The Dangers of Daring Officer Dolly

Chapter 12. "Lies and Sacrifice"

by Skytower

{We are beginning to think that your two main talents in life are running and screaming.}

Jessie glanced over her shoulder and ran faster. The two rats behind her fell behind a little bit.

{Should we try telling her to climb again?}

{After the first ten times failed I don’t think it will do much good.}

{Really would a robot have been that much trouble to build?}

{We should think about cloning Officer Dolly.}

Jessie wasn’t really listening to them. She hadn’t been since she had felt Jerry’s cold nose press against her butte. Since then Jessie had run through the ac ducts at high speed and often higher volume.

The rats started to catch up again and Jessie skidded around a corner and ran straight into a vent covering. It gave way before her and Jessie barely managed to hang on as the vent flipped open. Jessie hung from her hands and swayed back and forth with the vent cover. There was a strong overpowering odor in the room. She was in a storage room. Rectangular white boxes were stacked on metal racks. A table covered with comic books was set up in the center of the room. The man seated at the table was short and stout, wearing a brown business suit. He sat slumped back in the chair with a horrible expression on his face. A knife was protruding from his chest.

{So that is what happened to Molenski.}

{I wonder who killed him.}

{Sumner.}

{Yes, Simon would never risk getting blood on his comic books.}

Jessie screamed.

{He is dead.}

{He can’t hurt you.}

Jessie heard a sound and looked up to see the two rats nosing around the edge of the vent.

{They can’t reach you.}

Jessie screamed again.

{And she wanted a super powered suit.}

{Try to listen to this one instruction Jessie; don’t move.}

Even though Lizzie Brihallow was barely two decades old she considered herself experienced. She had made love to a lot of men and women. For recreation, money and at times to make sure a cop didn’t lock up her and her sister. Sometimes it had been fun, sometimes it had been no big deal and sometimes it had been painfully humiliating. But a few hours watching Simon and Sumner make love had made Lizzie realize how little she knew. It wasn’t just the whips, the chains, the clothespins or the candle wax; it was the way both Simon and Sumner managed to draw things out. They played with each other, teasing each other into near climaxes, holding each other there and then pulling back before starting it all over a few minutes later. Good or bad Lizzie’s encounters had never lasted more than a half of an hour. Simon and Sumner seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of sexual energy.

Lizzie shifted uncomfortably. She was hot, extremely hot. Her pussy was wet and aching and she had to clench her hands together to keep from playing with herself.

"Please let me get out of here mistress." Lizzie whispered softly.

{Not yet. Their conversation has revealed several good intelligence points.}

For a moment Lizzie forgot her own body. She had listened to the conversation as well and it has consisted mostly of instructions to go faster, slower or moans of pleasure and pain. She had no idea what sort of intelligence The Giant’s could get from that.

"Well I think you need a break." Simon said.

"You are not going to leave me here like this!" Sumner growled.

Lizzie could understand her point. Sumner was upright, strapped into a giant ‘T’ shaped stand. Straps held her arms and stomach to the stand.

"You need time to think." Simon said walking around her. "And I need to take a shower."

Sumner growled and pulled at the straps but they easily held her. Whistling Simon walked over to the wall and picked up a solid wooden bar. Going back over to her he bent down and strapped Sumner’s ankles to the bar, forcing them apart. Then he strapped the bar to the base of the T.

"I think I’m safer this way." Simon said running his hand up her leg. He pressed his fingers into her vagina and Sumner responded with a half-growl/half-moan of protest. "Especially after what you did to Al."

Simon walked back over to the wall and picked up a long black dildo and a ball gag. Coming up behind Sumner he popped the ball gag into her mouth before she knew it. She twisted her head but he strapped it tightly. Then he walked in front of her and held up the vibrator. Sumner’s eyes went wide and she shook her head violently. Simon kept whistling as he pushed the unit into her vagina and strapped it too her legs. He stood back and smiled as Sumner convulsed her entire body to free herself. She failed.

"Have fun." Simon said. He walked past Lizzie and out the door.

{Follow him.}

Lizzie hesitated. There had been a moment as he passed when Simon was right next to her. The size of the man was chilling.

{Well for goodness sakes get going!}

Swallowing her fear Lizzie followed Simon up the stairs.

"What do I do!" Jessie screamed the question as her arms started to ache.

{Well for one thing stop screaming.}

{Climb back up.}

"The rats are there!" Jessie protested.

{You do have your knives.}

{One scratch will put them to sleep for a while.}

"But they could bite me."

{Your only practical option is to climb up there and confront them.}

Jessie whimpered but she knew that they were right. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself up. She climbed slowly and pulled one of the knives out of its sheath as she neared the top. But when she got there the rats were gone.

"Where’d they go?" Jessie asked pulling herself into the vent. "Hello?"

{Are you calling for them?}

"NO!" Jessie said. "I just wanted to know where they went. What do I do now?"

{Let’s try following instructions for a change shall we?}

{No more mindless panic.}

"But I was scared." Jessie protested.

{DO WHAT WE TELL YOU TO DO YOU IDIOT!}

Jessie gasped in shock at the sheer pain the volume of that command generated. She sank to her knees and nearly passed out.

"I’m sorry mistress! I’m sorry mistress! I’m sorry mistress!" Jessie kept repeating the phrase over and over again as her entire body shook with terror.

{Enough then.}

Jessie shut up.

{Hold your knife ready and try to find your way back to Simone’s room. You need to close the vent into her closet.}

"Yes mistress." Jessie said.

Hands trembling and heart racing Jessie held the knife loosely in her hand and started to tiptoe through the duct.

Lizzie was out of breath by the time Simon reached his sisters room. She stood behind the edge of the corridor.

"What do you want Simon." Simone asked. Her voice was tired but still held a defiant tone.

"Just seeing if you’re still alive dear sister." Simon said. "And to let you know that your last hope of rescue died this afternoon."

"What do you mean?"

"Your letter to the DA" Simon said. "Cute letter, I’m sure the DA would have loved to have read it."

There was only silence to his taunt.

"Just to let you know he was trying to sell the letter to me and Sumner lost her temper." Simone said. "What did it cost you to get him to take it?"

"Go to hell." Simone said.

"All our family does." Simon said. "Sooner or later. I thought you were dried up from the cancer, I guess there’s life between your legs yet. I should bring Sumner up here."

"Don’t you dare!" Simone shouted.

"Hey, this is her last night on Earth, she should have some fun."

Lizzie heard enraged growls come from the room but they quickly turned into sobs of frustration. She heard the rattle of a chain and then nothing for a moment.

