The Scarlet Dove - Issue 11

Mac looked shocked, but his eyes narrowed dangerously. "I said get that bitch, you pussy!"

The other man lunged at her again, and Starling ducked his clumsy punches easily. She retaliated with a side kick to his stomach, slamming the air from his lungs. As he crumpled, the other two rushed her.

Using her enhanced reflexes, their attacks didn't come close to touching her! She made short work of them, taking one out at the knees, and rocking the other with right hook across the jaw. She jumped into the air, drop kicked them both, then kipped back to her feet, poised and ready.

"Star, stop! That's enough!" Baker shouted suddenly.

Starling turned to look at him. Mac had him bent over the kitchen table, his pistol pressed into the back of his head.

"Nice moves, bitch," Mac growled. "Damn Baker, how'd a turd like you pull a piece like this?"

Starling straightened, habitually assuming her cocky, hands on hips pose. Suddenly she realized she was still in her tie-dyed bikini, not her superheroine uniform.

"Let him go and leave us alone," Starling demanded.

What am I saying? Maybe I should let them take him, and end my slavery early... The thought came and went with no real consideration.

"Wait..." Mac's eyes narrowed. "Do I know you?"

Shit, don't recognize me, she thought, but said; "You think you'd forget a woman like me?"

Mac grinned. "Fuck naw."

"Star, chill babe, it's ok," Baker stammered. "Mac, you said Ozone wants to see me?"

"Man, you know who wants to see you!" the thug snapped.

Ozone? Wait, how is he out of jail? She wondered, trying to hide her surprise. And how did Mac get hooked up with that monster? Well, no doubt off his rep for capturing the Scarlet Dove...

"So, what, he's just over at that warehouse on 128th right?" Baker went on. "Ten minutes there and back? I got time for that..."

Smart Baker, giving me the location, Starling thought, but then noticed the suspicious way Mac glanced back and forth between them. Maybe a little too smart...?

"That's right," the thug said after a moment. "See, bitch, he gon' come quiet...and we'll have him back in no time."

"Yeah, yeah," Baker stammered. "It's all good, lemme up and we'll head over right now."

Mac pulled him up, keeping the gun against his temple. The expression on Baker's face was unmistakably scared. Starling held up her hands, taking a step backward. The other three thugs were getting to their feet, collecting their weapons. Malicious intent was clear in their eyes, but Mac backed them down.

"Now listen, sexy," Mac said, last out of the kitchen. "You ever wanna get with a real man, you come see ol' Mac, y'hear?"

"Oh I hear you alright," she snarled. And I'll be coming to see you sooner than later!

The group of thugs left quickly, squealing away in a black sedan waiting out front. As soon as they were gone, Starling headed out the back. She took flight in her tie-dyed bikini, rocketing towards her apartment. Hopefully she could get changed and make it over 128th street before they killed Baker.

She couldn't help but consider leaving the dealer to his fate, but just for a moment, because she couldn't sit by and let him die. Which she was certain would be the case, after all considering she had been the one coerced into revealing it was Baker who had told superheroine about Ozone's plans. Supervillains did not abide such betrayal.

Twelve hours left, Baker, she thought, soaring through the twilight sky. Looks like you get the Scarlet Dove after all!

8:00pm...

(Author's Notes: Just a quick THANK YOU THANK YOU for reading! It really is so flattering to me that you've taken the time to read my little superheroine fantasies... This one was an idea I've always played with but never quite pulled the trigger on before; what would happen if someone actually did use a heroine's secret identity to blackmail her? I also thought it was an interesting way to sort of force Starling to look at some of her own hidden kinks. I hope you enjoyed it. ~Lady Jane)