Showcase: World Public Enemies

Reunions

by Libbylawrence

Elizabeth Rosemond glanced at the clock and sighed in annoyance. She leaned forward over a diner table and wiped the top with a careless manner. She rubbed at a bit of food that had dried on one spot of the table and once more she looked at the clock.

“Watching the clock won’t make your shift end any faster, honey!” said a rather shrill voiced older woman who watched Elizabeth with her plump hands on her hips in an attitude of amusement.

Elizabeth gave a slight smile and worked faster. She wanted to reply with a sarcastic rejoinder but the words didn’t come nor could she afford to lose this job.

The small bell over the front door chimed as a customer walked inside. He was a short, fat, balding man in a faded plaid shirt and jeans. “Hey, Angel, how about bringing me today’s special along with that killer smile of yours!” he said as he sighed and dropped like a rock into one of the chairs.

Elizabeth smiled and said, “Sure thing Lou, I’ll have it ready in a flash!” She swiftly adjusted her hair and made sure an errant strand of her luxurious black hair returned to its proper place. A girl can’t look her best in a hair net! she thought.

She signaled the other waitress who muttered something to the cook. He waved her away in irritation and prepared Lou’s special. He didn’t need to do a lot of talking. Lou ate the special every day except when it was tuna. All of the staff at Alvin’s Diner knew that!

Elizabeth checked her reflection in a mirror and rubbed one hand across her teeth as she kept her back to Lou. Couldn’t hurt to look her best. Lou was sweet and he seemed to have a thing for her. She brought his order over and said, “So, how’s it going today?”

Lou grinned and started collecting packs of mustard. “Fine! Even better since I’m looking at you!” he said.

Elizabeth laughed and continued to banter with the construction worker until the shrill tone of her supervisor Rena pierced her thoughts and summoned her to her duties. “Lizzie, get the lady at table four! I’m a bit busy here you know!” scolded the older woman.

“Yes, Rena! Sorry!” replied Liz as she hurried to greet the woman who had entered with a grace and style that made all the other customers stop what they were doing in order to stare or gape or leer!

She was very beautiful and she wore an expensive designer coat and heels. Liz couldn’t see what type of outfit the blonde was wearing beneath the coat but if it was of the same quality as that garment or those heels, it cost more than Liz earned in months!

“Hi, may I take your order?” she asked as she stood before the striking blonde woman.

The blonde had lovely features but her eyes projected a keen and cruel mind and not a welcome charm. Liz knew her own violet eyes made most people admire her even now that she had put on a few extra pounds. She cursed the fact that she had let herself go since she got out. Something in the customer’s penetrating or appraising gaze made her feel shy or as if she was being judged unfavorably. The blonde woman crossed her legs and displayed a skirt that confirmed Liz’s earlier estimate of the cost of her clothing. “Well, I suppose iced tea couldn’t poison me even if it was made in this place! Yes, that’s it, Elizabeth! Bring me an iced tea, “demanded the other woman.

She pronounced the name Elizabeth with a slight intonation that suggested she was saying it in a mocking or knowing manner. Lizzie glanced down at her uniform’s name tag and frowned. Does this stuck up witch know me from prison? She sure seems familiar but I can’t place her. She looks a lot like the jet setting rich brats I used to enjoy robbing back in the days! she thought.

She turned to give the order to Alvin and noticed that Lou was looking at the blonde with an openmouthed wonder that did nothing for his appearance or Liz’s ego. Hmmph! Lou sure is drinking her in like some lost nomad from the desert in a soda shop! she thought.

She returned to work and felt strangely discomforted as she noticed the blonde woman sipping her tea and watching her work with an obvious amusement. She didn’t enjoy the sensation. Something about the woman’s manner made her feel as if she was unworthy and the more she pondered the feeling the more she realized that ever since the blonde had entered and stared at her in such an odd way, everything about her current life had become tarnished. Lou seemed like a fat, dull clod. Her uniform was loud and her slight weigh gain made her want to hide beneath an apron.

Lou finished his meal and departed. He left his payment and Liz carefully gathered the small tip he had left behind.

She was startled as the blonde spoke to her from only inches apart. She had moved with a speed and silence that had totally surprised Liz. “Jumping for small change! How the mighty have fallen! You know it can be the way it once was if you like. I can give you your old life back. That is, if you still desire to be more than a hash-slinging drudge!” said the woman in a silky whisper.

