SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C.- Part 2

Chapter 1

Beth was lying on her and Pam's bed when Pam's phone rang. Over the last hour and a half, Beth had been reminded of exactly why Pam was the alpha in their relationship. True to her word, Pam had issued a swift and severe punishment for Beth being late. Her girlfriend had broken out a replacement for one of the toys they'd left behind in Citiville: a cat-o-ninetails. Pam ordered her strip, assume position, and had proceeded with her punishment. Twenty minutes of being struck everywhere from her back and chest, to her arms and legs. It was something that Beth had grown to enjoy over the last year, or at least the after effects of the punishment. Pam was careful not to beat her, but it didn't make it hurt any less.

After the first part of her punishment, Pam had applied the usual gel she used to ensure Beth wouldn't be too hurt. However, her girlfriend was only getting started. The next items to come out of their closet were the binders. Beth had stifled a groan when she saw them, but, again, a part of her felt excited when Pam locked them into place. Being tied and bound wasn't the most comfortable, but knowing that Pam was in control kept her mind at ease. The damn things made her joints hurt, but Pam knew her limits well enough by now. Then the gag came out, followed shortly by the vibrator. That was when things took an extremely distinct turn.

Edging was something that Pam had introduced Beth to early in their time together. It was easily the most frustrating, and yet blissful activity that the two shared. Pam would bring her to the brink of an orgasm, but would continually deny her. In the beginning, Pam had merely stopped before Beth could cum. As time had gone on, Pam had started ordering Beth to control herself as she teased and denied her for hours, sometimes days, on end. Failure on Beth's part meant earning a punishment, but success granted her a, quite literally, mind-blowing orgasm. This afternoon, Pam had decided to revisit this activity, but she added an additional twist.

After working Beth up for nearly forty-five minutes, Pam had removed her gag and given the order for her to service her mistress. With such a heavy lustful fog clouding Beth's mind, it had been a difficult task. Worshipping Pam's feet and figuring out the best way to stay on task had been nearly impossible for Beth. Still, she'd managed to achieve her goal after thirty minutes of flopping around. Lost in a haze of lust and desire, Beth had nearly made herself pass out as she pleasured Pam orally. She hadn't even realized her mistress had came until Pam forcefully yanked her away so she could catch her breath. Her jaw ached, and Pam had reset her gag shortly after she finished and Beth had caught her breath.

Beth felt like she was in heat. Another tease and denial, followed by honeyed praise from Pam, had her teetering on the edge of bliss and madness. She knew that Pam was going to reward her soon, though, and tried to remain as patient as possible. She wanted nothing more than to be the good girl her mistress had fallen in love with. Then, Pam's phone rang for the second time in minutes. It was frustrating for both of them, more so for Beth, but Pam broke character to see who it was. She'd apologized to Beth for the interruption, but she'd stepped out of the room to take the call. A parting kiss on her forehead, and the promise that she'd be back shortly were the last things that Pam had said to her.

Beth had been laying on the bed squirming for ten minutes before Pam returned. She looked up at her mistress with pleading eyes, and felt concerned when she saw that Pam was clearly annoyed. Had she done something wrong? Pam sighed as she sat down and started to undo Beth's bondage, "You haven't done anything bad, Kitten, so you can relax on that front. However, I'm afraid I've got some rather upsetting news. That was Zoey who called, and it seems a situation has developed that requires our assistance. You've been such a good girl, but I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a little longer, Kitten."

Beth felt a crushing weight wash over her, followed shortly by a burst of outrage. Pam gently removed her gag, and Beth scowled in frustration, "You have got to be kidding me! Ugh, this is the absolute worst timing possible!"

"Settle down," Pam said sternly, "I know this isn't ideal, but you're the one who's always telling me that it's the job of a hero and whatnot."

Beth sighed as her loins continued to burn, "I'm not mad at you, or anything, I'm just frustrated. How the hell am I supposed to fight when I can barely think straight?"

