The End of Batgirl as We Know Her For Her Own
Good
By Flamingo Boy
flamingoboyfun@gmail.com
PART 1
Batgirls motorcycle finally made it the roof top area of the
very tall and private parking garage. After she braked her bike to a screeching
halt, she quickly cut off the engine and waited for her appointment
to show up.
She didnt have to wait long.
Minutes later, Wonder Woman arrived and walked to Batgirl who was
still sitting on her cycle. The caped crusaderess was momentarily startled
as she did not even hear the raven-haired Amazons approach. It was
a good thing that Wonder Woman was friend. If she were a foe, she could have
easily gotten the drop on Batgirl and subdued her... even without having
to use her extraordinary strength.
This wasnt like Batgirl. She never spooked so easily before
nor did she allow herself to get distracted. Earlier in her career, it was
a difficult thing to sneak up on Batgirl and blindside her. It seemed that
her timing and reactions were a bit off as of late
and slowly getting
worse. Batgirl knew that she was losing some of her edge and sharpness. This
wouldnt be a big deal for an ordinary person, but for someone in the
crime-fighting business, a split second of reacting sooner than your opponent
could mean the difference between life and death.
Batgirl found that she was getting fatigued sooner. She didnt
hit as hard as she used to. It was if her strength, stamina, constitution,
dexterity, and alertness were slowly wearing away.
She began to wonder if she was starting to feel the effects of older
age and the wear and tear of crime-fighting on her body. She was far from
an old lady, but she wasnt the spring chicken of her initial crime
fighting days when she was fresh out of college.
Batgirl had been fighting crime for many years
so many years,
in fact, that she wondered why she never graduated to naming herself Batwoman.
Perhaps, this was her bodys way of telling her to slow down and retire
from her side-career. How did Batman do it? Hes been bashing loons
like the Joker and the Penguin years before Batgirl ever made her debut.
He didnt seem any older or slower. If anything, Batman seemed to be
getting sharper with age. Was it because Batmans body was in better
condition because he was a man and she was a woman?
All these years, heroines like her had to constantly prove to their
male peers and the general public, that they were just as good and effective
as they were. Only Wonder Woman and Supergirl always seemed steady and were
never shown any disrespect by the likes of power-hitters like Batman, Superman,
and Green Lantern.
This was something that she had to contemplate at a more convenient
time. She had business to attend to with Wonder Woman
whatever it
was
and her star-spangled friend always deserved her full, undivided
attention.
Thanks for coming on such short notice, said Wonder Woman
as she knew that she woke Batgirl out of her distracted gaze.
She, too, had noticed that her friend was
not up to her usual par of peak performance. For now, Wonder Woman decided
to pretend that she didnt notice that she startled Batgirl as she
didnt want to embarrass or make her loyal friend lose face. If Batgirl
was having some sort of problem, she would talk about it in due time. Batgirl
was Wonder Womans most loyal, trusted and valuable friend, and vice-versa.
They always talked openly about things and never kept secrets from each
other
except if they were sworn by a greater force
such as
Dianas Amazon secrets. Batgirl was a spiritual sister to her in a sense.
They were kindred spirits
so much so, that Wonder Woman felt more
comfortable and connected in Batgirls presence than she did with her
own Amazon sisters back on Themyscira (aka Paradise
Island).
Wonder Woman decided to put that on the side
and stick to the business at hand. She knew that Batgirls slow decline
in physical fitness would soon be rectified.
I got here as soon as I got your message,
Diana, Batgirl smiled to her friend.
Im really sorry to bother you
on a Friday afternoon, Barb, and put a damper on your
weekend.
Thats okay. She noticed
that Wonder Woman had a disheveled look on her face as if she wanted to ask
something but couldnt.
I need you to do me a favor, Wonder
Woman bit her lip as it appeared that it was a favor that she wasnt
thrilled to ask a friend to do for her and would rather do it herself than
to dump it on someone else.
Sure, what are friends for?
She noticed her comrades awkwardness. Whats the trouble,
Diana? Is there a problem? You look as though this favor youre about
to ask could lead me right into the lions den. Is that why youre
reluctant to ask? Because theres danger involved that you would prefer
to face on your own
but cant?
Well, Barbara.... you see
its
like this
ummmm
.
Dont be afraid for me, Diana,
Batgirl said. Danger is part of the crime-fighting business. I may
not almost be a strong as Superman or be able to fly or deflect bullets from
my bracelets, if I had any, but I can still hold my own. You know that as
well as I do.
Of course, you can, Wonder Woman
made an attempt to smile but it looked contrived. Its nothing
dangerous at all. That I promise. You can trust me on that. Its a mundane
favor at best
actually more like a pain in the ass and a waste of your
time, but I assure you, that it needs to be done. A lot of small children
are depending on me. I loath to ask you do this, but I have more important
tasks and matters to attend to that only my lone attention can
resolve.
What do you need me to do? Batgirl
remained patient and knew that Wonder Woman would eventually get to the
point.
Wonder Woman, however, still needed to justify
her request. This favor has a deadline. I have to get back to my mother,
Queen Hippolyta on Themyscira as soon as possible. I wont have time
to do both tasks. I cant be at two places at the same time
you
see
. Wonder Woman still found herself torn and stalled some more.
Id do this myself and I would never ask you to do this for me
if the circumstances didnt warrant it.
Please ask, Diana. Id do anything
for you and youd do anything for me.
Wonder Woman knew that Batgirl meant that
with all sincerity. Now, it was all the more difficult to ask. She paused
for a few more seconds trying to get the words out.
Dont be embarrassed, Batgirl
spoke before Wonder Woman could open her mouth. You obviously have
family trouble and family is always important
much more important than
this favor you want me to do for
you. I hope everything is okay. Is there trouble back at home? Do you need
me to help you with that?
I need to take care of my home-trouble
alone. Wonder Woman answered sternly and without emotion before realizing
that she was being too aloof and cold to Batgirl. But thanks for
asking
and for your concern. As for trouble, there wont be any
of that
provide I get home soon.
Thats good to hear, Diana. Im
sure everything will be fine. You always manage to work things out in the
end. Remember that time you lost the title of Wonder Woman to someone else
and here you are back in uniform and better than ever.
Batgirl realized that the more she talked
to Wonder Woman, the more she made her friend uncomfortable. She decided
that enough was enough and she let her friend off the hook.
Nevermind
Im rambling. Now
what can I do for
you?
Wonder Woman took a deep breath. She then
handed Batgirl a sealed envelope. She was holding it the whole while, and
this was the first time that Batgirl noticed. It wasnt like her to
be so unobservant.
I need you to deliver this for me.
She handed Batgirl the envelope. The address is on the envelope. You
shouldnt have any trouble finding the place.
Batgirl looked the envelope over and found
nothing unusual about it. As a matter of fact, it couldnt be more ordinary.
It was merely a simple and plain white envelope
just like the one everybody
else uses to mail a letter, except this envelope didnt have a stamp.
Although it had an address written on it in Wonder Womans fine penmanship,
there was no name on it. The only thing that she could surmise that was inside
the envelope, was a piece of paper.
Whats inside, Diana? Some sort
of top secret document or something?
Nothing that exciting, nor is it anything
illegal, I assure you. Its just a check. I need you to drop it off
for me.
Is that all? Batgirl laughed.
You just want me to run an errand for you? Is that what the big deal
is about?
Like I said, Barb, a pain-in-the-ass
detail. This place is a three hour ride from the city on your
batgirl-cycle
and it needs to get there in the next three and a half
hours.
Whats the matter? You need me
to pay your water bill before they shut it off? Look
its no big
deal
. really. Im not doing anything all weekend. Even the criminal
element around here is on a slow down. Actually, I was getting bored and
I could use a good distraction.
Youll
find this drive just as boring and the delivery to
be
I know, Batgirl finished Wonder
Womans sentence for her. A pain in the
ass.
Its
still important that you get there on time, Wonder Woman continued,
but if you are late, its nothing that will threaten the world
but not being late could make it a better place for some
children.
Thats the second time you brought
up kids, Diana. Whats the deal?
The check inside the envelope is the
money raised from the Justice Leagues fund drive for Operation:
Goodwill
the organization that supplies food, clothing, medicine, and
education to impoverished children throughout the
world.
I know all about that. I was just as
much part of that drive as you were. Remember? We had a record year
raised more money than all the three previous years combined when the JLA
first started the drive. We even made an appearance at that charity dinner
together. I thought that it would be boring, but I actually had a good time.
Didnt you? Batgirl laughed again. I dont think that
its a pain in the ass to
go on a mission of mercy. As a matter of fact, Im flattered that you
asked me and trust me enough to do this for you.
Its not that simple as you
think, Wonder Woman did feel better about getting the subject in the
open but still had a bit of unease within herself. You see, that fund
gets matched
penny for penny on whatever we
raise.
Thats great! Batgirl still
couldnt understand why Wonder Woman was so reluctant. That means
we make twice as much money. Its too bad that we couldnt get
these corporations to match on the first three
years.
Now Wonder Woman saw her chance to get her
awkward point out, and perhaps, feel better about herself. It
has been matched for three years, Barbara
ever since we first
started the drive. Its not a mass of corporations that match the
fund
its a single corporation
run by a single
individual.
Really? Barbara was totally surprised
to here this. How come I never heard of this match
before?
Because the donor likes his privacy.
He wants to donate in secret because he loathes public attention and publicity.
Hes an eccentric billionaire that prefers to remain obscure. He never
leaves his estate. Hes been a recluse for
years.
Come on, Diana. Youre pulling
my leg
arent you?
I wish I was, Barb. What makes this
a difficult favor to ask of you is that the reclusive eccentric billionaire
in question is
Hugh Howards IV.
Are you kidding me? Are we talking about
the former movie producer turned aeronautics innovator genius? I thought
he was dead. Didnt he disappear off the face of the Earth ten years
ago? Hes like some urban legend Boogie Man
all these stories
about people seeing him just like Bigfoot. One time, some truck driver claimed
that he picked Howards up while the kook was hitch-hiking. The driver said
Howards was dressed like a bum.
Hes no legend. Hes not dead.
Hes very much alive, although only an elite, select few know about
it. He did disappear ten years ago
but of his own choice
so people
would leave him alone and he could enjoy his solitude. He no longer wishes
to be in the public eye and no longer wants the scrutiny of the
media.
Thats
crazy.
I told you that he was eccentric, Barbara.
He contacted the JLA three years ago, just after we finished with our charity
drive. The communication was secret from most of the members. Only Superman,
Aquaman, and Flash, and myself know about the arrangement we made with him
and now you as well.
What arrangement? This was getting
stranger and more bizarre to Batgirl with each passing moment, but she felt
a strange fascination to wanting to hear more.
Like I said, he would match our funds
to the penny, but there was a
catch. He would only do so, if
and only if, Wonder Woman were to personally come to his estate
alone and hand him our check where I would endorse it, and he would
transfer our funds along with his own matching funds via electronic transfer
to the charitys bank account. Hes done that for the past three
years, provided I show up with a check on a preordained day of the year and
a preordained time. If I fail to show up on time, the deal is null and void
and he will never match our funds in the future. Normally, the JLA wont
comply with such rigid and stringent stipulations
but the amount of
money is so substantial that it could make a big difference for those poor
children. Thats the only reason I agreed to his strange request in
the first place.
Wonder Woman let out another sigh of
embarrassment. You see, Barb, he has this
thing for Super-heroines
especially his favorite
that would be me. I think he likes me. He has
some sort of major crush on me.
So does every hot-blooded heterosexual
male on the planet. Do you know how many times our pictures get downloaded
from the internet? Theres no harm in a crush, Diana, so long as its
only a crush. Hes not a pervert or anything, is
he?
No, Wonder Woman said confidently.
Hes been nothing but a gentleman. Hes never tried to touch
me inappropriately or made a crude comment towards me. Its just that
well
other than delivering the check, Im also obligated to spend
the afternoon and have lunch with him. Afterwards, we talk for a bit as he
shows me around his huge estate
it makes my mothers palace and
Bruce Waynes mansion look like a cottages
then he talks of his
latest business acquisitions
and then some more small talk. Then, after
a few hours, I head home.
Is that all? That doesnt sound
so bad.
You dont understand. All the while
that Im there, he dotes and fawns all over me
but in a nice,
polite way, of course. He wont allow me to do a thing. He opens doors
for me. Pulls my chair out for me
he pours my tea for me at the table.
All he does is wait on me hand and foot. Its so
embarrassing.
So he treats you like a queen for a
day
poor baby, Batgirl jokingly mocked. I wouldnt
mind that kind of attention at all
but I can certainly see it from
your point of view. I guess that being an Amazon youre not used to
being pampered by men on account that men once enslaved your race and when
you freed yourselves, you had to learn to be
independent.
Its more than that, Wonder
Womans voice seemed to get nervous. Hes constantly telling
me how beautiful I am
always complimenting
me.
I think thats
sweet
Then
its the way he looks
at me, Wonder Woman continued without acknowledging Batgirls
last remark. I know that hes undressing me with his eyes
picturing me naked
hoping that Ill ask him to take me into his
bed chamber and have his way with me. Im reluctant to ask you this
favor on account that you might be subjected to the same
leering.
Dont worry about that, Diana.
I get looks like that from men every time I go out in public
especially
from the likes of villains such as the Riddler and the Mad Hatter. The
leering as you call it, gives me
the edge
theyre so busy ogling me, that they get distracted,
and I get the drop on them. I even get looks from Catwoman. Whats up
with that? She must be playing with my head because I know, for a fact, that
she and Batman still get it on.
Batgirl gave Wonder Woman a look a confidence.
Ill be fine. Im sure that I can handle the old
coot.
Wonder Woman gave Batgirl a look of disbelief.
That old coot happens to be very smooth and charming. Hes so
kind and descent. He has such charisma. Although hes never had the
nerve to ask, I would go into his bed chamber with him. It takes all my inner
fortitude to resist him. If it werent for my Amazon discipline, I would
have given in to my urges a long time ago.
Batgirl started to laugh.
Whats so
funny?
Batgirl finally caught her breath. This had
caught her by surprise. She was intrigued as this was the first time, in
many years, that Wonder Woman took any interest in a man. You
like him, dont you? You really, really like the old coot. Could it
be that someone other than Steve Trevor is starting to steal your
heart?
This is serious, Barbara. Sometimes,
I just dont know what to do. It gets worse, too. Every year, he playfully
asks me to marry him, and I playfully decline. We both laugh it off as an
ongoing private joke between the two of us
but sometimes I wonder if
hes really serious
that he does love me and wants to spend the
rest of his life with me.
Wow, Diana. That is serious. Im
sorry I made light of the situation.
Thats okay, Barbara, but you know as well as I that if
I take a husband, Ill have to give up being Wonder Woman
and
Im not ready to do that, just yet. The worlds still needs me. Its
just that hes so sweet and nice, that it breaks my heart to push him
away. I dont want to hurt his feelings. I really do my best not to
encourage him
but theres something about him that I find attractive
and irresistible. I just dont trust myself
anymore.
That is a problem, Batgirl
sympathized.
Well, its a problem that I need to resolve on my own.
The real problem is that if I dont show up at the appointed time,
hell stop matching JLA funds. Thats where I require your help,
Barbara. I need you go to in my place.
Batgirl gave Wonder Woman a weird stare, That wont work,
Diana. I wont pass for you. Even if I managed to find a black wing
and a red, white, and blue costume, hell still notice that Im
a good six to eight inches shorter. Even if he falls for it, he may ask me
to prove that Im Wonder Woman by asking me to bend a steel bar or
something.
What are you talking about? I dont want to trick him.
I want you to go as yourself
as Batgirl.
Ummm
hello? Arent you forgetting something,
Dear?
Forgetting
what?
That the agreement calls for
Wonder Woman to make the delivery.
Oh, that, Wonder Woman finally lightened up and managed
a quick laugh. How silly of me that I forgot to mention
Hugh
I mean Mr. Howards
he may be an eccentric kook but he does understand
the existence of extenuating circumstances. Theres a special provision
in the agreement that if Wonder Woman cannot appear, then his second favorite
super-heroine can step in for her
thats Batgirl
which happens
to be you. So
Barbara
do you think that you can do this for me
now knowing what youre getting yourself into? Are you still willing
to go even after what I just told you?
No problem! Batgirl couldnt see why Wonder Woman
was making a federal case out of this mission of mercy. Its no
big deal
really. Stop looking at me like youre sending me to
my doom.
Just be careful, Hon. Wonder Woman went back to being
dead serious. Hes a real smooth talker. Keep your guard up at
all times.
I think I can resist an old man for a few hours. Then
Batgirl had a wicked, but playful thought. Then again
are you
sure that its my well-being and virtue that youre worried
about?
By Hera, Batgirl! What do you mean?
Batgirl had to force herself not to laugh. Wonder Woman had fallen
for her little verbal trap. Maybe, its jealousy on your part.
Maybe youre worried that hell sweep me off my feet and dump you
for me.
I assure you, Barb. Thats not the
case
Dont worry. Why would he settle for Batgirl when he can
have Wonder Woman?
Diana stood there dumbfounded for a few seconds before Barbara let
her off the hook.
Im only messing with you, Diana. Batgirl gave her
friend a playful nudge on the shoulder. Whats with you today?
Did you check your sense of humor at the door? Ooops
I forgot
theres trouble brewing back on Paradise Island
I mean
Themyscira. Sorry about that.
Dont be sorry, Wonder Woman grabbed Batgirl by her
shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek. You have no idea what this
favor means to me.
Dont you fret your pretty little Amazon head,
Girlfriend, Batgirl took the envelope and put it into a vacant compartment
of her utility belt. I wont be late for the appointment. Ill
take care of business here and you just take care of your business at home.
Just do whatcha got to do, Babe.
Thanks, again. Wonder Woman walked to the edge of the
garage. Ill debrief you about everything when we both
return.
Before Woman Wonder jumped up to fly away, she turned around one last
time to look at Batgirl.
Was Batgirl seeing things? She could have sworn that Diana had turned
back and gave her a weird sort of grin
like the cat the swallowed the
canary
or was it a grimace
because Wonder Woman felt guilty about
dumping some dirty work on her?
As
Batgirl watched Wonder Woman fly away, she suddenly remembered back to the
first time she met the Champion of the Amazons. It was weird that this thought
came into her mind.
It
was many years ago
and Wonder Woman couldnt fly on her own. She
needed her invisible plane back then to get around. I bet Wonder Woman was
glad to get rid of that albatross.
Where the devil did she park that thing when not in use? If she forgot
where she left it, would Wonder Woman be able to find it? How did she keep
other planes and birds from flying into it?
It was so long ago. Did time really pass that
fast?
Once again Batgirl contemplated if she was getting old. Was she past
her prime? Were her best years left behind? Funny
she didnt feel
old. She still had her looks and her shapely muscular body that still makes
many a male head turn
even to this very day.
Now that Batgirl thought of it, Wonder Womans ability to fly
was a bit peculiar. Diana never explained her sudden gift to fly. Batgirl
had asked her about it once and Wonder Woman nonchalantly replied,
Im not at liberty to discuss it at this time
but you may
know in due time.
It
wasnt like Wonder Woman to keep secrets from her, and vice-versa. Batgirl
figured that Diana must have been bound by some sort of Amazon secret. Batgirl
couldnt blame her for that. Wonder Woman couldnt very well divulge
secrets to outsiders.
Speaking of peculiar
this whole situation seemed strange. Batgirl
had a weird feeling about this mission of mercy. She had a gut
instinct that there was more to this than Wonder Woman was willing to
tell.
What a ridiculous thought, Batgirl said to herself.
Why would Diana do that? Diana would never
lead her astray. She trusted Wonder Woman implicitly. This assignment would
be a cake walk. It was Wonder Womans Amazon pride and ego that was
causing her to make a big deal out of it.
Batgirl started up her motorcycle and drove down the ramp in order
to start her long drive.
*
*
*
*
As Wonder Woman flew out of Batgirls sight, she contemplated
if she made the right decision.
Maybe it wouldnt be so bad for Batgirl. This trip could be the
very thing she needs. Wonder Woman managed to ease her conscience by convincing
herself that this grandmother-of-all-shit-assignments was to Batgirls
benefit
not her detriment. Batgirls sacrifice would be for the
good of those poor children, and perhaps do some good for
herself.
Its
for her own good, Wonder
Woman thought to herself. Yeah,
thats the ticket. She may even thank me for the experience. Shell
be alright. She chose to go. She didnt have to do it. Just be careful,
Barbara, my dear friend. Hugh can be quite a
handful.
Part
2
It had been over an hour since Batgirl got of the ramp of the Interstate
and took the country road. Ever since she took this back road, she had yet
to see a passing car.
Wonder Woman was right. It did seem like an endless ride. It wasnt
until the round lead into a vast forest of tall trees that the scenery and
ride took a more pleasant turn.
Batgirl looked at the clock on her dashboard.
She was still on schedule.
As Batgirl drove deeper and deeper into the
forest, she noticed that the trees were also becoming taller, thicker, and
denser. Batman had taught her how to blend in and hide within her surroundings.
Batgirl did exceptionally well when it came to using forested trees as her
cover. She could easily disappear in such thick trees and easily ambush anyone
that was pursuing her. She was even able to hide and escape pursuers while
bound and gagged. It was so easy to find sharp rocks or branches to cut her
ropes or to break chains or handcuffs.
Why did she suddenly get the thought of being
tied up in her head? Why did this excite her?
After a while, it got so dense that the tree
tops were actually blocking out the sun and made the road appear darker and
darker. Although it was still early afternoon and sundown was many hours
away, everything appeared as if she were riding at night.
It got so dark that Batgirl actually had to
put on her high-beam headlight in order to see where she was going. The road
had no lights or even reflectors. Batgirl had to slow her speed down in order
to maintain a reasonable degree of safe travel. The road constantly twisted
and turned and if Batgirl wasnt careful, she could easily run off the
road and wrap herself around a huge tree.
If
this Hugh Howards wanted privacy and seclusion, he found the right place.
The nearest town was, at least, twenty miles away. Because of that, it was
very likely that his household staff lived on the estate. They probably arranged
for trucks to deliver loads of food and supplies at one time so they could
stock up for months. What if someone got injured on the estate and needed
medical care? They would either have to be a full-time physician assigned
to the grounds and a helicopter readily available for evac. This, however,
was not that peculiar even for an eccentric billionaire. Many other rich
and powerful folks had the same set up. Bruce Wayne would arrive at board
meetings via helicopter
that is when he decided to show up because
he wasnt busy getting drunk and chasing women.
Every rich and powerful person had their quirks, but this Hugh Howards
IV made them all look normal and rational. Barbara appreciated her private
times just as much as the next person, but even she had to get out and mingle.
Why would anyone self-exile themselves from the outside world? In a way,
she felt sorry for Howards. He was living in a prison. It may have been a
luxurious prison on miles of estate
but still a
prison.
The only things that Batgirl knew about him, was what she saw on TV
documentaries, read in papers and magazines, or heard on the
radio.
Hugh Howards IV was a respected businessman and a descendent of a
family that owned a company that manufactured farm equipment for many
generations. The Howards employed many people and were highly respected family
in society.
Hugh III became the sudden sole-surviving family blood heir when a
terrorist attack bombed a hotel in which all of Hughs relatives were
in attendance, having their annual family reunion. Everyone in that ballroom
was killed. Hugh was able to avoid that fate as he was closing a deal in
Fargo, North Dakota. A sudden freak snow storm delayed his plane and he was
late for the party. Had the plane left an hour sooner, Hugh III would have
died with everyone else.
Many years later, Hugh succumbed to the effects of old age. He never
married. He never had children. All his blood relatives were dead; therefore,
there was no apparent heir to the family business.
Or
so it seemed.
Hugh III attorney came forward and presented the will in which Hugh
confessed to have a ten year love affair with one of his maids named Grace
Harper. Despite his proposals, Grace refused to marry him because she
didnt want to tarnish her lovers reputation and she didnt
want to live a life where people thought that she was a gold digger and only
married her Boss for his money.
The main reason that Hugh never had children was because his doctor
told him that he had a rare disorder in which his sperm cells would immediately
die once they left his body, thereby making a woman pregnant was almost
impossible. The newspaper somehow got wind of this information and went public.
That was why everyone was surprised when the will went
public.
The term impossible and almost impossible
are two entirely different things. The latter means extremely unlikely
but not dead certain. It is almost impossible for a coin to land on its
edge
but it happens. However, it happens so infrequently that the option
is never taken into consideration during the coin flip of the Superbowl.
Its either called heads or tails. No one ever
calls it edge.
Many years ago, Hugh IIIs sperm did land on its
edge.
A secret surprise romantic rendezvous to the
Bahamas with Grace resulted in the birth of their son
a total billion
to one shot!
Sadly, the mother died during childbirth. Not wanting his son to grow
up with the public knowledge of being an illegitimate bastard son, Hugh III
shipped his son off to Switzerland to be raised by a professional governess.
Hugh made sure that all the boys needs were taken care of. He made
sure his son had the finest education. He gave his son every thing except
a father. Hugh refused to see his own son or allowed his son to know who
his father was, as the memories of Graces death were too painfully,
and seeing his son would make those memories emerge.
As
far as the boy knew, he was Hugh Harper and he was an orphan who was taken
pity on by a mysterious rich benefactor.
When news of an heir was revealed, the estate attorneys quickly located
the son, now thirty five years old, and took him back to the states, revealing
his heritage and his estate.
The will was contested, at first, but Hugh IIIs personal attorney
was able to provide birth certificates and all other legal documentation.
There was no dispute that Hugh Harper was Hugh Howard IIIs son after
a blood and DNA test.
Shortly thereafter, Hugh Harper legally changed his name to Hugh Harper
Howard IV and took over the family business.
Hugh IV proved to be a shrewd businessman and investor as he was able
to take a modest family fortune and soon turn into a mega-fortune billion
dollar empire.
Hugh took an interest in the motion picture business when a production
agent asked if they could borrow some old-fashioned tractors for a movie
shot.
Howards soon produced many hit films that grossed record sales at
the box office. It was rumored that he had many love affairs with various
female movie stars.
For reasons unknown, Hugh stopped producing films and turned his attention
to the aeronautics industry. His company designed and built space shuttle
parts. Howards often tested this shuttles himself and was the holder of many
space speed records. He even led an all-civilian, non-military expedition
to the moon!
Some ten years ago, Hughs empire almost crumpled when he was
called to a Congressional hearing where the U.S. government was going to
proceed to charges against Howards for being a security risk and a spy.
Apparently, these charges stemmed from the fact that he refused to show
government officials blue prints of his newest space shuttle to end all space
shuttles
a shuttle he was going to use for his company and not for
the government.
Hugh fought back hard, making the committee look like a bunch of
jackasses. The charges were dropped and Howards was vindicated. Even an apology
from the President of the United States was too little, too
late.
Disgusted for the way that the government, press, and media treated
him as guilty until proven innocent,
especially after what he had done for all three groups in the past, he decided
to shut himself off from the rest of the world.
From that point on, Howards never made a public appearance. He hired
CEOs to run his businesses. He never attended board meetings and sent someone
in his stead. Any matter that did require his direct attention was either
resolved over the phone or by fax or email. Only a few select people, such
as his staff, ever saw him in person.
What Batgirl found more peculiar that the mysterious Hughes Howard
IV was Wonder Womans behavior when she asked this
favor.
Batgirl finally figured out what it was!
Wonder Woman was smitten!
There
was a genuine affection in Dianas eyes for this man
no doubt
about it! Wonder Woman had sworn off finding love when Steve Trevor was killed
in that tragic plane crash. She probably told herself that she would never
love again. Diana was torn for her feelings for Hugh and her memories of
Steve. Batgirl knew that Steve Trevor was the type of man that would want
Diana to go on with life and try to pursue loving
another.
It
all made sense to Batgirl now
but there still was one thing wrong.
If she did her math correctly, Hugh would have to a man, at least, in his
early to mid-seventies? Why would Diana find a man who appeared old enough
to be her father as desirable? Batgirl thought it over and perhaps it
wasnt so strange. Many women marry men that are twenty to thirty years
older. In those old movies that Barbara loved so much, Cary Grant was still
a dashing leading man well into his early sixties and often scored with ladies
half his age.
Batgirl had her crushes and attractions, too. In the beginning of
her career, it was Batman. It never went anywhere because the Caped Crusader
only saw her as a second-class sidekick. Batman was never meant for her,
but deep down, she knew that he looked down at her. He never said it, but
she also knew that Batman resented the fact that she was wearing his emblem.
It also never went anywhere because Batman was too hung up on
Catwoman.
Batgirl was one to talk about strange attractions. She had a thing
for the Joker. There was something about the white face, green hair, dark
red lips, wide twisted smile, and purple suit that made her head spin. What
was it about this diabolic and demonic laugh that gave her goose bumps? He
had all the qualities in a man that Barbara desired. He was intelligent.
He was witty and could be quite charming when he put his mind to it. He had
a great sense of humor. He wasnt afraid to laugh. The only draw back
was that he was a PSYCHOTIC HOMOCIDAL LUNATIC/MANIAC. How many times had
Batgirl secretly wished that the Joker would capture her, tie her up, rip
her costume off, and then ravage her body? On the few occasions that she
did get captured by the Joker, what does the numb nuts do instead? He puts
her in some special secret death trap and then leaves her alone so she can
escape without hindrance. What that stupid clown sees in Harley Quinn,
shell never know. Lucky twit!
Then there was Shame. He was a cutie and Batgirl had a thing for Cowboys,
too. That Jessie James reject had a golden opportunity and he blew it. Shame
actually had her bound and gagged and under the effects of fear gas
and what goes this stupid cowpoke do? Nothing! Shame gave Batgirl up in a
lousy hostage exchange for Calamity Jans mother, Frontier Fanny. Stupid
old cow!
Chandell was dreamy and he played the piano so beautifully. Batgirl
was glad that Chandell was paroled because he really wasnt a criminal.
His twin brother, Harry, blackmailed him into crime. Chandell was a great
entertainer and all the ladies loved and adored him, including Batgirl.
Its a shame that he didnt love the ladies back. Oh well
the female genders loss is the male genders
gain.
How many times had Batgirl locked herself in her bedroom, stripped
down to her underwear and tied herself up and then fanaticized of Batman,
Joker, George Clooney, Shame, Andy Garcia, or Harvey Dent (before he became
Two Face) barging in and taking advantage of her helpless situation.
It was good to have a harmless fantasy
because thats all it was.
Batgirl thought it totally sucked that she
was pushing thirty and she was still a virgin.
Batgirl thought again. Maybe Wonder Woman found that she was endeared
to Hugh as a father figure and not a lover. That would make sense that she
didnt want to do anything that would hurt his feeling. That had to
be it!
The cycle came to a gentle breaking halt as Batgirl found the road
in which she was supposed to turn. It was a dirt road which was blocked by
an old wooden dilapidated fence. It could barely stand and the swinging gate
on the fence did not have a lock on it.
She spotted something attached to the gate and quickly put her
cycles headlight on it. The object was an equally old sign. The paint
was peeling and the yellow background color had faded. She had a hard time
making out the words but after a few minutes of squinting her eyes, she was
able to make out the following:
PRIVATE ROAD!
NO TRESPASSING!
VIOLATORS WILL BE SHOT ON SIGHT!
This cant be right, Batgirl said as she checked
her GPS which indicated that she should turn here. Just to make sure, she
pulled her flashlight out of her utility belt so she could check her map
book. It, too, confirmed that this was the correct road in which to
proceed.
Wonder Woman never told
me about this, Batgirl thought to herself as she rubbed her chin.
I wonder how
come?
Batgirl had another feeling that something was wrong. She was almost
about to get on her cycle, forget the whole mission, and just go back home.
Under any other circumstances, she might have just done that.
There were two main reasons that she hesitated.
First, the welfare of millions of needy children was at stake and Batgirl
didnt want to be the one to turn her back on them just because of a
sign. Second, she promised Diana that she would delver the check on time.
Batgirl was not one to break a promise for
a friend.
I
got it, Batgirl suddenly
realized and her bad feelings and doubts soon disappeared.
Wonder Woman
wouldnt know about this sign and gate. She arrives here by
air
not by vehicle. She would never see this at
all.
Barbara looked at the sign one more time.
Im not a trespasser. This
is the correct road and I am expected. Maybe, the staff leaves by a different
road when they run errands. Maybe this entrance was forgotten or so infrequently
used that its never dawned on them to take the sign down. That must
be it. This entrance looks like it hasnt been used in a decade. It
has to be a mistake.
Batgirls suspicions were confirmed by
the loud squeaking and shaking of the posts as she slowly opened the gate.
After moving it about a foot, it started to wobble, so she quickly closed
it which seemed to keep it stable. She then spotted a section of the fence
on the far right side where the wood had rotted away. There was a four foot
opening between the edge of the fence and the huge tree that was next to
it.
Carefully, Batgirl walked her motorcycle through
the gap. When she was clear, she gave her motorcycle some throttle and sped
off, leaving a cloud of dirt as she traversed the gravel
road.
After about fifteen minutes of riding, Batgirl saw that the trees
were slowly thinning out. The darkness began to fade. Eventually, Batgirl
could see well enough that he could now turn her headlight off. It didnt
take long before she finally broke out from the trees and now found that
she was traveling in an open field. As she drove, the forest, which was on
both sides of her, slowly got further and further away from the road. It
seemed that this area was once forested but now had been cleared
out.
It was after Batgirl rode up a hill that her
breathe was taken away from a sight to behold.
It was just like the Wizard of Oz,
when Dorothy and friends crossed the poppy fields and spotted the Emerald
City for the very first time.
The estate was huge! She saw that the road
she was on went on for another three miles until it reached a very high wrought
iron fence. About a mile behind the fence was the mansion. The biggest and
most beautiful palace she had ever seen. The white marbled fortress had a
variety of styles to it, from Classical to Modern. The main entrance had
high pillars. There were buttresses just like Notre Dame Cathedral. There
were dooms and towers and every other piece of architecture
imaginable.
Batgirl took her binoculars from her belt
and took a closer look. Three things caught her attention. First, the top
of the mansion seemed to have a penthouse of sorts
almost like it was
a separate area from the big house. It was too fancy and ornate to be
servants quarters. Second, the forest began to bend in until it totally
circled around of the house. It also appeared that the forest was some three
or four hundred yards from the back of the house so part of the back yard
was the forest. Batgirl figured that the mansion was so close to the trees
perhaps because the occupants were into hunting or bird watching. Third,
she spotted a little house in front of the main entrance to the gate
the guard house.
Batgirl looked at the clock and saw that she
had made it with twenty minutes to spare. She took a look around and saw
that there was no one patrolling the grounds with shotguns or rifles. Feeling
safe that she was not going to be mistaken as a trespasser and got shot,
she decided not to delay and risk breaking the agreement. She started up
her bike again and proceeded to the guard house.
As she got closer to the house, there were
statues of Greek Gods on both sides of the path
each more finely detailed
than the next.
Batgirl pulled her cycle up to the side of
the guard house, adjacent to the sliding glass window, expecting it to open
and reveal a guard requesting her business and probably asking her to sign
the visitors log. Just in case, Batgirl fumbled into her utility belt
and located her JLA ID card and the envelope that contained the check for
charity. As she was getting her things together, she could hear a radio playing
an old Moody Blues tune behind the glass.
It was about a minute later, and the glass
to the house did not slide open to acknowledge her.
When she turned her head to look at the glass,
she finally noticed that it was mirrored
just like a fun house. Batgirl
could only see her reflection on her side of the glass but not behind it,
while, whoever was on the other side, could see her
clearly.
Thats
peculiar, Batgirl thought to herself.
Ive never seen tinted glass on a guard house before. Then again,
almost everythings been peculiar ever since I agreed to do this job.
I dont like this. Something is fishy.
Again, Batgirls instinct told her that
something was wrong and that she should turn around and high-tail it out
of there. She still stayed because she believed that she was being a little
too cautious. Maybe all her years of crime-fighting had finally wound her
up too tight to the point where she expected danger around every corner.
Perhaps she was subconsciously hoping for a little mystery and danger due
to the lack of excitement of this assignment. Life was mostly everyday routine
for everyone else that lived in the world and she was going nuts because
she had to endure a few hours of boredom.
Batgirl rationalized that the reason for the
tinted glass was to keep the sun out. The house was in a position to catch
the full blast the rays.
She grew annoyed because during her contemplation,
no one emerged to greet her.
Batgirl honked her horn.
She waited. Nobody came.
She honked again. Waited.
Nothing.
She knocked on the glass. No
answer.
She knocked on the glass even harder and yelled,
Helllllooooo.
Thirty seconds later and there was still no
response.
What
the hell is going on here? Wheres security? I could climb over that
fence and no one would be the
wiser. She contemplated doing
just that, but decided not to. Without an official entry, she was technically
trespassing and could get shot
if there were guards
around.
She circled around the house with her bike
and found a door on the opposite side of the window.
She knocked. Still no answer.
The door was secured with a door knob and
deadbolt. Just for laughs she tried the knob.
It turned. It opened!
The deadbolt latch wasnt even thrown
into the locked position. That was peculiar, too. The door knob and deadbolt
were very expensive commercial heavy duty locks that were designed against,
weathering, abuse, wear and tear, and resist to damage to avoid unwanted
entry. The pins were precisioned so that it made picking the lock very difficult
and time consuming. She ought to know. Batgirl encountered many of these
locks and they slowed down her attempts with her rake pick and tension wrench.
She also noticed that the locks were new.
She opened the door just enough to stick her
head in so that she wouldnt startle the occupants. She looked around
and saw no one. Perhaps they were in the back half of the house where she
couldnt see from her position. She then opened the door and took only
one step inside.
Hello. Anyone here? Im Batgirl.
I have an important meeting with Mr. Howards. Hes expecting me. Do
I need to sign in or something?
No answer.
Hello. She took a few more steps
inside. Any one here?
No answer.
Im here to see Mr. Howards. Am
I at the right place?
Her first thought was that perhaps this was
an old guard house that was no longer in use but found evidence that contradicted
that theory. Why put brand new locks on an obsolete guard station? If this
place was no longer used, shouldnt it be boarded and locked
up?
Batgirl took a thorough look around and found
no one inside. It had been several minutes and the station should not have
been left unattended for so long.
Looking at the contents of the station, she
found nothing out of place or out of the ordinary. There was a panel of TV
screens to pick up the security cameras that were set up from different parts
of the property. There was one angled at the top of the hill where she surveyed
the mansion. The camera would have picked her up. Someone
had to have seen her. You would
have to be blind not to see her and deaf not to hear the
motorcycle.
Upon further inspection, she found a cot that
looked like someone had rested on it a few hours ago. She found the radio
that was the source of the music and next to it was a regular TV
set.
Geez,
Batgirl grunted in disfavor. Some
security. Where is this guy? Taking a dump in the woods? No need for that
because theres a perfectly functioning bathroom in the back and fully
stock with toilet paper, hand towels, and soap. Maybe the guy drinks and
he stopped in the woods for a nip. Maybe he took too big a nip and passed
out
but would he risk that? Surely, someone would check in on him from
time to time. I mean
any one could come in here and walk out with a
free TV or radio. Then again, who would know about it since this place is
in the middle of the woods?
Batgirl found the break room (actually, it
was more of an area) which consisted of a table and two chairs,
small refrigerator, a coffee maker, and a microwave. When she opened the
refrigerator, she found it stocked with food. She opened a paper bag and
found a freshly made sandwich. There was some fruit as well. She examined
them and found that nothing was spoiled or was starting to turn brown. Despite
all the food, the fridge was immaculately clean. No odors of any kind. The
coffee pot was half-filled and still plugged in, keeping the coffee nice
and hot.
When she went to the desk area behind the
tinted glass that she was knocking on just a few minutes before, she found
a full coffee mug. The coffee was stone cold, meaning that the owner had
abandoned it, at least, ten minutes before it cooled down. Next to the desk
she found two phones. One was a direct line to the house and the other was
for outside calls. Another peculiar item
they were both old rotary
phones rather than touch tone. She picked up the receiver on each and got
no dial tone even after she pressed rapidly on the hang-up switch. She checked
the cords and they were plugged in. She looked out a window and examined
the phone lines. They were still intact.
Batgirl looked at her watch. She only had
ten minutes to meet the deadline. Batgirl began to wonder if she was at the
right house to begin with. Surely, even an eccentric billionaire would not
be so lax with security.
Oh, crap. If I blow this, Diana is gonna
kill me
not to mention the shit Ill take from the other Leaguers
who look down on me just because I dont have super-powers. I can hear
them now. Whatsa matter Bat-chick?
Cant even get a simple delivery right?
Just to be on the safe side and to prove to
Wonder Woman that she wasnt nuts, she took her camera out of her utility
belt and took pictures of the vacant house. She went back outside and took
pictures of the mansion. Now she had photographic proof that she was at the
right house and made an attempt to deliver but one was around to let her
in.
Rich
people are nuts, Batgirl
muttered to herself. The old coot probably forgot I was coming. Well, Diana, I tried.
What does she expect me to do? Break in?
Batgirl got on her bike and started it up,
ready to leave this annoyance and waste of time behind.
Something compelled her to get in one final
shot. She was still very pissed off at this point and still needed to vent
some more.
She turned her head back to the mansion and
said, Thanks for the hospitality, you self-serving prick. Good-bye
and good riddance. Wonder Woman may put up with your crap and
hey wait
a second. Something caught Batgirls eye. How could I be
so stupid?
Batgirl noticed that there was a mail box and intercom
stand.
Against her better judgment, and having the feeling that she was going
to get the runaround, Batgirl decided to give them one more chance. If they
gave her crap this time, she was out of here.
Wanting more evidence to prove that these people were kooks and had
no accountability to the real world, Batgirl reached into her
belt and pulled out her mini recorder so that she would have a tape of the
conversation. She looked over the recorder. Batgirl had this piece of equipment
for a long time, but it still worked.
Although her tools in her belt were no where near the technology and
quality to those of Batman and Robin, Batgirl did pretty well with getting
her equipment considering her modest salary.
It
had taken Batgirl years of scrounging to build up her collection. Most of
the items were things that Batman discarded or were left behind by Super-Villains
as the made their getaways. Batgirl obtained the tape recorder when she
confiscated it during a capture of Catwoman before she reformed
from burglary and became a legitimate and highly paid security consultant.
How
ironic. Catwoman steals for a living
never even graduated from high
school and is reward with a great job while Im keeping the street
crime-free while still stamping books at Gotham Public Library. Four years
of working my ass off in college and the best job my big shot
Police-Commissioner-father can get me with all his political
connections is as a lousy librarian. I could have gotten that gig with
a high school diploma. She makes six figures a contact plus bonuses, while
Im only pulling thirty-three gs a year and Im only making
that much because of that stipend I get for being a reserve member the JLA.
I must be the only idiot that keeps the money for herself. Most of the other
heroes end up giving it to a family member or to charity. Thats justice
for you
and they told me that crime doesnt
pay.
Batgirl approached that gate that was adorned
with various shields and heads of lions, dragons, and elephants. She pressed
the button. She heard the ring.
She waited.
No answer. What a
surprise!
She tired again.
Nothing.
No surprise here either. Time to pack up and
go.