Liz said, “Who are you?”

The blonde said, “For now, call me your destiny. Follow me and your life will become something more like the plot of one of the old movies you adore so much. Instead of calling yourself Elizabeth Rosemond after the old actress you idolize, you can make your real name of Liz Jones a name to be feared!”

Liz said, “You know my real name? Who are you?” She jumped back with something of her old agility and the blonde smiled approvingly.

“A bit of diet and exercise and I’ll turn you back into the woman who gave me a run for my money years ago!” she said.

Liz said, “I don’t understand. I won’t be anybody’s puppet! What game are you playing?”

Rena approached and said, “What’s wrong, honey?”

The blonde reached into her purse and tossed a large bill on the table. “Nothing is wrong. I’m buying Lizzie’s time. She’s done here!” Before anyone could react, Lizzie found herself following the shapely blonde and hoping that this strange interlude would not turn out to be another disillusioning moment in her grim life!
***

 

During the drive away from Alvin’s Diner, Lizzie tried to figure out just who the mysterious woman was. Her car was a limousine complete with uniformed driver and tinted windows. Still, nothing in obvious view allowed Liz to recall just who her blonde companion was.

“You know my real name is Liz Jones. You know about my criminal record and my jail time. You even caught on to the fact that the name I was using at the Diner came from Elizabeth Taylor’s first and middle names. What with my eye color and all, she’s always been special to me. I admit you have my curiosity stimulated. Now, since I can’t exactly see you as the fairy godmother type, I’d like to hear just what it is you want and who you are!” she said.

The blonde woman smiled and adjusted her make up in a mirror. “Fair enough. I can appreciate that candid manner of yours although it is ironic coming from someone so fond of fantasy. My name is Katherine Blair although I’ve always been known as Kitty since my childhood. My father is Emerson Blair and it is due to his fortune and his devotion to me that we are able to enjoy this fine car among other things. You and I met years ago although there are good reasons for the fact that you do not recall me.”

“As for why I have whisked you away from that mundane role you were playing so very aptly, that will become clear to you when we join our third associate. She is waiting for us at my place. I will tell you now that all I intend to do is to offer you both a job of sorts and if you turn me down then I will have Smithers drive you back to the quaint little hash house and you can reclaim your job. I paid the owner enough money to justify your sudden absence.”

Lizzie said, “You sure place a high value on money. I guess you think money can buy anything!”

Kitty said, “Anything and anyone, dear.”

Lizzie frowned as she tried to put her thoughts in order. She needed money badly and while she certainly didn’t want to return to jail, she was not averse to risking such a fate if the reward was right. She contrasted her weekly toil at Alvin’s with the life she had once known during her costumed days and nights. There was no real comparison. She longed for the romance and danger of that old life and she only felt surprised by how well she had managed to stifle those desires beneath the façade of a nine to five routine!

Still, she glanced over at Kitty’s lithe form and then looked at her own body. She had gained weight and she doubted she could ever fit or model the kind of revealing costume she had once worn with such ease and style.

“Kitty Blair? I know that name but from where? She was some kind of debutante or someone famous in a minor way. Nobody really recognized her in the diner. I don’t recall her face. I just remember reading that name before. Wasn’t she involved with rock star years old? I’d recall meeting her unless maybe I robbed her years ago. My gang hit plenty of Riviera lounging party girls back in those days. Is this all a trap to punish me for ripping off her Daddy’s money or something?”

She tensed and glanced left and right. The limousine was passing along the suburbs and she saw little traffic. “I obviously have a weight advantage over Kitty. I could wrestle her down if things turn ugly. Still, what harm can it do to play along? Maybe she is some bitter witch who wants me to rob her ex-husband or something. She clearly knows about my past as a thief.”

Kitty sat silently and if a sly smile occasionally played across her face, she said nothing. She rested her hands together and allowed their fingers to form a crude tent as she thought about her actions. She was amused with how easily she had managed to persuade the other woman to join her. She marveled at the fact that Liz once ruled a gang of thieves that had made her infamous for a time. She had even been a more celebrated figure in underworld circle than Kitty herself.

