The Scarlet Dove Issue 02

Issue Two – Bait

Chapter One

Warden City was a metropolis in decline. Set on the banks of the mighty Montgomery River, it had once been a thriving river town. The city had grown on the strength of its port, becoming something of a central hub for trade and import in the region. As it grew Warden City continued to thrive, becoming an industrial hotbed as the river traffic made the city a natural place to establish factories, warehouses, and shops of all kinds. Of course the booming commerce also made the port city fertile ground for an insidious criminal element. During the prohibition era that element laid down a strong, virile root system. Over the decades, as the city continued to grow, so too did that criminal element, and as the industry began to waver with the onset of the new millennium, it became increasingly more difficult to draw the lines between honest industry and the city's seedy underbelly. As is the way, the rich grew richer, the poor grew poorer, the corrupt became brazen, and the powerful maintained their power by any means necessary.

"...But that's nothing new, now is it?" Police Chief Maddox smirked. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, money is the root of all evil, and power corrupts...so what is the real question?" He left the statement hanging in the air, for dramatic effect.

Across the desk from him, the pretty young reporter finished scribbling in her notepad and looked up at him expectantly. Her vibrant green eyes beamed, standing out among soft features, which gave her face a youthful, girlish quality. Her skin was as smooth and pale as porcelain, which contrasted nicely with the candy apple red mane that fell around her shoulders in thick lustrous waves. She was wearing a very low cut, teal blouse, which was probably displaying more cleavage than was appropriate for an interview with the chief of police.

Not that Chief Maddox was going to complain, as he had spent the majority of the interview enjoying the view. No stranger to the game, he had fed her tons of quotable lines to keep her eyes focused on her notepad, so his could stay focused on her voluptuous D-cups.

"What is the real question, Chief Maddox?" she prompted, after a moment had passed.

"Who then will protect the poor, and honest folk of Warden City?"

"I suppose that'd be you?" There was an unmistakable note of skepticism in her tone. "You and the WCPD?"

Chief Maddox scratched his head absently. "Actually I believe it's up to them to protect themselves. We just do our best to provide them the structure, and safety to do so."

The young woman smiled, seeming a bit surprised by his answer. "I might not disagree with that, exactly." It seemed like she wanted to say more, but she didn't, instead switching topics. "Some people might say there is someone else in Warden City, who is attempting to provide that protection to the poor, honest citizens...the Scarlet Dove?"

"Of course, the would-be superheroine," Chief Maddox rolled his eyes. "She's becoming quite the sensation, I guess I should'a known she'd come up. Officially my statement is that vigilantism is a crime like any other, and when we catch the Scarlet Dove, she'll be prosecuted according to her due rights." He gave her a moment to finish writing before adding. "Off the record I'd say that Warden City PD don't like anyone doing our job for us!" Then he visibly softened, adding, "But mostly I'd just hate to see her get hurt, it's a dangerous world she's playing in, and I wonder if she's given full consideration to the potential risks."

"I'm sure she has," the pretty reporter replied a little too quickly. "After all...I believe she was largely responsible for the recent arrest of around 8 members of the infamous Scarpone family over the last two months? Including the notorious Creole Creed... As well as exposing a series of laboratory robberies, a pattern which your offices had not picked upon..."

"Yet." Maddox grumbled cutting her off. "I can see someone's a fan," he went on. "My department has had a longstanding investigation in regards to organized crime in Warden City."

"Hm, and yet her assistance seems to have had an immediate impact?" the red head pressed. "Seems tough to argue with results like that."

"You have my official statement."

"Of course, excuse me," the young woman stammered. "I didn't mean to be rude, I just get excited some times."

"It's quite alright," Maddox waved her off, everyone seemed overly excited since the appearance of the so-called superheroine. "Will that be all, miss...I'm sorry, what was it again?"

"Chase," she replied. "Starling Chase."

The buxom reporter stood and reached across the desk to shake his hand, leaning forward to do so she inadvertently gave Maddox an explicit final look down the front of her blouse. He shook her hand, his eyes eagerly devouring the sight of the white lace peeking out from beneath her revealing neckline.

"Oh, there was one other thing," she said, still standing.

He nodded for her to go ahead.

