Miss Incredible: No Harm Done

1 Cass

Cass huddled in the doorway, hugging herself to keep warm, trying to look as small as possible. So it had come to sleeping in an alleyway; best to make herself inconspicuous. Life on the streets bred a constant sense of vigilance, if not downright paranoia, but this part of town was relatively safe for street folk, or so she’d heard. In any case, the alley was empty of other people. Unfortunately, a dumpster stood just to the left of the doorway she sheltered in, wafting the always variable but never mistakable scent of rotting garbage into her nostrils.

Cass sighed and tried to make herself comfortable, discovered it was an impossible task, and hung her head. God dammit, dad, what am I gonna do? She had almost nodded off when she heard a commotion from up above her. The sound of feet pounding came echoing across the rooftop of the old building she huddled against. She glanced up, alert and afraid. A figure leaped from the edge of the roof, sailing across the gap between it and the next building over, a distance of 20 feet at least. The figure nearly cleared the jump, but came up short at the last second, crashing against the opposing roof’s ledge. The figure scrabbled for a handhold, found one, slipped, steadied itself, then slipped again, and went tumbling to the street some two stories below.

Cass sat frozen on the spot, too terrified to move. The figure groaned, in what sounded to Cass like a woman’s voice, and slowly rolled to its feet. As the neon lights from the street opposite the alley illuminated the figure, Cass saw that it was indeed a woman: her clothing was skin-tight and revealed an unmistakably feminine form. The woman took several halting, limping steps forward, toward Cass. Cass could hear her ragged, heavy breathing. Then, without warning, the woman pitched to one side, collapsing back to the ground. She rolled, limp, coming to rest a yard away from Cass’s feet, and lay still.

Cass blinked. What in the ever-loving fuck just happened? Her first impulse was to run, but curiosity threatened to overpower even her most ingrained instincts of street life. She sat unmoving a moment longer, half expecting the woman to get up again. But she showed no sign, and indeed, it almost sounded to Cass like she was snoring. Cass leaned forward, furtive and trembling. With a finger, she poked the woman’s ribs.

“Hey. Hey you.”

The woman didn’t stir or even so much as change her breathing. Cass got to her knees and shuffled out to look over the fallen stranger. Though the light was dim in the alleyway, there was enough to make out that the woman wore some kind of gaudy costume, probably spandex. An elaborate, gold and metal belt sat around her waist, and on her face she wore a hood-like mask.

Cass yelped and pulled back her hand. Ohmygod it’s Miss Incredible!

Cass looked up toward the rooftops again, then up and down the alley. Still not a soul in sight. Miss Incredible, here, in this alley! Unbelievable! Cass gazed down at the city’s self-appointed, costumed crime fighter. Jeez, is she all right? she wondered. She didn’t see any wounds or obvious signs of trauma on the superheroine’s body. Still, Miss Incredible wasn’t known for being a klutz; the woman could practically fly for god’s sake. How had she ended up like this, alone and zonked out in an alley?

Alone. Cass looked at Miss Incredible’s masked face. An idea had sprung to life in her mind. Everyone in the city, from the police, to the media, to the mayor, to concerned anti-vigilante citizen groups, wanted to know who Miss Incredible really was, but so far the superheroine had evaded capture and kept her identity a secret. People would pay major scratch for information like that, thought Cass. Maybe even enough to save my ass...

She felt butterflies in her stomach. Miss Incredible had been a crusader for justice and had fought the mob and corrupt cops for over a year now. Could she, Cass, really do her in? Was that what she’d come to?

Yeah, well, Cass answered herself, she didn’t take down the mobsters dad was in with, did she? It’s dog-eat-dog out here, and I’m desperate. When is an opportunity like this ever going to come again?

She steeled herself and reached for Miss Incredible’s mask.

Just then, more footsteps came pounding toward the alleyway from out on the street. She heard men shouting in hoarse, determined voices. “She’s gotta be down here!” one echoed down the alley.

Fuck fuck fuck thought Cass. She looked around. There was nowhere to run; the alley ended in a dead end, and the building door she’d used as a bed was locked. The voices were just moments from rounding the corner into the alley. Cass’s eyes passed over the smelly dumpster, then snapped back to it. Oh god, really?

She threw back the dumpster’s lid, assailed by an even more potent blast of garbage stench. She hoisted the unconscious superheroine in her arms, awkward and unwieldy, and heaved her into the dumpster, then threw herself in a heartbeat later and pulled the lid down gently.

In the foul-smelling darkness, Cass strained her ears to listen. In just moments, the footsteps and voices approached.

“…and I’m sure I saw her fall here,” said the first man’s voice.

“Nothing,” said the second. Cass noticed both men panted as if from a long run.

“Come on,” growled the first man. “She couldn’t have gotten away. That trank gas the boss dosed her with was enough to take down a mule.”

“She ain’t no mule,” said the second man. “Keep looking.”

Cass heard the men’s footsteps recede further into the alley, then come pounding back.

“Shit!” yelled the first man. “Oh, Sinistra’s gonna have our balls if we lose her.”

The second man said, “I ain’t going back empty handed, Joe. She must’ve headed back up the alley onto the street. Let’s get out there, we’re wasting time.”

The first man, Joe, cursed again. There came a loud clang against the side of the dumpster that almost made Cass shriek in surprise. As the thug continued to curse and mutter, she realized he must have kicked the dumpster in frustration. There was a pause. Then Joe said, “Wait a second,” and moved to the front of the dumpster. Cass heard him fumbling with the lid.

Ohshitohshitohshit!

The lid opened a crack to let in the gloomy light of the alley. Cass crouched in the garbage, cradling the superheroine in her arms, frozen in terror and out of ideas.

A sudden wailing whoop echoed down the alley. “Shit!” cried the second man. “Joe, it’s the pigs, we gotta run.”

Joe cursed yet again, and the lid of the dumpster slammed shut. Cass heard the sound of footsteps retreating up the alley as the police siren grew louder.

Cass let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Holy fucking shit,” she said to herself. “Too close. Just too close.”

She looked down at Miss Incredible, still passed out, her head lying in Cass’s lap. So somebody dosed you and you barely got away, and I found you. Guess today’s your lucky day.

Cass grimaced. As someone who had the mob on her ass, she could sympathize with Miss Incredible’s plight. After all, if not for Cass, the superheroine would be a captive now and she doubted very much that Joe and his buddy meant well. Who uses gas as a tranquilizer? she wondered. Still. Miss Incredible’s mask sat there, like an unopened Christmas present, just begging to be removed. Look, Cass told herself, I’m doing it to save my skin. It’s…necessary. Either her or me. An idea occurred to her. If I find out who she is, I can go to her directly and… suggest she help me. I can keep it between her and me. No harm done.

Cass carefully pushed the lid of the dumpster open and peered out. The alley was again abandoned. With the shadow-streaked light of the street now partially illuminating her prize, Cass leaned down over Miss Incredible and reached for the mask again.

The mask was made of some kind of spandex-like material, skin-tight and form-fitting. It fit over the heroine’s head like a cowl, attaching at the neck. A slit at the back of the mask allowed the heroine’s auburn hair to spill out behind her, now covered in bits of refuse from the dumpster. The mask covered most of Miss Incredible’s face, except for two eye holes and a small semi-circle under her nose and cheeks which revealed her chin and mouth. The heroine’s eyes were clamped shut and her mouth hung slack.

Cass stroked the mask, her stomach tingling. This felt wrong, but… What else could she do?

Her fingers traced the edge of the mask around Miss Incredible’s chin. Do it. She reached into her jeans pocket and pulled out her old, battered flip phone. Now devoid of any cellular carrier since she’d jettisoned that expense long ago, the phone was still useful on the street, not least as a camera. She pulled up the camera menu and aimed the low-resolution screen at the superheroine’s face. Not gonna make great pictures, but I’m not trying to win any competitions here.

Cass grasped the edge of the mask and pulled. The spandex stretched and peeled. It had some kind of semi-adhesive surface on the inside that clung to the heroine’s face as Cass pulled, resisting the unmasking. But Cass grunted and pulled harder, and the mask lifted with a slow, sticky, sucking sound. Up and up it went, revealing the heroine’s nose, her cheeks, her eyes, her eyebrows, her forehead, and then Cass pulled it loose entirely, tugging the heroine’s hair through the slit until it was free.

And there she was: Miss Incredible, unmasked and exposed. Cass studied the unconscious woman’s face. She was beautiful, with round cheeks and a dusting of light-brown freckles across them. She looked so familiar to Cass but she couldn’t quite place her. Somebody from TV maybe? she thought. Cass readied her camera phone. She set the empty mask next to Miss Incredible’s exposed face so that it would be prominent in the photo. She waited for the clunky camera to focus and then clicked the shutter button. The camera gave out its feeble flash, and the photo snapped. Cass called up the image immediately. Fairly low resolution and poor lighting, but the face was clearly defined. Cass grinned, and took another photo, and then another, and then another, from different angles, at different levels of zoom, some focused on the face, others showing Miss Incredible’s whole body. The proof needed to be undeniable.

Cass scooped up the mask for one last shot, zooming in for a closeup of it in her hand. Just then, she heard a low moan come from Miss Incredible. Cass froze and looked down. The unmasked heroine stirred, turning her head slightly to the left and clenching her hands. Her lips moved, mumbling inaudible words. Her eyes blinked once, twice, opened fully for a moment, then rolled back as she submerged into unconsciousness again.

Okay, time to go Cass. If Miss Incredible awoke to find Cass had unmasked her, Cass had a feeling she would end up at the bottom of the dumpster, in pieces. She grabbed the rim of the dumpster and hurled herself up and over, landing firm on two feet in the alley. She glanced around. Still no one in sight. A moan followed by a pained grunt came from the dumpster. Miss Incredible was almost awake. Cass bolted, running for the street as fast as she could.

She rounded the corner and took off down along the sidewalk. At this time of night there were few pedestrians so she was able to dash at full speed for quite a distance. She passed a few homeless people, huddled in doorways not unlike she had tried to do earlier, and while they watched her warily as she passed, they kept to themselves. When you see someone running like a madwoman at this time of night, you learn not to ask questions. Cass ran and ran, crossing into side streets and zigzagging through alleys. She doubted Miss Incredible could follow her, but she was a superheroine, so Cass didn’t want to take any chances. At last, after maybe ten minutes, her sides burned enough for her to slow down to a job and then stop completely, leaning on a streetlight. Her breath came in gasps. She wasn’t used to running that much, and because she hadn’t had much to eat today, her limbs felt like limb spaghetti. Got to rest, she thought.

She turned down the nearest alley, and ducked behind a stack of crates. She listened, then peered up over her cover. No one around. Further down the alley she found an old pallet strewn with discarded newspaper. With a sigh, she knelt down and rolled onto the “bed”. As she caught her breath, she noticed she was still holding Miss Incredible’s mask in her hand. She laughed. A little souvenir if nothing else, she thought. Maybe I can hawk it on eBay. Cass stuffed the mask down her shirt, into her bra. She wasn’t taking any chances losing it.

As she rolled into a ball to keep warm, Cass plotted her next move. Tomorrow, I’m gonna hit the Internet and find out just who Miss Incredible really is. Then, maybe she’ll be able to get me out of this jam. Cass drifted to sleep, a smile on her lips.

2 Miss Incredible

Miss Incredible’s eyes fluttered open. The world was bleary and hazy and for a moment her vision doubled. She lay on her back, on some uneven surface. Parts of it felt soft while others were hard. Something jabbed into her back, leaving it sore and uncomfortable. As her vision cleared, she gazed up to see the façade of a building looming over her.

Wha…where am I?

She blinked and looked to her left. Large dark humps surrounded her. Then she noticed the smell.

Garbage?

What in the hell had happened? She struggled to remember, but her mind felt foggy and dull. She had been on patrol… Down near the warehouse district… Looking into a smuggling ring. She’d burst in on some scummy thugs packing crates with drugs and then… Everything went blank after that. Miss Incredible groaned. She hurt all over, as if she’d been in a brutal fist fight, and lost. Nothing felt broken, though. She pushed herself up on her elbows, rising to a sitting position, and was greeted with a pounding pain in her head. It felt like the mother of all hangovers. She moaned in pain and collapsed back into the garbage.

She took a deep breath and tried to focus her mind. There had to be a reason she was in this dumpster, rather than dead. She had taken out some of the thugs but then…something had happened. She had a gut feeling. Something the thugs had done…

As she stared up into the sky above her, she saw the building’s heat vent emit its exhaust, misting on the cool autumn air, forming a puffy, coiling cloud before vanishing a moment later.

That’s it! she thought. There was a cloud. A white cloud. They… they gassed me!

It came back to her now. The thugs had hurled some egg-like container at her and it had shattered at her feet, immersing her in a thick, odorless cloud. She had breathed in a lungful before she could even react. One of the thugs had said, “Sinistra’s got you now, super-bitch.”