She’s a sheep. She only made her name by doing what she was told to do by our secret benefactress. Of course, for all of my education, beauty, and wealth, I was just as bad. I obeyed without question as well. I let her use me like a plaything! she thought. She clutched her hands together tightly and shame and anger she had long tried to forget washed over her.

She concealed her reaction from Lizzie and raised her hand to indicate a large house in a wooden area. The car pulled to a stop and parked in front of a large patio area. “That’s Blair House. Walk this way and I’ll let Donna show you to a room in which you can freshen up,” said Kitty.

She nodded in greeting as a pretty brunette came out and welcomed them with a warm smile. She wore a simple yellow dress with high heels. She extended her hand and took Lizzie’s hands in her own.

“Welcome! I’m Donna. I hope the drive here didn’t tire you. I know riding for a long time always makes me cranky. Well, we’ll just make you nice and relaxed and you’ll feel fine! I have some tea and freshly baked bread with yummy peach preserves ready. Or I can whip up something else if you’re feeling hungry?” said Donna.

Liz said, “Thanks. I’m Liz. That’s nice of you!” She noticed that Donna’s perky manner failed to cover a brisk efficiency. The staff members responded to her slightest gesture or look with speed and skill. She obviously ran the place well.

“I know what you’re thinking. I do take a real pride in how I manage things here at Blair House. I admit that so much of what I do or say is a nervous little girl’s effort to hide the fact that she feels out of her league in this kind of place. You see I’ve only worked here for a short time since my…” Her voice trailed off as she touched a wedding band self-consciously.

Liz nodded and tried to bring the conversation around to anything else. I guess she lost her husband. If it were a divorce she wouldn’t still wear the ring. Plus, even after only being with her for a few moments, I can” imagine how any man would leave a woman with her kind of skills and warmth! mused Liz.

“Donna, Kitty brought me here for a job offer. Have you any idea what she has in mind?” whispered Liz.

Donna fluffed her hair although not a curl was out of place and she replied, “Kitty’s a wonderful girl. She’s brilliant. You know she was a Seven Sisters graduate!”

Liz entered a luxurious room and thanked Donna as she closed the door. Well, this just gets more mysterious with every minute! It’s odd how someone as cold and clinical as Kitty Blair is has a such a sweetheart like Donna running her house! There’s more to this whole thing than meets the eye!
***

 

That evening Liz Jones joined Donna and waited in a comfortable living room. She had rested and Donna and she had enjoyed a delicious meal in a relaxing setting. It was all too clear that Donna made sure everything at Blair House went as smoothly as possible. She seemed to remember the smallest detail.

“Kitty will be joining us shortly. She works so hard. I have to really nag her to get her to sit down and eat like a normal person. She always has something to see to. The poor dear doesn’t really know how to relax!” said Donna.

Liz said, “She certainly seemed to amuse herself at my expense back at the… back where she found me. She is a strange woman. I’m going to listen to her job offer but I’ll be frank with you, Donna. I don’t like Miss Kitty Blair at all!”

A sharp laugh rang out as the sultry Kitty stepped out of the shadows. “Well, you certainly don’t mince your words. You still have that Girl from the Bronx manner about you, said Kitty.

Liz blushed slightly. The reaction came more from a feeling of discomfort at being caught speaking so bluntly about her hostess than it did from any real concern about the wealthy woman’s feelings. “I’m sorry. I guess I spoke out of turn. I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ve been brought here for something I may not like at all!” she said.

“So you’re Michael Caine and I’m Olivier. Is that it? Life is like the movies for you and this is a scene from Sleuth, ” said Kitty with a smile.

Donna said, “Now, Kitty, don’t tease Liz. She does have a right to be curious. Remember how amazed I was when you first found me.”

Kitty touched her hand and nodded. “I do. Sorry to be so mysterious. I’m going to clear up the whole affair right now. Let me begin with a more accurate introduction or two.”

She stood up and Liz noticed the trim blonde was wearing a floor length robe. “As you already know, my name is Kitty Blair. I was a bored rich girl with too much money and too little to do. Then, while I was in Europe several years ago I fell in with a group who did not share my boredom. You see they had plenty to do. They were thieves. They lived the good life and appeared to be nothing more than partying jet setters. The truth was that wherever they went crime followed. They were thieves and they invited me to join them. Oh, I know. You wonder why I would have considered such an act. I had all I wanted but I was bored. They offered me thrills and stimulation beyond the idle rich life I knew.”

