the desk to her.

Starling picked it up. It was a copy of the Whole Truth, a trashy tabloid that lived up to all the stereotypes. The cover headline read: "Billionaire Playboy Slums It With River Run Reporter!" The picture underneath was of her with her top down and her breasts pressed against the window in Pierce Ashton's penthouse suite! Her naked chest had been censored of course, but there was no question what was happening behind the pixilation.

The young reporter's emerald eyes widened in horror and she frantically opened the magazine and flipped to the actual story. It was terribly written, amounting to little more than calling her a "whore" in the most convoluted wording possible. There were more pictures as well, a few of her on his arm at the Summit party from that same night, and others of her in the window; one that featured her completely naked, with her dress in a rumpled heap around her ankles. And another poorly focused shot of her on her knees in front of Pierce.

A flood of emotions washed through the young woman, as tears of humiliation and anger filled her eyes and began to spill down her soft, round cheeks. She looked from Ed to Lacey as if for answers.

"I'm sorry, Star," Lacey said. "I just saw it on the news stand this morning, I had no idea."

"The Daily Weekly is covering it too," Ed said, his tone walking a line between sympathy and perturb.

He slid her a copy of the rival newspaper. Its piece was at least well written, although no more favorable to her character, eloquently indicting her as a "golddigger" on top of being a whore. That article only mentioned that the racier pictures existed, rather than printing them. Although, to her further dismay, the article claimed that the online pornography company Vivid had posted copies of the un-censored photos.

"But...but...but how!" Starling stammered. "How can they...I didn't...I mean...I haven't given...how can they..." she trailed off into incoherent sobbing.

That had been such a wonderful night, and subsequent morning with Pierce. They had even text back and forth a few times in the days since. She'd even begun to imagine they might be building towards a real relationship. Now this? How quickly the dream seemed to become a nightmare.

"Don't worry," Lacey said putting her hand on Starling's shoulder. "We'll sue those motherfuckers! Right, Ed?"

"Shit, Stewart," the editor cleared his throat. "You know how these things go...once they're out, they're out."

Starling looked at the editor through her tears. "You're saying I can't do anything?" she sobbed. "They took naked pictures of me without my consent and there's nothing I can do?"

For the first time, ever, Ed seemed to feel guilty about seeing a woman crying in his office. "I mean, we'll get the RR legal team on it obviously, they'll get retractions for sure! These bastards all said some pretty nasty things about you..."

"...what about the pictures?"

"I mean, what are they going to do?" he said guiltily. "Go around to people's houses and demand all the copies back? And if they're on the internet..."

"We're going to do everything we can, honey!" Lacey cut him off. "We'll make them pay! Right, Ed?"

"Yeah, yeah...of course!"

The brunette hugged the bawling red head tightly. Starling leaned into her arms, finding more strength and comfort there than she expected. Lacey pulled her close and whispered a few bits of encouragement.

"So, uh, Chase maybe you should take the rest of the day," Ed suggested. "I'll call down to legal and we'll do some kind of meeting tomorrow so they can let you know what to expect."

The sniffling reporter looked up, and nodded. It was not helpful or comforting at all, but she appreciated that he was trying to be.

Gathering herself, barely, she headed back to her desk. Immediately, she felt as if something had shifted. Suddenly she couldn't shake the feeling that all eyes were on her. Everyone in the office was looking at her...looking right through her clothes!

She got back to her cubicle, and snatched up her purse. After a flustered moment of rummaging, she dumped the purse out on her desk and grabbed her phone. She dialed Pierce's number immediately...surely he'd know what to do!

He answered. "Hey Star, not a great-"

"Have you seen them? Do you know?" Starling snapped cutting him off and making no attempt to quell her anger.

"Seen what?"

"Someone was spying on your penthouse the other night and took naked pictures of me!" She was gripping the phone so tight her knuckles began to whiten. "They're all over the city in that rag the Whole Turth! The Daily Weekly is reporting that it's apparently all over the internet! We have to do something!"

