The dark damsel

Dark Damsel laughed at the surprise on the faces of the
thieves. Well, ‘faces’ was inaccurate as they were wearing
ski-masks. Yet, even so, surprise was there to be seen. They
had not expected anyone to be there, and certainly not Dark
Damsel.
“So, what will it be, boys?” Dark Damsel asked. “You can
try to run; you can try to fight your way out; or you can just
bow to the inevitable.”
Approaching sirens let the thieves know that the inevitable
was just what she said it would be. They were fairly trapped.
Three of the four started to tense up in preparation for a
desperate fight for their freedom, but the fourth relaxed and
laughed out loud.
“But, Dark Damsel,” he said, pulling off his ski-mask and
looking surprised and hurt, “we had no idea that this part of
the museum was off-limits.”
It was an interesting ploy. Dark Damsel relaxed as well.
There would be no fight here. The leader of the thieves was much
too smart. A fight would be an admission of guilt. There was
always the possibility that their lawyer could explain away the
lock-picks, the masks and other paraphernalia; explaining a
pitched battle with Dark Damsel and the forces of Law and Order
would be something else entirely.
“Yes, I’m sure the tapes from the new surveillance cameras
will bear out your story of taking the wrong hallway.” Dark
Damsel grinned as the man’s countenance fell for an instant
before he could catch himself.
“I’m sure you are right,” he replied with a confidence he
should not be feeling. Dark Damsel’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Could he have some trick up his sleeve. “In the meantime, how
about we sit down and wait for the Police–those sirens do mean
that the police are on their way here, don’t they?”
As if there could be any doubt. The sirens faded and died
as the police cars surrounded the museum.
The four men sat down on the chairs which patrons used
to relax and enjoy the exhibits and the three followers copied
their leader and pulled off their ski-masks. Glances were
exchanged. The light was dim, which must have contributed to her
lack of perception, Dark Damsel thought as the long flowing hair
of one of the thieves caught the Damsel’s attention and closer
scrutiny proved her to be a woman. She was slightly built,
which had contributed to the Damsel’s mistake. The woman
looked quite upset and Dark Damsel had a flash of pity, but no
more than a flash. They were crooks. She watched attentively
as they sat quietly in the chairs and waited. Too late, Dark
Damsel noticed that their hands were busy. She groaned inwardly
as the Police burst into the room and turned on the lights. All
that was left of their masks was the wool thread which could have
been anything. The bastards–and bitch–had unraveled them
while Dark Damsel had stood by watching and doing nothing.

“A good job, Dark Damsel,” Commissioner Delcourt told her.
Dark Damsel smiled wanly at the praise from her ‘Uncle Teddy’.
Too bad she could never let him know that she was Renee Jimson,
the daughter of his late partner. On the other hand, if he knew
he would only worry, so maybe it was best that he never know
that his quiet ‘niece’ was Dark Damsel.
“True, it was a pity they were able to dispose of their
masks, but a good job nonetheless. The evidence we have is
overwhelming. I don’t think they’ll see the light of day for
some time to come.” A smile of sweet victory softened his
features as he contemplated the wheels of justice rolling over
the quartet of evil-doers.
“They’ve lawyered up, of course, and guess who their lawyer
turns out to be?” Delcourt ran his fingers through his still
thick, though graying, hair. “Benton Frondell.”
“The Organization.” Dark Damsel was surprised. The powerful
‘Organization’ had their criminal tendrils into practically
everything. This was known, but unprovable. They were very
clever and very powerful. They had the best of lawyers, though
they had a reputation for rarely needing them as their planning
was usually better than that which had been evinced in the museum
job. Perhaps they had had a loss of which the forces of Law
and Order knew nothing. Dark Damsel hoped so. There had been
nothing on the grapevine, but there rarely was with regards to
the Organization.
“Yes.” Delcourt straightened up in his chair. “But there
is some bad news to go along with the good. There was a bank
robbery last night, too. They actually tunneled in from the
sewer system and broke into the vault. Strangely enough, most
of their efforts were concentrated on the safe-deposit boxes.
Considerable cash was left behind. The job reeks of the
Organization. Oh, and they seemed to discriminate between
boxes, too. They knew which ones they were looking for.”
“A feint?” Dark Damsel wondered out loud. Could the gang
have sacrificed some of their members in order to divert police
investigators? Clues had filtered in about the museum job and
the Hub City Police Department had put major resources into
breaking the case. It had been their best chance in years at
finally doing some damage to the Organization. Everything had
been in place, yet even that would have come to naught had Dark
Damsel ignored her hunch that everything was just a little too
pat. According to the information they had, the museum robbery
should have taken place somewhat later on the following day.
Fortunately, the Commissioner had gone along with her
hunch and they had been ready. Even so, they had almost
missed out as the job had been going down while Dark Damsel
was still making her preliminary tour, before settling in to
await the break-in.
“My thoughts are running the same way, I’m afraid,”
Commissioner Delcourt admitted. “Still, we may get lucky. I
don’t think the young lady you apprehended is going to enjoy a
first hand look at the Hub City Pen. She may crack and give
us the lead we’ve needed to finally get to the Organization.”
“Perhaps.” Dark Damsel wasn’t so sure.
Commissioner Delcourt looked at the raven-haired bombshell
in front of him and shook his head in dismay. Such a beauty
shouldn’t be spending her time fighting criminals, he thought.
One day, working alone as she did much of the time, she would
get in trouble too deep to get out of. It would be such a
waste. He thought of broaching the subject of her working more
closely with the Hub City Police Department, but rejected that
idea. Her answer today would be no different than the one
she’d given him a dozen times before. Unfortunately, it would
take a disaster to get her to see the truth of his position.
He only hoped he wouldn’t be around to see it. Lost in those
thoughts he didn’t notice Dark Damsel slipping towards the
exit.
“I’ll be in touch.” With that, Dark Damsel stepped out
the door and disappeared.

Damn, damn and double damn. She’d been careless and now
she was going to have to pay the price. Fortunately, she still
had an ace up her sleeve. Well, perhaps not an ace, but a Queen.
Colleen O’Brien looked in the mirror–O’Brien wasn’t her
real name, nor was she Irish at all, but it fit, so she used
it. She liked what she saw. She was a beauty, no doubt about
it. Long, medium dark red hair cascaded down over her shoulders
and brushed the tops of her shapely breasts. A good diet and
daily work-outs saw that she stayed in the best of shape. She
would never let herself go. Too much hinged on the perception
of others. Perhaps Mafia Dons could be overweight and still
impressive; it would never work with her, though. She knew
this and it was a goad which prodded her on the days when she
wanted nothing more than to forgo her morning exercise regime.
She put on a close fitting black dress which had just the
slightest touch of ‘DOM’ about it. Power and the perception of
Power went hand in hand. It was a lesson she had learned early
on her climb to the top of the underworld in the Hub City. It
was a lesson she’d never forget.
Power. She liked the word. Power had its privileges; she
enjoyed those privileges to the hilt. The flip side of that was
that power, rightly used, carried with it obligations. One of
those was Accountability. That was something which was stressed
in the Organization–and it had been she who had stressed it the
most.
And there it was. If she evaded her responsibility, showed
that she, as Chairman, was not accountable, then that would
filter down and the Organization would lose prestige and, above
that, the loyalty of its membership. Loyalty unto Death: It was
no trite phrase which made up the motto of the Organization. It
meant just what it said. When you joined the Organization you
joined it body and soul and for life. There was no retirement.
The Organization owned you. And you were personally responsible
to ensure that the reputation of the Organization never suffered.
In turn, the Organization looked after you . . . ’til death.
That was the problem with society today. No personal
accountability. Well, in the Organization there *was* personal
accountability. Your body, quite literally, was on the line from
the moment you took the oath. She had taken the oath. Her very
body would be on the line this day.
But there was Royale. Colleen smiled at the thought of her
good friend. Royale had been with her from the beginning. From
before the beginning. They had gone to school together, been
friends forever. Royale, the quiet one. Ever supportive, and
smart. Smart enough to have distanced herself, in public, from
her Chairman. Better that the rank and file–and even most of
the Board–didn’t know about their connection. It was always
an advantage to have secret friends.
Early on, Royale had acted as her bodyguard and trainer.
Several inches taller than Colleen, her mere presence had often
brought a ‘respectability’ to the smaller woman that her own
size did not seem to warrant. Once in the Organization, Colleen
had kept her in the background while she, herself, made her
own presence known through her intelligence and ruthlessness.
Royale had then ascended the ranks surely and quickly with
Colleen’s hidden help. Now she was on the Board, and it was to
Royale that Colleen would hand the gavel.
Colleen took a last look in the mirror and smiled. A woman
of power looked back at her. Power both in the sureness of her
carriage, her bold gaze and power in her sexuality. Her cleavage
was an overt exclamation of the power she held. It said that she
dared to be sexual, dared to use the power of a woman in this,
the bastion of men. Pity the poor soul who tried to challenge
her on her own ground.