Liz said, “Hold it. I think I’ve heard this record before. You see I was a thief too. I was recruited in that way as well when a boyfriend dumped me. He and I backpacked across Europe and he dumped me for a Swedish girl. I was distraught and bitter and was no stranger to petty crime. I decided to rob the Youth Hostel in which we were staying and before I could get away I was discovered. I was taken in and trained by a group of thieves who operated across Europe. They taught me everything I needed to know. I was hooked by the glamour of the whole situation. Are you saying that you were part of that same gang?”

Donna sipped her tea demurely and said, “As long as we are swapping tales, I’ll just add that I belonged to the same gang too. I was always desperate to get the good things in life and when my parents died while we were living in England, I was at my wit’s end. I also met a woman who convinced me that I could live by crime. She gave me things and a place to stay and then explained that all of it had been stolen. I was guilty by association. I really had no choice except to submit to her training.”

Liz said, “Wait a minute! Is this nothing more than a reunion of her gang?”

Kitty smiled and said, “Her gang? You are right in thinking that we were all part of the same organization all those years ago. The woman who truly led the group was a European gang boss who called herself Starfire! She met us all separately and trained us. That is what we have in common among other things!”

Liz said, “Starfire did make me the woman I was! She even gave me a costume and provided me with equipment and plans for all my major jobs. I led one of her gangs. Still, I don’t recall leading you two!”

Kitty smiled and tossed back her long blonde hair. “Now really, dear. Do you think you or anyone led me? Starfire made each of us leaders of our own gangs. In truth, she ruled all of us from the shadows. Still, we each acted in her behalf as allegedly independent criminals. Super-villainesses to be exact! Maybe, you’ll remember me when you see this little number?” She dropped her robe and revealed a costume of orange and black. Her legs were bare above orange boots and artificial wings folded in an arc behind her black and orange striped top. She slipped a mask over her keenly staring eyes and posed before them.

“Tiger Moth! You were Tiger Moth! You wore a mask so I never knew your real appearance. I was the Dragon Fly! When we met it was only for a few moments. We’d been tricked by Poison Ivy in meeting each other in order to prove which of us was the most dangerous gang leader. When we showed up, she trapped us and left us for Batman and Robin to arrest! She set us all up!” gasped Liz.

Donna said, “Right! I was known as Silken Spider. When we met that evening we each thought of the other two as rivals. I had no idea that we all secretly fronted organizations ruled by Starfire! Why didn’t she ever tell any of us that we were all working for her? We could have been a real team!”

Kitty said, “She had no desire to unite us. Together, we might have challenged her. After all our gangs thought of us as the true leader. None of them knew we were just following her orders.”

Liz said, “Still, she wasn’t to blame for our arrests. Poison Ivy was the one who set us up.”

Donna said, “I’ve often wondered how she managed to contact us and lure us together like that.”

Kitty said, “She had help. Our esteemed mentor Starfire plotted the whole thing. She was tired of us and saw us as a possible threat. She never counted on our reputations growing to the extent that they did. We were bigger names in underworld circles since no one knew about her! I learned all of this during my time in prison. My money paid several sleuths to dig up the facts for me. Starfire didn’t want to made herself known even then so she provided Ivy with the means of contacting us each and she allowed that bad weed to leave us gift wrapped for the Dynamic Duo!”

Liz said, “I’d like to wring her neck! That one -eyed witch!”

Kitty removed her mask and sat down. “Well, that’s encouraging to hear. You see I’ve brought you here for that purpose. I want to team up with you two and regain all of the pride Starfire took from us. I want to see her rot in a cell. She is still alive. I am hiring you two to help me bring her in!”
***

 

Liz Jones spent over six months at Blair House. During that time the violet -eyed woman worked out extensively and dieted according to Donna’s strict but efficient proposal. She admired her own reflection in the gym mirror one-day near the end of her sixth month with the other two women. I never expected to be able to wear my Dragon Fly costume again! I actually look pretty good too. Now days I do wonder about the revealed stomach style but then again I’ve got my as back so the fact that I was a rash kid when I designed this outfit doesn’t matter so much! she thought.