Once again Batgirl was ready to leave this
asylum behind, but before she started up her cycle, she realized that she
still left her tape recorder running. Just as she was about to switch it
off, she heard a voice from the intercom speaker.
Yes
.
Batgirl jumped off the bike and raced back
to the intercom and pressed the send button to answer. She made sure that
her recorder was still running.
Hello, she answered. Is
anyone here?
What a stroke of luck
for once Batgirl
knew that if she wasnt delayed those few seconds to find her recorder
and shut it off, she would have already sped off on the path and never heard
the intercom answer. She almost blew it.
There was another long
pause.
Blast! I missed
him.
Just as Batgirl was about to turn around and
leave again, the voice kicked in.
Who is it? Is anyone out there?
Hello?
This time Batgirl was right on top of the
speaker and answered immediately. Yes, Im here. Hello. Can you
hear me?
Yes. Can I help
you?
Is this the Howards Estate?
Im sorry.
What?
Is this Mr. Howards residence?
Do I have the right place? Im not sure. I may be
lost.
Ummm
Hold on. Ill
check.
There was another long pause before an answer
came. It was almost as if the moron on the other side had to process the
question and figure out the answer.
What
the hell does he mean Ill check? Is that so hard a
question?
Batgirl grew impatient and spoke before the
other jerk could respond. Is this the Howards place or
not?
Why do you want to
know?
Im
gonna smack this guy. I have
an appointment. Hes expecting me. Its very important that I get
to see him in the next five minutes.
No response.
I need to know. Am I at the right place?
Is that so hard to answer? Either Mr. Howards lives here or he doesnt!
Its that simple.
Another pause to think it over. Ummm
Mr. Howards lives here. Yes. This is his place of residence. I think you
have the right place.
He thinks?
Oh, brother!
Another pause.
Can I come in, please? Batgirl
tried not to lose her temper.
Your name?
I just told you
Batgirl.
What about the
cat?
Not cat! Bat!
You cant have our cat. You can
adopt one at the shelter in town.
I dont want a cat. My name is
Batgirl. Im here
Did you say bat? Not
cat?
Thats right.
Batgirl.
We dont have bats here.
They dont have them at the shelter either. I also dont think
the State will let you to keep bats?
No, you idiot. Im not here for
bats. Im here to see Mr. Howards.
Oh
Mr. Howards? Ummm
you
came to see him, did you? Whats your name?
Batgirl!
Catgirl?
No! Batgirl!
Fat girl?
No! Batgirl! Bat as in
vampire
bats.
There are no vampire bats around here.
What was the name again?
Batgirl?
Jeri-Curl?
For crying out loud. Im going
to sock you in the head if I ever find you. The name is
Batgirl?
Cherry Swirl?
Batgirl. Baaaat giiiiirrrlllll. Ill
spell it out for you, moron. B-A-T-G-I-R-L. Batgirl. Got
it?
Another pause.
Lets see if I got this right.
C-A-B
Not C-A-B
B-A-T
. Look
B as in boy
A as in apple
T
as in tango
G as in grass
I as
in ice
R as in rabbit
and L as in
lake.
Just a moment, please. Another
pause. Then she could actually hear some muttering. Let me see
B-A-T
Oh, Batgirl! Did you say your name was
Batgirl?
Did
this guy really have to take a minute to figure outthe spelling?
Yes!
Oh, Batgirl. How can we help
you?
Im here to see, Mr.
Howards.
Do you have an appointment? Is he expecting
you?
Yes! I just told you that two minutes
ago!
And whom should I say is
calling?
Batgirl!
Oh, thats right. And this appointment
is regarding
A check.
What check?
The check for the JLA charity fund.
I need to hand it to him in two minutes or he wont match our
fund.
Oh, youre here to drop of the
check? Why didnt you say so in the first place? You must be Wonder
Woman.
No, Im
Batgirl.
What happened to Wonder
Woman?
She couldnt make it. Im
here in her place.
We were expecting Wonder Woman
not Batgirl.
Mr. Howards knows that Im filling
in for her.
Well wait for Wonder Woman then.
You are excused. Please leave the grounds.
Look, fella, I drove all the way out
here to drop off this check. If you dont let me in, Ill climb
over this fence.
No, the voice said nervously.
Dont do that. One moment, please.
The idiot forgot to turn off the speaker.
Batgirl heard some muffled arguing, then some scuffling of feet. More arguing
occurred before a different voice spoke.
Yes, can I help
you?
Here
we go again!
Im here to see, Mr. Howards.
Hes expecting me.
Im Mr. Howards. Please forgive
my servant. This is his first day on the job and he has a mental disorder.
Were all fine here
uhhh
thank you. How are
you?
Batgirl calmed down as she didnt want
to upset the man she was supposed to see. Mr. Howards, my name is Batgirl.
I think theres been a lack of communication somewhere. Im here
in Wonder Womans place. She couldnt make it today. I was told
that you were informed of the situation. Im here to drop of the JLA
charity check so you can match it.
Oh
, Howards answered nervously.
Is that today? I plum forgot. That wont do at all. Can you stop
by next week?
Please, Mr. Howards. I drove a long
way.
More arguing ensued before Howards got back
on the line. This is a very bad time. Cant you come
back?
Sir, this will only take a few minutes
of your time. I wont stay. Ill just hand you the check and Ill
leave as soon as you make the transfer.
Cant you leave it in the mail
box?
If thats what you want, sir. I
know Im supposed to hand it to you personally. I dont want to
break the stipulations of the agreement.
More muttered arguing.
Dont worry about that, Batgirl.
Consider the stipulation waved for this one time. I promise to match the
funds. Now leave it in the box and be a good girl and run
along.
More muttered arguing.
Is everything alright in there, Mr.
Howards? You sound very nervous.
Just having a crisis here. Ummm
my
ummm
cat is very sick
hes a male calico and I
need to constantly keep on an eye on him.
Im so sorry to hear that. Anything
I can do to help?
More muttering arguing.
Yes, Howards snapped. Leave
me alone. How can I take care of my cat if you keep bugging me? Leave now!
Get off my property or else Ill complain to the Justice League that
youre harassing me and I wont match the funds anymore
and
it will be all your fault. Now beat it! Get out of here if you know whats
good for you.
Fine be that way! Batgirl stopped
her recorder, replaced it in her belt, and stormed to her bike. Of
all the nerve! Its a good thing I recorded this
otherwise Wonder
Woman would never have believed me.
As Batgirl rode down the road away from the
estate, she muttered to herself. She was really pissed.
He better not renege on the match.
Sick male calico cat
my ass!
Batgirl slammed on her brakes and came to
a screeching halt. Wait a second. Theres no such thing as a male calico.
All calicos are female. Thats a fact. Either hes a liar
an idiot that knows nothing about cats
or
he was trying to tell
me something. I had a feeling that something was wrong here. Ha
I
know.
Batgirl revved up her bike and rode it over
the hill and out of sight of the mansion. She needed to maintain the appearance
that she was leaving.
She quickly took out her recorder and then
her special sound extension. It was a sort of filter used for drowning out
background noise or isolating sounds from a single source
namely the
muttering and arguing she heard while on the intercom.
This little gem of a device she acquired from
Batman. He had upgraded his own device and discarded as obsolete. Maybe it
was obsolete to Batman and his vast resources, but not to Batgirls
limited funds.
Batgirl loved her little toys, gadgets, tools,
and weapons in her utility belt. That belt got her out of many a jam. Thinking
again, this began to disturb her. She was depending more and more on the
belt and its contents to bail her out and overcome opponents, rather than
using her own fighting skills, wits, quickness, physical prowess, and
intelligence. How many times had Batman preached to her and Robin that the
utility belt was a tool and not a crutch to depend on all the time? It was
advice that she was slowly ignoring. Was she really starting to get battle
rust? It did seem that other Super-heroes were also bailing her out of sticky
situations more and more as well.
Going past her prime was a hard pill for Batgirl
to swallow.
It took a few minutes, but she isolated the
sounds.
This is what she heard just after she initially
picked up the intercom and started to walk away.
Someones
at the gate.
Is
it Wonder Woman?
It
cant be. She would fly in
not use the
gate.
Better
answer it to avoid suspicion.
Maybe,
wed better not. Let whoever is at the gate think were not home
and maybe theyll leave.
We
cant risk it. Answer it.
Yes
Then Batgirl heard her own
voice.
During a pause the muttering went something
like this.
Holy
shit! Its Batgirl.
Whats
she doing here? Its supposed to be Wonder
Woman.
What
should I do?
Try
to get rid of her, Stupid.
What
should I say?
Just
play dumb. Maybe shell get annoyed and
leave.
I
dont know how to act dumb.
Its
easy. Just act like your normal self.
The stupid banter between Batgirl and the
moron ensued. During another pause, Batgirl was able to pick up the
following.
Shes
not leaving. What do we do?
Whats
with that stubborn twit? It looked like she was going to get up and leave
a dozen times and then she suddenly hangs back? I dont like
this.
Do
you think she suspects?
I
dont think so.
Should
we send some guards out to kill or capture
her?
That
could be risky. Keep trying to get rid of her. It would still be better to
get her to leave without incident.
More stupid banter
followed.
Its
not working. What do we do?
Keep
acting stupid. Tell her to hold on for a minute. I have an
idea.
Batgirl heard the scuffling.
Unhand
me, Howards voice
said.
You
doubled-crossed us, old man. Wonder Woman isnt here. They sent that
useless Batgirl.
I
never doubled-crossed you,
Hugh barked back. I told you
a dozen times that Wonder Woman wasnt coming, but you kept calling
me a liar.
I
guess he was telling the truth after all.
Shut
up. Im trying to think. Okay
what happened to Wonder
Woman?
She
told me that she couldnt make it
family obligation or something
like that. She asked if Batgirl could come in her place. I said that it was
okay.
When
is Wonder Woman due back?
The
day after tomorrow
I think she mentioned
that.
All
right then, old man. Well just wait right here until she
returns.
The
Boss wont like this delay.
Hell
be okay with it. Hes waited over twenty years to bag that arrogant
Amazon bitch. He can certainly wait a couple more days. That will also give
this old fart more than enough time to come up with some bogus excuse to
get her sweet star-spangled ass back here. In the mean time, we need to ditch
Batgirl.
Look, Hugh said calmly.
Whatever your Boss is paying
your group, I will double it if you can get everyone to leave. I can
double it, you know. Only God has more money than me. I have helicopters
that will take you to my private airport and my pilots will take you anywhere
you want.
Shut
up, old man. No amount of money is going to keep us safe if we cross the
Boss. Theres no place on Earth that we can hide. I need you to talk
to Batgirl. Get rid of her. If you dont, well kill her. We may
have missed Wonder Woman but the Boss might be satisfied with a consolation
prize of the Bat-bimbo. We can use her as a practice tune-up for Wonder
Woman.
Dont
hurt her. Ill do whatever you want, so long as no one gets
hurt.
Good.
Get rid of the tramp.
Batgirl heard the conversation between her
and Hugh. No wonder the old man was nervous. He wasnt being rude on
purpose. He was only trying to protect her. How sweet!
Its
not working. She wont leave.
Okay,
call out the guards.
No,
wait, Hugh pleaded.
Give me one more chance. Please.
Ill get her to go away. I swear.
Alright,
old man. But if she isnt making tracks in the next sixty seconds, Im
going to mount her head in my trophy case.
Thats when Hugh really got nasty.
Thats when he dropped the male calico cat clue to hopefully tip Batgirl
off that something was wrong. Clever Hugh! Batgirl only hoped that the clue
went over the heads of the ruffians.
It
all adds up, Batgirl turned off the tape.
Theyre holding that poor
man inside against his will
using him to set up Wonder Woman. Thats
why the guard house was empty. Thats why the phones didnt
work.
Batgirl pulled out her radio to contact the
Justice League for assistance. Something was blocking the signal. Was it
all the trees? How could that be? The JLA uses satellite signals not digital
tower signals like a cell phone. The signal should go through but it
wasnt. These kidnappers had it all planned.
Batgirl was on her own.
She was no coward, but storming the castle
to rescue Mr. Howards was just plain reckless and suicidal. She had no layout
of the property. She had no clue how many henchmen she had to deal with.
She didnt know who this Boss was
nor did she know
the location where they were holding their hostage.
It was all so logical. Mr. Howards was in
no immediate danger. If they wanted to get at Wonder Woman, they would have
to keep the kindly old man alive and well for two more
days.
Seeing that discretion was the better part
of valor, she decided to get help. Perhaps if she rode out of here, she might
be able to get out of range of whatever was blocking her signal and reach
the JLA. If worse came to worse, she could ride into the next town and get
to a phone and contact them by their backup emergency secured LAN line. That
was the most prudent course of action. No one would frown at her for that.
There was no reason to be a lone hero in this case.
Batgirl started her engine for, what she believed
to be, the last time while on this estate. This time she really was
going to leave and when she returned, she wouldnt be
alone.
Batgirl was very proud of herself. Whatever
it that was that was causing her skills to wane, it didnt affect her
mental process. Unfortunately, it did affect her perception. She was so
distracted listening to the recording
distracted in her thoughts
and distracted by her motorcycle engine that she failed to hear the footstep
as they crunched on the dried grass. She failed to hear the unsnap of a gun
holster. She even failed to notice the emergence of a human
shadow.
She didnt react until she heard the
sound of a gun being drawn from its holster.
Batgirl reached for her utility belt to get
her batarang but it was too late. Her hand was, at least, four inches away
from her belt when she heard the command.
Freeze,
Batgirl.
Batgirls remained still
thinking if
she should chance it and go for the batarang anyway. Her decision was made
for her.
Dont even think about it, Lady.
You so much as budge a fraction of an inch toward that utility belt and I
shot you dead.
The security guard was correct in his assessment.
He already had his gun drawn and aimed at her. The guard was a total pro.
His body was square and his legs were spread apart the proper distance. Two
hands were on his weapon
one to steady the bottom of the butt and the
other on the trigger. The barrel was pointing at the biggest target
her chest. That way, at this short distance, he was assured to score a hit.
Batgirl knew that the guard could easily squeeze off a round and do damage
long before she could whip out her batarang.
She was in some serious shit
now!
Hands in the air where I can see them.
Keep em away from that belt of goodies. Any sudden moves and I
will shot you.
Having no other recourse, Batgirl complied
with the order. She cursed herself for her sloppiness. The crime fighter
of old would have picked up on all the perceived warnings and reacted long
before the guard could pull out his weapon. What was wrong with her? She
considered herself a seasoned crime-fighter. She should have easily gotten
the drop on this flunkey instead of him getting the drop on
her.
Not so tough when you cant reach
your paw into that lame utility belt, are you, Bat-chick? Youre going
down.
Part
3
Is there a problem, Officer? Batgirl
flashed a warm, enchanting smile and batted her gorgeous eyes.
Even Batgirl had to admit that she was a bit
unnerved, but the trick is not to make the opposition aware of that. Although
physical weapons were out of her reach. She had other weapons. She still
had her wit and charm and she was still appealing to the male eye
provided
that this guy was straight. It would just be her luck if he was gay.
She had to play it cool. She had to try to
talk or bluff her way out of the situation. It also appeared that he was
alone which meant she still had a good chance to turn the
tables.
Youre my problem, Batgirl,
the guard grunted as he answered her question. You were told to leave
the premises.
Oh, Im so sorry, sir, Batgirl
said in a coy voice and made it sound liked there was some sort of
misunderstanding. She had to keep up the dumb routine and act unconsidered
as if she wasnt doing anything wrong. I just stopped for a moment
to check my gas line. I thought I smelled a leak but it was a false alarm.
Everything is fine now. Thanks for checking up on me, Officer. Ill
be on my way now.
Youre not going anywhere,
the guard wasnt falling for it. You were home free, but you had
to stop one more time. All these times, you couldnt make up your mind
if you were staying or going. We were willing to let you go without causing
you distress. We gave you an out and you wouldnt take
it.
Out? Batgirl continued her clueless
act to buy some time. Already, she spotted a weakness in the guard: he liked
to run his mouth off. She had to keep him talking to stall for time and think
of a plan to get herself out of this. I dont know what you
mean.
You should have left when you had the
chance
but you didnt want to leave. Now, all of a sudden you
want to leave? Guess what? Now you cant
leave!
Batgirl played the damsel in distress routine
in order to stroke the mans ego in order to make him overconfident
and give herself an opening for attack. So far, this guy was holding his
ground.
Y-Youre not going to shot me
are you, Officer? Are you going to kill me now? Please, sir. I dont
want to die. Ill do anything you say
just dont hurt
me.
You will not be killed if you do exactly
as youre told. I had a feeling that you would stick around so I decided
to check it out. Guess what? Youre still
here.
W-Why are you so mad? What did I do
wrong? I was really going to leave this time
I swear. I just stopped
to check my gas line. Honest. I promise to leave this time. Please, let me
go.
Too late now, Cutie-pie. You know
whats going on here. I cant let you
leave.
No, I dont, Batgirl believed
that she was lying convincingly but this jerk still had his gun steadied
on her. This guy was really well-trained
probably a former veteran
police officer and not some eight dollar an hour
bonehead.
I just came here to deliver the check.
Thats all. I mean
how would I know whats going on inside?
You must have me mistaken for Supergirl. Shes the one with the
super-hearing.
You were playing the tape. You heard
everything.
What tape?
Give it up. I know you like the back
of my hand.
Im sorry. Have we met
before?
Not formally, laughed the
guard.
Where?
When? It was working, he was talking some more. You do look
familiar.
I doubt that. Super-bimbos like you
never notice us schlubs in the trenches. You chicks think you know everything
about law enforcement. You dont know shit. You think youre so
high and mighty and smart
but youre not so smart, Batgirl
especially since a mere flunkey
got the drop on you. Im sick of you super-broads making all us real
cops look incompetent
but guess whos incompetent
now?
The plan was still working
sort of.
The guy was talking, but he was so good at it that he could run his mouth
and still keep his eyes glued on her every move. She had to keep trying
nonetheless. He would have to drop his guard eventually.
You were a police officer? Im
impressed. That must have been exciting work.
Bullshit. You heroes get to do all the
exciting work, but not the shit parts of it
like filling out all those
endless reports. You get to bag the bad guys and go home for the evening
not a care in the world
while the rest of us
real cops have to stay past our
shift to do all the paperwork. For ten years, I had to ride in a car with
a boring beat. I got stuck directing traffic
writing parking tickets
taking fingerprints and mug shots
breaking up fights between drunks
handling domestic disputes
going to loud parties and having to tell
those punk kids to keep it down. It took me five years to get off the midnight
to 8AM shift and get transferred to nine to five.
Finally, after ten years, I get my chance.
I moved up to vice. Finally, we had a beauty of an assignment. We got to
take down a major heroine pusher. For ten months, we worked our asses off
but we thought the end result would be worth it. For ten months, we had a
guy undercover. For ten months, I had to stake out the suspects house.
Do you know how boring it is to sit in a car for eight hours in the middle
of the night when nothing much happens?
Commissioner Gordon finally gives us
the green light. We raided their warehouse. We got them dead to rights.
Everything is under control. We convinced the suspects to surrender without
having to fire a shot.
Just
when they were about to lay down their weapons
then guess what
you suddenly come swinging in and crashing through the window. They take
one look at you and they start to panic. They go for their guns and they
start firing. We had no choice put to fire back. Okay, you clobbered the
bad guys
Ill give you that
but three officers were injured
in the fire fight
when it didnt need to happen in the first place
because you stuck your unsolicited nose where it didnt
belong.
When the dust settles, we try to get
the leader to give up his supplier. He wont talk. Starts crying for
his high-priced-get-you-off-on-a-technicality lawyer and we cant
interrogate the suspect until the attorney shows up. Unfortunately, even
scumbags have civil rights. We have to follow the rules. We cant beat
a confession out of the guy without having Internal Affairs up our
ass.
Rules dont stop you Super-sluts.
You grab the creep and start beating the crap out of him. You take him to
the roof and hang him upside down ten stories
holding him only by one
ankle. Now that you put the fear of God in him, he starts talking. He confesses
to everything. He gives up his supplier
but you never bothered to give
us the name.
Then you swing off
not a care
in the world while the legitimate police are stuck behind cleaning the mess
that you made. The media arrives and you get all the credit while we get
blamed for using excessive force. Not too long after, you, Batman, and Boy
Blunder raid the suppliers hideout and the mayor proclaims you heroes
while the rest of us look like useless jackasses. Every time Im in
uniform and pass a crowd, I have to hear,
Why should we waste our hard-earned
tax money paying you useless cops, when we have Batman and his pals getting
the job done? Our captain reamed us all out for the
screw-up.
Damn! This guy still had his eyes fixed on
her, ready to fire at a moments notice. This guy was very
good.
Im so sorry to hear that. I had
no idea
.
It gets even better, the guard
cut her off. Where were you during the trial? I didnt see you
testify? You couldnt because then you would have to tell everyone who
you are behind that cute little mask of yours
but you dont care.
Everything the suspect told Batgirl was ruled as hearsay because you
werent in court to testify to what he said and no sworn police officers
were present to corroborate what he told you. Even if the court recognized
Batgirl as a legal entity and you could keep your secret identity, we still
would have lost because his confession was coerced when you hung him off
the roof. His attorney would claim that he was only saying what you
wanted to hear in order to save his life. He would have confessed to
shooting JFK in order to prevent being dropped.
The creep walked and hes still
out there selling drugs to kids
all thanks to you. Now, I get to even
the score. I get to take you in to the Boss all by myself. I get all the
credit
a big bonus
and I finally get to be one the Bosss
good side for a change.
Take me in? W-What are you going to
do to me? Is this guy going to
drop his guard or what?
Thats up to the Boss. You should
have thought about that before you insisted on sticking around here. You
wouldnt be in this mess if you left in the first
place.
Look, we can make a deal? If you let
me go.
No more games, Batgirl! The guard
steadied his aim. He took his thumb and cocked back the hammer. He meant
business. Now Batgirls reaction time was even more decreased. Keep
your right hand up and use your left hand to turn off the
engine.
Batgirl obeyed. She turned the key to cut
the engine, but left it in the ignition. The guard didnt object or
notice that. For once, something was in her favor. She still had to hand
it to the guy. He was smart enough to realize that she was right-handed and
anything done with her left would be a little slower and a little awkward.
That way, it would take her longer to make a move for something in her utility
belt and pull it out and then get shot down just as dead as when he first
got the bead on her. There was no way she could out draw him in this situation.
Since the throttle was on the right side of the handlebars, she also
wouldnt be able to jump on her bike and take off right away
not
unless she could do it very quickly with her arm clumsily crossed over to
the opposite side.
Very good, Batgirl. Get off the bike
slowly. Keep your hands up where I can see them.
Batgirl obeyed again.
Now step away from the bike. Take three
steps toward me. Dont drop those hands. Dont reach for anything
in that belt.
Batgirl obeyed but this was something she
could deal with. Her motorcycle was no longer in her way and she was a few
feet closer to the guard to attack him when she saw the opportunity to make
her move
if her ever gave her one. She was still thinking. She still
didnt have a plan. If only she could get to her utility
belt!
So far
so good. Just like before...
keep your right arm up and
slowly
bring your left hand down
in front of your chest
not your side. Bring it down nice and slow and
rest in on the buckle of your belt. Keep it there and dont move it
anywhere else. Dont even think of dropping that right
arm.
Batgirl gracefully did so
making sure
not to do anything to alarm the man and make him shoot.
Very nice. Now I want you to unbuckle
that belt and let it fall to the ground.
The guard smiled as he heard the loud unsnap
of a buckle and the sound of the utility belt plopping on the dirt road.
Victory and the prestige of single-handedly making Batgirl his prisoner was
almost within his grasp.
When I say
now
Kick your belt off to
the side
so that its out of your reach. Keep your kick to the
side and low. If you kick it straight up in the air and make a grab for it,
Ill fire.
Damn! She was thinking about doing just that.
She had no choice and reluctantly kicked it off to the side
out of
reach
no time to dive for it
leaving her now totally
weaponless.
Now the guard slowly released his left arm
from his weapon, but his right arm was still stiff, poised and ready to fire
his weapon if needed. He wasnt taking any chances with Batgirl no matter
how frightened she looked. She was still tricky and not one to
underestimate.
Its almost over, Batgirl. Just
remain calm and youll do just fine. The guard crossed his arm
and reached for a small plastic pouch on his right hip. He unsnapped it to
pull out the contents
a shiny pair of handcuffs. He purposely let the
one end, along with the chain, dangle freely and sway smoothly in the
breeze.
The guard smiled with delight as Batgirls
eyes opened wide with terror. He knew that she knew of what to expect
next.
In actuality, the guard misread Batgirls
reaction. Although she was a little scared of the handcuffs, she was actually
more fascinated
even stimulated. She realized that she had an obsession
for bondage. She always fanaticized about being tied up and pillaged. The
thought of his man handcuffing her
binding her and making her his helpless
captive, sexually excited her to no end. She could feel goose pumps forming
and the thought of it all was making her head light and her knees weak. She
wanted hear the loud click
click
click as they slowly closed on her wrists
and rendered them immobile. She waited to feel the cold steel against her
skin.
She wanted nothing more but to give in to
her desires and fantasies but she had several reasons not to allow herself
to be restrained and captured for the time being. First, she needed to get
help to rescue Mr. Howards and warn Wonder Woman that visiting his home was
a trap. Second, her bondage fantasy was just that
a fantasy. Being
bondaged up in her mind and being bondaged up for real were too entirely
different things. It was fun to think about the Joker tying her up, but she
knew that such an experience in real life would be very unpleasant. Who knows
what perverted and humiliating things that Clown Prince of Crime would do
to her? Its a good thing that something like that never dawned on the
minds of the costumed villains that she encountered and briefly got the upper
hand on her. Third, if she were to get bondaged up for real, she shouldnt
simply allow someone to do it to her on purpose. The man in question needed
to conquer her
outwit her
trick her. She owed it to herself to
try to resist and escape it for as long as she was able to do so. It was
more stimulating to her if she was finally bound after making every honest
effort to avoid it. If there was a chance to escape her fate and she didnt
take it, then the experience was useless. If she tried to escape but failed,
then all the better for her.
If this man wanted her bound, he had to earn
that right. She wasnt just going to give it to him.
So far, the guard was earning
the right.
She got him to talk. She stalled him for too
long and she had no idea how to get out of this situation. She tired everything
and it wasnt working. Batgirl needed to prevent those cuffs from going
on her but she couldnt see how. She had no clue what to do.
She should be able to take out henchmen, albeit
a single henchman at that! If anything, only Super-Villains like the
Riddler or King Tut should be able to get the better of her, or, at least,
the leader of a gang of ordinary criminals
but not just a lone single
foot soldier.
Could it be that a mere lackey finally defeated,
the once formidable Batgirl?
There were some unspoken codes and rules to
being a super-hero. It was a minor version of the Samurai code. Some things
were basically simple. Never kill an opponent unless you absolutely had to.
It was okay to threaten, intimidate, or even rough up a bad guy to get
information, but torture was totally taboo. Be very careful about telling
people your secret identity. Never swear in public. Always be kind to children
and old people. If going into another heros territory, do not step
on his/her toes. Work with the hero but never tell them how to do their job.
Superman would not like it if Batman suddenly left Gotham City and started
moving in on Metropolis. Never accept rewards of great monetary
value. A medal, trophy, or Key to the City was okay, but not a check for
one million dollars. Always be humble when talking to the media after
successfully rapping up a case, and make sure to give credit to any law
enforcement officers or helpful civilians. Always be brave in the face of
death and never let people see you cower. Always be optimistic when things
look totally bleak. Make sure to give the bad guys a lecture on how crime
doesnt pay when you capture them
and make sure to rub their defeat
in their faces.
In the Super-hero World, status and gaining
the respect and admiration of your fellow heroes is everything. Respect is
hard to earn and easy to lose. A violation of the above rules will result
in a loss of respect. This is usually not a big deal as the offending hero
can usually gain it back. They are usually forgotten in due time or until
the next super-hero screws up.
There are, however, three major offenses to
which it is almost damn near impossible to overcome. It is best to retire
after falling victim to one of these infractions because any offending hero
that insists on continuing his/her career will suffer mockery and ridicule
from fellow heroes. If you are lucky, other heroes may only simply
ignore you and refuse to acknowledge that you are still one of them. You
will never be taken seriously by your peers or the general
public.
Batgirl was on the very edge of the third
most damaging offense. Being beaten by a major Super-Villain is part of the
hero game. Heroes always come back to overcome their foe. Getting beaten
by a group of henchmen or thugs was frowned upon but not a sin as the hero
can always claim that they were overrun by ten goons all at once. Getting
defeated or captured by a single, lone criminal, thug, henchman, lackey,
or flunkey will make the offending hero a laughing stock! No hero will ever
let you live it down. Every time you try to mock your fellow hero, they will
always throw this in your face. Dont ever let it happen to you. Never
get embarrassed or humiliated by losing to the hired help or the rank and
file.
The second worst offense goes way back to
the tradition of war. Every company had its own symbol, usually a flag, known
as their colors. Your colors make you what you are. You wave
them proudly. It is great dishonor for the enemy to gain possession of your
colors. The same thing goes for Super-heroes in the form of their emblem
or insignia. Superman has his S for example. Letting a villain
take away your emblem from you willonly give you shame, humiliation and the
scorn of your peers. It is even worse if the insignia was captured fully-intact
and without damage. Its even worse still if it was taken with relative
ease, or with little effort on the part of the villain. Its the worst
of all if the emblem was surrendered voluntarily by the hero, especially
if no attempt was made to fight back. Fortunately, most villains dont
know about this rule of conduct, so they rarely go after your insignia. This
is a total disgrace and desiccation to the uniform that you are supposed
to wear proudly.
Of course the ultimate sin is for anyone to
unmask you and expose your secret identity to the world at any time regardless
of the circumstances. If this ever happens to you, just pack your bags and
move to a deserted island. Its not that bad if an enemy discovers your
secret due to some good solid research. Sometimes that cant be helped.
Being unmasked will totally kill your career. It will totally humiliate you.
There is no known way to ever get back from this. If there is one thing that
you should never allow to happen to you, it should be unmasking. A hero would
prefer death to unmasking. Some have even taken their own lives to save face
and avoid this fate. Never, never, never, ever let it happen. One time is
all it takes!
The guard also knew that it would be
Batgirls most humiliating moment to be captured by a mere minion after
all her triumphs over super-powered villains.
He would go down in bad-guy henchman history
for pulling this off. Fortunately, the guards scope was limited and
it never occurred to him to take her insignia or unmask her. Actually, he
was going to save that pleasure for the
Boss.
The best cut of all was that it was so effortless.
He did it without any help and without any preconceived planning or some
super-weapon or trap. He simply went after her and took her down
almost
on a whim. She was so scared shitless. She didnt even try to resist
capture. She didnt know what to do. She was obeying all his instructions
like a trained dog.
He licked his lips in
anticipation.
The guard was correct. Batgirl had no idea
of how to escape. All she could think of was to get her batarang which was
now impossible to reach. No brilliant idea sprang into her mind like in the
past. There was no other hero to intervene on her behalf.
Her one-sided thinking, along with her dependence
on gadgets from her utility belt, would now be her
undoing.
End of the line for you, Batgirl. Now
turn around and put your hands behind your back.
Part
4
A
weapon, Batgirl thought to
herself. If I only had one lousy weapon. If I could only reach my utility
belt. Damn it! How could I have allowed this stooge to render me
weaponless
and soon helpless? Weaponless? Wait! No way! Why didnt
I think of that before? Where is your head, Batgirl? I could have gotten
out of this a long time ago.
Are you deaf, Batgirl? The guard snapped her back to reality.
Pretending that this isnt happening is not going to help you.
Now turn around and put your hands behind your
back.
Batgirl pretended that she wasnt paying attention and suddenly
snapped back from zoning out. Im sorry. What did you
say?
Turn around. Put your hands behind your
back.
Oh, Batgirl went back to play-dumb mode. She put her hands
behind her back but did not turn around. Do you mean
like this,
Officer?
With her own body blocking her hands she could reach underneath her
gloves without the guard seeing or suspecting what she was
doing.
No! Nitwit! I told you to turn
around.
No, you did not, sir. You just told me to put my hands behind
my back. She needed more time to dig something out from that
glove.
I said to turn around and put your hands behind your back. Quit
stalling. It wont help.
You said, Turn around.
Put your hands behind your back. You didnt say
and. So, I thought when you said,
Put your hands behind your back,
I thought it was because you changed your mind about me turning around and
wanted me to put my hands behind my back instead. You know
like
when youre driving and someone is reading the road map for you and
then youre told to take a right
but then they didnt mean
to say right but really meant to say left. Then the
map reader says, no, I meant, turn
left. See what I mean?
Although Batgirl no longer had her utility belt, she was far from
weaponless. She remembered that most of her weapons were in her utility
belt
but not all. She kept a few inside special thin compartments
within her gloves as well as her boots. It had been such a long time since
she last used them that she totally forgot about them. They were also so
well padded so that Batgirl would not be able to feel them in order to avoid
discomfort, awkwardness, and tip an enemy off that something was inside the
gloves. That was another reason that she forgot out them. The weapons were
so well-hidden within the gloves that no one would be able to feel them or
spot them if Batgirl were ever padded down. Only someone who knew that Batgirl
had them would ever bother to look there to take them away from
her.
Inside each of her boots and gloves, she kept an emergency lock pick
and tension wrench. That way, if an enemy took her utility belt away and
then secured her wrists and/or ankles with handcuffs or padlock and chains,
she could pick open the lock and escape. She also had three thin blades,
about four inches long and pointed at both ends, within each glove and boot.
That way she could cut herself free if she were bound by ropes. She took
this precaution of arming her gloves and boots after she got tied up one
too many times in her early adventures.
Not only could the blades be used for cutting, but they balanced for
throwing as well.
Batgirl finally managed to pull one out and avoid detection because
she had her hands behind her back.
Stop fooling around. Youre pissing me
off.
Im not fooling around, Officer, Batgirl pretended
to be scared and shaken. Please, dont yell at me. Youre
making me nervous. Ill be glad to do whatever you want, but youre
making me confused. Youre instructions were very unclear. It doesnt
help when youre yelling at me.
This seemed to make some sense to the guard. The stress of being captured
by a henchman was unchartered waters for the Girl Wonder. It was obvious
that it was a situation she never planned for or emotionally trained to deal
with. The pressure was getting to this over-rated hero and instead of coping
with it, she was unraveling.
Okay, Missy, the guard said in a calm, cool, and patient
voice. Im going to be very clear about this: Im going to
ask you do something one last time. If you fail to do that, I will kill you.
I dont care if bringing you in alive will get me a bigger bonus than
bringing you in dead. Do you understand that or am I being vague and confusing?
By the way
Im not yelling.
Thank you, sir. I understand. What do you want me to do
now?
Okay, if Batgirl insisted like being treated like a moron and child,
he was glad to oblige. Now then, Sweetheart. I want you
Batgirl
to turn around
not all the way around as in a three-sixty
circle
but in a half circle so that youre back is facing me.
After doing that, I want you to take both of your hands and then place
them together against the small of your back
and keep them there until
I say otherwise. Do I make myself clear on this as
well?
Yes, sir, Batgirl gripped her blade in exactly the way
she wanted it. Crystal clear. Thank you for not yelling. Here I
go.
As
Batgirl turned around, she pivoted her foot to give herself a good spin.
As she whizzed by the guard, she let go and threw the blade. She turned so
fast that the guard never saw it coming.
The guard gave a loud sharp shriek as the blade bit deep into the
bone of his wrist. The force of the throw jerked his arm back and he released
his grip on his gun. The weapon flew over his shoulder behind his back and
landed in the dirt. As it hit the ground, the impact caused it to fire off
a round, but fortunately, the bullet traveled in the opposite direction of
where they were both standing.
Now that they were on an even playing field, Batgirl finally attacked.
She twisted to her side and landed a straight kick into the guards
stomach.
Oooof, the guard went as the wind got knocked out of him
before keeling over.
When the guard doubled over, Batgirl gave him an uppercut to the chin.
The guard did not go down. He only staggered but didnt attack back
because he was still stunned. Without thinking, as if by instinct, like the
Batgirl of old, she piloted her foot and twisted her body to give him the
full force of her left hook.
Then the big-mouth guard dropped down for the
count.
At
first, Batgirl was a little disappointed in herself as when she used that
maneuver on previous opponents, the uppercut was enough to take them down.
Now she needed two punches
but so what! Batman taught her to adapt
to all situations. Batman learned to fight and rely on his other senses if
he temporarily lost use of his sight. He learned how to fight with his left
hand when his right was broken. The same thing goes for Batgirl, so if one
punch couldnt do it, then why not two
and she did it without
hesitation or having to think about it.
Maybe she wasnt losing her edge. Maybe she just needed to learn
to use and sharpen that edge in a different way. She needed to clear her
mind and be one with her surroundings. Dont think
go with the
flow. Adapt and improvise.
Slowly, Batgirl could feel her confidence return. She doubted herself
and that was causing her slip ups. She wasnt eroding at all. It was
all in her head.
This time, Batgirls perception did not get away from her. She
heard the motor
but it was not a car. It was an electric motor
like a golf cart. That was how the guards got around all those acres of land
to patrol it.
The vehicle stopped and a lone set of footsteps was heading her way.
Someone must have heard the gun go off and now that person was
investigating.
Quickly, Batgirl ran and dived for her utility belt and quickly slipped
it back around her waist. She pulled out her batarang just as another guard
came running down the hill. His gun was drawn. Batgirl wouldnt be able
to throw her batarang in time, but her quick thinking accounted for that.
This time she was ready.
She crouched down into a ball and raised up her cape to cover herself
up as the first shot ran off. It hit the cape. Batgirl saw the small dimple
impression from the other side, but the bullet did not penetrate. Batgirl
knew that the caliber of bullet was small enough to give her protection
unlike Batmans cape that could just about stop any bullet. It didnt
matter to Batgirl, she could have had a cape for better protection, but it
was too heavy for her and it slowed down her movements. Although she could
glide with it, her cape didnt have the same distance or
maneuverability.
Another shot hit the cape. Batgirl could feel the force and vibration.
The cape could only withstand seven or eight shots before giving away but
the guard could only fire six shots before going empty.
As
she hoped, the moron emptied his chamber. As her attacker tried to reload,
Batgirl sprung up and let her batarang go. She caught the guard clean on
the forehead and knocked him out cold. He fell over and rolled down the hill.
She heard another gun hammer cocking back. She didnt see her next attacker
right away but she could tell by the sound as to what direction he was and
the distance.
She rolled in a tumbling ball as the first bullet whizzed a few feet
above her. Landing on her feet, she remained in her squatting position. She
reached into her boot and let a blade fly out with a snappy under-hand throw.
She was rewarded for her efforts when she heard a painful groan. Without
even looking, Batgirl raised here hand and caught her batarang as it returned
to her.
She looked up at her attacker and saw that he dropped his gun when
her blade nailed him in the shoulder. While he was busy trying to pull it
out, Batgirl rushed at him and when she got near, she took a jump, twisted
her body and hit him on the side of the head with both her feet very much
like the kicking flying mare maneuver used in professional
wrestling.
Batgirl easily landed on her feet. The guard fell flat on his face
and didnt move.
Just as she put her batarang back in her belt, still another guard
rushed in front off her. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms
to her side. He laughed as he squeezed her in his bear
hug.
Take that, the guard mocked her. Not so tough now
are you, batgiahhhhhh!
The guard paid for his folly as Batgirl leaned in and bit him on the
nose hard enough to draw blood. Her opponent was a tough fellow and despite
the pain, he didnt release his grip totally but enough for Batgirl
to slip one of her arms out and put a thumb into his eye. The guard screamed
again but still held on, but his grip got even looser where Batgirl was able
to get her other arm free. She took the flat of her hands and slapped him
on his ears. Even with the painful ringing and disorientation, the bastard
still hung on. As his face got close to Batgirl, she slammed her forehead
down on the bridge of his nose. It was hard enough that the crunching sound
of a break followed, along with a river of blood that was pouring out of
his nose.
Now totally free of the grip, Batgirl spun her entire body around
and got the head with the full force of a roundhouse
kick.
As
he went down like a sack of potatoes, she was able to see someone else charge
her. She twisted again and caught the attacker flush in the face with a back
hand punch. He, too, fell to the ground.
No
sooner before she could reach her motorcycle, someone grabbed her from behind
and pinned her arms down, again, for a reverse bug hug. He managed to lift
her up for a moment or two before Batgirl was able to jerk her body forward
and get herself to the ground.
With her feet firmly planted, she lifted up her right leg and stomped
on the mans foot as hard as she could, making sure it to drive the
sharp heel of her boot inside as well. As the attacker loosened his grip
and bent over in pain, Batgirl dug her elbow right into the mans gut.
He released her totally and when he bent over low enough, she brought the
back of her fist right on his nose. It was the second nose she broke in the
last minute. Her back was still turned, so she couldnt see any blood,
but she knew the man was bleeding profusely. To add insult to injury, she
quickly spun around and laid a beauty of a kick square between his legs.
He would not be getting up for a long, long time.
Batgirl hopped on her bike. She was glad that she got away with leaving
the keys in the ignition so she could start up and took off in seconds without
having to search for the keys. It was still the best course of action to
get out of Dodge and summon the Justice League.
Even though Howards captors knew that
Batgirl knew what was going on, she was still certain that the eccentric
billionaire was in no immediate danger. They wouldnt kill their hostage
now as they would need him for their ticket out of here. She figured to let
the likes of Superman or Batman figure out how to storm the castle to rescue
Howards or negotiate for his release. She had done all she could do here.
It was time to get out!
Not again, Batgirl cursed as she
heard another guard approaching from the other side of the hill. It seemed
that every time she made an attempt to leave, there was always some person,
situation, or gut feeling that prevented her from doing so. She had to deal
with this guard. If she decided to ride off now, she would have her back
to him and the guard would have a target to shot at that was close and
unobstructed. With the exception of the forest that was a couple of miles
down the road, there was no natural cover to block her
motorcycle.
When she believed that she had her timing
right, she raced up the hill toward the guard that she was yet to be seen.
Just as she planned, Batgirl emerged from the top at about the same time
the guard reached the top from his side. The guard was started and totally
taken by surprise. Batgirl stiffened her right arm and extended it fully
to her side, parallel to the ground and gave the poor soul the full force
of a clothes line.
She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw no
more guards from the other side of the hill. She turned her bike around and
sped for freedom down the same road she came from.
About half-way between the forest and the
clearing, Batgirl slammed on her breaks, twisted her body, turned her motorcycle
in the opposite direction and took off again. Three golf carts of guards
had emerged from the forest road and cut off her means of
escape.
Get her alive if you can, she
heard one of them say. Whatever you do
dont let her escape.
The Boss will have our heads for this!
Batgirl could hear them shooting at her but
she believed that she was safe for the time being. They were too far away
and, apparently, they were lousy shots. Batgirl gave her bike more throttle
as she put more distance between herself and the carts. They were no match
for her enhanced horsepower!
Closer and closer Batgirl came to the huge
mansion. It seemed that her decision had been made up for her. She had no
choice but to go in and rescue Hugh Howards.