"Get out of here!" Simone screeched.

"Stay alive Sis." Simon said laughing as he turned away from the doorway. "I can wait for the money and this is too much fun."

{That was a true villain moment.}

{Really did you expect anything less?}

{I had hoped for more useful intelligence. We had already guessed that Sumner was responsible for Alex’s death.}

Lizzie ducked aside as Simon strode past her. He never even looked down and she started to follow him.

{That he plans to kill Sumner may be useful to us. Keep following him.}

"Yes mistress." Lizzie said.

Jessie was never sure how long she wandered through the ac ducts of Stronghollow house. It seemed like hours or days. She was constantly hearing noises that sounded like the rats. Many times she almost screamed and ran, but the Giant’s commands in her mind stopped her. She quickly found that while the ducts all looked alike they all had subtle differences in the way they smelled and the way sound echoed in them. Using those two clues as a guide Jessie was able to avoid going down the same duct twice. At last after many wrong turns she found her way back to the open vent. Jessie looked down the duct. At the end was the vent that led to Simone’s room. The television was on. A little short of that was the vent. Jessie looked around again. There was no sign of the rats.

"Um… I’m here mistress." Jessie called out. There was no reply. "Uhm… hello?"

After a few minutes of silence Jessie walked over to the vent. There was no sign of Lizzie.

"Lizzie are you down there?" Jessie called. "Lizzie!"

Jessie heard a sound behind her and whirled coming face to face with the rat. With a startled yell she stumbled back and into the open vent. Jessie fell though the air and her hands grabbed wildly for anything they could find. They found the rope that still dangled from the open vent. Jessie seized the rope in a two-handed death grip that stopped her fall. After a moment she looked up and saw the red eyes of the rat. He was nosing around the rope and Jessie saw him start to nibble on it.

Jessie screamed but her scream ended abruptly as the closet door was opened and light flooded into the closet. She looked into the face of Simone. Close up the face was different than it had been during her briefing. Simone’s skin was paler, her lips thin and drawn. Her hair was a shade of extraordinarily light red and seemed dry and lifeless. Her cheeks were slightly sunken into her long face. Only her eyes still showed a touch of the lively young woman she had been. But they were also red and it looked like Simone had cried very recently.

"Hello." Simone said in a very soft voice.

{Do any brain cells actually function in that little head of yours?}

Jessie screamed.

{Do not tell her anything about yourself or us. ANYTHING!}

"Hey don’t be scared." Simone said gently. She reached over and gently took hold of Jessie’s legs. "My name is Simone. What’s yours?"

"I can’t tell you!" Jessie said in a small voice. With all her might the shrunken teen clung to the rope.

"Well if you are invading my closet you should at least tell me your name." Simone said with a little smile. "What were you doing in there?"

"I was running away from them!" Jessie said pointing up toward the vent.

Simone looked up and saw the rat.

"Oh that’s just Tom. He’s harmless."

"Not when you’re my size!" Jessie said.

"I guess." Simone said. She pulled but Jessie kept her hold on the rope. "Come on let go."

"Uh-uh." Jessie said shaking her head.

"Well I can’t let you stay hanging there." Simone said. She pulled again but Jessie cried out and tried to curl herself into a tight little ball around the rope.

"Leave me alone!"

"It’s either me or the rat." Simone pointed out and there was a lilt of humor in her voice.

"Not if I just hold on." Jessie protested.

"Tom will chew through the rope and then come down to get you." Simone said. "It’s what he’s trained for."

"You trained him to hunt shrunken people?"

"No, my uncle trained him to find and attack Tiny Titania. Now let go."

"No." Jessie mumbled.

"Well I hate to be firm but it is my closet." Simone said.

"HEY!" Jessie shouted as Simone suddenly spanked her.

"I can do that again and again." Simone said holding her other hand.

"No spanking!" Jessie cried. "Please mistress no spanking!"

"My name is Simone." Simone said. "And if you let go I promise not to spank you anymore." She raised her hand. "But if you don’t let go…"

"Ok! Ok!" Jessie shouted.

She let go of the rope and Simone took her out of the closet and closed the door. She walked back over to the bed and Jessie heard the clank of the chain as Simone’s ankle dragged it across the room. The chain was longer than Jessie had thought it was. Despite her long captivity Jessie smelled a trace of a sweet perfume lingering on Simone’s body.

"It’s good to have company." Simone said sitting on the bed. She put Jessie in the center of the mattress. "Sure you can’t tell me your name?"

Jessie bolted for the edge of the bed and leapt off just as Simone’s hand swept past the space where she had been.

"Come back here!" Simone exclaimed.

Jessie sailed through the air and landed hard. She was stunned for a moment and that allowed Simone to scramble off of the bed after her. Crying out in fear Jessie ran under the bed. She only got a few steps before she ran into something hard. Stunned Jessie fell back a few steps and was knocked down by Simone’s groping hand. Recovering quickly Jessie ran out from under the bed. She ran toward the couch on the far side of the room.

"Stop!" Simone cried out.

A pillow landed on top of Jessie and she was caught under it for a few moments. When she struggled out from underneath it Simone was waiting for her.

"Stay away from me!" Jessie screamed waving her knife in the air.

"Easy honey!" Simone said gently keeping her hands away from Jessie’s knife but not retreating at all. "I’m not armed."

"Well I am!" Jessie said trying to sound as dangerous as she could. She waved the knife a bit more. "So you better let me alone!"

"Well you’re the one who is snooping around my closet." Simone said smiling at the ferocious but small display.

"I wasn’t snooping." Jessie said. "I was running away from the rats."

"Like that one?" Simone asked pointing toward the closet.

Jessie whirled around and was snatched up quickly by Simone.

"Hey!" Jessie screamed.

"Now I’m not going to hurt you." Simone said pinching Jessie’s wrist with her thumb and forefinger. "But drop the knife."

Whimpering Jessie let the knife drop to the floor.

Simone pulled both of Jessie’s wrists above her head and held them there with one hand. With her other hand she pulled the other knives out of the sheaths and dropped them onto the floor. Then she started to tug at Jessie’s climbing harness.

"HEY!" Jessie shouted. "Stop!"

"I’m not going to hurt you but I don’t want you to pull out any more weapons." Simone said. She tugged and pulled at Jessie’s harness but Jessie squirmed and with only one hand Simone did not have enough leverage.

Simone stopped and stood up. Walking over to the bed she sat down and placed Jessie on the mattress.