So I ran, she thought. I had no idea what was in the gas, but if it belonged to Sinistra, it couldn’t be good. She had leapt to the warehouse roof and gone careening across it, leaping to the next roof, then the next, desperate to put as much distance between herself and Sinistra’s thugs as she could before the gas’s effects took hold. And take hold they did. Within moments, Miss Incredible had felt exhausted and drowsy, her limbs going limp and saggy. She had tried one last leap…

But she could remember no more. I must have landed in this dumpster! she thought. That was a lucky break. Thank goodness no one saw me. She took another deep breath, steadied herself, and pulled herself to a sitting position again. The headache throbbed without mercy, sending spears of pain through her head. She groaned, but refused to let it knock her down again. Wincing, she reached up to her temple to massage it.

And froze.

Her fingers touched bare skin. Her eyes wide in shock, she felt her face with both hands.

My mask!

Her precious mask, the only thing between her and her secret identity, was gone. Oh god, how? The high-tack vinyl interior was supposed to make it impossible for the mask to just slip off. Still, she had fallen from a great height. She felt panic rising in her. If someone happened to walk by just now, she’d have nowhere to hide. Frantic, she dug through the trash, the pain in her head throbbing but forgotten for the moment. She reached to the bottom of the dumpster but to no avail. It’s not here! she thought. Where could it be? How could I lose it?

She took a breath. Think, Natalie. If Sinistra’s thugs had followed her, and she felt certain they had, as she’d heard their pursuing footsteps as she made her escape, they certainly could have taken it. But they wouldn’t have just left me here. All Sinistra wants in the world is to unmask me to the city. I was out cold. If they had found me, I’d be chained up in Sinistra’s basement by now.

Another thought struck her. She looked down and saw to her immense relief that she still wore her power belt. And they wouldn’t have left me with this, she thought, patting the belt. It was an unfortunate fact that Sinistra had discovered the source of Miss Incredible’s powers a while back, during one of their encounters in which Miss Incredible had nearly been unmasked by her foe. Now, her thugs knew what to aim for when they fought her, and it was a constant struggle to keep their grubby hands from the clasp of the belt. One good grab was all it would take for the belt to come loose and for Miss Incredible to lose her super strength, agility, and endurance. But no, the power belt still encircled her waist, and she could feel the electric tingle through her body that meant the power field was active.

So where the hell is my mask?

Miss Incredible peered over the rim of the dumpster into the alley. There was no one in sight. Still, she didn’t dare peek out too far. With her face exposed, she was in grave danger, power belt or not.

Could someone else have taken it? she wondered. There were a lot of homeless street people in this part of town. Would one of them really have the guts to unmask Miss Incredible? And why? What good would it do such a person to discover the superheroine’s identity?

Because information like that is very valuable, she thought, her stomach sinking. Dear god, what if somebody had found her, unconscious and helpless, peeled the mask off, and was, even now, blabbing to the media? Or worse, to Sinistra. Miss Incredible moaned. She didn’t even know how long she’d been out of it. It was still night, so she doubted not long, but any would-be unmasker could be long gone by now.

This is bad, she thought. Very bad. I’m in serious trouble if someone knows who I am. And I have no way of finding out who they are, not before it’s too late.

She considered seeking out some of the street people in this part of town; surely somebody had seen something. But no, she couldn’t risk that, not without her mask. In frustration, Miss Incredible punched the side of the dumpster, leaving a deep dent with her super-powered fist.

There was nothing to do now but return home and try to get ahead of this crisis. God, I might need to leave the city, even the country, for a while. She needed a shower, and some aspirin, or maybe something stronger. Like vodka, maybe.

Miss Incredible looked around the alley again, just to triple-check she was alone. She pulled herself to her feet, her headache thudding in painful protest. Steadying herself, she coiled her leg muscles and felt the power field respond, augmenting her strength ten-fold. She leaped, straight up, and landed, a little gracelessly, on the building’s roof, some twenty feet above the dumpster.

If I keep to the rooftops and the shadows, I should be able to make it home without anyone seeing my face. But it was going to be a long hike back uptown to her high-rise penthouse. Sighing, she took a running leap and sailed to the roof of the next building over. What a night, she thought as she continued her run-leap-run rhythm over rooftop after rooftop. Gassed, chased, knocked out cold, asleep in garbage, and unmasked by a random bystander. Her face reddened at the shame of it. Maybe I’m not as good at this superheroine thing as I thought.

3 Cass

With her last bit of cash, Cass paid for a booth at the internet café, slapping the bills down on the counter with her palm. The clerk wrinkled his nose at her as he took the money; Cass hadn’t showered from the previous night’s garbage-filled adventure. Yeah, well, if I work this right, I’ll never have to worry about where I sleep again.

She sat down at the computer terminal she’d been assigned, an old Gateway that still had a floppy disk slot in it. Cass called up several search engines then paused to consider. How best to go about this search? Her vague recognition of Miss Incredible gave her the hunch that she must be someone relatively well-known in the city. She typed in “Eagle City celebrities” and ran the search. Numerous lists of paparazzi photos came back, with actors and sports stars and reality TV personalities, all taken in and around the city. Too broad. She went back to the search engine and tapped her fingers on her chin. She typed “Eagle City politicians.” This yielded some better results. She navigated through images of the current city council, mayor’s office, county clerk, and more. But none of them were Miss Incredible’s alter ego. All of these people are too normal-looking, she thought. She tried a new search: “Eagle City most beautiful people.” A few results came up. The third one she clicked on was an article about Eagle City’s most eligible, high-profile singles. Most were men, powerful lawyers and bankers, a few were athletes, and some were from academia…

And then she found her.

The article had a brief blurb on one Natalie Carter, a distinguished professor of physics at the Dystrom Institute, Eagle City’s elite science academy. Professor Carter was also a renowned philanthropist and activist for social justice, and had a number of patents in her name for amazing inventions that had helped revolutionize her field. All this at just 30 years of age. And she just happened to be beautiful, single, and extremely rich.

Cass stared at the press photo of Carter, taken at some formal awards ceremony. Carter wore a slinky, form-fitting evening gown and stood at a lectern smiling to an unseen audience. She was tall and voluptuous with wide hips and a full bust. Her hair, a rich auburn in color, flowed down her shoulders in effortless-seeming layers. Light brown freckles danced across her cheeks and nose.

Holy crap, yes! Cass ran a new search for “Natalie Carter Eagle City” and was rewarded with dozens of photos of the scientist. This bitch gets around, thought Cass, scrolling through photo after photo of Carter at various awards shows, commencements, grand openings, and city meetings. She culled out half a dozen photos that showed Carter’s face in good detail, then popped in the thumb drive she’d palmed from the desk of the asshole clerk and saved them to it. She then pulled out her phone, which showed a 19% charge remaining, and pulled up the photos from last night. She looked over her shoulders, wary of observers, but only two other patrons were in the café that morning, a teenage boy and a gray-haired man. Both had their faces firmly buried in their own screens.

Cass held up the first image of Miss Incredible’s unmasked face to the computer screen, next to one of the photos of Carter. The resemblance was undeniable. Nailed her, thought Cass.

She continued her research on Carter, seeking out her vital information. For figures as prominent in public as she was, such information was surprisingly easy to find. Cass gaped when she read a blurb on Carter’s estimated net worth: over $200 million. A hundred k is a drop in the bucket for a rich snob like her, thought Cass. I bet she spends more than that on shoes every year. This is going to work.

Cass spent the next hour making a few other preparations online and organizing her information on Carter. She lived uptown in the high-end district, in a penthouse of course. Cass found two dimes and a few pennies in her back pocket, but that was the extent of her cash. Guess I’d better hit the pavement, thought Cass. She logged out of the computer and made her way to the exit. The clerk gave her another disgusted look as she passed, and she flashed him a friendly smile.

It would be a long walk. Uptown was miles away. She might be able to snag a ride on the back of a truck, but hitching in Eagle City was dangerous, even in broad daylight, for a 19-year-old girl. She’d have to find something to eat on the way as well; cutting through Market Square ought to provide her with some opportunities to steal.

She set off, determined and fierce. Nobody was going to stop her today.

Miss Incredible, we need to have a little talk about your mask.

4 Natalie

“John, I’m going to need to cancel all my meetings this week.” Natalie held the phone in the crook of her neck while she folded a pair of jeans and placed them in her suitcase.

“All of them?” asked John over the phone.

“Yes, all. You know what, cancel next week’s too.”

“Sure thing, Nat.” She could hear John typing on his computer for a moment. Then he said, “Is… everything all right?”

“A bit of a family emergency,” said Natalie. “I may need to be out of the country for a bit, I’m not sure yet.”

“Jeez, sounds serious,” her assistant said. “Anything I can do?”

Natalie juggled the phone as she pulled a blouse off its hanger and tried to fold it one-handed. “I appreciate it, John, but no, just issue the normal apologies and hold the fort till I get back.”

“Any idea when that’ll be?”

She paused. “I can’t say right now. I just don’t know. The board doesn’t need my oversight; they can continue day to day operations at the Institute without me.”

“They’re going to be mad,” John said.

“That’s why I hired you,” Natalie said, rolling a pair of panties into a ball and tossing them into the suitcase. “So you can deal with the bullshit for me.”

John sighed. “Okay Nat. Just take care, okay?”

“I will. I’ll be in contact as soon as I can.” She hung up.

Natalie dropped the phone onto the bed and sighed, wiping sweat from her brow. Just a few more things and she’d have her impromptu emergency bag packed. She’d chartered a plane this morning and it would take off as soon as she was ready. I can always say I was helping build a school in Peru, she thought.

There had been nothing on the news about her unmasking so far. She hoped—prayed—that her unmasker had decided to keep quiet. But she couldn’t risk staying in the city even so. Give it a week or so and see what happens, then maybe it’ll be safe to come back.

With a deep sigh, she went to the back of her walk-in closet and pressed three fingers against a certain spot on the wall. Air hissed as the secret panel accepted her fingerprints and slid open into a subtle pocket in the wall. Inside the panel stood a mannequin wearing Miss Incredible’s costume, minus her mask of course. She had debated whether to bring it or not; both options carried risk. If she was exposed to the public, police or anyone else investigating her condo might find the secret panel and incontrovertible proof that she was indeed Miss Incredible. If she took it with her, she ran the risk of it being discovered in her luggage. She stood, staring at the costume, hands on hips, thinking. Better to have it and not need it, she thought at length, and reached into pull the costume off the mannequin.

At that moment, her doorbell rang, making her jump. Shit. She stuffed the costume back into the secret panel and hit the fingerprint pad on the wall. The panel slid shut with smooth clack. Who the hell could it be? she wondered. I didn’t get a buzz from the doorman.

She made her way to the front door and looked through the peephole. She saw the distorted face of a young woman gazing back at her. Maybe one of the neighbor’s kids?

Natalie unlocked the door and pulled it open. “Hello,” she said and was unable to hide a trace of suspicion in her voice. “Can I help you?”

The girl must have been eighteen or nineteen, maybe just out of high school. She wore a ragged denim jacket over a faded sweatshirt and jeans with so many holes and tears in them that Natalie could see a hint of the girl’s pink underwear peeking out in places. Her face was dirty and her hair was a disheveled mess that looked like hadn’t been brushed in weeks. And she stank. Like a mixture of sweat and… garbage? Something tingled in Natalie’s mind but the girl spoke before she could formulate the thought.

“Hi there,” she said in a bright, friendly voice that seemed to contradict her filthy appearance. “Wow, it’s really you!” She beamed at Natalie, starstruck. “I’m so happy to meet you!”

Natalie nodded but frowned. “And may I ask who…”

“Oh, how rude of me!” the girl slapped a hand to her forehead. “The name’s Cass.”

“Hello, Cass,” said Natalie. “So, was there something you needed?”

Cass nodded with vigor. “Yes, ma’am. I’m a student reporter from the City College Sentinel, doing a story on positive female role models in the STEM field. I was hoping I could interview you about your amazing career.”

Natalie couldn’t help but blush a little bit. This wasn’t the first time a wide-eyed kid had begged her for attention. It was cute, usually. But something wasn’t right here. She smiled back at Cass. “Well, I’m honored to be asked, Cass, and I’d love to give you an interview, but, well, I have a very busy schedule today.”

“Oh it won’t take long,” Cass chirped.

Natalie grimaced. “I’m sure it wouldn’t, sweetie, but these things need to be scheduled through my office. Let me get you a card. I’ll put you in contact with my assistant.” Natalie turned to a side table near the door and picked up her purse. “By the way, how did you get up here?”

Cass blinked. “Elevator?”

“No, I mean the doorman didn’t buzz me that I had a visitor. Who let you up?”

The girl shrugged. “I guess he was on break. I didn’t see any doorman.”

Natalie fished a business card out of her wallet and handed it to the girl. “Here you go. Just call that number and my assistant can schedule you in,” she paused realizing everything in her life was on hold for the moment, “sometime next month.”

Natalie started to close the door but the girl, smiling, grabbed it with her hand and held it open. “I really think it’d be worth clearing your calendar for,” she said and then added with emphasis in a low voice, “Miss Incredible.”

Natalie froze. Cass grinned at her, still friendly, but now slightly sinister as well. Oh no, she thought. I’m too late. Have to play this cool. She put on a confused look and shook her head. “I’m sorry, what is that supposed to mean?”

Cass smirked. “You sure that’s how you want to do this?”

