Chapter 1
Jordin Tyler dashed inside the Maple Street branch of the Capitol City Bank with a sigh of relief that she had made it before closing time. It was a cool evening in the early spring. Having rushed here from work the beautiful young brunette was still wearing her white lab coat over a blue cotton blouse and gray skirt.
The security guard was a retired policeman. His admiring glance passed over Jordin's high cheekbones and green eyes, her chestnut hair tied up in an unglamorous ponytail, but lingered for a second on the subtle jiggle of her shapely C-cups before sliding to her narrow hips and down her long, silken legs. Jordin felt his eyes slither over her but she was used to it, tedious as it may be she flashed him a polite smile and continued on her way.
Mr. Ennis, the bank manager, checked her out same as the guard, only his eyes started with her legs and never got higher than her bust. He was in his mid 30s, fairly good-looking and seemed to have a good build under his suit. Jordin adjusted her over-large horn-rimmed glasses hoping to draw his gaze to her face. When their eyes finally met he flashed a surprisingly charming smile. Jordin quickly removed the glasses and shoved them into the pocket of her lab coat...then immediately felt silly about it.
Geez Jordin, how old are you... fifteen? She asked herself. Some guy flashes you a smile and you practically go all giggly...
Two of the pretty girls who worked as tellers had already closed up and were counting their drawers, leaving only one line remaining open. There was a middle-aged soccer mom still ahead of her so Jordin pulled out her cell phone and dialed up a co-worker as she waited.
"Carl! Hi!" she began curtly. "Sorry to bother you after hours, but I had a quick question about the stats you sent me this afternoon..."
Absorbing herself in the conversation, Jordin didn't notice an oddly-attired man breeze through the doors behind her. She was only even half watching the soccer mom as she concluded her business and moved off.
"...thanks, Carl. Sorry again for... HEY!"
Jordin was interrupted quite suddenly feeling a hand pat her on the bottom. The skinny man quickly pushed past her but the inappropriate touch was inexcusable. The young engineer whirled on him angrily, being checked out was one thing, touching was...
"There, there, little girl," he fretted with a fake British accent. "Stand to one side. I haven't got all night you know! This is, as the saying goes, a stick-up!"
The man was wearing a very old-fashioned suit... checked vest, neckcloth, and swallow-tail coat, complete with white kid gloves and spats, and an umbrella hooked over one arm. His face had makeup applied to give him a rodent-like appearance, a mustache formed into whiskers and two long rabbit ear prosthetics projecting upward on the sides of his head! As she watched, he pulled a teacup and saucer out of the pocket of his coat and took a jittery sip, forefinger primly extended, as if he hadn't a care in the world!
March Hare! Here? Before Jordin could fully process the fact that a real live supervillain was robbing her bank, another man pounced on her from behind.
"I'll take that," he said, his big solid arm brazenly snaking around her torso as his free hand snatched her cell phone.
"Hey! Gimme tha...HEY!" Jordin blurted as he cupped her boob, squeezing deliberately.
"Don't want nobody calling the cops now, do we?" Her cell phone disappeared into his pocket, while he took advantage of her surprise to cop a feel of her firm globe.
Gasping indignantly, Jordin pulled away from his grasp and spun to face him. Three masked henchmen were spread out behind her, one carrying an Ingram submachinegun with a long silencer. The poor security guard was sprawled on the floor, seemingly unconscious.
Jordin tried to think what to do. If she could only get a few seconds alone, she could transform herself into the invincible Victory! But how could she do that without revealing her secret identity? Unfortunately she could only think of one way...
"Please don't hurt me!!" she bawled to the man with the big gun. "I'll do anything just please don't... don't-" She broke off, clamping her hand to her mouth. "Oh gawd I'm going to be sick! I have to- ulp!"
Jordin made a dash for the ladies room while everyone else, bank patrons, employees and robbers alike watched her go, staring in apparent confusion at her display of lily-livered cowardice. She ignored them all broadcasting fake sobs the entire way. The thugs laughed aloud behind her, knowing there was no back door in that direction and no way for her to escape. Ignoring the silly girl's flight they set to their intended work.
"My good man, is there a window in that particular washroom?" March Hare asked the bank manager.
Mr. Ennis quickly shook his head.
"Perfect," growled the armed thug. "Hands up everyone!"
The tellers - two blondes and one brunette - put up their hands, their perky young chests thrusting outward against the thin fabric of their blouses as the two unarmed thugs went behind the counter, taking their cellphones and tying their hands behind their backs. Once they were all secure the men set about stuffing every bill in sight into canvas bags.
"It's a Thursday," Mr. Ennis pointed out. "We don't have more than a hundred and fifty thousand in cash on the premises..."
"Ahhh I see..." March Hare drawled, taking another sip of tea. "Tut-tut. That should be sufficient for my purposes, my good man."
"And just what purposes are those, March Hare?" interrupted an arrogant female voice.
All eyes turned to see the lean, lissome form of the superheroine Victory, standing with her legs planted, hands smugly on her hips. You could almost feel the testosterone level in the air rise as Ennis, March Hare and the three thugs stared dumbstruck at her desirable sylph-like curves, clad in a two piece purple costume of clingy Lycra halter top and hot pants, her face half-covered with a matching mask. A silver belt rested around her slim waist and silver bracelets shone on her wrists, not to mention silver high heeled boots.
The three tellers and the soccer mom sighed with relief, knowing that they were surely rescued.
"On second thought, save it!" said the sassy superheroine. "You and your goons have exactly five seconds to surrender!"
"Nonsense, my dear girl," the villain said, flashing a buck-toothed grin as he hurled his teacup and saucer at her.
Victory, possessed of enhanced reflexes and strength, quickly brought up her arms in defense. The razor-edged saucer glanced off her left bracelet and embedded itself in the wooden countertop with a thunk! At the same time, the heroine swept her right arm and batted away the teacup, which flew off to one side and exploded like a grenade.