"I know it's difficult, and far from fair, but you're strong enough to handle this," Pam sighed, finishing undoing Beth's restraints and preparing to change, "I'm sorry, Kitten, truly I am. If I'd have thought this might happen, I wouldn't have denied you this long. You did amazingly too, by the way. I'm incredibly proud of you, and I promise you'll have your reward once we've dealt with this threat."

Beth rolled her wrists and neck as she sat up. She appreciated Pam's praise, but it did little to diminish her arousal and frustration. "Promise?" Beth asked, resigning herself to her prolonged denial.

"On my life," Pam replied, stopping and turning to walk over and kiss Beth's cheek, "You did everything I said, and you didn't complain once. I'll be sure to make your reward well worth your wait, Kitten."

Beth huffed and sighed as she settled for Pam's promise. It didn't help her at the moment, but at least it was an incentive to work fast. "Alright, so what are we dealing with?" she asked as she stood up and stretched, "Damn, those things always make me feel stiff."

"That's part of the point, dear," Pam replied as she opened the chest at the bottom of their closet, "Zoey mentioned something about some sort of clown woman taking hostages at the Plaza. She's already spoken to Jake, and he should be arriving on scene shortly before or after we arrive."

"Ugh, I fucking hate clowns," Beth groaned as she walked over and surveyed her equipment, "Getting denied by you is one thing, but a freak with face paint is where I draw the line!"

"At least it'll be a chance to try out your new costume, Kitten," Pam offered, trying to hide her amusement at Beth's exaggerated frustration, "You haven't worn the new vest since Jake brought it over."

Beth rolled her eyes and grumbled as she roughly grabbed her equipment. She threw the pieces over onto the bed and yanked a pair of pants down from their hanger. Snatching her boots from the floor, Beth all but stomped back to the bed and scooped her panties up along the way. Pam was right, she hadn't gone out in her new suit yet. It wasn't much, but Jake had made her a Kevlar vest to wear under her armor, and had modified her usual coat to boot. The lining of the coat and vest were both insulated to protect against fire and extreme cold, and they were both lighter than what she typically wore. Tri-weave titanium microfibers were what Jake had said the stuff was made from, but all Beth knew was that they felt good and flexible. She felt faster than usual when she wore them, and the elements of the outside did nothing to slow her down when she wore them.

Beth tightened the straps on her vest before throwing her coat over it with another huff. She fastened her holsters and utility belt, checked her pistols, and stepped into her boots. She bent down to lace them up and glanced up at Pam, "I'm gonna murder a clown tonight, you know that, right?"

Pam laughed as she finished changing, "You'll do no such thing. This woman needs to be brought in for questioning. She might know something about our missing doctor, and we need any leads that we can get. You're just being dramatic."

"I'm dramatic because I am fucking horny and this bitch is making me wait!" Beth argued with a stomp before huffing and crossing her arms, "Stupid villains, always making their moves at the worst times. Inconsiderate, that's what it is!"

"I think part of their motif as villains, Kitten, not to care about others," Pam chuckled as she walked over, "I know you're wanting right now, but it will be worth the wait, I swear."

Beth uncrowded her arms and let out an exaggerated sigh. She looked over at Pam, and felt her nethers cry out once again. Why did she have to wear that outfit when they went out? Pam had chosen a tight black and purple corset that accentuated her bust and dominance, and a pair of the tightest leather pants that Beth had ever seen. The leather was as dark as the abyss, and Pam wore several straps of the same leather over her wrists. She looked like something between a dominatrix and a hero with her cloak on. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she kept her hood on to conceal her face. While the outfit scared most criminals they encountered, Beth found it attractive in a way she couldn't quite describe. Her cheeks burned as she remembered a time when Pam had removed one of her leather straps for a more creative use for one of their sessions.

"Try to keep your mind out of the gutter, dear," Pam said sweetly as she took Beth's hand, "Let's stay focused on the task at hand, shall we?"

"Uhm, yeah, okay," Beth stumbled over her words as she grabbed her helmet and put it on, "Let's go bring this chick in."

