*Note- This story is part of a series.
1. PsiCATs: Cale
2. PsiCATs: Olivia
3. PsiCATs: Tessa
4. PsiCATs: Wren
5. PsiCATs: Hunter
PsiCATs: Tessa
By: Chrystal Wynd
"Are you sure you want to do this, Kim?"
Kim nodded, barely hearing Beverly's words. She knew her friend was concerned for her safety, but Beverly didn't understand the things that drove her.
"There're too many criminals on the street," said Kim. "Too often the rights of everyday people are compromised. The police are over-burdened. It's time someone took a stand for the common people."
Beverly rolled her eyes. "Kim," she said, "you're preaching again."
Kim laughed. "I know," she said. "I have to practice, don't I?"
Beverly shook her head. "You worry me, girl," she said. "What makes you think you can just run out and fight crime like you're Batgirl or something? You're twenty years old, you know...isn't that a bit old to be playing superhero?"
Kim pulled her long brown hair into a ponytail. "Fifteen years of gymnastics. Twelve years of martial arts. Heck, I've even got fifteen years of ballet," she checked her utility belt one last time. "When that guy tried to mug me last weekend, I took him out so quick and easy, it was a joke!"
"One criminal doesn't make you a superhero, Kim."
"I'm not meant to sit around having babies, Beverly," said Kim. "I'm meant for a life of action. And I'm going to get it...as the Tesseract."
"As the *what?*
"The Tesseract."
"You're a giant flying dinosaur?"
"Tesseract, you bimbo, not pterodactyl."
"Sistahs can't be bimbos, girl. Just you white girls. Anyway, what's a tess...tesser...tess...what you said?"
"Tesseract. It's the four-dimensional analog of a cube."
"All right, I *know* you made that shit up."
"No, I didn't."
"Well, it's a good thing you took all those dance classes," said Beverly, "considering you're going to be running around in nothing but a leotard."
"It's a black bodysuit," said Kim. "It worked for Cat Woman."
"And look what happened to her."
"True."
"Actually, it's probably good you're going like that. They'll be too distracted to notice you're not wearing much of a mask."
"What's wrong with my mask?"
"A thin piece of black cloth wrapped over your eyes? That's it?"
Kim chuckled. "It's mysterious."
"You need more than mystery to stop the bad guys, girlfriend!"
"I'll be fine, Beverly," said Kim. "Besides, I have a few surprises on my belt, just in case."
"Girl, you worry me."
*****
"All right," said the guy, waving a large hunting knife. "Everyone put their hands up and nobody gets hurt."
"That means now," said the other guy, brandishing his tazer in a menacing manner. Eying the weapons in the hands of the pair, the customers in the convenience store raised their hands.
"Right," said the first guy. "I'm Larry, he's Barry and this is our sister, Sherry."
The thin redhead stepped forward. "Good afternoon, everyone," she said. "This won't take long. Hand your wallets and jewelry to my partners and we'll be out of here quickly."
Larry leaned in and whispered to Sherry, "You were supposed to call us your brothers, remember?" he said. "To throw off the police."
"Right," said Sherry, rolling her eyes. "My bad."
"Hey! Cashier!" said Barry. "Empty the register!"
"Get some lottery tickets," said Larry. "You never know."
A voice sounded out. "Don't bother," said the female voice. "You've already got a ticket...to jail."
Larry, Barry and Sherry looked toward Kim, who was standing in the doorway. Then they exploded into simultaneous laughter.
"Omigod!" said Sherry, wiping a tear. "You're not serious! Who are you? Bratgirl?"
"Tesseract, actually," said Kim, detaching a coil of rope. The ends were weighted.
"You're a giant flying dinosaur?"
"No," said Kim, her eye twitching. "It's the four-dimension analog of a cube."
"C'mon, Barry," said Larry. "This girl needs a spanking, and we're just the fine gents to give it to her."
"Yep," said Barry, joining Larry and moving toward Kim.
Kim twirled the rope around and suddenly whirled it at Larry's legs. They wrapped around his knees, tying them together and causing him to tumble to the ground.
Barry watched his partner fall, so he wasn't paying attention when Kim's foot drove into his stomach. He wuffed and bent over, dropping his tazer. Kim whirled on one foot and kicked him in the mouth. Barry dropped to the ground, dazed.
Larry saw his partner drop. He kicked off the rope and rolled to his feet. He waved his knife menacingly.
"C'mon!" he said. "I can take you! C'mon! Are you chicken?"
Kim smiled. She took a step, then suddenly somersaulted forward, kicking Larry in the face in the process. Larry blinked, trying to clear his head. Kim took another step forward and kicked him squarely between his legs.
Eyes bulging, Larry squeaked and grabbed his crotch. His knees folded like wet pasta and he dropped to the ground with a whimper.
"Wow," said Sherry. "They really weren't worth a damn in a fight, were they?"
"They never had a chance against The Tesseract," said Kim. "So, are you coming quietly or do we have to fight too?"
The redhead laughed. "Oh, we'll have to fight, too," she said. "Sorry. Union rules, you know."
"You have a union?"
The redhead rolled her eyes. "Joke," she said. "Aren't you a bit young for this? How old are you?"
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-four," said the redhead, "but I asked you first."
"My birthday isn't important," said Kim. "Justice knows no age."
The thin criminal smiled. "Hot damn. You're a sparkplug, Pterodactyl girl."
Kim smiled. Then she took two steps and leaped at Sherry. The redhead jumped to the side, but Kim whirled and her scything foot barely missed the rapidly back-pedaling redhead.
"Not bad," said Kim, "but I have a surprise for you."
Kim pulled two small globes from a pouch in her belt and hurled them to the ground directly in front of the redhead. Oddly-colored smoke erupted from the tiny dual explosions, and Kim's opponent disappeared from view, obscured by the thick mist.
Kim heard her opponent coughing. Then she heard the hidden redhead's voice.
"What the hell is this stuff?"
Kim laughed. "That's a special concoction," said Kim. "It's an epidermal aphrodisiac. It has interesting short-term properties. It gives boys a ridiculously powerful and sensitive erection. Against girls, however, it's much more effective for crime-fighting. As you've no doubt noticed, every part of your skin is now erotically enhanced, and your erogenous zones have been amplified beyond your ability to control your reactions. You're far, far too distracted to fight, Red, and, judging by your silence, too busy touching yourself to even hear what I'm saying."
Kim watched the smoke carefully, waiting for it to dissipate. It hovered in place, however, and didn't seem to be breaking up. Then Kim heard the redhead's voice again.
"Damn, that sounds like good stuff, Tessa-whatever," said Sherry's voice, "but you really should make sure you know your opponent before you share information like that."
Kim spun to her left and realized her opponent was standing to the side of the smoke.
"How the heck did you get out of the epidermal aphrodisiac?" asked Kim.
The redhead smiled. "You're a superhero, right? Well, I guess that makes me a super-villain. I project solid shields and shapes with my mind. So if I'm attacked with smoke or gas, I can form a shield around my body, so it never touches me."
"I see," said Kim.
"Yes," said the redhead, a huge smile forming, "and if I'm attacked with smoke or gas, I can capture it in a sphere and return it to its rightful owner."