Chapter 3: Resurrection

Chapter 3 Resurrection

Kara hung in the center of the room. She had thought that things could not get much worse, but they had. She was surrounded by about twenty men she had never seen before and Kink was talking. “Well, gentlemen, what am I bid? What’s it worth to be able to say that you screwed a superheroine?”

A small well-dressed man wearing glasses spoke up. “It would be worth a lot, but how do we know she’s the real thing?”

“Yes,” agreed another. “You could have dressed anybody up in that outfit. If she’s a heroine how come she doesn’t try to escape?”

“You’re kidding, right?” replied Kink. “Look at that body. You think any ordinary woman is built like that? And the uniform – it’s indestructible.”

“I’ll admit she’s built like a brick shithouse,” said the first man, “but that don’t mean she’s a heroine. I want more proof than your word and the fact she’s got a colourful costume on.”

“Alright,” said Kink. “I’ll give you proof. Take her down boys.”

Kara groaned with relief as the chains suspending her from the ceiling were lowered, allowing her feet to reach the floor. She had been hanging there for several hours and the strain on her arms was terrible. She was wearing her costume once more. Kink had ordered her into the bathroom and while he watched, had forced her to clean herself up. Then he had allowed her to dress. He had also not given her the kryptonite tonic that day. As a result her strength had returned and with it an ability she did not know she had. The bruises, lacerations, and other physical signs of her brutal treatment had disappeared. Incredibly her marvelous body possessed the power of super healing. Within minutes of regaining her strength she was whole again.

That did not mean, however, that she was able to escape. Kink had placed her in a room that was coated with kryptonite based paint. As long as she stayed away from the walls and ceiling she had her superpowers, but as soon as she tried to break through her strength faded. The floor was similarly treated, although Kink had covered it in lead foil to protect her. Thus she was trapped, even though she no longer was drugged with the kryptonite potion.

Kink had been very pleased with her recovery. It was part of his plan to recoup the cost of the kryptonite and to further humiliate her by selling her body to the highest bidder. And that was why she was the center of attention at the special auction he had arranged. She was still helpless, of course. Kink had secured her by placing kryptonite alloy shackles on her wrists and ankles. The radiation given off by these restraints kept her weak and in considerable anguish. Kryptonite did not just rob her of her powers, it was also agonizingly painful. By now, however, Kara was almost used to being in pain, and it certainly would have done her little good to complain. She was forced to endure.

Now, however, Kink seemed to have something else planned for her. The various prospective customers wanted proof of her superheroine status and Kink was somehow going to give it to them. Just how Kara wasn’t sure, but she had enough respect for the inventive criminal by now to expect that he would find a way.

“Bring her over here,” he ordered, pointing to a cage-like enclosure. It wasn’t exactly a cage, being almost open on four sides. The bars of the so-called cage were so widely spaced that she could easily walk between them and that is precisely what Kink ordered her to do. She stood in the center of the semi-enclosure waiting for further instructions.

“Take off her manacles and leg irons,” Kink said.

Kara was mystified by this command, but understood immediately as soon as the shackles were removed. From the metal framework of the cage she could feel the distinct and painful sensation of kryptonite radiation. As long as she stood in the center of the “cage,” she was almost free from pain, but any attempt to move brought instant agony. She was still helpless to escape.

Kink handed the man with glasses a Glock 31. “Shoot her,” he said. “I think you’ll find the results interesting.”

“Shoot her?” said the man. “I came here to fuck her, not put a bullet through her.”

“You wanted proof that she’s a superheroine didn’t you? So shoot her.”

“Wait a minute. How do I know the gun’s not loaded with blanks?”

“For Christ’s sake,” Kink swore. “Shoot something else first. And then shoot her.”

The man with the gun smiled. “How about that potted plant over there?”

“Be my guest Kink,” answered.

Boom! The sound of the shot reverberated around the room and the potted palm exploded into hundreds of pieces.

“OK,” the man with glasses said. “It’s got real bullets. Where should I shoot her?”

“Anywhere you want. She’s a superheroine. She won’t care.”

