Later that same evening
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2016
Safehouse F
Stephanie was dozing on the couch in the Command Centre, when the alarm went off – she had quite literally just closed her eyes, only a few minutes before.
She came awake within seconds and she quickly scanned the computer screens.
"What's going on?" Megan asked as she ran in the door, closely followed by Curtis.
"There's gunfire in Echo – Wildcat, Trojan; arm up and get over there," Stephanie ordered.
Megan and Curtis looked at one another and then they both shrugged.
"Go!"
The two vigilantes vanished just as Electra came in the door.
"What's going on?"
..._...
Two minutes later, Stephanie's curiosity got the better of her.
The ten-year-old vigilante took a deep breath and she ran out of the Command Centre after Wildcat and Trojan.
"Mindy'll kill you!" Marty shouted after her.
"It was nice knowing you, then. . ."
"She's toast," Electra groaned.
Marty just shook his head as he continued to scan the cameras.
Safehouse E
Wildcat and Trojan moved quickly down the corridors, pistols raised before them.
"Take corridor 2E," Battle Guy directed.
"Wait for me!" Psyche called as she caught up.
"What are doing here?" Wildcat hissed.
"You're not allowed to do this!" Trojan cautioned.
"Stop your fucking whining and let's move!" Psyche growled as she took the lead, her pistol held steadily in her left hand.
They moved down the indicated corridor and then down another before they heard the gunshots coming for a room, just off to the right.
"It's coming from the Computer Store," Psyche reported back to Battle Guy.
The three vigilantes moved closer to the room in question and then they stopped as a voice could be heard shouting.
"Where are you, you little fucker!"
"Was that Abby?" Wildcat asked.
"I'll fucking teach you to chew on my goddamn copper cabling!"
Psyche groaned as she holstered her pistol.
"Stand down! Hal is on a fucking mouse hunt!" she reported.
Safehouse F
Stephanie was grinning broadly as she walked back into the Command Centre. She was about to throw some witty comment at the very unamused-looking Electra, however, her smile vanished as she saw Mindy standing beside the couch, a wooden baseball bat held in her right hand.
"Any last words, before I break your left leg, honey?"
"You left me in charge – the alarm went off; I dispatched Wildcat and Trojan from their snogging and I suppose my curiosity got the better of me. . ." Stephanie responded evenly before she placed her left foot on the couch and stretched out her left leg.
Stephanie cringed in spite of herself as she felt the baseball bat whizz past her head. Electra let out a small scream as the bat plunged downwards towards her mentor's leg at an amazing speed. There was an almighty crack . . . but no pain. Stephanie found that she had involuntarily closed her eyes. She opened them to find her leg completely intact.
Mindy grinned.
"Good work, Psyche!" Mindy chuckled as she walked out of the Control Centre, the baseball bat resting on her shoulder.
The bitch had struck the couch, just inches away from the outstretched leg.
"You're a Bitch!" Stephanie yelled after the chuckling purple vigilante.
"You never learn, Stephanie – at least not the easy way!" Electra chastised.
"I'm only ten, Electra; I'll figure it out, one day."
Across Chicago
"You will be amazing, little sister."
"I hope so."
"I would suggest that you continue at that D-JAK place – they will be able to improve your skills and I have asked for you to be placed on an advanced course that will involve sword-play. You think you can manage that?"
"Yes. I can do it."
"I will have your suit ready by the end of the week and then I can parade you before the troops. I am very proud of you and showing you off will mean a lot to me, Dread."
"Dread?"
"Your name."
"I like it."
That night
Over the previous week, reports had been trickling in of a new Chicago vigilante – a non-Fusion one.
As far as anybody could tell, the new vigilante was short, female, and apparently out to do good – at least she had not been seen doing anything bad. She was also very angry and anybody committing a crime, whom she crossed paths with, usually regretted it. For the moment, no member of Fusion had actually crossed paths with the new girl, neither did anybody know her name. The unknown vigilante was, to all appearances, highly skilled. Her personal transport was a KTM 125 Duke motorcycle – in orange, yellow, and black digital urban camouflage – which was compact, just like the vigilante who rode it.
Jackal and Wildcat had been paired for that evening – not hat they minded. As they rode their motorcycles through Garfield Park, they joked and did their utmost to outdo the other with ever cruder jokes.
"Keep 'em coming, guys – I think Psyche is glowing red with embarrassment," Hal chuckled over the comms.
"Well, she is still a little girl," Wildcat laughed.
"Just 'cause you spend your nights stark naked with Trojan's fingers up your twat and your fingers wrapped around his rock-hard cock!" Psyche retorted.
"I think you touched a nerve, there, Wildcat!" Jackal laughed.
"She'll get over it," Wildcat replied.
"You and me, Wild Kitty – we're gonna fucking tango!"
"Bring it on, Psycho Psyche!"