She did look impressive and she felt good about herself as well. Having a purpose had given her back much of her lost confidence. She had also developed a warm friendship with Donna Adams and she had gained a sense of hope for her future that extended beyond the cinema inspired fantasies that had kept her going during her time as a waitress. If we do capture Starfire it could be the start of a whole new life for me! I’m certain to gain something out of it beyond personal satisfaction. It will be easy to pick up something from Starfire’s base. Cash, jewels, or even a new wardrobe are among the possibilities. Plus, with Starfire deposed perhaps I could reclaim my old gang! Then again, do I really want to return to crime?

“Penny for your thoughts?” said a cheery voice from above.

She gasped and looked up to see the Silken Spider standing upside down above her. “Donna! You nearly scared me senseless! The way those shoes and gloves allow you to cling to surfaces really lets you get the drop on a gal! I bet you really excite your dates with that kind of agility!” she said.

She winced as her words hung in empty air and she said, “I’m sorry, Donna! I didn’t even think before I opened my big mouth! I know you still aren’t over poor Dean!

Donna Adams smiled sadly and dropped down to hug Liz. Donna wore a brief costume of black silk with an elaborate pattern of fishnet hosiery on her otherwise exposed legs and arms. The spider web pattern was distinctive, as were her soft brown eyes. “Lizzie, don’t worry about it. I do miss Dean. I think about him all the time but I’m not some fragile flower that wilts when someone mentions men or life going onward! I will always love him but I’m able to talk and laugh now too!” she said.

Liz nodded and said, “You’ve lost so much. I know you said it was the death of your parents that left you stranded and vulnerable to Starfire when you were a girl in Europe. Your Dean was a special guy. He stood by you during your time in jail!”

Donna smiled and seemed to gaze at something or someone beyond Liz’s range of vision as she recalled Dean Adams. “Dean was big, strong, loyal and able to make me feel secure and loved. He was my lawyer at first but we soon fell in love and he remained faithful during my years in prison. I came to love him and when I got out, we married. It was blissful. I know that sounds trite or like something from one of those old sitcoms. Still, it was true! I was brokenhearted when he died. I had dinner on and I was putting on some music when the police came to tell me that he had been shot. They caught the young punk who mugged him but I really didn’t care about that. I didn’t want to get revenge. I just wanted Dean back. I still do!”

Kitty Blair flew inside the gym in her own orange and black Tiger Moth costume. “Ladies, I have news for you both. My sources have located Starfire. She has been living in seclusion in Italy. It cost my father a pretty sum but out of the dozen private investigators I hired one of them came up with exactly what we wanted. I found out about one of her lairs months ago but it turned out to be a dead end. Fire gutted the place shortly afterward. She has been very careful in keeping her existence a secret. From what I was able to gather she even managed to fool her old enemy the late Supergirl into thinking that she had died during their last encounter years ago!”

Kitty noticed the warmth between the two women and she understood all too easily that they had just shared some emotional moment. She knew that while she had won Donna’s loyalty and devotion she had no claim on her affection nor did she desire anything from either of them except for their service in her cause. She dismissed things like friendship with the casual disdain of a superficial woman who never really valued anything she had!

“Kitty, I see you’ve mastered the flight capability of your costume! That would have made you far more capable years ago. You could have escaped from Batman and Robin had you possessed that technology years ago!” said Donna.

Kitty said, “When I’m in costume, I prefer to be called Tiger Moth. Still, you have a point. That is why during my time in prison I hired several agents to secure this kind of technology for my future use. I even managed to acquire the hidden technology of a dead genius that had a fixation with insects. I figured we could employ the fruits of his labors since we all have insect motifs!”

Liz said, “I have to admit that you’ve really improved my old gear. I could give Batman a good fight with this kind of weaponry! Not that I have any desire to tangle with him again!”

Kitty replied, “That is wise. I learned a very powerful lesson in humility when Batman and Robin took us all away. I had such an ego back then! I had managed to control a whole gang. I was measuring all my foes by the standards of the rival gangsters, thugs or witless police and private security teams I always beat! Little did I know that running into Poison Ivy and then Batman would ruin me!”

Donna said, “I’m surprised you don’t want to hunt down Ivy as well! Her taunts still annoy me after all these years! She made us all look foolish!”