Natalie smiled, though inside she felt a panic rising. “Do what?”

Cass sighed and shook her head. “Okay, fine.” She reached down the collar of her shirt and groped for something. Natalie’s eyebrows went up. After a moment of fumbling, Cass pulled something from inside her shirt and held it up for Natalie to see: a piece of blue spandex fabric with silver trim.

My mask!

“Feel like talking yet?” asked Cass.

Natalie’s stomach plummeted in fear. “Very well, come in then,” she said in a gruff, hurried tone. Cass sauntered through the doorway as if she’d always planned to do so. Natalie checked up and down the hallway outside the condo, terrified someone might have overheard the exchange, but it was all clear. She shut the door behind her, and locked it.

Cass stood with her back to Natalie, looking around her in wonder at the luxurious home. “Wow,” she said. “To think people take this shit for granted.”

Natalie grabbed the girl by the shoulder and wheeled her around with fury. “Okay, kid, what do you want?”

Cass gently pushed Natalie’s hand off her and smiled again. “Good to see you’re listening.” She cleared her throat. “What I want is your help.”

Natalie glared. “Why would I help you?”

Cass snorted. “Um, because I have this,” she said gesturing with the mask.

“You know,” Natalie began, “if you really believe I’m Miss Incredible, you must be aware that if you’re right, I could totally squash you.”

“Sure,” said Cass. “Which is why I have this.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out an old-model cell phone, flipped it open and showed the screen to Natalie. She saw a grainy photo of her own face, eyes closed, her head pillowed by a black garbage bag. Natalie swallowed hard. Cass scrolled to another photo, this one revealing Natalie’s full body, clad in Miss Incredible’s blue and white spandex uniform, her face completely exposed. Oh god, she thought.

Natalie lunged for the phone, catching Cass off guard. She pulled it from the girl’s fingers and held it over head, ready to smash it against the floor.

“Wait!” Cass shouted.

Natalie looked up at her, furious.

“That’s my only phone!” the girl pleaded.

Natalie was so surprised by this weakest of defenses she actually laughed. “Then maybe you’ll learn a valuable lesson today.”

“Look, Natalie,” Cass growled, showing anger for the first time, “you can break my phone all you want, but it won’t help you.”

Natalie paused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean this: I’ve posted the photos to several image-hosting sites and blogs.”

No! Natalie couldn’t stifle a gasp.

Cass held up her hands in a placative gesture. “I’ve posted them on a delayed timer,” she said. “They’ll upload at some point later today. Unless I decide to stop them.”

Natalie lowered her arm and glared at Cass. “You’re blackmailing me?”

Cass shrugged. “I’m covering my ass. Of course I knew you could smoosh me like a bug. That’s why I had to make a little leverage. This way, if I somehow don’t make it out of here today, you’re as good as done.”

“And if I agree to help you…”

“I’ll cancel the uploads.”

Natalie sighed and handed the phone back to Cass. “You’re one conniving little bitch,” she said.

Cass took the phone and slid it back into her jeans pocket. “I’ll take that as a compliment. You could show a bit more gratitude though.”

“Gratitude?” Natalie spat the word. “Yes, thank you so much for threatening me and blackmailing me.”

Cass shook her head. “God, you’re dense. If it wasn’t for me, those thugs would have found you, out cold. And from what I overheard, they weren’t planning on just giving you a lift home.”

Natalie frowned. “You…you mean you…”

“I pulled you into the dumpster,” Cass said. “I hid with you until they were gone.”

Natalie blinked, unsure how she felt now. “I… thank you, Cass.”

Cass shrugged. “Seemed like the right idea at the time.”

Natalie shook her head as another thought forced its way up. “But why would you unmask me after saving me?”

“A secret like yours is worth a lot,” Cass said. “I guess I’m just an opportunist. I have to be, if I want to survive.”

“You know, if you needed help that badly, you could have just asked Miss Incredible instead of trying to blackmail her.”

Cass rolled her eyes. “Sure, and I bet she—you—would have just jumped at the chance to help a scummy street kid like me. Give me a break. Nobody does anything out of the goodness of their hearts.”

Natalie shook her head. “You’re wrong. There are good people in this city, Cass, and I like to think I’m one of them.”

“Then prove it. Help me with my problem and I swear I’ll disappear.”

Natalie sighed. “Fine. What is it you need?”

“One hundred thousand dollars,” answered Cass.

Natalie blinked. “Money? You did all this for money?”

“Sorry,” said Cass with sarcasm. “Does it only warrant your help when it’s for a nobler cause?”

“I just...” Natalie began, then shook her head again. “Fine, one hundred thousand dollars. What on earth does a kid your age need with that much money?”

“Debt,” said Cass.

Natalie raised an eyebrow. “How could you have that much in debt?”

Cass scowled. “It’s none of your business.”

“Oh isn’t it?” Natalie barked a laugh. “If you’re going to extort me for a hundred grand, yeah, I think it is my business.”

“Look, I owe some scary people,” Cass said with a sigh. “I have to pay up soon, by Friday. Or I’m in big trouble.”

Natalie frowned, concerned. “What scary people? Tell me, Cass. Please.”

“Carlo Tucci,” she said, looking at her feet as if she was ashamed. “He’s a bookie who loans out for high-stakes card games, and he…” she trailed off.

“He works for the mob,” finished Natalie.

Cass looked up at her, surprised.

“I’ve done my homework on the mob, Cass,” she said. “I’m Miss Incredible, you know.”

Cass nodded. “Yeah, right. I didn’t think of that.”

“So how did you get in deep with a bunch of mob card sharps?” asked Natalie.

“I didn’t,” said Cass. “My dad did.”

Natalie gave her a long look as she began to formulate what the girl was saying.

Cass walked over to one of Natalie’s overstuffed living room chairs and slumped down into it. Without meeting Natalie’s eye, she said, “My old man loves to gamble. It’s why mom left. I tried to get to him to stop, but…” She looked up at Natalie. “I guess you’ve probably met enough addicts as a superheroine to know how that goes.”

Natalie nodded.

“Anyway,” continued Cass, “he always won enough to just barely scrape by. He liked to say that his luck always came in at the clutch. And that’s what kept him going. Just one more game, and he’d never have to play again. That was his mantra.” Cass shut her eyes, as if in pain. “So he kept getting deeper, until he found these super-high stakes games down by the docks. He bought into one, and what do you know, he won big. Like $20,000 big. So the next week, he takes all his winnings and bets it all. Only, thing is, the mob doesn’t take kindly to losing that kind of scratch. So big surprise, dad lost. Of course he didn’t have what he owed them. They gave him a week to get it together. And what does my brave old man do? Skips town, without a word.”

Natalie felt an urge to take the girl’s hand and comfort her. “But why would the mob expect you to pay?”

Cass sniffled, fighting back tears. “They thought it would bring him out of hiding. They thought I knew where he was, and that I’d beg him for help. But I don’t know!” she shouted the last word. “He left me! All alone. I’ve been living on the street, stealing and pickpocketing to have enough to eat. But they,” she said, shuddering with a sob, “they told me if my dad didn’t pay up, they would…they’d get their money... Out of me.” She broke down into hitching sobs, burying her face in her hands.

Natalie walked to where Cass sat and knelt beside the chair. She ran a hand through the girl’s dirty hair and then put an arm around her shoulders. To her surprise, Cass leaned into her, accepting the embrace. They sat like that for several minutes until Cass’s sobs abated.

At length, the girl said, “So that’s why I need the money. So I can pay those assholes off and find someplace to hide till my dad comes back. Then, I’m gonna kill him.”

Natalie brushed Cass’s hair with one hand while shushing her. “That’s not going to help anything,” she said.

Cass glared up at Natalie and pushed away from her. “I didn’t ask for your pity,” she snarled.

“But you have it anyway.”

“Look,” Cass said, wiping her nose with her sleeve. “Just give me the money and let me finish this. It’s nothing personal. You’re just a giant dollar sign to me, that’s all.”

Natalie stood and looked at Cass with concern. “I can give you the money,” she said. “But Cass, what do you think is going to happen if you walk into Carlo Tucci’s place with a suitcase full of money? They’re going to want to know where you got it. They know you’re not good for it; they don’t want the money. They want to make a point.”

“I’ll just tell them my old man scraped it together,” said Cass.

“Would you believe that,” said Natalie, “given what you know about your father?”

Cass frowned. “No, I guess not.”

“Cass, at best, the mob is going to take the money and try to coerce you into getting more. After all, if you can come up with that much in a week, what else could you do for them?”

“I…I never thought of that.”

“And at worst,” said Natalie, “they’ll take the money and then do what they had planned to do to you anyway.”

Cass blanched. “But…but if I pay them…”

Natalie gave her a sad smile and shook her head. So naïve. “Cass, these are criminals. If they know they have someone over a barrel, they’re not going to let up.”

“So what am I supposed to do?” shouted Cass. “I can’t go to the police. I’ve had a rap sheet since I was 12, and I’m a known thief. Plus, half the cops are on the take from the mob, or so I hear.”

“I’m afraid that’s true,” said Natalie. A problem I have yet to solve, she added to herself. “But there is a solution you haven’t considered yet.”

Cass looked at her, confused. “What?”

Natalie smiled. “You just happen to know Miss Incredible, a superheroine who has a lot of practice fighting the mob. And she owes you a favor.”

5 Cass

“So, what?” Cass said. “You want to go in and… beat on Carlo till he gives up my dad’s debt?”

“More like bring proof of his extortion racket to the police, but yes, I expect there will be some fisticuffs.”

Cass looked Natalie up and down. “I appreciate the offer,” she said, “but I think just giving them the money would be easier.”

“Easier, sure,” said Natalie. “But like I said, that wouldn’t be the end of it for you. And besides, wouldn’t you want to see them behind bars, where they can’t hurt anyone else?”

“But the mob…” began Cass.

“Let me handle the mob.”

Cass frowned at Natalie. “Hold on a minute. The whole reason I’m even here is because I found you, out cold, in an alley. Being chased by the mob.”

Natalie held up a hand in protest. “They weren’t the mob, Cass. Those were Sinistra’s henchmen.”

“Who’s Sinistra?”

“She’s a criminal, a sex pervert, a power broker in the underworld. And one of my chief foes in cleaning up the city.”

“Sounds kind of mobbish to me,” said Cass.

“She has ties to them, yes,” replied Natalie. “But believe me, she’s her own beast.”

“Okay fine,” Cass said, rolling her eyes. “Who cares? The fact is, this Sinistra person kicked your ass.”

Natalie blushed. “She…temporarily disabled me. I took down half a dozen of her thugs first.”

Cass shook her head in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? They dosed you with something, I heard them say it! You’re only alive because of me, out of sheer dumb luck. And you want me to trust you that you can take on Carlo Tucci and his thugs?”

“Tucci is not Sinistra,” said Natalie. “Sinistra knew I was coming. Carlo doesn’t. I can take him.”

“And if you can’t? If you’re captured and tortured? What if they ask how you found out about them?”

“Cass, I would never…”

“You’re asking me to take a lot on faith, Miss Helpless-in-an-Alley.”

Natalie blushed again. “Cass, it was a setback, a mistake, I admit it. Sinistra is desperate to capture me. But I’ll be prepared next time, I promise.”

God, what the hell am I supposed to do here? Cass wondered. Miss Incredible had busted over a dozen mobsters over the past year, and had stood toe-to-toe with their best toughs and duked it out. There was no question she could hold her own in a fight, but like she herself had said, the mob isn’t going to play nice out of respect for good ethics. I wish I’d never taken her stupid mask in the first place.

“Cass,” said Natalie in a softer tone. “I want to help you. Not because of the leverage you have over me but because you sincerely need it. That’s what Miss Incredible is about. I promise you I can take care of this problem for you, and for the whole city. I’ll even wear a gas mask this time,” she added with a slight smile.

Cass gave her a long look. “You’re very brave, Ms. Carter. But I still don’t know.”

Natalie’s face brightened. “If you let me do this, if you trust me to take these jerks down, I can get you a job, working for me.”

Cass felt stunned. A job? Like, working for a living?

“How did you get up here, by the way?” Natalie asked.

Cass blinked at the sudden change of subject. Then she smirked. “I told the doorman there was somebody standing on the ledge about 10 stories up, shouting about jumping. He ran off, and I sneaked in.”

“You see?” said Natalie, grinning. “You’re obviously a smart, resourceful girl. Cunning too,” Imagine putting that mind to good use, rather than to petty crime and mere survival.”

“You would really do that for me?” asked Cass.

“I would. Of course, you know my secret identity so…”

Cass held up her hands. “Look I’m sorry about that. I swear I won’t tell anyone. I mean, why would I? If you got me a job, I’d be screwing myself if I blabbed.”

“That was my hope,” said Natalie.

“Okay then,” Cass said, her mind made up. “Go for it. Give them hell. But I’m coming with you.”

Natalie laughed. “You most certainly are not. You don’t have superpowers. I’m not risking you getting hurt. I can handle it on my own.”

Cass gritted her teeth. “You’re not my mom. I’m coming. I want to make sure…” She trailed off as she realized what she was about to say.