All right, boys, sneered Batgirl.
You want to play with Batgirl. Ill give you a show youll
never forget.
Part
5
Batgirl gave her bike all
the speed that it could take. She had to time her next maneuver just
right.
Closer and closer she got to the main gate, picking up speed with
each passing yard. Just as she passed the guard house she visited earlier,
a guard actually emerged.
Oh, sure, Batgirl
muttered. When Im in there
and need to see a guard, theres no guard. Now that I dont want
there to be a guard, theres a guard. Just my
luck!
All Batgirl needed to do to deal with the fat round guard was to simply
kick her foot out to the side. He still rolled along the ground like a log
even though it was, at beat, a glancing blow.
Batgirl gave the throttle one good rev and then hit a special button
on her dashboard. As the nitrous hit the fuel to give it that extra burst
of speed, a special, hammer-like device pounded itself into the ground causing
the bike to jump up and become temporarily airborne. Batgirl pulled on the
handlebars to keep her front tire up and assure a landing on her rear
wheel.
Batgirl cleared the top of the fence and did a perfect landing, much
the same as any seasoned film stunt person.
Seconds after she landed, a swarm of guards emerged from behind various
trees and bushes and were poised to attack.
Batgirl smiled and charged at them. Her confidence restored and her
belief that her bad luck ended after she escaped capture from the first guard,
Batgirl was feeling energized and that, from this point on, she could do
no wrong. She was actually happy that she didnt get a chance to ride
off and get help.
This is going to be fun, Batgirl laughed. This is
going to be the most enjoyable day of my life.
*
*
* *
The mysterious figure that watched the monitors had to hold his breath
and close his eyes when he saw Batgirl take that jump. He couldnt believe
that she made it! He should have given her more credit.
My God, Batgirl! That was totally amazing. My hat off to you
but it changes nothing.
The man picked up his pipe from the ash tray and resumed his
smoke.
Unfortunately, with that stellar jump
you have also jumped
into the jaws of fate as well as my trap. You should have left when you had
the chance. Youve lost this fight the moment you stopped to check your
recorder
you just dont know it, yet. Had you waited until you
made into the forest, I would have been none the wiser and would have aborted
the operation. Only one more mile of riding your bike would have made the
difference in avoiding your fate
but I knew you would turn back. I
knew that you would figure it out. I know you very well,
Batgirl.
Only death will save you from my plans. Either you will be an
addition to my team or you will suffer a most total, devastating, and humiliating
defeat where Batgirl will be mo more. What ever three options it goes, Ill
still get what I want
but personally I hope you force me to use the
third option. Your courage and integrity will foolishly make you pick the
hard way
which will be much more satisfying and delicious
and
even fun
at least, for me. I guess the old saying is correct: Before
you can rebuild something, you got to take it down first.
I know you, Batgirl. I knew youd
fall for this. Ive planned and waited years to bag and nail you. Your
nightmare is my dream. Dont hate me too much for your downfall and
humiliating ordeal
its for your own good. Enjoy your fleeting
moments of victory. Soon Batgirl will be no more.
Then the man remembered where he was and composed
himself. There I go again talking out loud like a mad villain in a
comic book. There
I am doing it again. Why am I still talking to myself?
Get a grip!
Angry with himself, he pressed the communicator.
No guns, men. Take her alive. If you shoot her, you
die!
The mystery man watched the fight on the screen. Batgirl was faring
much better than he anticipated. Some driving force was keeping her from
being overcome by the guards. She fought like a warrior and made his men
look like clowns and jackasses.
The mystery man looked at his watch; things were behind schedule.
As much as he was enjoying the fight and admiring Batgirl prowess and battle
skills, it was time to give her a handicap to even the playing
field.
Way did I hire these idiots? Theyre supposed to make Batgirl
overconfident
give her false hope and a false sense of victory
but they are making total fools out of themselves. Ill have to bail
them out again.
He
put down his pipe and opened a long box.
Perhaps we can do something about that pesky motor
bike
.
*
*
*
*
Batgirl laughed as her long red hair flew in the breeze as she ran
down guard after guard with her bike. It almost seemed like an episode of
Benny Hill. One minute the rush at her, and then the next she
turns around and then they realize that they could get run
over.
Whoever this Boss was, he was a male chauvinist. Batgirl
had yet to see any female guards. All the better, it felt better to hit men
rather than women and it was even more fun to make fools out of
them.
It
was just after Batgirl chased down a guard and kicked him in the behind which
sent him rolling to the ground, that she saw the quick flash of light from
on top of the five-story mansion
right from the roof
coming from
the penthouse!
She immediately recognized what it was and only had a split second
to react.
Oh, shit, said Batgirl as she dove off her bike just before
the rocket hit and blew her motorcycle to pieces. She flew and rolled on
the soft grass, breaking her fall. She lifted her cape over her head and
face to protect herself from the dust and flying debris.
Batgirl looked up to see that her motorcycle was now a pile of smoking
and burning rubble. It felt like she had lost an old
friend.
My bike! Batgirl screamed. The only decent thing
I own. She then looked to the penthouse and waved her fist at it.
Youll pay for this!
Before she could make her way to the penthouse and reap her vengeance
on the rocket-firing asshole, two guards ran at her, one on each side, with
each taking hold of one of her arms.
You took your last ride, Batgirl, mocked the first guard.
Youre coming with us now. Youre our prisoner. The Boss
wants to look you over. Maybe even subject you to a strip
search.
Both guards laughed.
Yeah, said the second guard. Poor Batgirl doesnt
have her ride. Shell have to take the bat-bus
exact change only,
please.
This time, when both men laughed, she used the men that were holding
her arms as a brace, so she could jump up and gave each man a full bite of
her shoe heel. When they let her go, she brought her arms forward, crossed
them, and then shot them back, nailing each man in the stomach. As they keeled
over from having the wind knocked out of them, Batgirl stuck both men on
the back of the neck with good solid hand chops.
No
sooner did she get away from those two clowns, that another clown charged
at her. As she passed the flagpole in the front yard, she grabbed it, spun
around and nailed the attacker with both feet to the upper chest. It was
enough momentum to send him flat on his back.
As
she continued to make her way toward the house, another guard took a swing
at her. She ducked under it, and countered with a shot to the ribs. She ran
some more and heard someone running behind her. She saw the low hanging tree
branch just as another guard got in front of her, hoping to cut her
off.
Running as fast as she could to build the momentum needed, Batgirl
jumped, grabbed the branch and swung all the way up and over to the other
side like a world class gymnast on the parallel bars. The guard that was
behind her didnt have time to stop. He ran past the branch where Batgirl
swung behind him and nailed him in the back with her two feet. The guard
flew forward and collided with the guard in front of him.
Batgirl hurriedly shimmed up the tree and blended in and out of sight
before the two clods could get back on their feet and regain their
bearings.
Where did she go? The guard nervously looked in all directions
but saw no sign of the caped heroine.
Shes up in the trees, said the other
guard.
Where? I dont see anything.
Batgirl opened her cape and held each end in her hands. She jumped
from the tree and glided down effortless between the two men giving them
the full brunt of her body block. Both men were on their knees but not out.
Batgirl kicked one in the head and punched the other one.
Batgirl ripped out her batarang and clocked another charging guard
in the head. As it returned, she caught it. Then she pulled out her line
and attached it to her weapon.
She spotted the two guards at the front door just as she reached the
top of the garage. She threw her batarang at the nearby lamp post and let
it loop around the top. Then, she grabbed on to the end and swung down to
kick the two guards, taking them both by complete
surprise.
Two more guards ran at her from opposite directions just as she yanked
her line free and put her weapon away. She looked up and saw the over hang
of the roof
the very place she wanted to go. It was a nice, big easy
target.
She took out her grappling hook and shot it straight up, the sharp
arrow landing deep into the wood. She pulled on her line to make sure that
it would hold. She waited until the goons were almost on top of here before
he hit the button and was pulled up to safety.
Going up, she mocked. When she looked down she couldnt
believe it. Those two idiots actually collided into each
other.
In
a matter of seconds she reached the bottom lip of the roof.
Top floor
general appliances and
toiletries. Batgirl must have been feeling really good about herself.
It had been a long time since she cracked jokes and puns in the middle of
a fight.
Did ya hear that? said a
guard. I think its Batgirl. The Boss said to expect her to come
up here.
That was a loose shutter in the wind.
Batgirl doesnt have the guts to come up here. Shes probably half
way to town by now.
Another hard bang
followed.
There it is again. That aint a
shutter.
For crying out loud, the guard
went over to the edge, bent over, and looked down. See, theres
nobody down there
aaah!
The second guard saw a pair of slender legs
dressed in dark material and yellow boots wrap around his friends neck and
yank him off the roof. He ran to the edge and breathed a sigh of relief as
he saw that his pal was not splattered on the pavement below, but rather
unconscious on a terrace that was a non-fatal falling distance
away.
He looked around and saw no one there. What
was going on?
Excuse me, he was started by a
voice that was directly behind him. Am I on the right floor for
hardware?
The guard turned around and Batgirl caught
him flush on the jaw with a right hook. Being taken by surprise, he was knocked
out cold.
Another guard charged at her but this time,
instead of hitting him, she grabbed his arm and put her rear end into his
stomach. Using the mans own momentum against him, she bent over slightly,
lifted her back, pivoted, turned and gave her attacker a side-hip throw that
made him hit the pavement very hard. She made sure not to release his arm
after she landed, so she could maintain an arm bar on him. This one she needed
to keep conscious as she now wanted some answers.
You know
a girl could really
flip over a guy like
you.
The man was too stunned and the pun went over
his head.
Talk, Batgirl tightened the grip
on the arm. Whats going on? Why are you attacking me? Wheres
Mr. Howards?
Go to hell, Batgirl.
Apparently, this little weasel had some backbone.
She needed to up the ante. She used her free hand to first disarm the revolver
and billy club from the mans holster before taking his handcuffs off
his belt. With his arm in a painful hold, he could do nothing as Batgirl
slapped his own cuffs on him and restrained his hands behind his back. Batgirl
then used both her hands to pick the man up by his shirt collar and put his
face right into hers.
Alright, Batgirl gave him a mean
grimace and an intimidating stare. Talk! Why are you attacking
me?
You still dont scare me,
Batgirl, the guard still defied her. Im not afraid of getting
hit.
Okay, Batgirl started dragging
him off. Lets see about this.
The guard was taken aback. How could someone
with so small a frame drag him off like a rag doll? He started to get nervous
when he realized that she was dragging him toward the edge of the
roof.
Hey, wait a second, he tried to
resist but couldnt. What are you doing? Wait! Stop! This aint
funny!
This isnt a joke, Batgirl
manhandled him to where his back was to the open air. She tipped him on an
angle so that only the tips of his toes were touching the ledge. Just as
she figured, this man was afraid of falling
works every time.
In order to make the image even scarier, she
allowed the guards hat to slip off his head and fall to the ground below.
She allowed the guard to see this to get the full effect of how far down
it actually was.
Oh, God! No! Please! the man pleaded.
Dont let me go, please! Oh, God! Ill talk! Ill
talk!
Why did you attack me? Batgirl
was all business.
It wasnt my idea. The Boss told
us to. W-We werent supposed to attack you at all, but the Boss said
that you were wise to us.
Wise about
what?
The man was surprised that Batgirl really
didnt know what the deal was. It was all he could do not to pee in
his pants. You dont know? The Boss said you
knew
Knew about what? I want to hear it again.
I want to hear it from you. Refresh my memory. Remind
me!
W-W-Wonder Woman. We were supposed to
trap Wonder Woman
but you showed up instead. The Boss thinks you know
about his plan and didnt want you to get away to warn
her.
Why does your Boss want
her?
I dont
know.
Not satisfied with the answer, Batgirl let
her arms relax a little to move him a little further
backwards.
Honest. I dont know. Im
on the bottom of the ladder. They dont tell us stuff
just do
as youre told and collect your money.
That seemed likely. Where is Hugh
Howards?
I dont know. Before Batgirl
could sway him again, he said.
Really
Judging by the quickness of his answer, Batgirl
determined that the response was truthful.
Who is
the
Boss?
Dont know
we never see
him.
Another truthful response but this guy cant
be that much of a flunky that he takes orders blindly from someone he has
no clue about.
Then who do you report
to?
Captain Kirk and Lieutenant Hanohano.
They give us the orders.
Captain Kirk? Hanohano? Are you putting
me on?
No way! I swear. Hanohano is a Hawaiian
name
and the Captains last name really is Kirk
Jason
Kirk
for real. Just dont make any
Star Trek jokes to him. He hates that
shit.
Lieutenant
Hanohano
you said? And this Captain
Kirk
do they report directly to
the
Boss?
Yeah
thats right. Let me up
now?
Where are they?
On the grounds somewhere
looking for you
I
suppose.
Do you now where I can find the Boss by
chance?
Oh, hes in
I dont
know.
The guard didnt realize that he just slipped
up.
I said
where is he?
I-I-I just told you. I dont
know.
Youre lyyyyying, Batgirl taunted him. Liar!
Liar! Pants on fire.
I swear. I dont know.
Batgirl let him go. The guard screamed as he fell backwards. Batgirl
let him fall about two feet before she grabbed hold of his tie to prevent
him from falling further.
Oh, God! Oh, God! The guard cried like a little girl.
Dont let me fall! Dont let me fall!
Please!
Last chance, Batgirl said with clenched teeth. In order
to put full fear in him, she took out her utility knife from her belt and
slowly started to cut his tie in half. You better start talking before
this blade cuts all the way through. Now then
where is the
Boss?
Hes in the penthouse! Hes in the penthouse!
The guard pointed it out. Its over there! Its over there!
I swear! I swear! Let me up! Stop cutting! Please! I told you what you want!
For Gods sake, please let me up.
Now satisfied, Batgirl took a slice and cut the mans tie completely
in half. He fell a foot before she grabbed hold of his belt and yanked the
man back up to safety and threw him to the floor. He immediately took a fetal
position and started blubbering.
Batgirl slowly walked toward the penthouse which was on the other
side of the very large roof. No one tried to stop her. If there were guards
on the roof, they had taken off. Any that stayed behind, scurried away as
she walked past, daring not to touch her.
She soon found out the reason when she got within twenty feet of the
penthouse. They were ordered not to touch her and clear out by the large
figure that stood between her and her goal.
The Polynesian man was not tall but he was very wide. He took an almost
sumo-like stance and started to wave his billy club around menacingly. Batgirl
noticed the single silver bar on his collar
a lieutenants
bar!
Lt. Hanohano, I presume? she said.
Guilty as charged, Hanohano answered. You fought
the good fight, Batgirl, but its the end of the line. You will get
no further. If you try to continue, Im going to pound you to a
pulp.
Thats a possibility, Batgirl was not
intimated.
Theres no need to find out. The Boss was very impressed
with you. He was so impressed that hes going to give you a chance to
get out with your dignity intact.
Batgirl was skeptical. Like surrender? Allow myself to become
your hostage, too. Give up and let you handcuff me so the Boss can give me
a strip search? I dont think so. Its bad enough I fall into a
villains clutches after going down fighting, but Im not just
going to lie down and let it happen on purpose.
No, the mighty Samoan spoke in a tone the Batgirl found
believable. The Boss was thinking more of free passage off the estate.
Well just let walk right out of here with no further harm to
you.
Batgirl laughed. Come on. Youre just going to let me walk?
Just like that? Youll shoot me as soon as I turn my
back.
Why would we do that? We could do that right now if we
wanted.
I know too much. Arent you worried that Ill go to
the authorities?
That wont matter, Hanohano said confidently.
Without your Batgirl-cycle, its a thirteen mile walk to the nearest
town. By the time you do that, well be packed up and long gone
of course, just to be on the safe side, well have to slow you down
a bit to buy more time.
Batgirl knew that there was a catch. Slow me down
how?
Youre going to leave your utility belt behind. We cant
risk you using some electronic gizmo in there to signal for help. Weve
already taken care of the possible of
micro-trackers?
What are you talking about?
The Boss thinks you might have some micro chips sewn into your
custom so your friends at the JLA can track you. Do you see that dish pointed
at us?
Batgirl looked above the penthouse to where Hanohano was pointing.
It looked like a giant satellite dish. Very nice. Do you get HBO and
Showtime, too?
Hanohano snickered. It emits a harmless micro-magnetic beam
that takes out microchips, so if you have any, theyre
toast.
Batgirl shrugged her shoulders. The man was right but there was no
reason to make him think that she was considered about it. I dont
know if I want to give up my utility belt.
Were not asking you to give it up. Just drop it on the
roof and you can pick it up later, when were gone. We dont want
it.
Okay, Batgirl was stalling until she could think of a
plan. That sounds reasonable. Any other
stipulations?
Im afraid so. We know that you are in great condition
and can make the trek faster than your Average Joe, so well need to
cuff your hands
but only in the front
and then well connect
those with a chain to the shackles on your ankles. There will be only two
feet of chain on the foot restraints to make sure that you only take short
strides.
What about Mr. Howards?
Well release him once we are safely away. Hanohano
pulled out his billy club and twirled it around like a pro in hopes that
this would dissuade Batgirl from moving forward. He did all the moves and
fancy tricks including spinning it around his waist and neck. He even threw
it in the air and caught it. If this didnt convince her, then nothing
would.
Very nice, Batgirl was impressed. You sure now how
to use that thing. It must take hours and hours of practice. I ought to know.
I used to be a majorette in high school just like
you.
Hanohano was not amused by Batgirls
cut down, but he let it slide for now.
So, whats it going to be, Batgirl?
We have a deal?
Batgirl needed more time to stall and get into position. She rubbed
her chin. Again the thought of getting restrained and helpless, started to
stimulate her. She had to fight the urge again. She just couldnt simply
allow it to happen without a fight.
How heavy are these restraints?
Not more than three pounds. The metal is light but very durable.
We dont want to weigh you down, just slow you
down.
What about your men? If Im chained up, I wont be
able to stop them from copping a feel off me or even throwing crap at
me.
I will escort you personally. No one will throw anything at
you. No one will touch you. I give you my word on
that.
For some strange reason, Batgirl believed him. Even though he was
a bad guy, Batgirl could see in his eyes that he also had a code of
honor.
No teasing or taunting as I walk past? No
remarks.
No one will say a word. You have my promise on that,
too?
Batgirl believed that as well. Still
its going to
be embarrassing for me if the authorities see me arriving in town wearing
shackles and with the loss of my utility belt. My fellow JLAers will look
down at me. Ill have to hear their shit about it for weeks until it
finally blows over.
But it will eventually blow over, Hanohano seemed
to have an answer for everything. A little embarrassment is still better
than the disgrace and humiliation you will suffer if you dont take
the deal. Embarrassment is temporary. It will go away eventually and be
forgotten. Humiliation, on the other hand, is permanent. Youll be branded
with a badge of shame for the rest of your life.
Batgirl knew that he was totally right about that, yet, thus far,
they were the only ones being embarrassed. This deal was nothing more than
a last-ditch effort to save face.
Come on, Batgirl. Take the deal. Were being pretty reasonable
here. All were demanding is that you be front-cuffed which is more
dignified
not behind the back. Were only asking you to temporarily
give up your utility belt. Its not like were demanding your emblem
or cowl for your freedom. Despite that youve been a pain in the ass
the second you stepped on the grounds, we still respect you as a warrior
and were giving you a chance to keep most of that
respect.
For a few moments, Batgirl had serious intentions of taking the deal.
Her inner voice pleaded with her to accept. She could leave now
almost
getting out clean. Yet, something compelled her to see it through to the
end. She had confidence now and if she pulled this off, no other hero would
ever look down on her again.
Was this courage and dedication on Batgirls
part or just plain ego and arrogance?
Batgirl moved a little closer. She had a plan.
If I take this deal
will you look on me as having brains or will
you take me for being gutless?
Brains, of course. Dont think
of it as giving up
rather as a strategic withdraw. Its a common
and honorable tactic employed by many great military leader throughout the
ages.
Batgirl and Hanohano looked at each other
in silence for about a minute. Each was unsure of the others
motivation.
Okay, Batgirl sighed as she put
her hands in front of her toward the buckle of her utility
belt.
Hanohano smiled as he heard the buckle unpop
and the belt slip off her waist until it tangled loose on her side because
she was now only holding it on one end with only one
hand.
Thats the smartest decision
youve made all day when you initially decided to leave. Now let it
go and let it fall to the floor. Then it will all be
over.
She was only holding it on one end. That was
a fact. The belt was dangling. That, too, was a fact. What Hanohano didnt
know was that it was the heavy buckle side that she let
dangle.
What followed was the loudest and most painful
scream that Hanohano ever utter. Without warning and with lightning speed,
Batgirl thrashed her belt like it was a whip
a trick she learned from
Catwoman. The hard metal, along with the sharp edge of the buckle, hit Hanohano
on the knuckles of the very same hand that was holding his billy club. The
solid impact caused Hanohano to drop his weapon because two of his knuckles
were now broken.
While Hanohano was too preoccupied with the
pain flooding through his hands, he didnt even see the low kick coming.
It caught him flush on the knee. He fell to the ground because Batgirls
strike had shattered his kneecap.
Hanohano could only roll on the ground agonizing
in his pain.
Batgirl put her belt back on. She swore to
herself that it would never leave her waist again. She then walked over to
Hanohano in order taunt him. She folded her arms and shook her head in mock
disappointment.
Thanks for the offer, she gloated.
But you know what
No, thanks. Ill think Ill
pass.
As Batgirl walked to the only exterior door
to the penthouse, he could still hear Hanohano yell at
her.
Cheap shot, Batgirl. We could have fought
like honorable warriors. I get you for this, bitch! Youll be sorry.
You should have taken the deal, stupid broad. The Boss is going to fix you
so bad.
To Batgirl, it was nothing more than an idle
threat. If Hanohano was one of the best that they had, then Batgirl figured
that she would have this caper wrapped up within the hour. With the exception
of the crap over the intercom and her near capture by an ordinary guard,
everything was coming together smoothly. This was now getting so easy that
Batgirl now began to wish that it would get a little more challenging and
dangerous.
Be
careful what you wish for,
Batgirl, said her inner
voice. You just might get it.
The door that led to the penthouse was an ordinary wood door
just a keyless door knob and no deadbolt. Batgirl checked the door to make
sure that it wasnt rigged with booby-traps or any other nasty
surprises.
Good afternoon, Batgirl, a sudden voice startled her before
she realized that it was coming from another intercom that was mounted off
to the side of the door. Ive been expected you, although I must
admit that your arrival is a little ahead of
schedule.
Oh, great. Not this intercom routine
again.
Please, come in, the voice on the intercom said. The
door is unlocked. Im the Boss
that youve been seeking. Dont be shy. Youve declined my
offer for an easy out to get this far, so how about coming in a little
further?
Batgirl hesitated. She was unsure. Just to be on the safe side, she
took out her batarang and put her hand behind her back so that whoever was
inside wouldnt see it. She wanted to be ready if there was trouble
but so far, she was handling it
Is the mighty Batgirl afraid? the intercom voice
taunted.
No way, creep, Batgirl fell for his ploy and slowly turned
the knob to enter.
It
was time to make this smug Boss that totaled her Batgirl-cycle
pay!
She was going to enjoy putting this pompous ass in his
place.
Part 5
Even Batgirl was impressed by the ornate décor as she walked
into, what appeared to be, an office.
The floors and walls were a beautiful marble with oak trim borders.
There was a crystal chandelier on the ceiling. The furniture was modern,
tasteful, and very expensive. There was even a fully-stocked wet bar. The
only other exit, besides the door was an elevator that was on the far wall
to her left.
On
the right, she saw a desk. One figure was sitting behind it while the second
was just to the right.
She couldnt make out the first figure because his face was
conveniently covered in shadows. From the outline of the figure, Batgirl
could make the person out to be a man who was
smoking a pipe?
Batgirls observation was confirmed when she saw him blow out a puff
of smoke. She also smelled the aroma of fine tobacco.
The second figure was a woman that was tall, slender, yet shapely.
This strikingly beautiful blonde woman wore a guards uniform but with some
major differences. Instead of slacks, she wore a short navy blue skirt that
was tight and showed off her posterior. She was not wearing a tie and left
her collar opened and a few buttons were down to show a slight amount of
cleavage. The shirt was just as tight as the skirt and showed off her
well-endowed chest. She did wear a hat but it was tipped upwards and resting
on the back of her head instead of straight and level to the floor like the
men. She also opted to wear her long blonde hair loose and over her shoulders.
Batgirl knew that most women in the law enforcement or security business
wore their long hair in a pony-tail to prevent it from flying into their
face. She had a gun belt, but wore it loose so that the weight of her weapon
made the belt rest on an angle. The only other thing on her belt was a pair
of handcuffs and she didnt have a billy club like the rest of the guards.
Her gun was different, too. It was a smaller, lighter caliber pistol which
was only effective for close range. The final difference was her shoes. They
were high heels, and although, adequate for walking, there was no way this
broad could run in them.
Judging by the uniform, Batgirl found it hard to believe that she
was an effective guard. Her outfit would be too much of a hindrance. Then
again, Batgirl learned that looks can be conceiving. Perhaps she was mere
eye-candy for this chauvinist. Legitimate guard or girl-toy, she stood
professionally with her shoulders straight, chest out, and remained motionless
in her at ease stance (legs slightly apart and holding her hands
behind her back). She stood there unconcerned and without a care in the world.
She didnt drop her million dollar open-mouth smile that showed off
her nearly flawlessly straight, white, non-discolored, teeth. She looked
like she just got off the set of toothpaste commercial.
Batgirl, who had no lesbian tendencies, found this woman stunning
and couldnt help but stare at her.
What do you think of my humble abode, Batgirl? the male
figure in shadows suddenly spoke to break the silence.
I like your decorator, Batgirl said
back.
Would you care for a cocktail?
No, thank you, Batgirl played along keeping her batarang
handy in the event of trouble.
Do you mind if I smoke?
Your lungs, pal. Not mine.
Batgirl thought she spotted some trouble brewing. During her little
banter with the mystery villain, she noticed that the blonde
woman no longer had her hands behind her back but where now resting at her
sides. Since her hand was still a long way from her gun, Batgirl decided
to give her a warning rather than nailing her with the
batarang.
Dont even think of going for that gun,
Lady.
Slightly surprised, the woman looked over to the man and he gave her
a nod. She immediately resumed her at ease
stance.
This was actually a clever distraction so the man could hit a switch
on the control panel near his desk.
Batgirl turned to her right when he heard the whooshing
noise. The ordinary door that she entered was suddenly replaced
with a metal door that horizontally slid over the old door. It slammed shut
and the sound of a loud locking mechanism followed. There was no door knob
or handle on the door. It was obviously meant to keep people out
or
even better, keep people in.
This totally surprised Batgirl; however, in
a different sort of way. It didnt surprise her that it happened because
she had been in this situation many times, especially in her early crime-fighting
days. What surprised her was that, in this day and age, there was some kook
that couldnt come up with anything original. This was nothing more
than Mystery Mastermind Villain 101. This Boss was just
as ordinary as any other Boss she faced in the past. This must have been
a hobby for this clod that obviously had no clue as to what being a criminal
mastermind was all about. She couldnt wait to teach this rube a
lesson.
Just want to make sure that we are not disturbed, my lovely
fem fatale.
Youre the one thats
disturbed, Fella. Batgirl couldnt help herself. If
this wannabe Mastermind wanted to play old and lame clichés,
then she was going to throw them right back in this jackasss
face.
The man turned to his bodyguard and said, Nadia,
dear, you are excused. I dont require your services for the remainder
of the day.
Are you sure? Nadia seemed surprise at this
request.
Im be fine, my dear, he answered in a reassuring
tone. Run along. Why dont you take a dip in the pool? It will
do you some good. Put on that new hot pink string bikini that I gave you
for a bonus last week. Ill join you in a little
bit.
As you wish, Cupcake, the woman started to walk away with
her hands behind her back to show Batgirl that she had no intention of drawing
her weapon. She had a bounce to the way she walked and even moved her hips
like those brain-dead sexy secretaries Batgirl had seen in the old movies.
This woman was definitely eye candy
not a real
guard.
Again, she couldnt help but stare at
her
but mostly to make sure that she wouldnt try anything cute
and go for her gun.
Just as she past Batgirl, she stopped and looked at her. Batgirl was
not sure what this was about. The blonde still had her hands behind her back
and was not making any threatening moves.
Can I help you, Miss, Nadia said to
Batgirl.
No, Batgirl was confused. Why do you
ask?
You were staring at me. I thought you wanted to ask me
something.
Batgirl didnt want to aggravate the situation by telling this
bimbo that she was keeping an eye on her and her gun. She also didnt
want to tell her that she just had a lesbian thought cross her
mind.
Thinking quick, Batgirl answered. Your
ummm
Boss.
He must pay you well to make you wear that
costume.
He pays me very well, Nadia didnt take offense at
first. And this is not a costume. Its my uniform
and no
he doesnt make me wear it. Then Nadia took offense. And
speaking of costumes
have you looked in the mirror
lately? Youre one to talk.
Im not the one with the bat fetish. Halloween is still a long way off,
Sister
and for crying out loud
who in their right mind would
ever match up yellow gloves, boots, and belt with black
spandex?
Batgirl was still somewhat miffed that this Mastermind
was wasting her time and cutting into her weekend, and the last thing she
wanted was to get negative fashion tips from a lippy dimwit moll. She was
now itching to take her frustrations out on someone and this blonde, that
sells her dignity out for the right price, was just the outlet to vent
on.
If you have a problem with my crime-fighting attire, then maybe
we can step outside and discuss it.
Id like nothing more,
you
Nadia stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the Boss clear his
throat.
Nadia, please leave us.
Nadia gave Batgirl a look of contempt then looked at the Boss and
looked at Batgirl again. Batgirl knew that Nadia wanted a piece of her very
badly, but she seemed more concerned not to disobey her
Boss.
Yes, sir, Nadia regained her composer. Sorry,
sir.
Then she reluctantly made her way to the elevator.
Sir? Batgirl said to Nadia as she walked away. She
couldnt help but give the tart one last zinger. What happened
to
Cupcake?
Nadia stopped dead in her tracks. Batgirl could see that Nadia wanted
to turn around to do something or say something back. Thinking better of
it, she continued on to the elevator.
Yeah, Batgirl mocked. Youd better keep
walking.
Nadia ignored that remark. She slipped her ID card in a slot so that
the elevator doors could open. She stepped inside and disappeared as the
doors closed.
Batgirl then turned her attention back to the Boss. If he wanted
cliché, he was going to get cliché right up his butt. Batgirl
took her stance, where she stood on a slight angle, rested her fist on her
hips, and slightly tilted her head up.
And as for you
Boss. The game is over.
Youre finished. Give yourself up and hand over Hugh
Howards.
How drool, the Boss casually took a puff of his pipe.
I expected a better line. Im
disappointed.
Look whos talking, Bozo. Sliding metal doors
sidekick
bimbo
hiding in shadows
all you need to complete the picture
is a Persian cat on your lap. Brother, you are the lamest criminal mastermind
that I have ever seen.
The Boss began to laugh. Now thats the fiery-tongued vixen
that I grew to love. I knew that you would fire back at me with venom. I
know how much you hate not to get in the last word. You are so predictable,
Batgirl.
Think Im predictable, huh? You like surprises? Well, I
got one for you. Who are you trying to fool with that
man in the shadows ploy? I already know who you are. I didnt
want to say anything until because I didnt want to embarrass you in
front you your little blonde. There is no kidnapping. This was just a set-up
for someone like me to storm in here half-cocked. It didnt work. So
why dont you show yourself
Mr. Hugh Howards
IV.
Very Good, Batgirl.
The Boss flicked a switch which turned on
a light so that Batgirl could get a full view. He calmly stepped away from
behind his desk and walked around it to sit down on the front of it and continued
to smoke his pipe allowing Batgirl the pleasure of soaking in his
presence.
Batgirl couldnt believe her eyes! This
man with wavy black hair appeared to be somewhere in his mid-thirties! He
was the most handsome
absolutely stunning man she had ever seen. He
made Bruce Wayne look
ordinary. It was all Batgirl could do to keep
her tongue from hanging out of her mouth
to get weak in the knees and
sworn
she had to put her hand over her chest to help catch her
breathe.
She never believed in love at first sight
(or maybe it was lust) until she saw this beautiful man. Ever since she was
a little girl, Barbara Gordon had a type of man
the one
she always dreamed about
and this was it!
He looked very dapper and smooth in his red
smoking jacket, white ascot around his neck, and black slacks. The outfit
seemed to suit him perfectly
and the way he was smoking his pipe
it was so damn masculine and sexy. She wanted this man.
Oh my God, Batgirl didnt
realize that she was thinking out loud. You are absolutely
gorgeous.
Well, thank you, Batgirl. I fancy you
as well
especially those eyes. I bet theres an equally beautiful
face underneath that cowl to go with them.
Oh, stop, Batgirl got a little
giddy. Hey
wait a second. Did you just try to put me under some
hypnotic trace or something?
I did not.
Who the devil are
you?
Hugh Howards IV
just like you
deduced.
No
who are you
really?
Batgirl finally shook the spell that he put her under.
I just told you.
Hugh
Cut the crap, Batgirl was pissed
but managed to keep her cool. Well, lets deduce this: Hugh Howards
has to be, at least, seventy years old.
Thats correct, the Boss
didnt seem concerned that he was getting caught in a
lie.
Yet, you dont look a day over
thirty five.
Why, thank you. I do look rather young
for my age.
Really? Batgirl knew that he was
so full of crap. And how do maintain this youthful
look?
A good diet
plenty of exercise
eight hours of sleep every night
and lots and lots of make-up and plastic
surgery.
Theres no make-up or plastic surgeon
that can be that good.
I was only jesting. I really am Hugh
Howards. I can prove it and you will learn why I look so young. You will
know everything very soon
after I defeat you. Well have plenty
of time to talk after that.
Defeat me? You sound so sure of
yourself.
I always win, Batgirl. I win by knowing
my enemies. I know you because you are predictable. Then again
maybe
not. It surprised me when you made that jump over that fence
very dangerous
and daring. I didnt think you would have the nerve to make it. Then
you took out Hanohano so quickly. I thought hed give you some trouble.
I must congratulate you, Batgirl. So far, you have passed the test. Are you
willing to take the final exam?
The Boss waited for a reply but got none.
Batgirl
dont you have something to
say?
What
like
youre a worthy opponent and youve
given me a run for my money
or something like that? Im not a
member of your Mutual Admiration Society. Lets cut the crap and stop
patronizing each other. Its getting old. If you want to be a villain,
at least, get some fresh material.
Batgirl gave the Boss a mean stare.
Not too long ago you were almost captured by a single guard
now you come strutting in here all cocky and arrogant after Ive made
attempts to let you go and tried to treat you like a lady? It will be a pleasure
to knock you off your pedestal.
Oooooo. Im soooo scared.
I should take offense to that remark, but I wont. I should
be enraged at you for ruining my plan. Three years of hard work and clever
planning went down the drain because of you.
Batgirl rolled her eyes. She wanted to hear it anyway before she made
him into a crying simpering fool. What plan was that? To have me kick
the crap out of your lame guards?
No! The Boss slammed his fist on the desk but immediately
got a hold of himself. The plan to capture Wonder
Woman.
Batgirl started to laugh so hard that it took her almost a minute
to catch her breath. Its a good thing Wonder Woman didnt
show up. You call this a trap? If little old no super-powers
me could get to you
then can you imagine what Wonder Woman could do?
Shed turn this place into rubble. If I were you, Id stick to
picking pockets or snatching purses. Now, any more last words or deals you
want to make before I go over there and beat you to a pulp? You are handsome
and I hate to mess you up.
As a matter of fact, I do have an offer despite everything
youve done to me.
What? Another free pass to turn back and walk away from this
mess?
You really have no clue as to the
mess you are in. I knew that you wouldnt accept any offers
to leave
but I gave you a clean way out to ease my conscious. Now that
youve stepped in here, leaving is out of the question. There are three
alternatives now. The first is that I kill you
but I find that
unacceptable. You are much too beautiful and skilled and it would be a total
waste.
This guy sure likes to
hear myself talk, Batgirl thought to herself.
Ill indulge the prick.
Im having fun anyway.
The second option is to get you to join us
the easy way
voluntarily. Based on your performance, Batgirl, Id like to hire your
services.
Im not for hire.
You dont even know what the job
is.
After what Ive seen, it looks like you could use a
bodyguard.
That would be one of your duties, but what I had in mind
was
I know what you have in mind. Im not interested in turning
into another Nadia.
Nadia is not a slave. Shes here of her own free will.
She was wise enough to come on board. She chose to be an honored ally rather
than a disgraced slave.
I dont care.
Ill make it worth your while. The compensation will be
quite considerable.
Im not interested in money
okay
maybe I am.
Let me rephrase that: Im not interested in your money, Mr.
Howards.
Oh, call me, Hugh. Money is only one way to compensate you.
I have other things I can offer you that is even better than money. I know
that youre not as young as you use to be. I know your losing your edge.
I can help you with that. In return, youll help me. You would be a
great asset to our next project.
Well, I still have enough of an edge to make a jackass out of
you. Even if what you say is true, Im not making any deals with the
Devil
Hugh! Then Batgirl figured it out. I know what
youre trying to do. You botched your chance to get Wonder Woman and
you want to try again
with my help. I knew
it.
Correct again, Batgirl. You know her very well
her
strengths
her weaknesses
Forget it. Im not betraying my friends
not for any
amount of money or miracles. Batgirl decided to give this demented,
but gorgeous man a chance. Look
you really dont have want
it takes to be a villain and I dont want to hurt you. Why dont
you just let me take you to JLA headquarters and get you some help? Since
your scheme to kidnap Wonder Woman failed and I didnt get hurt, you
wont face any jail time if you cooperate.
Howards got up from his desk and laughed. He slowly made his way back
behind it. Batgirl knew that he was up to something, but stayed her hand.
She wouldnt do anything until he tried to go for a button on the control
panel on his desk.
Wonder Woman wasnt our target today. It was you, Batgirl!
I knew all along that you were coming. Wonder Woman told me,
remember?
Batgirl realized that she slipped, once again. Darn! Thats
right! How could I be so stupid?
Youve seen for yourself. Were not ready for Wonder
Woman. That should be obvious to you. We get you this year and her the next.
We have to work our way up. Wonder Woman is a lion and Im still new
to this hunting game. You know the old saying Batgirl. Before going after
the loins, tigers, and bears you to graduate
from
Rabbits and squirrels, Batgirl clenched her fists. You
think Im a squirrel? You
No, Howards jumped back slightly. Somewhere above
that
like bobcats, coyotes, and wolves. Yes
thats it.
Youre a wolf. We got the rabbits and squirrels last year
so we could work up to you
and then Wonder
Woman.
Batgirl put her urge to clobber this man on hold because her curiosity
got the better of her. Who was your
squirrel?
Nadia, of course. We had to start with a non-hero
a normal
human. She did very well until she tangled with me. She used to be a police
officer
and a feisty one at that
but she eventually saw the light
and so will you. Join me now, Batgirl
while you still have the
chance.
Forget it, Batgirl slowly walked to Howards desk.
It seemed to Howards that he didnt expect this. Perhaps because he
was a wealthy man, he was use to people cowering to him rather than standing
up to him.
If you dont stop, Batgirl, then Im forced to use
the third option
the hard way. Howards voice now didnt
seem to have the arrogance and confidence of before. He was starting to sweat.
Willing or unwilling
you will be on my
team.
You forgot the fourth option, creep, Batgirl got close
enough to the desk in order to pounce. You open this door and let me
out and I walk out of here. No more of your lame tricks. Open that door or
Ill beat the hell out of you. She then stopped to give Howards
one more chance. You have three seconds
two
Okay, Howards reached for his panel. You win.
Dont hurt me. Ill open the door
now! As he said
now, he slammed on a button.
Just as Batgirl predicted, it was not the button to open the door.
Anticipating a trap, she easily jumped to the side as three darts shot out
from the desk
probably tipped with some kind of knockout
drug.
Batgirl rolled and landed in a crouched position as the darts harmlessly
hit the marble wall on the other side which broke off the tips. She was hoping
Howards would try something so she would have a legitimate reason to hit
him.
Damn, Howards cursed. He hit another button on the
panel.
Batgirl heard something drop from the ceiling. She easily rolled out
of the way to avoid the falling net.
Shit! Howards cursed again and hit another
button.
Batgirl heard a noise to her right. She saw an opening form in the
wall. She rolled forward toward the desk. This time she would be close enough
to the desk and she still had her batarang in her hand. Howards never
noticed.
As
the harpoon shot behind her and impaled itself into the opposite wall. Batgirl
jumped up and struck with lightning speed. Her batarang hit the control
box.
Son of a bitch, Howards jumped back and put his arms over
his face to avoid the sparks that were flying from the box. With his traps
now neutralized, he had no other recourse but to reach in his desk and put
out his revolver.
Just as he pulled it out and tried to point it in Batgirls
direction, he heard a swirling noise and then saw a black blur. He felt a
sharp pain in his hand when another one of Batgirls batarangs dislodged
the weapon from his hands.
Oh, no, his face turned white as he saw an angry Batgirl
run toward him and leap over the desk.
Lucky bastard, Batgirl muttered as Howards was somehow
able to, just barely, run out of the way to avoid her impact. Batgirl
didnt know how he managed that, but he only bought himself a few more
seconds.
Batgirl effortlessly landed on her feet on the other side of the desk.
She spotted Howards running toward the metal door that she just entered.
He had his back to her.
Batgirl smiled. She had the prick now. She
reached into her belt and took out her bolo. She could take her time and
aim carefully. She swung it over her hand until the balls gave her the proper
momentum. She let it go and it flew toward Howards.
For the first time in his life, Hugh Howards
was in a panic. He couldnt get to the door fast enough to suit him.
He hoped that he had enough of a head start. If he could get outside, he
could still get away and avoid an ass-whipping. He had to get away! He
couldnt let Batgirl catch him! A few more steps and he would be at
the door. He prayed that he could punch in the security code to unlock the
door and then the release button to make it slide open.
He was a little further than arms reach of
the control panel when he felt something wrap around his lower legs. Almost
immediately, his ankles become entwined and then it was as if his feet were
tied together. Howards fell forward on the hard marble floor. Only the fact
that the held his arms out to break his fall was the only thing that prevented
his face from hitting the hard floor and knocking his teeth out or even breaking
his jaw.
No! Hugh desperately tried to
get the entangled bolo off his ankles, but in his panic he couldnt.
His eyes opened in terror as she saw Batgirl slowly approach him
her
fists tightly clenched.
Why is this happening to me? Hugh
struggled to get up but fell again. He decided to crawl to the door. This
was his last desperate act
somehow hoping he could still get
away.
Batgirl snickered at his stupid attempt. Why
do these idiots keep trying? He know he cant get away now, but desperation
makes them try and fail.
Hugh made it to the door. He could hear
Batgirls boot heels slowly clip-clop on the marble. The
steps were slow and deliberate. She wanted Hugh to think about was going
to happen to him. She wanted him to experience his terror for every few extra
seconds that she could possibly squeeze in.