The man howled his pain and Colleen replaced the flogger in
its holder. He wasn’t faking it. She sat down, her heart
pumping rapidly, face flushed with the excitement of it all.
This was *power*. Part of the exhilaration was due to the fact
that she knew she would soon be in his position. In fact it was
the very next order of business–the final order of business for
the day. Colleen looked around at the members of the Board.
They all avoided her gaze, but she could sense the anticipation,
see it in the way they held themselves.
The man was released with a nod and allowed to pull up his
trousers before being led from the room by the clerk. The
cameramen followed. They would be back. That was the part that
Colleen disliked the most about what was to follow: the permanent
record.
“Well, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board. We come to the
final business of the day.” Colleen’s voice was low and well
modulated. She stood and stepped inside the circle. One needed
power to do such and not feel fear.
The Board sat in a large, circular, high ceilinged,
windowless room. The members sat on the periphery of the room,
looking down into the centre. On a level just below was a
walkway which was used by the Pages to bring them such documents
as might be required. Below that was the main floor. There
stood the docket, the punishment rack and the Clerk’s desk. As
well as those were three Cameras, which recorded that which
needed to be recorded, standing at the ready. Punishments were
one of those events which needed recording.
Colleen strode upon the walkway, looking at the members
opposite her. It was an effective strategy. She did not need
to look up as much as she would have had she addressed those
directly above her.
“Yes, the final business of the day,” she smiled grimly,
as she walked, gavel in hand. “And, as the one in the docket
this time out, another will have to become Chairman, pro tem.”
There were looks of expectation and several furtively
licked their lips. It wasn’t often that a member of the Board,
let alone the Chairman, was to be in the docket. And with
this chairman, it might be a great pleasure to wield the flogger
and to hear her howl.
“So, to whom shall I pass the gavel?” She looked at them
one at a time as she circled the room. “Some want it too much,
and thus do not deserve it.” She smiled as her gaze went from
face to face. “Others want it not enough and likewise do not
deserve the honour.” She smiled again, at the irony in the
statement. “We want leniency as little as we want the iron
fist.” Her smile faded and her voice grew in power. “We are
the court of final appeal,” her words rang out, “and in this
chamber there must be *Justice*.”
Silence. Not a one made a single sound. Colleen felt
the exhilaration of the moment riding high within her. She
stopped in front of Karl Hoffman’s seat. He looked at her,
expressionless. She began to raise the gavel, holding Royale
in her peripheral vision. Royale, too, betrayed not a whit
the surprise she must have been feeling. The gavel was supposed
to go to her. That had been the plan. Karl did not immediately
reach forward to take the gavel as Colleen knew he would not. He
was one of those who wanted it too little.
“No?” Colleen asked in surprise, then turned to Royale
who sat in the chair next to Karl. “Then you?”
Royale, with utter dignity and seeming indifference to the
power she was being handed, reached forth and accepted the gavel.
If any of the others were feeling disappointed, or upset, with
Colleen’s choice, they were too wise to show it.
“Then it is done.”

[Story by echo @ nym . alias . net]