“Make sure I don’t screw up,” finished Natalie, shooting her a reproachful glance. “Kid, I understand your concern. But give me a little credit, will you?”

Cass, realizing this was a fruitless path, relented. “Fine, fine. Go alone, and I’ll just sit on my hands and wait.”

Natalie smiled. “You can do more than that. I want you to stay here, in my penthouse. For as long as you need to.”

Cass’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Mi casa es su casa,” said Natalie. “And as the first order of business: take a shower. You smell like a landfill.”

Cass gave her a lopsided grin. “That’s your fault. But I wouldn’t say no to a shower, I admit.”

“Good,” said Natalie. “I’ll fix you something to eat while you do. You like lasagna?”

Natalie led Cass to an immense bathroom with a marble and glass shower. It wasn’t even a normal shower; instead, it had numerous water jets built into the wall that sprayed at all angles, ensuring every part of your body got clean. Natalie gave Cass a towel and a robe (several sizes too large, but Cass didn’t care) and then left her to her privacy. Cass stripped out of her sweat-stained clothes. She held her shirt up to her nose and sniffed and was appalled by the stink. Not going to want to put this stuff back on, she thought.

The shower felt like paradise. She simply stood in the warm water for minutes on end, letting it sluice her of the built-up dirt and grime. The marble floor of the shower stall ran gray and brown from the gunk. She used a soft, moisturizing soap and a fancy, French shampoo. At last, after close to 30 minutes, she stepped out and dried off with Natalie’s towel, which felt as soft as down on her skin. How do different people live like this, and live like me, in the same city?

She emerged from the bathroom, her hair slicked back and still wet, wearing Natalie’s puffy white robe. She felt like a different person, like the shower had melted away the old Cass Korman and left someone new and fresh in her place. She found Natalie had set her a place in the dining room on her massive mahogany table. Natalie bustled in with a steaming plate of lasagna and set it down in front of Cass like she was in a restaurant. “It’s leftovers from earlier this week,” she explained, “but it was the quickest thing I had on hand. Sorry it’s not fresh.”

Cass took a bite of the pasta and felt a nearly orgasmic thrill go through her. It was the best food she had ever tasted. What is it like when it’s fresh? she wondered. Do you just die of ecstasy?

Natalie sat at the table while Cass ate (asking for seconds after she devoured her first plate). Natalie watched her in silence. Cass, feeling awkward, said, “So, how do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“The superheroine thing. Are you a mutant? A government-created monster? A robot?”

Natalie laughed. “Now that’s a secret I’m not letting you know. But I’m a regular human, just like you. My powers come from science.”

Cass raised her eyebrows. “So you’re the real deal then, when it comes to all that science stuff I read about you.”

“I suppose I am,” she said. “I try. I just want to make the world a better place, but sometimes going through the ‘system’ just isn’t feasible. Sometimes, somebody has to do something extreme.”

Cass reached into the robe’s pocket. “Here,” she said, pulling out Miss Incredible’s mask. “You’re going to need this. Sorry again.”

Natalie took the mask in her hands and Cass could see a look of relief wash over the woman’s face. “Thank you,” she said. “And yes, I will need it.”

Cass felt awkward again and changed the subject. “So, um, I hate to be so gauche, but do you have any clothes I could borrow? Mine…well, you know.”

Natalie laughed. “Yes, I think yours might be bound for the rag bin. I’m afraid I don’t have anything your size. Natalie looked down at her ample chest. “I’ve always been… big.”

Cass looked down at her own bust, at least several sizes smaller than Natalie’s. “Yeah, I guess that probably wouldn’t work.”

“But hold on,” Natalie said. She got up from the table and returned a minute later with her purse. “We can go shopping, buy you a whole new wardrobe. You can put on one of my t-shirts and a pair of running shorts. It’ll be awkward, but we’ll have you in new duds in no time.”

Cass stared at Natalie. “Are you serious?”

Natalie smiled and dug her credit card out of her purse. “Totally. It’ll be fun.”

Cass couldn’t prevent a grin from spreading across her lips. “Let’s go!” she cried.

They got her into some of Natalie’s old clothes, baggy and loose, which required Cass to constantly hold up the waistband of the shorts, but it worked. As they rode the elevator down to the lobby, Cass looked over at Natalie Carter and smiled. I take it back, she thought. Unmasking Miss Incredible was the best thing I ever did.

---

“For the last time, no, you’re not coming with me,” said Natalie, leaning over a map of the city spread out on the dining room table. The warehouse where Carlo ran his gambling den was circled in red. “It’s too dangerous.”

It was later that evening, after the pair had returned from an extensive shopping trip. Cass wore a Nirvana t-shirt and a pair of plaid sweatpants, both brand new, just two of the dozens of items Natalie had purchased for her that day. She had never owned so many clothes in her life. She couldn’t believe Natalie had dropped so much cash on her without a thought.

“I can fight!” said Cass. “You have any idea what it’s like as a girl living on the street?”

“I can only imagine, but I can’t afford to have you there. You might get in my way.”

Cass gaped. “Oh screw you—"

Natalie held up her hands. “You’re not trained in these things. You might panic. You might get taken hostage, and then what am I supposed to do?” Cass scowled but said nothing.

“Just let yourself have an evening alone,” said Natalie. “Order pizza, watch some Netflix, take a bubble bath. You’ve earned it. Let me handle this part. Alone.”

Cass shook her head and lay down on Natalie’s large living room sofa in frustration, pulling a throw blanket over her head. Whatever, she thought. But the “extras” she’d bought while Natalie was out getting them coffee that afternoon said otherwise.

“It’s time for me suit up,” said Natalie. “Back in a minute.” She walked off toward the bedroom.

Cass looked up from under the blanket. She leapt up, slid out of her new shoes, and padded on sock feet across the penthouse, following Natalie. Natalie went into a large closet in her bedroom. Cass sneaked up to the doorway and pressed against the wall, peering in. Natalie touched the wall at the back of the closet and a hidden panel in the wall slid open. Cass could see something in the shadows within, but couldn’t make out what. Natalie stripped then. She slid out of her tight jeans, wiggling her hips to get them over her ample backside, revealing a pair of purple and green striped panties that clung tight to her ass. She then pulled off her blouse, exposing a black bra. She reached behind her and undid the clasp on the bra, shrugging out of it. Cass looked on in awe. She felt strange. She had always been into guys but seeing this, seeing Natalie Carter’s curvaceous body, knowing she was the woman under Miss Incredible’s mask… Holy crap, this is actually turning me on! What the fuck, vagina?

Natalie reached into the secret compartment and pulled out a black sports bra and slipped it over her head, tugging it down and adjusting it around her full breasts. She then pulled out a blue spandex halter top, highlighted in places with white: Miss Incredible’s costume. In moments, the form-fitting top clung to her body like a second skin. A matching pair of spandex leggings completed the outfit. Finally, Natalie took out a heavy-looking belt and fastened it around her waist. Cass wondered. She gets her powers from science. I wonder if that thing has anything to do with it?

Natalie started to turn toward the bedroom, so Cass took off as stealthily as she could and resumed her place on the sofa. A moment later, Natalie emerged, carrying a pair of calf-high, high-heeled blue leather boots.

Cass whistled. “You clean up nice.”

Natalie gave her a scolding look as she put on her left boot. “My costume isn’t designed with sex-appeal in mind, Cass. It just affords me the maximum freedom of movement.”

“Spandex doesn’t seem very tough to go up against guns and knives,” Cass said.

“True,” replied Natalie, “but this is Kevdex, a combination of spandex and Kevlar, something I worked up in the lab. Bullet and blade resistant, and super-durable.”

Cass looked impressed. “So no worries about the seat of your pants splitting.”

Natalie rolled her eyes and slipped on her right boot. Cass gazed at her. She’d never seen Miss Incredible in the light before. Damn she’s hot, she thought, her eyes following the seamless curves of the superheroine’s legs, hips, and bust. No wonder this Sinistra lady is after her.

Natalie picked up the mask where it lay on the dining room table and held it up. “Don’t wait up for me,” she said, pulling it down over her head and fitting her hair through the slit in back. “It’s going to be a long night.” She tugged the mask into place, adjusting the nose-piece and the eyeholes. She turned to Cass. “Be good while I’m gone.”

Cass grinned. “You got it, Miss I!”

Natalie—Miss Incredible—smiled back. “I like that,” she said. She walked to the sliding glass door that led out to the privacy-fenced balcony, looked upward, and then leapt straight up toward the building’s roof.

Cass counted to ten in her head, then rushed to the bedroom Natalie had designated as hers. Digging through the dozen or so shopping bags from that afternoon, she found the one she sought: Alpine Outdoors. She dumped the contents onto the bed, sorting several of the items into the new black knapsack she’d bought. Then, she stripped and threw on the black leggings, black t-shirt, black fleece jacket. Last, she picked up the black ski mask and slipped it into her pocket.

6 Miss Incredible

She landed with a soft thud on the warehouse roof. Crouching, she peered down at the next building over. This is the one. But how to make her entrance? She leaped down onto the street and dashed through the shadows to the side of the warehouse. With a standing leap, grabbed onto the edge of the roof and pulled herself up. Quiet and careful.

Miss Incredible felt distracted. As much as she had come to like Cass, the fact was the girl knew her secret, and that was a danger to her. She didn’t think big enough, thought Miss Incredible. If she’d been truly heartless, she could sold the information to the media, made enough to pay off her debt, get out of the city, and live comfortably the rest of her life. Even if Cass could be trusted, which Miss Incredible wasn’t sure of at all, she could be a huge liability if Sinistra ever got wind of what she knew. Could Cass live the rest of her days avoiding the temptation to blab the secret? She’s just a kid, thought Miss Incredible. Kids don’t make good decisions.

At least the girl had honored her promise to cancel the photo uploads. But she hadn’t deleted the photos from her phone yet. God, how could I have been so foolish to let myself get knocked out in public? She pulled out the gas mask she had grabbed from the lab on her way to the warehouse earlier. Never again, she thought. She pulled the mask on over her face. It covered her mouth and nose but left her eyes free of obstruction. I may have to integrate one of these things into my regular mask in the future, she thought. Can’t be too careful now that I know chemical warfare is on the table.

She dashed lightly over to a slant-sided window that looked down into the warehouse. There were lights on but she couldn’t see any people. The window was locked but with a little force, she broke the latch and lifted the pane, crawling in to hang from a steel rafter. A metal catwalk hung from the ceiling nearby. She maneuvered, hand-over-hand, along the rafter and let herself drop to catwalk where she landed in a crouch. She listened.

She could hear voices from deeper within the warehouse and saw a pool of light concentrated toward the center of the building. Keeping as quiet as she could, she dashed along the catwalk, leaping up to the rafters here and there, working her way toward the sounds. At last, she came to a stack of crates that nearly reached the ceiling. She grabbed one and pulled herself up on top, flatting herself prone, and looked down to see the scene below.

A group of men sat around a large round table, covered in green felt. A pile of cash sat at the center of the table along with several stacks of poker chips. The scent of cigar smoke filled the air and the men laughed and bantered back and forth. She noticed four other men standing at points around the table, obviously packing, keeping a close eye on the proceedings. Go time.

She pushed herself up to a crouch, then leapt off her hiding place on the crate, plummeting 20 feet to the floor below. She landed with a crash right on the table, smashing it to splinters and sending the chips and cash flying. The men howled in terror, several of them falling out of their seats. Miss Incredible rolled to a crouch, stood, then dropped into her fighting stance.

“Sorry boys,” she quipped, “but it looks like I’ve got the winning pair.”

“Holy shit!” shouted one of the thugs, reaching into his jacket. “It’s Miss Incredible! Waste her!”

Before he could draw his weapon, Miss Incredible leapt the 10 feet between them and punched him square in the jaw. The impact sent him flying backwards, slamming into a crate. Another thug came up behind her and tried to grab her in a hold. She laughed, and flipped him forward over her shoulder, then kicked him the ribs as he struck the floor. Gunshots rang out, but she was already moving, dodging to the side and rolling to her feet in a lightning-fast charge. Two left, she thought. The men who had been playing cards went running for their lives, leaving their money where it lay scattered on the floor.

With a powerful handspring, she flipped through the air and caught one of the remaining thugs square in the chest with her feet. He went down with a wuuf. She wheeled on the last thug and lunged for his gun. She grabbed the barrel and with a violent twist, jerked it out of his hand and ripped it into two pieces. The thug whimpered and put up his hands.

“Look, I don’t want any trouble!” he said.

“Then you’d better tell me where Carlo is,” she answered, her voice gruff.

“Sure, sure!” he said. “He’s right in his office over there.” He pointed over Miss Incredible’s shoulder. She turned, in time for a massive piece of metal to slam her in the face.

She went flying back, bowled off her feet. The power belt’s protective field absorbed a part of the blow, but it still knocked her nearly senseless. She rolled to her stomach, ready to push herself back up. She saw a new thug, brandishing a 5-foot length of industrial pipe, advancing on her. He was shirtless, covered in scars, and massive, close to seven feet tall. The pipe he carried bore a well-defined dent on one end where it had struck her.

“Big guy, big mistake,” she grunted and leapt to her feet.