Actually Kara did care. There were limits to her invulnerability. Being hit with a .357 slug was not an enjoyable experience even if it did not penetrate her skin. And she was not at full strength. The radiation from the bars of the cage might weaken her enough that she would experience severe injury. However, there was little she could do about it. She turned to face the man with the gun.

Boom! The slug knocked her off her feet, hurling her across the cage. Kara lay on the floor gasping, the breath knocked out of her.

Kink rushed over to look. “Get up, bitch,” he said. “You’re not hurt.”

Kara struggled to her feet. The bullet had torn a hole in her costume, right between her breasts. She was still alive and her Kryptonian skin had saved her from the bullet, but she was not as Kink claimed, unhurt. There was a nasty bruise where the heavy bullet had hit her. She was not entirely invulnerable and being shot at point blank range had strained her body’s resistance to the utmost. Even as she clutched the place where the bullet had struck, however, the bruising faded as her incredible body healed.

Kara grimaced and fought to regain her breath. That had hurt! She had never been hit by a bullet before and the experience was definitely not pleasant. Her eyes filled with resentment she stood and faced Kink. “That make you happy?” she asked. “You’ve found another way to hurt and humiliate me.”

Kink laughed. “Still got some spirit left I see. Good.” He turned to the man who had shot her. “Now what do you think? Quite a prize isn’t she? And she even talks.”

Kara bit back a retort. Kink was just tying to make her angry and he was certainly succeeding. No doubt a feisty heroine would get a better price. Well, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of further humiliating her in front of such an incredibly depraved lot as the men who had gathered to bid for her.

“Alright,” Kink said, turning his back on her and facing his prospective customers. “What am I bid? How about $20,000 for an hour?”

“That’s pretty steep,” said one of the men. Kara gasped when she saw him. She had seen his picture before on the internet crime link. He was Carlos Vincenna, a notorious and brutal drug lord, responsible for dozens of murders and acts of terror. His face was horribly scarred due to someone having thrown acid into his face early in his crime career. Legend had it that he had managed to keep the man who had thrown it alive for two weeks before he died of torture.

Vincenna pushed his way forward. “I want her for more than an hour. She’s buggered up several of my operations.”

“No problem,” replied Kink. “Just bid more than everyone else and you can have her for as long as you like.”

“How much to buy her?”

“More than you’ve got. I figure this little babe’s worth millions. You’ll have to be satisfied with just a few hours.”

“Son of a bitch,” said Vincenna. “Alright. I bid $100,000. That should get me five hours, right?”

“Not so fast,” came a voice from the back. This man was in stark contrast to Vincennes, who in spite of his scared face was tall, dark-haired and well dressed. This last speaker was short, heavyset, balding, and definitely overweight. “I bid $120,000. I want six hours.”

“Just a minute, gentlemen,” Kink said. “The bid is per hour. “You’ve both bid the same. Mr. Roper you have to bid more than $20,000.”

“Alright,” said the stout man, wiping his brow. “I bid $25,000.”

“That’s better,” said Kink. “Now let the bidding begin.”

Vincenna swore. Clearly he was used to getting his own way. “$30,000,” he countered.

The bidding became rather intense with most of the men assembled getting in on the act. Vincenna finally won with a bid of $45,000, but he reduced his time to only four hours. After that she was divided up among the various bidders. Kink was well satisfied. His superheroine captive had earned over two million dollars and that was just the total for the first auction. He grinned. A few weeks and he would be way ahead. What had been a liability would turn out to be his most profitable venture.

Kara grunted as Roper thrust into her. She no longer screamed when she was taken. She was beyond that now. Her life had been one of continual sexual servitude ever since the auction. She didn’t have much choice. A blindfolded Sylvie had been parade before her soon after Vincenna had won the bidding. The girl could barely walk and her slender body was covered with bruises. “See what sort of trouble you cause, superbitch?” said Kink. “This girl was happy as a lark until you came along. Now she’s been entertaining my men for the past two days. However, I’m not one to shift the blame to others. I’m quite prepared to let her go if you promise to cooperate. Of course, if you don’t…

He didn’t have to finish the sentence. Kara nodded in dumb agreement. “Thought you’d see it my way,” Kink grinned. He turned to the two men guarding Sylvie. “Give her back he clothes and let her go. Oh, and give her $5,000 dollars. I think she deserves at least that much for her services. She was a mighty good fuck.”