Silence on the other end of the phone. Starling felt as if she were going to lose her mind waiting for him to say something.

"Pierce!"

"Yeah yeah, okay, calm down," he said at last.

"Calm down!?"

"Yes!" he said firmly. "Calm down..."

"Pierce! They took naked pictures of me and..."

"Yes, I get that!" he snapped. "Look I'm sorry but this kind of thing happens..."

"It happens?!" she exploded. "It happens?!"

"Yeah, remember I'm rich and famous," he sighed. "Everybody's looking for any chance to drag my name through the mud..."

"Not your name! Mine!" she snarled. "My body...my naked body!"

"What are you so worried about," he asked. "It's a great body anyway..."

"It's a...that's not the...!" she stammered. "I can't believe you don't care at all!"

"I told you, this kind of thing happens... it'll blow over in a few..."

Starling's phone smashed onto the floor, splintering the screen and sending a piece of the backing flying across the room. Now everyone really was staring at her. Her tear streaked cheeks were burning hot and her eyes were brimming. She blinked back tears, gathered up the important parts of her purse, then headed for the elevator.

How can this be happening, she thought angrily punching the down button. I'm just a piece of meat to those assholes, put on display to boost their sales! And Pierce and Ed, they could care less...it's like I've been thrown to the wolves!

By then the red head was marching out of the building onto the street. She momentarily thought of hailing a cab, but instead turned and started walking. She needed to burn off some energy, and maybe be able to approach the situation with a bit more of a level head.

As she headed up Adams, her heels clicking angrily on the concrete Starling began to get the feeling she was being followed. At first she dismissed it, still feeling as if everyone on street was watching her anyway. "There goes that whore from the cover of the Whole Truth," they must be whispering. "Her tits look even better jiggling down the street!"

Crossing her arms around her chest, Starling began to walk a little faster. However, the feeling of being followed persisted. It cut through the haze of anger and shame filling her head and after a few blocks, and some turns, she began to glance around for anything suspicious. One of the good qualities she'd inherited from Sara Chase was a particularly perceptive women's intuition, and a keen faith in it.

"Been a while, Star!" said a voice from the alley she was passing.

The startled young reporter jumped, stifling a shriek. She whirled on the speaker, who was half concealed in the shadows.

"Baker!" she spat. "Why the hell are you following me?"

"Haven't heard from you in a while," the skinny dealer stepped out into the light. He was wearing a plain T-shirt and the same dirty jeans he always did. His dirty blond goatee had grown out into a patchy 5 o'clock shadow.

"By design, you asshole," she replied. "I didn't lose your number."

"You still mad 'bout last time?" Baker asked. "Cause the way I see it, that's as much your fault as..."

"You think I give a shit the way you see it?" she snarled, then turned and began to walk away. "Believe it or not Baker I have other things going on in my life!"

"Like them pictures on the internet?" Baker called, following after her.

Starling found herself unable to form a reply. A fresh flood of humiliation washed over her, unable to keep from picturing Baker huddled in front of a computer screen, zooming in ever closer on the image of her naked breasts. His jeans around his ankles. She sped up a little.

"Kinda fucked up if you ask me," he said. "Bet you didn't even get paid..."

"Paid!?" Starling spun on him. "What do you think I am some kind of prostitute?"

Baker threw up his hands defensively. "Easy, easy...I just meant for the pictures!"

"So not a prostitute just a pornstar?"

"I mean," he said deliberately. "My uncle is a paparazzi...I know they'll just snap off pics of anybody and sell 'em off without a second thought. It's fucked up is all."

Starling blinked. Am I really getting more understanding from this two-bit drug dealer than from Pierce or Ed?

"What do you want, Baker?" she asked with a heavy sigh.

"Well, what if I knew about something going down," the dealer said. "Something big."

"Sell it to someone else," she replied. "I've got enough to deal with right now."

