There was a new superheroine in the metropolis: Dynamo Dame, the Lady of Lightning. The city's many news organisations were thanking their lucky stars that she wasn't as camera-shy as some of her peers. No, she seemed to
thrive
on the attention, hanging around to smile for the camera. She'd even spoken to Channel 6's Hank Waterman, giving him her name and title.
With that friendliness, there were plenty of photos of her out there. Some more dramatized: soaring through the air, flinging lightning bolts from her hands. Others just captured her posing, letting the camera have a good look at her.
Her stature was somewhat less than imposing, being maybe a couple of inches above five feet tall. Wavy, golden-blonde hair fell down to the height of her shoulder-blades, kept mostly back from her face. She had a rounded face, her skin soft and creamy. Her costume was all done in shades of blue, starting with the wide band of a mask that wrapped around her face. It obscured everything from her browline down to the tip of her nose, with holes for her bright blue eyes. She had a big smile, too, with her red lips spread cheerfully wide.
The rest of her costume looked almost casual on her short, curvy form. Her deep blue top was a little on the tight side, suggesting the lines of her figure even though it only showed the skin of her arms and an inch or two of soft-yet-lean stomach. Cheeky, golden letters stretched across her ample chest: by the look of things, 'DD' was more than just her initials. Adding to the superheroic flair was a waist-length cape of sky blue. The costume's lower half was a fluttery, blue tennis skirt, a set of thigh-high white socks, and blue ankle boots that did nothing to help her height.
There was a new superheroine in the metropolis, and some people weren't happy about it.
It was late afternoon, almost evening; the setting sun was starting to turn the clear sky orange. It was the first chance Dynamo Dame had to head out on patrol: she always cursed her day job as she slid into costume. The frustration was easy to forget, though, as she kissed the sky. The electromagnetic field surrounding her made her feel utterly weightless.
But she wasn't just out there to enjoy soaring. She was looking for crime to fight. Her half-headset was turned into police radio, keeping her alert. A report came in: a convenience store's silent alarm was going off. There was no information besides that, and the address... but that address was just a few blocks away. Perfect.
A smile spread across her face as she twisted in the air, and shot off to go do some justice.
The convenience store was a small spot, one of those places that looks squashed between neighbouring buildings in the inner city. As soon as Dynamo Dame touched down outside, she could see the situation through the glass door. The cashier, behind the counter, stood with his hands in the air. A lean man all in black had him at gunpoint.
That grin of hers spread wider, the excitement tingling through her like electricity. "Oi there!" she shouted out. A swaggering step took her under the motion sensor. The ding and whisper of the door opening called even more attention to her. "Gotcha!"
The robber turned and looked towards her, just in time to be facing her hand as she flung it forward. The lightning bolt caught him in the chest, threw him across the room, and he crashed against a refrigerator set into the wall. Normal criminals were always so
easy
.
She strode inside, still with that swagger. "Sorry for the mess, sir, but not to worry. All's safe now—"
"Another." The pale young man still had his hands lifted, his eyes wide. "There's another."
"Huh?" She hadn't processed it fully before she felt a sharp sting in her neck. Whirling around, she saw another man in black, a tranquiliser gun in his hand. He was advancing.
Her fingers crackled as she lifted them, but he was too fast. He grabbed her wrist and pulled it up, aiming her shot uselessly over his shoulder. She struggled, but her vision was going hazy, and she felt sluggish. In a few seconds, everything went black.
When she came to, her surroundings were very different. The room was small and a bit dingy, and the curtains kept the place dim. A hotel room, she guessed. She was sitting on the floor, against the wall. There was a cold, metallic bite at her wrists and neck -- handcuffs keeping her hands behind her back, and a Gift-blocker to keep her from using her advantages. She was literally powerless.
A shiver ran along her spine. Her heart started pounding, pumping fresh excitement through her body. She tried to ignore it, tried to crush it down, but it still shamed her enough to flush her cheeks.
Gradually, her vision adjusted to the darkness. The two men were there with her, seated on the bed and solitary chair. Cans -- beer? -- were in their hands. They ignored her at first, but then one heard her shifting around.
"Well! Sleeping Beauty's awake." The bulky one, who'd had the dart gun. His tone actually sounded... friendly. "How're you feeling?"
Dazed. A little uncomfortable. Horny. She didn't actually
say
any of those. "Who are you? What are you going to do to me?" She cursed the slightly hopeful tone in her last few words.
"You don't need to know our names." The lean one. She could see a rubber vest under his open shirt: a little bit of insulation. "As for what we'll do... there are a few people out there who want to get a hold of a new superheroine."
She wriggled, shifting onto her knees. The socks insulated her from the roughness of the carpet. "Who? Who are you giving me to?"
"We don't know yet," said the bulky one. "Waiting to see who gives us the best offer."
Dynamo Dame winced. Dammit, she was
on auction
. "Um. And... what about you guys? What'll you do while you're waiting?"
The lean one glared at her. "Don't try to escape, Dame. You're
ours
now, and you're not slipping away."
Such
power
in that voice. She trembled, and hoped they both wrote it off as just fear. That was