Sylvie burst into tears as she was led from the room. She had no way of knowing why she had been taken from her cell, having never laid eyes on Kara, but the humiliation and terror hat she had endured caused her to break down. Kara wept too. If only she had been more careful. She should have known better than to drink something in a place like the Raging Duck without checking it first. Now her best friend had paid the price for her stupidity. She would do anything to spare her further harm.

Her session with Vincenna had been horrendous. The badly scarred villain seemed much more interested in brutally assaulting her than he did in sex. She had been allowed to wear her costume. As a matter of fact, Vincenna had demanded it. But she really wasn’t much of a superheroine without her powers, and Vincenna had delighted in giving her a severe beating.

He started with a blow to her ribcage, just below her left breast. She tried to dodge the punch, but the villain was much bigger and more skilled in street fighting than she was. She came to regret depending on her superstrength and superspeed to solve all her problems. She had never learned any real martial skills; she hadn’t needed to. She resolved that if she ever escaped from her perilous predicament she would join a martial arts club and learn to properly defence herself.

Vincenna had followed up his first punch with a fist to her jaw. Staggered by the two blows, she had almost fallen, but the brutal thug wouldn’t let her. Catching her as she swayed he forced her again the wall and then rained blow after blow upon her.

She managed to catch the majority of the punches on her arms and shoulders, but many got through. Within a very short time she was sagging helplessly as the vicious hoodlum continued to beat her. Only when she was close to unconscious did Vincenna stop. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” he grinned, his face distorted by the terrible scars that disfigured most of it. “You bloody superheroines are so damned arrogant. It is time you learned what it is like to come up against someone stronger than you are.”

Kara did not reply. Her lip was split open and her nose bloodied. All of the teeth on one side of her mouth had been loosened and the area around one eye was so badly swollen that she could no longer see out of it. Her breasts had received a severe mauling. They felt like a pair of punching bags that had had the stuffing knocked out of them. Swaying, her knees buckled and she almost fell.

Vincenna, however, caught her, and dragging her over to the bed lay her down and proceeded to strip her costume from her battered body. “Now superbitch, you’re going to get a real workout.” He quickly undressed, revealing a well-muscled body and a formidable erection.

“Ungh!” Kara grunted as he yanked her legs apart. Had she not been raped so many times before she would have been positively terrified. Even as it was it she found it a most unpleasant experience. “Unngghhh!” she grunted again as he mounted her; and again as he sank his shaft deep within her. But she did not scream, not then nor during the next three hours as he raped her repeatedly. But at the end she was moaning softly from the protracted ordeal.

Vincenna, however, took her lack of response as a personal insult. “Bloody whore. I’ll have you screaming next time. I’m not through with you yet. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, depending of the point of view, Vincenna had run out of time. A knock on the door alerted him to the fact that that another customer was waiting. “Times up Vincenna,” said Kink’s voice. “Anymore time and I charge you double.”

“Bitch,” said Vincenna. “I’ll be back. And Next time I’m booking eight hours.”

The door opened and Kink entered. “Christ, I’ll have to clean her up before the next customer. From now on I’m going to charge extra if you want to beat her up.”

“I’ll pay it,” the scarred villain replied. “It will be worth it.”

Kink was forced to return Kara to the cage where she had been auctioned so that he could give her partial recovery of her superpowers in order to allow her to heal. Then it was the next client’s turn.

Kara couldn’t remember who that was. Her memory was a bit blurred. Her life was one round after the other of serving as someone’s sex toy. She only remembered the clients who made her life a bit more “interesting,” such as the strange little man who wanted her smeared with custard and applesauce before her had sex with her. Or the brute who insisted on suspending her upside down while he raped her.