"File that for later, little girls, we have some new vigilantes ahead," Jackal advised as he pulled over to the side of the road.
..._...
As Wildcat dismounted her motorcycle, the new vigilante did the same. Both walked towards one another, hands well away from any weapons. Jackal watched from a dozen yards away. He studied the new vigilante while keeping a firm eye on his Wildcat. The new girl was about the same height as Wildcat, with the same body form.
Her armoured suit was primarily yellow while her knee-length boots, gauntlets, and utility belt were a matt black. Her mask was in the form of a cowl, with cat-like ears on each side. The front of the mask covered all but the mouth and jaw. The mask was black, with yellow highlights. Billowing out from behind the mask, were copious amounts of fiery red hair. She carried a brace of pistols, one on each hip. Extending over her left shoulder was the hilt of what appeared to be a Wakizashi.
For a moment, each vigilante examined the other, checking out their equipment and other attributes. Then the new girl looked up at Wildcat.
"Well, hello, Wildcat," the yellow-clad vigilante growled in an electronically enhanced voice.
"What do I call you?" Wildcat asked in her own electronically enhanced voice.
"I am called, Hellcat."
"Great!" Jackal moaned as he stopped a couple of feet behind Wildcat. "Just what we need on the streets; another obnoxious kitty!"
"Fuck you, asshole!" Hellcat called out and Wildcat nodded her approval. "You don't even know me!"
"You have claws, too?" Jackal went on with a chuckle.
Hellcat grinned as she flexed her wrists and triple-bladed claws emerged from each gauntlet.
"Nice!" Wildcat declared as she triggered her own claws.
"Please tell me they're not comparing claws!" Psyche groaned.
"Like two boys seeing who can pee the farthest!" Jackal replied.
Both 'kittys' turned to glare up at Jackal.
"You get used to him," Wildcat commented dryly.
"See you later, Wild Kitty!" Hellcat laughed.
Wildcat and Jackal turned as they heard the roar of an engine and a motorcycle decked out in orange, yellow, and black digital urban camouflage skidded to a halt beside Hellcat. She deftly jumped onto her ride and started her engine before she flipped Wildcat the bird as she accelerated away alongside the other machine.
The other rider was clad in a similar fashion to Hellcat. His armoured suit was primarily orange while his ankle boots, gauntlets, and utility belt were a matt black. His chest armour was tan in colour. He wore a mask which was in the form of a cowl, with tan cat-like ears on each side. The front of the mask covered all but the mouth and jaw. The mask was orange and tan, with black highlights. He carried the same brace of pistols, one on each hip. Extending over his left shoulder was the hilt of a Wakizashi
Wildcat grinned at the motorcycle's licence plate: TIGERCAT.
The following evening
Wednesday, August 24th
Glenview
Almost as soon as dinner was finished, the five kids sat grinning up at Dave.
"I want you all ready for bed before we begin the movie," Dave ordered and the five kids vanished up the stairs.
Dave laughed as both Chloe and Mindy ran off to the master bedroom, leaving him alone with Joshua.
"Nutcases, the two of them," Joshua laughed.
"They're like sisters – inseparable," Dave confirmed.
While Chloe was like a sister to Mindy, Joshua was like a brother to Dave. The two couples were completely inseparable and they could work as the most perfect of teams, knowing each other's movements and thoughts. Both teenagers reappeared a few minutes later in overly large T-shirts which acted as nighties.
"You approve?" Chloe teased as she exposed a bare thigh, for Joshua, just enough to show a small amount of pubic hair before she dropped the t-shirt.
"You are so evil, Chloe Bennett!" Joshua growled as Chloe and Mindy dived onto a couch, pulling their long legs up, and grinning.
Seconds later, there was an almighty thundering sound on the stairs as five giggling kids burst into the living room and two of them dived onto the same couch. Stephanie, in a set of pale blue pyjama shorts and a matching pale blue pyjama top, sat next to Mindy, pulling Mindy's right arm around her. Megan, in an identical set of pyjamas, sat beside Chloe, crossing her legs and scowling at Joshua as she leaned against Chloe. Anne-Marie and Danny flopped down onto the mat and casually waved their bare legs in the air as they propped up their chins with their arms. Both youngsters wore pyjama shorts and tops. For Anne-Marie it was a My Little Pony themed top of the Mane Six while for Danny, the theme was Star Wars. Electra sauntered in last, once the free for all was over. Electra wore a site of red pyjama shorts and a matching top – apparently, Electra favoured the colour red. She sat down next to Stephanie and snuggled into her friend.
The movie for the night was an old one, but one which the girls had selected: Sleepless in Seattle. Talk about tears! Apart from Dave and Joshua, all were crying by the end of the movie – even Danny. Joshua had had to go and seek out copious amounts of tissues for the tearful ladies to share. Mindy, in conjunction with Megan, then insisted on watching Dirty Dancing. However, Mindy and Chloe had passed around mugs of marshmallow-reinforced hot chocolate. It had then only been another twenty minutes. Dave and Joshua thought it was cute.