Its not supposed to be like
this! Somehow Hughs fear gave an extra boost of adrenaline to
give him the strength and the willpower to use his hands to grab on to the
walls and pull himself to a standing position.
Batgirl again laughed at the futilely. So
what if he was back on his feet? It wasnt going to help him
now.
I had anything planned so well,
Hugh was so scared that it took a few seconds to remember the code to unlock
the door that, under non-stressful circumstances, he could punch in without
thinking about it. It went so smooth at practice. Hugh frantically
punched in the code hoping that he didnt screw it up and have to start
again
which he didnt have time. Why couldnt it have
been just like Nadia? Hugh breathed a sigh of relief when the screen
on the control pad read, Door Unlocked. He was almost home free.
Why did everything go wrong? Why is this happening to
me?
Just as he was about it press the green button
that would make the door slide open, he felt something grab his wrist. It
was a yellow glove. Batgirls glove!
Batgirl could have stopped him sooner but
timed her approach just right so that she would catch him a mere moment before
he could escape. That was always a good way to mess with a villains
head
make them think theyre home free and then yank the carpet
right out from under him at the last second..
Games over, Hugh, Batgirl
gave him a punch. Even though it wasnt a hard or very painful blow,
Hugh still flew backwards and fell to the floor because his feet were still
tied up. For some reason Batgirl didnt hit him hard on purpose as she
didnt want to disfigure his gorgeous face. Bruises heal
but
humiliation stays forever. She opted to put the Fear of God in this poor
misguided soul. He wasnt really evil
just a man with so much
money that he was bored. She needed to teach him a lesson so that he
wouldnt pull this stunt again on someone else.
Although Batgirl had no intention of battering
Hugh, she didnt want him to know that. Sometimes the threat or anticipation
of a beating was worse than the actual beating. She stayed her hand because
he was going to have a lot of fun screwing with his mind.
As she predicted, Hugh was crawling backwards.
He was making a stop gesture with his head.
Please, Batgirl. Im sorry. I
didnt mean it! Dont hit me!
Dont
His words were interrupted when Batgirl grabbed
him by the labels of his smoking jacket, yanked him up to his feet and slammed
him face first in the wall.
Thought you try to kidnap me, huh?
Batgirl twisted Hughs arm behind his back. Thought youd
tie me up and make me your helpless little prisoner of love? Your little
damsel in distress to play with? Batgirl reached into her utility belt
and pulled out her handcuffs. Batgirl dont play that
game!
Wait ,Batgirl, Hugh pleaded.
Please not behind my back. Cuff me from the front if you have to
please. I was planning to do the same to you
bind your hands from the
front. I swear.
Sure you were, pal, Batgirl slammed
the cuffs on the first wrist and locked it in hard.
Not the back, Hugh still pleaded.
I cant stand that! Please.
Tough, Batgirl ignored his appeal
and took his other wrist and pulled it behind his back and locked that one
into place. She then turned him around so that he was looking right in her
face. She grabbed him again and slammed his back into the wall. She gave
him a menacing look.
Now youll know what its
like. How does it feel to be bound helpless and be at someone elses
mercy? Not too good does it?
Please, Batgirl. I quit! I give up.
No more! No more!
Pretty humbling to be made to beg and
grovel, huh? Bet you wanted to hear that from me? I bet you wouldnt
have stopped if I begged you.
Yes, I would.
Sure! Batgirl looked into his
eyes. She felt that strange feeling of attraction again. This man was so
beautiful
so charming
and now totally at her mercy. Probably
make me do something like this. Batgirl couldnt hold herself
back. She leaned in and gave Hugh a passionate tongue kiss on the mouth.
Hugh responded in kind. It was the best kiss
that she ever had. Batgirl couldnt hide the fact that she was deeply
attracted to this man. She wanted him. She then began to have thoughts of
taking her nicely tied-up little man-package behind the desk to open
him up and ride on top of him.
It was the sound of her cuffs clicking and
locking into place that caused Batgirl to get excited. She then began to
wish that it was here on the receiving end
it was her being bound helpless
and at Hughs mercy.
What am I doing? Batgirl regained
her senses and pushed herself away. It took her a few seconds to catch her
breath and get her fluttering heart to beat normally.
That was wonderful, Batgirl. We
are meant for each other.
Oh, God, Hugh
Mr. Howards. I
didnt mean to do that. Im sorry. That was out of
line.
Dont be sorry. Theres a
lot more where that came from. Join me, Batgirl. Lets go to my bed
chamber and consummate our partnership.
Damn you, Batgirl pushed him away. Enjoy it.
Thats the only taste youll have of
me.
I was right, Hugh smiled and some of his apprehension
had faded. You have to be conquered then
just as I
figured.
Youll never know, Batgirl raised her fist then stopped.
Look Hugh. Ill admit that you are a very handsome and charming
fellow when youre not trying to bag super-heroines, but youre
also vain and controlling. You think people can be bought. You need to be
taught a lesson in humility.
What are you going to do, Batgirl? Hugh seemed to get
braver despite his predicament.
Youve probably bragged to all your men that you would
have me at your mercy and humiliate me. Theyre going to see that
their high and mighty Boss doesnt always deliver. You and
I are going to walk the grounds together, in full view of all your guards
to prove that you failed. That ought to knock you down a few pegs so that
you wont try this stunt again in the future. Once Im safely off
these grounds, I dont care what happens
so long as I dont
see you again.
Hugh seemed unfazed. You are correct. That would be humiliating,
but you have forgotten two things. You dont have transportation and
you cant get out off this room without me. You need a code to open
that door. Do you plan to beat it out of me, Dear?
Batgirl smiled like the cat the swallowed that canary. She was always
one step ahead of this poor soul. She almost felt sorry for him. And
have you forgotten, Dear, that
you already punched in the code. All I need to do is hit the green
button.
Hughs smile dropped. Oh, shit. I forgot about that. L-Look,
Batgirl. You wouldnt really display my failure to my men like that.
Ill be a laughing stock. No one will take me
seriously.
You bet I will. You have two choices. I can untie you and you
can walk me out of here like a gentleman or I can drag you out of here tied
up. That would really go over well, wouldnt
it?
Theres the third option, Hugh said hopefully. We
can forget the whole thing. You can leave in secret. Ill gladly compensate
you most generously for that.
Batgirl made another fist. Dont push your luck. I told
you that I dont want your money.
Your bike, Hugh had a quick thought. Ill replace
your bike with a nice new one.
Batgirl calmed down. Thats right. You do owe me a bike.
That I accept.
Just name your amount. Itll only take my bank a few
seconds
Oh, sure. Like Im going to be able to go to the bank and
cash a check mad out to Batgirl. Dont insult my intelligence.
Youre walking on thin ice with me as it is. Its taking all my
willpower not to hit you.
This time, Hugh actually knew something that Batgirl didnt.
Im talking about a transfer into the JLA account. Even as a reserve
member, you still get a stipend. You can get your money through that
channel
plus any bonus amount to make up for your
aggravation.
Batgirl grabbed him by his labels again. Dont start that
crap again, Buddy. All I want from you is the money to replace my bike
nothing more. I made it perfectly clear that I will not take your
money otherwise. Got it?
Again, Hugh had one up on Batgirl. But you have been
taking it, my dear. Youve been accepting it gracefully for
years.
What are you talking about?
Youve taken it every time youve taken money out
of your stipend account. You know very well that the JLA will not take government
funds to operate because they dont want to be obligated by any government.
Where do you think that the JLA gets all their money? Who paid for that satellite
base that the have orbiting the Earth? Who paid for that transit tube to
get members up there? All that high-tech equipment and their operating expenses
cost a lot of money. Who do you think pays for it?
Donations from the general public, of course, Batgirl
was confident in her answer.
Only a fraction, Batgirl. Do you actually think that all those
average working schmucks can pool together hundreds of millions of dollars
or even a billion dollars to keep things going? Youre a college graduate,
Batgirl. Do the math. Its impossible.
Hugh was right. It would be impossible. How did he know that she was
a college graduate? Lucky guess? Or did he just assume that she did because
he found her very intelligent and had to have gone to an institute of higher
learning.
Ive been bankrolling the JLA ever since its
inception, Hugh continued. Im a major
contributor.
Thats a lie!
I can prove it. I just need access to my terminal at my
desk.
Okay, but no funny business.
You have my word, Batgirl. There is nothing at that desk that
I will use to hurt you. However, if you wish to search my desk, please feel
free to do so.
Im going to do just that, Batgirl threw him to the
ground, grabbed him by the back color of his smoking jacket and pulled him
toward his desk.
Part 6
Even though Batgirl believed
that Hugh was truthful about there being no more traps in his desk, she searched
it anyway
just to be on the safe side. When she was satisfied that
he wasnt going to pull a fast one, she untie his feet and removed her
bat-cuffs.
With no effort, Hugh was able to access the JLA database. The fingerprint
and eye retina scan, along with voice recognition positively verified the
identity of the handsome young man as Hugh Howards
IV. This also got him passed
all the security checks. He knew all the appropriate passwords and had access
to things that very few people had access to. Within minutes, he had a hook-up
to one of his bank accounts and to that of the JLA.
Holy shit, exclaimed Batgirl. You werent lying.
You really are Hugh Howards IV. I guess I owe you an apology for that
part.
Not necessary, Hugh answered pleasantly. I just
dont understand why you doubted me in the first
place.
Like I said
your physical looks dont coincide with
your actual age.
And like I said
a good diet, plenty
of
Oh, come on! Dont give me that bull. How do you
really do it?
I told you before that its a long story and a secret I
share with those that work close to me. If you really want to know, youll
have to join my team.
Dont start that again. Forget I
asked.
Very, well, Hugh sighed in a mocking manner. I did
give you a chance. Remember that. Ahha
here we go. I found your stipend
account. Now how much to compensate for your bike?
Batgirl named a figure.
Is that all? Hugh seemed surprised. You should upgrade.
How about I give you an extra
.
No way, Buster, Batgirl reached into her belt and took
out the check that Wonder Woman had give to her and shoved it into Hughs
hand. If you want to make it
up to me, you can do so by transferring the funds of this check AND your
matching pledge to the charity. Batgirl had an afterthought. You
really want to make it up to me? You know something, Hugh. I think today
youre feeling very generous. Youre going to double the
amount of your matching pledge. That oughta make a few more kids
happy.
Oh, youre no fun.
Thats what all the guys say after my dates with them,
Batgirl said sternly. Now
show me the
money.
About five minutes later, all the money was given to charity and
everything was put in order just as Batgirl ordered.
Anything else? asked Hugh as he put his terminal in standby
mode.
Nope, Batgirl started walking toward the door.
Im leaving. See you around, Hugh. Its been
fun.
Dont you want a ride?
Id rather walk, thank you.
But its too far to the next town to
walk.
Dont worry, Hugh. Im in
shape.
Hugh rushed out from his desk and ran in front of Batgirl, blocking
her path. Please, dont leave. Have lunch with
me.
No!
I cant let you leave, Batgirl. Theres so much more
that I need to do to you
I mean
that means to be
done.
Get out of my way, Hugh. Im through playing
games.
Youll have to get past me,
first.
Move, Hugh! I mean it!
Youre not going anywhere until Ive tamed you. You
need to learn what its like to be
domesticated.
Batgirl rolled her eyes. He was going into villain mode again. She
didnt have time for this.
When she walked past Hugh and tired to use her arm to brush him away,
he suddenly grabbed it. He twisted his body so she flew over his hip and
on to the hard floor.
Although Batgirl didnt expect this, she wasnt taken by
surprise either. Her battle instincts made her hold on to Hughs arm
after the fall, and instead of letting it go like most people do, she rolled
with the throw and stuck her foot just right of his groan area and rolled
back, making sure to hold on to her attacker. As she rolled, she extended
her leg for maximum lift and air time. When she completed her roll, she let
Hugh go and he went sailing right over her. She heard Hugh make an
ooof noise when he landed on the hard floor.
Batgirl immediately jumped to her feet and assumed defensive martial
arts poise. She was surprised that Hugh had gotten up at the same time and
took a martial arts poise of his own.
Why did you do that? Batgirl was more annoyed than
angry.
Hughs tone seemed different when he answered. He was no longer
whiny and cowardly. He now seemed confident and in control, but not arrogant.
I wanted to prove to you that Im not the coward and weakling
that I pretended to be a while back. I am an accomplished martial
artist. Ive trained for years. Ive studied your moves, Batgirl
and I know that I am a match for you. Why do you think I choose you? I could
never go toe-to-toe with Wonder Woman
unless
of course
I managed to strip that magic Amazon belt of strength off her
waist.
How did he know about Wonder Womans weakness? It was something
to ponder later.
Batgirl looked behind her to see the door. Hugh was no longer blocking
her way and she could easily make a dash for the door and get outside long
before Hugh could do anything about it
but Batgirl decided to stay.
Batgirl had pride and she was not about to run to the door from a would-be
villain that had no clue as to how the game was really played. Batgirl was
going to leave, but by walking out without hindrance and maintaining her
pride and dignity.
Hugh smiled as she saw that Batgirl was going to remain
behind.
You broke your word, Hugh. You promised not to attack me anymore.
Dont deny it. I heard you say it.
I did no such thing. I only promised that
nothing from my desk would harm you.
You are slipping already. Any other second-rate crime-fighter would have
picked up on that. Care to dance?
Okay, Hugh, Batgirl started to approach him. You
want to play in the major leagues? Ill be happy to
oblige.
Batgirl decided to end it mercifully quick by throwing a fast, three-punch
combination to Hugh.
Hugh didnt go down. He blocked all of Batgirls strikes,
much to her chagrin.
What the
how did you do that?
I told you that I was a fighter.
Batgirl recomposed herself. It was beginners luck. She was merely
taking it easy on him. No more.
Lets dance!
Again Batgirl was surprised that Hugh was able to block the fast three
punches and duck under the kick to the head.
Still surprised by Hughs sudden prowess, she barely was able
to block the two punches when Hugh attacked. Batgirl countered with a punch,
and Hugh slipped it. Then Hugh fired back with a series of punches and kicks
of his own, which Batgirl blocked or dodged herself.
Okay, you can handle yourself. Ill give you
that.
I am your equal, Batgirl. You cant deny
that.
The two began to circle each other but they didnt attack. Each
was seeing what the other would do.
If you could fight, Hugh, then why did you wait until now? Why
the wimp act?
To make you over confident
to make you under-estimate
me. I purposely hit the escape code so all you have to do to leave is hit
the green button. I did that so you will anguish on that fact after I capture
and disgrace, shame, and humiliate you. All the time, while you are being
tamed and ready for domestication, it will always be in your mind:
I was so close. Why
didnt I just take the time to press a simple, green button? If I did
that I wouldnt be in this torment that I am in now. Your defeat
from this point on will be yours and yours alone. You can only blame
yourself.
Ive heard that line so many times before, and no ones
made good on their promise. Judging by those lame traps of yours, I have
nothing to worry about.
It
was only ten minutes, but for the two combatants, it was an eternity. When
Batgirl attacked Hugh, he was able to block, parry, slip, and duck. When
Hugh attacked Batgirl, it was the same thing. Any blows that landed were
infrequent and the other person was able to score right back. They were an
even match. They were so even that it was getting
monotonous.
They were both starting to get tired and they soon converted to wrestling
and grappling.
Batgirl and Hugh had thrown each other and landed on a sofa. She
didnt see Hugh reach under a cushion and pull out a remote control
box that he had stashed away earlier for an emergency such as this. He hid
it behind his back.
Their eyes meet and locked on to each other. They began to kiss again,
and Batgirl didnt care this time.
It looks like were both down for the count, Batgirl
finally had a moment to speak.
It looks that way, Hugh answered with a devilish smile
on his face. And speaking of count? Do you like
numbers?
What? Batgirl had no clue to where this conversation was
going.
Do you have a favorite number, Batgirl, my love? Hugh
pressed a button on the control from behind his back.
No, Batgirl was still clueless.
What
is this idiot talking about?
I guess one number is just as good as
any other.
I have three favorite numbers. This was the moment Hugh
was waiting for. The moment he dreamed and planned for a long time. He was
hoping that there was no sinister inflection in his voice to give him
away.
I like five, four, and seven.
Batgirl was totally doomed and she doesnt
see it coming. All this time, she believed that she had controlled the
situation.
I like five
because that is the
amount of time that it would take a fit girl like you to dash across the
long width of this room to reach the door. Four
thats the delay
in seconds before the door opens when exiting to the outside. I rigged it
that way. And seven
thats how many seconds it takes for the elevator
door to open and for my men to be in position to gun you down. Do the math,
sweetheart.
Just then Batgirl heard the dinging of an
elevator signaling to open. It only took a fraction of a second to figure
it out. Hugh Howards IV was certifiably insane! If he couldnt get her
to join willingly or if he couldnt capture her, there was a third
option
to kill her!
You Bastard! Batgirl pushed away
from Hugh and made a beeline for the door as fast as her legs would take
her. This was going to be a narrow escape. She had to do this just right
or she was dead.
You wont make it, Batgirl,
Hugh laughed. Surrender while you still can. Hugh laughed even
harder. It wasnt only just the time difference, but the fact that Batgirl
had another lapse in judgment. Instead of trying to make a quick getaway,
she could have grabbed him and threw him in front of her to use as a human
shield, keeping the guards at bay until she got to a place of safety and
dumped him.
Hugh was clever. Batgirl gave him that. His
only problem was that he was thinking too linearly and separate. It was quite
true that she couldnt reach the door and press the button in time
if she did them one after the other
but at the same time
it was a different case.
Batgirl reached into her utility belt and
pulled out a batarang that had saved her skin on more than one occasion for
the day. Hopefully, it would be the last time she would depend on this wonderful
little tool.
She aimed carefully and threw it at the control
panel next to the door. Bullseye! She hit the green button and the door started
to slowly open.
No! Hugh screamed.
Theres no way she could make that shot. You cheated. Doesnt
matter. Hugh hit another button. You wont make this
jump.
About three steps away, jagged spikes popped
up from the floor, obstructing Batgirls path. She wouldnt have
time to run around them. Hugh was right. She was physically incapable of
making a leap over them and out the door. Her only option was to stop in
her tracks, avoid the spikes, and either get gun downed or captured. It seemed
that there was no escape
or was there?
Thinking quickly Batgirl leaped forward as
high as she could and when she reached the pinnacle of her ascent. She took
her cape by both ends and opened it.
Shit, Hugh cursed as Batgirl glided
over the spikes and toward the, now fully-opened door to freedom. Damn
those wings of hers. Im going to rip your wings off for that, Batgirl.
I swear to that. Youll never fly again.
Batgirl smiled. She would be out the door
and safe from bullets with seconds to spare. She couldnt help but to
rub it in Hughs face one last time as he was waving his fist at
her.
So long, suckers, and thanks for all
the
ugggggh!
Batgirl, in her disoriented state, could hear
Hugh laugh when she slammed into something hard. She couldnt have missed
the opening and flew into the wall
and the door didnt close on
her! Just before she fell backwards and landed flat on her back, she sat
up and reached out for the doorway and felt something solid
glass!
There was a thick sheet of glass so transparent that Batgirl failed to see
it.
Her heart sank as she desperately tried to
get to up or, at least, get on to her knees. The cold reality sunk in. Hugh
had set her up the whole time. The lame guard and the lame traps were to
get her so cocky and arrogant that she would never see the real
trap until she dived right in and sprung it.
Hugh Howards IV had outsmarted the caped
crusaderette! An enemy had finally caught up with Batgirls formidability
and knocked the mighty heroine off her perch.
Game over for you, my lovely, but my
fun has just started. Youre in for a long weekend, Batgirl. Now to
introduce you to my pet, Rex, who will be your tour guide on your road to
your total and devastating defeat! Its for your own good, my sweet
capture.
Batgirl somehow got to her knees as Hugh pulled
a lever on the wall.
The floor underneath her opened up and she
hapless fell into the darkness below
Part
7
Hugh ran to an empty corner of his office
and pressed his hand held control. The wall opened and a huge display made
up of various TV monitors rolled out on a platform. He took a seat in the
middle of the panel of controls and started turning things
on.
He went to the bar and took a hard shot of
scotch to calm his nerves. He was so excited that he was having trouble thinking
and a bit of scotch was what he needed to calm his nerves. The anticipation
of the upcoming show was too much for him to bear.
Hugh couldnt believe it! He actually
had Batgirl in his clutches! She was now his play thing. He was going to
defeat her in ways that she could never imagine or that any other villains
dared to contemplate in their narrow little minds.
Batgirl had no idea what total
defeat was. She was going to
be humbled.
The end of Batgirl was near.
*
*
*
*
When the floor opened up beneath her, Batgirl
felt herself fall for about six or seven feet before hitting a hard metal
surface where she stunned herself again.
Before she could contemplate her situation,
she began to slide down. It almost seemed like she was going down a water
slide except there was no water. The surface was so slick that she was picking
up speed and going faster and faster with each passing second. She couldnt
grab on to anything to stop herself. The tunnel slide would constantly twist,
turn, and drop. Batgirls body was constantly twisting and spinning
in different directions so that it was often difficult to determine which
way was up. Her arms and legs were flaying about like a rag
doll.
It didnt help that the tunnel was dark
and that the twists, turns, and drops would take Batgirl by surprise. If
she could see a twist or drop coming, she could mentally and physically brace
herself for it. As it was, the twists and turns came so unexpectedly that
Batgirl could not control the movements of her own body. Every few seconds
she would get thrown into some hard metal that would constantly disorient
her. She was rolling so fast that she couldnt even pull anything out
of her tool belt, such as a grappling line that she could use to break her
fall. Even if she could, she would probably reach into the wrong pouch.
Everything was going so fast that she had no bearing
and she couldnt
even think straight. There was so much turbulence and chaos that it almost
felt like she was caught in the heart of a tornado or
whirlpool.
After what seemed like an eternity, Batgirl
felt her body press against the end of a slide tube to be dumped off to her
final destination. She felt herself plummet some ten or twelve
feet.
As
she dropped, she could her Hughs voice on a speaker taunting her. I
cant believe that you fell for this one. Then some laughter
followed.
Batgirl landed flat on a gym mat. It was enough to break her fall
so that she wouldnt fracture any bones, but not enough to cushion the
hard concussive force that knocked the wind out of her
not to mention
that it hurt like hell.
Batgirl wheezed as she tired to catch her lost breath. She had to
get her bearings before it was too late.
Why, Batgirl. I simply take your breath away. How
sweet.
Batgirl ignored Hughs mockery and concentrated on using all
her inner strength and fortitude to get to her feet. Somehow, she found it.
She was on her feet albeit staggering
hoping to fight off whatever
was in store for her next. Batgirl was unaware that this would be one of
only a few morale victories considering her predicament.
Amazing, Hugh said with all sincerity. No one has
been able to stand up after that for, at least, five minutes. Time to meet
Rex, Batgirl. Rex, we cant let her get her bearings!
Now!
Batgirl was so disorientated that she didnt she it coming even
though there was some light. A long metallic arm, looking almost like that
of belong to the villainous, Dr. Octopus, shot straight out and nailed Batgirl
cleanly on the chin. Only the padding on the edge of the arm prevented a
fractured chin or a broken neck. The force of the heavy blow dropped Batgirl
like a sack of potatoes. She flew back about three feet and, once again,
hit the mat hard, right on the flat of her back. She was so stunned and dazed
from the sucker punch that it would be some time before she could clear the
cobwebs despite her amazing damage recovery.
Hugh got turned on as he saw Batgirl lying on her back, so helpless
that she was only able to move her head from side to side. She was moaning
loudly which got Hugh even more off. She looked so peaceful in her distress
and helplessness
almost comfortable
unaware of the humiliations
to come.
Youll have to forgive, Rex. He just loves to hit on
all the young, beautiful ladies that come to visit, and you, Batgirl, are
by far, the loveliest. It will be my honor to tame you and knock you off
your pedestal.
Two more arms moved toward Batgirl, slithering with
anticipation.
Dont be fooled, Rex, ol boy. She may look like a
helpless damsel in distress but shes very dangerous, so we must take
precautions to domesticate our pet-Batgirl so that she doesnt hurt
us as well as her self. We need to strip away all her defenses to make her
helpless. You see, once shes rendered helpless and without her weapons,
she wont be so brave and arrogant. Shell be just like any other
woman
cowardly and weak. Lets teach this bitch a lesson, shall
we?
Each one of the tentacles moved toward Batgirls
hands.
First, we need to trim those awful claws. She has a lot of little
nasty throwing blades inside those gloves of hers as well as some lock picks
that she could use for escaping
but never fear
without them she
is quite ineffective. Please remove them, Rex.
The two tentacles wrapped around her wrist and yanked her gloves off
her hands and dropped them somewhere on the floor, far out of her reach.
Batgirl felt them slip off, but she was too stunned to do anything but helpless
let Rex remove them.
Then we need to pluck her talons. Theyre just as nasty
as her claws. She has blades and picks in there, too. She thinks that we
dont know about that. Shes in for a rude awakening. Be so kind
as to confiscate her boots, Rex.
Again Batgirl could do nothing as her boots were yanked off her feet.
She felt the breeze on her toes.
Hugh saw that the bottom of her leggings were
actually stirrups that went around her ankles rather that covering her entire
feet like long underwear.
That is so 80s, Batgirl. Get with the
times.
Batgirls head was starting to clear a little
bit
faster than Hugh anticipated. She was trying to use her elbows
to lift herself up to a sitting position but still lacked the strength to
do so. Rexs blow had sapped a lot of her strength and endurance
away.
It seems that Batgirl could use a little
boost, Rex. Help her out, would you? Im sure that shell
get a rise out of this. Hahaha.
Batgirl felt a metal hand reach under her
utility belt. She heard a loud clang as the mechanical hand clamped on to
her buckle.
Before Batgirl knew it, she was yanked up
and suspended about twelve feet in the air with Rexs
hand only hanging on to her belt.
Somehow Hugh knew that Batgirls utility belt and buckle could support
her own weight. That was what it was doing, lifting and holding her by her
belt!
Batgirl gasped at what she saw
next.
It was a robot
a giant robot
like
something out of a cartoon. It seemed to be made of a series of blocks with
each block getting progressive smaller to form a
head with an evil grimace. It had
rollers, similar to the bottom of a grocery cart for feet. The
arms were long metallic tentacles that seemed like they could stretch out
to infinity.
Batgirl kept her head, trying to find some
kind of weakness or chink in the armor of this metal giant that stood some
twenty feet tall. It didnt take long to find it
a power box off
to the side of its head.
Batgirl put her hands to her chest and feigned
like she was a Southern Belle so that she could nonchalantly grab a throwing
blade from out of her glove, throw it at the control box, and short out this
mechanical beast. She thought that this tactic was less risky than going
for a weapon in her utility belt.
Much to Batgirls shock, her gloves were
gone! She looked down and so where her boots! She then remembered the initial
blow she took. It hit her so hard that she forgot that they were removed.
She frantically looked around and saw the gloves and boots scattered on the
floor twelve feet below
well out of her reach.
Lose something? Hugh knew exactly
what she was trying to do. Yellow wasnt your color
anyway.
Whos your friend? Batgirl
asked hoping to stall for time and distract Hughs attention to take
the more risky move of dropping her hands to reach inside her belt to grab
a batarang.
This is Rex, answered Hugh.
Hes just delighted that you could drop in to see him.
He regrets to inform you that your license to be a crime-fighter has been
permanently suspended. Get it? Youll just have to keep you on
hold for a while. Hahahaa.
It was working. Hugh didnt notice a
thing. He was too busy laughing over Batgirls plight and patting himself
on the back with his ingenious puns. She slowly inched her hand closer to
the belt. She reached into a pouch and managed to grab hold of her weapon.
She just needed a few more seconds to get a firm grip so she could pull it
out, throw, and hit her target before Hugh knew what was going on. This guys
wasnt so smart. For a few minutes she really thought Hugh had her
he made a fatal mistake.
Well, as much as I appreciate the
lift, Batgirl decided to fire back at Hughs bad puns with
even worse puns. But Im afraid that Ill have to insist
that you drop me off.
With lightning speed, Batgirl ripped out her
batarang and was ready to throw it. She caught Hugh totally off guard.
Unfortunately, she didnt catch Rex off guard. As fast as she could
move and react, a machine could still react and move faster. She only got
her weapon over her shoulder and wasnt even starting her backward motion
to get ready to throw it when Rex had already beaten her to the
punch.
Apparently, from out of nowhere, another tentacle
emerged from the robot. The opening it came out of was covered up and could
not actually be seen until the tentacle arm came out. With speed too fast
to comprehend, a tentacle shot out. This one was not a clamp-like hand, but
rather a tentacle that extended out to a sharp blade on the end. It stopped
a fraction of an inch before it hit Batgirls neck. She could, however,
feel the sharp tip touching the v notch of her
throat.
To Batgirls terror, she realized the
truth. Hugh was not actually controlling Rex in the same way an engineer
would control mechanical arms to handle radioactive material while he was
safely behind thick glass. Rex was capable of attacks independent of its
owner.
Do not move, prisoner, Rex said
in a mechanical voice. Drop your weapon. Do not attempt to put your
hands near your weapon belt again.
Id do as he says, Batgirl,
said Hugh. That blade can punch itself through a steel girder. I guarantee
that it will be most fatal and painful going into the lovely neck of
yours.
Batgirl had no choice but to comply and think
of something else. She decided to keep using humor to help defuse this hostile
situation. She had to bind her time some more and look for another opportunity
to get herself out of this jam.
Well, now that you mention it,
Batgirl pretended to giggle as she reluctantly let her batarang drop to the
floor, maybe I will hang around here for a little while
longer.
Youll be hanging around here a
lot while longer, Batgirl. You
think that if you humor me, that you will find a way to overcome your situation
of distress? I guarantee that you will not. You stupid heroines talk so brave
when the cameras are on you and when you are safe and sound, but not in dire
straits.
Batgirl saw Rex steady the blade, awaiting
the order to strike from its master.
I remember, not too long ago, Batgirl,
that you appeared on Oprah. You were running your mouth off about how heroes
like you would prefer death to capture. Lets put that theory to the
test. Are you as brave as you boost, you arrogant twit? Put your money where
your mouth is. Will you be a prisoner or a
casualty?
Batgirl looked around and saw no way out her
plight. There would be no super-hero Calvary to her rescue. Her options were
limited. Her death would be heroic and honorable, but irreversible. She
couldnt survive death, but she could survive an embarrassing abduction.
She figured that if she complied with her captors demands, she could
live to fight another day and turn the tables on Hugh when the time was right.
Villains like him always like to brag. If she kept him talking long enough,
she could come up with a plan. Villains always make
mistakes.
There was another thing hanging over
Batgirls mind; she realized that she was afraid to die. The thought
of the blade going into her throat was too horrifying to
imagine!
You have exactly five seconds to surrender
to me unconditional, Batgirl, or Rex with give you a fatal
tracheotomy.
Batgirl didnt know what to do. She
didnt want to surrender especially after being trapped so easily. It
was way too soon for her to be groveling for mercy. On the other hand, she
didnt want to die either. She knew that Hugh wasnt bluffing.
If she didnt give up, Hugh would kill her. She began to sweat as she
agonized over her decision.
Five
four
O-o-okay, Batgirl spit the words
out. Her fear made her vocal cords work for her.
Okay
what, Batgirl? Hugh
wasnt going to let her off so easily and Batgirl knew it. Say
it! Say it now or die!
I surrender, Batgirl blurted out
the words that Hugh wanted to here, I give up. You win. Im captured.
Im your prisoner. Is that what you want to
hear?
Hugh laughed in his triumph. He actually got
the mighty, brave, and arrogant Batgirl to yield to him
and with very
little effort. He didnt think it would be so soon. He really thought
that hed have to torture her a little bit
but not too badly.
He didnt want to noticeably scar up that awesome body of
hers.
The news of your unconditional capitulation
is bittersweet to my ears. I have this whole session video and audio taped
to prove that you conceded defeat at my hands so that you cant deny
or recant the fact that I conquered you.
On one hand, Im glad that you
submitted. The intent of this game is not to kill you
although I will,
if you dont cooperate. On the other, I am a little disappointed. I
didnt think that the valiant Batgirl would throw in the towel so soon.
I only had to count down to four. I thought you would have a little dignity
and waited until the count went down to the wire at one, or two before
relinquishing your self-respect. Any other hero with even an ounce of self-esteem
would have let the count get down to that. Youve only proven my point,
Batgirl. Youre all talk and glory when you have the upper hand, but
when the chips are down, you cave in like any other person. It wasnt
like I forced your hand to save a hostage. You humbled yourself before me
to save your own worthless hide
a hide I plan to get to know very
well.
Hugh was right! She could have waited
and all this was being recorded. How embarrassing.
Nothing
to say now, Batgirl? No clever excuses for your cowardly action? What would
Batman think?
Batgirl hid her nervousness as the blade waved
menacingly near her throat
daring her to try something. Perhaps a little
more humor was needed to tone down the situation.
All right! All right! You got me but
you dont have to rub it in. Then the blade moved closer to her
throat to remind her of her situation. She pretended not to be intimidated.
No need to gloat. I get your
point.
Hugh laughed. Thats a good one,
Batgirl. Im surprised that you can come up with those stupid little
quips and still find humor in this situation. You still have no idea how
much shit you are in. You still believe that somewhere in the back of your
mind, that you can win and resolve the situation like it never happened before
embarking on your next tiresome adventure. Your flippancy has only proved
to me that you still dont comprehend your dilemma. You need a
reminder.
Ummm
, Batgirl knew that
she shouldnt have spoken out of turn. I dont think that
will be necessary.
Hugh ignored her plea.
I
see that you doubt the claim of the effectiveness of Rexs blade. You
think its dull and just a ruse to scare you? Perhaps a little demonstration
will convince you.
The blade got closer, hovering around her
face. Batgirl knew that Hugh was going to cut her in a non-lethal area just
to prove that he wasnt bluffing and to keep her in line. Batgirl
didnt want to be disfigured. She didnt want an ugly scar on her
face.
No, Batgirl blurted out in
desperation. That wont be necessary. I believe you! I believe
you! I swear.
Her plea, once again, fell on deaf
ears.
You must be punished for your cavalier
attitudes and remarks so that you may learn your lesson in
obedience.
No. Im sorry. I wont do
it again.
What should I do to get the message
to you? Ahhh
I got it. Hugh knew from the very start that he
was going to do what he was about to do. He would have done it even if Batgirl
didnt make her remarks
but there was no need for her to know
that. Want better way than to make his prisoner believe that this part of
her ordeal was her fault.
W-W-What are you going to do to
me?
Hugh got a hard-on seeing Batgirl in her distress
and starting to beg for leniency.
You need to be tamed some more to learn
humility, Batgirl. I already domesticated you by trimming your claws and
plucking your talons. Now its time for me to clip your
wings.
Clip my wings? Batgirls
pulse raced and she tried to fight the panic that was starting to brew inside
her. What do you mean?
Rex
cut off her
cape!
No! Wait!
Rex gave the blade a quick flick and the sound
of fabric tearing soon followed. Batgirl felt her back get a little lighter
as her beloved cape slowly slip off her shoulders and floated down to the
floor. As it fell further and further away, she felt some of her pride fade
away. She couldnt believe it. She just stood idly by and let this evil
man strip her of her cape.
Many times in the past had villains temporary
had the upper hand and captured her? They had removed various items from
her person to hamper her escape
but she was unconscious and had a
legitimate mental excuse for allowing them to be appropriated. This time
it was different. This time she was helplessly forced to watch it and could
nothing to prevent it.
There was something different about this
predicament than the ones she faced before. The villains always gave her
a sporting chance. They always left her alone so she could escape the trap.
Everything was going wrong. It seemed as if her tormentor was always two
steps ahead of her.
And thus, Hugh interrupted her
thoughts. Batgirl flies no more. I wouldnt ponder about the loss
of your cape for too long. You wont be using it ever again. Its suffering
is over. You should forget it and ponder about yourself.
That cant happen, Batgirl
muttered. You cut it off so easily. Thats
impossible.
Impossible for a typical blade,
Batgirl, mocked Hugh. Im aware that the fibers in the cape
are reinforced to withstand tearing and cutting
but did you actually
think that your cape could hold up against a blade that can punch through
solid steal?
Reality sunk in. Hugh had shamed her
stained her pride. That made her angry.
My cape! You had no right! Damn you,
Hugh! What are you trying to prove? What have I ever done to you? Why are
you doing this to me?
To prove that the good guys dont
always win, my dear.
I wont let you get away with this.
Let me down, or so help me when I get my hands on
you
.
Rex moved the blade toward her throat ready
to give her a slice for her offhanded remarks.
Let her vent, Rex. She knows that she
cant make good on her threats. Its her pathetic way of trying
to deal with the situation.
Batgirl shot a glare of contempt in the camera
for Hugh to see. She was totally flustered. So far, Hugh had thwarted all
her attempts to gain the upper hand and it was starting to make her unravel.
She knew she couldnt do that and give Hugh the
satisfaction.
Starting to feel frustrated and humiliated
already, Batgirl? Ive only just begun. Wait until I get warmed
up.
This isnt fair, Batgirl
said to herself. Im the heroine. I dont deserve this
treatment.
No, Batgirl, you dont deserve
it
but then again you walked into this. How many countless opportunities
did you pass up to leave quietly? I see that you havent suffered enough
humiliation to stop your mouth from running. Perhaps a little more might
soften your tongue? Lets turn it up a notch, shall
we?
No, stop. I didnt
mean
.
Two more tentacles shot out from Rex as if
out of nowhere and firmly grabbed her wrists.
Restrain her, Rex. Bind her nice and
helpless. Bind her securely. I want her make her experience every thing
thats coming to her
and make her powerless to do anything about
it. Humble her and put her at my total mercy.
Should I bind her wrists in the front
or the back, Master?
Batgirl froze. She knew the answer even before
Hugh spoke.
The back, please,
Rex.
No! Batgirl steadied her arms
as Rex tried to force them behind her back. Is this is your way of
getting back at me, Hugh?
Let this be a lesson, Batgirl. Never
let an enemy off the hook when you have them against the ropes. Regretting
letting me go and dismissing me as a harmless loon, arent you, my
dear?
Rex steadied his arms to keep Batgirl from
struggling.
Let her be, Rex. I like the sport of
this. Lets see how long she lasts. I must admit, Batgirl, you are very
strong and holding off well, but resistance is futile. Youre only tiring
yourself out. Youll need all your strength for the ordeal yet to
come.
Hugh
Mr. Howards, sir, Batgirl
said in desperation as she was losing ground and her hands her slowly being
forced behind her back
centimeter by centimeter. You dont
need to do this. You dont need to tie me up. Im willing to talk
about joining up with you now. Lets sit down
and.
Its too late for negotiations
now, Batgirl. You had your chance to gracefully hop aboard, but you blew
it! I warned you that you would be my helpless prisoner
but you laughed
at me. I dont hear you laughing now,
Batgirl.
My God, Batgirl still continued
to fight but Rex was still slowly, but steadily giving ground. This
cant be happening. This cant be
happening!
Hugh was right. Resisting the tentacles was
a losing battle for Batgirl. Her arms were now forced behind her back and
it wouldnt be long before her wrists would be pressed together and
forcefully bound.
Batgirl wouldnt give up. She wanted
to go down with a fight.
Second by second, her strength was leaving
her. Her muscles were getting tired and started to shake from the strain.
It wouldnt be long now. It was hopeless.
Batgirl was starting to get light headed and horny over the thought of her
eventual bondage
but she had to fight back. She couldnt quit.
She couldnt give up.
It was hopeless
Or was it
Batgirl was so consumed in her humiliation
that she forgot that she was a decent escape artist. It was simple. All she
had to do was tense and expand the muscles in her arms as she was being tied.
Then she could relax them and have a little gap and leeway to wiggle her
hands free, escape, and teach Hugh a lesson.
Even with this plan, Batgirl still resisted
and fought back. One reason was to make it look legitimate. If she gave in
too easy, Hugh would get suspicious and check her ropes and reinforce her
restraints. The other reason was her fear of humiliation. Even if she did
manage to escape, she still had to suffer her bondage for the
duration.
When she could endure no more pain and strain,
she moaned loudly and exhaled her breath as she let her arms
relax.
Seconds later, Rex clamped her wrists together
and held them fast. Rex forced her wrists into a position so that her forearms
were parallel to the floor. Her wrists were going to be tied in a straight
line rather than crossed. Rex pushed her arms up slightly causing Batgirl
a little pain for her earlier resistance.
Take it easy, Hugh, Batgirl grimace
in pain. Take it easy! I give. Please!
Take it down a notch, Rex. Youll
break her arms. Hugh took a little mercy.
Rex let up a bit to make the threshold of
pain more tolerable but just enough to remind Batgirl that he could reapply
it at any time.
Batgirl nervously waited for a tentacle to
emerge with rope or handcuffs or something like that. To her surprise, she
felt some metal coil starting to wrap around her wrists. The coil was coming
out from the end of the tentacle!
Batgirl flexed her muscles and hoped that
she reacted in time as the coil began to fasten her hands together with lighting
speed. It wrapped around her wrists in an accurate, intricate pattern. It
felt as if a spider were spinning an inescapable web around her
arms.
Batgirl had to fight the euphoria of being
bound and helpless before the gorgeous Hugh
waiting to be
violated.
Ugghhh, the pain woke Batgirl
up and Rex wrapped too tightly. Please, stop. Dont hurt me. I
wont fight you.
Easy, Rex. There seemed to be
a hint of sympathy in Hughs voice. No need to break her wrists.
Let the coil do its job.
Seconds later, Rex had finished binding
Batgirls arm immobile and helpless. Prisoner secured,
Master.
Ive
really fallen in a trap this
time, Batgirl thought.
I never saw it coming. I hope
that I can slip out of these coils or else I will be truly trapped and helpless.
If that happens, I dont know what to
do.
Satisfied with Rexs results, Hugh turned
his attention to Batgirl and said, It took me years to perfect that
special binding coil. Its strong enough to withstand two elephants
pulling on each end. No one can break it
no human
so unless
youre Superman or Wonder Woman, youre totally screwed. Nothing
can cut it either
not a diamond
not even Rexs blade. The
only way you can be released is if I deactivated it. You should be honored,
Batgirl. You are the first hero to fall victim to the most perfect instrument
of bondage known to man.
Well
see about that, Batgirl thought
to herself. She let her muscles loosen so she could get an idea of her gap
for later escape. She never felt it. The coil sensed the gap and compensated
for the slack by tightening itself. The coil was moving by itself!
Batgirl now found herself totally trapped
totally bound and helpless just as Hugh boasted. Hugh was making good of
everything he bragged about doing to Batgirl back in the
office.
What the
the damn rope is alive.
This cant be! Its not supposed to turn out like this! Its
not supposed to be this way. Ahhhhhhhhh
.
Batgirl began to panic and unexpectedly started
to struggle. When that happened, the coils painfully tightened around her
wrists. It was more than she could endure.
Even Hugh was concerned. Batgirl! Stop!
Dont fight it!
Ahhhhhh
. Batgirl screamed
even louder. It hurts. The pain
make it stop, Hugh. Please, make
it stop. I beg you! Please! Please! I cant take it much longer.