Roper was also memorable, but for a different reason. The flabby crime boss was so overweight that his bulk crushed her into the bed, and he sweated profusely. Unfortunately, his lust was almost insatiable. He was capable of sustaining an erection for hours, and took her every way he knew how. He had already raped her orally, vaginally, and anally, and was now pounding her vagina once more. There wasn’t much she could do about it. A few feet from the bed were several kryptonite-coated bars. They kept her too weak to defend herself. She had no choice other than to endure.

Kara was exhausted. How much longer was this going to go on? For that matter how much longer could she stand up under the repeated sexual servitude? Surely, Kink must have made his money back by now. Of course, that fact did not matter. He no doubt intended to keep her as his prize whore for as long as there was a demand for her services. Every now and then when things were quiet – which was almost never, Kink would bed her. He wasn’t as violent now, and he never used a condom which was something he insisted that his clients do. There seemed only one meaning to what he was doing. He was trying to impregnate her. What his motive might be for that she could only guess, but none of the scenarios that passed through her mind were even remotely pleasant.

She certainly did not want to become pregnant in any case. Not at her age. She was barely eighteen and completely unsuited for motherhood. She had too much else she wanted to do. A child would be a terrible burden, especially since it was very likely to have superpowers. That meant only she could look after it and her crimefighting career would be on hold for several years. And in any case, the thought of having a child by a man like Kink filled her with disgust. Somehow she had to escape. The alternative was just too horrible to contemplate.

“Uuunghh! Uuunnggh!” Roper was almost finished now. His passionate grunts signaled that he was about to spurt his load into her. He did not, of course. He was wearing a condom and that would have contained his heavy cream. Rather than waste his orgasm, however, he pulled out of her at the last second and jetted his thick white sticky ropes over her exhausted body.

Kara did not react. She expected such disgusting behaviour from the thugs that violated her. Her only reaction was to wrinkle her nose in revulsion. Roper stank, especially after three or four hours of sweating over her helpless body. “Oh,” he gasped, “you sure are a great piece of tail. You’re worth every penny.”

Kara said nothing as was her custom. She did not want to give these sadistic thugs any more pleasure than necessary, and bandying words with them would certainly have done just that. But then she got an idea.

I was an idea born of desperation. Kara suspected that there was little chance of success, but her situation could hardly get much worse. The only problem was that if her scheme failed she would probably not get another opportunity. She decided to gamble anyway.

“I’m glad ja got ya money’s worth,” she grunted, adopting the most lowbrow accent she could devise. “It’s what I get paid for after all.”

“Paid for?” Roper asked. “You get paid? I thought you were a prisoner.”

“That’s what you’re supposed to think. Ya wouldn’t bid so much for my services if ya didn’t.”

“I don’t get it. You’re a superheroine. Why would you do this?”

“Superheroine? Me? I break a nail just brushing my teeth.”

Roper lifted himself off her. “But I saw Kink shoot you. The bullet just bounced off.”

“Yeah; pretty convincing wasn’t it. Took me a couple of hours of practice to make that look realistic.”

“You’re lying. You’ve got that indestructible costume I peel off you every time. And your body it’s incredible!”

“Yeah; spent a lot of time in the gym working on that. Course Kink paid for the time and the trainer.”

“But you look just like her!” Roper shouted. The flabby thug seemed to be getting excited.

“Of course I look like her. How do ya think I got the job?”

“The costume. I can’t tear it.” An element of doubt had crept into Roper’s voice.

“Kevlar. I can’t tear it either. Pretty tough stuff.”

“But the kryptonite bars,” Roper said, gesturing to the metal bars placed strategically about the room.

“It’s just luminous green paint,” Kara said. Forcing her features to remain absolutely impassive she placed her right hand on the slightly glowing bars that robbed her of her powers. The pain that surged through her was excruciating, but she managed to pretend to be unconcerned. She held her hand there for a few seconds and then withdrew it casually. She hoped Roper wouldn’t notice the way her skin had suddenly beaded with perspiration.