Liz said, “Yeah! I have no problem with whipping her pert little you know what if I ever run across her!”

Kitty said, “That would be foolish. We have nothing to gain from fighting her. She was nothing more than a pawn of Starfire’s as well. We’ll go to Italy and use the training and gear I’ve given you to bring her down. That will be all the payback I require!”
***

 

The three costumed women did exactly what Tiger Moth had stated. They flew to Italy in a rented plane. Donna was a pilot and she flew with a serenity that made the other two women feel as if their plan was as natural a venture as going on vacation. She smiled as she glanced at the others. They were an odd duo.

Liz is so earthy but her frankness is refreshing. I also like the way she sees life in a romantic way. You’d expect the one trait to completely make that kind of romanticism impossible. She’s a real living contradiction. As for Kitty I owe her everything! She’s given me a home and a purpose. I wish I could help her learn to relate to people on a more personal level. She sees everything and everyone as a commodity, thought Donna Adams.

Liz admired the view and thought of several old films. I always saw myself as Elizabeth Taylor or Audrey Hepburn during my previous time in Europe. The whole experience was like a great adventure! Being back in Europe brings back those old feelings but now I see past the glitter. I can’t take anything for granted. Starfire was brilliant when I first met her. She has depths none of us every imagined. I can only imagine what kind of security she has now. She may have even traded her private army of thugs for super powered creeps! A lot of them have popped up since I was put in jail!

As for Kitty she merely brooded. She had grown accustomed to her companions and her previous intellectual curiosity about their individual quirks had faded. Now she saw them as people and she considered them of value to her beyond mere amusement. She knew that she needed help to bring down Starfire. She was proud but she was also a good judge of character. She accepted that she simply could not handle the European criminal without assistance. She knew her own feelings of being used and manipulated so long ago colored her every thought where Starfire was concerned.

They were met at the airport by one of Kitty’s staff and after loading their gear into his car and leaving him at the hotel, they made their way deep into the Italian countryside. They now wore their colorful costumes except that Tiger Moth’s mask was on the dashboard.

They reached an isolated region with mostly agricultural land and a few villas and Kitty pulled off the road. “We’re about two miles from Starfire’s villa. The detective I hired is certain that this is where our old mentor is hiding out. I suppose we need to split up and approach the place as we discussed earlier. You are all familiar with the lay of the land? The photos I paid for were accurate and revealing. The sleuth came through for us in spite of her rather eccentric appearance and her curious partner.” She placed her black mask over her eyes and she flew into the twilight.

Dragon Fly and the Silken Spider watched her disappear silently into the deepening shadows and then they embraced briefly. “Good luck, honey!” said Donna as she fired a thin cable from out of her wristband. It stuck to the walls of a small storage building and in moments the agile woman had scaled to the roof and vanished over the other side.

Liz whispered her own well wishes and then ran swiftly across the slightly elevated landscape. She felt the old rush of excitement and she relished it. I can’t imagine going back to life at Alvin’s Diner! That place and my job there seems like a fading dream! I don’t know what is in store for me but this moment is enough for now! She hid behind an elegantly sculpted hedge and stared up at the old but lovely villa.

Starfire always loved the good life. She surrounded herself with hunks and spent her money like it was going out of style. I can only imagine how she has lived it up these last few years. I guess she laughed at us all! She used us and eliminated us without a thought. She’ll pay for that now! She spotted three men in costly suits and dark glasses. They were clearly guards. She smiled and opened a small pouch concealed on her hip. She removed a sphere and flipped a switch then she hurled it in their path!

A shrill sound echoed along the terrace and they grabbed their ears in pain.

She moved swiftly and crossed the open area before they could react. She could ignore the shrill siren because of special plugs she wore within each ear. My Dragon Fly buzz has left them dazed! Now, to finish the job with some hands on action!

She leaped into the air and performed a perfect flip before landing on one of the thugs. She knocked him into his nearest partner and then punched the third man flat. Her arm hurt slightly from the impact and she cursed herself for not using her shoulder correctly. She was still rusty!

She saw the final man scramble over his fallen pal and draw a small gun. She smiled and kicked the weapon out of his grip. She spun around and delivered a final stunning kick to his head.