Ahhhhhh
.
Relax your arms, shouted Hugh.
Dont fight it, Batgirl! Dont struggle and it will stop.
I promise.
Somehow, a bit a rationality caught Batgirl
and she stopped struggling. The minute she stopped, the coils loosened until
he hands were bound normally. Her pain and exhaustion caused her body to
go limp and her head fell forward.
Thank you, Hugh, she muttered.
I cant believe youre beating me. No escape
cant
end like this.
I dont recommend you doing that
again, Batgirl, Hugh seemed a little concerned for his captives
safety. You didnt give me time to mention that the coil have
sensors that react can read nerve impulses and react to muscle movement.
I knew you would tense your muscles to make gaps if I tied you with everyday
rope so I had to compensate for that.
How did you know about that? Batgirl
mutter with her head still slumped forward. You shouldnt know
that. Why are you always two steps ahead?
I have to be in order to beat you, Batgirl.
The coils are perfect, wouldnt you agree? I can keep you secured and
helpless virtually forever. I never have to worry about tying you up too
loose for you to escape or too tight where I could cut off your blood circulation
and permanently damage your limps. The coils will compensate for that. That
way, I can leave you bound for long periods of time but still keep the blood
flowing in those magnificent arms of yours
and I promise you that you
will be bound and helpless for a long time. How do you like your bondage
so far, Batgirl? Are you enjoying it? I know you
are!
Batgirl amazing constitution and resilience
made her recover to the point that she had the strength to lift her head.
She breathed loud and grunted in defiance. She was more embarrassed than
hurt. She was still having a hard time accepting her defeat and helplessness.
She sneered at the camera before dropping her head in fatigue hoping to regain
her strength later.
Hugh knew that Batgirl knew that even though
she felt defeated, she still wasnt totally conquered
all in due
time.
I must warn you again, Batgirl. They
cannot be cut and you can only be released if I deactivate the coils. Get
use to it, because you wont be released for a long time. The more you
struggle, the more they will squeeze
until your wrists are broken.
If you try to cut them
which would be useless
they will break
your wrists. If who try to slip you hands over your cute little butt and
feed your legs through so that your bound hands are in front of you, they
WILL sense that and break your wrists. You had a sample already. The maximum
pain level can be quite excruciating. If I were you, I would accept my bondage
and keep your arms relaxed and make no attempts to struggle or escape. You
do that, and youll live through your captivity most painlessly. After
all
Im not doing this to hurt you, Batgirl. Im doing this
for your own good. Do you understand?
Batgirl refused to comply. She still kept
her head down despite that she had regained the strength to raise it up
again.
Hugh knew this and Rex placed his blade under
her chin to make her lift her head to acknowledge. Batgirl could do nothing
but comply or have her chin sliced off.
Do you understand, Batgirl? You cannot
get free unless I free you. You cannot escape. It will be painful if you
do. I want you to understand and experience every aspect of your ordeal.
Do you understand? Answer me!
Yes, Hugh, Batgirl said softy.
I understand. I understand loud and clear.
Thats the most intelligent thing
youve said all day, my lovely. Ready to
continue?
Batgirl started to feel the seed of hopelessness
start to grow in her stomach. She could now see that unless someone came
to her rescue, she was never leaving this place.
Batgirl feared that this was her last stand
and her torment was only beginning.
Part
8
Batgirls head was getting light again
and was spinning. Her whole body was tingling. Her adrenaline was flowing
and her heart was racing. She had to cross her legs hoping that this would
stop her from getting wet. It was a dream come true! She was bound and helpless
and totally at a gorgeous mans mercy. Hugh could do anything he wanted
to her and Batgirl could do nothing to stop him. She imagined being taken
to his bed and being stripped down to nothing
and then feeling Hugh
inside her
violating her. Pure heaven!
Batgirls thoughts were interrupted when
Rex gave her a shake. She was not dreaming. The robot was still holding her
up only by her belt. She was still stripped of her claws
gloves, boots,
and cape. Her hands were still secured behind her back and totally
immobile
and totally useless.
What was she thinking? This was no
joke!
This was serious. Hugh didnt remove
parts of her costume and truss her up to indulge a secret fantasy of hers
(although she wished it was), he did it for some more sinister
purpose.
Wake up, Batgirl, Hugh teased.
Stop daydreaming about me.
If he only knew.
Shall we
continue?
Do I have a choice
Mr. Howards?
Batgirl thought better of her remark and quickly added the Mr.
Howards at the end to show that she was being respectful and to avoid
any backlash. She was in enough trouble as it was and the last thing she
need to do was aggravate the situation.
Batgirl needed to maintain her composure.
Calmness was the key. Hugh obviously was getting off when she begged and
pleaded. He must be getting hard and really going nuts now that he actually
had her hands bound behind her back with no apparent way of getting
free.
Not really. It was more of a rhetorical
question. You can still call me, Hugh, Batgirl, although I am happy that
you are wise enough to learn to show me respect. Wisdom is an admirable quality.
You are very wise to accept your bondage. I am pleased that you have not
bothered to struggle in your coils anymore. Thats why I love you,
Batgirl.
Hughs knew very well that Batgirl
didnt dare struggle unless she wanted a crushed
wrist.
Well, if this is how you show that you
love me, Id shutter to imagine what youd do to me if you hated
me.
Hugh laughed. He actually found it
amusing.
I see that you still have your wit,
grace and charm when only a few mere minutes ago, I had you begging for my
mercy. You might just live through this, Batgirl. Youre off to a good
start.
You have me helpless. What more can
you do to me now? Batgirl had some ideas but it would be better to
pretend that she was ignorant. A part of Batgirl was delighted that she was
trapped and secured as this would give her a good reason not to fight her
attacker off if he did something to her. A strange twisted part of her was
enjoying and welcoming the ordeal.
Helpless
yes
but not totally
powerless. You see, now that your hands are secure. We can proceed to safely
striping you of all your little weapons, gizmos, equipment, and toys. We
need to totally disarm you. We need to make you weaponless and helpless
in order to make you powerless. I enjoy taking my prey down nice and slow.
Hugh had to stop to take another drink of scotch as he was starting to get
excited again.
Rex, would you kindly empty the contents
of Batgirls utility belt. We cant have a missed weapon coming
back to haunt us.
Batgirl could only watch in helpless dismay
as many thin little multi-tentacles came out from the main tentacle and immediate
rummaged through her belt compartments. Batgirl felt violated as the tiny
tentacles emptied her belt of all items and let them fall to the floor. Batgirl
needed to control her rage. It had taken her years to collect and acquire
all these things and the little hands were tossing them aside like someone
cleaning out their garage and throwing all their junk in a dumpster. The
items in her belt were hardly junk. They were necessary tools in her war
against crime. She had to fight back the tears at the thought of losing these
beloved items forever. She couldnt bare the thought of starting her
collection over from scratch.
And out her items went
from her belt
and on the floor. It actually took several minutes to totally empty the contents
of her belt. She couldnt help but look down and watch her tools drop.
She saw them all. She witnessed the loss of her batarangs, lock picks, throwing
blades, her finger print kit, flashlight, radio, flares, gas mask, tape recorder,
grapping hook, climbing line, bola, binoculars, camera, and smoke grenades
even her special marble! Batgirl never realized that she had so much
stuff!
It would have been much easier if Hugh just
took her belt to begin with but wanted to add to her mental anguish by removing
each piece, one by one.
Not being able to take it anymore, Batgirl
gave out an AHHHHHH! in frustration.
Dont be sad, Batgirl. It only
hurts for a little while. Soon you wont miss your little toys at all.
If you wanted to keep them so badly, you should have stopped
me.
Batgirl growled again. He knew damn well that
she couldnt do anything about it.
Hugh didnt let up. He wanted to extend
Batgirls torment.
Batgirl turned her head when she heard the
whoosh of a door sliding open. Nadia walked in carrying a garbage
can on wheels. She immediately began to pick up the items that were removed
from Batgirls belt and was throwing them in the can like they were
common pieces of junk and garbage.
Make sure that you get everything, Nadia,
dear. Then throw everything in the incinerator. Dont forget her gloves,
boots, and cape.
Batgirls face turned beet
red.
I knew youd clip the bitchs
wings, Nadia picked up the cape and tossed it in the
trash.
Get it all, Nadia. I dont want
any vestiges of Batgirl remaining. I want it all burned and
destroyed.
Nadia picked up one of Batgirls gloves.
I still say that yellow is a stupid color to go with
black.
Batgirl could not hold her temper. You,
bitch! If I ever get my hands on you.
Watch your mouth, Batgirl, Hugh
said like a father scolding his child.
If you have a problem with me, Batgirl,
why dont we step outside? Oh, but you cant because
youre
all tied up.
Hugh started to laugh.
Batgirl was boiling. Who did this bitch think
she was? It was bad enough that Hugh was mocking her. At least, he captured
her, but Nadia did nothing of the kind. It was easy to call out Batgirl when
she was tied up and suspend in the air only hanging by her
belt.
A few minutes later, Nadia had everything
collected. She decided to have more fun at Batgirls
expense.
I cant believe that you gave up
all this stuff without a fight, Bat-bitch. If someone tried to take the stuff
out of my gun belt, Id fight them tooth and nail. You just stood there
and let Hugh do it. I thought you had guts.
Just as Nadia hoped, Batgirl temporarily forgot
her dilemma and lashed out at Nadia. Hey, bitch! You know very well
that my hands are tied. How could I stop him? Let me down from here and
youll see how gutless I am. I could kick your ass with both hands tied
behind my back. Im not kidding, tramp.
Hugh, Darling, Nadia put her hand
on her hip and smiled at the camera. Youre not going to let this
prisoner talk to me that way, are you?
Of course not, turtle dove, said
Hugh in a sickeningly sweet voice. Rex, gag
her!
No! Batgirl cried. I
didnt mean
Mmmmmphhh!
Batgirls words were cut short when a
tentacle stuffed a rag in her mouth and then secured it in place with a strap
that locked in place.
Mmmmphhh! Mmmmmphhh! Batgirl moaned
in frustration. She felt more humiliated then ever.
That gag strap works on the same principle
as your wrist bonds. Only I can remove it. If you try to take it off by rubbing
it against your shoulders, it will tighten and crush your skull. If you
dont believe me, try it.
Batgirl calmed down. She knew that Hugh
wasnt lying. Once again, the billionaire had thwarted her and humiliated
her in front of an audience.
Hey, Batgirl, said Nadia. Are
you sure you want me to incinerate this stuff. Just say the word and Ill
give it all back.
Mmmmphhh!
Whats that? Cat got your
tongue?
Mmmmmpppphhhh!
No answer? I guess you do want it all
destroyed?
Grrrr! A growl was all Batgirl
could get out from her gag.
Its a shame, though. Hey, Cupcake,
are you sure that you want everything destroyed. Dont you want proof
that you conquered Batgirl? How about a keepsake or something to add to your
trophy case as a reminder that you totally defeated
her?
Youre right, my dear. What should
we use?
How about her cowl, Master? Rex
grabbed her headgear and was ready to pull it off.
Batgirl was in a panic. If she were unmasked,
it was all over. She might as well be dead. Batgirl realized that no other
villain bothered to do that to her in the past despite their many
opportunities.
No, Rex! Not her cowl. She must keep
it.
Batgirl breathed a sigh of relief but it was
short lived as Hugh continued.
Taking it now would end her torment.
Its a symbol of honor. Only I have the right to unmask her
which
I will do in the privacy of my chamber
when I totally strip her
down.
Batgirl didnt like the sound of that
but at least she had a stay of execution
a little more time to think
of a plan. She had to escape more that ever! She had to! She couldnt
be unmasked.
Alright then, Nadia smirked an
evil smirk. How about her emblem? Thats a badge of honor. That
will humiliate the shit out of her and take a little wind out of her sails.
Shell be so shamed and disgraced that all the other super-heroes will
belittle or ignore her.
Oh my
God! Not my emblem. Batman will hate me for this! He gave it to me. It took
years for him to finally give his blessing to wear his symbol. I promised
to take care of it. If that bitch takes it, Batman will be disgraced somewhat,
too. I never imagined Hugh to be so evil a fiend. I never thought that this
could happen.
What do you say, Bat-bitch? Ready to
give up your pride and dignity?
Batgirl shot Nadia the meanest, dirtiest look
that she could muster. GRRRRRR!
Whoa! Nadia pretended that she
was intimidated. If looks could kill.
Nadia, would you do the
honors?
Id be honored, Hugh,
Darling.
Within minutes, Nadia was sitting in an elevated
chair with Batgirls back in her lap. She was still being suspended
in the air by her belt but Nadia need to brace Hughs captive so she
could perform her task neat and cleanly. Rex steadied the blade at
Batgirls throat, ready to strike if she made any resistance to the
removal of her emblem
the symbol of her dignity and pride as a
crime-fighter.
Keep still and itll be over before
you know it, Sweetie, said Nadia. Make this difficult for me
and Ill cut your damn nipples off.
Understand?
Seeing no other out but to get stabbed in
the throat, Batgirl nodded. Nadia was about to violate her by removing and
desecrating a respected symbol of justice and badge of honor
and there
was nothing Batgirl dared do to stop her.
I knew that you were
reasonable.
Take your time, Nadia, Dear, said
Hugh in a cold calculating voice. Cut her emblem off very carefully.
Do your best to get it off clean and undamaged. Dont tear her costume
underneath. That way, if her other crime-fighters see her undamaged costume
on her chest, theyll see that she gave it up without a
fight.
Mmmmmppphhh!
Nadia had no sympathy for Batgirls plea.
I wont let you down, Cupcake.
Nadia took off her hat and threw it to the
floor and then put her long blond hair in a pony-tail so that it wouldnt
fall in her face and mess her up while performing her procedure.
She reached into her shirt pocket and pulled
out, what, at first, appeared to be, a pen about four or five inches long.
When Nadia removed the safety cap, Batgirl didnt see a point of a pen.
It was a small blade no longer than a half inch. It started wide at the bottom
and slowly narrowed to a sharp tip. The blade was shaped like a right triangle.
Batgirl recognized the instrument as a trimming knife. Her neighbor, who
was a photography buff, used something like that
in order to finely
trim the edges of photos, so that they would perfectly fit in albums or picture
frames. Batgirl also remembered that hobbyist that makes plastic scale models
of ships or planes would use them to cut a small piece off the tray that
it was attached to rather than twisting it off and risk breaking
it.
Contrary to popular belief, Batgirls
logo is not painted on her costume or material that was woven as part of
the custom. It was actually finely threaded and stitched into the chest of
her costume material. It is so finely done that, unless youre only
a few inches away, it looked like a part of the costume. A hero with an emblem
that couldnt be removed was not taken seriously in the super-hero community
or not even considered a super-hero. Any moron can wear a symbol of honor
that cannot be removed. The mentality was that if a heros symbol could
be removed, they would take more care not to be defeated in combat where
an enemy could remove it. It made a hero more responsible and protective.
Letting it fall into an enemys hands was
disgraceful.
Batgirl humbled many villains by taking their
emblems
but now it was her turn!
I bet Batmans going to get a lot
of flack for this, Nadia taunted.
Like a fine surgeon, Nadia slowly and meticulously
cut away at the threads, millimeter by millimeter, and, so far, was making
a flawless removal. Every time Batgirl heard a thread tear, she knew that
she was one step closer to being permanently stripped of her insignia of
reverence.
The only way that she could maintain her honor
after removal without getting it back was to die. It would be very easy.
All Batgirl needed to do was move suddenly and Rex would react by plunging
his blade into her throat. Thats all it would take for her humiliation
to be over and still retain her honor, respect, and dignity. Since Hugh had
forgotten to bind her feet, Batgirl could easy kick up and knock Nadia off
the chair, head first. The impact from a head-first fall would break
Nadias neck and kill her or leave her permanently paralyzed. At least,
Batgirl would have the satisfaction of taking out someone before succumbing
to a heroic death.
There was one problem.
Batgirl didnt want to
die.
The fear of that blade going into her throat
was too horrifying to imagine. Could she deal with the pain as she chocked
out blood trying to get her last breath? Batgirl could see in Nadias
eyes that she knew that the helpless heroine could take her out at any
time
the cost of which would be Batgirls life. Although Nadia
didnt say it, she mocked Batgirl with her facial expression
daring
her to try it.
There was another reason that Batgirl didnt
act; she was enjoying her captivity.
She didnt want to admit to it until
now that her career as Batgirl had gone past its course. She realized that
Batgirl was obsolete and ineffective. This shame and disgrace would force
her into retirement. She didnt mind that, but Batgirl still had to
get away because she believed that Hugh would eventually torture information
out of her to do the same to Wonder Woman. She couldnt allow that to
happen. Whatever happened and only affected herself was one thing, but
endangering another because of her callous acts of carelessness was quite
another.
Batgirl vowed that she would retire for good
if she ever got away from Hugh.
Batgirls breathing got heavier and heavier
and so was her anxiety with every little bit of progress that Nadia was making.
It seemed that she was taking her time to make Batgirl languish in her mental
agony.
After what seemed like hours (actually ten
minutes), Nadia cut the last thread. Batgirl was now stripped of her emblem
of pride. She had allowed it to be confiscated and fall into the hands of
her enemies. Nadia peeled the insignia off careful and saw that she left
no mark on Batgirls costume. She then held it up as she proudly as
she inspected her handiwork.
Perfect removal, Nadia
laughed.
Batgirl could feel the lump in her throat.
The feelings of shame and humiliation were overwhelming. She fought not to
cry, and so far, was able to hold off. This was the most heart-retching
experience in Batgirls life. It made the feeling of heartbreak when
her first boyfriend dumped her for someone else, mild in comparison. Batgirl
knew that the feeling of inadequacy would get worse when Hugh would eventually
unmask her. The thought of that was too much to bear.
She needed to escape! She had to escape! Hugh
must not seize her cowl no matter what the cost. She still had time to stop
that
hopefully.
Thank you, my dear, Hugh pressed
a button which lowered a transparent tube near Nadia. You have done
well
as always. You will be well rewarded for this. I have very special
plans for this tribute that Batgirl paid to us.
Youre so welcome, Cupcake,
Nadia took a cylinder out of the tube and placed Batgirls emblem inside.
She then put the cylinder back in the tube where air suction lifted it up
to Hughs location. It was an honor and a place to help you knock
this uppity bitch off her high-horse.
Ahhhhhhhhhhmmmm! Batgirl screamed
through her gag as she saw her emblem disappear from sight
disappear
forever. Any chance she had to take it back was now gone for
good.
Oh, my, Nadia made a mock gasp.
She looks really pissed. Whats she so mad about? She just sits
there and lets me take her badge
does nothing
and she has the
nerve to give me dirty looks? Youre a bad sport, Batgirl. You need
to learn how to share.
Oh,
you bitch! You lousy bitch! Are you going to get
yours.
The chair was lowered as Rex offered a tentacle
for her to brace as she stepped off, much in the same way a man would offer
his hand to a lady stepping out of a car or down from a high
place.
Thank you, Rex. You are such a
gentleman.
You are most welcome, Miss Nadia,
answered Rex.
Please return to your duties, Nadia,
said Hugh. I can take of Batgirl from here.
Nadia let her hair out of the ponytail and
picked up her hat before blowing a kiss to the camera before exiting the
room.
And now, Batgirl, our time with Rex
is almost over. He really enjoyed the pleasure of your company. All thats
left for him to do is render you helpless by binding your ankles together
thought I forgot about that, didnt you? I did that on purpose to see
if you had the nerve to kick out at Nadia and save a smaller sliver of your
pride. Since you have none, you remained passive while she stripped off your
logo. If afraid we really need to get those ankles nice and secured so that
way you cant break away and run from my guards as they escort you to
my chamber where I while slowly peel of your uniform and unmask you. Unlike
most villains youve encountered, I dont take chances. Ive
seen you run.
When Batgirl heard this she froze with terror
as a cold chill shot down her spine.
This was the beginning of the
end!
Bind her ankles, Rex, so we can render
her totally helpless, Batgirl could hear the drool coming out of
Hughs move. Do it nice of slow, Rex. Take your time. I want Batgirl
to savor what little time of limited freedom she has
and then agonize
over it.
Mmmmm, Batgirl breathed heavy and moaned
part in
fear and part in exhilaration
as Rexs tentacle slowly approached
her feet. Soon he would wrap the coil around her ankles in the same manner
as her bound hands. Perhaps he would tie her by the knees and thighs as
well.
I told you that I didnt want to be disturbed, Batgirl
had determined that Hugh was talking to someone else, apparently an unwelcome
intruder. What? I see. Ill take the call. Get me the voice
replicator, will you? Then Hugh spoke directly into the microphone.
Halt, Rex. Dont do anything, yet. I have to take this call and
I dont want to miss a second of this. Let Batgirl ponder her fate for
a little while longer. Looks like you have a stay of execution, my dear.
Superman is on the phone to check up on you. Ill let you listen while
I handle this naïve boy scout. Youre going to love
this.
Batgirl wasnt sure if this was fate or just a coincidence. Was
this the break she needed to make her escape? Batgirl still had nothing in
mind. She knew that once her feet were tied, she was totally screwed and
totally at Hughs mercy for good.
Superman, old boy, said Hugh as he picked up the receiver.
How the hell are you?
As good as can be expected, Hugh, Supermans voice
answered.
And how is that lovely and charming wife, Lois,
doing?
Shes good, too. She just got the anchor position for the
national news. The official announcement is tomorrow. Shes visiting
her folks this weekend and
blah
blah
blah.
As
Batgirl heard Superman blather, she looked nervously around. A small ray
of hope emerged when she noticed that the door that Nadia entered and exited
through was still open. The stupid bitch left it open! This was Batgirls
window of escape. The only problem now was how to get down and reach
it.
You and Lois should stay at my chateau on the Rivera for the
weekend again. I dont know about you, Superman, but I had a blast.
At least you dont have to waste money on airfare
if you know
what I mean.
That would be nice. Ill ask Lois about it when she gets
back. The last time she was there she really loved
blah
blah
blah.
Only her utility belt separated Batgirl for her escape route. Even
now, she was still trapped in the air and at mercy to Rex who was still only
holding her by the belt buckle. Why did Rex grab her by the belt to lift
her? Why didnt he wrap a tentacle around her waste instead? Those tentacles
were very strong. When Rex effortless bound her hands behind her back, it
really hurt. Rex grabbed hard and Hugh had to tell him on two occasions not
too break any bones.
Perhaps, Rex didnt know his own strength. Perhaps, he wasnt
sophisticated enough to adjust pressure and ease off on his touch on his
own. Thats why Hugh had Rex lift her up using her belt. He was afraid
that Rex might accidentally crush her. Of course, that had to be it! Hugh
wanted to capture and bind her, not kill her
at least, not yet. Hanging
her by her belt was another way in which Hugh could humiliate and mock
her.
Another question: How the hell did Hugh know that her belt could support
her weight?
Actually, Hugh, Ill just called to make sure that Batgirl
arrived safely. I hope your showing her a good time. Is she behaving herself?
That little red-haired firecracker can be a handful at
times.
Batgirl has been a most charming guest. She is as intelligent
as she is beautiful. I might just keep her here
forever.
In
order to get to the door, she would have to get her belt off. But how? Even
if she could, she still had mixed feelings about it. Batgirl hated when villains
stripped her of her belt and now she was going to give it up on purpose?
Even though her belt was empty and useless, she still loathed to sacrifice
it. On top of her Batgirl-cycle, gloves, boots, cape, gadgets, and her
much-prized emblem, Hugh would now deprive her of another item of the uniform
that she once proudly wore. He would have another prize to throw in the
incinerator.
Then again, her belt was nothing more than dead weight. Even without
equipment, it weighed over a pound. If she were to shed her belt, she would
also shed an extra pound. Even a single pound to weigh you down could make
a difference when running. Without the weight, she could run that much faster,
which could mean the difference between escape or a captivity of
humiliation.
Is she available, Hugh? Id like to speak to her for a
minute.
Im afraid shes indisposed, Superman. Shes
in my dungeon bound and gagged.
Very funny, Hugh. I like your sense of humor
although,
at times, I cant tell when youre joking and when your
serious.
How could she get her belt off with her arms bound behind her back?
There was no way to reach the buckle. Even if she could, Rexs hand
was clamped over it. Even if she could somehow shift her weight to cause
the buckle to open, Rexs hand was still clamped over it to prevent
it from opening. There was no possible way to access that damn buckle.
In
an indirect way, Batgirl had to blame herself and her preventive care for
being caught in her own belt. Only a month ago, she reinforced the belt and
buckle to take more weight and strain and prevent it from being cut. She
did that because, not long ago, she was thrown of a building and saved herself
with her grappling hook. Help was on the way but her arms were starting to
ache, so she took off her belt and made a makeshift safety chair to sit on
until she was rescued. It occurred to her that her weight might have weakened
the belt and if she ever had to pull that trick again, she didnt want
her belt to break. She also did that because she was tired of villains ripping
or cutting her belt off in combat.
Those two problems never gave her issues again. No one was able to
rip her belt off in a pinch, and now that she needed to, she couldnt.
Batgirl cursed herself. She was so close, yet so
far!
Actually, weve been splashing around the pool and sitting
in the hot tub with a few margaritas. She really looks hot in a
bikini.
Im sure she does.
Oh, wait a second. Here she is now. Oh, Batgirl, Superman wants
to say hello.
If
Batgirl had a jaw, it would have fallen to the floor. She actually heard
her own voice.
Hiya, Doll, Batgirls voice giggled. Youll
have to excuse me. I think I had a little too much to
drink.
It looks like hes treating you well. I hope you dont
plan on riding that motorcycle home in your condition. I can arrange for
someone to pick you up.
I am having such a ball, Supie. I wont need a ride home.
Im sleeping over. Hughie-pie has invited me to stay for the weekend.
I might even stay the whole week.
How was he able to replicate
my voice? thought Batgirl.
It doesnt matter. I got
to concentrate on getting out of here.
Stay as long as you like. Crimes been pretty light lately.
Im sure that we can manage without you for a
while.
Thanks, Supie. Youre the best.
By the way, Batgirl. Did you really swim in the
pool?
Sure, why do you ask?
With your cowl on?
No. I took it off.
Hes seen your face? He knows your
identity?
Hugh is a man of honor. I felt that the moment I first walked
in the door. I trust him implicitly.
Well, its your call, Batgirl. I wouldnt worry about
Hugh spilling your secrets. Hes a stand up
guy.
You can sure say that again.
Say, Superman said in a teasing voice. How come
you never let me see what you look like under that little cowl of
yours?
Because youre not my type,
Superman.
What type is that? Wealthy?
No, silly. Single.
You little minx. Put Hugh back on for me,
please.
Take care. Here you go, Hugh-baby. Meet me back at the pool
and
Ohooooo
Huuuugh
you are such a
devil!
Hey, Superman. Think I have a chance?
I think someones finally melted the heart of the ice queen.
Ive always wondered why she never talks about men. Im glad that
girl is getting out more. You
see
blah
blah
blah.
Ice queen? What an asshole!
There he is talking about me behind my back while Im stuck with
behind my back? What a minute! Why didnt I think of that before? How
could I be so stupid?
Batgirl had a revelation! Just like she forgot about the throwing
blades in her boots and gloves because she hadnt used them in a long
time, there was also a special feature in her utility belt that she forgot
about due to lack of use.
There was a special emergency release catch in the back of her belt.
Batman had installed it for her in the event that her belt ever got caught
in something and she couldnt access the front buckle. For example,
if part of her belt got caught in a conveyor and if it started to drag her
in and she couldnt get to the front buckle, she could release it from
the back and avoid fatal injury.
Well, thanks for calling, Superman. Not to worry
Batgirl
is in good hands. Goodbye.
Batgirl needed to make her move now.
She tried to get her body as straight as she could. Since she was
stripped of her boots, she needed to roll so that she wouldnt fracture
her feet when she landed. She got her finger around the latch and pressed
the secret button.
Even Rex was surprised when Batgirls belt suddenly opened from the
back, releasing her from his clutches and falling to the floor. As planned,
she rolled with the landing to break her fall. Her feet stung a little bit
but it was a small amount of pain that she could block
out.
Like a bolt of lightning, she ran to the door as fast as she could.
She hoped that she was fast enough. She would never get another chance
again.
Keep the belt,
creep, thought Batgirl.
Its the last souvenir you
ever youll snatch off of me. All she had left of her that
Hugh could take away now was her costume and her cowl. She swore that Hugh
would have neither.
Well, Batgirl. Sorry for the interruption. Now where were
ArrrrgggH! Hugh screamed in frustration as he saw Rex holding
Batgirls split open utility belt
with no Batgirl inside! How
did she...? Thats impossible! That scheming bitch! I wont let
get away with this. She wont make a fool out of
me.
By
the time, Hugh was able to pick Batgirl up on the camera, she was almost
three quarters of the way to the door.
Stop her, Rex! Use your bola!
Another appendage popped out from Rex, seemingly out of nowhere. It
wasnt a tentacle but a hollow tube. It aimed for Batgirls legs
and fired his spinning bola.
Batgirl heard the order and was ready to react. She didnt dare
turn around to look and lose time but she could judge when it was coming
just by the sound it was making as it flew across the air. Batgirl preyed
that her timing was correct.
Now! she thought as she suddenly jumped up and the bola
wheezed safely beneath her feet.
Damn, cursed Hugh. Somebody close the door!
Quick! Hugh hit a button on the control panel but the door wouldnt
close. Whats the matter with this thing, he screamed on
he rapidly hit the button in desperation. Whats the matter this
stupid thing? Oh
shit! Im pressing the wrong damn
button!
Batgirl knew that Hugh had hit the correct button when she started
to see the door closing. She was only three steps away. This was going to
be close!
Like an Olympic broad jumper, Batgirl took a flying leap and got on
the other side just before the door slammed shut behind
her.
Damn, she could still hear Hugh curse from the other side
of the door. Someone stop her. Dont let her get
away!
Batgirl chose a direction of the dark corridor and ran like a bat
out of hell. After about thirty feet the corridor lead to a well lit room
a control room
but not the same control room that Hugh was tormenting
her from.
Hey, Nadia suddenly appeared and started to reach for
her gun. Hold it! Where
.
This time, it was Batgirl that got the drop on Nadia. Batgirl didnt
stop. She ran even faster and had momentum as her edge. Before Nadia could
draw her weapon, Batgirl bent down slightly and gave her a full force running
shoulder block right into her chest
just like a forward linebacker.
The impact was so hard and sudden, that Nadia felt like she was hit
by a car. Her stupid hat flew off her head like a cock popping off a champagne
bottle. The force knocked her flat on her back and her weapon went sailing
out of her hand and under a table and out of reach.
Even though Batgirl had rung her bell and knocked the wind out of
her, Nadia still managed to wheeze out,
Karl!
Obviously, she was calling to a fellow guard for help. Batgirl looked
around the room for a way out. She saw a flight out stairs leading up. She
decided to try her luck with that.
Before she could move, a guard jumped in front of her. Well,
what do we have here? A cute little Batgirl wrapped in a nice, neat and tight
little package. Im gonna have some fun with
Ugghhh!
While the guard was busy fantasizing about the nasty things he could
do with the bondaged-up toy that fate had delivered right on his doorstep,
Batgirl did a forward leaping jump kick and caught the creep on the chin.
He fell to the floor
out cold. Batgirl may not have had use of her
arms, but her legs and feet where still formidable
weapons.
When Batgirl attempted to move toward the stairs, someone grabbed
hold of both ankles
but weakly. Batgirl looked down to see that Nadia
had crawled on the floor to grab her.
Since the hold was weak, Batgirl was able to get out of her grasp
by simply jumping up. Then she headed up the stairs.
What Batgirl didnt realize that the purpose of Nadias
ankle grabbing was not for the purpose of trying to stop her from running
away. Batgirl never noticed that Nadia had managed to place the two very
light-weight metal ankle bracelets, about four inches high, on each one of
her ankles. They were so light and smooth-fitting, that Batgirl would never
even know they were there unless she actually looked down. Because she was
too busy trying to escape, she would probably not notice.
It
took a few minutes for Nadia to clear her head before she was able to get
to her feet. She never bothered to retrieve her hat and instead stumbled
to her control panel.
Damn, that bitch can hit hard, Nadia rubbed her aching
head. Oh, shit! Her jaw almost dropped to the ground when she
looked at the monitor that displayed Rexs lair and saw that the door
was open.
She frantically hit the communications switch to contact Hugh. Since
it might be heard on the radio of the other guards, Nadia had to keep her
demeanor professional. Mr. Howards. Im sorry, sir. Batgirl got
past me.
I saw what happened, my dear. To Nadias surprise
Hugh wasnt angry. Are you alright?
Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. I dont know how this happened.
I could have sworn that I closed the door when I
left.
You did, Hugh reassured her. I reviewed the surveillance
tape. There was some kind of short in the wiring and it opened on its own
when you were out of eyesight. Its not your
fault.
I managed to get the bracelets on her ankles before she ran
off again. I didnt want to activate them while she was running up the
stairs because she could fall and break her neck. Ill sure that shes
on level ground now.
Dont! Hugh stopped Nadia from pressing a button
on her control panel. This is an interesting development. This will
make our game even more interesting. Lets see how she
fares.
How far should we let her get before I hit the
button?
As far as she is capable of getting, my dear. Hugh now
seemed unconcerned. Her belt shouldnt have snapped open like
that. It should have easily have held her weight. I know that for a fact.
There was no way that she could reach her buckle with her hands tied behind
her back. Rex would have sensed that and stabbed her in the neck long before
she could reach it. I thought I had her figured out and then she takes me
by surprise. There must be something in her belt that I must have missed
but what? Go fetch it, please, when your head clears. I want to examine
it.
I see your point, sir. You want to test the guards
for
real this
time.
Thats right. I want to see if theyre worth the money
Im paying them. Nadia, under no circumstances are you to press the
button to activate those bracelets. Thats a direct order, my
dear.
I would never disobey you, sir. You know that; however, if I
fail to act and the guards fail as well, Batgirl could escape. Even bound
and gagged, shes still dangerous, clever, and
resourceful.
Its that resourcefulness that has outsmarted me, Nadia.
For that, she desires something. Shes earned a sporting chance. Whether
she escapes or gets caught is up to her. Lets see how she
does,
This could backfire on us, sir.
Dont worry, Nadia. I will not hold you responsible if
she gets away. The decision is mine and mine alone. Now lets sit back
and watch the show.
Feeling better, Nadia went to get Batgirls abandoned utility
belt.
Batgirl reached the top of the stairs and saw a maze of hallways and
corridors. She navigated through them as quickly and as quietly as she could.
She ducked around the corner before two guards could spot
her.
Where the hell did she go? said one guard. Is she
gets away, the Boss will have our hides.
How far could be get with her hands tied behind her back and
gagged? asked the other.
Its Batgirl. Nothing she does ever surprises
me.
Batgirl took a quick left and found herself at a door. She turned
around so that she could turn the knob with her tied hands.
It opened!
She then found herself outside at the back
of the estate. About five hundred yards in the distance she saw the thick
forest
the dark forest
a place that she could easily blend into
the shadows, hide, and disappear. If she got to those trees, the guards would
never find her
bound and gagged or not.
Batgirl figured that she could use the cover
of the trees to make it to the next town, contact the authorities who could
contact the JLA. It would be a long walk. It would be too dangerous to get
to a main road and try to get a car or truck to give her a ride to town.
For one, the guards could be patrolling the road and spot her. For another,
she was bound and gagged and at the total mercy of anyone that picked her
up. Knowing her luck, the car that stopped for her would belong to a serial
killer, rapist, or pervert. Being bound and gagged would be an open invitation
to even a normal person with a sex drive.
Then Batgirl had second thoughts about escaping.
Hugh was probably infuriated by now and whatever dastardly things he planned
for her would now be ten fold if she were recaptured; however, perhaps if
she voluntarily turned herself in, Hugh might have a little mercy
might!
Then there was the issue of shame and humiliation.
There was no way that she could get free of her coils and gag without the
help of technology of the JLA. There was no way to hide her situation. Even
before she could get to the JLA, she would have to get to the authorities
and then the public would see her in her humiliating situation. How could
she explain to the Justice League that she it was her own stupidity that
got her captured as well as bound and gagged with devices that she couldnt
even get free of on her own? She would be humiliated by the entire membership
when they saw how helpless she really was. How could she explain that a
billionaire goof effortlessly managed to strip her of gloves, boots, weapons,
cape, and utility belt with hardly any resistance on her part? How could
she face them with her chest bare of her emblem
and cleanly
removed!
Batgirl figured that either way, she was finished
as a crime-fighter.
If she escaped, Batgirl would suffer public
humiliation but she would still get to live life as a private citizen. That
would also mean a lifetime of boring drudgery as a librarian. Now she had
no legitimate excuse to ignore her fathers nagging of getting married
and having kids.
If she didnt escape, Hugh would either
kill her or she would remain his captive for the rest of her life to be at
his total mercy with possible on-going humiliation. If she remain,
Batgirls humiliation would be her own and not shared by the public.
If she died and her body was found, she would be an honored hero even with
the loss of her sacred emblem. That led to the vicious circle that in order
to regain her honor, she had to die, and Batgirl didnt want to
die.
Only five hundred yards separated her from
freedom and ridicule or silent torment or death.
Should she make a break for
it?
She didnt know what to
do.
Part
9
Batgirls mind was made up for her when
two guards from her left and one from her right
approached.
We got her, Captain, one of the
guards said into his radio. Lets just get this over with. Lets
rip off her mask and shoot the bitch in the head.
That was a harsh reminder of why Batgirl chose
to escape
to prevent Hugh from unmasking her! She had no choice but
to try to escape. They were going to kill her now!
The threat of being unmask and put to death
gave Batgirl the energy rush that she needed to attack. She had nothing to
lose now.
Before anyone could react, Batgirl lowered
her head and ran a full speed charge at the guard to her right. Seconds later,
she heard the loud Ommmppphhh of the guard as she buried her
head into his stomach like a battering ram. He fell to the ground gasping
for his lost wind.
When Batgirl tried to take off, a guard wrapped
his arms around her from behind.
Where ya going, hot stuff?
the other guard approached her front. The party is only getting started.
Whats the big deal? We just want a peek.
When the guard got close enough, Batgirl kicked
out her legs and the guard caught a foot square in the mouth. Blood gushed
out as he keeled over to the ground. This got the other guard distracted
and he loosened his grip on Batgirl who bent down and shoot her head up into
the guards jaw. Batgirl saw same teeth flying as the guard let her go and
she took off.
Batgirl ran toward the trees as fast as her
slender legs could take her.
Whats wrong with you, idiots?
Captain Kirks voice shouted on the radio. I gave no orders to
shoot Batgirl or unmask her. All patrol guards to sector three
on the
double! Batgirls heading for the trees. If she gets there, well
lose her for sure!
Batgirl ran as she never ran before! She was
doing quite well considering that she was barefoot and was unable to pump
her arms in motion to give her body that extra speed. The loss of the weight
of the utility belt around her waist seemed to make up for the difference.
She also tried to keep her head down to cut on the wind resistance. Batgirl
was glad that she constantly trained her body for long distance
sprints.
Get her! she could here the guards
yell. Judging by their footsteps, Batgirl figured that she might have enough
of a head start to pull it off.
She looked up and saw that she had four hundred
yards to go.
I want Batgirl alive! she could
hear Hughs voice on the loudspeakers. Dont let her get
to the forest! Dont fire on her until shes within ten yards of
the trees. I will personally castrate anyone that violates or tries to unmask
her. I want her back. Dont let her escape. Come on! Cant you
outrun a girl?
The sound of that was both good news and bad
to her. It was good that Hugh didnt want her killed. It was bad because
a part of Batgirl was hoping that a bullet in her back would be a quick end
to her suffering and humiliation. Hugh wanted her alive for now
perhaps
to kill her in a more gruesome way.
Batgirl forced her legs to move faster. She
was running like the wind and was sacrificing safety for speed. If she tripped,
her loss of arm movement would prevent her from getting up or even seriously
injuring herself. Batgirl had to take that chance. It was working! She could
actually hear the guards yelling from behind her get softer and
softer.
Only three hundred yards to go! She might
just make it if she doesnt run out of stream.
My God! Hugh said as he watched
Batgirl on the screen. Shes magnificent. Look at her run. She
has all the speed and grace of a gazelle. Look at those beautiful legs. I
must have her now more than ever.
That might not happen, sir, Nadia
answered on her end. Shes almost three quarters of the way there.
I think shes going to make it or get shot. You could lose her for good,
sir. Cancel your order about activating the bracelets before its too
late and shes out of range. We can still get
her.
Stay your hand, Nadia. I want to see
if my guards fear of failing me is greater than her desire to
escape.
I
must just make it, Batgirl
thought to herself!
Only one hundred yards
left!
Batgirl swore to whatever Higher Power that
was listening, that if they continued to let her maintain her speed and escape
from her predicament cleanly, she would give up being Batgirl and retire
for good. She would keep her mouth shut and work in the library until she
was an old maid. She would never complain that an ex-felon like Catwoman
was reaping the rewards of capitalism while she couldnt even afford
a car. She didnt care about public humiliation. It no longer mattered
that she lost her gloves, boots, utility belt, cape, and emblem. It was the
cost of her escape!
Please
God! Please let me get
away! Batgirl pleaded in
her mind. Let me get home and Ill never ask anything of you again.
Batgirl will be put to rest. I swear.
Fifty yards, sir, said Nadia.
Kiss Batgirl, goodbye
Have a little faith, said
Hugh.
Fifteen yards away! Batgirl smiled. She was
going to make it! That didnt stop her from slowing down. Then remembering
that the guards were ordered to fire, Batgirl began to run in a zigzag pattern.
This tactic would make her take longer to get to the trees, but the shots
fired were no where close to her. Hitting a moving target was more difficult
than the guards expected.
Nine more yards and Batgirl was home free!
Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three!
Then it happened.
Just when freedom was with her reach, Batgirl
felt something pull her legs together. She fell to the grass and started
to roll.
Hold your fire men, commanded
Hugh. Shes down. She wont be able to run. Seize
her.
What happened, sir? Nadia said
with surprise. It looked like the bracelets were activated. I didnt
do it, sir. I swear!
I know you didnt. I
did.
You said that you were going to let
fate decide her escape or recapture.
I lied, Nadia, Hugh laughed.
Im a cad after all. Im not going to let such a prize escape
me. I just wanted to make her to suffer more by having her freedom seized
just when it was within her grasp. That was so much fun. Would you take a
cart out there and fetch her, please?
With pleasure, Nadia smiled with
delight. It gave her a chance to be near Captain Kirk.
Batgirl couldnt understand it. Nothing
had wrapped around her legs. She was certain that she didnt trip on
anything. Then she saw the bracelets are her ankles. She tried to break them
apart and couldnt. Some sort of strong electro-magnetic field was holding
them together. She couldnt budge them.
How
did they get there? Nadia! That bitch!
NOOOOMMMMPPH! Batgirl screamed
over her frustration within her gag. She was too close to be denied. She
wasnt going to give up now.
Batgirls pulsed race as the first of
the guards reached her. The others were still a bit back.