Roper seemed convinced. “Alright slut; if you’re not Supergirl then why are you telling me this?’

Kara sighed and slumped down on the bed. “This is harder work than I thought. When Kink hired me he said I’d only have to fuck a half dozen men a day. But he’s got me screwing day and night. I’m exhausted and I want out.” She cringed at using such unheroine-like language, but she needed to stay in character. She could sense that she almost had Roper.

“What am I supposed to do about it?” Roper said angrily.

“I need a protector. Kink is making too much money from this scam to let me go. If he ever found out what I told ya I’d be dead meat. And I like ya. You’re more of a man than any of my other customers. Ya know, yer kinda cute.” Fighting back her revulsion, she reached out and gently caressed Roper’s sweat-streaked face.

Roper started pulling his clothes on. “That God-damned prick. I’m gonna kick his ass. I should have known that no one could capture a real superheroine. Got to admit though, you really had me fooled.” He looked over Kara’s magnificent body and then started for the door.

“Wait,” said Kara reaching out and touching his shoulder. “I don’t want ya to get hurt. Now that I’ve told ya, yer life is in danger too. You’ve got to find a way to help me get out of here.” She gave him what she hoped was her best ‘helpless female’ look.

Roper returned her look and licked his lips. It was obvious that he was taken with her. “Alright, babe,” he said. “What do you suggest?”

“Yer free to come and go as you please. Take a break. Tell the guards that you’ve got to take a leak or something. Then find a way to distract their attention. I’ll sneak out then.”

“What should I do?”

“Oh, Kara smiled. “I’m sure a criminal of your caliber will be able to think of something.” She pursed her lips and kissed him longingly on the mouth. It was something she had gotten pretty good at the last week or so.

Roper grinned foolishly and waddled toward the door. “I’ll be back he said. “Stay tuned.”

Kara breathed a sigh of relief as he left. Her gamble seemed to have worked. Now she would have to wait and see what transpired.

The next half hour was the longest of her life. Was Roper cooperating? Did he really believe her story? Perhaps he had just taken off, leaving her stranded. Perhaps he had gone to Kink and told him the whole story. At any second the vicious crimelord might come storming through the door ready to give her a brutal beating. Pacing back and forth Kara waited. She had put her costume back on, but until something happened to distract Kink’s guards all she could do was wait.

Sylvie huddled in her tiny room. It was not a cell exactly, but it might as well have been. It contained a bed, a toilet and sink, a dresser that doubled as a make-up table, and a single chair. She had never been so frightened in her life. Kink had not released her as promised. That was just for the benefit of the “superheroine.” Sylvie didn’t really think the girl was a real heroine. After all if she was how had Kink managed to capture her?

Her time since the episode with the blindfold had been the most terrifying and humiliating experience of her existence. She had been raped repeatedly by men she had never met all the while taunted about being the friend of a superheroine.

She had no idea what they were talking about. She knew nothing about superheroines. The closest she had ever come to one of them was when Supergirl had flown by high above her on some superheroine mission.

She wondered what had happened to Kara. The last she could remember before her imprisonment was being in a nightclub with her and having something to drink. After that her memories were a bit vague.

A noise in the hall outside her door sent a chill of fear through her. Since her capture she had been taken out of the cell for one purpose only and that was to be sexually molested. She had heard of places like the one she was in. Young women were tricked into prostitution and then “broken in” by being repeatedly raped until they became compliant sex slaves. She wondered how long it would take for them to break her. Not very long if what had happened in the last few days was any example of what was going to happen to her.

A key turned in the lock. Sylvie pressed herself against the wall trying to get as far away from the door as possible. The door opened. Two men stood there, sneering smirks plastered on their faces. Sylvie recognized them as two of the men who had raped her.

“Let’s go, twat,” said one of them. “The boss wants to see you. I expect he has something special planned for you.”

Sylvie got stiffly to her feet. She was having a great deal of trouble walking now that the parts of her body that had been ravaged had been given a chance to swell. She tried to cover her nakedness with her arms and hands. Both of her escorts laughed. “Ain’t you the shy one?” the second man asked. “Don’t worry babe, I’ve already had a real good look at your cunt and tits. Up close you might say.” Both men laughed again.