"It's a freebie!" Baker pressed. "Why do you think I came to you?"

This gave Starling pause, he wasn't the type to offer anything for free. Baker moved up next her, glancing all around. She said nothing, chewing her bottom lip and keeping her arms wrapped tightly around her bust.

"Not out here on the streets," he whispered. "Follow me down that alley..."

The pretty reporter scoffed wordlessly.

"Okay, okay, shit," Baker sighed. "Listen, I know you been asking around about something called dominion?"

Starling arched one eye brow expectantly.

"Well, there's some new player in town," the dealer went on. "And word is he's fucking legit, like the real deal...and maybe, just maybe I heard he's working for someone called Dominion."

Starling's jaw dropped open. "Are you for real?"

"Word is he's robbing the Hasselhoff Electronics plant," he finished nodding. "Tonight!"

"Hasselhoff?" Starling asked thoughtfully. "Are you sure?"

Baker nodded.

Starling's head quickly cleared, as her superheroine alter-ego pushed everything else onto the back burner. It all fell together rather quickly in her analytic mind. Hasselhoff Electronics was one of the world leaders in research and development of new technologies. The company was built on a number of sizeable military grants. If someone was robbing them, you could bet it wasn't to steal next generation Bluray players.

"And this comes from a reliable source?" she pressed. "Not just the rumor mill?"

"Rock solid, girl!" he assured her.

"So why the freebie?" she asked.

"Maybe I missed seeing you around my place?"

Starling smirked. "Yeah, right."

"I'm just trying to re-open lines of communication," the dealer went on. "We had a good thing going for a while."

"So this is like when you give a junkie a freebie," she said. "Get me re-hooked and coming back to you?"

Baker grinned, then turned and headed down a nearby alley. "See ya soon, Chase."

Starling watched him go, and once he was out of sight she hailed a cab. If someone was planning to steal some piece of new military tech from Hasselhoff Electronics, it could be bad for all kinds of people, regardless of who was behind it!

The Scarlet Dove had her work cut out for her!

Chapter Two

When Starling arrived back at her apartment, she rushed to her laptop. Unable to resist, she turned it on and searched herself. Sure enough, she found all the pictures of her in Pierce's window, completely uncensored and with a surprising degree of resolution. Of course, the internet community had wasted no time, zooming in and cropping the pictures around her breasts and vagina.

Watching those pictures pop up on site after site left her feeling violated and powerless. Ed was right, there was no hope of having them all taken down, never mind the fact of how many people had likely downloaded them for their private collections already.

What was a bit surprising was how much more flattering the porn sights seemed to be. Not one of them called her a "whore" or "golddigger," in fact most of them highlighted the fact that her beauty was complimented by her talented writing. Some even provided links to her Compromised Heroes article. Of course, she knew better than to delve into any of the comment sections...but still...

Taking that small consolation, she turned her attentions to Hasselhoff Electronics and any projects they had recently completed, or announced. Of course, there was nothing too substantial there.

She knew the company had a sprawling production facility on the outskirts of town. No doubt one of the more secure places in Warden City, with a state of the art camera grid, and private security officers.

It then occurred to her the extent of what this robbery would require. Who else but Dominion would have the resources to even make such an attempt?

By then it was getting late, and the final shift would be leaving soon. She headed into her bedroom, stripping off her light blue top and navy skirt. She removed her bra and lace panties before moving to the secret compartment in her armoire.

"Some day, I'll have to get a proper lair," the redhead said to herself, pulling out her heroine uniform. "This Dove needs a nest!"

She put on her pure white bustier, adjusting the skin tight garment snuggly around her perky D-cups. Then she pulled on the matching bikini style bottoms, sliding them up her long, smooth legs. She tugged them comfortably into place around her hips and butt, also donning her golden utility belt. Her matching golden boots came next, zipping up her slender calves and then she slipped her golden bracelets around her wrists. Finally, she pressed a brand new feathered mask over her face, around her eyes, completing the transformation.