The guard mocked Batgirl as he walked toward
her. Did the poor dippy Batgirl fall down? Oh, poor
babiiiieeeee!
Despite that her ankles were now bound together,
Batgirl could still kick him out. She hit the guard on the side of the knee
cap. If she were wearing her boots, she would have broken his leg just like
she did to Lt. Hanohano. It was enough to greatly pain the guard who fell
to the grass clutching his knee.
Despite her new predicament, Batgirl was
determined. Somehow she miraculously kept her balance (thanks to gymnastics
training) and managed to get to her feet. Since she no longer had use of
her legs, she got so desperate that she did the only thing she could do.
She hopped.
Batgirl wouldnt give up. She was so
damn close!
Hold it, Batgirl! a deep authoritative
voice said.
Batgirl ignored it. She kept hopping. She
was so close.
I said hold it or Ill
shot!
Batgirl risked it and kept
hopping.
Two well placed warning shot right in front
of Batgirls feet made her stop in her tracks. This guy was a crack
shot. Batgirls fear of death made her stop and not go for the next
few hops to freedom.
She had no choice but to stop or else the
next shot would be in her back. Apparently, she didnt want that easy
way out. She wanted to live.
Thats it, Batgirl. Stay right
there. Take one more hop and youre dead.
Batgirl didnt move.
Its over, Batgirl. You cant
get away now. You gave us a good run, but bad luck was on your side. Now
turn around nice and slow.
Batgirl obeyed her instructions by pivoting
on her foot and facing her captor. He had his gun centered right on her ready
to shoot. He had her dead to rights.
You were very smart to stop, Batgirl.
If you kept moving, I would have shot you dead. He holstered his weapon
and slowly approached Batgirl. Im Captain Kirk. Despite your
situation, I still have the utmost respect for you. Ive followed your
adventures for a long time.
It was then that Batgirl got a good look at
the man that caught her ca. He was a tall man with broad shoulders, probably
a former college football player. She could she that under his hat, he wore
his hair in a military style buzz cut. Obviously, he was also a former service
man. His sculpted chin was the best feature of this incredibly handsome man.
Even Batgirl caught herself starting at him.
Id shake your hand, Batgirl,
but
Batgirl rolled her eyes.
Im sorry that you are being put
through this
but we did try to persuade you to leave. I was really
happy when I thought you were leaving because I knew that the Boss would
have you bondaged up in no time.
The rest of the men where gathering
around.
Hey, nice hopping there,
Bat-frog.
Look at her. I never thought Id
see Batgirl wrapped up like a Christmas present. Now that shes all
helpless, we should take advantage of the situation. How about we draw straws
to see who gets her first.
Dont listen to them, Batgirl,
said Kirk before turning his attention to his men. Dont get any
bright ideas, lunkheads. The Boss doesnt want her touched. So hands
off.
He never lets us have any
have.
Let the Boss have her. The bitch deserves
it.
Hey, Bat-broad. Youre chest looks
a little bare. What happened to your little bat?
Probably got sick of hearing her bitching
and moaning and flew off.
A roar of laughter
followed.
Holy shit! The Boss really did get her
emblem. Just like her said he would.
A roar of cheers followed.
Kirk saw that Batgirl was holding her chin
up high despite the ridicule, but even he knew that there was only so much
that she could take and he did want his favorite hero to break down in front
of his men.
All right. You had your fun. Break it
up. Back to your posts. Ill take it from here. Fall
out!
The men left reluctantly. As much as they
wanted to stay and jeer batgirl, they thought better than to cross Captain
Kirk.
Batgirl smiled to the Captain under her gag.
It was her way of thanking him for the first decent treatment she received
since falling prey to Hugh Howards IV.
It wasnt until his men mentioned it,
that her saw that her emblem had be taken from her
the ultimate
embarrassment to any super-hero.
Oh, shit. Im really sorry about
that. Dont be too ashamed. The cards were stacked against you the moment
you stepped on this estate.
Just then, a cart driven by Nadia pulled up,
and two other guards jumped out ahead and ran toward Batgirl. Kirk was confused
as drove the cart behind Batgirl but backed in the rear part of the vehicle.
What the hell was this broad doing?
Hold her still gentlemen, Nadia
put the vehicle in park as two goons grabbed hold of each of Batgirls
arms and prevented her from squirming her body.
No need to manhandle her like that,
men, Kirk gave them a stern look. Shes hardly dangerous
being totally disarmed, hands securely bound behind her back, gagged, key
items of uniformed removed and now her ankles are secured. She can hardly
move as it is, and shes in no position to attack anyone. Shes
a super-heroine, not a terrorist. I can handle
her.
Of course you can, sir, Nadia
stepped behind Batgirl. The Boss knows that you are more than capable
of performing your duties. I just need to have Batgirl still so I can put
on an additional item of bondage
her punishment for her attempted
escape.
Everything went dark as Nadia put the special
blindfold over Batgirls eyes. A chill went down Batgirls spine
as she heard the clicking of a fastener to hold it in place and felt it tighten
securely around her head.
Mmmmphhh! Grrrph! Batgirl growled
in protest.
This blindfold works in the same manner
as the gag and the coils binding your wrists. Unless you want your head to
crack like a walnut, I dont suggest you try to get it
off.
Is that really necessary, Ms.
Langstrum?
Nadia smiled. Captain Kirk was the only one
on the estate that called her by her surname. Even the servants or any other
guards underneath her always referred to her by her first name only or by
Ms. Nadia.
Bosss orders, Captain. Let her
go, guys.
The guards laughed as Batgirl swayed a little
bit in order to get use to balancing without the use of her eyes. Batgirl
couldnt see a thing
not even the light from the
sun.
You neednt worry, Captain,
Nadia walked around Batgirl so she could stand in front of her.
Dont you know that bats can see very well in the dark? Look.
Ill show you.
Nadia gave Batgirl a good shove. Since Batgirl
was blindfolded, she never saw it coming and she couldnt brace herself.
Since her ankles were locked together, she couldnt spread her legs
apart to adjust. Since her arms where bound, she couldnt use them to
regain her balance. All she could was to haplessly fall backwards, trip over
the end of the car, and land in a laying down position in the cargo holding
area of the cart.
Ooops, Nadia feigned concern as
she saw Batgirls total bound and gagged body in a fetal-like position.
I guess they cant see in the dark after all. Well, I cant
be right all of the time.
The guards had another giggle over Nadia joke
at Batgirls expense. Now the two guards were fascinated by Batgirls
bound body and her ineptness for getting herself in such a precarious
situation.
Ill tell ya, said a guard.
That Batgirl really knows how to wear them ropes. She looks totally
hot.
Yeah, said the other. Looks
like our little bat got herself caught in a spider web that she finally
cant get out.
She thought she would just stroll in
here and make fools out of us, but we showed her. Whos the fool now,
Bat-chick?
Grrrmmmpph! was all Batgirl could
do to reply to her scorn.
Dont cope on attitude, Batgirl.
Were not the ones all tied up.
The Boss really did a number on her.
He takes her gloves
then her boots
then her cape
then her
belt
and then her emblem.
The only thing left to take
is
her mask.
Batgirl froze in terror when that was mentioned.
That possibility was starting to become very real with each passing
minute.
Do you think hell do it in private
or will it be a public viewing?
I wonder if hes going to whack
her before or after he rips her cowl off?
Stop trying to scare her you, clowns,
Kirk pushed them away. Its bad enough that shes bound helpless
without you guys rubbing it in her face. Nobodys getting killed here.
The Boss would have told me. Shes been re-captured and secured. Isnt
that enough for you imbeciles?
Death
that was another very real
possibility. Did this nice Captain mean what he said about Hugh not informing
anyone about killing her
or was he just something he said to pacify
her which would make her an easier prisoner to handle?
Come on, Captain. It was just a bit
a harmless teasing. Lighten up.
Kirk gave the two men a mean stare. Get
out of here. Go to the shooting range and practice for a while. After what
Ive seen today, youll need plenty of
it.
But, sir, Nadia wanted us to help her
take Batgirl to his chamber.
Ill do it. Ms. Langstrum and I
can handle this. Dismissed!
The guards took off not wanting to get on
the Captains bad side.
You show so much authority and gain
so much respect from your men, Captain, Nadia walked closer to the
Captain. She had been flirting with him for weeks but he wasnt biting.
I think thats a very admirable
quality.
Thank you, Ms. Langstrum, Kirk
took the drivers seat and pretended that he didnt notice that
Nadia wanted to drive. She took the passenger seat. Even though she was
Hughs favorite, technically, Captain Kirk was her
superior.
Please, call me Nadia, she folded
her legs in the passenger seat so Kirk could see some of her leg. She was
delighted that he nonchalantly took a peek.
I wish that I could inspire leadership
amongst people like you can.
Its not that difficult, Ms.
Lang
I mean
Nadia. Kirk started up the cart and started
driving. Its a matter of focus and organization. The trick is
to get people to listen to you because they want to and not because you
intimidate them.
Thats very interesting, sir. Perhaps
we could discuss it
over a cup of coffee?
That would be fine. Im due for
a break in an hour. Ill be in the employees
lounge.
Im sorry, Captain, she started
to rub his thigh. I was thinking of someplace more
private.
Youre a very attractive woman,
Nadia
but I dont think thats a good
idea.
Why not?
Theres this rule about getting
involved with co-workers.
There is not, sir, Nadia was quick
to correct him. Youre just saying that because you dont
want to get on Hughies bad side. You neednt worry about that.
Hugh is not the jealous type. He shares. He always tells me that whoever
anyone sees on their own time is their own business. If you dont believe
me, Ill have the Boss tell it to you myself. She put her hand
on Hughs thigh.
I wasnt talking about the Bosss
rules. I was talking about my rules.
Kirk gave her a look and Tanya immediately
removed her hand.
That
certainly shut that bitch
up, Batgirl thought to herself
as she tried to steady herself in the back of the cart so she wouldnt
feel all the bumps. It was the only thing she found to smile about ever since
she hit the unseeable glass door and took a plunge down the slide.
Turned you down flat! Ah-ha!
I guess your not Gods gift to men after
all.
Why are we going this way? Nadia
changed the subject.
I want to enter through one of the back
ways of the house
away from most of the guards. I want to take Batgirl
in quietly. Im sick of hearing the guards remarks. I want them
alert
not staring and drooling over Batgirl.
Orrrrrr, Nadia gave Kirk a wicked
smile. Maybe you would rather have Batgirl to
yourself.
Nothing of the sort, Kirk had
made it a point to get his response out quickly. I just admired Batgirl
and all shes done for Gotham City. Without her, wed all be working
for crackpots like the Penguin and the Joker. Kirk then rubbed his
chin. I just dont get it. Shes been able to take down power
hitters like Mr. Freeze, Bane, and Two-face, and walk away unscathed. Now
this isnt a slam against the Boss
I mean
he is a highly
intelligent guy and all
hes still new to taking on Super-heroes.
How is that he can accomplish something that career criminals
couldnt
namely stripping her down and tying her up to total
helplessness? Is that even the real Batgirl back
there?
Of course it is. Youre remembering
the Batgirl of old. The one we have at our mercy is over the
hill.
Come on, Kirk argued. No
way. Do the math. Batgirl cant be any older than thirty-two
and
thats a stretch. Im pushing thirty-five and Im still keeping
up with the young guys. Shes not old at all.
Not old for a civilian, but old for
athletes and crime-fighters. Im not talking about physical age anyway,
Captain, Im talking about career age. Shes been crime fighting
for over ten years. Shes past her prime and taken on one adventure
too many.
Okay, she have lost a little of her
edge, but Batgirls still one of the all-time best. Even a little rusty,
she should have been able to clubber us.
Nadia knew that the Captain was an intelligent
man, but sometimes he could be so naïve. Sometimes
great is not enough. Youre
a boxing fan
look at Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis. They could have retired
with undefeated championship reigns and with
all their losses avenged, but they had to come back. Did you
ever see each of their last two professional fights? Pretty sad, wouldnt
you say? Batgirl is Ali but
after he fought Trevor Berbick.
With the exception of Rocky Marciano, fighters and super-heroes dont
know when to hang it up. They got to fight one more fight
make that
comeback to feed their ego and get back a taste of their former glory. They
think that they can hold on to the title forever. They think they can return
and still have the same stuff as their younger days. Its after some
young up-and-comer runs circles around them and embarrasses them
or
even a good ass kicking
only then do the come to terms with their mortality
and quit for good. Ive seen it happen. Look at Sugar Ray Leonard, Larry
Holmes, Roy Jones, and Benny Leonard.
Wow! You sure know youre boxing
history. Im definitely going to invite you over with the guys when
I host my next pay-per-view.
Was he listening? Did he get the point?
Face it, Captain. Today is Batgirls wake-up, ass-kicking call.
Now Hugh is going to put her out to pasture
the hard
way.
I guess youre right, the
Captain said. Still
it is a waste and a shame. Too bad we
couldnt convince her to join us. She would have been a valuable asset
to the team.
Mmmmmpphhh! Mmmmphhh! Batgirl
was desperate. If only she didnt have the gag. If she could talk,
she would say, Im in, now. I
want to join the team. Really!
As much as she wanted to get her hands around
Nadia neck, Batgirl knew that every word she said made sense. Batgirl felt
her decline for a while but refused to see it. Now it took this humiliating
experience to see the truth.
Still
what could the Boss accomplish
by conquering a washed-up hero?
Were a lot alike, sir. The Boss
tells us what to do, and we try to do it to the best of our
abilities.
The cart pulled up to an isolated back door
that was infrequently used. Only a single guard was in the area as he came
here to have a cigarette by himself while he was on his
break.
Great going, Captain, he said.
I heard you re-bagged the Bat-babe all by yourself
even had to
fire a couple of warning shots by her feet. They told me that she got so
scared that she peed in her pants. I bet shell think twice before trying
to run away again. Do you need a hand?
Not,
really.
The guard pretended he didnt hear that
as he ran to the back of the cart. He wanted to try to cop a feel off Batgirl
as he was helping the Captain to lift her out of the vehicle. Since he was
already there and determined, Kirk decided to let him grab her legs and then
he would grab her top half.
One again, Captain Kirk could not find anywhere
on the estate where one of his men had to open his mouth about something.
The Boss got real pissed when this bat tried to fly the coop. I heard
from Eddie who heard from Joey who heard from Frank that he heard the Boss
say that he was going to skin her alive.
Skin
my alive? Batgirl began to panic.
They are going to kill me. I
dont want to die. I dont want to die like
that.
Seeing now that she had nothing to lose, Batgirl
kicked out with her bound legs. Since the guard talked a lot, she was able
to zero in on his location and catch him in the chest. As she heard him fall
to the floor, she got up to a sitting position and she knew that she was
on the edge of the cart. She slipped down and started to hop
away.
She had no clue to where she was going. She
knew that she couldnt get away, but her survival instinct compelled
her to try.
Why did you spook her, idiot?
Kirk yelled at the guard while he was still down from the pain. Now
you got her so wound up that I may not be able to calm her down again. I
wanted to bring her in calmly
not kicking and
screaming.
I got her, Nadia tossed her hat
in the cart and took off after Batgirl.
Kicking and screaming. Thats exactly
how Batgirl planned on going out now.
She got in three more hops before Nadia did
a perfect dive tackle from behind. The second Batgirl fell to the floor she
started screaming a muffled scream through her gag as started to violently
thrash her legs out, hoping to catch someone by blind
luck.
Try not to hit her, Kirk told
Nadia. I dont think the Boss wants that.
I know. I know. I was all Nadia could do to hold on to
Batgirls twisting and rolling body. It was difficult to keep this bound-up
petrified woman under control without having to hit her.
The wrestling match lasted for about a minute.
Nadia was trying to stay on Batgirl who was throwing her around like a mechanical
bull. Nadia tried to reason with Batgirl to get her to calm down, but it
was difficult for someone to listen when they believed that they were going
to their death.
A sudden roll threw Nadia off Batgirl. Now
free from her attackers weight, but not able to get to her feet, the
caped crime fighter did the only thing she could to continue her flight.
She got on her side and started to crawl away. It was totally hopeless, but
Batgirl tried it anyway.
Nadia got up, composed herself and drew out
her firearm. She calmly walked up to Batgirl.
When Batgirl heard the sound of a hammer cocking
back and felt a gun barrel to her head. She stopped dead in her
tracks.
Calm down, Batgirl, Nadia was
not mad but she did use a tone that showed that she was all business.
Dont make me shoot you. Hugh is NOT going to skin you alive.
The idiot you heard is full of shit. The Boss is into some twisted stuff
that I admit
Ive taken part many times
but hes not
that sick, twisted, and barbaric. If you cooperate, Batgirl, there is a
chance
a slim one
that you may live. You have my word that if
you are to die, Ill personally see to it that its quick, clean,
and painless
even if I have to do it myself.
Batgirl was still breathing heavy but she
had calmed down considerable. Something told her that Nadia was being
truthful.
We can end it here and now if you like.
One shot to your head and it will be over
but a part of me tells me
that you dont want to die. I think youre willing to take a chance
just so you can live that much longer. If Im wrong, then make a sound
and Ill end your torment right now.
Batgirl froze. She believed that if she
didnt move, she wouldnt accidentally make a noise. This was her
chance, again, to die cleanly and with some honor. She just couldnt
do it.
After a few seconds of silence, Nadia said,
Can I take your quietness as a sign that you dont want to get
shot?
Batgirl nodded in the
affirmative.
Glad to hear it, Batgirl, Nadia
holstered her weapon. You may find this hard to believe, but I really
dont want to kill you
but I will if I have to.
Understand?
Batgirl nodded again.
Nicely handled, Nadia, Kirk picked
up Batgirl and placed her on her shoulder with her feet to his front and
her head in his back.
Nadia opened the door for Kirk that lead from
the outside and into the mansion. She never went back to the cart to retrieve
her hat and didnt wear it again for the remainder of the
day.
Kirk made sure to take a route to Hughs
room via areas that were thin with guards. To his relief, they encountered
no one on the way.
Although this route took a little longer,
Nadia was glad. It gave her time to fantasize about Captain Kirk. Every time
she looked at Batgirl, she envied her. Nadia wished that it was her that
was bound and gagged and being carried by Captain Kirk so he could violate
her in the privacy of his private quarters.
Even Captain Kirk had to admit to himself
that this whole thing was stimulating. Like many men, Kirk was not immune
to the secret thoughts of the imagination of seeing a beautiful super-heroine
tied up, gagged, and helpless
struggling in her ropes and moaning.
He liked the feel of Batgirls red hair
as it occasionally brushed against the skin of his neck. He liked the smell
of her hair and he liked how her tight costume felt against his body. He
could feel her muscle tone. Even if she was washed-up, she was still in awesome
shape. She was so light and easy to carry. He could walk with her bound and
gagged on his shoulder for hours
and he would do just that if he had
the liberty.
Kirk woke up from his daydreaming when Nadia
knocked on Hughs chamber door.
Yes, Hugh voice resonated from
the other side of the finely ornate oak door.
Its Nadia and Captain Kirk, sir.
Special Delivery.
Enter.
Nadia turned the brass knob and opened the
door to a bedroom that could be described as being larger than some
peoples houses.
The back half was a plush sleeping area with
a large canopy bed with silk sheets and pillow cases and large enough to
accommodate four sleepers if needed. On the opposite wall was a huge fireplace
with an actual working fire. Although the heating system was more than efficient
to keep the room warm, Hugh still insisted on a fire.
Near the bed area was a full size bathroom
with jacuzzi. They area also had a desk, wide screen TV and audio/visual
equipment.
The front half was full of exercise equipment
including an elliptical running machine, stair climber, heavy punching bag,
speed punching bag, adjustable stomach crunch table, and a weight machine
which could be adjusted for various lifting exercises.
There was a strange looking table and a harness
hanging from the ceiling and Kirk dared not ask or contemplate what they
were for.
Hugh was holding Batgirls abandon utility
belt and looking it over thoroughly before he directed his attention back
to Captain Kirk and Nadia.
Have a seat, Batgirl, Hugh pointed
Kirk to a simple wooden chair indicated that he wanted his re-captured prize
placed in it.
With great care and delicacy, Kirk put Batgirl
in the chair. When it appeared that no one was looking, he whispered in her
ear. Brave heart, Batgirl. Its not over until its over.
I know that you have faith and courage. Dont give up. Im very
proud of you.
As much as Batgirl appreciated the sentiment
of the message, she couldnt take it to heart. It was easy for him to
say. He wasnt bound, gagged and helpless. He wasnt humiliated.
He wasnt the one overcome with feelings of defeat and
hopelessness.
Very ingenious, Hugh approached
Batgirl still holding her belt. The old
emergency-release-latch-from-behind-trick. Very impressive. I cant
believe I missed that. Even I make mistakes. Congratulations, Batgirl. You
just made the short list of people who were able to pull one over on me.
It is a fact, however, that no one has done it twice. To the few that managed
to do it once, I was able to get one over on them at a future date. As much
as I admire your initiative and determination, Batgirl, you must learn that
there is nothing from you that I cannot take. I snatched your freedom away
right when it was within your grasp. I have taken so much away from you already,
and I plan to take more. The sooner you accept defeat, the easier youll
make it for yourself. Soon the Batgirl that everyone knows will no longer
exist.
Batgirl had a sinking feeling in the pit of
her stomach that Hugh could be right.
Nadia, Hugh handed her Batgirls
belt. Would you be so kind as to throw this in the
fire?
Of course, Nadia answered with
delight.
About a minute later, Batgirl could her belt
popping away as it burned in the fireplace.
Captain, I heard a ruckus out there,
said Hugh as he turned his attention back to Kirk. What was the
trouble?
One of my idiot guards told Batgirl
that you were going to skin her alive
then she started to freak out
but Ms. Nadia got her back under control without harming the girl. Dont
be hard on Batgirl, Boss. It wasnt her fault. Considering the trauma
shes been through and her mental and emotional state, I cant
blame her for that.
Skin her alive, you say? Hugh
chuckled. It seems like we have a considerable lack of communications
when it comes to relaying messages. All I did was causally mention that the
next phase of taming and domesticating my Batgirl is to shed her old
skin.
Batgirl did a nervous gulp. She avoided the
shark, but did she swim into the barracuda instead?
Part
10
Shed her skin?
Kirk said nervously. Is that going to hurt
her?
Only her pride, Hugh smiled back.
Are you really going to unmask her?
Hugh wickedly smiled. As per the tradition of the masquerade,
the unveiling will be at midnight. Now be so kind as to give me a
hand
Minutes later, Hugh and Kirk had put Batgirl in the special harness
that hung from chains that appeared to be attached to the ceiling. Hugh unhooked
the harness from the chains and placed the wooden board between Batgirls
back and her bound hands. From each side, he took a vertical strap which
her looped under her armpit and over her shoulder and attached each strap
to the top of the board. He took out a remote control and pressed a button.
The chains began to react and Batgirl was raised into the air just so that
the tips of her toes could no longer touch the floor. The chains kept shaking
and it felt to Batgirl that she was still moving up. With her blindfold,
she believed that she was many feet above the floor rather than an inch or
two.
Mmmmpphh! Batgirl swayed her legs hoping that she could
fell some solid ground.
Is there anything else you need, sir? Kirk asked. If
not, Id like to be excused.
Not staying for the show, Captain?
If you dont mind, Mr. Howards, there is some paperwork
that needs my attention, and Id like to check in on Lt. Hanohano. Batgirl
really did a number on him.
Very well, Captain. That is all for
now.
Nadia approached Hugh after she was certain that Captain Kirk exited
and was out of hearing range. I think he might be trouble,
Cupcake.
Why do you say that, Nadia, Darling?
I think hes a little sweet on
Batgirl.
Of course he would be. Everyone loves
Batgirl.
Hes such an irritating Dudley Do-right at times
but a very gorgeous Dudley Do-right
but not as gorgeous as you, Cupcake.
I cant make up my mind whether I want to kill him or have his
children.
Hugh showed no signs of jealousy over that remark. You neednt
worry about him doing anything noble. His loyalty to me is absolute. He is
a man of honor, Nadia. He may seem like a stuffed shirt, but he is the most
courageous man I have ever known. He took three bullets so he could save
his comrades when he served in Dessert Storm.
Really? this seemed to turn Nadia on. He never mentioned
that to anyone.
Thats because he is humble. He believed that he was doing
his duty as a soldier and nothing more. He also never mentioned that he was
raised by his grandparents when his father abandoned him at birth and his
mother died of a brain tumor shortly after. Ten years ago, his beloved
Grandfather collapsed. He needed a new heart, but his advanced age and his
long years of smoking put him on the bottom of the donors list. I was able
to give his grandfather something better
an artificial heart. Im
the only one that could afford to have one made but the investment was well
worth it. Kirks loyalty to me is unquestionable. Even now, his grandparents
retired to San Diego. The old man quit smoking. Hes in his eighties
now and jogs five miles every morning on the beach with his wife of fifty-six
years. God bless him.
Now Nadia wanted Kirk more than ever.
All Batgirl could do was sit and listen as she let her body go limp
and her head slump down to her chest just like a scarecrow. She was now so
physically and mentally spent, that she hardly had any energy to do anything
but accept her present situation.
Batgirl couldnt believe that they were talking as if she
wasnt there at all
as if she were just a side of beef taken from
the frozen meat locker
waiting for it to thaw enough so that they could
cut it up into smaller pieces. Even in her predicament, she couldnt
help but send her heart to Captain Kirk
an honorable man working for
ignoble man for a noble purpose.
Speaking of purposes, Batgirl wondered what purpose Hugh
Howards had for her and her thoughts began to race
again.
What
does he want of me? Why is he doing this? What have I done to him? Perhaps
he is right about me not quitting while I was ahead
yet I dont
feel old for a crime-fighter. Batman is older than me and hes been
in the business before I even started, yet, he shows no signs of fading away.
If anything, hes stronger than ever. I didnt take on one adventure
too many. This was supposed to be a simple mission of mercy errand and I
the one that ends up at someone elses mercy. Poor Diana. When she learns
what happened to me, shell feel responsible for sending me here in
her place. The guilt will just consume her. I know it! Oh, no
here
we go, again. Whats wrong with me? Why is this shit turning me
on?
As
Batgirl heard Hugh walk behind her, she had to fight the feeling of ecstasy
as she, once again, started to get sexual stimulated in her bondage and
helplessness. Perhaps, it was the feeling that she didnt have to worry
about anything
that her needs were being taken care of by someone else.
Crime-fighting was a stressful job
all those life and death
decisions
but here
there was no
responsibility.
Now, Batgirl, Hugh finally turned his attention to her.
You were very bad to escape and make me look like the fool. Here is
a little something to remind you. It is, after all, for your own
good.
Hugh took his riding crop and gave Batgirl a swat on her fine, firm
ass. He was careful not to hit hard enough to leave a cut, scar, or welt,
but still hard enough to make his point. He didnt want to mark up,
Batgirl.
Ughhhh! Batgirl wiggled in her harness. Since she was
still blinded, she never expected the snap to her behind and it hurt a little
more than usual. She tensed her cheeks to alleviate some of the pain as she
knew that a few more were coming.
Hugh hit Batgirl nine more times as Nadia licked her lips and quivered
at the sight.
With each strike, Batgirl got more excited. It hurt
but it was
a good hurt. She felt her crotch getting moist with each progressing strike.
She even relaxed her cheeks after the fourth strike so that she could feel
the full affect. Her ass felt so tingly and she was actually starting to
feel affection for Hugh as she started to believe that only a man that would
go through so much trouble to teach her a lesson must truly care for
her.
If
she was not gagged, she would have said the words, Thank you, sir.
May I please have another, after every taste of the
crop.
When Hugh finished, Batgirl was actually disappointed. She wanted
more!
Mmm-oooh, she managed to moan in her gag, hoping that
Hugh would accommodate her request.
Hugh knew that she wanted more, but declined because he didnt
want to risk marking Batgirl up. She was much too valuable a prize to mark
up.
Now watch, my dear, Hugh said to the highly aroused Nadia.
This is how you properly shed a Batgirls
skin.
Mmmmmppph! This sudden wave of fear gave Batgirl a sudden
rush of energy. Oh, Lord, what is he
going to do?
Hugh pulled out a small instrument that had a spinning disc at the
end, just like a small pizza cutter. To Nadia it looked just like the tool
used to install the spline onto a screen window or door
except this
roller had a much finer edge.
Watch careful, Nadia. This is how you can get this off in one
piece.
Before Hugh started he went up to each of
Batgirls feet and took the stirrup off each ankle and then pulled it
through her ankle restraints so that the material would now be
free.
He then took the tool and started near
Batgirls neck where the material of her costume started. He smoothly
rolled the tool on her arm until he reached the end of the material at her
hand. Nadia was puzzled. Batgirls costume did not even rip or cut.
The tool merely left a thin, barely visible white line.
Why
the hell is he trying to trace a circle around
her? Nadia
thought.
Hugh continued with the material under
Batgirls right arm just past the coils that still bound her hands helpless.
He rolled his instrument down the bottom of her arm, under her arm pit, down
her side, then to her hips, past her thighs and finished by her right foot.
He then continued on the other side of her leg, up to her knee, past her
thigh, carefully going past her crotch area before continuing down the length
or her entire left leg. As with the other side, Hugh rolled his instrument
on Batgirls outer leg, past her hips, past her left side, under her
armpit and to the end by her bound hand. Hugh finished by traveling along
the upper part of the left arm, past the elbow, and ending at the other side
of Batgirls next from which Hugh originally
started.
To Batgirl the whole thing tickled. It felt
like someone was tracing her outside form with a pizza cutter. If only she
could see what Hugh was up to.
Now, Nadia, Hugh made a motion
to her to stand behind Batgirl. Now take both your hands and grab of
firm hold of her costume by her neckline. Hugh did the same but on the front
of the neck.
Now, when I say
three
pull down firmly but
dont yank. Lets take a look at the awesome body of hers.
One
Batgirl held her breath. She now understood
what the roller was. It wasnt to cut material but rather to score it
so that Hugh wouldnt slice her skin off in the tracing
process. It was just like Batgirls glass cutter which would weaken
the glass so then she could use a suction-plunger to remove the cut-out glass,
but still leave a hole with clean smooth edges
except Hugh was scoring
material
not glass!
Two
Three!
Hugh and Nadia pulled in unison and the sound
of tearing fabric could be heard as Batgirl costume ripped apart from her
body in two cleanly cut pieces.
Batgirl shivered as she suddenly felt a cold
breeze hit her bare body as she felt her outer skin being shed
off. Besides her cowl, Batgirl was now only down to being clad in her black
bra and panties.
MMMMMMPPPPPHHHHH! Batgirl screamed
in anger and frustration to keep her mad enough that she wouldnt start
crying so that Hugh and Nadia wouldnt have the satisfaction of witnessing
her tears of shame, humiliation and defeat.
Holy shit! Hugh drooled as he
paced around his open present. Shes even more magnificent than
I ever imagined. Look at the fine muscle tone
the tight ass
her
washboard abs. Shes about as perfect a specimen for a non-super-powered
human being while still remaining human. I sure that Wonder Woman wouldnt
hold a candle Batgirl if she didnt have the advantage of being an Amazon
thats almost immortal.
I dont believe this! Nadia
snapped one of Batgirls black bra straps. Shes actually
wearing a Victoria Secret water bra under her
costume.
Im sure that most heroines do,
Hugh seemed taken aback by Nadias comment. Dont they need
support under their costumes so that their breasts dont bounce around
out of control when they fight? Even Wonder Woman wears that corset/bustier
thing or else she could give herself a concussion if she runs too
fast.
Thats not what I mean, Hugh,
Nadia kept touching Batgirls bra and she heard a slight moan of pleasure.
If I were a super-hero, I too, would wear underwear beneath my
costume
but I would wear a sports bra and panties, not this. Who is
she trying to fool? This bra pushes her boobs together and then lifts them
up to make her look fuller than she actually is. Is she trying to play the
part of Batgirl or Erin Brockovitch?
Hugh cupped on of Batgirls breasts and
she moaned again. She may use a bit of illusion, my dear, but this
beautiful rack is very much real. No plastic. No implants. She looks very
fetching in this lingerie. Ill think Ill let her keep it on for
a while
let her have a little dignity until the final
unveiling.
As Hugh stepped away, Nadia turned her back
on Batgirl so she could mock her a little more. She didnt like the
fact that she might have to contend with, yet, another woman to vie for
Hughs attention.
For crying out load, Hugh
shes
supposed to be a virgin but she wears underwear with the subconscious thought
of getting laid. She has the mind of a slut but lacks the courage to act
on it. In the back of her mind, shes hoping that Batman will dump Catwoman
and peruse her. Even if the Dark Knight did give her the time of day, this
child doesnt have want it takes to satisfy a real man.
Perhaps that new teenaged Robin might be more to her
level.
Once again, Batgirl forgot her situation and
struck out in anger. Although still blindfolded, she still had ears and could
center in on Nadias location. Batgirl could also tell by how the voice
was traveling that Nadias back was to her. Using her harness as a brace,
Batgirl lifted her legs and kicked forward, catching Nadia right on her behind.
The blow wasnt enough to hurt, by the sudden force threw Nadia forward
and she would have fallen flat on her face if she hadnt used her hands
to break the fall.
Hugh laughed at the sight of
this.
You bitch, Nadia shot up. You
rotten bitch. Ill show you.
Hugh grabbed hold of Nadia and held her back.
Calm down, my dear. You can only blame yourself for that. You let your
guard drop.
You cant let her get away with
that.
Nadia immediately calmed down when Hugh pointed
to an object that was heating up in the fire place. Nadia smiled as she went
to retrieve it for Hugh. She also smiled as he threw Batgirls torn
costume in the fire as well. If Batgirl was laughing at her from the inside,
she wouldnt be laughing now.
Very good, Batgirl, Hugh said
to her in a tone that sounded like he was impressed. Im afraid
that was your last hurrah. Now I must mark you to show everyone else that
your cute little ass now belongs to me.
Nadia smiled as she handed Hugh the branding
iron.
Batgirl could smell the heated metal and knew
what was coming next. She tried to brace herself for the upcoming
pain.
UGGGGMMMHHHHAHHHHHH! Batgirl screamed
her loudest scream as she felt the hot poker burn into her flesh. Nadia was
starting to touch herself. She was really starting to get turned
on.
*
*
*
*
Captain Kirk was not immune to hearing
Batgirls screams. Hugh had put a microphone near Batgirl so that she
could be heard through the sound system. He had hoped loud radio playing
would drown her out. He hated himself for doing nothing, yet, he was honor
bound not to interfere. Kirk could hear his guards cheering and giving each
other high fives as they knew that their beloved employer was slowly beating
down Batgirl.
Hugh had done this twice before, but this
time it was different. For years, Batgirl had defended Gotham City from crime
but now the general public was slowly starting to laugh at her because she
was starting to lose her effectiveness. Did these ungrateful wretches have
so short a memory of what Batgirl did in the past?
Although, he knew that this was for
Batgirls own good, Kirk still hated what Hugh was putting her through.
Was it admiration for Batgirl
or did he want her for
himself?
Kirk couldnt interfere directly but
his honor would not be stained by making a phone call.
*
*
*
*
As soon as Hugh was finished burning his mark
into Batgirls flesh, he quickly applied the ointment to the middle
of her left breast. The wound cauterized immediately and turned Batgirls
screams of pain into moans of relief. The pain killer absorbed through the
skin and activates almost immediately.
Hugh admired the overlapping double Hs
that he permanently tattooed on Batgirls breast.
Batgirl went limp again, totally spent. She
knew that she had been branded like a cow. She knew that Hugh intended to
make her his property. This should have horrified her
but it really
didnt. Something inside her was actually relieved of being lifted of
the burden of being responsible for herself. Hugh would see to her needs
now.
Help me get her to the table,
Hugh said to Nadia as he started to release her from the harness. We
mustnt dawdle. We may have taken the fight out her now, but she recovers
very quickly.
You dont have to remind me about
that, Cupcake, Nadia grabbed Batgirls arm and started to drag
her along with Hugh. Ive seen it himself. The sooner we strap
this bitch down and start readjustment and clean that crap out of her head,
the better.
They carried her to, what appeared to be,
a weight lifting bench, but there were no weights in sight. It was the very
same thing that Captain Kirk shuddered about not too long
ago.
The bench was in two pieces and the leg/stand
was attached to a track that was bolted down to the floor. Each piece was
about three feet long and a little over a foot wide. Both piece had leather
straps with buckles tangling off the sides. Just like they did with the harness,
they placed her on the open end of the bench and slipped her body toward
the other end so that the bench was between her back and her bound hands.
Since the leg of the bench was at the far end, it wouldnt get in the
way. They did this so they could lay Batgirl flat on her back without having
to release her hand coils. That way she wouldnt be laying down on her
bound hands on the hard surface. Nadia held up Batgirls legs so that
Hugh could slide the other piece of bench into the first, now making it one
long bench. Hugh went underneath the bench and pushed up a lever that locked
the two pieces together. It was very much the same principle as a fancy dining
room table in which the table could be extended for extra guests. You would
unlock the table, pull it apart, fill in the gap with leaves (extra wooden
blanks), close the table, and lock it into place.
Hugh quickly took the two ends of the straps
and buckled them just above Batgirls chest. Nadia did the same except
she did so with the set near the ankles and one at mid-thigh. Although the
straps provided extra restraint and to prevent her from kicking her bound
legs, that was not their main purpose as Batgirls bound hands under
the table prevented her escape. The straps were actually served the purpose
of preventing Batgirl from sliding or rolling off the narrow bench which
had to be narrow to slip Batgirls bound hands
underneath.
Almost immediately when Batgirl felt the straps
being tighten down on her, she instinctively struggled. In her panic she
forgot about the coils and started to move her wrists. The coils responded
by giving her a warning squeeze.
YAAAAYYYYMMMMPPPHHH! Batgirl gave
another loud scream even through her gag. She then suspected what they were
up to.
Oh
my God! Her thoughts ran
wild. Clean my head
or
brainwash me? They want to recondition me
make me one of them. They
wanted to control me so that they can get Wonder Woman in the future because
I have knowledge that could be used against
her.
Batgirl could fell the small globs of gel
being applied to her skin in order to hold small metal probe sensors. She
could feel them being placed all over her body except for her
head.
After what seemed like putting hundreds of
sensors on her body, she heard her captors move something by her head by
not touching it.
The device was a giant ring, similar to an
open MRI which he positioned in the middle of Batgirls head with a gap of
about two inches from the head to the edge of the inner ring of the
device.
Not too long after that, six devices that
looked like small spotlights were placed, three each, near Batgirls
sides. When activated they emitted and orange light. Batgirl could feel the
heat from the lights but was not uncomfortable. It was almost like a tanning
booth.
She felt her right arm being swapped by what
she smelled as alcohol. Then she felt a quick stinging in her right arm.
Someone had inserted an IV into her.
When you wake up, Batgirl, Hugh
snickered. Youll be a whole new woman.
Dont worry, Sweetie, Nadia
stroked Batgirls hair. It wont hurt unless you try to resist.
You know
the more I think about it
the less I mind sharing Hugh
with you. I like you Batgirl. I really do. Im looking forward to having
another sister to play with.
Mmmmmppphhh! Batgirl gave one
last protest. Theyre going
to fry my brain. Make me some kind of zombie slave and help them do this
to other heroines. I cant let that happen. I got to fight this, even
if it turns me into a vegetable.
Hugh threw the switch and activated the
equipment.
Batgirl arched her back and every muscle and
nerve in her body constricted as she felt powerful waves of energy, almost
like electricity shocks through her. Already she could feel her body
changing
restructuring itself
but into what?
The ring device shot a bolt of energy in
Batgirls brain waves. It felt as if thousands of hot needles were being
shoved into her head. She could feel them try to borrow into her thoughts
and gain a foothold into her mind. The more she tried to resist, the sharper
and hotter the needles felt.
Batgirl was holding off the invasion, but
it was very painful and the needles were slowly gaining ground.
It was like trying to hold your breathe underwater
indefinitely.
Too
painful, Batgirl managed
one final surge to hold it off.
I cant hold it off. Im sorry, Diana. I cant
get loose. I cant stop the needles. Theyre coming for you next!
Im sorry, Diana. Please, forgive me. I tried. Im so, so, sorry.
Im
Just in the same manner as someone finally
lets go after no longer being able to hold their breath, Batgirl let her
mental barriers down and allowed them to engulf her mind. The shook was also
the same as a drowning person taking in the first bit of water into the
lungs.
Almost immediately, the pain went away. It
was peaceful. She was being forced to sleep. Batgirl wanted to sleep. It
felt so good. She succumbed to the cloud that was numbing her mind and let
unconsciousness take her.
Then nothing
Hugh couldnt believe that Batgirl was
able to hold out for over a minute. He was relieved when he saw her tightly
clenched fist in her bound wrists slowly start to loosen and then go limp.
Her ached back flattened on the bench. She saw her entire body go limp and
then he smiled.
Now what? said
Nadia.
We wait, answered Hugh. The
cleansing will take, at least, a few hours.
In the case, Nadia took her handcuffs
out of her gun belt before undoing the buckle and letting it drop to the
floor. She then took her handcuffs and used them to lock her own wrists securely
behind her back.
Whats going on here? Hugh
played coy as he unbuttoned Nadia shirt.
Ive been a bad girl. Im
turning myself in.
You have? Hugh finished with the
buttons and yanked the shirt off her shoulder and down to her
waist.
I put a gun to Batgirls head and
offered to kill her and end it all if she gave me the word. I would have
done it, too, if she didnt indicate that she wanted to be
spared.
Why did you do that? Hugh led
her to the harness that he recently placed Batgirl in.
I didnt want an extra hen in my
roosters house. Im not jealous anymore and I know theres
enough love to go around for everybody
but just to be on the same
side
a need a reminder to stay in line.
Very well, Hugh started to place
her in the harness. Youve worked extra hard today and you deserve
a reward.
Thank you,
Cupcake.
It didnt take long her Hugh to truss
up Nadia and raise her off the floor. He put his riding crop aside and got
out his cat o nine tails. Nadia quivered in anticipation when she saw
it.
Yesss! Nadia screamed in joy as
she was whacked on the behind.
Whack!
Ohhhh! More!
More!
Whack!
Yessssss! Ohhhhhhoooo. Thank you.
OOoooooh!
Hugh whacked her ass as many times as he believed
that Nadias body could take the punishment. He could tell that she
was already getting wet.
He wasnt done, though. He took a scalpel
and cut a small notch on the bottom front center of Nadias skirt. Using
the starter cut, Hugh grabbed two
ends and pulled which caused the skirt to rip up to her
crotch.
What are you going to do? Nadia
moaned. I cant stop you. Im sooooo
helpless.
Hugh only responded by roughly yanking Nadia
panties down to her knees. He then got his special vibrating dildo and
immediately stuck it up Nadias wet crotch.
Yesssss! Yesss! Nadia screamed.
She didnt care if the entire staff heard her. Make me cum! Please!
Please!
Hugh warmed her up for a few minutes and then
found her special spot.
Ohhhhhoooooooooo, Nadia began
to feel the pleasure spasms. Then like a tidal wave, she came
long
and hard. Ahhhhhh-mmmmmm-ahhhhh-ohhhhhh!