Sylvie dropped her hands. They were right. What difference did it make now? Her body had been on display for all to see. Crimson with embarrassment, she stepped from the cell.

“Look at her blush,” said the second man. “What do you say we give her a quickie before we take her to Kink?”

“I dunno,” said the first man. “Kink asked for her. He doesn’t like to be kept waiting..”

The second man shrugged. “Albright, I can wait. We’ll fuck her later.”

Sylvie trembled in fear as she forced herself to walk between the two men. The horrible nightmare just kept on getting worse. They followed the corridor and a flight of stairs to a large room. Sylvie’s dark eyes widened as she was escorted through the door. In the center of the room was the tall dark-haired man who had been the first to rape her. “Glad you could make it,” he said sarcastically. “I think it’s about time you and I had a little talk.”

“What do you want with me?” she quavered. “I don’t know you and I’ve done you no harm. Please let me go.”

“Information,“ the dark-haired man replied. “I need to know more about you and your friend.”

“Kara?” said Sylvie. “You’ve got her here? What have you done to her?”

“You’ll see,” the dark-haired man smiled. “Go get the superbitch,” he said to one of the guards. “Roper should be finished with her by now.”

“What is this?” Sylvie asked. “Did you hurt her? “She’s just an innocent girl. She never even goes out.”

“Think there’s more to her than you…”

The dark-haired man never finished his sentence. At that moment the building shook and thunderous blast filled the air.

“What the fuck?” yelled the dark-haired man. Drawing a gun from his waistband he sprinted from the room followed by the remaining guard. Sylvie was left alone.

Roper entered the room. He was sweating profusely, but that was not unusual. Kara had never seen him when he wasn’t sweating. “I did it,” he said. “Get ready to leave.”

“Did what?” Kara asked. “I don’t hear anything.”

“You will,” he said. “I disconnected the gas line. It’s only a matter of time until it goes up. I turned up the thermostat.”

“Aren’t you clever,” Kara said. She found the flabby thug repulsive, but she thought she might still need him.

Roper grinned. “I see you got your costume on. I’m looking forward to undressing you again.”

At that moment the room shuddered. It was immediately followed by a tremendous explosion. “Let’s go,” said Roper. He took Kara’s arm.

The hallway was full of smoke. If there were any guards around Kara couldn’t see them. Roper guided her away from the room where she had been held. She had to admit that for the first twenty or so feet she was glad of his assistance. But as she was hurried down the hallway she felt her strength return. A few more steps and the smoke didn’t matter any more; her X-ray vision penetrated the gloom as if the air were clear.

Kara swept her gaze through the building. She found what she was looking for and something else besides. Sylvie. Why did it not surprise her that her friend had not been released? Just as important, however, she had found Kink’s supply of kryptonite. It was locked in a steel safe in a room in the basement. Kara set her lips. She would make sure that it stayed there. She halted and focused her X-ray vision. The intense beam welded the safe door shut. Nothing short of high explosive would get the deadly element out of there now.

“”What’s going on, babe?” asked Roper. “We’ve got to get out of here.” The corpulent thug was mystified as to why Kara seemed to be staring so hard at the wall. He was even more mystified as to why he could not move her. She seemed solid as a rock. A terrible suspicion came over him.

Kara turned to look at the criminal who had helped her to escape. “That’s right Roper. I am Supergirl. And you helped me escape. I can’t thank you enough.”

The obese thug paled. “Christ, I’m dog meat!”

“Not yet, but you soon will be,” Kara said. “She was in a bit of a hurry. She had seen something else in Kink’s office that sent chills through her. Reaching out she grabbed Roper by the collar. The thug squealed like a pig as she lifted him from the floor. “I’d like to spend more time with you,” she said, “but I’ve got other place to go.”