Colleen walked with stately gait to the stairs and descended
the three steps to the main floor. Without pause she moved to
the docket and took her place within.
The gavel came down hard on the bench, echoing throughout
the room. Summoned by a hidden buzzer, four lower echelon members
of the Organization walked into the room. Three took their places
behind the cameras to record the verdict and punishment–the trial
itself would not be recorded for obvious reasons–the fourth
made the circuit of the walkway placing a file on the desk of
each member of the Board. That fourth then took her place behind
the desk on the main floor.
Bam! The gavel once more descended.
“Ladies and Gentlemen of the Board. These proceedings have
become necessary due to the lack of forethought used in carrying
out a plan which was not meant to be carried out.” Royale spoke
out, her voice carrying across the room. She then laid out the
specifics of the case. Witnesses were called forth by the Clerk
and testimony was given. Royale’s blond tresses were pulled back
and held by a barrette, giving those who looked her way a clear
view of her face. It was a strong, yet sensuous face, slightly
squared, yet pretty nonetheless. Just now, her blue eyes were
cold and piercing and she looked every inch a Chairman of The
Organization. As Colleen looked up at her from the docket, she
shivered involuntarily. The trial went on and Colleen’s attention
returned to the evidence givers. She had no quarrel with them.
They were doing their duty.
A plan had been made to divert the attention of the Hub City
Police Department while preparations were made for an undertaking
of major importance. The diversion of Police resources was to be
caused by leaking bits of a plan for a robbery. This robbery was
never to be made. It was only a diversion. The plan had been
passed by the Board. The Chairman had taken it upon herself to
allow the diversion to go through–though 26 hours ahead of the
supposed schedule. She had timed it to run concurrent with the
actual undertaking. Her reasons? It seemed a shame to waste
the plan. As well, the items to be appropriated were to the
liking of the Chairman.
The final witness left, throwing a hesitant, somewhat
fearful glance at her Chairman. Colleen’s attention, however,
was now back on Royale.
“And what was the result of this decision to go ahead?”
Royale asked. “The result,” her voiced deepened in anger, as
she answered her own question “was the capture of four of our
people. Four people who should never have been placed in any
danger whatsoever. The result: Damage to our reputation; damage
to the confidence of our people in the field in us, their
Board–their trust has been violated; and finally, pain–pain in
the hearts of we who must sit in judgment on one of our own.
Yes, that and the humiliation of knowing that there are others
who are laughing at us and enjoying our little reversal of
fortune, benefiting from our lapse.” Royale stopped speaking
and looked down upon Colleen. Their eyes met and held.
Colleen thought that Royale was playing it a little rough.
But Royale knew what she was doing. She always did. And it was
easy enough to see where this was leading. Pain and humiliation.
Good for you, Royale, Colleen thought. A few lashes and it will
all be over. The “humiliation” of being flogged in front of the
board and the “pain” of the flogging. Truth be told, she didn’t
mind a little pain now and again. Yet she could trust Royale to
hold back just that little bit which would make all the difference
and, on her part, a little acting would make it seem to the others
that the pain she felt was considerably greater than what it was
in fact. There would be no doubters, no comeback.
“At this point, Colleen O’Brien, is there anything you
wish to say in your defense? Are there any mitigating
circumstances of which we should be aware?”
It was the standard question.
“I have nothing to add.” Only a fool would try to defend
herself at this juncture. The verdict had been decided before
she had entered the docket. The only judgment left was the
appropriate sentence. Pleading for mercy would have the
opposite effect of that intended. The best thing Colleen could
do was to take whatever she had coming with all the dignity
she could muster. That was what counted: Accept responsibility
and punishment without flinching. Anything less and she would
never get her position back.
“Then you accept the sentence of this Inquiry?”
“I do.” One could take a lighter sentence if one wished
demotion. Colleen did not. Now to find out what Royale had
devised for the sentence.
“Then to the rack!” Royale ordered.
The rack was a simple H-frame affair with adjustable
arms. A padded bar across the top would be set to the height
of the victims hips so she could lean over it. Then she would
grasp a pair of hand-holds stretching her out, her body parallel
to the floor. The victim’s wrists could then be fastened to the
hand-holds, feet to the uprights. Crude but effective.
Colleen walked over to the bar, leaned over and grasped
the hand holds and hooked her heels behind the uprights. Royale,
as executor, held up the cuffs in front of Colleen. A small
smile played across her lips as Colleen declined the offer. She
stepped back.
“Do you wish the gag?”
“I decline,” Colleen replied. It might be nice to have
something to bite down on, but it was a sign of weakness and she
dared show none. It took will power to stand and take the
punishment without trying to interfere and protect oneself.
Should she give in to the impulse to do so, the consequences
would be devastating.
Royale lifted up Colleen’s dress and grinned. “I see you
came prepared,” she chuckled lowly, as Colleen’s bare buttocks
were exposed, “but just how prepared?”
There was something in Royale’s voice which caused a small
quiver of doubt in Colleen. What *was* Royale up to? She gave
a tiny, almost imperceptible jerk as Royale’s fingers found the
zipper on the back of her dress and pulled it down to her waist.
What was going on? This was no part of the plan. Royale then
drew the dress up past Colleen’s hips and over her head and arms,
over the hand-holds and let it fall to the base of the rack.
Colleen was now naked.
The cameras were now on her and she could see herself in the
monitors in front of her. One camera panned across the faces
of the onlookers and a rare interest was being shown. That was
for Colleen’s benefit. It would be worth the life of the
cameraman to actually place on tape the whole of the Board of
the Organization. Then all three cameras focused on the body of
the prisoner. Now the tape would begin to roll. Colleen
had to admire herself. Very nice lines. Her breasts, hanging
down, nipples turgid with the excitement of the moment, pleased
her.
“Legs apart,” Royale ordered and Colleen obeyed, placing
each ankle against the outside of the H-frame support. There
were cuffs there as well, but they, too, were rarely used. Cuffed,
the prisoner could attempt to close her legs without being
successful. Uncuffed, any such attempt would bring down harsh
reprisal. Again, it was a question of will. If one didn’t have
the will to maintain the position, one’s position in the
Organization would not be maintained either.
“In looking at a penalty for your actions we had to look
first at what your actions had wrought. As I stated, they
were: Damage to our reputation; loss of trust in our leadership;
humiliation and pain.”
Colleen shivered at what the words implied. ‘*We* had to
look’, Royale had said. There was more going on here than the
understanding between the two women.
“You, Colleen O’Brien, have a certain reputation within
the Organization.” Royale was now in front of Colleen. She
reached out and held Colleen’s chin in her hand, raising her
face until their eyes met. Looking deeply into Colleen’s
gray-green eyes she smiled. “You have a reputation of using men
to your own joy if not theirs. You are always in control. You
control the speed, the depth, the time. Your pleasure comes first
and woe be to any who defy you. Well, when word of this gets
out, as it will, your reputation for always having it your way
will be damaged.” She looked up over Colleen’s head to the Clerk
and nodded.
Colleen heard the door behind them close, but couldn’t see
the monitors to find out who had come in. Her gaze was trapped
by that of Royale’s. Royale smiled at her, but there was no
warmth in the smile. Was she acting or had Colleen seriously
misjudged her? Royale looked up again.
“Quincy.”
Quincy? Quincy was one of the middle echelon men who had
been attracted to, but been put off by, Colleen. She had made no
bones about his worth to her as a man.
“Madam Chairman?”
It was Quincy’s voice, all right.
“You know what this is, Quincy?”
“Yes, Madam Chairman.”
“Then you know that there will be–can be–no reprisals.
Enjoy yourself.” Royale stepped away as she spoke. Colleen was
now at the mercy of Quincy.

Royale looked on as Quincy made a show of walking around
the displayed woman, inspecting her. He was doing just as she had
ordered. Colleen was in for something of a surprise, Royale
chuckled to herself. She had been waiting for this day for a
long time, ever since they had taken over the Norse gang. Now
she was going to enjoy herself, just as she had ordered Quincy
to do. It was all in the bag. Nothing could stop it–except
a sudden change of plea by Colleen, and that one was too proud
for that. Royale smiled again.

Quincy circled Colleen once, taking in her nakedness. There
was a malicious grin on his face. He stopped in front of her and
moved forward between her outstretched arms. Her face was at
his groin. He fumbled at his fly, then brought out his semi-hard
cock.
“Open wide,” he ordered. “Better lube it up good, ’cause
I’m going to do you.”
Colleen obeyed and took him in her mouth, quickly coating him
with saliva. Who knew how long he’d allow her this, so she acted
accordingly. She was busy concentrating on her task and almost
missed Royale’s words in her ear. Almost.
“Get him off like this and he’ll be done,” she whispered.
“He only gets the one cum.” Royale’s hands were busy in Colleen’s
hair, drawing it back and capturing it in a barrette. All the
better for the cameras to catch her work.
Clever, clever Royale. Very clever Royale. It appeared
that she was punishing Colleen, but they both well knew that
in her rise to power Colleen had blown any number of men–and a
few women. A public blowjob was a little humiliating, yes, but
nothing that wouldn’t pass with time. Hell, even a little
late morning fuck wouldn’t be that bad. Royale knew what she was
doing and Colleen felt a momentary twinge of conscience for
having earlier doubted her. And, though rumours of what happened
in the punishment circle always spread, the law that nothing
left the room guaranteed that little would be believed, true or
not.
‘He gets only one cum’, the words hung in her ears. Best to
get it over with quickly. Colleen went to work with a vengeance,
licking and sucking. Her tongue flicked over Quincy’s glans,
molded itself to his shaft as she took him deep in her throat,
pressed hard as she bobbed her head up, lips forming a tight,
exciting seal about him, then flicked again. It had been a long
time since she’d performed like this, but she hadn’t forgotten.
She made the little noises that she knew excited men, the moans
and hums. And it was working. He was growing harder and his
breath was coming in gasps. He was at the edge. Just a few
more strokes and . . . . Damn.

Quincy pulled back and out of her reach. “Damn, you’re
good,” he told her admiringly. “You suck like a real pro. You
almost finished me there.” But there was no way he was about
to let that happen. Finally he had the bitch right where he
wanted her. He stood back and watched the little signs of a
quickly covered dismay float across the bitch’s features. No,
he would have his fun.
He went around to her side and fondled her breasts, pulling
on her already erect nipples. A hot bitch. A hot bitch, but
one who wouldn’t want what he was going to give her–not here
in public. He spoke again, recalling his orders. “I hope you
fuck as well as you suck,” he laughed as he stroked her neck
and ran his fingers down her back to her ass.
Colleen flushed a bit as she realized that those words
would be caught on the tape of the event. Quincy was purposely
trying to embarrass her to the maximum, secure in his knowledge
that there could be no comeback. But there were more ways
than one for the Chairman to get around that little stricture,
Colleen thought grimly.