The experience was so draining that Nadia
went limp in the harness for exhaustion.
Thank you. Thank you, Nadia
murmured.
Whats makes you think Im
done with you? Hugh turned the vibrating dildo back
own.
No, wait, Nadia began to panic.
Ive never done two sessions. Im not up for that,
yet.
A wry smiled crossed Hughs lips. You
should have thought about that before you put a gun to my Batgirls
head.
Nooooo! Nadia screamed as the
dildo was shoved in her again and the pleasure waves engulf her body. She
tried to wiggle her wrists free of the hands she cuffed herself but found
that she restrained herself too securely.
Oh, my God! Too much! I cant take
it! Please, Hugh! Stop! Oh my God! Oh-oh-oh!
OOHHOHOHOHOHHOOHHOooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!
Hugh continued his session with Nadia until
she was just as unconscious as Batgirl.
Part
11
When Batgirl finally regained consciousness,
she opened her eyes and saw nothing. It took a few seconds for her disorientation
to clear before she realized that she was still blindfolded and did not lose
her sense of sight. Her hands where still bound behind her back with the
inescapable living coil and her ankles were still bound with
the magnetic clamps; however, she no longer felt the hard bench beneath her
or the leather straps around her chest, thighs and ankles. She no longer
felt the probes and sensors that were attached to her.
As a matter of fact she felt comfortable.
She was lying on
silk sheets? A bed? Her head was resting on a soft
pillow.
She collected her thoughts and they still
felt as if they were her own. Her brain wasnt fried after all. She
wasnt a mindless zombie, but was that just until Hugh decided he needed
to control her? Hugh might have implanted something in her head to compel
her to obey him when the time was right.
From a slightly opened window, she could hear
the chirps of crickets and the soft croaking of frogs. It was night time
which meant that she had been unconscious for many hours.
Despite still being bound for hours, her hands
and ankles didnt feel numb or sore. It didnt even feel uncomfortable
that she was lying flat on her back, on top of her bound hands. Hugh was
right about keeping her bound for a long time without discomfort or bodily
damage. He was a maniac but he was a genius
a gorgeous genius. Again,
she started to get excited and aroused, the more she thought about her bondage.
She had been secretly dreaming about being in this very predicament for
years.
No
she had to concentrate. This was
a serious situation
not sexual role-playing. Why did she feel so
comfortable? Why didnt her wrists hurt?
As a matter of fact, no part of her body ached
or felt sore at all. She didnt feel hungry or thirsty. She didnt
even feel any urges to go to the bathroom. Funny
she could never hold
her pee this long.
The more she thought out it, the more her
body felt different. She felt stronger
more durable. She couldnt
see but somehow she knew that her muscles were firmer and more tone. How
could this be? She felt that if she were bound with regular rope or even
handcuffs, she could easily break them. If it werent for the danger
of her wrists getting crushed, she truly believed that she could break the
coils.
Just to end her curiosity, she twisted her
arms and pretended that she was trying to struggle free. The coils still
tightened. It still hurt her arms when she refused to relax her muscles,
but she found that she could endure the pain longer before giving in.
Hugh had altered her in some way. Was it for
the better or for the worse?
She could still feel her mask on her face
so it was safe to assume that Hugh did not do his official unveiling just
yet. It didnt seem out of place so it was highly unlikely that Hugh
took a premature peek. Perhaps there was still time to prevent that. Perhaps
she could talk him out of it. She would have to reason, bribe, or plead with
him, but she had to try. To do that, she would need her
speech.
She tired to speak to see if she was still gagged.
Mmmmppfff.
Yep, she was still gagged.
Seconds later, she left a pair of soft hands reach around the back
of her head.
Where ever she was, she wasnt alone!
She felt the hands unlock the strap to her blindfold. It loosened
from her head.
She could see but the images were blurry. She didnt panic as
she knew it would take about a minute or so for her eyes to adjust after
being deprived of sight for so many hours.
The images slowly began to sharpen. She looked above and saw a
canopy
a canopy for a large bed that she was laying on. The sheets
were silk
and red
and very expensive. She looked to her left
and saw, what she believed to be, the harness that she was tied to when Hugh
cleverly stripped her of her costume. She believed that she heard Nadia mention
something about throwing it in the fire with her belt when Nadia went to
get the branding iron. In some ways, it was a relief as now there was no
costume and no bare chest to show her stolen emblem. If Hugh showed it to
anyone, there was a good chance that she could deny that it even belonged
to her.
She got a chill when she saw the bench and the equipment which was
used in whatever diabolical experiment that they performed on her. To see
if it was a dream, she looked at her arm for a band-aid for the IV that was
shoved in her arm. There was a small scar, but no bandage. It appeared that
it had been healed for a few days. She couldnt have been out for that
long!
She smelled the scent of burning hickory and the crackling of logs
on the fire. When she looked forward, she found the source
an old fashioned
fire place
with a real fire! Or was it some elaborate fake like Bruce
Wayne has strewn about in his plush mansion?
It
was hard to tell, at first, and she had to lift her head up slightly to get
a better look at the fireplace as her breasts were partially blocking her
view. It was a real fireplace with chimney. It must have cost a fortune to
put this in and maintain it
but then, Hugh is a billionaire with more
money than he knows to do with.
Her boobs were in the way?
That never happened before. Batgirl never remembered her breast blocking
out so much of her forward vision while she was lying down? She looked again
at her chest. She saw the small double H brand mark on her left
breast and sneered, but, at least, the pervert had the decency of leaving
her underwear on and didnt take it off while she was trying to
sleep.
Is it my
imagination, Batgirl thought to
herself. Or did my boobs get
bigger? They seem firmer than before. Whats happened to me?
Batgirl confirmed her suspicion as her bra did feel a little tighter
on her chest and the material looked like it was being stretched out a bit.
She looked over the rest of her body and it seemed that she had finer muscle
tone
her tummy seemed even flatter
her waist, hips, and legs
for shapely. She even seemed to have a better tan, too!
What do you think of your new body? a familiar voice startled
Batgirl and made her jump. Hugh had been sitting on her right side but behind
her. Batgirl never bothered to look in that direction as she was too distracted
by the change in her physical form. She totally forgot that someone had to
be in the room to remove her blindfold and she never bothered to
look.
You cant stop looking at yourself, can you? Yes, I did
alter your body
as it was meant to be. You have a disease, Batgirl.
All women have it, too. Its called
femininity. Im not being
a smart-alec. Its true. And in your case, the disease has seriously
infected you more than normal.
At
first, Batgirl crawled to the other side of the bed in fear. Shortly after
hearing the disease remark, a bit of pent up rage consumed her.
She growled at Hugh as she crawled back to get to him. All she wanted to
do was get her hands around his neck and choke the life out of him. It
wasnt like Batgirl to react in such a way, but she never realized it
at the moment.
First this asshole kidnaps her
ties her up
slowly strips
her away of her costume
and now hes referring to her as a disease!
This creep has got a real face-bashing due!
In
her absent-minded rage, Batgirl forgot about the coils and moved her hands.
They quickly constricted and Batgirl rolled on the bed in agony. She could
really feel the coils clamp down, almost hard enough to break her wrists
but they didnt break
but it still hurt.
The sudden pain awoke her from her
berserker state.
Mmmmphhh, Batgirl moaned as she collapsed on the bed,
happy to be relieved of her pain.
Easy now, my love, Hugh grabbed her by the shoulders and
straightened out her position, making sure the she was on her back and resting
her head on the pillows.
Batgirl noticed that Hugh had to use all his weight to keep her pinned
down
and he didnt even feel that heavy. As much as she hated
to admit it, he liked the feel of Hughs soft, smooth hands against
her bare shoulder.
Youre going to be here for quite some time, so you might
as well relax. I still need you bound as both a safety measure to protect
you from harm as well as my self.
When Batgirl calmed down, Hugh
continued.
I saw that look in your eyes. You wanted
to rip my head off
and you might have just done that if you werent
restrained. I had to recalibrate the coils. At your previous body level,
they would have crushed your wrists instead of merely causing you pain. Your
body has been altered. You are stronger and faster than before. You have
more endurance and a higher threshold for pain. You body will requite less
food, water, and air, yet, you will get more energy than before and your
body will produce less waste. That is why you feel no urges to go to the
bathroom. You can go without food and water for twice as long. You can hold
your breath for four minutes with little effort
perhaps longer, with
training. You will only need half the required amount of rest and
sleep.
I have also
cleaned your brain. Your mental
processes of learning, remembering, analyzing, and preventing mental control
or attacks on you have increased significantly. Youll be able to react
faster to situations. Unfortunately, your mental processes have not quite
synced in yet with your new body. I also need to keep you secure so that
you dont accidentally run into a wall or jump out a window. Youll
be a little confused and overwhelmed for a time, but that will pass by
morning.
Hugh purposely didnt mention the fact
that the third reason that he kept Batgirl bound was to prevent her from
preventing him from removing her mask.
That is your payment for services you
will soon render to me. I told you that there are other ways to compensate
other than money. I always compensate. I may take things I want by force
or litigation but the other party always benefits as well, although sometimes
theyre too stupid to realize it.
You think that I made you a freak
but that is not the case. I only corrected the course of altered evolution
to its natural course. You are as a woman should be if the natural flow of
things were not interrupted.
Batgirl looked at him as if he were
nuts.
Perhaps a few explanations are in
order. Hugh looked at his watch. There was still plenty of time before
Batgirls unveiling. The
phrase that women are the weaker sex
is a misnomer. Believe or not, the universe is sexist and chauvinistic. Most
intelligent species, with the exception of a few, believe that males should
be superior to females. The thought of any male losing to a girl
is a common universal embarrassment. Earth was supposed to be the exception.
Females were supposed to be the dominant gender.
It was million of years ago that an
alien scientist came to Earth to study its life forms. He discovered that
the ape-like creatures he so dearly loved would evolve into a race of intelligent
being that would end up conquering half the known universe. The problem was
that he had an ego and he couldnt deal with the fact that males would
be subservient to females. Against the laws of non-interference, the alien
scientist released a virus into the air which would alter the genetics of
the female ape-creature and effect evolution. Males were born larger
females smaller. Males developed greater upper body strength. They have greater
endurance and could run faster. The virus instilled a greater sense of nurturing
for the female so that they lacked the desire to keep up the same physical
virtues as the men. The males were given the male ego to assure
that they were to keep the females down if they started to move up to the
same level.
Holy
shit, Batgirl thought,
not only have I been kidnapped
by a pervert but hes also a mad
scientologist.
All I did to you, Batgirl, is correct
the course of nature on you. Theres more to this story
theres
the meta-human factor, too. Everyones beloved hero, Superman, is indirectly
involved in the reason way male super-heroes are always more powerful than
female heroes.
Batgirl gave him another weird stare but she
couldnt help but listen. Crazy or not, there was some conviction in
Hughs voice in which he truly believed what he was telling
Batgirl.
Supermans father, Jor-el, was
a sexist prick as well. He knew that the yellow sun of Earth would grant
his boy super powers, but he also saw the potential of the Amazon women.
Somehow they missed the evolutionary alteration. Jor-el couldnt stand
that there could be female humans that could be more powerful than his own
son. He infected his son to give off a virus
the same one as the alien
scientist
which would spread to all females of Earth
particularly
any of the mindset of being a super-hero
whether they are normal human
or super-powered human. Every time the Man of Steel flies around the planet,
he spreads the disease that affects all women
assuring that no female
hero is ever anymore powerful than Superman. That is why Wonder Woman and
Supergirl are not as strong as Superman. His ego wouldnt be able to
handle it. Green Arrow would throw himself off a building if Black Canary
was a better crime-fighter. Its always the female hero that gets in
trouble and the male has to bail them out. That is why, no matter how hard
you try, you will never be as good as Batman. Now female heroes are becoming
more popular
especially with young teen-age boys. That drives the male
heroes even more nuts
makes them more threatened. Now they take more
direct action
going out of their way to sabotage the careers of female
heroes. Thats whats been done to you, Batgirl. Youve been
betrayed by
Batgirl froze in horror as her heard the striking
gong of a Grandfather clock. To her terror, she counted twelve strikes. It
was midnight! The unveiling!
Well, Hugh seemed surprised that
the time crept up on him so soon. It looks like that part of the story
will have to be delayed for a little bit. We have more pressing matters to
attend to first.
Batgirl could do nothing as Hugh got on top
of her. This is all part of your treatment, Batgirl. Some of it is
psychological. In order for the alteration to be complete, the old Batgirl
must die. Do you have any friends that have served in the armed forces? Im
sure you have. Im sure youve heard the nightmare tales of the
recruits basic training in boot camp. A friend of mine said, For
eight weeks, I thought I was in Hell! Ever see
Full Metal Jacket? Remember Gunnery Sergeant Hartman? Pretty
much sums up boot camp.
Why do they haze those poor recruits?
Why do they shave their heads? Why do they get on their case if something
is out of place? Why do drill instructors get right in the recruits
face and yell at them? Why did Hartman always refer to the men in his squad
as ladies? It seems so cruel
but its for the recruits
own good. They need to learn discipline
to survive in a fight
to give them that killer instinct. The reason why they go out of their way
to humiliate raw recruits is because they need to be re-built in soldiers
fighting machines. The only way to re-build someone is to break them down,
start from scratch, and re-build them again. In order for you, Batgirl, to
overcome your illness, you need to be totally broken down, humiliated, and
conquered first.
Hugh cupped her chin as Batgirls eyes
widened. That is way I must give you your final taming. Once that
happens
the Batgirl that everyone knows will be dead
and a new
Batgirl will rise from the ashes.
Oh,
Lord! Batgirl knew what he
was getting at. He was going to unmask her!
Hes crazy! He knows he
cant get away with this. After he exposes me, hell kill my career
and kill me, too, or blackmail me into submission. He knows that it would
kill my father if he discovered that his sweet, innocent, daughter was Batgirl.
If Hugh takes my mask, its all over.
Over!
It is time for the unveiling, my
love, Hugh taunted. Be brave. Itll all be over before you
know it.
Nmmmmppphh! PLMMMMPHH! Batgirl
tried to say No and Please but like all her previous
words, they were a muffled mess.
She kept moving her head back and forth so
that Hugh couldnt get a good hold of it.
The ploy seemed to be working. At first, Hugh
played along and laughed. After a while, however, he was starting to get
tired of it. Finally, he reached into his robe pocket and pulled out, what
appeared to be a scalpel. Batgirl stopped the second she felt the sharp tip
against her throat.
One more false move, Batgirl, and Ill
slit your throat from ear to ear.
All Batgirl had to do was make that sudden
move and get her throat slit. It was, yet another, opportunity to avoid her
fate with honor. There was no glory for unmasking a dead
hero.
Batgirl couldnt do it! Her fear of death
and instinct for survival made her freeze. Another opportunity was
blown.
She could only stare back at Hugh with wide
eyes, hoping that he would, miraculously, change his mind. Joker and others
had her bound and gagged. How come they never went for her
mask?
Very smart, Hugh actually seemed
relieved. For a second there, I thought my instincts were wrong and
you would prefer death. Masks hide nothing, Batgirl. Removing your mask is
nothing more than a formality. There will be no dishonor for you when you
are unveiled
because I already know who you are
Barbara
Gordon!
What
the
this took Batgirl
by surprise. How did
he.
It was too late!
While Batgirl was contemplating, she was too
distracted to notice that Hugh now had a good grip on her cowl and yanked
it off her head!
Batgirls worst nightmare came to
fruition.
She was unmasked!
Batgirl screamed louder than she ever did
before and even through her gag it could be heard. She collapsed on the bed
and tears started falling from her eyes. She could do little to stop her
crying
some of it out of anger
some out of fear
some out
of sadness
and some out of frustration.
There, there, Batgirl, Hugh stroked
her hair and was actually making a genuine and sincere effort to console
her. The worst is over now. It only gets easier from this point on.
The initial pain will pass, I assure you.
Batgirl calmed down and soon reduced her anguish
and anxiety to heavy breathing and then light moans. She was somewhat in
a state of shock and disorientation
dazed was more like it. She should
have been terrified, but a part of her was relieved.
Batgirl was dead! No more stress. No more
danger. No more trying to live up to Batmans
expectations.
Hugh made Batgirls death official by
throwing her cowl in the flames. Batgirl left a momentary lump in her throat
as he watched the flames consume her mask. She now knew that there was only
the ordinary woman left behind the custom
Barbara
Gordon.
Now that weve gone this far,
Hugh pulled out his scalpel and walked back toward Barbara. How about
we go a little further?
Barbara grew a little nervous. She wasnt
so sure if this was something good or bad. The fact that she was now getting
sexually excited made her forget her fear.
Its a common thing for Super-heroines
to want to be captured and tied up. Thats why they become heroines
in the first place. Everyone has that urge to be made helpless
even
Wonder Woman. In your case, its even more intense. Youve been
trying to get yourself captured for years. Now Im going to take you
apart piece by piece until theres nothing
left.
Barbara had to admit to herself that it was
true. Her deepest darkest fantasies were coming true. The only thing that
bothered her was how Hugh knew that. How did he know that Barbara Gordon
was Batgirl before even being unmasked? He seemed to know a lot about
her.
For now, she was going to give into her desire.
She didnt move or recoil as Hugh got closer. A part of her was frightened
while the other part was fascinated. What was he going to do with that
blade?
Since I plan to get to know you body,
mind, and soul, lets start with seeing the entire body, shall
we?
Barbara arched her back as Hugh took the blade
and placed it under her left bra strap. Already she was starting to feel
light-headed
she felt goose bumps
and she started to feel a sensation
in her crotch area.
You look a little warm
and that
bra looks a little tight on you. How about we alleviate some of the
stress?
Hugh gently flicked his
wrist.
Snap!
Barbaras bra strap went sailing over
her shoulder. She started to feel the quivers between her
legs.
Mmmmm, Batgirl moaned softly in
her gag. Her helplessness was turning her on with every passing
second.
One down.
Snap!
Hugh cut the other strap. Two down.
One to go.
Barbara moaned even louder. She started to
move her back up and down rapidly. She didnt want Hugh to stop. The
sensations were building up in her loins and it felt so damn
good!
Hugh placed his blade between her cleavage
and hesitated
teasing.
Mmmmmppph! Barbara moaned in pleasure and protest.
Keep going! Dear God! Please
keep going!
Snaaappp!
Hugh flicked his blade and the bra went flying off her body. Her fabulous
breast jumped out, grateful to be finally released of their
restraint.
Hugh wasnt finished. Her placed his blade on one side of her
hip and cut one side of her panty off. Then, the next.
When Barbara realized that she was totally naked and helpless before
Hugh, she could no longer hold back her ecstasy. She let herself
cum!
OOoooooohhhhh-ooooooooooooo! Barbara came long and hard.
It hurt a little
burned a little
but it was a good hurt
a good burn.
Barbara collapsed on the bed. She expended more energy than she thought
and she needed to catch her breath. She pleasured herself in the shower many
times, but this sensation was like comparing a splash to a tidal
wave.
Hugh laughed as Batgirl moaned. He needed to get in his final gloat
to officially declare his victory.
So here she is
the mighty Batgirl. Now bound, gagged,
unmasked... and totally naked
and totally helpless before me. Life
cant get any better than this!
Batgirl moaned loudly again.
The unthinkable had happened; Batgirl was totally
defeated!
She was totally at Hughs mercy
and she couldnt be
happier.
As
Hugh laughed, the sensations were too much for Barbara and she fainted.
She hoped that if Hugh planned to kill her, she hoped that he would
do it now so that she could die a happy woman.
Part 12
Barbara felt her nose tingle
and immediately regained consciousness as Hugh carefully waved the smelling
salts under her nose.
Oh no, my, lovely, Hugh said quietly and tenderly.
Youre not going to get off that easy. There is still more to
do and discuss.
Because of her improved brain, Barbara was able to clear
her head within seconds.
She also realized what she had just done. What was she thinking? Now
Hugh had her tied up
and totally naked! She let him do it to her! She
could have moaned in objection and Hugh might have not cut off her
underwear
her last and only means and layer of protection. She actually
encouraged him to do it. She wanted him to do it! God help
her!
Hugh reached behind her head and started to unlock her gag strap.
Since youve been such a good sport, I dont think youll
need this anymore; however, its still too soon to untie you
and
I like the look of you now
totally naked, bound and
helpless.
When the securing strap was removed, Barbara immediately spit out
the rag which was stuffed in her mouth. She thought that, after all this
time, her mouth and throat would be dried out and that she would have trouble
speaking at first
but it wasnt. She knew that she could speak
now without difficulty.
She was pissed off and she wanted to finally give Hugh a tongue
lashing.
You crazy son-of-bitch, Barbara screamed. It was good
to be finally able to talk. I cant believe I just did what I
did. You have me under some kind of mind control.
I assure you that I dont, Hugh answered innocently.
I dont believe in mind control. I get people to do what I want
simply be convincing them. Your will is your own and always will be your
own. You just indulged in a fantasy that youve had for a long time
and I know that you want more. Theres no shame in that. Its simply
between the two of us now and no one else is getting
hurt.
Speaking of getting hurt, somehow Barbara found the courage
to ask the next question. How do you plan to do
it?
Do what?
Do me in. Come on, Hugh. You owe me that
much.
Do you in? Hugh seemed shocked. Why would I do that
after all the trouble I went through to capture you. That would defeat the
purpose. You are much too valuable to me alive.
If youre trying to hold me for ransom, the JLA will not
pay a red cent
or is it my fathers money you want? You know
hed give all the money he has and even get more from the Gotham City
treasury for my safe return. Then Barbaras brain started to work
again. It cant be about ransom. You have all the money you want.
Anything that the JLA or Gotham would provide would be a drip in the
bucket.
Quite, correct. I am not interested in money. Hugh liked
this guessing game. He wanted to see if Batgirl could figure it out.
Youre holding me hostage to make the JLA or my father
do something for you. They wont go for that. Or you want to blackmail
me into joining your team or else youll tell my father that Im
Batgirl. You know that would kill him.
Im not an extortionist either
although the reason
why you are here has to do with your father
indirectly. It is true
that I want you on my team, but you will do so of your own free will,
Batgirl.
Dont call me, Batgirl, Barbara got adamant. You
just ended my career when you unmasked me. You destroyed my uniform. All
there is now is plain ol Barbara Gordon. Batgirl is dead. You said
so yourself. Look
you got me. Ill do whatever you want but not
anything illegal or that will hurt anyone else. Isnt that enough for
you?
Hugh shook his head. Batgirl really didnt know what it was about.
It is enough. I would never ask you to do anything you didnt
want to do
Batgirl! Thats right. I said
Batgirl. When I send that she was
dead, I was only talking metaphorically and figuratively. You misunderstood.
The Batgirl of old
the one that everyone knew is dead. Now a new
Batgirl
better and improved will rise from her
ashes.
But you know my secret identity and so does everyone else
here, Barbara argued.
Only I know thus far, Hugh reassured her. My staff
is totally loyal to me. If you decided to share your secret with anyone here,
they will tell no one and take it to the grave. And what difference is it
that I know your secret identity? A lot of people know
Wonder Woman
Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Waynes butler.
No way! Barbara interrupted. Alfred wouldnt.
He gave me his word as a gentlemans
gentleman.
Alfred didnt. Hugh came back. I could torture
you him for hours and he would die before revealing your secret. Thats
a man of honor. If he ever leaves Bruce Waynes employ, I will hire
him immediately. As a matter of fact, no one betrayed you. I knew that you
were Barbara Gordon all along.
Barbara looked into Hughs eyes and something clicked. You
arent from around here are you? How could you know so much about me?
Youre some sort of alien or extra-dimensional
being.
Very good, Batgirl. I knew youd come around.
Hugh sat down and began his tale.
Im from a world like your own in most ways
except
there are no super-heroes. They only existed in comic books. You, too, Batgirl,
exist only as a comic book character. I was a nineteen year old virgin geek.
Instead of going out to socialize and meet girls, I was either reading comic
books or playing fantasy role playing games
Ive done that ever
since I learned to read.
My knowledge of comic books and trivia was second to none. I
knew just about everything that could be known about the Marvel and DC universe.
I had thousand upon thousands of comic books
many of them priceless
but I refused to sell them.
My favorites were the heroines, of course. They were always
drawn so shapely and buxom
so perfect. I may have been afraid of girls,
but I still had sexual urges and many times I would take a Wonder Woman or
Batgirl girl comic with me into the bathroom to help me whack off. Oh
did I mention that you two were my very favorites?
I specifically like your books because you two had a tendency
to get captured by the bad guys and tied up. Ive lived for those
issues
and there was one particular issue that you got bound up and
you twisted and squirmed around. That one kept me bathroom-happy for weeks.
Every month, I would pace the comic book store
waiting for it to
open
and thinking
does Wonder Woman get tied up with her own
lasso this month? Does Batgirl get bound and gagged? Pure
heaven!
Barbara found it incredible
but somehow credible, too. If
what you say is true, then thats how you knew who I am
how you
knew so much about me
how you learned about the anti-female virus.
You would also know the identities of every other super-hero in
existence.
True. Very true. I do, you know. I can tell you who Superman
really is.
No, Barbara wished her hands still werent bound
behind her back so she could cover her ears. I dont want to know.
If Superman wanted me to know, he would have told
me.
Very, well, Hugh complied. I always respect people
that respect the secrets of others. I am an exception. I had no idea that
this alternate reality existed.
Then Barbara had an after-thought. Comic books can be a little
risqué but even they have a code to follow. They would never reveal
my
bondage fantasy. Was that a guess on your
part?
No. I had to learn
that through another source
but thats getting ahead of
myself.
How did you get here?
Oh, yes
then there was the internet
a wild west
free from copyright infringement. There was that wonderful sight of all comic
book bondage covers in existence. Best of all, was those sights where demented
writers would author stories of heroines being in distress
tied up
and sexually assaulted. I spent every waking minute of my free time reading
those sick stories. It was like eating a bag of potato chips
once you
have one taste, you cant stop.
I dreamed that it was me as the villain in the story tying up
the poor hapless heroine
that Mr. X was an artistic genius! Of course
now
with my vast resources
I can make my fantasies into reality.
The proof is on my bed, naked and all tied up in a neat little package with
no escape until I choose to let her go.
All right, Barbara rolled her eyes. You dont
have to rub it in.
One day, while I was surfing and getting off on a really great
story where Wonder Woman gets in a real jam
a freak bolt of lightning
hits my house. The current traveled through the wires and blew out from my
PC and into my face. I was killed instantly
or so I
thought.
I could feel my soul leave my body. When I looked down, I actually
saw myself lying on the floor with what remained of my head. I was ascending
upwards, when an arm came from my shattered monitor and pulled me inside.
It was in Cyber-space.
It was some old man that grabbed me. He claimed to be a millionaire
named Hugh Howards III. In my world, there was a famous eccentric millionaire
name Howard Hughes
an interesting parallel
dont you think?
In his world, Mr. Howards was believed to be nothing more than a crazy loon
and a quack. Only his money, high-priced lawyers, and paid-off doctors had
kept him out of the mental institution.
He may have been nuts, but he was smart enough to realize that
his world was a comic book
a result of someone elses
imagination
and he wanted no part of it. He so desperately wanted to
leave cartoon land that, at great expense, managed to have a
world renowned Lama teach him how to channel his spirit out of his body so
he could leave this miserable plane of existence and roam freely across all
eternity.
Howards mastered the art, but there was something that no one
counted on. The Lama never left this plane when he went out of his own body.
Howards could not leave this plane unless his physical body was dead or some
other soul entered the body in its place. Somehow, Howards was able to access
Cyber-space
a sort if connect between all known universes. He was searching
for the perfect person to take his place
and he found
me.
Since I was dead and couldnt return to my own body, a
new life in the comic book world was more than I could dream. I could meet
Superman, Batman
Wonder Woman
Supergirl
and Batgirl. The
only drawback was that I would be in the body of a seventy-eight year old
man
but an old man with millions of dollars and a big house with a
full staff of loyal servants.
It was both a good and bad experience. Ever see the movie
Heaven Can Wait? Thats exactly
what I did but with a little twist. I thought my body would be old when I
entered it
no one knew that my young nineteen year old soul would alter
that body. When you mix black and white, you get grey
hot and cold
gets you warm
young and old gets you middle age. I was in Howards
body, but as a thirty-five year old man. That was the good part. The bad
part was that the old fart didnt tell me that I would be thirty years
in the past
before the arrival of Superman or Wonder
Woman.
Also how would Hugh Howards III explain that he was now thirty-five
years old? I would not be able to prove who I was and have access to the
Howards fortune. Luckily, Howards servants were very loyal to
him and they totally believed that I was Howards but in a younger body. The
family attorney believed me, too. We used Howards' affair with his maid as
our set-up. She didnt die in childbirth. She died of brain cancer.
So, we set up some fake papers and a few bribes and we were able to fake
Howards III's deaths and I became his son Hugh Howards IV. Since
I had Howards III DNA, tests proved that I was his son. Funny, the alternate
Earth of my time didnt have DNA testing thirty years ago
but
almost everything else was practically the same.
While I waited for the arrival of Batgirl and Wonder Woman,
I used the next thirty years to take a small fortune and make it into a huge
fortune. I knew which investments to make
like IBM
McDonalds.
With all my billions, I could afford to create machines and technology where
I could virtually rule this world without anyone even knowing that I was
pulling the strings.
What was the greatest gift of all was that my body didnt
age. I remained thirty-five for the next thirty years. Ill die
eventually
the battery of my life force will run out and
I will simply and painlessly fall asleep forever. Until that happens, I will
not know the indignities of growing old
and you will not grow old either,
Batgirl
my alteration of your body saw to
that.
Are you shitting me? This was the best news she heard
all day
extended youth!
I kid you not. Because of my knowledge of comic book history,
I knew of events that were going to happen before they happened. I was able
to alter the outcomes of events
such as yours,
Batgirl.
What do you mean?
Remember that one time when you were visiting your father and
Chief OHara nabbed the Joker right in front of the building. I tipped
OHara off. Otherwise, the Joker would have knocked on the door, you
would have opened it up and found a bullet in your spine
crippling
you for life.
Barbara was stunned. My God! I had a nightmare about that! You
knew it all along and stopped it from happening. But it still doesnt
explain how you know about my fantasies. I never told a soul about
them.
I had an informant that told me. I swore never to reveal that
person; however, that person will be here in the morning and Im sure
with all thats been explained to you, Ill be released from my
word and all will be told. When I had this knowledge, I knew it would be
just the way to break you and then rebuild you.
Barbara understood and she let it go for the
time being. It looks like youve done for me than anyone in my
life. These gifts youve given me. I dont know how
I could ever re-pay you for them.
I do, Hugh gave a wicked smile and undid the sash to his
robe. All I ask of you is for one night to give all of yourself to
me.
Hugh, Barbara got nervous again. Youre not
suggesting
Oh, my God!
Barbara felt a burning in her loins when Hugh dropped his robe and
saw his awesome body
fine muscle tone
hardly an ounce of fat.
He was drop-dead gorgeous and Barbara wanted the maniac more than ever. She
never felt her hormones so out of control. And that cock
that fine,
perfect cock
not too big
not too small. All her mind could think
about was being impaled on it all night long!
You like? Hugh smiled.
Oh, Lord, yes, Barbara tried not to salivate when she
spoke. Hugh
its just that
I dont have very
much experience at this
none at all
Im
Im
a
I know, Hugh got on the bed, laid on top of her and cupped
her chin. I wont force myself on you. Do you want me to stop
right now?
No, Barbara answered softly.
Oh, Hugh looked around. I forgot. Its safe
to untie you now. Wheres the control?
No, Barbara leaned into him. Leave me tied
please.
I thought so.
Hugh did find the remote, but only used to remove the magnetic ankle
restraints.
They started off their moment of desire and passion by softly kissing
checks and lips, caressing
playful licking and softly biting earlobes,
chin and neck. Then the kissing got deeper
using more tongue. The fire
ignited within both of them.
Barbara moaned softly as Hugh slowly ran his
hands down her new and improved body that was now smooth and toned. He started
by running his fingers through her long, beautiful red hair
then softly
touching her face and then stroking the neck. He continued to run his soft,
smooth hands on her chest and then her breasts which he softly cupped and
fondled. She arched her back in pleasure as few started to touch the tops
of her pert nipples
barely touching them with his index
finger.
Barbara was starting to get aroused already. It tickled when Hugh
started to run his tongue on them
barely touching the tips just like
her did with his fingers. She was glad that her wrists were still bound fast.
She wasnt use to such pleasure and she might have instinctively pushed
him off.
He
slowly ran his tongue and hands down to her tummy and then to her twat. He
gently opened her legs and found the piece of skin just above her hole. Then
Hugh went to work, deciding it was better to pleasure and take care of Barbara
first, just so she would get nice and wet.
Hugh licked away
rolling his tongue gently at first and then
getting more vigorous as Batgirl back began to arch and she started to
twist.
Oh, my God, Hugh! The tremors where starting again.
What are you doing toooo me? I never thought it be like this.
The quivers and the tremors got more intense. Oh, shit! This feels
sooooo gooood! Please dont stop! I beg you! Plleeeeease. Barbara
could really feel it building up now. Oh, Lord! Its happening
again! Son of a bitch! Oh
Oh
Hugh moved his head out of the way just before Barbara stiffened her
legs together. He could smell her love juice oozing out.
Barbara froze as her whole body stiffened. Oooh God!
OOoOOOOOOOOOOOOooooo oooooHHHH
oooooooHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh!
That organism was better than the last one. Barbara could barely get
her words out because of her heavy breathing. Oh, God! You made me
cum twice
and it felt so damn good. I love you for that, Hugh. I want
to be yours. I want you to make me cum all the time
I want you to cum,
too.
Hugh looked at her and smiled. He didnt think that she would
be so accepting so quickly.
Come up here, Hugh. I want to suck your cock. Give me that
beautiful, manly, studly cock. I want to suck it until it falls off. Please!
Please!
Hugh happily complied with her request.
He
stuck his stern manhood by her face, and Barbara, playfully and teasingly,
licked the tip of his cocks head. Hugh immediately got harder than
before. He couldnt believe that he was feeling the sensations so soon.
She licked more vigorously on the shaft before starting to put his whole
cock in her mouth.
Slowly she went up and down occasionally and carefully letting the
tops of her teeth touch his cock and stimulate it more. She would suck the
head and tickle it by rolling her tongue on it in a circular
motion.
Hughs moans were getting louder and longer by the second. When
she saw that his cock was aching and could take no more, she gave him the
green light.
Take me, Hugh, she sighed. Impale with your glorious
manhood!
And thats exactly what Hugh did!
He
had no problem penetrating Batgirl as she was thoroughly wet. Still
he put himself inside her gently. He started pumping her slowly and gently,
and then gradually getting more vigorous with each passing stroke. Each time,
he would take two short thrusts followed up on long, entire thrust, giving
her the full length of his shaft. With each progressing series, Hugh would
pump harder and faster.
Oh, my God, Barbara felt another climax starting.
Again? I dont believe it. Keep going, Hugh. Harder!
Deeper!
Like a sexual dynamo, Hughs love-jackhammer went to town with
no restraints. With Batgirls altered body, he didnt have the
fear of holding back. She could take it!
Ahhhhhh-ohhhhh-ooooooooooooo! Batgirl let her third climax
go. Now her body was almost spent. She waited in anticipation for Hugh to
finish.
Hugh kept pumping and thrusting way
holding out for as long
as he could
letting the pressure build up until he could no longer
keep it at bay.
With on final, mighty thrust, Hugh let himself go and let his love-cannon
fire and explode inside of Batgirl. As per usual, Hugh came long and hard
like any other sexual tyrannosaurus.
Barbara moaned in pleasure as she could feel the warm cum that was
invading her body which he welcomed. It almost seemed to fill her up entirely
and some of it might have oozed out from where it came
in.
Even though, so far, it was the only sexual experience of her life,
she knew that it would be her greatest.
I thought you said you didnt have any experience,
Hugh found the control box and finally released Batgirls bound hands.
You were a lioness!
I swear that its my first time, Barbara was so spent
that she didnt even rub her wrists. She simply collapsed on the bed
with her arms by her sides. Funny
her arms didnt feel sore and
there were no marks or rope burns. You wore me out. I dont think
that Ill be able to get up until morning. If you feel the need to kick
me out, youll have to ask for your guards to help carry
me.
Youll be fine in the morning, Hugh said confidently. I
promise. Tomorrow, when the sun rises
so will a new and improved Batgirl.
Youll be just as strong
as Batman
just as fast
just as wise, intelligent, and quick witted.
Youll be his equal in every physical, mental, and spiritual way
and itll annoy the shit out of him. Ill have a few surprises
as well and all will be made known. For now, you need to
sleep.
You promise, Hugh.
Indeed. Then Hugh took a more serious tone. I will
need you to trust me on more time. This is the last part of the service rendered.
As I said before, all will be revealed tomorrow.
Hugh put his robe back on and then went to
a desk where he pulled out a syringe. This will put you to sleep. It
is imperative that you remain unconscious for the next eight
hours.
Barbara
no
the new Batgirl had
no more self-doubts. She held out her arm.
Hugh swapped the upper bend of her arm with
alcohol and gave her the injection.
Within seconds, Batgirls eyes were getting
heavy. Not too long after that, she slumped into
semi-consciousness.
Hugh easily lifted up Batgirls limp,
totally naked and vulnerable body and carried her toward the table that he
had strapped her down before. Time was of the essence.
Batgirls mind was still semi-conscious
as Hugh was carrying her. She wondered if Hugh tricked her, and now that
he tasted her flesh, he was finally going to do away with
her.
It didnt matter anymore. If this was
the end, then it would be the happiest moment of her life
no better
way to go out than on a high point.
Batgirl smiled as he let the blackness take
her mind.
Part
13
Batgirl woke up fully rested.
It was the best slumber she ever had.
She found herself alone in Hughs large bed, still naked, and
wrapped up in the sheets like a contented baby. She also knew that she needed
to get up.
She heard the door open.
Hugh? she said with a breath of
excitement.
Afraid not, a familiar female
voice answered. Wonder Woman walked to the bed and smiled at her friend.
Had a good nights sleep, I see.
Diana, Batgirl jumped up to a
sitting position and covered herself in the sheets to avoid her naked body
being seen. She wasnt considered with Diana seeing her in the nude.
She just felt a little awkward considering the situation. How would she explain
this? Would Wonder Woman report Batgirls sexual misconduct to the
JLA?
For some reason, Batgirl didnt feel
the need to justify the situation.
Not that Im unhappy to see you,
but what are you doing here? Is your business on Themyscira finished
already?
It took care of itself before I even
left, Diana answered. She seemed totally unfazed that her friend was
in a strange mans bed. Your friend, Captain Kirk, called me.
He was very concerned about you. I thought Id stop here to see if you
were okay.
Captain Kirk? How sweet. He thought
I was in trouble. Well
I was at first
or so I thought. Everything
turned out for the best. Did you come here to rescue me? Oh, Lord
Hugh.
Is he alright? You didnt hurt him, did you?
Nothing of the sort
but I see
that you succumbed to his charms. Diana found a short length silk robe
with a flowered design and threw it to her friend.
I couldnt help it, Batgirl
slipped on the robe and tied the sash so she could now get up and show herself
with some degree of modesty. Hes so gorgeous and charismatic.
He did all these things to humiliate me
so he could break me down and
re-build me. God, help me
I loved it. He totally trapped and dominated
me. I couldnt fight back because he was always three steps ahead of
me. He knew all about me. He knew that I was Barbara Gordon even before he
unmasked me. He told me of this crazy story that we are nothing but images
in a comic book world. Then there is this virus designed to keep the female
population in check. I know it sounds crazy, but I totally believe
him.
I know all about that, and I believe
him, too. Thats what makes him unique and potentially the most powerful
mortal being in the DC universe.
Youre right, Diana, Batgirl
started to hug herself. He made me feel so special. He made my deepest
darkest sexual desires come true.
Like being bound helpless
then
being slowly being stripped apart before having
sex?
How did you know that? I never told
anyone
not even you, Diana.
Yes, you did, Barb, Wonder Woman
took a seat by the desk. Remember that bachelorette party we threw
for Lois Lane? You were too drunk to drive home so you crashed at my place
since it was within walking distance of the bar. We had a little party of
our own
just the two of us, remember? We were drinking, talking, and
giggling until all hours of the night. You were so giddy that you let yourself
slip and told me all about your bondage fetish. When I put you to bed, I
used my lasso on you to make you forget that you told
me.
Funny, Batgirl scratched her head.
I dont remember drinking that much. Wow! But why did you make
me forget that I told you.
So that when I told your secret to Hugh,
he would have a psychological edge when he broke you. It worked, didnt
it? I bet it drove you crazy wondering how he knew
and here are the
results.
Batgirl started laughing. Thats
a good one, Diana. The next thing, youll be telling me that pigs can
fly.
Silence followed. Diana looked at Barbara
and in a serious tone said, Im not kidding, Barbara. I told Hugh
everything.
Jokes over, Diana, Batgirl got
serious, too. I like a gag as much as the next person, but youre
going way too far. Its not funny.
Diana looked at her friend in silence. She
did not crack a smile as Batgirl had hoped.
You are serious, Batgirls
voice got nervous and she started to back away from Wonder Woman. That
cant be. Why would you tell Hugh information that could be used against
me?
Because hes my husband, Barb.
Diana was dead serious. I never keep secrets from my husband. You see,
three years ago. He got me,
too.
To Batgirls shock, Wonder Woman pulled
down on part of her bustier to reveal a part of her breast that was hidden
underneath. It was a brand
just like Batgirls
two overlapping
hs.
The truth hit Barbara like a ton of bricks.
There was no emergency on Themyscira. You sent me here on purpose.
You set me up. You betrayed me. Its a conspiracy. I should have
known
.
Seeing that she was in trouble, Batgirl ran
to the door to escape this mad plot. She got within three steps before Wonder
Womans magic lasso wrapped around her shoulders. Batgirl fell to the
floor and then to her knees as her will was being
dominated.
Its not a conspiracy. You see,
Barbara, Hugh swept me off my feet. He was so charming. He ingeniously stripped
me of my magic belt, bracelets, and tiara
used my own lasso against
me
made me totally powerless and at his mercy
then he made love
to me.
Its quite true, my love,
Hugh walked in the room accompanied by Nadia who was wearing a martial arts
gi. A black belt was wrapped proudly around her waist.
Oh, God, Batgirl cried. He
made love to me, too. I swear, Diana. I didnt know he was your husband.
I wouldnt betray you like that on purpose. Its the truth. I swear.
You must believe me.
Of course, I believe you, Hon. My lasso
compels you to tell the truth
Duh! If I take my lasso off will you
run away again?
No, Batgirl honestly answered
back. The lasso didnt have a need to force her to answer
truthfully.
Good, Wonder Woman put the lasso
back on her hip. Im not the jealous type, Barb. I share with
friends like you. Unlike other men, Hugh understands that the world still
needs Wonder Woman and I cant be there for him all the time
even
with Nadias help. Hes too much man for me, so I figured that
another hen would help.
But why me? Why not Supergirl or Black
Canary?