The thug swung, but Miss Incredible dodged and caught the pipe in her hands, pulling him off balance. She performed a roundhouse kick and struck him in the ribs. He grunted and staggered back, dropping the pipe.

“Not so tough when you’re not hitting me from behind—“ An impact cut off her gloat as she was struck in the back of the head by something heavy. She went reeling, collapsing back to the floor again.

The other thug stood over her, holding a fire extinguisher. “Sit down, bitch,” he roared, and lifted the fire extinguisher over his head for a finishing blow.

Dazed, Miss Incredible lashed out with her boot and caught the thug between the legs. He moaned in pain and fell to the ground, clutching his groin. She gasped. Jesus, these guys put up a fight.

Just then, she felt massive hands grab her hair and drag her to her feet. The big guy!

“Let’s see if you can really fly,” he growled, and, with monstrous strength, hurled Miss Incredible across the warehouse, headfirst into a crate. The force of the impact combined with her belt’s absorption field smashed her head through the crate, splintering the wood and snapping the boards. Her belt kept her from dying instantly, but she felt herself lose consciousness for a moment, the world fading to black. It returned a moment later and she was greeted with pain in every part of her body. She tried to stand, to get her bearings, but her head was wedged into the crate at a bag angle and she couldn’t get up. She heard footsteps approaching behind her. Oh god, I’m in trouble!

The big thug’s voice boomed out behind her. “Looks like you’re stuck, Miss Incredibly Pathetic.” She felt herself grabbed and manhandled as the thug attempted to pick her up. She kicked and struggled, fending him off for a moment, but the thug did not relent. He lunged and grabbed her by her belt. She had a moment to panic; then, with a mighty heave, he yanked her out of the wooden trap, shattering the remains of the crate and filling her neck with splinters. He lifted her, still holding her by the belt, and grinned. “I’m gonna make you my bitch,” he said. Miss Incredible aimed a punch at his ugly face but just then, the tension on her belt became too much. The clasp snapped and gave way, and she went tumbling to the floor, leaving the thug holding her empty belt.

My belt! Oh god, I’m powerless!

She felt the power field vanish and with it, all of her strength and speed. She cowered at the giant thug’s feet, terrified.

The thug she had kicked in the balls limped over to stand by the giant. “She…she’s out man!” he panted. “Nice job.”

“What are you talking about?” asked the giant.

“Her belt, man! I heard it from Johnny over at Sal’s. Rumor is, that belt is what makes this super-bitch so super. Take it off her, and she’s just a weakling.”

The big thug grinned down at her. “That true, babe?” he asked.

Miss Incredible winced. Oh god, this is bad.

“I’d say that’s answer enough,” said the smaller thug. “Tie her up. Oh, damn, this is good.”

The giant thug did just that, pulling a coil of half-inch thick rope from a coil that lay nearby on one of the crates. In moments, Miss Incredible sat with her ankles bound to the chair legs, her wrists tied together behind her back, and her chest wrapped with coils so tight that she trouble breathing. By now, the other thugs she’d downed had come to and had been made aware of the turn of events. They leered and taunted her.

“This is for my balls,” said the one thug, and punched her hard in the stomach.

Miss Incredible gagged and nearly vomited.

“Why’s she wearing a gas mask?” asked another thug.

“No idea,” said the giant. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled the gas mask off and tossed it aside. “Better?”

“Much,” said the thug, and punched Miss Incredible in the face.

She spat blood. “You cretins will never get away with this!” she shouted, defiant, though she felt terrified and utterly helpless.

The thugs made a collective “ooooh” sound and laughed at her.

“You know,” said one, “we ought to get her mask off, see who she really is. Might be big bucks in it for us.” The other thugs agreed loudly.

“No!” cried Miss Incredible. “You can’t!”

“Frankie, put a gag in it,” said one of the thugs. The one Miss Incredible had flipped over her shoulder earlier produced a disgusting-looking rag and a roll of duct tape.

“Open up Miss Incredible,” said the first thug, grabbing her cheeks and trying to pry her mouth open. She resisted, but he squeezed her nose, cutting off her air, until she gasped in desperation. At that moment, he jammed the gag into her mouth, then wrapped the tape around her face. “Much better,” he said.

Miss Incredible screamed, but the gag muffled it to an incomprehensible groan.

“As I was saying,” said the thug. “We get this bitch’s mask off, we might be rich.”

“We split it five ways,” said another.

“And we split her five ways too,” said the giant, groping his groin. The thugs laughed.

“Vince, get your phone out for a picture. I’ll do the honors.” The lead thug stepped up behind Miss Incredible and groped her mask. “Any last words, sweetheart?” he asked her. His breath stank of onions.

“Nuh muh mussfk!” she wailed through the gag.

The thug began to peel the mask up her cheeks as Vince aimed a camera phone at her face.

“Nuhhhhhhh!”

A gunshot rang out in the room. The thugs all started and whipped around. An older man in a suit and tie came walking toward them, a smoking pistol in his hand.

“Boys, I assure you, if you take Miss Incredible’s mask off, you’ll be hanging by your balls from the 12th street bridge by sunrise.”

The thugs looked at one another, confused.

“Not my rule,” said the newcomer. “But the big boss put out a message among all the dons and capos throughout the city: if anyone ever catches Miss Incredible, she is not to be unmasked under any circumstances. Instead, we are to make a call to the big boss and await further instructions. Noncompliance will be met with…severe consequences.”

“Sorry Mr. Tucci,” said the lead thug. “We didn’t know. We figured we’d be doing you a favor.”

“I know,” said Tucci, “and it’s my fault for never mentioning it. But who would have ever guessed the famous Miss Incredible would crash our little party?” He walked over to the thugs and patted them each on the back. “Well done, boys. If any of you need to see a doctor, get yourself to the hospital.” He leaned forward and met Miss Incredible’s eyes. “Looks like you picked the wrong poker game to crash, miss.”

Miss Incredible scowled back at him. So this was Carlo Tucci, the man who had threatened Cass. He didn’t look that intimidating: 40ish, balding, with a bit of a paunch, glasses. And yet, here I am, completely at his mercy. Oh god, how am I going to get out of this?

He ran a hand along her masked cheek. “I don’t envy you Sinistra finds out we have you,” he said.

“Simmusta?” she shrieked through the gag.

“Oh you didn’t know?” he asked in genuine surprise. “Sinistra is the big boss, Miss Incredible. She runs the whole show, every bit of organized crime in the city. She’s a good boss, very hands-off. Except in cases like yours. Her standing orders are to apprehend you at any cost, and the reward for the men who do is…significant.” He turned to his thugs. “Boys, we’re going to be in fat city this time tomorrow night.” The thugs whooped and cheered.

Tucci turned back to Miss Incredible. “Sinistra has plans for you. What they are, I can’t begin to guess, but I suspect it will involve a rather humiliating bit of public exposure. Best say goodbye to your mask now; you won’t be wearing it much longer.”

Miss Incredible’s stomach dropped. Sinistra is the big boss. Of course. Oh god, and I’ve just put my foot in the hornet’s nest. I’m done for if she gets her hands on me.

Tucci motioned to the giant thug. “Take her into the supply room over there.” He addressed the lead thug. “Enzo, you feeling all right enough to pull guard duty?”

“Sure thing boss,” he said. “I want to see this bitch burn.”

“Good, you keep watch on her. We don’t know if she has any tricks up her sleeve.”

“Boss,” said the giant. “We took this off her.” He handed Tucci the power belt.

Tucci eyed it. “Yes, I’ve heard this is the key to her strength. Sinistra will skin us if it’s not included with her prize. I’ll hold onto it till she gets here. The rest of you, take a smoke break or something.” He sauntered off to his office, carrying the belt.

The giant thug dragged the chair into which Miss Incredible was bound across the warehouse floor and shoved it into a small supply closet. “Sorry sweet cheeks,” he said with a grin. “Guess we’ll have to hook up some other time.”

Enzo, the lead thug patted the giant on the back. “Break it up, loverboy. No conjugal visits.” He took came into the closet and shut the door behind him, leering down at the defeated superheroine. In a whisper he said, “You got a bangin’ body hon. I don’t guess the boss’d be mad if I had myself a sample.” He reached out toward her chest, his hands groping for her boobs.

Oh god! she thought in a panic. I’m finished. If only I’d let Cass come along. Maybe she could have gotten me out of this. Sorry, sweetie, I guess you were right after all.

As Enzo squeezed her boobs, Miss Incredible wept. And this is just the beginning, she told herself. I still have my unmasking to look forward to tonight. Please, somebody, help me!

7 Cass

Cass watched from her hiding place behind the crates as the thugs dragged Miss Incredible, bound in a chair, into another room.

You stupid, stupid bitch, she thought, though she wasn’t sure she meant Miss Incredible or herself.

She had pilfered all the cash from Natalie’s purse on her way out. She tensed as she moved past the doorman, but he paid her no mind, her new clothes and washed and combed hair serving as well as any disguise. On the street, she hailed a cab and directed the driver to the warehouse district. At that time of night, traffic was light and they made good time, though of course she couldn’t hope to keep up with Miss Incredible’s rooftop route. The cab dropped her off a few blocks from Tucci’s lair; she hurled a $100 bill at the driver who squawked in surprise and called after her about her change, but she was already running and wasn’t about to slow down.

She made her way to the warehouse and found it dark and imposing. The main door was locked, of course, so she looked for another way in. On the roof, she could see a triangular bank of windows, with one hanging open. If it’s good enough for Miss I, she thought, and grabbed hold of a drainage gutter and pulled herself up, hand over hand. Living on the streets for months had toughened her up quite a bit, and she was no stranger at climbing the fire escapes and chain link fences that made up the vertical part of her world. Still, the climb exhausted her and she had to take a minute to rest after she had achieved the rooftop. She took this moment to slip on her ski mask, tugging it down over her head so that only her eyes peeked out through the wide hole in the face. She took a deep breath and made for the open window.

Inside, she could see light toward the center of the warehouse and she thought she heard raised voices. I may just be in time. She leapt out onto the steel rafters and crawled, cautious due to her already-strained muscles, until she reached a set of crates that stood just a few feet lower than the ceiling. She dropped down to them, then braced herself between the space where two crates met and created a corner and slid down to the ground. The voices were louder now, and she heard a sharp crack, as of wood breaking. She hurried toward the sounds, keeping low and to the shadows behind the crates.

And there, she had watched Miss Incredible’s fight. Cass’s jaw dropped as she saw the moves Miss Incredible used on the thugs. She really is a bad-ass, she thought.

But then, the giant with the lead pipe had come out of nowhere and the fight went downhill from there. Now, Miss Incredible had been captured and, according to the thugs, de-powered.

So it was her belt, thought Cass. Wonder how the heck it works? Pretty sloppy if it can come off that easily.

The thugs wandered off, laughing and congratulating themselves on defeating the superheroine. Cass bit her lip. What to do?

I should just run, she thought. I don’t owe her anything.

But if she abandoned Miss Incredible, all of this would be for nothing. She would still owe Tucci his money, and he would still come looking for her. Worse, Miss I would be done for and the crime in Eagle City would get even worse. And if Miss I is gone, there’s no Natalie to give me a job and help me climb out of the streets.

No, she had to help. That was why she’d come, right? If she could get Miss I’s belt away from Tucci and get it to her, they might have a chance to make it out of there alive. She could see Tucci’s office a few dozen yards into the warehouse, a set of windows with open venetian blinds revealing a desk, chairs, and the man himself seated, talking on a telephone. Just gotta wait for an opportunity.

An idea occurred to her. We need a distraction. She slung her knapsack off her back and opened it, pulling out her cell phone, now fully charged thanks to Natalie. She punched in 9-1-1 and listened to it ring. After several agonizing seconds, the operator picked up.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

In a hoarse whisper, Cass said, “Somebody’s been shot!” She gave the warehouse’s address. “Hurry, there’s blood everywhere!” She ended the call even as the operator squawked for more information. Hopefully the cops would be quick for once.

She turned back to the scene in the warehouse. Tucci still spoke on the phone in his office. Not far away, she could see the door to the room where they’d taken Miss Incredible. At least one thug was in there with her. That’ll be a problem, she thought. Cass dug back into her knapsack and retrieved the switchblade she’d bought: compact, easy to conceal. She tucked it up her sleeve, sliding a rubber hair-tie that she’d nicked from Natalie’s dresser over the knife and around her wrist to hold it secure. Carrying a blade on the streets was never a bad idea, and she’d fended off would-be muggers and rapists with one before. Hopefully, she wouldn’t need it here.

She watched and waited for a few minutes. At last, she Tucci hang up the phone, get up from his chair, and come out of his office. He called to the thugs and motioned them toward the front of the warehouse.

Bingo!

She watched in glee as Tucci and his men shuffled off. Tucci spoke in a stern voice to the thugs, as if giving orders. Cass waited until they were just out of sight and then bolted for the office. Keeping low, she tried the doorknob. Unlocked! She slipped in and ducked behind Tucci’s desk. There, sitting right in the center of the desk, on top of a legal pad full of hand-written scrawls, lay Miss Incredible’s power belt. Giddy, Cass snatched it away and made for the door. The coast looked clear, so she crept back into the shadows behind the crates.