"My sources have been mentioning a certain name recently," she said. "I was wondering if it was involved in the Scarpone investigation?"

"What's the name?"

"Tom Danvers."

The chief's eyes snapped up to her face. There was definitely something behind them, anger, alarm, it was tough to read.

"Tom Danvers is an urban legend," Maddox said after a moment. "A famous outlaw type, like Bonnie and Clyde or Babyface Nelson. He got famous in the 50's for robbing banks so even if he were involved..."

"He'd be pretty old," Starling laughed.

"Ancient," he confirmed. "Of course, even if he were involved I couldn't share any details of an ongoing investigation, Miss Chase."

"Not even for me," she chuckled, batting her eyelashes coyly.

The chief grinned. "Afraid not."

"Thank you ever so much for your time, Chief Maddox."

He watched her turn to leave, the very picture of modern femininity. She was wearing a light grey, pencil skirt which perfectly outlined her heart shaped bottom. She was average height for a woman, with an hourglass figure sporting all the right curves. He was almost mesmerized by the sultry sway of her hips, amplified by the yellow pumps at the end of her mile-long stems. Truly the young reporter was a rare beauty, and the chief of police was not above taking a moment to entertain several lewd thoughts in her regard. Certainly he would have to remember the name, Starling Chase.

Chapter Two

Starling left the chief's office, not entirely certain that he was an official on the take, but certain that he knew more than he was sharing. Especially in regards to Tom Danvers.

When he had gone to the restroom, she had taken full advantage of the time to riffle through his desk. Admittedly there was not much in the way of a paper trail, however his rolodex had contained several numbers with suspiciously nondescript names, and absolutely no other information. She had copied them down quickly, returning to her seat only a split second before he returned, and would have caught her snooping.

Outside she jotted a few more notes in regards to her suspicions, before tucking the note pad back into her clutch purse. Habitually, she took out her compact to check her make up in the small mirror while absently hailing a cab. The downtown street was bustling with midday foot traffic. As with most women of her dimensions, Starling had no trouble getting a cab as one almost instantly pulled over for her. As she slid into the back seat, her iPhone began to ring.

"River Run offices, please," she said, before answering. "Hello?"

The driver gave her a curt nod, subtly adjusting his mirror to get a better view of her chest. The River Run was a struggling publication, but it had its roots deep in the city's past. Starling had only been there for the last several months, since she had come to Warden City.

"Star, it's you know who," buzzed a voice on the other end of her call. The young reporter winced, she actually hated being called "Star." The voice belonged to one of her regular sources, a low level drug dealer who called himself Baker. He'd been asking around for her in regards to Tom Danvers. Of course he thought she was researching for an article.

"What have you got for me?" she asked eagerly.

"Well, it ain't much, Danvers's been a ghost story for the last twenty years or so," the source responded. "Everybody knows something, but don't nobody know anything, y'know?"

"I think I get what you mean," Starling replied. "But you did find something, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I got something," he went on. "I found out about this new group operating out of the old Synodyne warehouse out on the east end. They're seriously legit, supposed to be more soldier than street, but don't nobody know what they're up to or why, cuz they're good about not talking."

"And?" Starling pressed.

"Supposedly, the ones that do talk, when they talk, claim to be either working for, or working with the legendary Tom Danvers."

Starling felt butterflies in her chest. "Are you sure?"

"Can't be too sure, I ain't talked to 'em," Baker replied. "But that's the word I heard, from more than one place too."

"Thanks, Ba-erm, thank you!" He had a thing about not saying his name over the phone.

"Don't say it, pay it," he replied quickly. "Oh, and watch that cute ass of yours, these guys are seriously legit."

"Thanks, I'll be careful," the young reporter replied. "And I'll send your fee off in the morning as usual."

"Don't be a stranger, you should bring it by in pers-" she hung up before he could finish.

Not likely, Starling thought. While Baker had his uses, he was a rather unpleasant individual. He had been one of the first contacts she'd made when she arrived in Warden City. He had remained one of her more consistent informants, perhaps not in quality but definitely in quantity, and he made no bones about the fact that was mainly due to his unrequited lust for her. She paid him for his info, but preferred to keep their interactions as distant as possible.