Chapter 2

Royale took station directly in front of Colleen and sat
down on the little folding stool she’d brought along for just that
purpose. She hid a smile as Colleen looked at her questioningly.
Not yet, my dear, she thought to herself, but soon. Soon you’ll
know the full folly of your actions.
Quincy was behind Colleen, ready to continue now that he’d
cooled off a bit. He positioned himself and looked over to her
for the order. Royale waited until Colleen caught her gaze and
then made a minute movement of her hand.
It was great. Colleen’s eyes widened slightly and she gave
forth with a little chuff as Quincy buried himself in her. The
frontal camera would have caught it perfectly. Royale was
already looking forward to watching the tapes. Just thinking of
it was making her a little hot, herself. Quincy was beginning to
thrust rapidly and Royale gave Colleen a little wink. She almost
laughed out loud at the tiny tell-tale signs of relief which
Colleen could not disguise. Going to be a long day for you,
dear, she thought and grinned to herself. It has only just
begun. You don’t know that yet, but you will, oh yes, you will.

She was taking a pounding. There was no finesse to it at
all. Quincy was using her to get off, nothing more. Stretched
over the punishment rack there was nothing she could do about
it–not without giving up more than she wished to give up. So
it continued.
Colleen had been startled and had given an involuntary gasp
when Quincy forcefully entered her. Her recovery was only
momentary for after a short pause he began thrusting and soon her
breathing matched itself to the motion of his cock. And, as
Quincy’s thrusting rapidly built speed and power, her breath
quickened until it came in gasps. Behind her she could hear him
laugh in exultation as he rammed her against the hip support.
Her breasts were now constantly in motion as her body suffered
the onslaught. Looking up, Colleen caught Royale’s gaze and
Royale winked which made her feel suddenly better.
Of course Royale would have known about Quincy before picking
him. Some of the other women would have talked. He was one who
had no skill and would get it over with as fast as possible. She
could always count on Royale.
So, it would soon be over. An unusual punishment, but one
which seemed to fit the crime. She’d fucked up, now she was
getting fucked. Only problem was that Quincy was no damned good.
She’d been right to spurn him. Still, she was getting all wet
and slippery. She’d have to have a little session with herself,
after this was over, to finish the job Quincy had started.
Colleen tried to let her thoughts drift to the long hot
bath she had promised herself, to relaxing and floating in the
large tub as she slowly stroked herself, but Quincy leaned over
and began pinching at her nipples even as he thrust himself into
her. It spoiled the thought, bringing her back to the reality
of the present. The short drift had, however, made her a little
more horny, more receptive to the fucking she was getting.
Finally, with a long drawn out moan, Quincy stiffened,
rammed into her hard several times, then held himself tightly
to her. His breath, like hers, was coming in gasps. It was over.
He withdrew, leaving her hot and stranded. Bastard.
Colleen maintained her grip on the hand-holds and awaited
Royale’s command to release. When, after a long pause, it did
not come, Colleen looked up questioningly. Royale was smiling
a wicked smile.
“Did you think we were done, O’Brien?” she asked.
That was exactly what Colleen had thought. Where was
Royale going with this?
“Quincy, take a seat,” Royale ordered.
This was all wrong. Quincy should have been excused from
the room. Just *what* was Royale playing at?
“Perhaps you’ve forgotten already?” Royale’s tone was
that of an amused parent talking to a disobedient child. “You
caused damage to our reputation, violation of the trust our
people should have in their superiors, pain and humiliation.”
She paused to let the full import of the words sink in. When
she saw the shocked understanding begin to dawn in Colleen’s
eyes she rose to her feet and smiled. “Yes, O’Brien, this is
not yet over.” She moved out of Colleen’s sight behind her and
looking to the monitors provided no enlightenment.
The bitch! What was she doing? This was not part of the
agreement at all. Royale had betrayed her! Colleen swore
vengeance. If it was the last thing she did, she would get
even with Royale.
Colleen desperately wanted to turn her head around to
see what Royale was up to but, knowing it would be a sign of
weakness, kept her gaze to the front and composed her face.
Whatever happened, she would maintain her composure.

Royale felt the adrenalin rush as she unclasped her
wrap-around skirt and revealed to the board that she was
wearing a harness. She pulled open a drawer on the commode,
picked up an dildo attachment, realistic down to its hanging
balls, and attached it. Lubing it liberally–there were certain
standards to be maintained–she looked at Colleen’s inviting ass
and smiled grimly. Lose me my Nikki, will you? she asked
silently. You’ll pay for that. You’ll pay.
Royale almost laughed out loud at Colleen’s visible jump
as she placed her hands on the naked woman’s hips. This was
going to be more fun than she’d ever imagined.
“You trusted me, didn’t you,” she taunted the smaller
woman. “Royale would never break the bond that she had formed
with you, would she?” Under her hands she felt Colleen grow
rigid. It was all she could do to keep from laughing out
loud with triumph. She moved her hips forward until the
anal probe came into contact with its intended target. Again
Colleen gave a little, almost imperceptible jump and again
Royale silently gloated.

Colleen knew what was coming. Royale was going to
ass-fuck her. Why? This wasn’t the Royale she knew. What
was going on? Behind her, she heard Royale’s voice telling her
that she’d better relax or the result would be painful.
“Relax, O’Brien, and take it like a man.” Royale chuckled,
and with that Royale pushed forward and the invader slid, after
a slight hesitation due to the resistance Colleen had been unable
to suppress, deep inside her. Now it was Royale who began to
move in and out, causing her breath once more to sync with the
movements of her abuser.
Two tiny tears appeared at Colleen’s eyes. She blinked
them away, hoping that the cameras had not caught them.
“Umph!” Colleen grunted as Royale pressed in deep and
hard. The probe’s ‘balls’ pushed hard against her pussy and
clit. The hell of it was, what with Quincy’s previous
ministrations, that she was hot. She didn’t like getting it
in the ass–never had–but on top of the previous fucking it
didn’t seem too bad now.
“You must be wondering what went wrong,” Royale’s voice
was a little strained, now, from her own exertion. “I imagine
that is just how our people felt as Dark Damsel and the cops
closed in on them. Do you think that they felt just the
slightest bit betrayed?”
So that was it! A great light went on in Colleen’s mind.
Just as she had violated the trust of the four now in police
custody, her trust, too, had been violated. Royale was giving
her a lesson in kind. And it hurt, just like it was supposed
to. Royale well knew of her aversion to being ass-fucked and
she was using that private knowledge against her now. Betrayed
was just the word for it. And, to make it worse, Colleen
knew that she deserved it.
It stopped, with Royale deep inside her. Royale leaned
over and began to whisper in her ear. Colleen fought to
concentrate.
“. . . and though you’re not enjoying this now, you will.
I have a little surprise for you.”
Surprise? Everything was a surprise. What could this . . .
Colleen suddenly bucked as she heard a little click and the
probes ‘balls’ began to vibrate as they pressed against her
pussy and clit.
“Don’t worry, babe, I’ll make sure you get off.”
Colleen wasn’t sure she was happy about this, but at that
moment Royale backed out again. The probe was tapered at both
ends so that it stretched her sphincter on the way in, then
allowed it to relax a little when Royale pressed up against her.
On withdrawal it was stretched again. Her ass was being
continually stretched and released by the probe and now her
clitty was getting a buzz from the vibrating ‘balls’ every time
Royale buried it in her.
Royale knew what she was doing and soon it was all Colleen
could do to keep from screaming out her pleasure. Damn that
Royale, anyway. Royale knew she was a ‘screamer’. It would
be humiliating to be forced to come while being ass-fucked
in front of the Board.
“Oh, God,” Colleen gasped as the implications hit home.
She tightened up to try and fight back the rising excitement.
Behind her, she heard Royale laugh again. Royale knew. The
Bitch had interpreted the signs correctly. She pushed in tight
and suddenly the buzz increased in frequency.
“Yes, O’Brien,” Royale whispered in her ear, “you’ll come
for us. I won’t stop until you do.” The buzz increased again.
“Nice, isn’t it. But, back to the action.” Royale pulled out
again and Colleen gasped. She jerked again as Royale rammed
her again, holding the vibrators against her sensitive clit for
a moment before backing out again.
Oh, God. Oh, God. She was panting now. It wouldn’t be
long, she knew, no matter how she fought it.