Now all I have to do is get this to Miss I and we’re out of here.

But how to do that? She couldn’t take the thug guarding her on her own. Maybe if she surprised him? But that wouldn’t be easy since she had to open a door to get to him in the first place.

Wait a minute! she thought, looking down at the belt she held. I’ve got a freaking power belt!

With a grin, she slid the belt on. It was a bit too big, but it stayed up thanks to her shapely hips. So do I push a button or something? She didn’t feel any different, although she could sense a faint electric tingle around her abdomen. Let’s go be a hero, she thought.

She walked, without stealth to the room where Miss Incredible was imprisoned. She kicked the door, and it burst open. Within the room, she saw Miss Incredible, tied to her chair. The thug loomed over her. With one hand, he held a gun, pointed at the superheroine’s head. With the other, he held his exposed cock and thrust with it toward Miss Incredible’s mouth, which was now ungagged. The heroine recoiled from the assault, wincing and turning her head away in disgust. The thug whipped his head around as the door banged open.

“Nice dick, Mr. Tiny,” Cass said.

“What the fuck?” the thug said and raised his gun toward Cass.

But Cass was already moving and leapt at the thug, channeling all her momentum into an outstretched fist. She slammed into him with all her might.

And bounced off his chest like rubber ball.

She landed in a heap at the thug’s feet. What the hell? I thought this thing gave me superpowers?

The thug looked down at her, more puzzled than angry. “Seriously? You hit like a girl.”

He kicked her in the ribs. Cass saw stars and moaned. The thug grabbed her by her collar and pulled her to her feet. He looked her up and down. “Whoa, you’ve got super-bitch’s magic belt.” He broke out into a laugh. “Guess it doesn’t work on you, huh?” He punched her in the gut with free hand, and Cass doubled over in pain, the wind knocked out of her.

The thug let go of her and let her collapse to the floor. He leaned out the door, tucking his cock back into his pants. “Boss! Hey Boss! Get over here, quick!”

As Cass rolled to her side in agony, she met Miss Incredible’s eyes. They were wide with shock and horror.

“Cass?” she whispered. “Oh god, Cass, you thought my belt would work! But it has to be properly attuned and calibrated…”

The thug whipped back around and pointed the gun at Miss Incredible. “Quiet.”

Miss Incredible winced and shut her mouth, but eyed Cass with sympathy and pain.

A few moments later, Tucci came puffing into the room.

“What, Enzo, what? I had to run half the length of the building.”

“Look what I caught,” said Enzo and grabbed Cass again, holding her up for his boss to see.

“Jesus, another one?” asked Tucci.

“Check it out boss, she’s got Miss Incredible’s belt thingy, only it doesn’t work. She tried to deck me but she’s as a weak as a kitten.”

Tucci frowned as he looked at Cass. He reached down to the belt and unclasped it. “So we know she’s buddies with our guest,” he said. “Get her mask off.”

“Shouldn’t we wait on Sinistra?” asked Enzo, hesitating.

“She wants Miss Incredible’s mask. She didn’t say anything about her little helper.”

Enzo grinned and grabbed Cass’s ski mask. With a single violent yank, he pulled it off, revealing Cass’s face to Carlo Tucci.

Tucci blinked. “You’re Frank Korman’s little brat. The one who owes us Frank’s sizable debt.” He broke into a grin. “Oh, I think I see what’s going on here, now. You thought you could get Miss Incredible to beat us down and get away from what you owe. Well,” he said, caressing Cass’s face, “obviously that didn’t go as planned. But you know what, Miss Korman? I’m going to forgive your old man’s debt.”

Cass looked up at him, eyes wide.

“Instead, I think I’ll just give myself a souvenir of this strange evening: a permanent little fuck toy.” He groped Cass’s breasts.

“Fuck you!” Cass spat in Tucci’s face.

Tucci wiped the spittle away and then slapped Cass with a strength and violence that caught her by surprise.

“Tie her up with Miss Incredible,” Tucci said to Enzo. “I want Sinistra to hear about this, but I’m keeping her for myself.” He turned to leave, then turned back and addressed Cass and Miss Incredible. “Ladies, Sinistra is going to be here soon. I expect you’ll be on your best behavior.” He walked out and shut the door behind him.

Enzo grinned at Cass. “Have a seat,” he said, pointing with his gun toward an empty chair near Miss Incredible.

Cass limped to the chair, Enzo’s gun following her every inch. She was in so much pain she could hardly think. Enzo wrapped her in thick ropes, securing her ankles and wrists. His work done, he looked down at the two of them and smiled.

“Now, where were we before little bitch here showed up?”

Miss Incredible looked at Cass. “I’m so sorry, honey,” she said, her voice defeated and drained of strength.

Cass looked up at Enzo who was once again pulling out his cock, a grotesque grin on his face. Yeah, she thought, I’m sorry too.

8 Miss Incredible

Oh Cass, she thought, I told you to stay behind. Now we’re both screwed.

Miss Incredible looked at her young comrade. She had a bruise spreading across her face where Tucci had slapped her, and she slumped in her bonds, in obvious pain.

This is all my fault, thought Miss Incredible. Cass was right. I’m pathetic.

The thug, Enzo, advanced on them, his cock erect in his hand. “Got me an idea,” he said. He grabbed at the hem of Miss Incredible’s top and lifted it. Miss Incredible shrieked as her sports bra-covered breasts were revealed.

“Don’t you dare!” cried Miss Incredible.

Enzo shoved the barrel of the gun into her mouth. “Not another word.” He grabbed the bottom of her sports bra and yanked it up, causing her full breasts to flop out, jiggling.

Enzo paused to take in the sight. “Look at them titties,” he said in awe. He reached out and pinched Miss Incredible’s left nipple between thumb and forefinger, rolling it between them. Miss Incredible moaned in humiliation and disgust…and, though she was loathe to admit it, a little bit of ecstasy too.

Enzo looked over at Cass, grinning. “Ever seen a pair like that in your life?” he asked her.

Cass scowled. “Only on your mother.”

Enzo strolled over to Cass and ran his fingers through her hair. Then, with a sudden jerk, he grabbed the back her chair and dragged her toward Miss Incredible. Cass shrieked in panic as the chair tipped nearly sidewise, but Enzo held it up, then righted it with a twist of his arm. Miss Incredible found herself staring face-to-face with Cass.

Enzo pointed his gun at Cass. “Now. Suck ‘em.”

Cass looked up at him, confused. “Huh?”

Enzo grabbed her by a handful of her hair and put the gun against her temple. “I said, suck them. Those big juicy melons in front of you.”

“Get fucked,” said Cass.

Enzo cocked the hammer of his gun. “You sure you don’t want to reconsider that, sweetie?”

Cass scoffed. “Didn’t your boss say he wanted me for himself? He might not take too kindly to you blowing the head off his new toy.”

Enzo smiled. “I’ll just say you managed to escape,” he said. “He’ll understand; he’ll be able to get any bitch he wants after Miss Bimbo here loses her little mask.” Miss Incredible gulped. “Now,” said Enzo. “Suck. Them.”

“Cass,” said Miss Incredible, “it’s okay. Just get it over with.”

Cass glared up at Enzo. He leered, and shoved her chair forward, tilting her face toward Miss Incredible’s exposed breasts. Cass looked up at Miss Incredible, sheepish and helpless. Miss Incredible nodded her assent and shut her eyes. It’ll be over soon, she thought.

She felt Cass’s lips encircle her right nipple. They were warm and soft. Her lips kissed over Miss Incredible’s nipple and then sucked, gently, cautiously. Miss Incredible gritted her teeth. It doesn’t feel bad, she thought. I can get through this.

Enzo rubbed his cock. “That’s what I’m talking about,” he said. “Lick ‘em now.”

Cass’s tongue probed Miss Incredible’s nipple, flicking it, tugging at it, caressing it. Miss Incredible felt strange. In spite of the horror of this situation, what Cass was doing to her body felt wonderful. To her chagrin, she felt her privates tingling and both nipples stiffened. She had to stifle a moan of pleasure as Cass gave her nipple a long, wet suckle.

“Ohh, she likes it,” gloated Enzo. “What a couple of whores you two are.”

Cass shifted to Miss Incredible’s left nipple and sucked it hard. Miss Incredible couldn’t hold in her pleasure any longer and let out a soft moan. At this, Cass intensified her suckling and then bit down, softly, with her front teeth on the nipple. Miss Incredible gasped. How was this possible? Miss Incredible had only ever been with men before. True, she’d had some confusing feelings in college, but she’d never gone so far as to…

She looked down at Cass, who suckled her with passion. Her young face was lovely, even in spite of the bruises. She heard a soft moan escape Cass’s lips.

Oh god, thought Miss Incredible. She’s so…so good. She tried to banish the lustful thoughts that filled her mind, but it was no use. She had never felt such ecstasy on her breasts before. It was like Cass knew her body better than she did. What a pity I’m going to my unmasking after this, she thought. I wish I had time to explore this more with her…

A sudden movement from Enzo interrupted her thoughts. He grabbed Cass by the hair and yanked her chair back to its sitting position. A loud, wet smack sound came as Cass’s suckling lips departed Miss Incredible’s throbbing nipple, a line of saliva trailing from it to Cass’s mouth. Cass looked up into Miss Incredible’s eyes, her face a mask of confusion.

Enzo, stroking his cock, looked wolfishly at Cass. “I like you, little girl. Who knew you were a dyke? But I got something that might make you change teams.”

Cass looked at him. “Oh I play for any team that wants me,” she said.

Miss Incredible frowned. What is she up to?

“That so?” asked Enzo, coming closer.

“Mmhmm,” said Cass. “And between sucking on her titties and seeing your knob flopping around, I’m gushing down there.” She indicated her crotch with her eyes.

“Good,” said Enzo, reaching for her.

“So,” said Cass, interrupting him. “I was thinking maybe you could help me with that?”

Enzo sneered. “With what?”

“Eat me out a little,” said Cass in a babydoll voice.

The thug smiled. “You are a whore.”

Cass glanced at Miss Incredible. “She likes to watch,” she said.

Miss Incredible gasped. “Cass!”

Cass gave her a meaningful look. “She likes to watch a guy do me. If you go down on me, she’ll be begging for your cock in about 5 seconds.”

Enzo looked over at Miss Incredible. She forced herself to put on an expression of lust. “That’s right,” she said. “Little minx knows me too well.”

“All right then,” said Enzo. “Who am I to deny a whore?” He groped at Cass’s leggings and yanked them down as far as they would go with her bonds still in place. He knelt and jammed his face into Cass’s crotch. In a moment, a sloppy licking sound could be heard.

Miss Incredible winced at the spectacle, and wanted desperately to ask Cass what she thought she was doing, but dared not interrupt. Cass looked over at her and grinned.

Something moved in Cass’s hands, tied behind her. Only, as Miss Incredible looked, they weren’t actually tied anymore. The bonds around her wrists sagged down, sliced open. Cass’s hands were free! Something glinted in them; then, Cass moved with lightning speed.

She raised both hands above Enzo’s head and slammed the object she held down, straight into his neck. Enzo gave a choked gasp and rolled away from Cass’s crotch, groping toward his neck. A knife handle stuck out from just below his skull, blade flush with his skin. He jerked, made a gurgling sound in his throat, and fell over, dead.

Miss Incredible looked up at Cass, eyes wide. “Cass…”

Cass leaned forward and groped for her knife, pulling it out of Enzo’s neck with a sticky squelch and a spurt of blood. “Holy fuck, thank god that worked,” she said. She set to slicing the ropes on her ankles. “Just a minute, I’ll get you free.”

Miss Incredible sat dazed. “Cass, you just killed him.”

Cass glanced at her. “Yeah?”

“I don’t kill,” she said in a quiet voice. “It’s not in my code.”

Cass rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re going to split hairs now? After I just saved our asses? Did you forget that Sinistra lady is coming for you?”

“No,” Miss Incredible said. “I just…I wish there had been another way.”

Cass freed herself from her bonds and stood up from her chair, bending down to hike her leggings back up. She shook her head. “If I didn’t need you, I’d have half a mind to leave you here. God, you’re self-righteous and dumb.”

Miss Incredible felt hurt. “Cass, I’m sorry. I’m happy to beat the crap out of men like him, but murder makes us no better than them.”

Cass stooped behind Miss Incredible and hacked at her bonds with the knife. “If you can’t see the difference between what I just did and what that guy did for a living, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Miss Incredible nodded. “You’re right, Cass. I’m sorry. I owe you everything.” Cass grunted and continued cutting Miss Incredible’s ropes. “I’m glad you followed me.”

Cass cut the final rope and Miss Incredible was free to stand. She pulled her bra and top back down and turned to Cass. They stared at each other for an awkward moment. Miss Incredible felt an urge to hug the girl, but as her mind shot back to Cass’s lips on her breasts, she felt unsure. Cass wore an expression of similar ambiguity on her face.

“Let’s just get the hell out of here,” said Cass.

Miss Incredible nodded. “Right. I think they’re all up at the front, waiting for Sinistra to arrive. We should be able to get out the way I came in, through the overhead window.”