"That things really on there." Simone said. "You take it off."

"NO!" Jessie said.

"It doesn’t really cover you anyway."

"NO!" Jessie repeated. It was true of course, the climbing harness consisted of a vest and a pair of rubber socks plus small discs on her knees and two handheld ones. It left her breasts, pussy and butte uncovered.

Simone reached for her and Jessie curled up into a tight little ball.

"That won’t stop me you know." Simone said.

"Let me alone!" Jessie pleaded. "Please I’m in enough trouble!"

"Calm down." Simone said backing off. "Look why don’t you tell me your name?"
"I can’t." Jessie said.

"Can you tell me why you can’t?" Simone asked reaching over to run a finger gently along Jessie’s head.

{No.}

"Uh-uh." Jessie said.

Simone lay down and rested the side of her head against one hand.

"Well." She said softly stroking Jessie’s head. "If you aren’t the angel of death come to get me and you aren’t an hallucination caused by Sumner spiking my meds… you must be real."

"I’m real." Jessie said.

"You just can’t tell me who you are or what you are doing?"

Jessie shook her head.

"What are you wearing?"

"Stuff."

"Did you forget to put it all on?"

"They said I didn’t need clothes." Jessie said suddenly blushing.

"Who?"

Jessie suddenly turned white with fright. She quickly looked left and right and would have bolted if Simone hadn’t reached out and picked her up.

"Hey, it’s ok don’t get scared, nothing’s wrong."

"I said…"

"It’s ok." Simone said softly cradling Jessie against her chest. "We don’t have to say anything any more."

"You don’t understand…" Jessie said. She started to cry. "You can’t understand! You don’t know what they… what…"

"Shush." Simone said gently as Jessie’s voice broke down into incoherent sobs. For a few minutes she did nothing but gently stroke Jessie’s head. Jessie trembled for a bit longer in her hand and then slowly stilled.

"Why don’t we watch some tv?" Simone said shifting her position. She sat up against her pillows and rested Jessie on her stomach. Her grip was gentle but firm and Jessie realized she wasn’t going anywhere.

"You like Bugs Bunny don’t you?" Simone said reaching over and picking up a remote control. "Of course you do, everyone likes Bugs Bunny."

The wide screen high definition screen came to life and Jessie felt her terror fade. The Giant’s hadn’t said anything. If she was lucky they weren’t listening. In the meantime it had been so long since she had watched TV Jessie had almost forgotten how good it was. She leaned back against Simone and watched.

Merry McCormick had been just old enough to enjoy the first Star Wars movie. It had lead her for a time to want to be an astronaut, until she came to the conclusion that being a cop was a more noble calling. But the desire to fly like Luke Skywalker had never left her. She had never imagined that it could come true, that she could actually be in an X-wing fighter moving at near impossible speeds.

And in a way this wasn’t doing any of that. She was in the X-wing fighter, but it was a small model of an X-wing fighter. She sat naked in the cockpit while The Group piloted the craft by remote control. Merry guessed that they were flying beyond the speed of sound, but the instruments might as well have been in Klingon for all the good that they did her.

Merry sighed. Behind her lay Count Intellect’s Canadian castle stronghold. Or most likely the ruins of it. Force Group J would take care of the vampire, of that Merry was sure. But behind her was also Esmerelda, a young were-wolf who had thrown her self at Merry’s feet.

Merry hugged herself and tried to think her way past the pain. It could never work. Esmerelda was a young woman who had been raised by a witch. Esmerelda had no idea what the world was like, she wouldn’t have been Merry’s lover or friend; she would have been Merry’s slave. Besides The Group had said no to the idea. Merry wouldn’t disobey them. But the look on Esmerelda’s face and the warmth of her last kiss made Merry’s soul ache. Now that her memory was back Merry remembered that she was very lonely.

{You’re awake.}

"Yes." Merry said. She pulled her mind away from the pain. The Group needed her. "Where am I?"

{Only a little ways from home.}

"Home." Merry repeated. The word sounded hollow to her. "What about Lizzie and Jessie?"

{In trouble.}

"How?"

{We gave them a simple mission to carry out and they have failed.}

{At least we thought it was simple enough.}

{It would have been simple for you.}

{For them it has been nearly impossible.}

"What’s happening to them?"

{Lizzie is following and watching Simon and his new girlfriend Sumner.}

{Jessie has been caught by Simone and is watching TV with her. Prior to that she was running through the ac ducts of Stronghollow mansion screaming a lot.}

"Oh. Will you grow them and get them out of there?"

{We can’t grow them. Their bodies were full of drugs when we shrunk them.}

{To grow them now before they are fully healed would be dangerous.}

{We have to wait until they stabilize more.}

"You mean you’re just going to leave them there?"

{We warned them not to get caught.}

{At the moment we are giving them advice that should keep them alive.}

{Not that they have enough sense to really follow it.}

{Agreed. It’s too bad, they were good workers and their training was coming along well.}

"You can’t leave them there!" Merry protested. "Not with Simon!"

{Define ‘can’t’ Officer Dolly.}

Merry winced at the irritation that worked its way through the mental voice.

"Please, let me save them." She pleaded.

{And have Simon realize that you are connected with shrunken women? No.}

{If they can survive until Simone has recovered they should be all right.}

"They won’t!" Merry said. "They can’t, not against Simon. He’ll strap them down and pull them apart."

{Do we have to remind you that these two girls assisted in your rape?}

{They are disposable.}

"No!" Merry shouted. "Please! I have a plan!"

{No doubt.}

"It’s a good plan!" Merry said struggling to keep her voice under control. "If it works it gets Simon out the way for good and Lizzie and Jessie won’t… they won’t… they’ll be safe."

For a few minutes there was silence. Merry didn’t talk but in her mind’s eye she could see The Group talking it out. The minutes crawled past and Merry shut her eyes to keep from crying.

{You owe nothing to Lizzie or Jessie.}

"I know what they did to me." Merry said. "But… they… I… They’re young… You’ve given them a chance to be something better, they serve you… they’re your…" Merry was about to say: ‘toys’ but stopped herself.

"If I’m your field agent" Merry went on groping for the words she needed, "if I’m like your soldier, doesn’t that make them your farmers or your peasants or something? You can’t… you shouldn’t just throw them away. You’re better than that."

Aren’t you? That part of the plea Merry kept to herself. They had to be better than that. She wasn’t sure what she would do if they turned her down. Merry had just spent days shrunken and at the mercy of a witch and a vampire. The thought of two young girls going through that, and she knew enough of Simon to guess what he would do, was too much.