She bent over them and grabbed all their guns. She hurled them into the hedge and then slipped inside the glass doors beyond. “That was not bad at all!” she mused.

Meanwhile, Tiger Moth had reached a point high above the villa and she waited for a moment directly above the skylight. She stretched her hands out in front of her and used the micro-circuitry in each glove to generate a pulse of heat that melted the reinforced glass and allowed the lithe blonde easy access. She landed nimbly and smiled as four guards raced in with guns drawn.

“Stay put! Keep your hands behind your head!” shouted the leader of the security team.

Tiger Moth smiled and said, “Certainly! I wouldn’t want to do anything to upset you gentleman!” She placed her hands behind her head.

They circled her and one drew closer to pat her down. As he touched her back, a blinding flash of intense light erupted and the men fell back in pain and surprise.

Tiger Moth kicked one man’s weapon aside and melted the other guns to pulp with three bursts of her glove lasers. She belted the final man in the face and smiled as he fell. “I do appreciate the strobe feature built into my suit!” she said. She saw a long staircase and flew to the top.

Meanwhile, the Silken Spider had crawled through the villa’s narrow air shafts and now she stood over four bound men. Her web line had wrapped them tightly and she had made it into the house with very little trouble. She jumped into the air and placed her heels against the roof. She ran across the room and found herself heading up to a narrow landing above a wide staircase. She smiled as she heard noises and met up with her friends.

“We made it! That was almost too easy!” said Dragon Fly.

Tiger Moth said, “She didn’t expect to have to deal with super powered types. Now, let’s get inside that main room. It has a shielded door and looks like it must be her stronghold!”

Silken Spider said, “My web spray should be able to mess up her electric lock!” She sprayed the gooey substance into the lock and waited. “Now, that shut down the defenses built into the door. All we need to do is get it open!”

Dragon Fly said, “Allow me!” She threw herself into the door and it crashed open. “That exoskeleton weave gives me added strength for brief time periods and still it is so small I can wear this bare stomached outfit without a budge!” She led the other two inside the room.

It was spacious and it was quiet. It contained elegant furniture and a large bed. A frail woman stood next to a sleeping woman. “What do you want here? This is a sick room. Have you no decency?” cried the old woman.

Tiger Moth gasped and said, “That’s Starfire in the bed! She looks horrible!” She gestured to a gaunt, bald woman who slept fitfully. She was not stirring in spite of the noise their entrance had made. A simple patch covered one eye.

“She’s my child. Starfire was a name she stopped using long ago. We live here and bother no one. She is ill. Very ill! Cancer has robbed her of all her old energy!” said the old woman.

Dragon Fly frowned and said, “She used us all! She made us criminals and then set us up to take the fall. We wanted to bring her to justice!”

The old woman laughed bitterly. “There is no justice in this world and if there was, she has paid in full. Leave us or end her suffering. I will do nothing. I can do nothing!”

Silken Spider said, “We’re sorry. We’re leaving. You have nothing to fear from us!”

Dragon Fly hesitated and then as the woman in the bed groaned softly, Lizzie nodded and turned away.

Tiger Moth stared from one to the other and then with a last look at the dying woman in the bed, she said, “There is nothing for us here. Why even bother with the authorities? She’s beyond help or harm.”

They departed and as they reached their car after a silent journey, Liz said, “Starfire is dying. That disease has claimed her. We sure can’t do more to her than it has!”

Silken Spider said, “I agree. The fact is I feel sorry for her.”

Tiger Moth said, “I can’t go that far but I feel justice has been served. I also have an offer for you two. I enjoyed the excitement of this effort. It brought me back to why I first put on this costume. I have more money than I need. Why don’t you two stay at Blair House with me? We could do something. We could be hired agents for those in need.”

Silken Spider said, “I would love to help people. I’d like to feel useful.”

Dragon Fly said, “If you’re willing to support me, I’m more than ready to join your team. I can’t face life without some thrills again! Maybe, we could be like Cannonball that hero in the reality show!”

Tiger Moth smiled and said, “Or maybe we could just fight crime for kicks. All I know is that even without getting Starfire as I’d planned, I gained something from this. I want to stay in the costumed life. We can decide what role we’ll play when we get home. We’ve got all the time in the world!”

They drove off into the night and indeed they did have all the time they wanted.