Issue Fifteen – Power
Chapter One
The office of the Uhaul storage facility seemed normal enough. There were marketing posters on the wall, brochures on a small table near two chairs, and a rack of outdated magazines. Behind the service counter was a balding middle-aged man, who's jaw hit the floor as the gorgeous, curvy redhead sashayed through the doorway.
She was wearing a wearing a tight yellow blouse, with a neckline cut so low it was a wonder her voluptuous breasts remained within. A pink miniskirt clung to her hips, showing off her long legs, down to a pair of pink stiletto heels. Glossy waves of candy apple hair bounced around her slim shoulders. Approaching the clerk, she leaned over the counter, giving him a glimpse down the front of her shirt with a clear view of the sheer demibra struggling to contain her full D-cup breasts.
"Oh my gosh, like I need to rent a storage unit, but I don't know anything about them," she said in a bubbly voice.
The clerk grinned. "Well you came to the right place, darlin', I just happen to be an expert."
"Oh my gosh, like really?" she gushed. "Then you can like, show me everything?"
His grin widened.
Starling Chase was more than a little embarrassed at how easily she fell into the role of complete bimbo. However, it seemed to be having the desired effect. The clerk introduced himself as Gabe, and had yet to even look her in the face. Embarrassment tingled through her cheeks as his eyes devoured the copious amount cleavage she'd put on display, but until she could figure out just what was going on in this facility she'd rather not have any of the employees studying, or possibly recognizing her face.
This Uhaul building was located at the address she'd found on a cancelled check after being held hostage by Creole Creed. It was a climate-controlled facility, boasting the availability of refrigeration units. Obviously, this seemed like a good way to mask any power being used for nefarious activities in the, presumably, secret lower levels.
After a few questions that seemed too personal to be relevant to storage unit needs, Gabe took her on a tour of the facility. This gave Starling a chance to assess the layout of the place. There was a high amount of security, with cameras posted around almost every corner. Likewise, the building itself required a key code to gain access. Whether or not this was typical of such facilities, Starling took it as confirmation that there was more to this particular building than met the eye.
Gabe didn't seem to notice her recon efforts, focused instead on awkward flirtation attempts. Fortunately, he seemed satisfied by the occasional vapid giggle, and his gaze remained glued to her buxom chest.
It was a little after eleven o'clock by the time they were finished. Starling thanked the clerk, but said she needed to do more shopping. She'd considered renting a unit to get an access code for the building, but when she returned for further investigation it'd likely be in her superheroine alter ego...and she probably would not be coming through the front door!
"...here is my card," Gabe offered before she left. "My personal number is on there, you know, if you have any other questions or need help making a decision. You can call me any time."
Starling reached for the card, touching his hand and letting him look down the front of her shirt once more. "Thank you so much Gabe, you don't even know how big of a help you were."
The young woman switched her shapely hips as she left, making sure his eyes stayed glued to her round booty. When Gabe told his co-workers about her visit, for once she preferred to be "the smoking hot redhead with huge tits and a great ass" rather than that "that reporter, Starling Chase."
An Uber was waiting outside to take her to the River Run office.
It seems so weird to be heading back into work,
she thought staring out the window at Warden City.
I know the chief of police is in league with Dominion, I know the Ashton conglomerate is involved, my girlfriend-er, my best friend, hell my only friend probably hates me, but I've got the best leads I've had since this whole crazy investigation started...and I'm going back into the office to what, write some glamor fluff piece for page 27?
To be honest she hadn't been the best employee lately, work had been sorely neglected do to her clandestine extracurriculars. After giving her a good shouting at for coming in so late, Ed demanded a new glamour piece from her asap. He also assigned her to cover some big-to-do bridal expo happening at the end of the month. Starling promised to spend the day working on the glamour piece and submit her progress by the end of the day. This seemed to placate him well enough.
A bridal expo?
She balked mentally, leaving Ed's office.
Guess I'm just officially the women's interest chick now, so much for my dreams of hard hitting journalism...
Cleverly, the reporter had a few mostly finished drafts already saved to her computer. So instead Starling could spend the afternoon searching for any more information on the Uhaul franchise/Ashton dummy corp.
Lacey was at her desk when Starling arrived. The two women exchanged an awkward greeting. They had already spoken on the phone, Lacey having left several worried messages during the time Starling was Creole Creed's prisoner. Even though both women had apologized for how they'd acted following their escape from
Dat Joint
, there was still a distance between them neither was ready to bridge. To Starling it just seemed safer for them both if she went back to going it alone...especially so, as she was beginning to grasp the stakes of going after Dominion.
Lacey obviously felt the same, making some excuse to leave and heading for the door as the redhead was sat down to work.
The afternoon crawled by, with Starling turning up little new information. After work she rushed home for a hot shower. As usual she found a meditative state under the steaming water, clearing her mind and focusing for the coming evening.
After toweling off, she went straight to the secret compartment of her armoire. Taking out her superheroine uniform, Starling shimmied her curvaceous hips into the white bikini style bottoms before tucking her breasts into the matching spandex bustier. Her high-tech accessories followed, the golden bracelets with built in tazers, and a matching utility belt. Then she put on her calf length, high heeled golden boots. Finally, she donned her white feathered domino mask to conceal her identity.
Taking a quick glimpse in the mirror, the young woman felt a familiar swell of confidence as Starling Chase had seemed to disappear behind the mask, leaving instead the heroic and powerful, Scarlet Dove!
As the crimson haired beauty soared into the night sky, she set her course directly for that suspicious Uhaul building. It was time to get some answers!
Chapter Two
Knowing better than to fly straight up to the building, the Scarlet Dove made a wide looping approach. She spotted the first lookout easily. He was perched on a rooftop about a block out. He never saw her coming!
Crouching over his crumpled form, the young heroine made sure he was no longer a threat, but still breathing. Then she crept to the edge of the roof and surveyed the area surrounding the storage building. She thought she spied another lookout on a building the next block over. It was not a stretch to assume that there were corresponding sentries perched in the opposite direction as well.
This might be trickier than I realized,
she thought, noting the array of cameras adorning the roof of the Uhaul building itself.
Just then she heard noises coming from the ground below. One of the storage units was opening, and two armed men stepped out, both wearing all black.