{She has a point.}

Merry let out the breath she had been holding.

{Do tell?}

{In Merry we have an operative, a knight if you want to carry the feudal analogy to its logical conclusion. Lizzie and Jessie are good workers, just not too intelligent.}

{Peasants.}

{Well the feudal form of government was one we did discuss.}

{But it’s not practical.}

{Not for the world, but for Dollopolis it could be the ideal form of government. Certainly our; ‘Prisoner Number Six in the Village’ camp model did not function well. Feudal governments have built in restraints and conditioned behavior responses that would serve us well.}

{The point being?}

{A feudal lord could raise an army from his farmers if needed. Functioning along those lines we could have a good reserve of operatives.}

{That works well for the future, what bearing has it on Lizzie and Jessie’s current situation?}

{As the de-facto feudal lords they are our responsibility. We did send them into the situation they are now in.}

{And they have encountered variables we did not truly prepare them for.}

{If nothing else those two are perfect fodder for the early research we have been doing. They are after all the model of the type of people we plan to gather. If we can put them back into Dollopolis I think we can be assured of loyalty and devotion. Perhaps in time even to Officer Dolly’s level.}

{If Officer Dolly’s plan is a good one I believe we should allow her to try it.}

{Agreed.}

{Certainly getting Simon out of the way would be a plus. I agree.}

{Her actions at Count Intellect’s castle were flawless.}

{They were. And despite the fact that I believe her to be operating from that ‘protect and serve’ core of hers she would not do anything that would work against us. Agreed.}

{Officer Dolly. Tell us your plan.}

Merry swallowed hard and tried to come up with one.

Lizzie followed Simon as he went back to his own room and showered and then put on a pair of jeans and a worn shirt. She sneaked into his room to watch and peered in through the open bathroom door. Simon’s body was well kept and Lizzie saw all of it. It scared her and again brought home how small and helpless she really was. For the first time Lizzie took comfort in the knife strapped to her thigh.

After changing Simon walked through the mansion until he came to a door with a keypad set in place of the doorknob.

{Don’t go in. Wait and follow him.}

{And don’t scream.}

Lizzie was puzzled until she saw Simon walk out of the room with a dead body slung over his shoulder.

{We have truly underestimated Simon.}

{This is very much out of character for him.}

Lizzie pressed herself into a doorway as Simon passed her. Then she followed him.

{The prospect of all of Simone’s money seems to have elevated him.}

{This is fortunate in a way it will give Officer Dolly’s plan a better chance of success.}

{We need to get her there faster.}

Lizzie halted for a moment stunned. Merry McCormack was alive?

{Keep following him.}

Her heart racing Lizzie padded down the corridor after Simon.

Jessie rested her head between Simone’s breasts and giggled as Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny started to hunt Elmer Fudd. Her body shook as Simone laughed as well.

"I knew it; everybody loves Bugs Bunny." Simone said.

"Wow I look funny." Jessie said. She had leaned back and glanced up at the mirrors above Simone’s bed. She was lying just under Simone’s breasts and her weight had pulled the hospital gown down accenting them. She waved at her reflection.

"I like to see what I’m doing." Simone said. "Well… I used too."

"Sorry about the cancer."

"It sucks." Simone said but there was no real sorrow in her voice. "But I had a good run. No one lives forever and I was rich, I’m still pretty…" Absently she ran her fingers over Jessie’s body. "Anyway I think you’re in more trouble than I am."

"Well…"

"It’s ok, you don’t have to talk."

"Thanks."

"It’s not like I could do anything for or against you anyway." Simone said. "But it’s been a while since I had a girl in here." Simone tugged at her chain. "You any good with locks?"

"I’m ok with them." Jessie said. "You want me to give it a try?"

"Sure."

Simone picked Jessie up and put her on the bed. Jessie started to go toward her ankle.

{No.}

Jessie stopped short.

"But…"

{We said no.}

"Mistress…"

{NO!}

Jessie’s shoulders slumped and she turned around.

"They told you no didn’t they?" Simone asked.

"Well…"

"You can’t tell me who they are or why can you?"

"Well…" Jessie said again. The look on Simone’s face hurt the shrunken teen.

"It’s ok." Simone said. She lay back on the pillow and Jessie could see that the woman was fighting back tears. "But I wish I knew who you were. At least a name."

"I’m…"

{Don’t you dare!}

"I… I… I’m sorry." Jessie said.

Simone sat up again and forced a smile onto her face.

"How about I give you a name?"

"Ok."

"George." Simone said picking her up. "I shall call you George." Simone started to run her fingers along Jessie’s body. "And I will hug you and pet you and pet you and hug you…"

"George?" Jessie asked.

"Watch." Simone said. She picked the remote and flashed through a menu until a list of Bugs Bunny movies appeared. Soon Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck were tangling with an abominable snowman. The snowman was obsessed with having one of them as a pet and he would hold them and nearly squeeze them to death.

"George is good." Jessie said laughing as the cartoon ended.

"And I will hug you and squeeze you." Simone said laughing.

She hugged the shrunken teen to her chest and began to run her hands over Jessie’s body. Jessie felt a warm feeling come over her. Simone’s body felt warm as well. The sweet perfume seemed to fill Jessie’s lungs and it made her head as light as air.

"Look I can’t really tell you anything, or help you or anything." Jessie said sitting up. She started to pull the harness off of her shoulder. "But if you want… I mean…"

Simone smiled and put Jessie down. Then she sat up and pulled the hospital gown over her head.

Lizzie followed Simon out of the house and into a sheltered garden. If seeing Simon nude had made Lizzie realize how small she was walking through a garden was even worse. Most of the flowers were larger than she was. Lizzie passed slugs that looked like they had come from 1950’s monster movies. The knife in her hand had felt comforting before, now it felt pitifully small.

It was just about dawn and the rain of the night before had left huge puddles on the walkway. Lizzie guessed that the garden didn’t rate high on the Stronghollow’s priority list. The fountains were green with algae and weeds grew everywhere. Simon carried the body past an old gazebo and then dropped it onto the ground. Lizzie winced as she saw the corpse hit the ground. If Al had been handsome in life he hadn’t kept that beauty in death.