Stephanie was cuddled up with Mindy and both were fast asleep. Megan was snuggled up with Chloe and again, they were both fast asleep. The twins were sprawled out on the rug, just as out of it, a sleeping dog close by each of them. Electra lay beside Stephanie, her left hand gripping Stephanie's right.
Horatio sauntered in and with a brief meow, he jumped up beside Joshua.
"Just the cat and us, pal," Joshua commented to Dave as he changed the chick-flick to something with a bit more action. . .
That same night
Indian Knoll Road
Hailee smiled as Adam gave a her a kiss on the cheek.
"Mom, this is Adam. Adam, this is my mother."
"Mrs Richards."
"Hello, Adam."
Vicky Richards ran her practiced eyes over the young man before nodding her approval. Ultimately, there was nothing much that she could do about him; her daughter was eighteen and responsible for her own life. Vicky could also see that the relationship was at an advanced stage. At the back of her mind was the state which her daughter had been in on her return from Europe. Was she ready for a 'hands on' relationship?
"Mom," Hailee said, shrewdly recognising her mother's expressions. "It's all in hand – I'm fine."
"Stay safe, Hailee."
"Yes, Mom, love you."
..._...
"Your Mom really cares about you," Adam noted as Hailee led him up the stairs to her bedroom.
"She's all I have and I love her very much," Hailee replied. "Talking of love, how about we make some. . ."
Adam smiled.
"You sure?"
"You don't want me?" Hailee mumbled, faking annoyance as she pulled off her T-shirt to reveal a light blue bra.
"I wouldn't say that," Adam offered as he gently ran his hands up Hailee's silky soft skin, tracing up the sides of her body.
Hailee giggled.
Adam's lips kissed her lips and she kissed him back. It had been quite a while since she had last had anybody touching her in a loving manner. The nightmares still came and went. The beatings and the humiliation - they were never far from the back of her mind. But for the first time in many months, she felt comfortable enough to allow somebody to touch her most private parts. She felt Adam releasing the clip on her bra and she felt the tightness of the garment slacken as he gently eased it up her body to expose her breasts.
For some reason, she giggled.
Thursday, August 25th
Over the North Atlantic
It had been an early start – 6am!
Dave had ferried Saoirse, Stephanie, and Electra to the airport where they had boarded the Gulfstream. He trusted them and he knew that they would stay safe – hell, there were three Mindy's on that damn aircraft!
"I could really get used to this," Electra commented as she relaxed in the forward-facing seat on the starboard side, facing Stephanie.
"It's nice – I like it; the only way to travel."
"Would you ladies like a drink?" Amy suggested as she appeared from the forward galley.
Electra smiled, "I'll have a glass of milk, please."
"Girl Scout!" Stephanie growled. "Pepsi Max, please, Amy."
"I'll take the same as Steph, please," Saoirse added.
"For a killer, you really are a pussy, 'lectra!" Stephanie commented.
"Just 'cause I can, does not mean I enjoy it. Also, for your information, missy, milk is good for a growing girl. . ." Electra replied in a calm and level tone.
Saoirse sniggered.
"Laugh it up, you Irish tart," Stephanie retorted.
". . . One day, I want boobs like Saoirse," Electra finished and Saoirse's cheeks went pink as Stephanie roared with laughter.
"She likes to speak her mind, doesn't she," Saoirse stated.
"Tell me about it – her gob has got me into trouble on more than one occasion," Stephanie growled.
"Is the great and powerful Psyche, complaining?" Electra asked with feigned sweetness.
"No, she is not."
Friday, August 26th
West Columbia
Well, I'm just outta school,
Like I'm real, real cool,
Gotta dance like a fool,
Got the message that I gotta be a wild one,
Ooh, yeah, I'm a wild one.
Marcus picked up his cell as the ringtone rang out.
"Which one?" Paige asked.
"Our one is still in the shower," Marcus pointed out as he accepted the call. "Morning, wild one!"
Mindy laughed.
"Morning, old man."
"I know you never sleep, so I won't comment on the early hour."
"Dave and I are thinking of going on a trip – any chance. . ."
"You need somebody to look after the munchkins?"
"You've had an easy few weeks – time to so some work," Mindy chuckled.
"You're one funny girl!"
Glenview
"We're going to miss you," Anne-Marie pouted.
"I need to go see what you sister is up to, among other things."
"Don't be gone, long."
"I'll be back before you know it."
Mindy gave Danny and Anne-Marie a big hug – she hated to leave them, but she knew that they would be perfectly safe with Dave.
"Love you, Dave."
"You be good – leave the Brits alone and don't cause any trouble," he said with his dorky grin.
"I'll behave, I promise."