Roper’s face turned bright red as his breath was cut off, but Kara didn’t put him down. Instead she hurled him against the wall. It was unfortunate that that wall was constructed of concrete blocks, because as Roper slammed against it the blocks did not shatter – but Roper did. As he slid to the floor unconscious he left a smear on the wall.

Kara did not wait until he reached the floor. She was halfway to Kink’s office and she went in a straight line.

Sylvie fell to the floor. The room was full of smoke and just outside the door she could see the red glow of flames. Already the heat was unbearable. As soon as Kink had left the room she had tried to follow, but another tremendous explosion had rocked the building and thrown her back into the room. Now she was overcome by the deadly fumes given off by the fire that swept through the building. Her eyes streaming tears and with coughs racking her body she struggled feebly toward the door. But she knew that she was not going to make it. Her head swam and black spots danced before her eyes. She didn’t even notice as the floor exploded beside her.

Kara swept Sylvie up in her arms. Kink was nowhere in sight, but she knew that he was in the building somewhere. She would find him. In the meantime she would take Sylvie to safety. Moving straight up she tore a hole in the roof of the building, shielding Sylvie with her body as she did so.

Outside Kara discovered to her surprise that it was night. She had completely lost track of time while undergoing her ordeal. She carried Sylvie to the roof of a nearby building. Ascertaining that the girl was breathing she lay her gently on its surface. She would be safe enough there for awhile. Then she returned to the burning warehouse.

It didn’t take her long to find Kink. He was in the basement where the safe was, trying futilely to open the securely welded safe. His brother Mike and Dirkson were both with him. “Son-of-a-bitch,” he swore. “I’ve got to get it open. All of the cash is in there.”

“Perhaps I should open it for you.” Kink almost jumped out of his skin as he whirled toward the sound. Standing in the doorway was the superheroine he had captured and raped.

“You!” Kink exclaimed. “How did you…” He went for his gun, as did Mike and Dirkson.

Kara had little fear of bullets. But she didn’t like being shot. And she had a score to settle with the three men who had ravished and tortured her. It was a reasonable excuse. Or so she would tell herself later. Superheroines weren’t supposed to kill criminals, just render them helpless and turn them over to the police, but something came over her when confronted with the trio in front of her. Earthlings would have called it rage, but she felt no surge of hatred, merely a sense of icy calm and a feeling of purpose. These thugs would not molest anyone else again.

She caught Dirkson first. He was just squeezing the trigger when Kara’s hand closed upon his wrist and crushed the bones as if they were matchsticks. He screamed horribly and then his shriek was cut off as Kara’s fist crushed his larynx. His body had not hit the floor before the blonde superheroine had hurled Mike across the room. Then she turned on Kink.

“You can’t do this,” the crime boss protested. “Superheroines don’t kill. It’s against your stupid rules.”

Kara did not reply. Slowly she moved toward him. “Get back,” he cried, “I’ll shoot.”

Kara laughed. The sound sent shivers down Kink’s back. It was the most chilling sound he had ever heard. But even more frightening was the look in the superheroine’s startling blue eyes. “No,” he said. “You can’t. Please have mercy.”

“The kind of mercy you showed me and Sylvie?” Kara replied. “I’ll show you mercy.”

Kink pulled the trigger. But as he did so Kara’s hand flashed out. She moved so quickly that Kink did not even know she had done anything. He only knew that somehow the bullet he fired went straight into the heart of his brother.

Mike’s body jerked once as he died. Kink’s mouth opened in disbelief. “Oh God, what happened?”

“Now look what you’ve done,” Kara said. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you how dangerous guns are?”

“You superheroine bitch,” Kink screamed. “You made me do that.”

“Don’t be silly,” Kara said, her voice flat and unemotional. “That would be a violation of the superheroine code.” She turned toward the door. “I’m going to leave you now. I hope your conscience doesn’t bother you too much.”

Kink watched her leave. With some relief he saw the door close behind her. He could hardly believe that she had left him alive. But now it was time to get out of here. He gave the safe one last longing look and glanced quickly at his brother. It was too bad about Mike. “But better him than me,” he thought. He approached the door. The superheroine bitch should be gone by now. He touched the door handle.