Simon grabbed an old rusty shovel from the gazebo and started to dig. Lizzie found a spot next to an old flowerpot and settled down to watch. A noise behind her made Lizzie look around and she froze. Behind her was a snake. Barely visible in the early dawn light. Two large black eyes stared at Lizzie for a few minutes and she stared back. Hypnotized, unable to move. It moved toward her and Lizzie still found herself rooted to the spot. The snakes tongue flicked out and touched her and Lizzie still couldn’t move. Its tongue flicked out and hit her breasts and Lizzie fell flat on her back from the impact. The fall broke the eye contact and Lizzie was able to move again. But after she had rolled away and sat with her knife in her hand Lizzie found that the snake was moving on.

Lizzie feel to her knees and panted with relieve.

Merry watched as Simon walked back to the house. She had landed at her house and put on a pair of tight red running shorts and a red halter-top. It was what she usually wore for her morning workout and fit into her plan. She spotted Lizzie creeping back toward the kitchen door.

Do I look like that, Merry wondered? Like a puppet without visible strings?

Shaking off the thought Merry went up to the kitchen door and knocked. It took only a moment for Simon’s face to appear at the window. His scowl showed that he recognized her.

"What do you want?" Simon demanded opening the door a crack.

"Where’s Al?" Merry demanded.

"What?"

"He stood me up last night, where is he?"

"You’re dating him?" Simon asked disbelief written on his face.

"Yea and he stood me up." Merry said. She started to push in. "So where is he?"

"He quit yesterday." Simon said. "I don’t know where he is?"

"He quit?" Merry stood back. "So he quit yesterday and left?"

"That’s right." Simon said.

"So he left and he left his car here."

"He took a cab." Simon said.

"So he left his cell phone too? I got a lock on it at the station. It’s here, he’s here."

For a moment Simon’s face was a mask of rage. But he smothered it quickly.

"Ok, come in." Simon said opening the door.

Merry tensed as she walked past him. She was in danger and she knew it. There were a few things Simon could do at this point. Few of them were pleasant and a lot of them were lethal. Merry hoped she had guessed right.

The cold feel of metal on her throat told her that she had.

"Don’t move bitch!" Simon ordered as he pressed the knife into her skin.

There were half a dozen ways that Merry could have countered the hold. She could have snapped Simon’s neck before he realized it. But she didn’t.

"What’s going on?" Merry demanded putting a slight tremor into her voice.

"Shut up and get down on your stomach." Simon said. He reached over and yanked a cord out of a telephone.

Merry obeyed and didn’t offer any resistance as he pulled her arms behind her back and tied them with the telephone cord. She heard the back door slam shut.

"Oh no!" Lizzie said aloud as the door was shut in her face. She had seen Merry caught and bound.

{Don’t worry, this is her idea.}

"She wanted to get caught mistress?"

{Yes. And her plan will ensure you and your sisters safety and greatly benefit us.}

"But he could kill her!" Lizzie said.

{She is well aware of that.}

"She’s doing this for me and Jessie?"

{Not entirely.}

{But that part of it can not be denied.}

"But…"

{We can discuss this later. For now you must get back into the house.}

"How?"

{Do you see the drainpipe to your left?}

Lizzie looked and saw a drain pipe that led from the ground to the rooftop gutter.

"That one?"

{Yes. Enter it and climb.}

"More climbing?" Lizzie whined.

{Yes. More climbing.}

{Now move. Officer Dolly will need you if this plan is to work.}

Lizzie darted over to the drainpipe and crawled into it. The smell of damp aluminum and dirt was overpowering.

"What about Jessie?"

{She’s busy.}

"I hope she’s doing better than I am."

Jessie dug her heals in to maintain her balance. She was sitting on top of Simone’s left breast and by opening her legs as far as she could Jessie had managed to get Simone’s nipple into her vagina. Luckily Simone had very large nipples. Now she bounced up and down and clenched on and off as Simone held her with both hands and rubbed Jessie’s breasts with her thumbs. Jessie screamed in pure delight as Simone’s thumbs pushed her breasts as if they were buttons on a video game. She gave one mighty scream and then lay limply in Simone’s hands.

"You haven’t had much lately have you."

"Not for a long time." Jessie whispered. She yawned and looked up. "You weren’t done were you? Sorry."

"I got about as done as I can." Simone said. "First thing this cancer took was my sex drive."

"Oh that sucks. I wish I could do more."

"Nah." Simone smiled. "I put you down there and one good squeeze from me would kill ya."

"Isn’t there anything?" Jessie asked.

Simone smiled and shifted Jessie to her other breast.

"This time try to sing a Betty Boop song for me." Simone said.

"Who?"

"You can’t tell me you don’t know who Betty Boop is." Simone demanded. "How old are you anyway?"

"Old enough." Jessie said defensively.

"Here." Simone said picking up the remote. She flipped through the on screen menu and a cartoon appeared.

"Now watch." Simone said picking Jessie up and turning her toward the set.

"Owe!" Jessie cried out as Simone spanked her. "What was that for?"

"For not knowing who Betty Boop is." Simone said playfully. "Now watch."

The wire cords dug into Merry’s wrist and her mouth tasted like soap thanks to the washcloth Simon had used as a gag. Merry put up as much resistance as she thought she could get away with, but not enough to actually get away. Simon marched her roughly through the house and down the stairs into the cellar. Sumner looked up as he shoved her to the floor of the bondage room.

"Wmm tu hu s se?" Sumner asked through the gag.

"Here’s a treat for you honey." Simon said. He got down on the floor and grabbed Merry by the shoulders, forcing her to sit up. With one hand he reached infront of her and tugged the halter away. Merry’s left breast fell out of the garment and Sumner’s eyes widened.

"She’s a cop too." Simone said standing up. He walked over to Sumner and pulled the vibrator out of her then un-strapped the ball gag. "Now you want to help or not?"

Lizzie finally made it to the top of the drainpipe and pulled herself up into the sunlight. She was a mess. At times in the drain she had climbed through old spider webs and clumps of decaying leaves. Now she found herself in the gutter. Around her was the Stronghollow estate and Lizzie was chilled at how big it was. Behind her was a slate roof that slopped up at a sixty degree angle. Lizzie could see the chimney that had been her entrance the previous night.

{Climb.}

"Climb mistress?" Lizzie looked at the long slope above her. "Will these work on stone?"

{Partially.}

{Enough to keep you from falling.}

{Now climb.}

Swallowing her fear Lizzie started to climb.

"If I ever get out of this alive I never want to leave Dollopolis again." She muttered.

The first thing Sumner did when Simon freed her from the T frame was to slap him.

"That make you happy?" Simon asked rubbing his face.

"It’s a start." Sumner said smiling back at him. "What do you have in mind for her?"

Simon went over to the wall and picked up a solid bar.