Pam smiled as she felt Beth's continued arousal. It was more delicious than anything she'd ever tasted. She felt bad for making her girlfriend wait, but she knew that Beth understood. She would make good on her word. Beth continued to impress her with her resolve, and Pam felt proud of her little pet. One thing at a time, though, and now they needed to focus on apprehending a renegade clown. Metropolis was certainly a strange city, but it was beginning to feel more like home. With a simple bit of concentration, Pam pulled the shadows in around them and teleported them across the city.

—---------------------

Jake had parked his car four blocks away from the Plaza and changed. He kept his suit in the trunk of his car in case of emergencies, and he was ready for battle within minutes of parking. The Raven was out, and he was ready to tackle whatever his one night stand had planned. Jake zipped through the air as his grabbing gun pulled him towards the nearest rooftop. He perished the thoughts of Amelia and her plans as he fell into a rhythm. People were depending on him, and he would be damned if he failed his city again. Whatever Amelia was scheming could wait until Claudia was dealt with.

Jake spotted a police barricade setup near the Plaza. Zoey was pacing back and forth trying to keep her officers in line. Jake dropped down behind her. "What's the situation?" he asked, causing Zoey to spin around and jump.

"Jesus, can't any of you announce yourself when you show up?" she asked as she motioned for two officers to resume their patrol.

"Not exactly the style of a vigilante," Jake countered, "The element of surprise and all that good stuff. What's going on commissioner?"

A bubble of darkness appeared to rise up out of the ground, and Pam and Beth stepped out to join the conversation. "Looks like you're all here," Zoey said, shaking her head, "As long as I live, I'll never get used to seeing that. Alright, so the crazy clown woman that's been running amuck through the city has stepped up her game. Up until now, she's been a nuisance at best. Stealing shoes, jewelry, and other small odds and ends alongside petty vandalism. She's taken five people hostage tonight, though, and she's making demands for us to hand over Jake Blackridge. She's calling herself Madame Sinclair too."

"Imagine that," Beth scoffed, more on edge than usual, "Another ex of a billionaire causing problems for innocent people."

"Don't mind her," Pam quickly interjected, "She's a little high strung this evening is all."

"What kind of firepower are we dealing with?" Jake asked, trying to ignore his friend's blatant jab at his lovelife.

"She's wired the hostages with bombs," Zoey sighed, "We've got no idea where she got them, but we're not willing to risk a full on assault and jeopardize people's safety. That's why I called you three in."

"Is there a reason you didn't bring her in before now?" Beth demanded, her emotions getting the better of her.

Zoey raised an eyebrow at her as Pam spoke in a surprisingly stern tone, "Calm. Down. I'm sure that they've tried to apprehend her before things escalated to this degree. Remember who your enemy is and who your friends are."

Beth stared at Pam for a minute while Zoey and Jake looked between the two of them. Beth finally broke her gaze and huffed, "Fine, you're right, you're right."

"Don't you have something else you want to say?" Pam asked.

"Have I missed something here?" Jake asked.

"I think your earlier joke may have been more accurate than you thought," Zoey answered, "Look, I know that I caught you two at a bad time, but believe me when I say we've been trying to catch this woman. She's fast, smart, and dangerous. She's nowhere near on the level of some of the other perps we've dealt with, but she's usually gone before we arrive on scene. This is the first chance we've had to apprehend her, but obviously the circumstances are far from ideal."

Beth sighed as she tried to get a grip on herself, "Alright, sorry for coming off hostile. Let's get in there and bring this bitch down. Do we know what floor they're on, and is she working alone?"

Zoey nodded, "The hostages are being held in the lobby, but we don't know if Sinclair has anyone working with her or not. I can't imagine who would want to follow her, but then again, Goth had half the city devoted to her."

"Right, so here's what I'm thinking," Jake said, "I'll head in through the ducts, and Feral and Specter can phase in to start getting people out once we've disarmed the bombs. Once the hostages are safe, we can deal with Madame Sinclair."

"How exactly do you plan on disarming the bombs?" Pam asked, adding, "Can I go on record stating that I am not a supporter of this idiotic title you've all given me?"