“Aahh!” He yanked his hand back. The handle was burning hot. “God damned bitch.” She had to be responsible. The fire wasn’t that close yet.

Going over to Dirkson’s body he ripped off the dead man’s shirt and wrapped it about his hands. Then he tried the door handle again. Nothing happened. “What the hell?” he said aloud. Using both hands he twisted the handle using all of his strength. It wouldn’t move. It was as if it was welded shut. “No! I can’t die here!” Leveling his semi-automatic he emptied the gun into the locking mechanism of the door. The bullets bounced off. Kink remembered that he had ordered the door built strongly enough to withstand forced entry. He was trapped by his own security system. With a scream of rage he attacked the door with his bare hands, hammering at it until his fists were bloody. He had to get out. The section of the building where the cocaine was further processed was filled with forty-five gallon drums of ether. If the fire reached them… Weeping with fear and frustration he fell to his knees. Another explosion shook the building. Beyond the door he could hear the roar of the flames as the fire surged closer.

Kara carried the unconscious Sylvie away from the burning building. It blazed brightly in the darkness and then a series of massive explosions literally tore it apart, sending flaming debris in all directions. Kara’s eyes widened. She had not expected such a holocaust. It was very unlikely that anyone in the building would still be alive. Arcing high into the air she increased her speed and soon gained Sylvie’s brownstone walk-up apartment. She entered by way of the window and gently lay the still insensible Sylvie on her bed and sat beside her. The girl seemed to be sleeping quietly. Kara was glad of that. The longer her friend slept the better her chance of recovery.

She sighed deeply. She had survived by using her brains more than her superpowers but she felt no sense of triumph. Rather she felt emotionally dead. She had defeated her enemies, and eliminated a dangerous criminal organization, but she had paid a heavy price. She had been captured, tortured, raped, and humiliated. Her best friend Sylvie had also suffered terribly. But most depressing of all, she had killed. It was a serious violation of the superheroine code. She had no idea how she was going to resolve the latter issue.

And there was still some unfinished business. There were a number of criminals who had “visited” her while she was held prisoner in Kink’s warehouse. Vincenna was still out there somewhere and she had a real score to settle with him. On the positive side, however, she still had her secret identity.

Sylvie let out a low moan. Quickly Kara crossed to her friend. In a few seconds she would probably regain consciousness. Kara was torn between leaving her friend to recover on her own and staying to help. There was always the chance that Sylvie might recognize her. Sylvie appeared to be alright physically, but she had suffered a terrible ordeal; one that Kara shared intimately. She decided to stay.

Sylvie awoke. Completely disoriented she starred about her in confusion. When she spotted Kara her eyes widened in terror. “It’s alright,” said Kara, using her superheroine voice, “you’ve suffered a terrible nightmare, but you are safe now.”

It took Kara awhile to explain what had happened. Of course, she made up most of the story. Fortunately, Sylvie had never laid eyes on her while she was in Kink’s clutches. She managed to convince her friend that she had been kidnapped into the white slave trade. It wasn’t a hard sell, considering what had happened to Sylvie. Before she left she helped the girl get dressed, and then gave her the thrill of a lifetime by flying her to the nearest hospital. The girl appeared to be fine except for some nasty bruises, but there was no sense in taking chances. She left Sylvie with the doctors and before returning to her own apartment arranged to take care of the medical bills.

It was a subdued superheroine who returned to the familiar and comfortable surroundings of her own modest apartment. She was going to have to be much more careful. The face recognition technology that Kink had employed was something she had not expected. And it had never occurred to her that she could be drugged through the use of powered kryptonite. One more adventure like the one she had just barely survived might be her last. She stripped off her costume and stepped into the shower. She spent a long time under the water. Somehow she felt that she was washing away the pain and humiliation she had suffered. But she was a superheroine after all. And superheroines never gave up. Tomorrow was another day. She would carry the psychological scars of her ordeal with her for awhile, but eventually she would recover. After all, not all of the men who had ravished her had died in the fire. She would find them, and when she did…