It was one of Royale’s most satisfying moments. She had
Colleen on the ropes and she knew that she wouldn’t let her up.
Colleen had had this coming for a long time now and Royale was
just the one to give it to her. Hearing the gasps and moans
increased her own excitement and she plunged with renewed
energy into the helpless leader of the Organization.
Come on, you little bitch, cum! Cum and show us all how
a bitch in heat can cry out.
There was no mercy in Royale. She fingered the little remote
and the vibrator’s speed increased again. Colleen’s back arched
her face went tight. Royale laughed at the sight in the monitor.
She’d have to make herself a copy of this tape–something simply
not done, but she would do it.
Colleen’s whole body was shaking now and Royale knew she was
close. She pressed in and held the vibrator against Colleen’s
clit for a moment then, just as she recognized the signs of an
imminent orgasm, she began driving in and out as fast as she
could.
Colleen’s breath caught. Her body stiffened and held for
several long seconds.
Now, you bitch, now!
She screamed.

As the scream died to a wail and the wail into sobs, Colleen
felt a belt being fastened around her waist. Then she was ordered
onto her toes and ties were fastened to the front of the belt.
Royale fumbled at their juncture for a moment then stepped away,
leaving the anal probe inside her. Colleen hung her head. So,
it wasn’t over yet. What now, she asked herself, what now?
She felt Royale fasten a strap to the back of the belt and
knew that the nasty device, now quiescent, was locked inside and
against her. What now? She was not long in waiting, for
Royale’s voice broke through her exhaustion.
“So, O’Brien, you have now felt what it is to have your
reputation damaged and your trust betrayed. Now you will feel
pain.”
Royale appeared in front of her and Colleen raised her
head wearily. As expected, Royale held the flogger in her hand.
It had multiple strands of soft leather which would sting like
the furies, but which would not mark her permanently.
“Please, may I have one,” Colleen asked ritually. She
wondered if Royale would hold true to the bargain they’d made.
Pain jolted her, causing an involuntary gasp. Apparently not.
“Another, please, a little harder.”
“Of course.” Royale answered, her tone mocking. This was
going to be bad.
Colleen couldn’t help but jump as the vibrator buzzed to
life a moment before the second blow fell. That blow was, indeed,
a little harder. This was going to be very bad, indeed.

“Another, please, a little harder,” Colleen gritted the
words out. She was about at the edge of what she could take.
Her butt was thoroughly sensitized and each stroke now had her
jumping with pain. Royale, from the start, had demonstratively
had no intention of keeping the bargain which the two of them
had made. Now there was nothing for it but to stick it out–no
matter what. Eventually she would be able to return the favour.
Eventually she would have her revenge.
“Ahh!” The flogger fell across her sorry ass-cheeks again.
It was accompanied by the now familiar rise in vibration rate.
Royale was pushing her towards another orgasm. She could feel
the ripples of energy rising in her, turning into waves. Were
it not for the continual flashes of pain, she would have climaxed
some time ago. She was getting close, so close. And she fought
it with every fibre of her being.
“Another please, a little harder.”
“Certainly, my dear.” Royale’s voice turned to a whisper
as she moved closer to her victim. “You won’t be getting out
of here until you cum again. Might as well save yourself some
pain.”
No. She would not be beaten like that. There was a limit
to what Royale would be permitted to do. This was, after all,
The Organization. They had rules. If only . . .
The buzz was driving her crazy. The vibrator was moving
at what Colleen figured must be full speed and it was driving
her inexorably towards . . . . She tightened up. Her breath
held. Oh, God, no . . . NO!
The scream as the whip descended was part pleasure and part
pain. There was no doubt but that she had orgasmed. Her face
reddened further.
“Another please, a little harder,” she sobbed.
“No. I think you’ve had enough.”
Thank God! But the vibrator still buzzed and she knew that
she was already well on the way towards her next climax. She
wanted to beg Royale to turn it off, but that would be the sign
of weakness which she could not afford.
“Stand up.”
With shaking limbs, Colleen stood. She could barely
concentrate. Sweat trickled into her eyes, stinging them and
wisps of her hair clung to her face. She felt a mess. At least
it was over. She would be led out and then she could rest, to
give in to the tears which were just a fraction away.
Royale was speaking and it took every bit of effort that
Colleen could muster to concentrate on her words.
“Now you’ve experienced damage to your rep, betrayal and
pain. Just one more to go.” Royale paused dramatically.
“Quincy.”
Quincy? Oh, yes. He was still there. Colleen turned
her head and saw him grinning at her. He had enjoyed every
new degradation to its fullest.
“Quincy. You know our rules about what goes on here
staying here.” It was not a question.
Thank God for that, Colleen thought.
“Well, this time it has been agreed that they will not
apply.”
“What?” The word was out before Colleen could stop it.
Royale gave her a nasty smile. “This time,” her words
were aimed at Quincy even though she looked Colleen straight
in the eyes, “you will be able to tell anyone anything about
what happened here today–leaving out the names of all except
you and the accused, of course.
“You may find that you will not be believed. To protect
*your* reputation, therefore, you may–for the next week only–
take those who would besmirch your good name to the viewing room
and show them the tape as proof of your good word.”
Colleen’s eyes went wide. Her face went even redder,
giving a nice contrast to her hair. Finally she broke contact
with Royale’s eyes and cast her own gaze down to the floor.
“And that, O’Brien, is the final lesson. Humiliation.
I trust that you will be more careful in the use of your power
from this time on. Now come.”
Royale grasped Colleen’s nipple and pulled her along
towards the exit. Colleen didn’t make it. Her third orgasm
rocked her violently. When she regained enough energy to open
her eyes, she saw the eyes of the cameras on her yet. She wasn’t
even to be spared that final indignity.