"Talk to the media about it," Jake replied with a shrug, "I've done this before, and so has The Feral. This isn't the first time we've dealt with a bomb situation involving hostages."

"Okay then," Pam sighed, "Let's not waste anymore time standing around. I'm sure everyone has better things to do than entertain a mad woman."

"Preach," Beth grumbled.

"Sorry about this," Zoey spoke up as they prepared to make their move, "I know what it's like to be interrupted in the middle of a leisure activity. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Not your fault, but I appreciate the sentiment," Beth sighed as she checked her pistols, "I'm putting a bullet in this chick, though."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Jake said, rifling through his utility belt and pulling out two magazines to hand to Beth, "I started tinkering with these the other night. The bullets are comprised of a high-end gel that shatters on impact. They won't kill your target, but they'll hurt like hell. I figured they might make a better alternative than your usual tactics."

"What's wrong with my usual approach?" Beth asked, her tone carrying a clear edge.

"Aside from additional paperwork for my team?" Zoey asked, "Look, sometimes your methods are necessary, but not every bad guy, or girl, needs to be put down for good."

Beth rolled her eyes behind her mask, but she took the clips from Jake. "Don't worry, these will still hurt more than a normal beating," Jake assured her, "A few good rounds to the chest, and she won't be getting back up. She'll still be breathing, but she's not gonna have a good time when she wakes up."

"Fine," Beth relented, ejecting her magazines and loading the new ones into her pistols, "I want the formula you're using for these, though. If I'm gonna be switching rounds, I need to know how to make them. Besides, I might be able to modify them. Let's move out and get this over with. Fucking clowns…"

"We'll try to keep her busy and occupied while you three work," Zoey said, "She's got the detonator on her person, so I need those bombs disarmed before anyone makes a move against her."

"Commissioner, are you seriously sending these three in?" a young woman in a trench coat and slacks asked, "We don't need their help. After the debacle with the Tellar case, we shouldn't be involving any of them!"

"Stand down, Susan," Zoey said sternly as the woman approached, "They're our best shot at getting this handled with minimal bloodshed."

"This is a mistake," Susan huffed, glarinf at the three of them, "We haven't even been able to question Courtney Tellar, and they put the entire city at risk more than once! The one in the hood is a former acolyte for Goth, for crying out loud!"

"My past is none of your concern," Pam countered, "I'm not perfect, and I made mistakes, but we are on the same side here. Believe me, I wouldn't be interfering if it wasn't necessary."

"You are a mistake," Susan scoffed, "All of you are. This city doesn't need capes running around taking the law into their own hands. We need men and women who are willing to work by the book, and who are trained to handle these situations. People need to believe in the MPD, not some goddamn lunatics in masks."

"That's enough, Susan!" Zoey barked, "We're wasting valuable time here, and you can get on your damn soapbox once the hostages are safe. Unless you've got a plan to get them out and stop this woman, I need you to get back into position."

"We've got snipers posted on the rooftops that just need a clear shot at her," Susan argued, stomping her foot, "All we need is to draw her out closer to the entrance and we've got her. Get that damned Blackridge bastard down here that's she's been screaming about. We end this with one clean shot, and that billionaire playboy can finally do something useful for a change."

"That's not bad, but she could have it rigged for a deadman's switch," Beth chimed in, "Have you seen her? Is she clutching something in her hand, or is the remote clipped on her belt, or whatever the hell clowns wear?"

Susan glared at Beth who stared back at her without flinching. Susan closed her eyes and sighed, "We don't have confirmation on the type of switch she's using," she finally admitted.

"Then ask yourself this," Beth offered, "Are you willing to put the lives of civilians, and your reputation with them, on the line for a quick shot? Trust me, if you knew it wasn't a deadman switch, then I'd be on board with your plan. As it stands, there are innocent people in there that could get hurt."

"Just try not to screw this up," Susan warned, "The last thing we need is another hit to the public's faith in us because we're trusting vigilantes. They botch this, and it's on you, commissioner."