They crept out of the makeshift prison room and looked around. Nobody in sight. Miss Incredible suddenly gasped. “Cass, my power belt! I can’t just leave without it! Sinistra will get it!”

Cass held up her hands in helplessness. “How in the hell can we get it from them? I know it sucks, Miss I, but I think it’s time we cut our losses.”

Miss Incredible nodded, sadly. “I suppose you’re right. But god, if Sinistra figures out how it works, we’re all going to be in trouble.”

“Can she?” asked Cass. “Didn’t seem to work too well for me.”

“It has to be attuned to the individual’s DNA, mass, and so forth, before it can work. I can only do that in the lab. It’s possible Sinistra won’t be able to make it work, but I don’t think she’ll give up too easily.”

“We’ll have to deal with that later,” said Cass. “If they catch us now, we’re not getting another chance.”

“We?” said Miss Incredible, a slight smile spreading on her lips.

Cass brushed off the comment with a wave of her hand. “Give me a boost up this crate, will you?”

They worked their way across the stacks of crates to the rafters. Miss Incredible moaned as she worked her way, hand over hand, along the steel beams. Bereft of her super strength, this was an agonizing climb. At last, they reached the open window to the roof.

“Let’s go!” hissed Cass. “I hear footsteps coming.”

Cass leapt through the window. Miss Incredible looked down. She could see shadowy figures approaching below and a low murmur of voices. This was too close, she thought. I’m going to have to strongly reconsider this superheroine business after this. She pulled herself through the window and limped along after Cass.

9 Sinistra

“I have to say, Carlo, I had my doubts when you called,” said Sinistra as she walked along with Tucci and his men. “But this,” she held up the belt Tucci had presented her, “this is the real thing.” The mighty Miss Incredible, unbelted and defeated by a third-rate bookie and his Neanderthal thugs. I never thought it would happen like this. Almost too easy.

Carlo nodded, obsequious. “Yes ma’am, I can hardly believe it myself.”

“Any idea why she showed up here, of all places?” asked Sinistra.

“Yes, I believe so ma’am,” answered Tucci. “You see, we have a second surprise for you: Miss Incredible has a little friend, it seems.”

Sinistra raised a manicured eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Yes ma’am, a, uh, client of mine, a young girl, kid of a deadbeat who owes us big-time. I put the debt on her after the old man skipped town, hoping to draw him out. Seems she had a different plan.”

Sinistra touched a long red nail to her lip. “How strange. I wonder how this girl knows Miss Incredible?”

“We didn’t ask, ma’am,” said Tucci, “but she’ll be at your service to answer as many questions as you like.”

Sinistra couldn’t help but smile. As unexpected as this situation was, it came as a long-sought victory. Only a few nights ago, her agents had laid a trap for Miss Incredible and had successfully hit her with a high-concentration tranquilizer gas Sinistra had procured, but the slippery heroine had managed to escape, somehow. Poor Joe and Tony, she thought. Such promising young men. Such a shame to have to collect their balls. Still, I can’t permit failure. She sighed. But, in any case, it looks like my one-woman war is finally at its end.

“You did well,” Sinistra said to Tucci. “The ten million bounty will be yours. I’ll have it brought over to you first thing tomorrow.”

Tucci bowed as walked. “I’m oh so grateful, ma’am.”

At long last, she thought. Miss Incredible is at my mercy. Powerless, weak, frightened, helpless. And now I get the unique pleasure of unmasking her and learning who she is once and for all. We’ll make an event of it. Live internet streaming, I think. Miss Incredible: the Unmasking! It’ll be the event of the year. And when she’s exposed, laid bare, with nowhere to hide, she’ll be mine. She’ll have no choice to submit. My precious little pet, the ultimate sub, mine forever. She licked her lips at the thought of it. And then there’s this, she thought, patting the belt where she carried it, slung over her shoulder. Super powers all my own. Dear me, things are going to be sweet starting tomorrow.

Tucci led her to what appeared to be a supply room. “They’re right in here, ma’am,” he said, bowing, and opened the door.

Inside, two empty chairs sat in the center of a small room, coils of rope lying scattered around them. Between them was the body of a man, a pool of blood seeping out from a wound in his neck.

Tucci shriekd. “Enzo!” he rushed into the room and turned the body over. “He’s dead!” he cried.

Sinistra shut her eyes and rubbed her temples with thumb and forefinger. Of course it was too easy.

“Spread out and find them!” bellowed Tucci to his men. “Now!”

Just then, the sound of sirens could be heard in the distance, closing in on the warehouse.

“Holy shit,” cried one of Tucci’s men. “That little bitch must have ratted us out!”

“Fuck!” roared Tucci. “Vince, get the money to the van, the rest of you come with me.”

Sinistra cleared her throat. The men, about to spring into action, halted and looked toward her. “Gentlemen, please. Evacuate the building in a calm and rational manner. I will deal with the police. Go. Now.”

The men looked from one another to Tucci to Sinistra, then took off running. Tucci turned to Sinistra and held out his hands. “Forgive me, ma’am, I…I don’t know how…”

Sinistra shushed him. “Don’t worry, Carlo,” she whispered, and pulled him close. “You won’t make this mistake again.”

A muffled pop filled the room and Tucci fell dead at Sinistra’s feet. She placed the silenced pistol back into her handbag and stepped over the rapidly spreading pool of blood around Tucci’s head. Stupid, unreliable fool, she thought. So close, I was so close. I had better go wait for the police. She turned to leave, then saw something out of the corner of her eye. Above the warehouse floor, a window stood open. Two shadows receded from it as her eyes met it. She grinned. You won’t escape your unmasking that easily, Miss Incredible.

She took off at a run, her high heels clacking across the floor, toward the nearest stairwell.

10 Cass

Miss Incredible took Cass’s hand and Cass gave her a tug to pull her up and through the window.

“Thanks,” said Miss I, breathing heavily. “Give me just…just a sec.” She slumped to a seated position, her back to the window pane.

Cass looked around, nervous. In the distance she heard sirens. “Hey,” she said, “hear that? The police are coming.”

Miss Incredible looked up, frowning. “That’s not good. They’ll arrest me along with the bad guys if they catch me here.”

Cass blinked. She hadn’t thought of that when she made the call. And come to think of it, they’ll probably arrest me too.

“We’ve gotta get off the roof,” Cass said.

Miss Incredible rose to her feet, weary and slow. Cass eyed her with concern. The heroine looked like hell. She limped as she walked and clutched her stomach with one hand. Dried blood covered her lips and the sides of her mask. With the beating she’d taken, combined with the exhaustion of their escape, Cass began to doubt she had much left in her.

For that matter, Cass wasn’t so sure about herself either. The punches she’d taken tonight were going to leave a mark, and she felt sore all over. Don’t think I can free climb down a building like this. She glanced at Miss Incredible. And no way in hell she can.

“Miss I,” she said, “we need to find a rope, or something, to help us climb down.”

Miss Incredible nodded. “Yes, I’m far too weak to climb on my own. Maybe there’s a fire hose up here?”

Cass sighed and looked around. “I can scout around, see what I find.” She put a hand on Miss Incredible’s shoulder. “Just rest here, okay?”

Miss Incredible took Cass’s hand in hers and squeezed it, then nodded.

Cass trudged away, keeping low so as not to cast a silhouette against the sky. The roof was long and flat, but chimneys, air conditioning vents, and access doors dotted the surface at intervals. She spent several minutes peering around every corner but the roof appeared barren. Come on, there’s gotta be something up here that can help us.

She rounded the concrete slab that made up the frame of an access door and stopped short. A plastic tarp hung suspended on stakes behind the access door. Under it was a saw horse and a toolbox. Yes! she thought and dived under the tarp. She looked around frantically, hoping to find a rope or a hose or an electrical cord or something. But there was nothing of the kind. Snarling, she reached for the toolbox and flung open the lid. All she found inside was a heavy, rusted pipe wrench, a number of small hand tools, and several small cases of nails, bolts, and screws.

Fuck!

She hung her head. How the hell are we going to get out of this?

Just then, she heard shouting. She whipped around and listened. Voices echoed across the roof, back toward where she’d left Miss Incredible.

Women’s voices. Oh no. We can’t lose, not this close to freedom.

Cass rose to her feet. She needs me. But what can I do? She fingered the switchblade in her pocket. Would it be enough? She looked around, hoping for inspiration. Her eyes passed over the toolbox, then snapped back to it. She grinned.

Hold on, Miss I, I’m coming.

11 Miss Incredible

She hurt, all over. How am I ever going to explain these injuries to the board, hell, even to my doctor?

She looked across the roof, hoping to spot Cass running back with something that would save them, but saw no sign of the girl. Miss Incredible thanked her good fortune for Cass showing up. If we get out of this, I’m going to owe that girl the world. An image flashed in her mind of Cass’s lips on her nipples and she flushed red. Totally inappropriate, she scolded herself.

She heard a sound then, like a door slamming shut. She turned, expecting to see Cass, but was instead greeted by the sight of a someone new. The woman stood in the doorway of an access door, some 20 feet from where Miss Incredible huddled in pain, illuminated by a floodlight ensconced on the concrete slab around the door. She wore a dress of scarlet leather that revealed more of her curvy body than it concealed. A matching red handbag hung from one shoulder. Her hair was an elaborate, beautiful braid of shiny coal black. Her face was pale and flawless with a strong nose and high cheekbones. She might have been forty, or twenty-five. And she pointed a gun at Miss Incredible.

“Sinistra,” gasped the superheroine.

“Good evening, Miss Incredible,” said Sinistra. “You weren’t going to leave without saying goodbye, now were you?”

Miss Incredible struggled to get to her feet. “I...” Miss Incredible stammered, too shocked and afraid form a coherent sentence.

Sinistra raised her eyebrows and smiled. “The mighty Miss Incredible, with no quip ready? Say it isn’t so. Could it be because you’re missing this?” Sinistra held up a long, flat object, whose metal surface glinted in the light.

My power belt! Miss Incredible took a half-step back from Sinistra.

Sinistra smirked. “I thought so. You’re beyond helpless without this little toy, aren’t you? Just a scared girl in tights and a mask. Fortunately, we’ll be relieving you of the latter.” Sinistra cocked her gun. “Take off your mask. Now.”

Miss Incredible’s stomach dropped. No, not after all I’ve been through. This can’t be happening. In spite of her rising panic, she clenched her jaw. “Never, Sinistra. I’ll never take off my mask for you, or anyone.”

“I like my conquests to put up a fight,” said Sinistra. “And you know, you’re right, Miss Incredible. You’ll never take off your mask willingly. I’m just going to have to do it for you.” Sinistra dropped the gun into her handbag and held up the power belt. “Time to see what it feels like to be Miss Incredible,” she said. She wrapped the belt around her waist and clasped it, then looked up at Miss Incredible with a sneer.

Miss Incredible raised her hands in fighting stance. She thinks the power belt is going to work on her, she thought. This may be my only chance. God, if only I wasn’t so weak already.

Sinistra rushed at her. She caught Miss Incredible in a flying tackle. For a moment, Miss Incredible thought the power belt must be working after all, as she went down under Sinistra’s weight, the wind wheezing out of her as the other woman landed on top of her.

Sinistra swung wild punches at Miss Incredible’s face and chest. She was shockingly strong for her stature, and she seemed possessed of a fury and passion that was nearly a superpower in itself. Miss Incredible flung up her hands to block the blows but the pain of her previous injuries and the relentless assault of Sinistra’s attacks withered her. With a final desperate shove, she pushed Sinistra to one side and rolled away. She staggered to her feet, but before she could even turn around Sinistra leaped onto her back, wrapping her legs and arms around Miss Incredible’s body like a spider. “You’re not…getting away…this time,” grunted Sinistra. Her hands groped toward Miss Incredible’s face. “You will be…unmasked!”

“No!” shrieked Miss Incredible, jerking her head left and right to try and shake off Sinistra’s probing fingers. “Not my mask! Never!”

Sinstra wrapped an elbow around Miss Incredible’s throat and squeezed. “Yes, Miss Incredible. Your mask. It’s…mine!” She dug her fingernails under the edge of the mask and pulled. The non-slip material on the mask’s inner surface peeled up, exposing part of Miss Incredible’s cheek.

Miss Incredible, gagging from the chokehold Sinistra held her in, bucked and thrashed, desperate and in a blind panic.

“At long last,” panted Sinistra, “the world will know who you really are!” She tugged harder on the mask and it peeled up further, exposing Miss Incredible’s nose. “And then, I will own you.”

It’s almost off! She’s really going to do it! Miss Incredible snarled in an animal fury. With her last bit of strength, she thrust her head backwards as hard as she could. Her skull connected with Sinistra’s face and she felt a sharp crack. Sinistra grunted and let go of her chokehold, then collapsed backwards. She still gripped Miss Incredible’s mask in one hand, though, and Miss Incredible’s neck was yanked backwards as the villainess fell. Miss Incredible teetered, leaned forward to counter-balance. Sinistra’s fingernails dug into the fabric of the mask. Miss Incredible shrugged backwards to shake off her arm. There was a tearing sound and the feeling of something sticky being ripped off her face. Then, she tumbled forward and rolled several feet. Gasping, utterly out of strength, Miss Incredible lay there, unable to get back to her feet.