Still this was good, her first lead on Danvers. The young reporter sighed leaning back, green eyes intent on her phone as she pulled up and began to scroll through her emails. Looked like she was in for a long afternoon, and perhaps an even longer night.

Chapter Three

"Chase! My office!"

No sooner had Starling arrived back at the River Run, then her editor was already yelling at her. Her shoulders slumped as she dropped her purse on her desk and heading into his glass walled office.

"Yeah, boss?" she asked timidly.

"Shut the door behind ya!" he barked. "Sit."

The young reporter did as she was told. The top of Ed's desk was a mess and he rooted around for a few moments without even looking at her. Finally, he sat back sticking a half chewed cigar in his mouth and leveled his gaze her way. "Where the hell ya been all morning?"

"I had an interview with Police Chief Maddox," she responded quickly.

"I didn't assign that," the editor scratched his chin. "What for?"

Starling thought quickly. "I've been working on a crime-related story that I thought he could give me some insight on..."

"What Story?" Ed went on. "You know Keith Johnson is my major crimes guy."

"This is nothing like that," Starling went on. "It's, um, like a historical piece...the Legend of Tom Danvers."

"That's a shit title," Ed said. "What's yer pitch?"

This wasn't exactly what Starling had intended. The truth was she just wanted to use her press connections to see if WCPD was investigating the Scarlet Dove, and to gauge Chief Maddox's over all trust worthiness.

"Well, as you know, Tom Danvers is practically a folk hero here in Warden City," she began.

"Yeah yeah, a real Robin Hood type," Ed groaned. "Union activist turned criminal, robbed Warden City Bank & Trust, right? Gave all the money back to the people so when he went to trial no witnesses would identify him."

"Not only that but over two hundred private citizens came forward to claim they saw him at various bars, restaurants, stores, and sporting events at the exact time of the robbery."

"Peh, idiots!"

"Well what hasn't made it into the legends," Starling went on. "Is that millions of dollars' worth of land deeds were also stolen that same night. Due to the lack of paperwork, over the next several years, several other banks were able to acquire those plots for pennies on the dollar of what they were worth. Eventually this forced the closure of WCB&T, which meant debts had to be transferred, which meant that interest rates could be re-evaluated, usually raised, and so on."

"So you think Danvers was working for these other banks?" Ed was nodding, even took his cigar out for a moment.

"Well he certainly doesn't seem to be the modern Robin Hood everybody thinks he is," the reporter replied.

"Hm, and with this Scarlet Dove out there flying around it's a great time to remind the excitable naïve saps in this city that everyone's got an agenda!" he popped the cigar back in his mouth and banged on his desk. "I love it!"

Starling's mouth dropped open, that wasn't exactly the reaction she'd had in mind.

"I've been looking for the right angle to come at that vigilante! This is great," Ed rambled on, holding his hands up and picturing a headline. "HERO OR VILLAIN! Learning from the past...This is great, I want a draft by the end of the week!"

Starling left Ed's office a little bewildered. The real reason she was interested in Tom Danvers was his possible link to her father's murder. Now she was going to have to write an article on him? And one centered on discrediting her own crime-fighting alter-ego. This was going to get tricky.

By the time Starling had made it home, and taken a hot shower, she had cleared her mind and felt ready to deal with whatever she might encounter that evening. Tossing her towel on the bed, she reached into the secret compartment in her armoire, where she kept her uniform. Her transformation began with putting on a pair of pure white, bikini style briefs. She slid them up her long legs, where they fit skintight on her shapely hips and butt. Next was a matching bustier, which fastened up the middle of her back and had a golden dove symbol emblazoned over her right breast. She tucked her boobs into the form fitting garment, it took a little adjusting to get them properly secured. The two piece uniform left a generous portion of her trim stomach visible, her golden utility belt covered part of that, as for the rest...luckily Starling was not too shy. She donned a pair of golden calf length boots next, as well as two golden bracelets.

The bracelets she had had to have specially made. One had the triggering device for her dove shaped tazer pins, which she kept in one of the pockets of her belt. The other had a LED flashlight built into it. Those had been especially tricky to procure, but she had a connection left over from her modeling days, a fashion designer who could pull off just about anything named Brianna le Croix. She was an eccentric woman who had always taken particular care of Starling. She'd actually helped design the entire outfit, affirming that the sexier it was the harder it'd be for any adversaries to focus on the fight! She was the only one who knew Starling's secret.