Susan stormed off in a huff to address a group of officers. "She's quite the charmer," Pam scoffed, "She's hiding something too, but I can't say exactly what."

"Who was that, anyway?" Jake asked, "Obviously she's on the force, but I don't think I've ever seen her before."

"That's detective Susan Black," Zoey replied, "She's a transfer from Citiville, and she's got no love for any of you and what you do. She does good work, gets results, but she's been a gigantic pain in my ass since she got here. As much as I hate to say it, though, she's got a point. The people are already leery of trusting us, let alone you three, after everything that's happened. Please, please, try to do this without any casualties."

"We'll get it done," Beth assured her, "If only to stick it to that stuck-up detective. Come on, let's move out."

Jake nodded and disappeared into the shadows, while Beth and Pam literally sank into them. They'd need to move quickly if they were going to pull this off. Sadly, Detective Black was right about the city's stance on the MPD and vigilantes. There was a growing lack of trust, and a failure of this magnitude would most likely be the tipping point. It was difficult to believe that Claudia had taken such a drastic and dreadful turn, but maybe Beth had a point. Perhaps he just had that effect on women when they didn't work out. He pondered it as he circled the building to find an opening. He climbed into an open hatch on the side of the wall, and stealthily made his way inside.

"I think you just have rather poor taste in partners," Ashley remarked, sitting inside of the airduct, "Myself excluded, of course, but you don't exactly have the greatest track record."

"Really not the best time, Ash," Jake whispered as he continued crawling.

"Yet here you are pondering on it, love," Ashley countered, "I agree that we have more important things to be worrying about, but you don't need to be thinking that you're toxic. Believe me, my love, there is a difference in poor taste and being cursed. You've just started to come out of that dreadful funk, and I don't want to see you slip back into it. Let's focus on finding and stopping this ridiculous jester now, and worry about the rest at a later date."

"Right, that sounds good," Jake replied, banishing his self-reflection for the time being.

He arrived at a grate attached to the air duct near the base of the lobby wall. He could just barely make out the front desk across from his exit. If he were careful, he could remove the grate and sneak out without making a sound. A beeping noise followed by some whimpering caught his attention. "Shut zat miserable whore up!" Claudia's voice boomed off in the distance, "As a matter of fact, ze next person zat makes a sound will be ze first one to go boom! Am I clear?!"

"Yeah, you heard the lady!" a thug exclaimed, "Keep quiet, or else you'll be the first to go! I hear another sound, and I'll start bashing heads before the boss blows you to kingdom come!"

"Where is zat boy at?!" Claudia exclaimed.

Unbeknownst to Claudia, Jake wasn't far at all. He shifted his weight around, and put his boot against the grate. Slowly, carefully, he applied pressure and pushed his leg out. The grate bent slightly and popped quietly signifying the screws had been dislodged. Jake quickly shifted again to grab the grate and move it to the side. He crawled out of the vents and tucked himself behind the desk. Claudia wasn't working alone by the sounds of things. That made things a bit trickier. Now he had to deal with her hired thugs without alerting Claudia to his presence, or at least find a way to disarm the bombs before engaging. He looked around for some place that he could use as a vantage point. A railing leading to the second floor seemed like his best option.

Jake switched his goggles to infrared mode in hopes of spotting any thugs that could be hiding up top. There was one he could see that was looking down, but he looked like he was about to turn his back. Jake waited for his chance to move, and grabbed a small disk from his utility belt. He stuck the disk to the side of the desk before grabbing his grappling gun. He aimed it carefully and waited until the thug turned his back before firing. He zipped through the air in a flash before anyone could spot him, and he silently vaulted over the railing to take down the thug. He remained crouched as he approached, and Jake quickly stood up and wrapped his arm around the thug's throat. His right hand covered his mouth as he put the man into a choke hold.

"Let's take a break," he whispered as the man bucked and thrashed before falling unconscious.

Jake set his body down quietly and approached the railing. "Jake, I'm seeing multiple hostiles in the area," Pam's voice came through the communication stone she'd given him months ago, "There's a strong mixture of excitement, terror, and anger coming from the lobby."