Because you were the one in need of
the most help
and Batgirl is his second favorite woman. Ive noticed
your skills declining for weeks. When I found out the real cause, I asked
Hugh to help you, because, in return, you can help us. In exchange for your
service, he would alter your body to get rid of your affliction and make
you better than ever. Hugh is sympathetic to our plight and eventually he
wants to help ALL Super-heroines reach their full potential
even
me.
Batgirl looked at her friend bewildered.
How could you be any better? Youre Wonder
Woman.
How do you think my strength increased
so much that Im almost as strong as Superman? How do you think I managed
to fly on my own and ditch that stupid invisible plane? Hugh alteration of
my body cells was responsible for that. I was so grateful, that when he asked
me to marry him, I could hardly refuse.
Diana walked up to Hugh and gave him a big
kiss.
What a minute, Batgirl made a
sudden realization. This cant be right. You told me so yourself:
if you have sex or get married, you lose your
powers.
I got around that, Hugh said proudly.
Knowing everything about this universe has its advantages. Wonder
Womans mother, the Queen-bitch herself, Hippolyta, lied to Diana and
all Amazons.
I wasnt born from the clay of
the Earth and the dead spirit of my pregnant mother, Diana continued.
I was born like everyone else. My father was Hercules. My mother got
him drunk and seduced him. She thought that if she was knocked up, she could
force Hercules to marry her. Well, he didnt go for it. My mother is
such a shrill, cold-hearted bitch that he wanted nothing to do with her
and no other man for that matter. She couldnt come back to her subjects
pregnant and unmarried, so she made up this cock and bull story about the
Gods creating me when the Amazons were reborn after being killed. No one
had the guts to call the Queen a liar so no one questioned it. My mother
was so bitter that she couldnt get a man that she wanted everyone else
to suffer with her. For centuries, she scared us with tales of Amazon women
losing their strength and growing old if we slept with a man. We all bought
her crap, too, and we eventually turned into an island of man-haters
while the rest of the world thinks were nothing but a bunch of lesbians.
My mother has done nothing but sabotage me my whole life
because
shes jealous. My mother forbid me in participating in the tournament
to decide which Amazon had the right to represent the world as Wonder Woman,
so I had to disguise myself to get in. The only reason she let me be Wonder
Woman is because I won the contest and her back was against the wall
but all this time she was looking for ways to keep me down. She plotted against
me to lose my title to that bitch, Artemis, when she wanted to have a new
Wonder Woman crowned.
Thats incredible, Batgirl
exclaimed. I had no idea.
But Hugh set me straight, Diana
continued. For the first time in centuries, I have finally found love
and with a man who wont grow old before my eyes while I stay young.
And, unlike most men, Hugh doesnt expect me to give up being Wonder
Woman and trade in my magic belt for an apron. Now, I am happy. I have everything
I desire
except one thing.
We cant have children together,
Hugh sighed. Even though that would be about ten years down the line,
even if we could
.
Amazons can only get pregnant once in
a blue moon, Diana finished his sentence. Like once every fifty
years
and the next window wont be available for another forty-one
years
but we dont want to wait that long. Thats where you
come in. In exchange for your new body, all we wanted was for you to act
as a surrogate mother for Hughs seed
and that was taken care
of last night.
You used me to have your child? How
could you Diana? I fell in love with Hugh, too
and I thought he loved
me, too
but it was all a lie to knock me up?
Its not a lie, Hugh insisted.
I love you both.
Its true, Barbara, said
Wonder Woman. Theres plenty of love and Hugh to go around for
the both of us
and a few more if necessary.
But your wasted your time. I already
had my cycle last week.
I took care of that, too, Hugh
smiled.
Oh, my God, Batgirl instinctively
put her hand over her tummy. Im pregnant? Im not ready
to have a baby now. What would my father say? I dont want to be an
unwed mother walking around with a big belly while other people talk about
me behind my back.
And I would never put you through that,
my love, Hugh walked up to Batgirl and pointed to a very small scar
on her tummy. Last night, when I put you to sleep, I removed the embryo.
Dont worry about the scar. It will heal in a few days and it will be
totally unnoticeable.
Then you plan to put it inside Dianas
womb?
Heavens, no! Hugh laughed as if
Barbara had told him that the sky was red. I would never disfigure
any womans beautiful body by letting them get pregnant. Besides, as
I said, we dont want a child for a few more years. The embryo is
cryogenically frozen until we are ready to put it in an artificial womb.
I also fixed it so that it would be a boy
Diana insisted on that. I
would be just as happy for a girl. Anyway
when we are ready
there
will be a Hugh V.
Well, Batgirl was relieved but
bewildered. I guess congratulations are in
order.
You have no idea the service you have
rendered for me, Barbara, Diana took hold of Batgirls hands.
Ill always be grateful. Youre new altered body is but one
small way to thank you
and of, course, when the baby is born, you can
see him as often as you wish. You can even tell him that youre his
real birth mother. We can share maternal duties if you
like.
Since thats a ways down the road,
well cross that bridge when we come to it. Barbara got serious
again. What I really want to know now is what you said about my old
body and skills declining
as if it was done on purpose. What villain
is responsible for that?
Your father, Wonder Woman said
somberly. He knows youre Batgirl. Hes known for a long
time.
What? Barbara was truly stunned
again. That cant be. If he did know, he would have confronted
me.
I can explain that,
too.
I dont believe this. How did he
find out? Despite all the other incredible things that Batgirl accepted
as the truth, this was the hardest to swallow. She was hoping that this was
one issue that was inaccurate.
He has a key to your apartment,
Barbara.
I know that, Batgirl was still
in denial. She couldnt believe that her loving father would betray
her. I gave him a key
for emergencies.
Well
hes been visiting your
place on a regular basis while youre at work or out as Batgirl. He
snoops around your apartment looking for evidence to use against
you.
Why would he do that? I never gave him
reason.
Diana sighed. She knew that this would be
the most difficult thing to explain to her friend. Thats why she saved
it for last.
You know how youre father is
old fashioned
from the old school
women should get married, quit
their jobs, stay home, and take care of the kids. How many times has he harped
on you? Barbara, how come you dont
find yourself a nice young man and get married so I can have some grandkids?
Im not getting any younger and neither are you. Hes like
a broken record.
Ive been hearing that crap since
I graduated from college. Im use to it. I tuned it out. Come on, Diana.
My dad may be from the old school, but he still loves me and I still love
him. He would never stoop so low as to
.
Youd be surprised, Diana
interrupted. Being Batgirl doesnt give you a lot of time for
a social life. Thats the price we heroes pay. Your father was getting
concerned that you never had a serious boyfriend and dated infrequently.
He got it in his head that you were a closeted lesbian and was having secret
love affairs with women. Hes been snooping around your apartment looking
for evidence to confront you. Being
from the old school, he believes
that homosexuality is a mental disorder and he planned to have you committed
to a mental hospital so you could be cured.
Thats why I always found things
out of place from time to time, Batgirl scratched her head. I
thought I was going nuts
all those long hours at the library and
crime-fighting.
Hes been doing it for years. He
never found anything, but he was convinced that you were a lesbian. A few
months ago, he finally discovered the switch to your revolving wall and found
all your Batgirl stuff.
Which still doesnt make sense,
Diana. If he knew for months, he would have confronted me and forbad me from
being Batgirl from the very moment he found out.
Which was exactly what he planned to
do, but first he wanted to talk to Batman first. He thought he owed it to
the Caped Crusader to explain why one of his Bat-team members was suddenly
put on the shelf. Batman told Commission Gordon not to confront you because
you would resent him for the rest of your life. That sneaky Bat-cowled bastard
had another idea to get rid of you without you being upset with your father
and without Batman tarnishing his own image. You see
Barbara
he always hated the fact that you where his logo.
Why would he do that? He gave me his
logo to wear with his blessing.
Which he gave grudgingly. Dont
get me wrong. Batman is a very brave and a top-notch crime fighter and a
detective that makes Sherlock Holmes look like an imbecile, but hes
also a chauvinist. Why do you think we dont get along? He hates the
fact that Im his physical superior in every way. He only puts up with
Batgirl because of public sentiment. The public adores you and if he renounced
you, it would give him a negative public image and his PR would be shot to
hell. He feels threatened that your popularity was starting to rank up there
with his. He didnt dare purposely send you on a suicide mission because,
then you would become a martyr. It wasnt a good idea for him to set
you to make you look bad and disgrace you because he was afraid it would
disgrace him as well
considering you wear his logo. The best course
of action would be if Batgirl just quit
but he had to make it look
like it was your idea to quit.
Now that he had your fathers blessing,
he gave you a concentrated dose of the anti-woman virus. He slipped it in
your punch cup at Green Arrows surprise birthday
party.
And thats about when, I started
to slip. It all made sense to Batgirl.
And you slipped gradually. It would
look suspicious if you suddenly became obsolete overnight. Batman figured
that when you saw yourself starting to lose your edge, you would retire on
your own. That way, he gets rid of you and keeps his image clean, and your
father gets his obedient little girl
back.
Those sons-of-bitches! Batgirl
slammed her fist in her hands and then calmed down. How did you find
out? Batman is very careful about these things. You were spying on
him?
No, Wonder Woman smiled like the
cat that swallowed the canary. I have a very reliable
source.
Then your knowledge isnt first
hand, Batgirl was still hopeful. Second hand knowledge can be
inaccurate and distorted.
Hes
just outside this room and you can hear it from his own mouth so that
youll be totally convinced. He even insisted that I put the lasso on
him so that you know what you hear from him is the truth. He knows that Batgirl
is Barbara Gordon, but you neednt worry. Your secret is safe with him.
While he was under my lasso, he swore on the souls of his dead parents that
he would never tell anyone of your secret identity
even without it,
I still would have believed him because hes a noble man of his word.
Is it okay to ask him to come in?
Please, Barbara was anxious to
be convinced of her fathers part in this sordid
business.
Wonder Woman looked to Hugh who, in turn,
nodded to Nadia to open the door and let their
guest inside.
A man in his mid-fifties entered the room.
He had a head of red hair under his policemans hat that he wore proudly.
His blue uniform did not have a wrinkle and his official badge and coat buttons
were finely polished.
The man simply stepped up to Barbara Gordon
and tipped his hat to her and said with an Irish brogue, Top o
the mornin to ye, Batgirl. Tis always a pleasure to see
ye, although I wished it where under wee better
circumstances.
Barbaras jaw dropped. She couldnt
believe who it was.
Chief OHara? Batgirl
exclaimed.
Part
14
Tis true, Batgirl, Chief
OHara said with Wonder Womans lasso applied comfortably around
his waist. I was in the office, in open view, when your father and
Batman hatched their devious plot. I wouldnt have believed it meself
ifn I had not heard it with me own ears.
Obviously, the Chief must be telling
the truth.
If you were there, said Batgirl,
my father and Batman would have made you swear to secrecy. Thats
not like you at all, Chief. I appreciate your coming forward, but you never
break your word.
Tis true also, Batgirl
ifn I had given me word
which I didnt. Most of time, the
Commissioner and Batman ignore me and forget that Im in the very same
room with them. They treat me as insignificant
but yeve always
treated me with respect, Batgirl
always listened to what I had to say
even if you didnt agree with me or thought it was stupid. Batman
never listens to a word I have to say
and even when I come up
with something brilliant, he or your father takes all the credit for it,
and pats me on the head like a wee little boy and offers me a cookie. I guess
that Batman and your father are so used to ignoring me
that they forgot
or didnt realize that I was in the room hearing every word. At first,
I didnt know what to do. If I told ye
well
ye wouldnt
have believed me
and then I would have lost ye respect as well. That
was something I couldnt bear
so I decided to go to Wonder Woman
and see if she could help. Ifn Batman thought I werein a snitch,
I could always get the fine lass here to use that magic rope on me to make
me forget that I told
and I could deny any charges with all due honesty.
Pretty clever of me, wouldnt ye say?
You did the right thing, Chief,
Batgirl kissed him on the cheek. I probably wouldnt have believed
you. Im sorry that you had to go through all this
trouble.
Tis no trouble atall,
Lass.
Be assured that you will not be on my
shit list with my father. I can expect something like this from Batman
but my father? That asshole! Of all the dirty underhanded
tricks.
And ye neednt be worrying
about me spilling the beans on ye. Ye have me word that ifn anyone
learns ye secret, it wont bein from me. However, if yed
feel a wee bit more at ease, I kin have Wonder Woman make me forget
whatever ye want.
Not necessary, Chief, Batgirl
motioned for Wonder Woman to take the lasso of him. I trust you. I
just want to know one more thing
Why? How come you decided to put your
loyalty to me rather than Batman and my father
and after all those
years youve served under him?
Well, Batgirl, as much as I hate to
bash ye father
all those years of serving under him is
the reason I threw in with ye lot. Ive served under him as Chief of
Police
fer too long. Hes always looked down on me and Im
tired of being his second banana. It never occurred to that narrow-minded
horses arse that I might be stagnating at me current rank and
might want to move up to Police Commissioner? After all me years of
service and watching ye father, I have all the experience and knowledge to
do the job. But that daft prick wont step-aside, retire, or even move
up himself. Two years ago, he was approached to run for Mayor after his Honor,
Linseed had the good sense to retire. He was a shoe-in to get elected
causein no one wanted to run again him. What does that bleedin
backstabber do? He declines because he doesnt want to give up being
Commissioner
leaving me stuck at a dead end.
Batman is an arse, too. He always makes
me police force look like a bunch of Keystone cops. He gets all the credit
while we look like a bunch o dopes. He fights the bad guys and then
we have to clean up his mess. Ever wonder why me men and I always
show up after the fight is over and round everyone up to haul them
away in the paddy wagon? Batman sees to that
as ifn hauling away
the garbage is the only thing we be good fer.
I guess I cant blame you for that,
Chief, Batgirl sighed, now that I know what a two-face asshole
he really is.
Chief OHara looked to everyone in the
room. If there tisnt anything else ye need, I best be on me
way.
Are you sure you cant stay for
brunch, Chief OHara? asked Hugh.
Ill be taking a rain check, ifn
you dont mind, Mr. Howards. I promise me grand-children that I would
take them to the park.
Please forgive us for not escorting
you out, Chief, Hugh said. Im afraid that we all have important
business to discuss. Captain Kirk will escort you safely off the
estate.
Thatll be fine, Chief
OHara tipped his hat to everyone. Gday to ye all.
Then he turned to Bargirl one last time. Ye can rest assured, lass,
that ifn Im ever Commissioner, Batgirl will get the full respect
and credit whatn she deserves.
Youre darn right, we have important
business, Hugh, Batgirl waited until the Chief was safely out of the
room. First, we need to deal with my
father
All in due time, my love, Hugh
gestured to Nadia to get something. First things, first. Try on your
new uniform.
Nadia returned with a rack that contained
a costume that was very much similar to Batgirls own.
Unlike your old costume, Hugh
said. All material is totally resistant to harm. No wear and tear.
Stain resistant. Never needs to be cleaned. Doesnt collect sweat or
body odor. Totally bullet proof and impervious to fire and chemicals. It
should last forever.
First, Batgirl tried on the black sports bra
and panties. It actually conformed to her body like a second skin. It almost
felt like she had nothing on.
These undergarments will give you full
support and maintain your lovely figure, Hugh said as if he were a
proud fashion designer showing off his new line. There will be no strap
marks to be seen from under year costume and they wont leave lines
on your body.
Then Batgirl tried on her body-leotard which
also hugged her body as a second skin
as if she had nothing on. She
was delighted to see that her emblem that Nadia had removed from her old
costumewas on the breast of her new costume. He didnt put it in his
trophy case after all.
Your emblem is sewed on with reinforced
thread so it will be most difficult for anyone to rip it off your chest.
The leotard is fully insulated to keep you warm in the winter and cool in
the summer
regardless of temperature. You can keep your costume on
under your civilian clothes indefinitely if need
be.
Next she tried on her new boots. Perfect
fit!
Those boots have friction sensors to
adjust for surfaces so you can walk on a sheet of ice without slipping and
as effortlessly as walking on a regular floor. With practice you can adjust
the fiction any way you want so that you can slide on rough concrete like
it were ice
if you needed to. If you set it right, you can actually
walk on walls and on ceilings
but not as graceful as Spider-man, Im
afraid. The boots are steel-toed but light to prevent your foot from being
crushed and to give someone a nasty kick in the face. Now click on the very
back heel twice, rapidly
Batgirl did so and a blade popped out from
the front tip of the boot
straight out
not from the side like
a switch blade.
Cool! she said. Just like
the infamous Colonel Rosa Klebb in that James Bond
movie.
Quite correct, my dear. Theres
a special compartment that Nadia can show you later where you can coat the
blade with poison or knockout drugs. Just tap twice like you did before and
it will retract.
Batgirl easily retracted the
blade.
Next were the gloves, which fit
like
a glove. It didnt even feel like she had them on.
Those gloves are fitted with kinetic
energy absorbers. You can catch anything thrown at you, including spinning
blades, without damaging your hand. If youre fast enough, you can even
catch bullets.
Batgirl then buckled on her new utility belt.
It was less cumbersome than her old one and very light
weight.
That buckle is programmed to read your
body heat pattern so only you can remove it. There will be no more worrying
about any opponent ripping it off your waist or cutting it off. Inside the
compartment are all up-to-date versions of your previous weapons, equipment,
and gadgets
plus a few more goodies added on. Youll find your
batarang and the throwing blades in your gloves and boots to be more aerodynamic
and more accurate from further distances. Nadia will brief you on all the
equipment and their uses later on.
Then Batgirl put her new cape on. It was
light
but sturdier than her old one.
You will find that your gliding capabilities
will be much greater. If you have a good wind, you can take off like a kite
from a standing position rather than having to get a good
run.
Last
and certainly not least
was
the cowl.
Your new headgear blocks out psionic
attacks and makes you invulnerable to mental control. It will protect you
from physical blows to your head. It can pick up all radio and police bands.
There are sensors that will drop lenses over your eyes to protect them from
blowing dirt
knocking out the glare of bright light. You can look directly
into the sun or an eclipse without harming your eyes or seeing those nasty
spots afterwards. They will drop infra red lenses so that you can see in
total darkness. A special guard will drop over your mouth area in case you
find yourself in an area that doesnt have air
such as
underwater
inside an air-tight vault
prevent you from breathing
in smoke or if someone tries to gas you. Theres enough air to be recycled
for forty-eight hours.
Batgirl looked in the mirror and marveled
at her new costume. She twirled her cape like a fashion show model. She loved
it. She loved Hugh.
Now lets test you out, Hugh motioned for Nadia to
bring a thick board over to Batgirl. Can you break this
board?
No way, Batgirl shook her head. Too
thick.
Well, you can now. Your strength is enhanced. You are the equivalent
of a two-hundred twenty pound professional boxer. Just focus and give it
a try. Even if you fail, the kinetic absorbers in your gloves will prevent
your hand from breaking.
Go ahead, Miss, Nadia reassured here. Just focus.
You can do it.
Batgirl did just that. She concentrated and put all her focus into
her right hand.
Ye-aaaah! Batgirl yelled as she exhaled and broke the
board.
I knew you could do it, Miss.
Whats with this
Miss crap? Only yesterday you were
calling me Bat-bitch.
That was before you passed your trials and Hugh improved you.
Nadia bowed her head in shame. You are my superior now and I must obey
you. I will also help you in your training to adjust to your new body and
show you how to use your new equipment and cape properly. If you would rather
have someone else, I will understand considering my poor treatment of you.
Please understand that I needed every advantage I could get. After all, Miss,
you are Batgirl. I idolized you for years. I could never measure up to you.
I was terrified of you the whole time, even when you were tied
up.
Get the hell out of here, Batgirl gave Nadia a playful
shove. You had nerves of steel.
Are you kidding me, Miss? You didnt see my knees shaking?
That first time you told me not to go for my gun
I nearly pissed in
my skirt.
And stop calling me
Miss. Either call me
Batgirl or
Barbara.
Thats very gracious of you, Miss
I mean
Batgirl.
I do hope we can be friends.
Lets continue this meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society
later. Nadia, test Batgirls reflexes and combat prowess just like at
practice. Dont pull your punches. Full out! Dont worry. You
wont hurt her. Attack!
Wait, Hugh, Batgirl said, If Im altered, I
could hurt Nadi
. Ahhhh!
Eyes front, Batgirl, Nadia attacked her distracted opponent
and nailed her on the chin with the full force of a right hand. Never
let your guard down. Didnt Batman teach you
that?
Batgirl staggered back. She was only stunned for, not even, a second,
before her head cleared and she took a defensive poise. I hardly felt
that. You hit me cleanly and as hard as you could. I know you didnt
pull that punch. It should have taken my head off.
I didnt pull it, Miss
ummm
Batgirl,
Nadia circled around her opponent ready to attack again. You may have
more constitution, endurance, and recovery, but dont always depend
on that.
Nadia closed in, at what seemed, at lightning speed. She trusted a
very fast punch, and Batgirl blocked it with relative ease. It was as if
she didnt have to think about defense, her response just came
automatically.
Nadia threw more fast kicks and punches. She was an outstanding martial
artist! Batgirl instinctively blocked, feinted, parried, side-stepped, ducked
and twisted. The attacks were coming very fast but Batgirl was able to defend.
She knew that in her previous state, Nadias rapid attacks
would have her backing up
perhaps even catching her with a few blows.
Batgirl knew that Nadia was going full out and not holding back. She was
really trying to hit Batgirl
and hit her hard. She had to give Nadia
credit, despite that Batgirl was now avoiding every attack thrown at her,
Nadia didnt lose her focus and get frustrated. She remained disciplined
as she continued her attack.
Batgirl side-stepped a punch, and saw her opening. She let out a forward
strike to Nadias exposed shoulder. Not wanting to injury Nadia, she
hit with on open palm rather than a closed fist.
Oooof, Nadia grimaced a bit as she backed off and rubbed
her shoulder.
Im sorry. I didnt mean to hit you so
hard.
Very good, Batgirl. See
you were
patient and found your opening. At last, youre showing signs of the
old Batgirl that I grew to admire.
Youre no slouch yourself,
Nadia, Batgirl still retained her defense even though her opponent
was hurt. I see that you really earned that black belt youre
wearing
and its not just for show.
I placed third in the state championships
in college, Nadia charged in with a series of punches followed by a
spinning kick.
Reacting at a speed that Batgirl never knew
she had, she caught Nadias foot. Normally she wouldnt be able
to do this against so skilled a martial artist, but the kinetic absorber
in her glove nullified the shock of her hand getting struck. She wrapped
her other arm around Nadias leg, twisted it and brought Nadia down,
slamming her hard on the floor. Batgirl then twisted Nadias leg and
maintained pressure.
Ahhhhh! Nadia screamed in pain
as she took the flat of her hand and starting to slap the
floor.
Realizing that this was a tap out
submission, she immediately let released Nadia.
Excellent, Barbara, said Wonder
Woman, Youre back to your old form
and then
some!
Good to be back, Batgirl helped
Nadia get to her feet as she saw that her opponent had trouble getting to
a standing position.
As Batgirl supported her, Nadia whispered
in her ear. Lets have some fun with Wonder Woman. How about a
little payback for her setting you up? Distract her so I can snag that lasso
away from her. Trust me! Youre going to love what Hugh has planned
for her.
Not wanting to give anything away, Batgirl
gave Nadia a mischievous smile. Turnabout was fair play, after all. Although,
in the end, Wonder Woman did her a great service, the Amazon did make her
suffer some humiliation
and payback can be a bitch!
Okay, Wonder Woman, Batgirl took
a battle poise as Nadia sneaked away to get into position. That was
a warm up. Lets see how I do against the power
hitter.
Be careful what you ask for, Barb,
Wonder Woman slowly walked toward Batgirl. Unlike Nadia, you will
feel my punches
enhanced or not.
If you can hit me, Batgirl started
to do a series of back flips and cartwheels toward the star-spangled
vixen.
Wonder Woman took an easy swing as not to
hurt her friend, but Batgirl jumped over it and kicked the Amazon in the
chest. Diana felt no pain but the force did make her stagger backwards a
step or two
just enough to trip and fall over Nadia who had gotten
behind Wonder Woman on all fours.
Very funny, Wonder Woman got up
more embarrassed than hurt. Nadia had scurried away as fast as she
appeared.
Batgirl smiled as she saw Nadia waved Wonder
Womans lasso in her hand as the Amazon had her back to the thief. It
was obvious that Nadia nimbleness with her fingers (as she demonstrated when
she removed Batgirls emblem cleanly) also made her a master of sleight
of hand and pick-pocketing. Wonder Woman never noticed that it was lifted
off her belt. Wonder Woman charged at Batgirl while Nadia threw the coiled
lasso to Hugh.
Batgirl threw a series of punches at Wonder Woman who blocked them
with ease. Wonder Woman threw a punch of her own and Batgirl caught the fist
in her hand. Even with the kinetic absorbers, Batgirl could feel the impact,
but, unlike before, Wonder Woman would have broken her
hand.
Before Batgirl could launch another attack, Wonder Woman used her
other arm to grab Batgirls arm and throw the caped crusaderess over
her shoulder. Batgirl landed flat on the floor and got the wind knocked out
of her.
Haha! Wonder Woman stood arrogantly over Batgirl in her
traditional poise of putting her hands on her hips. Pretty nice try,
Barb, but you still have quite a bit of training to go before
ugghhhhh!
Wonder Woman dropped to her knees as she felt her lasso wrap around
her shoulders and pin her arms to her sides. She could feel the ropes
will-sapping power starting to take an immediate hold. She looked around
to see Hugh holding the other end. Why was he doing this? He didnt
need to bondage her to take her into his bed anymore. He knew that she would
freely do this now.
Hugh
whats going on? With get inner strength,
Wonder Woman managed to get her fingers under the rope and slowly start to
inch it up so she could get it off. She could break the hold her own lasso
if she used all her strength. She could do it! She knew she could! She was
a proud Amazon
a princess
Wonder Woman!
A
few more seconds was all she needed to free herself. She was almost to her
feet.
Her belt, Nadia, yelled Hugh. Remove it quick.
Its giving her the strength to fight off the lassos
effects.
Riiiiipppppp!
Knowing exactly where to pull, Nadia yanked off Wonder Womans
Magic Belt of Strength. With her strength and mental fortitude now reduced
to a normal mortal, Wonder Woman easily succumbed to the lassos power.
She dropped her hands and feel down to her knees.
Batgirl! Nadia! Hugh ordered. Seize her. Bind her
helpless. Strip her of her garments of pride. She must be rendered totally
at my mercy for my plan to work.
Barbara
please, Wonder Woman pleaded. Whatever
Hugh has planned
dont let him do it. I cant go through
this humiliation again. Im afraid.
Too bad, bitch, Dianas pleas fell on deaf ears as
Batgirl quickly removed Wonder Womans bracelets and tore her tiara
off her forehead.
That action was about the same equivalent
of shame as when Batgirl was stripped of her emblem. Lets see
how you like it. Lets see if you remember what it feels like. Whatever
Hugh has in store for you
Im sure its for your own
good.
Barbara
Please stop
mmmmpppphhh! Wonder Womans words were cut short when Nadia shoved
a piece of cloth in her mouth and secured it in place with the same type
of locking strap that was used on Batgirl.
Nadia pushed Wonder Woman down so that she
was lying down with her face to the floor.
Quick, Batgirl. Force her arms behind
her back. Cross her wrists. Hold them there.
Like a world-class rodeo roper, Nadia wrapped
the magic lasso around Wonder Womans shoulder and then pulled.
Mmmmpphhh! Wonder Woman grimaced
in pain.
Tighter, Nadia, yelled Hugh. We
must make sure that she cant escape. She must be rendered totally immobile
and helpless.
After Nadia made the first few loops around
Wonder Womans wrist, Batgirl didnt have to hold them in place.
Hugh threw Batgirl a pair of metal bracelets and she knew exactly what he
wanted. As Nadia finished binding Dianas hands in a nice, tight, neat,
little package, Batgirl pulled off Wonder Womans boots and snapped
the restraints in place. Seconds later, they were magnetized and Wonder
Womans feet were now helplessly locked together.
The rolled Wonder Woman so that she was now
lying on her back. Although she was totally bound and helpless, and stripped
of her belt, bracelets, and tiara, she still had some fight in
her.
For almost a minute, she struggled and gyrated
in her bondage before succumbing to the will-breaking power of the
lasso.
Mmmmmm, she gave a soft moan to
concede her defeat.
You were right, Cupcake, Nadia
straightened herself out. You were right not to take chances with her.
For a second there, I thought she was going to get out. Thats one tough
broad.
Thats why I love her. Never
underestimate the will and pride of an Amazon. Hugh then signaled for
Batgirl and Nadia to put their new captive in a chair for the time
being.
Whats this all about, Hugh?
Batgirl asked.
I decided that when my son is born that
he should also have a sister to play with. Ive always wanted one of
each and Diana will provide the second one.
But I thought she couldnt get
pregnant for a long time.
I had a visit from Dianas mother
last week along with a few of her goon-bodyguard bitches. If Darren Stevens
ever had to have that ice-queen for a mother-in-law, hed be kissing
Andorras butt for the rest of his life.
Her Majesty tried to strong-arm me into divorcing her daughter
and threatened to turn my estate to rubble if I didnt release my
demonic hold that I had on Diana.
Needless to say, I arranged for the bitch to meet Rex and she sang a different
tune. Before I sent that Royal twat home with her tail between her legs,
I learned a few things about Amazon lore and culture. It seems her dear mother
fibbed, yet again, about the rules of procreation
or actually, only
told part of the truth. The fifty year rule is the only time an Amazon
can bear a child
willingly. There is an exception to the rule
for Amazons of royal blood
particularly the Queen Hippolyta and her
daughters, Princess Diana and Drusilla.
Remember when Diana said in jest that
she could only get pregnant once in a blue moon? That is not
an expressing that is thrown out. There really is such a thing as a Blue
moon. Do you know what that is, Barbara.
Barbara scratched her head. Im
not really sure
something special about a full moon
a special
eclipse or something like that?
Sort of, Hugh answered. For
the most part, a full moon only occurs once in a calendar month. One some
rare occasions, it is possible to have a second full moon within the same
calendar month. That second moon is known as a
Blue moon. Its an infrequent
occurrence, but it happens
henceforth the phrase
once in a blue moon. We had a full
moon on the first of this month and we will have another on the thirty-first
or last day of this month
tonight at
sundown.
On those days, Amazons of royal blood
can conceive; however, their natural instinct is to fight any attempts to
impregnate them as they must be conquered and are honor-bound to do all within
their power to prevent it
even going into that legendary
berserker rage. Since I dont
want my darling wife to rip my head off, we had to blindside her in order
to conquer her. Now I must use my special sexual foreplay techniques throughout
the day to calm her down, so I can take her at sundown. Would you be so kind
as her strip her down and put her on my bed? Dont worry, Diana darling,
Im making the same arrangements as I did for Batgirl. Youre glorious
figure will not be ruined.
Before Diana could mutter any objections through
her gag, Nadia unloosened the hooks to Wonder Womans bustier while
Batgirl used one of her blades to cut off her star-spangled shorts. Batgirl
wasnt worried about damaging her friends costume, as all Diana
would need to do is spin around and reform her uniform
later.
After they dumped Wonder Womans bound
and beautifully naked body on the bed, Hugh told them, Dont worry
about Diana. Ill take very good care of her. Dont worry about
retaliation on her part. Once its over, shes honor bound not
to take revenge
and shell thank us all in the long run. Now,
way dont you two run along and play with those new toys in your utility
belt? Ill be busy for the rest of the day. Im sure youll
have plenty to amuse yourselves with. Perhaps, you can plan on our next
conquest
the Huntress? There are so many heroines that will need our
help against that dreaded disease.
Batgirl and Nadia nodded to Hugh as they happily
walked out the bedroom.
Wonder Womans eyes opened to total fear
as Hugh slowly started walking toward her. She struggled one more time, but
to no avail.
Now, my dear, Hugh smiled as he
rubbed his hands. What part of your body should I massage and tickle
first?
Epilogue
1
After their training session, Nadia and Batgirl
showered, even though it wasnt necessary as neither of them were sweaty
and grimy.
Nadia elected to dress back in her uniform
(she had plenty of spares as they had a tendency to get torn or cut) but
didnt wear her hat. She had just styled her hair just like she wanted
and didnt want to smash it down. Batgirl put her costume back on as
she did not have any other clothes to wear. Hugh had ordered some for her
but they wouldnt be delivered for a few hours. Nadia offered to let
Batgirl borrow some of her clothes but they were much too big for Barbara
petite frame.
Wow, Nadia said, That was
the best workout and training session I ever took part in
and it was
so much fun, too. Ive never seen anyone pick up so fast on my instruction
before
and you ride your new Batgirl-cycle like a pro. I thought it
would take you days to learn everything.
Its easy when you have a great
teacher, Batgirl smiled. She found that she really liked Nadia and
had a feeling that they might be good friends.
Why thank you
B-B-Barbara,
the name almost stuck in Nadias throat. Although Batgirl gave Nadia
the green light to call her by her first name, the blonde bombshell felt
funny about slipping and using it
not feeling that she earned that
right, just yet. Since Batgirl didnt object to the use of her first
name, Nadia continued talking.
What would you like to do now? Just
name it. Horseback riding? Golf range? Tennis?
I dont know about you, Nadia,
Batgirl had a strange look in her eye, but all this working out has
made me really horny. I seriously need to get laid or find a private spot
to pleasure myself.
Me, too, Nadia was happy that
she wasnt the only one feeling frisky. Its too bad that
Hugh is going to be busy for a while. All the other guys on this estate are
kinda
dorky.
What about the gorgeous hunk of man
Captain Kirk? Thats one wild stallion that I could ride for days. I
want to show him a little appreciation of his concern for me. Dont
tell me hes gay.
Hes all man, Barbara. That I
guarantee. The only problem is that he claims that he doesnt get involved
with co-workers.
Well see about that, Batgirl
straightened out her gloves. Im going to pleasure that bull whether
he likes it or not. How about we blindside and tie him up? Lets flip
a coin to see who gets him first
and third.
No need for that, Nadia suddenly
remembered. His identical twin brother visits him on Saturdays.
Theyre both likely to be at Captain Kirks private quarters. And
get a load of this, Barbara
. Captain Jason Kirks brother is a
captain, too, but an airline pilot. Hes name is Jim
and his middle
name is Thomas
get it?
His twin brothers name is Captain
James T. Kirk? Thats a trip!
May we come in? Batgirl said to
Captain Kirk as she and Nadia walked into his quarters before the man could
answer. She casually pulled off her gloves.
Batgirl, James Kirk, who was just
a gorgeous as his twin brother, stood up. This is a surprise. You sure
keep some interesting company, Jason. Nice to see you as always
Nadia
isnt it?
Guilty as charged, Nadia moved
closer to Jim Kirk. It appeared that she decided which man she was going
to have.
Jason Kirk gave Batgirl a strange look as
Batgirl undid her cape and let it fall to the floor like she did with her
gloves.
Is there something that we can do for
you ladies? Jason Kirk asked.
Actually, Gentleman, Batgirl undid
her utility belt buckle with a loud click and let to fall to the floor. Nadia
did the same with her gun belt. Its what
we can
do for you.
Epilogue
2 (Three months later)
Supergirl landed on the roof top area of the
very tall and private parking garage. She looked around and waited for her
appointment to arrive.
Thanks for coming on such short
notice, said Wonder Woman as she, too, landed on the
roof.
I got here as soon as I got your message,
Wonder Woman, Supergirl smiled to her fellow
super-heroine.
Im really sorry to bother you
on a Friday afternoon, Supergirl, and put a damper on your weekend
but I need a favor.
Supergirl looked confused as Wonder Woman
pulled out an envelope.
From about a mile away from the building,
Batgirl lowered her binoculars as she saw Wonder Woman fly off one way, and
Supergirl fly off in the opposite direction
toward Hughs
mansion.
Shes on her way, Darling,
Batgirl said into her radio. Ill join you and Diana up there
later on tonight. I promised to have lunch with the
Joker.
You two have been seeing a lot of each
other lately, Hugh voice answered. I cant believe you got
him to reform. Only three months ago he was a homicidal maniac, now hes
cured of his insanity and a beloved late night talk show host. I guess when
you kidnapped and seduced him, you convinced him that there are some advantages
to walking the straight and narrow.
Your
conditioning helped, too. It
wasnt really his fault that he turned out bad. He was dragged into
crime when a bunch of thugs forced him to be the Red Hood and a scapegoat
should the law come after them. The poor man only wanted to steal the money
from that playing card company because he wanted to help his impoverished
wife who was with child. Then the poor woman dies tragically and those rotten
thugs make him go through with the robbery anyway. Then Batman shows up,
and believing the Red Hood dupe
to be the gang leader, goes after him. I think the death of a spouse and
falling into a vat of chemicals that turns your skin white lips dark red,
and your hair green would drive anyone insane. Poor Joker never wanted to
be a villain in the first place
he just wanted to make people
laugh.
I guess so, Hugh answered before
changing the subject. Are you sure that we made the right choice to
help Supergirl and delay out treatment
for the Huntress?
Well get the Huntress next time.
I promise. Shes a tricky one and were not ready. Supergirl may
have super-powers, but shes much more naïve. She wont be
any trouble once you give her a splash of that Kryptonite gas and Rexs
Kryptonite coated tentacles. Just make sure to break her down easy. Because
she has invulnerability, shes not used to taking pain if shes
knocked down to normal. She may be more susceptible to
it.
Ill handle her kit gloves, Barbara,
Dear. It will only be a matter of time before all heroines are free of the
disease
and they will all be so grateful to
me.
And you deserve all their gratitude
and affection, Hugh. Just think
Huntress next
then Black
Canary
then Zatanna
then Doctor Light
and
then
.
Epilogue
3 Ten years later
It had been seven years
to the day, since Barbara Gordon went public and let the world know that
she was Batgirl.
It was the greatest move of her
career.
She was a media darling and every talk show
wanted her
and every company wanted to hire her to endorse their products.
At this point, she didnt care that she was using her crime fighting
career for personal gain. She was tired of being a librarian. She was tired
of Batmans petty jealousy because she was now just an effective
crime-fighter as he was. She had left the JLA when she discovered that they
had no intention of making her a full time member. The promise of full membership
was just a carrot to tangle in front of her to keep her in line and giving
her all the crummy duties that the other members didnt want.
Batgirl didnt want carrots. She wanted
the whole garden!
She told her father that she knew what he
tried to do to her. She told him that she now disowned him. A few days later,
Commissioner Gordon was sent to a mental institution when he attempted to
commit suicide. Commissioner OHara soon took over and did an even better
job than his predecessor.
With the money she earned doing special
appearances and public speaking, she used it to buy a health club facility
and self-defense studio. She even opened up a school to train female bodyguards.
Her best client was Cabwomans security company. Nadia had become as
good a friend to her as Wonder Woman. She left Hughs employ to become
Barbaras vice president of operations. Soon Batgirl had a line of exercise
attire and wrote books on health and nutrition. It was an easy sell considering
that her actual age was thirty eight
but she still looked like she
was in here late twenties!
It was also a time for Barbara to move on.
As much as she loved and adored Hugh, she decided to let him go. This was
because Wonder Woman told her that she was taking time off from crime-fighting
so she could give motherhood her full attention. With children in the picture,
Barbara didnt feel right about sharing Hugh. She wanted a man of her
own and found just the one for her.
Tonight was a special night. She and her friends
were invited to join Commissioner OHara in his private box at the Gotham
Opera House. Chandell had come out of hiding to do a concert for charity.
It was a black tie event. All of Gothams important big wigs, like Bruce
Wayne would be in attendance.
Barbara was a sight to behold in her long
white designer evening gown with her long white gloves. Her gorgeous red
hair was done up in marvelous french twist that made her look like a member
of the Royal Family. With grace and elegance, she strolled out of her office
and to the lobby to meet her party for the limo that would soon pick them
up.
Much to Barbaras surprise, only Nadia
was there waiting. She looked just as stunning her own black evening
gown.
Where is everybody,
Nadia?
Hugh and Diana will meet us at the concert.
My husband, Jim, sends his regrets. His plane got snowed in at Denver. Your
boyfriend just stepped out to use the rest room.
Well, looks like its just going
to be the three of us in the limo
more room and champaign for
us.
Honey-pie, Joker suddenly appeared
and gave Barbara a kiss on the cheek. You look divine
as
always.
And so do you, Sweetheart, Barbara
eyed up her love. He looked so handsome and dapper with his green hair slicked
back and wearing a black tuxedo rather than his traditional
purple.
Did you hear the news, Barb? said
Nadia. They finally let your father out of the mental hospital
says hes cured. I thought he lost his mind for sure when he found out
that you and Joker were dating.
Barbara grabbed on to Jokers arm.
Everyone calls us Beauty and the Beast
but remember, Joker, Darling,
that if anyone calls me Beast again,
I expect you to punch their lights out.
Ahhhaaaahoooohhoo, Joker laughed.
Oh, Babs, Honey. You simply kill me. And speaking of flipping out,
wait until your daddy finds out some more good news.
HEEEEEHOOOOHHEEE.
Whats that? Nadias
curiosity was peaked.
Should I tell her now, Honey?
Barbara asked Joker who simply smiled and nodded. I was going to make
the official announcement at the concert
so
Daddy Dear can read it on the front
page when he gets the paper from the front porch
but I know you can
keep quite until then
Barbara slipped off her evening glove to
reveal a beautiful diamond ring. Were engaged. Joker proposed
last night.
Thats the first piece of jewelry
that I actually paid for and didnt have to throw a brick through a
window, Joker laughed and everyone joined in. Lets just
hope, Barbara, my love, that if there are any children, they take after their
mother.
After everyone finished laughing, Nadia hugged
and kissed the happy couple.
Congrats, you two. I couldnt be
more happy.
Youll be a bridesmaid, of
course? she asked Nadia. I really wanted to ask you to be Matron
of Honor but I was torn between you and Diana. I picked her over you because
weve been friends longer.
Thats okay, Honey. As long as
Im in the wedding party.
Blast, Joker looked at his watch.
The limo should have been here by now. Ill just step outside
and make sure that he didnt drive up to the wrong door by mistake.
Ill just be a moment, ladies. Dont disappear or Ill have
to hunt you down. HeeeeHoooooHEEEEHahahahah!
Well, Barbara, Nadia said after
making sure that her friends fiancée was out of sight. It
looks like it took a former super-villain and Batmans greatest nemesis
to make an honest woman out of you.
You can sure say that again, Nadia.
I thought for sure that I would be a member of the
Old Maids
Club.
Barbara, Nadia took a serious
tone. Can I ask a personal question? You dont have to answer
it but
.
Go ahead, Nadia. There are no secrets
between you and me.
Dont get me wrong, Dear. The Joker
is a heck of a guy. But I mean
you are Gothams most eligible
bachelorette. Every man wants you and you can get any man you want. You could
have married George Clooney, Bruce Wayne, or Andy Garcia
you could
have had any gorgeous hunk on the planet
but why are you settling
for
the Joker?
Because, Barbara gave her friend
a wink and a smile, he makes me laugh.
THE END.
Flamingo Boy 12-25-06