“So you want to know why, do you?” Royale snarled at her.
“Well, sit down and I’ll tell you.”
Royale waited for the still shaky Colleen to take a seat.
Colleen sat down carefully yet gasped nonetheless as her red,
plugged posterior met the hard seat of the chair. Royale
smiled vindictively.
“It wasn’t just me, you know. You’ve alienated everyone
on the Board. No, don’t give me that surprised look. Surely
you knew?” Royale laughed at Colleen’s bewilderment. “Then
this is indeed for the best. It is high time we got you out
of your position of power.”
“Got me out . . .” Colleen couldn’t believe what she was
hearing. “You can’t mean . . .”
“Oh yes I can,” Royale interrupted her. “Your days as
Chairman are over. Perhaps you can regain your seat on the
Board, perhaps not. Do you remember the Norse Gang?”
Colleen was confused at the sudden change in tack. “Yes,”
she replied, puzzled, “we took them over, you and I, when we
were just starting out.”
“Do you remember how?”
Colleen cast back in her memories. Those were heady days,
risking all on high odds. But they’d won. She’d seduced the
gang leader, then broken him. “Of course. I fixed their leader
and we took over.” Fixed. Good word.
“You don’t remember well enough.” Royale glared at her.
“While you were in there dealing with Olaf the Laughing Viking,
I had to keep his bodyguard busy. Remember?”
“Yes.” Colleen wondered what this was all about. That had
been many years ago.
“Do you know *how* I kept him busy?” Fire burned in Royale’s
eyes. “I took it up the rear for you. That’s how Ragnar wanted
it and that’s how he got it. Did you ever ask what I had to do?
Did you ever care?”
Colleen was taken aback by the fury she saw in Royale.
True, she hadn’t asked. But they knew that what they were doing
entailed risks.
“No! All you cared about was that we won. You didn’t care
what it cost.” Royale calmed down. “And since then it has been
the same. Others pay the cost and you, uncaring, reap the
rewards. *That’s* why I took your ass today.”
“Please, Royale, that was a long time ago . . .”
“Yes it was. But Nikki wasn’t.”
“Nicky? Do I know him?”
“Her,” Royale sneered. “No, you don’t know her. You just
let her walk into Dark Damsel’s trap.” Royale was pacing back and
forth in front of Colleen. “Stand up, Bitch!”
Colleen’s eyes widened, but she stood.
“Here are the rules. You cost me my Nikki. I need a
replacement. You want your seat on the Board. Five weeks from
tonight you will return and the rack will be ready for a repeat
of tonight’s action.” Royale smiled at Colleen’s sudden gasp.
“And after it is over I will have my replacement for Nikki.
You won’t like it. That I promise you.” There was a long pause
while Royale let that sink in. “But that replacement doesn’t
have to be you. It will be, though, unless . . .”
“Unless what?” Colleen grasped at the straw.
“Unless you can convince Dark Damsel to take your place.
Bring us Dark Damsel and you get back your seat on the Board.
Dark Damsel has embarrassed us. With her on the rack we
regain our prestige. After which she will serve me, personally.
If you fail, that fate will be yours.”
“And now, here’s something to motivate you.” Royale
suddenly pulled Colleen by the arm, sat down on the chair which
Colleen had so recently vacated and jerked Colleen across her
lap. “This is for Nikki–and something you’ll get have to
get used to if you don’t bring me Dark Damsel.” With that she
raised her hand and began a vigourous over-the-knee spanking
of the once proud and powerful chairman of the Organization.
Within moments Colleen was crying out in pain. Her
struggles to free herself were in vain and Royale was
triumphant. Tears spilled down her cheeks as Colleen was
finally allowed to stand.
“Now go. You have two hours to pack and be out of here.
You will get no help from the Organization. It is for you,
personally, to bring us Dark Damsel.”
“My clothes . . .”
“Should have thought of that before losing me my Nikki.”
The blonde woman chuckled, “At least you have something
covering your privates.” She chuckled again. “Better go,
quick. The key to your belt is on your desk. Oh, and here’s
a little something to remember me by.” Royale fiddled with
a remote and the vibrator kicked into high gear. “Enjoy.”
She turned to the desk, then turned back. “No. Wait.”
Colleen stopped.
“I’m going to see about the editing of your tape. You
know that whatever I whispered to you won’t come through.
And no one knows about the vibrator. You know what that means.”
Colleen did. No one would hear Royale say that Quincy
had only one cum. All they would see is her sucking him off
with wild abandon–like a slut. They would see her cumming
while getting it in the ass, not realizing that a vibrator
was driving her there. And they would see her cumming again
while being whipped; and again while being humiliated and
dragged from the room by her nipple. She went white.
“Go.”
Colleen staggered out of the room, walking bow-legged.
She was still highly charged from the events of the afternoon
and the vibrator was doing its job all too well.
Stunned members of the Organization watched as their
chairman stumbled past them, naked and shaking, her eyes glazed.
Please, thought Colleen, please let me last until I get to my
office.

Back in the debriefing room, Royale picked up a phone and
contemplated it. Her face twisted into a smile of malicious
pleasure as she heard a scream echo down the hallway. She was
still laughing as she dialed a number. “I’ll be in to supervise
the editing now.” And to get my own personal copy of the tapes.