"Sandwich." He said.

They laughed and went over to Merry. Merry tried to make her kick convincing and from the way they laughed she could tell she had succeeded. She struggled as they forced her onto her back and untied her. Merry was grateful as the tight cords were untied. She might need her fingers working for the next part of her plan and the tight cords had been making them numb. Sumner held Merry on her stomach while Simon forced the captive’s arms into the straps on either side of the bar. When her arms were stretched out and strapped tightly he used two more straps to hold her arms just above the elbows. When that was done Merry was pulled up and herded over to a couple of chains that hung from the ceiling.

Merry tried to kick as Simon fastened the chains to the bar and pulled on them. Merry was lifted a few feet into the air. She felt her own weight force the straps to dig into her skin.

Dungeons and whips and chains, Merry thought bitterly. Is that all my life is now?

Simon handed Sumner another bar and she strapped it to Merry’s ankles, forcing her legs apart. Another bar went behind her knees. A rope was run from the bar at her ankles to the bar on her shoulders and pulled. Merry’s legs were forced to bend until she was in a kneeling position in mid-air. When that was done Simon lowered the chains until Merry was at the right height for them. Sumner ripped Merry’s top in half. Her large breasts spilled out and bounced as she tugged at the straps.

"Oh these are winners." Simone said as he started to knead them.

Sumner tore Merry’s shorts away from her skin.

"This half’s pretty good too." She said. Bending down she used her thumbs to pry open the lips of Merry’s vagina and started to lick the sides. At the same time Simon stepped between her legs and pressed into Merry from behind. She could feel his cock sliding into her ass.

Merry tried to pull into herself and let her body respond. It almost worked.

The chimney looked just as large in the sunshine as it had during the rain. But at least the rope was still there. Lizzie rested in the shadow of the chimney. The climb up the slates had been harder than she had thought it would be because of the heat. In the daylight the gray stone seemed to grab every last ray of the sun and hold onto it. Sweat was rolling off of her body by the time she reached the top of the roof.

"And Merry does this all the time?" Lizzie muttered wiping the sweat out of her eyes. The view she had was breathtaking. But it also scared the shrunken teen. Everything was too big, too dangerous. In her life Lizzie had been used to being just a small part of society, but she had never felt like this. She wasn’t adapting to the size, much as she was trying to. Lizzie wondered how Merry did it.

{You have rested long enough.}

"Yes mistress." Lizzie said.

She looked up at the chimney. Then took a deep breath and stood up. Taking hold of the rope she gave it an experimental tug and after she was sure it wasn’t going to come loose Lizzie started to climb.

Jessie was sitting on Simone’s stomach and trying her best to sing along with the animated actress on the screen but it wasn’t easy.

"A hot cornet can go aroooroo, But a hot cornet can’t Boop-boop-a-doop like Betty Boop can do!"

She broke off coughing at the effort of keeping her voice both high pitched and lyrical at the same time.

"You’re getting it." Simone laughed. "God I love her!"

"I’m getting a sore throat!" Jessie complained.

"But you’re doing so good." Simone said stroking Jessie’s head. She poked Jessie’s stomach. "I’ve never seen a Betty Boop natural like you before." She pinched one of Jessie’s small breasts. "You even got the figure for it."

"You really love her?" Jessie asked rubbing her breast.

"She’s an icon." Simone said. "I used to watch her all the time when I was a little kid. Didn’t you have someone like that?"

Jessie shrugged and looked at the TV.

"Everyone should have someone like this." Simone said. She closed her eyes. "I used to really hurt my voice trying to sound like her. My uncle hated it." Jessie looked back at the tone of Simone’s voice and saw that she was crying. "He’d burn all my drawings of her and beat me up."

"Let me try again." Jessie said. She climbed up onto Simone’s breast and settled herself onto the nipple. "And let me try it from here."

Simone opened her eyes and smiled again. With one hand she operated the remote, with the other she steadied Jessie.

The gag was gone but Merry knew that screaming for help or mercy wouldn’t do any good. She screamed anyway. Behind her Simon cracked the whip again and the cat-o-nine-tails flashed against her back.

Sumner stood in front of her and used a length of rope to bind her breasts at their base. She had used the rope to make a bra-like harness first and then pulled the breast away from Merry’s chest by dragging on the nipple. When they were as far away as she could get them Sumner looped the rope around the base of the breast and tightened it.

"Whoa!" Sumner said when she was done. "You thought they were big before huh?"

"Jealous bitch!" Merry managed to growl.

"Funny." Sumner said. Drawing back she curled her hands together into a fist and drove it into Merry’s stomach.

Simon laughed and rubbed Merry’s breasts. Merry moaned in pain. Her breasts dangled from her chest red and swollen as both of them pinched her nipples.

"I can top that." Simon said dropping the whip. He went over to the wall and picked up a pair of small clamps. Going back over to Merry he fixed one to each nipple.

"My turn!" Sumner said picking up the whip.

"Your both gonna roast for this." Merry whispered in a voice cracked with pain.

"Not a chance." Simon said.

Merry screamed as Sumner used the whip on her back and feet.

"Not with my sister in the ground." Simon said. He reached down and forced his fingers into her vagina. Merry shook and body and tried to twist away from him but Simon kept his fingers where they were. While he stroked her inner fires Sumner kept the whip going against her back.

"That all you got?" Merry managed to growl the demand out between her painful cries.

"Not even close." Simon said. He un-strapped her legs from the bars and Merry’s legs feel limply. Then he walked over to Sumner and whispered to her. She giggled and walked over to the wall.

Merry’s eyes widened as Sumner walked back over to her. Sumner had taken a strap-on dildo from the wall and was cinching it tightly around her waist. In effect she now had a large black penis and it was erect.

"This is what we got!" Simon said. He grabbed her from behind and Merry felt his cock push into her ass. In front of her Sumner plunged her new equipment into Merry’s pussy.

"Sandwich!" Simon and Sumner shouted as they began to push and pull their way into Merry’s body.

"Get off!" Lizzie shouted at the crow.

The big black bird ignored her and circled around the chimney. Lizzie had nearly reached the top when the bird attacked from behind, nearly tearing her off of the rope. The crow ignored her orders and Lizzie tried climbing a little bit more. The shadow of the bird alerted her and she pressed herself against the brick an instant before the bird’s claws scrapped her back. Lizzie cried out in pain but held on and kept climbing.

Once she reached the top Lizzie peered over the brick. The crow was standing on the other side of the chimney. Two soulless black eyes gazed at her.