The final touch was a white, feathered eye mask, which would protect her secret identity. Giving herself a once over in the mirror, the young woman couldn't help but smile. Once she was in uniform, Starling always felt a surge of excitement and a swell of confidence...she became The Scarlet Dove!

Chapter Four

Stakeouts were the worst.

Starling had to wait most of the night on the roof of a building adjacent to the abandoned warehouse. Her scant uniform offered little protection against the elements, and though the temperature was not terribly low, the cold wind thoroughly chilled her slender body. She waited until well past midnight, hugging herself and shivering miserably. In addition, patience was decidedly not one of her virtues, and after several hours of frigid misery her determination began to wane.

However just as she was entertaining thoughts of flying over to Baker's place and pummeling him senseless for giving her bad information, something did happen. A dark colored suburban pulled up at the warehouse. Actually, it pulled past the warehouse, suspiciously slow. It turned down an alley half a block over and then approached from the rear. Starling felt a thrill of excitement; this had to be the crew Baker had told her about!

She leapt into the air, gliding across the street and alighting on the roof. A rush of adrenaline warmed her bones, as she moved slowly, careful to stifle the noise of her high heeled boots. Starling crept to the edge near where the van had parked, and crouched down peering over the side. She did not want to alert them to her presence until the right time. She could hear them speaking in harsh whispers but couldn't really make anything out. They were all wearing black, so she could only see shadowy figures. It was tough to be certain at a distance, but there only seemed to be three of them. She stepped up onto the ledge, adjusted her bustier and hopped over gliding down to make a dramatic landing on the roof of the suburban.

"Evening, boys!" she shouted, assuming a cocky pose with fists on hips. "Seems a little late for a delivery."

The three thugs whirled to face her. They were dressed in all black, each wearing the same boots, fatigues, flack jacket and gloves. Starling was more than a little dismayed to notice none of them looked old enough to be Tom Danvers. Their eyes bulged under their masks, devouring her beautiful legs and delicious curves in that skintight uniform.

"Who the hell are you?" the tallest asked.

"Haven't you heard?" she beamed. "I'm the Scarlet Dove!"

"You supposed to be some kind of comic book hero?" scoffed another.

"No no, wait," said the third. "Don't tell me... WCPD is outsourcing to the Cat's Meow these days."

They all laughed. The Cat's Meow was a gentlemen's club in the old dock district. Blushing, Starling scowled. They'd learn better than to mock her.

The Scarlet Dove leapt into the air, gaining a little height before dive bombing the group. Turning gracefully as she made her pass, the heroine lashed out punching and kicking, scoring hits on all three! One of them was knocked down by her blows, and the other two were sent scattering. Calmly she flew back to the roof of the vehicle, glaring down at the criminals smugly.

Her increased quickness and agility made the lithesome superheroine surprisingly formidable. However, as she still only possessed the strength and physical fortitude of an average, if fit, young woman, she used her flying abilities to implement hit and run tactics. So far she had not been disappointed in the results.

"You stupid bitch!" one of the thugs shouted. "Come down here and fight!"

"Are you sure?" she laughed. "Cause I'm pretty sure I just did, and you all didn't do so well!"

"Cocky little bitch," grumbled one of the others.

"It's hard not to be when you look this good!" the heroine giggled, shifting her pose to thrust her boobs forward.

The three men had moved out towards the middle of the alley. They gathered together, cracking their knuckles and continuing to call her a "bitch" while attaching various adjectives.

"Sounds like you guys need another lesson!"

The Scarlet Dove sprang once again! She pulled up short this time, easily avoiding their clumsy attacks. Then she surged forward, punching the first across the jaw. Whirling gracefully in midair, she whipped one of her long, silken gams around in a high kick that floored another. Then she dropped to the ground, easily ducking a wide looping punch thrown by the middle thug, while quickly planting one of her dove pins on his vest. Suddenly his knee slammed into her, knocking the heroine back on her butt with a gasp!