Chapter 3

Dark Damsel wasn’t sure just what she thought of it. She
gazed up at the billboard. Her image stood there, and beside
it the anti-crime message. This one was to convince people to
inscribe identifying marks on their valuables. She shook her
head a little. “Our Favorite Heroine, Dark Damsel, is tough on
Crime. Join her in her efforts to make life tough on criminals.”
Dark Damsel sighed. Oh, well. If it caused people to pay a
little more attention, it was worth it, she supposed.
There were, however, other things on her mind. Word had
come to her that someone unknown was seeking a meeting. The
meeting, it was relayed, had to be tonight. It would take
place atop an old unused warehouse.
She scouted out the building with caution. Nothing moved.
Who could it be? The tone of the message was urgent, her
source told her. It could be a trap, but her source didn’t
think so. She trusted the man. He had never failed her or
provided her with anything but the best possible information.
Still, she was worried. Who could it be?
In silence she climbed the fire escape. Her mini-grapple
caught the parapet and in a flash she was on the roof. No one
was to be seen. The small door-housing stood ominously quiet.
The door had been left invitingly open. She circled it
carefully. Nothing. Nothing, and nothing to do but to go
inside.
Something was wrong, she could feel it. Common sense
told her that she should call in back-up. Perhaps Minx would
appreciate a little adventure. However, she didn’t know where
Minx was and it probably couldn’t wait.
Battle-ready, night vision lenses in place, Dark Damsel
approached the door. She threw herself to the ground not quite
in time to escape the boot which appeared from the roof of
the door house. The kick had stung, but she was back on her
feet almost before her assailant had landed with cat-like
grace.
Her assailant wore black trousers and a black sweater as
well as a black balaclava. Even so, there was no way she could
disguise her breasts which stood out proudly. Dark Damsel,
even as she circled, tried to place who this woman could be.
Then there was no time to think. The woman attacked with
a blaze of kicks and punches which Dark Damsel blocked to the
best of her ability. The woman was good. Too good. Dark
Damsel missed a move and a kick caught her in the ribs. She
rolled with the blow, but it stung. Stung, yes, but it didn’t
hurt. She had no time to consider this. She spun around on
the ground and swept her opponent’s feet out from under her.
There was a satisfying “Omph!” as she landed on her ass.
Both were up together, breathing harshly. The woman
laughed, then turned and ran through the open door and
down the stairs, Dark Damsel in hot pursuit.
The fleeing woman went through the door two floors down,
Dark Damsel a second behind her. That was a mistake. A trip
caught her as she went through the door and the woman was on
top of her before the Damsel knew what was happening.
They squirmed and fought for position, the advantage
going to the woman in black. Desperation fueled Dark Damsel’s
struggles, for she quickly realized that the larger woman was
stronger than she. A final move, made with all the strength
she could summon, tossed the woman from her and she came,
panting, to her feet.
Her opponent came forward once more, now slowly, giving
Dark Damsel a moment to take in her surroundings. They were
in a very large room, which had a few supporting posts here
and there. It was a good place for a fight. In one corner
there was a curtained off area. More than that Dark Damsel
had no time to notice.
The woman raised her hand and there was a brilliant
flash as a light came on.
“Ahh!” Dark Damsel was blinded. She reached up and
pulled the night-lenses from her mask. A kick took her in
the stomach and she fell back to the floor, did a back
somersault and was on her feet again. By that time all the
lights were on and she was blinking away the blindness.
A blow caught her on the shoulder and she staggered,
then the woman was behind her, crushing her in a bear-hug.
Damsel bent over, lifting her assailant’s feet from the floor,
then backed up hard and fast, ramming her into a wall. She
let go and Damsel flipped her. At the last second Damsel
reached out and grabbed the balaclava, which came off in her
fist. There was a shower of blonde hair.
Damsel contented herself with regaining her breath
while Blondie recovered her feet. She was beginning to feel
good. The charge a battle always built in her was there now
and she had her second wind. Now to finish . . .
“Minx!”
Dark Damsel was stunned. The garish painted face of her
sometimes ally/sometimes lover appeared from under the mess
of blonde hair.
“Did you really think I’d let you get away with it?”
Minx snarled. She stepped forward and began another barrage
of kicks and punches which Dark Damsel did her best to deflect.
“With what?” Dark Damsel gasped. Even now she could not
believe that Minx had betrayed her trust and attacked her.
She couldn’t believe that Minx could mean her harm.
Damsel’s arms were getting tired and Minx suddenly grabbed
one and tossed her. Minx was on Damsel in a flash and again
they grappled on the floor. The floor, Damsel suddenly noticed,
was rather soft for a floor. Mats. The floor was covered in
gym mats. This must be one of Minx’s hideaways.
Minx wrestled her to her side, and grabbed her free arm
and held it behind her. She was on top of her other arm.
Trapped.
“You took top billing, bitch!” Minx growled in her ear as
her own free hand found the zipper and pulled. Dark Damsel’s
breasts fell out of her suit and a fingers pinched a nipple.
Dark Damsel’s struggles increased, but to no avail.
Without warning she was released and fell forward onto her
face. Before she could do anything, Minx had both hands
inside her waist-band and was pulling. It took only a moment
for her bottoms to be off and in Minx’s hands. She was
naked from the waist down!
A tackle brought her down once more, almost before she’d
regained her feet, the weight of Minx driving the breath out
of her. Then Minx rolled her over, pulled her hands above her
head and held them there with one hand while the other moved
down to the juncture of her legs and pressed.
“Wet!” Minx laughed out loud. “Told you that fighting
got you excited, didn’t I?” She bent down to take a victory
kiss.
“You win,” Dark Damsel agreed breathlessly as she was
hauled to her feet by Minx.
“You bet I win,” Minx growled and slapped the Damsel’s
naked butt as she pushed her towards the curtained off area.
Behind the curtains stood a king-sized bed. Minx tossed
Dark Damsel onto the bed. “I win and I’m about to collect
ransom.” She peeled off her own clothes and jumped on top
of Dark Damsel, who had finished removing her own top and
cowl.
They wrestled playfully, touching and kissing, poking
and probing. Finally Minx released Dark Damsel, pushed her
away and took the centre of the bed for herself. She spread
her legs wide holding them in the air.
“See that?” She asked the Damsel. “That’s a V for Victory.
I suggest that you pay your ransom where it’ll do the most good.
Then we’ll talk about who gets top billing in the next
commercial.”
Dark Damsel threw herself between Minx’s legs and began
paying the homage due. Minx smiled and groaned. Her hands
entwined themselves in Dark Damsel’s raven hair and pressed
her head more firmly to her work. Soon Minx’s hips were
moving up and down, trying to escape Dark Damsel’s talented
tongue. It was no use and Minx cried out her own surrender.
Dark Damsel wormed her way up and cuddled behind the quietly
cooing Minx. She pulled the feather quilt over them and they
lay quietly, wrapped in warmth. Finally they dozed.
“Okay, Minx,” Dark Damsel whispered into the taller
woman’s ear, “next time it’ll be ‘Minx and Dark Damsel ask
for your co-operation . . . .'”
“Thought you’d see it my way.”
They slept.

Dark Damsel woke to the incredibly sweet sensation of
Minx’s tongue on her pussy. She wasn’t sure how long Minx had
been at it, but there was no doubt that her body was already
highly aroused. She smiled lazily and stretched. Then she
groaned as two fingers made their way up inside her pussy.
Still another finger pressed against her anus and worked its
way past that resistance. Then all three began moving in and
out even as the tongue attacked her clit. Dark Damsel began
humping her hips up and down as she was driven towards climax.
“Oh . . . My . . . G . . .” She never finished. Her
orgasm overtook her.
“Best damn alarm clock I’ve ever had,” she grinned as
her wits came back to her. “Remind me to hit the snooze
button so you can ring my bell again in 10 minutes.”
Minx laughed. “Come on, lazy bones, shower time. Then
we get you out of here before dawn.”
Dressed, Minx led the way to the underground levels.
A tunnel led to a mock sewer opening. Minx punched the
control button and the grate opened for Dark Damsel to exit.
“You know,” Minx said consideringly, “that if I had
been a true enemy, you would have been in deep trouble. You
seemed to be pulling your punches.”
“Yes. I thought of that. It was after that first kick
that got through on the roof. Even though I rolled with it,
it should have hurt a lot more than it did. That’s when I
realized–at least sub-consciously–that you were pulling
*your* punches.” She shrugged. “I didn’t add it all up
until later, I guess I was operating on instinct.”
“Dangerous thing to do, at times,” Minx warned her,
then bent down to receive a final kiss.
“See you on TV,” Damsel said as she climbed out and
onto the street.
“Oh, god, don’t remind me,” Minx groaned from below.
“‘Dark Damsel and Minx are tough on Crime’,” she intoned
solemnly.
Dark Damsel could hear her laughing as the grate closed
and had to chuckle, too. She slipped into the darkness.

It wasn’t much of a place, but it would have to do.
Colleen O’Brien looked around the ‘penthouse suite’ of
the old apartment building. Cracked plaster walls, stained
roof and broken tiles greeted her sight. She shrugged. She
had lived in worse. True, that was long ago, yet what she
had once done she could do again. Especially if that led
her to the revenge she burned for.
She had used the two hours Royale had given her to their
greatest advantage. She had left the Organization HQ with
money, some clothes and, most importantly, the files she
needed to help her in her quest to capture Dark Damsel.
Dark Damsel. The name caused a snarl to come to her
lips. Had it not been for Dark Damsel none of this would have
happened. Dark Damsel would pay. She would pay twice. First
she, Colleen, would make her pay, then Royale and the
Organization could have what was left to make her pay again.
Colleen unpacked her bags. She was a little sweaty
from climbing the five flights of stairs carrying the heavy
bags. A shower would do wonders.
The old tub and toilet were water stained, and the
shower was a hand-held hose attached to the tub’s faucet.
She shrugged again and hoped that at least there would be
hot water. There was.
Five weeks. Five weeks to hunt down and capture
Dark Damsel. Five weeks until Hallowe’en. On November
first she would have to have Dark Damsel tied to the
rack, naked and helpless.
Dark Damsel was, Colleen thought, more myth than reality.
She got the press where others did the work. It was unlikely
that she’d ever really come up against worthy opposition.
Matter of fact, Colleen decided, it was quite likely that she
herself could take Dark Damsel, one on one. And that was just
what she’d do. All that was required was to lure Dark Damsel
somewhere where her friends in the Police Department couldn’t
back her up and rescue her pretty little neck.
Colleen stepped out of the tub and toweled herself dry.
She looked at her reflection in the cracked mirror and smiled
grimly. Dark Damsel would regret the day she ever put on her
mask. And Royale would regret the day that she betrayed
Colleen. Yes, there was not only Dark Damsel to think of,
there was also Royale. And she had the beginnings of a plan.
Silently, Colleen padded out into the bedroom. She
opened the window to let in some fresh air, sat down on the bed
and combed out her dark red tresses. As she watched the sun
disappear behind the buildings to the west she had a sudden
thought and smiled. Reaching into her brief-case, she pulled
out a file and began to read.