{Nevermore.}

"What?"

{Never mind.}

{Use your knife.}

"Keep away from me!" Lizzie growled trying to draw her last knife and climb onto the top of the chimney at the same time. The crow came toward her and Lizzie stabbed out with the knife. She missed and tumbled down into the chimney.

In one way Merry knew she was lucky. Simon’s cock was hard and firm but it wasn’t made out of metal and rubber like Sumner’s strap-on model. She couldn’t help but clench as he forced his way into her anus but she hoped there wouldn’t be any permanent damaged. Of course that knowledge didn’t help with the pain and humiliation she was feeling. But Merry held onto her plan. The Group was letting her carry it out and she would not fail them.

Simon and Sumner had a near perfect rhythm going. She pushed forward while he pulled back and he pushed forward when she pulled back. In the meantime Simon was pulling Merry’s hair back while Sumner was biting her breasts.

Merry road the pain and growled out her bodies forced passion. Above all she was not going to black out.

Sumner stuffed the handle of the whip into Merry’s mouth and then started to bite her neck.

"A hot cornet can go aroooroo, But a hot cornet can’t Boop-boop-a-doop like Betty Boop can do!"

Jessie was having no trouble with the voice this time. Simone held Jessie’s arms above her head and held Jessie’s body above her mouth. Jessie’s legs were spread wide and Simone’s tongue was probing relentlessly into the shrunken teen’s sex.

"Boop-boop-a-DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jessie screamed in a final explosion of passion. Her whole body slumped in weariness and Simone put Jessie down on the bed next to her and turned over onto her side.

"It really has been a while for you hasn’t it?"

"OH yeah." Jessie sighed. "I wish I could do more for you."

Simone reached over and tenderly stroked her head.

"This is the happiest I’ve been in a while too."

"I bet you watch a lot of TV."

"Not a lot else to do." Simone said. "I hope you can stay around for a while."

"She can’t." Lizzie said.

Simone rolled over and looked at the closet. Hanging from the rope was Lizzie.

"Lizzie!" Jessie said.

"You’re twins!" Simone asked the question in a lusty tone that could have melted glass. Getting up she walked over to Lizzie and picked her up. Lizzie was bruised and dirty from her fall and her harness was badly torn. Unlike Jessie she didn’t object as Simone took her off of the rope and carried her to the bed.

"Really identical twins?" Simone asked tugging at the climbing harness. Her voice betrayed her excitement. "I mean identical in every way?"

"Hey quit it!" Lizzie said trying to keep Simone from undressing her.

"I bet she can sing like Betty Boop too with a little training." Simone said ignoring Lizzie’s protest. Piece by piece the harness came off.

{We’d forgotten what she was like with twins.}

{At least this shows Simone is not gone yet.}

{Not with this reaction she isn’t.}

{When she is recovered we really must visit her again.}

{We’ll be at the hospital when they come in.}

{Jessie you and your sister need to do some work for us. You’ll have to leave your new friend.}

"Oh you are identical." Simone purred as she stood a now naked Lizzie next to her sister.

"Simone we gotta go." Jessie said giving Simone an irritated look.

"No way!" Simone said.

"Really we do!" Lizzie said. "We’re Officer Dolly’s only hope!"

"Officer Dolly? She’s alive?"

"Yea and she needs us!"

"Officer Dolly?" Simone asked.

"It’s a long story and I can’t tell you it." Jessie said to her. "But please, really, really please, let us go."

Simone looked at the two shrunken girls for a long moment. Disappointment filled her eyes as well as a bit of despair.

"Can you promise to come back?"

"Um… Can we?"

"Mistress?" Lizzie added quickly.

{That is not something we shall decide now.}

{It is possible.}

"Maybe." Jessie said.

Simone sighed and picked up Lizzie and Jessie with one hand. Leaning over the bed she placed them onto the floor.

"Well, I guess it’d be wrong to keep you, I don’t have much longer anyway."

"You…"

{Don’t say anything about the cure.}

Jessie clamped her mouth shut as Lizzie darted over and picked up two knives.

"If I can come back I will." Jessie said. "I promise!"

"Will you bring her?" Simone asked wistfully gesturing at Lizzie.

"Sure."

"Huh?"

"I’ll tell you later." Jessie said.

"What?" Lizzie asked.

"Come on." Jessie said evasively. "Aren’t we in a hurry?"

"The last time you promised we’d do something I ended up tied to a telephone pole. What’s up?"

"I just promised we’d come back if we got the chance."

"That’s it?"

"Well we’d have to sing a bit too." Simone said.

"I don’t sing." Lizzie said.

"Yea you do." Jessie said. "You know that high note your reach…"

"I only do that when… Hey you didn’t promise THAT did you?"

"Well…"

"What the hell have you been doing? Do you know what I’ve been through?"

"Hey I’ve been through some stuff too!"

"I’ve been through worse!"

"So have I!"

"Not as much as me!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-huh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-huh!"

{ENOUGH!}

Lizzie and Jessie both screeched and covered their ears.

{If you do not get moving soon you will both go through ‘stuff’ so worse there aren’t any words for the experience in the English language.}

"Yes mistress." Lizzie said.

"Sorry mistress." Jessie said. She looked up at Simone and waved.

"Don’t be strangers." Simone called as they ran out of her room.

When the chains were released Merry let herself fall to the floor. She ached and the fluids from both Sumner and Simon covered her body. So did bruises, lash marks from the whip and bite marks. Even so Merry tried to get to her feet.

"She’s got stamina." Sumner said kicking Merry hard in the ribs. She did it a few more times until Merry lay still.

"Come on." Simon said bending down. He picked Merry up and Sumner helped him carry her to the bed. "Let’s strap her in for a while and get some breakfast."

Merry surged up once as they un-strapped her from the bar but it was more for a show than for anything else. They easily forced her wrist into the straps at the top of the bed.

"Want to stick something into her?" Sumner asked.

"Sure." Simon said. "How about… Owe!"

"Wha… Damn!" Sumner said a second later.

With puzzlement on their faces the two of them fell off of the bed and onto the floor. A minute later Lizzie and Jessie climbed onto the bed.

"The knives really work!" Lizzie said helping Jessie up.

"Are you alright?" Merry asked.

"Are WE alright?" Lizzie asked looking at her.

"Holy…" Jessie swore looking at Merry.

"Had to do it." Merry said. She grimaced but managed to sit up a little. "It was the only way."

"To do what?" Lizzie demanded.