She posed in her mirror, feeling that familiar swell of confidence. Within moments, she was soaring through the night sky over Warden City.

Hasselhoff Electronics was located in one of the more industrial areas of Warden City. Because the city had such a powerful union presence there was not much work done in these areas past seven or eight. The plant was a sprawling facility, with a high chain link fence surrounding it. The only break was a guarded entry gate at the front of the facility. As she made her first pass, the superheroine could tell the gate had been left open, seemingly unmanned.

She swooped down, scanning for any onlookers and seeing none, she landed beside the guard booth. The window had been broken, and she could see two guards laying on the floor!

Starling entered the booth to check on them, that door was unlocked as well. They were breathing, but completely unconscious. They didn't even stir when she shook them. Standing and surveying the booth, she noted a peculiar smell in the air. Next she checked the camera feeds. One of the small screens showed a doorway with two more (hopefully) sleeping guards. No doubt this was the target!

Making quick note of the building's location, she exited the guard station and took to the sky immediately! She had no way of knowing what they were after, but the target was at the back of the complex. As she flew over, Starling noted it seemed that she was moving out of the production area and into more of a storage region.

When she found the building, circling high above, Starling saw the two guards slumped out front, and a dark colored panel van in the rear.

How do all these criminals end up with the same fricken van? She wondered.

She circled the building a few times, making sure there were no lookouts waiting for her with nets. Just as she was beginning her descent, a group of men exited and began loading boxes into the van.

"Hurry up you two!" ordered one of the men.

"We got all the time in the world," said another.

"Yeah, I don't know why we ain't grabbing some other good shit!" The third voice sounded familiar, but at this distance she couldn't place it.

"You got one job to do," cut in the first again. "Shut up and load the boxes, or we'll fucking leave you here."

They fell silent and went back to work. She made one more pass, counting five men lurking down below.

Only five men? Well, if they were Dominion's men she could imagine they were enough. They were likely expecting a routine smash and grab, and everything had gone according to plan...until now!

Ready to end this, the young heroine swooped down to confront the men directly. She landed before them, golden heeled boots scraping on the concrete. All five men turned with a start, eyes bulging at the sight of her. Her white bikini bottoms, and matching bustier left a generous amount of her porcelain skin on display. Her golden belt and bracelets glittered in the meager light pouring out from the bay door of the building. Her candy apple hair fell around her shoulders in thick tresses, framing the feathery mask which protected her identity.

"You boys sure are working late," she said, placing her hands on her curvaceous hips in a cocky pose.

"Oh shit, who ordered the stripper-gram?" laughed one of the men.

"Shut up, you idiot that's the Scarlet Dove!" said another.

"That's right!" the superheroine said proudly. "And you morons have about thirty seconds to lay down those boxes and surrender!"

"Get her!" shouted one of them.

Only three of the men attacked. The Scarlet Dove grinned, dropping back into a fighting stance. She easily avoided the first fist that came her way, retaliating with a high kick that caught him in the face, staggering the man. Using her enhanced agility she cartwheeled into a flip, extending her gorgeous gam in a vicious downward kick that blasted the second man into the ground. Even as he went down though, a fist slammed across her own jaw!

"OH!" the superheroine gasped in pain, stars bursting before her eyes.

She stumbled back into the first man, who quickly wrapped his brawny arms around her slender torso, one hand grabbing her right breast.

"Hey! Let go!" the Dove demanded, even as she was lifted off the ground, silken legs flailing uselessly.

Caught in the awkward beahug, her bustier twisted, causing her right boob to slip loose! The heroine gasped in embarrassment just as the man who had punched her approached. He slugged the defenseless heroine in the stomach blasting all the air from her lungs. The first thug dropped her to the ground, leaving the heroine on her hands and knees between them gasping for breath.

Her head was spinning, and she knew she was in trouble. She was just able to roll out of the way as he bent down to grab her, scrambling to her feet. From there she leapt, soaring back into the night.