“You!” The tall, thin blonde woman behind the counter
blanched. “I never thought I’d see you again. You promised
me . . .”
“Times change, dearie,” Colleen O’Brien chuckled
mirthlessly. “But don’t worry. All I want is a little favour.
A favour for which I’ll pay you well.” She grinned a little,
“And then I’ll once again forget that you exist, Megan.”
“What do you want?” Colour began to return to Megan’s
face, but her voice still quavered and her hands trembled.
“You have a certain reputation as a fashion designer,”
Colleen told her, “and I want to be fashionable. My wants,
your abilities–a marriage made in heaven.”
“Of course, Lucy, whatever you want here is . . .” she
stopped suddenly as Colleen glared at her.
“You will never speak my name again, Megan. Is that
clear?” Colleen remembered without pleasure that Megan knew
of her name before she had changed it. That was something
that she’d have to do something about.
Megan nodded, once again white of face.
“And I don’t want any of this,” she gestured at the racks
with a careless hand, “I desire something unique–as befits
me.” She pulled out few sheets of paper upon which she’d
penciled in a few rough drawings. “Can you do this?” she asked,
already knowing the answer.
Megan bent her head to look at the drawings. She grunted
in pain as Colleen took a fistful of her hair and pulled. “And
remember. This is only between us two. No one else knows or
sees anything. Understand?”
Megan nodded her agreement. “Please, I’ll have to measure
you. If you’ll just come into the back room . . .”
Thirty minutes later Colleen came out of the dress shop
with a satisfied look on her face. Step one done. Now onto step
two.

“Damn it!” The masked man’s snarl had his companions
jumpier than the alarm bells did. “Let’s get out of here.” He
raked another tray of rings into the bag then jumped the
counter. His companions, one tall and thin, the other somewhat
shorter and of medium set, held their shotguns high as he
passed then turned and fled out the door behind him. The
three jumped into a waiting car which roared off down the street.
The driver turned the corner, slowed and turned into a
parkade. He took the ticket from the vending machine, drove
passed the raised gate and parked the car in the lane. The
four men jumped out and into a parked van. The van then
exited the parkade. All the attendant saw was the one man
who had driven the vehicle in a couple of hours previously.
In the back of the van the other three grinned at each
other, caught in the adrenalin high. The driver casually
drove past the jewelry shop even as two police cars came
screeching to a halt. “What’s up, officer,” he called
out.”
“Keep moving,” the cop ordered him.
“Yes, sir.” Cops hated rubberneckers. They just got
in the way. He picked up a little speed and turned a corner
at the lights.
“We did it,” gloated the short gunman in the back.
“Shut up,” their leader glowered.
“But Sean . . .”
“But Sean, nothing. We screwed up good. Whose job
was it to make sure no one hit the alarm button?” Sean
glared at the two men opposite.
“Ours. But no one did, Sean. There musta been another
one we didn’t know about–or someone in the back room.” The
taller gunman wasn’t going to back up for anyone.
Sean stared at him for a long minute. The hardness left
his face. “Okay, Paddy, okay.” They all relaxed. “You and
Mick did fine. No panic, no worry. We did okay.” He parted
the curtain and spoke to the wheelman, “Back to the office,
Peter. Nice and quiet.”
“Yes, Sean, nice and quiet.”

In the back room of ‘Murphy’s Plumbing’, the gang went
over their ill-gotten gain.
“Nice ring, Sean,” Peter said as Sean held up a gold
ring inlaid with diamonds. “Keep it for yourself?”
“Don’t be daft, man. That’s a sure way to get ourselves
caught.”
The door chimes sounded.
“Get that will you, Paddy?
Paddy rose and exited the room.

The woman on the other side of the counter was wearing a
high collared coat and sunglasses. Her hair was pulled back
under a shawl which covered most of her forehead. Paddy
smiled his welcome smile.
“Good afternoon, miss. What can I do for you today?”
He wondered what the woman looked like under the shapeless
coat. If the rest of her was as nice as the parts of her
face he could see . . . .
“I’d like to speak to the boss about a leak I found that
needs plugging.” The woman’s voice was cold.
Bitch, thought Paddy. “I’m sure that I can help you . . .”
“If I wanted your help I’d have asked for it. I told you,”
she said slowly, as if speaking to a moron, “that I would like
to speak to the boss.”
Paddy reddened in anger. “Look, miss . . .”
“I took pictures,” the woman interrupted him. “Take this
envelope to Mr. Murphy, please, and tell him I’d like to talk
to him about the leak.”
Paddy fought down his anger. “Yes, miss, I’ll just do that,”
he growled as he turned and headed for the back room.
“Sean, some woman who’s found a leak in her plumbing, but
won’t talk to anyone but you. Said she took a couple of photos
of the problem. Here.” He handed Sean the envelope. Sean tore
it open, looked at the photos and swore.
The others, surprised at this, craned their heads to
get a look at the photos, but Sean had replaced them in the
envelope.
“She said she found a leak?” he asked Paddy.
“Yeah, that’s what she said. What’s up?”
“Nothing. I’ll go talk with her. Clean up back here.”
Sean Murphy walked carefully to the front desk. “Interesting
photos you have here, lady. Care to explain yourself?”
“You have a problem,” she said. “I can help with it, and
with other things, too. But there’s a price.”
Murphy grimaced. “A shakedown?” he asked.
“Of course not, silly man.” The woman cracked a smile, but
it didn’t make Sean feel any easier.
He opened the envelope again and looked at the poleroids.
The first showed Peter sitting in the escape car just outside the
jewelry store; the second had the three of them running out of
the store towards the car; the third showed the car moving off,
its licence plate clear; the fourth showed Peter at the wheel of
the van talking to the police officer on the street in front of
the robbed store and the final picture showed the rear of the
van, licence plate clearly displayed.
“Interesting photos,” he remarked.
The woman smiled again. “Yes, I thought so,” she replied.
“Perhaps you should come into the back and we could discuss
this privately.”
“Oh, I think I’ll pass on that.”
“I can be persuasive,” Sean showed his teeth in a smile.
“I’m sure you can. Those are, however, only half of the
photographs. I’d hate to see the other half get into the wrong
hands, now. Wouldn’t you?”
The bitch was a cool one. “What do you suggest then?” He
leaned over the counter a little, wondering where this was all
leading.
You come with me. We talk. I’m sure we can come to an
agreement on things. I guarantee that an agreement between us
will be lucrative for all concerned.”
“Paddy, I’m going out on a call,” Sean yelled at the back
room. “Clean things up good before I get back.” He smiled at
the knowing smile on the face of the woman in front of him.
If it were a trap she was trying to spring, there would be no
evidence left to betray them.
“We’ll take my car,” the woman insisted as they left the
shop.
It was a dark blue rental vehicle. Sean got in the
passenger door and watched as the woman walked around the car
and joined him. The car stopped in a park. In front of them
was a pond with ducks and geese. Children and mothers were
tossing bread crumbs and seeds to the water fowl. Tourists
and natives alike were enjoying the late September sunshine
and having fun in general. Sean wasn’t feeling the joy of
the day.
“I wasn’t there by accident,” the woman said as she
pulled off her sunglasses, revealing a lovely pair of grey
eyes, with just a tinge of green in them. Her dark red hair
came cascading down about her face as she took off her shawl.
She was, Sean thought, a very pretty woman. “You have a
problem.”
Sean nodded as he carefully appraised her. “Yes,” he
replied, “so it would seem.”