Silence held for a moment. Then, she heard Sinistra’s laughter.

“You broke my nose, Miss Incredible,” she said, though it came out like “You boke by dose.” “But it doesn’t matter,” she continued between hitches of laughter. “Because I have this!”

Miss Incredible looked up from where she lay. Sinistra held her up her mask, triumphant. A jagged tear ran along one side of the mask, and a clump of her hair stuck out the slit in the back.

Oh my god, I’m unmasked! She threw a hand over her face to cover her identity. She glanced around, desperate for a place to hide. Sinistra stood in a circle of illumination thrown off by the light on the access doorway, but everything out past a few feet was in shadow. Including Miss Incredible. Have to stay in the shadows, she thought. She hasn’t seen my face yet. It’s my only hope.

Sinistra waved the mask around in the air. “It’s over, Miss Incredible,” she said. “You’re finished. I have your belt. I have your mask. You’re powerless. Weak. There’s nowhere for you to run. It’s time for you to submit.”

“I’d rather die,” shouted Miss Incredible and to her surprise, she meant it.

“I’m afraid that’s not an option, my sweet,” said Sinistra. “You’ve got a long life ahead of you as my personal plaything. Now come out of the shadows and show me your face. Or do I have to come in after you?”

Miss Incredible shuddered. If Sinistra came at her again, she was done for. She couldn’t even stand, let alone fight. All it would take was an instant: Sinistra would see her face and immediately recognize her as Natalie Carter, who had spoken out publicly against Sinistra’s crimes, aided police in shutting down her operations, and donated tens of thousands of dollars to anti-crime initiatives across the city. And then it would be over. Sinistra would have her over the ultimate barrel. I’ll either have to submit to her or have my identity revealed to the world. An impossible choice. She gazed out over the warehouse roof toward the street below. I said I’d rather die, she thought. Would that fall even kill me, though?

“Very well, Miss Incredible,” said Sinistra. “You resist to the end. That just makes my conquest all the sweeter.” Sinistra walked forward toward the shadowed spot where Miss Incredible lay.

No, thought Miss Incredible. Can’t give up. Can’t let her win. But I’m so weak. She began to crawl, pulling herself along the roof toward the edge. She felt a tug on her right leg as Sinistra grabbed her by her boot heel. “Where is it you think you’re going?” asked Sinistra in genuine wonder. She yanked Miss Incredible’s leg, dragging her back. Miss Incredible dug her fingernails into the roof, and crawled with what little energy she possessed. Her leg stretched as Sinistra refused to let go. Then, with a slipping sound, the boot slid off her calf. Sinistra staggered back, holding the empty boot. Miss Incredible crawled forward, dragging her now-exposed stockinged foot behind her.

Sinstra laughed. “You’re not going to have much of a costume left by the time I expose your face.”

She leapt forward and straddled Miss Incredible, pressing a knee into her back. Miss Incredible huffed out a breath as she was pressed into the roof. Sinistra grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked her head back. Miss Incredible gasped in pain and terror.

“There’s no escape,” she whispered into Miss Incredible’s ear. “It’s time, my powerless little do-gooder.” She leaned in, peering around to get a view of Miss Incredible’s face. “And Miss Incredible’s true identity is…”

I’m ruined, thought Miss Incredible in despair. Exposed. Conquered.

“Hey, BDSM-zilla!” shouted a voice from behind them. “Don’t you have a gimp to check on?”

Sinistra whipped around. “Who in the f—" But her words were cut short as a heavy, blunt thud echoed across the roof. Sinistra rolled off of Miss Incredible’s back, suddenly limp.

Miss Incredible looked back over her shoulder. Sinistra lay in a heap beside her, eyes shut tight. A figure stood over her, brandishing a large, rusty pipe wrench.

“Cass!” cried Miss Incredible.

Cass ran to her and put an arm around her. “I don’t think I can handle another close call tonight,” she said.

Miss Incredible laughed. “Me either. Oh, thank you Cass. I just… Thank you.”

Cass smiled at her. “Let’s get you on your feet, soldier.”

She helped Miss Incredible to stand, but the superheroine needed the girl’s support to walk. “Hang on, Miss I,” said Cass. She left Miss Incredible’s side and stopped over Sinistra. She returned a moment later. “Here,” she said, and pressed the power belt into Miss Incredible’s hands.

Miss Incredible staggered. “Oh my god, my belt! I had forgotten.”

Cass looked out over the roof. Blue and red lights flashed in the streets below, speeding toward the warehouse. “Better put it on. I couldn’t find any rope. Your belt’s our only ticket out of this nightmare.”

Miss Incredible nodded. She wrapped the belt around her waist and clasped it. Instantly, she felt the electric tingle of the power field charge up around her and her limbs felt alive with unbridled strength. “I will never take this for granted again,” she said, patting the belt.

Cass handed her something else. “You need this too.”

Miss Incredible took her torn, battered mask from Cass. Scuffs and scratches ran along the edges where Sinistra had clawed at it. She slipped it on over her face. It wouldn’t hold up for long, but it should suffice to get them home without revealing her identity. She felt a sense of calm and relief flood over her as the mask settled into place and the belt’s power field tingled at her fingertips. She hadn’t felt like this in what felt like a long time.

She looked down at Sinistra. “Is she dead?”

“No,” answered Cass. “Just cold-cocked.” She paused. “Do you…want me to…”

“No!” cried Miss Incredible. “That’s not my code.”

“Not even for this crazy bitch?”

“Not even for her,” she replied.

“She’s going to keep coming after you,” Cass said. “You know that.”

“Yes,” said Miss Incredible. “which is why I will need to be doubly vigilant and careful in the future.” She put an arm around Cass’s shoulder. “Let’s get home. We’ve both had a horrendous night.”

Cass wrapped her arms around Miss Incredible’s neck and held on tight. Miss Incredible ran to the edge of the roof and leapt, sailing through the air and landing on the next building over. As she cradled Cass in her arms, a strange but pleasant feeling came over her. I can’t let her go, she thought. Not after all this. An idea formed in her mind as she leapt from building to building. She knew Cass would object, but she had to make it happen.

Miss Incredible has been flying solo for too long, she thought. It’s time to shake things up a bit.

12 Cass

“Not a chance, no way,” said Cass, holding up her hands. “Hello, were you there a week ago? We got our asses kicked and only escaped by the skin of our noses.”

“But we weren’t working as a team then!” insisted Natalie. “Just imagine what it would have been like if we’d planned the whole thing together, and been there to watch one another’s backs.”

They sat at Natalie’s expansive dining room table. They both wore scars and bruises from their encounter a week ago, but both had mended well and had taken some well-deserved R&R.

“Okay, but here’s one big problem,” Cass said. “I don’t have any super powers. How much good could I really do?”

“You did damn well at the warehouse without them,” replied Natalie. “And besides, I have a…solution in mind for that.”

Cass frowned. “What kind of solution?”

“Well,” began Natalie. “Earlier this year I started working on a second power belt. I wanted to have a backup in case mine failed, or was…” she paused, her expression going dark. “…confiscated from me. It’s nearly complete; I just haven’t had time to finish it due to, well, you.”

Cass raised her eyebrows. “So, you’re not saying what I think you’re saying…”

“Yes, your very own power belt. Just the same as mine. Of course, we’d have to get you into the lab so I could calibrate it and DNA code it to you, but other than that…”

“I’d have…superpowers?” Cass could hardly believe it.

“Super strength, speed, agility, resilience, and reflexes, yes,” said Natalie.

Cass still felt unsure. “But Nat, if the bad guys ever get our belts off us…”

“That’s why we have to work as a team,” repeated Natalie. “To make sure that doesn’t happen, and to be there if it ever does. Cass, you’re amazing. Brave, smart, resourceful, a born fighter. You know how to survive, how to solve problems, how to take the initiative. I can’t think of anyone better suited to being a superheroine than you.”

Cass blushed. No one had ever given her compliments like that before. Or any compliments at all, for that matter, she thought.

“We can train you, too,” said Natalie. “I know several martial arts instructors around town. They taught me a lot. Combined with the power belt, you’d be unstoppable.”

Cass pictured herself punching Carlo Tucci through a wall and couldn’t help but smile. “You said you’d give me a job,” she said. “I never imagined it’d be assistant superheroine.”

“I like the term ‘sidekick’ better myself,” said Natalie.

Cass shook her head. “But what’s going to be my cover story? You have your whole secret identity thing to hide behind. You’re rich, powerful, famous, people love you. How the heck am I going to fit into all that?”

Natalie cleared her throat. “Well, I was thinking we might say you’re my personal assistant, whom I’ve hired on full-time, and rented out a room in my penthouse to.”

Cass’s eyes widened. “You mean, I’d get to stay here? With you?”

Natalie looked up here, almost bashful. “If you want to, yes.”

Cass threw her arms around Natalie and embraced her. “I…I can’t even begin to say thanks.”

Natalie cupped Cass’s chin in her hand and gazed into her eyes. “Of course,” she said, “we could always change the story if…our relationship were to change.”

Cass blinked. Whoa. Is she…is she saying what I think she is? Cass felt her privates tingle a little as she looked back into Natalie’s deep green eyes. I thought she was into guys.

Cass took Natalie’s hand and squeezed it. Natalie leaned in, her lips parting. Cass closed her eyes and felt the kiss brush her own lips. She kissed back, sucking on Natalie’s full lips. Natalie let out a small moan of pleasure as her tongue probed into Cass’s mouth.

With a start, Cass broke the kiss, panting.

“What is it?” asked Natalie.

“I don’t know,” said Cass, not meeting her eye. “I just…I don’t know if I’m ready for something like…this.”

Natalie nodded ran a hand through Cass’s hair. “You’re right. I…don’t know what came over me.”

Cass looked up at her. “I do,” she said. “I feel it too, I just…need time, Nat. My life has flipped 180 degrees in a week. I killed a guy. I barely saved Miss Incredible from unmasking.” She sighed. “You’re too awesome for me to risk screwing this up.”

Natalie smiled, but Cass saw wetness in her eyes. “I…you’re absolutely right, Cass. One thing at a time, right?” She sniffled and rubbed her eyes with thumb and forefinger.

Cass stood up from the table. “So, if I’m going to be your sidekick, I’m going to need some kind of uniform right?”

Natalie grinned. “Absolutely. I have something in mind for that. I need to make a new mask anyway, since mine was so damaged. I can make you a costume while I’m at it.”

Cass blanched. “Nat, I’m not sure I’m as comfortable with my figure as you are. I’ve never worn spandex.”

Natalie shrugged. “I think you might change your mind once you see yourself in it. It does amazing things for your butt. Besides, you’re nineteen. You have nothing to worry about.”

Cass went to the penthouse window and looked out over the city. What a life, she thought. One day, I’m scrounging through dumpsters for food, the next I’m besties with a superheroine. She thought of her father then. Dad, if you ever show your face again, we’re going to have words. But maybe I ought to thank you. Without your massive screwups, I wouldn’t be here.

She turned back to Natalie. “All right, Miss I. I want to be a superheroine.”

13 Miss Incredible

“Anytime now, Cass,” she said toward the closet. “Crime’s not going to wait all night for you to get dressed.”

“I’m not sure about this,” called the girl.

“Just come on out,” said Miss Incredible. “I’m sure you look stunning.”

“Fine.”

Cass strode out of the closet. Miss Incredible’s jaw dropped. Her blue and silver costume resembled Miss Incredible’s, but where hers was more of a leotard, Cass’s bore a short skirt around the waist, concealing her hips and butt. Cass had insisted. Still, the calf-high boots and skin-tight top did much to accentuate Cass’s athletic figure. On her face she wore a silver kevdex mask, similar to Miss Incredible’s, but Cass’s shorter hair was stuffed inside it unlike hers. On her waist shone the power belt, fresh out of the lab.

“You look fabulous,” said Miss Incredible.

Cass smiled. “I do feel pretty hot, I guess.”

Miss Incredible moved to her and wrapped her arms around the girl. “We’re going to be a hell of a team, kid.”

Cass looked up at her, her eyes dark through holes in her mask. “I’ve got your back, Miss I.”

“By the way, have you come up with a name for your superheroine persona yet?” asked Miss Incredible, going over to the balcony door and sliding it open. The sound of sirens blared through the air outside on the streets below.

“Not really,” admitted Cass.

“Well I’ve got one,” said Miss Incredible. “How about Incredigirl?”

Cass gave her a reproachful look. “Seriously?”

“What’s wrong with that?” asked Miss Incredible, hurt. “Miss Incredible and Incredigirl, the heroes of Eagle City. How doesn’t that sound awesome?”

“How long am I a ‘girl’?” asked Cass. “When do I become Incrediwoman?”

Miss Incredible laughed. “When I retire,” she said. “Come on, Incredigirl, duty calls.”

The two superheroines leapt off the balcony and landed on a roof 30 feet away. Miss Incredible’s heart soared as she watched her new partner leap gracefully from building to building.

You’d better get ready, Sinistra, she thought. Miss Incredible’s not alone anymore. And we’re coming for you.

Miss Incredible and Incredigirl leapt through the city, heading for trouble.

THE END!