"I’ve been gone too many days without a word." Merry said. "Had to have a cover. Had to get Simone away from them. Besides had to get you two out of here safely."

"Us?" Jessie asked.

"But…"

"Simon or Sumner would have spotted you sooner or later." Merry said. "I can take it, you can’t."

"But…" Jessie said.

"Phone." Merry whispered painfully. "While I’m still conscious."

Pulling together Lizzie and Jessie pulled the cell phone up onto the bed and carried it wordlessly up to Merry.

"Put it on my chest." Merry said.

Climbing onto her Lizzie and Jessie opened the phone and leaned it against Merry’s left breast.

"The back door is open a little." Merry said. "Thunderbird 2 is waiting. Get going."

"I…" Lizzie started to say something then stopped.

"Yea, me too." Jessie said.

"Go." Merry said favoring them with a slight smile.

She waited until they were out of the room and then leaned forward. Working a cell phone with only your tongue isn’t easy but Merry managed to dial 911.

Epilogue

The sun was streaming into Merry’s room in the hospital but Merry didn’t really notice it. The television was on and ZNN was replaying yet again the battle between Count Intellect’s castle guard against Force Group J. The papers spread over her bed gave that battle front-page coverage as well. Merry’s story was burried in the metro or international sections. A few paragraphs; no pictures.

"Perfect." Merry whispered coughing slightly. Sumner’s last kick had cracked a rib on her and breathing was still painful. But it had been worth it. The Group was very pleased with her. Simon and Sumner had been completely eliminated as threats. After Merry’s fellow officers had broken into the house and found her, heard Merry’s story of kidnapping, rape, torture and murder; neither of them would get out of jail ever. Simon had been lucky to get to the patrol car in one piece. No lawyer in the world could help him now. Especially not with The Group hand picking the judge and jury.

Merry’s mood darkened as she saw Goddess of Justice standing next to Esmerelda. Esmerelda was in her wolf-girl form and was announced as a trainee member of Teen Force, Force Group J’s junior league of heroes. Goddess of Justice had her arm protectively around Esmerelda’s shoulder.

I knew she’d take you in, Merry thought, not trusting her own emotions enough to speak. She could imagine Esmerelda making friends with the young heroes and heroines, but knew that her main role would be as a nurse for Goddess of Justice. Merry wondered if the heroine would announce, or even admit to the pregnancy. She doubted it. That would be admitting to the rape and the torture and a heroine of Goddess of Justice’s reputation did not admit that.

"Hello?"

Merry looked up to see Simone at her doorway. Though it had only been a few days Simone’s color was improving. She was in a wheelchair being pushed by Deborah and Delilah.

"Hello." Merry replied. She wasn’t quite sure how to act. Simone had smiled at her in the ambulance but by then Merry had been too weak to talk.

"May I come in?"

"Sure." Merry said.

"I think you already know Debbie and Del." Simone said.

"Ah… yea." Merry said amazed at the nick names. "Hi."

"How are you feeling?" Simone asked.

"Better than I thought I would." Merry said. "How about you?"

"Oh… Elated, depressed." Simone smiled. "Not really sorry to see Simon or Sumner in jail. I’m also curious."

"Curious?"

"About Officer Dolly."

"Who?" Merry asked quietly looking to Deborah or Delilah for a clue on how to act. Their faces were carefully blank. Delilah started to say something.

"Don’t say it Del." Simone said glancing up at her. "It won’t work."

"What do you mean?" Delilah asked.

"The control word. Tell you a little secret." Simone said. "Those mirrors I have above my bed? Behind one of them is a little camera. It was fun watching myself get hypnotized."

"A camera." Delilah said.

Merry started to get up despite the pain but Deborah held up a hand.

"It’s ok Merry."

"She’s Officer Dolly." Simone said looking at Merry. Then she looked at Delilah. "And I get the feeling that George and her sister also work for you."

"Her name is Jessie." Delilah said.

"I think I prefer George. Is she well?"

"Yes, they both are."

"All of us are thanks to you." Simone said looking back to Merry. "I know my brother quite well. What you went through was hideous."

"It was necessary." Merry said calmly.

"Not just to save you." Deborah said.

"I’m quite sure." Simone said. She patted Delilah’s hand. "I always knew that you two were smarter than you let on, but I never dreamed you were that smart. I should have."

"You were pretty good at hiding your intelligence as well." Deborah said.

"My uncle was a supervillain." Simone said. "A woman hating supervillain. I learned early to put on a good act."

"Well what now?" Deborah asked.

"You saved my life." Simone said. "All of you did. Spontaneous remission. A rather quaint phrase I think. I see no reason to be anything but grateful. The people you picked run my company very well. I’m going to live again, as far as I’m concerned I owe you everything."

Deborah and Delilah exchanged nods and Merry let herself relax. She knew them well enough to know when the twins were satisfied.

"So we continue as before." Delilah said.

"Well with a few little changes." Simone said. She looked at Merry. "I understand you are something of a comic book fan."

"Years ago." Merry said. "Not so much really, I couldn’t afford them and didn’t have room to save what I had."

"Well my brother will not be using his collection for some time. I’m sure I won’t mind if you come over to the house and read through them."

"That would be… nice." Merry said after Deborah nodded.

"And please feel free to bring some guest." Simone said. A lovingly lustful tone crept into her voice. "I love twins you know." She looked at Deborah and Delilah. "At just about any size."

"I think we can arrange that." Delilah said.

"When you’re a little stronger." Deborah added.

"Fine." Simone said and the look she threw at Merry was full of invitation. "When we are all a little stronger then."

"I’m…" Merry started.

"Tired." Deborah said.

"Let’s let her get some rest." Delilah said.

"Good day then." Simone smiled and waved.

Merry settled back against the pillow. The thought of a rich person’s comic book collection was a pleasant one, but Simone’s desire was uncomfortable. Normally Merry could have handled it, letting her down gently but firmly. But what if The Group needed her to keep Simone happy?

Suddenly Merry laughed despite the pain.

"What am I worried about?" Merry said to the empty room. "After… Gods… After vampires, animated knives, gargoyles, were-wolve’s… God after everything I’ve been through just plain lesbian sex should be a walk in the park! Hell maybe I’ll even enjoy it."

Merry turned the sound up on the set and then let herself drift into sleep.

"It’d be nice to enjoy it for a change." She muttered wistfully. "It’d be nice to enjoy anything for a change."

End.

PREVIOUS CHAPTER  SCARLET'S SANCTUM MAIN PAGE   SKYTOWER'S MAIN PAGE NEXT CHAPTER