"I see them," Jake said, marking his targets with his goggles, "I'm counting six, excluding Claudia. Hostages are spread out in different corners too. I'm guessing it's to ensure that the cops can't get to them fast enough if they decide to try to storm the place. Smart thinking on her part, but we should be able to get them out without too much trouble."

"How do you wanna play this?" Beth's voice chimed in, "We can try to get the hostages out of range of the detonator, we could try getting to the hostages and disarming the bombs, or we could go after the detonator. The last one seems like a bad move, but then again, so was fucking a circus chick turned psycho."

"Overlooking that last jab," Jake sighed, "Our best bet is going to be disarming the bombs if possible, and getting the hostages out. Do you think you two can get to any of them and free them without getting detected? Stealth isn't exactly your forte these days, Beth."

"Piss off, I can still move quietly," Beth snapped, "Yeah, we can do it. Watch your six out there, over and out."

"I'm gonna plant a few surprises for the goons while I'm at it," Jake said, "It should make for an easy takedown if this goes smoothly."

Jake spotted a hostage towards the back of the lobby. A large man stood over him with a baseball bat in his hand. They were alone, the thug's back was to Jake, and they were far enough away from Claudia and the others that Jake could take him down easily. His target selected, Jake climbed back onto the railing and walked along it. His muscle memory had finally returned, and he balanced along the slim walkway with relative ease. Moving quickly, Jake approached his target with his escrima stick at the ready. He was close enough to pounce in seconds, and Jake leapt from the upper railing with pinpoint precision. He flipped in the air, and he landed on the man's back. His free hand covered his mouth before he could shout, and he pressed the edge of his weapon against his throat. Slowly, the man's struggles died down and his body became heavy. Jake remained on his back until he fell to the floor.

"There we go," Jake said quietly as he rolled off and approached the hostage, "Stay quiet, we're going to get you out of here. Keep still while I disable this thing."

The young man nodded as he shook with terror. The bomb was attached to his neck in the form of a collar. One wrong move and his head would pop off. Jake holstered his weapon, and grabbed a tool kit from his utility belt. He checked his surroundings before he leaned in to disarm the bomb. The wiring was cheaply done, and relatively simple to stop. He was finished in seconds, and he put his tools away to prepare to move on. "Thank you," the young man whispered.

"Don't mention it," Jake replied, "Stay put until we make our move. You're safe, but we can't risk any of the others getting hurt."

The young bellhop nodded his understanding, and Jake grabbed another disk from his utility belt. He looked to make sure that the coast was clear before rolling out and hurrying to the opposite wall. He turned the dial on the disk to make it light up, and he slapped it on the wall across from the hostage. The device was wired to a remote in his gauntlet, along with the other gadgets he had, and all he needed was the right moment to activate them and start the party. He looked around to try to find another vantage point to perch and wait. Jake spotted an arch up above, and fired his grappling gun at it. Once more, he zoomed upward and through the air towards his perch. He fit between the loop nicely, and waited to find his next target.

Jake spotted Beth sneaking up behind a woman wearing a clown mask in front of another hostage. He was worried that Beth would draw attention to their operation, but stood up and covered the thug's mouth and bashed the back of his head with the butt of her pistol. He fell forward, but Beth caught him and lowered him to the ground. Jake relaxed and decided to move on as Beth started to disarm the hostage. They'd have the captives free in no time at the rate they were moving. Jake scanned the room for the next mark, and he spotted Pam weaving a spell in the distance. Following her gaze, he spotted another thug starting to sway to and fro. He guessed she was casting some sort of sleep spell on the guard, and his suspicions were confirmed when he fell forward into a dark hole in the floor. Three hostages freed now, only two remained.

"Ugh, I am sick of waiting!" Claudia suddenly shrieked, drawing the attention of her hired hands and hostages, "Zis rotten and naughty little boy wants to stand me up again?! I'll show him what happens when you make Madame Sinclair wait!"

"Shit," Jake thought, "Pam, I need you to try to sever the wires in those bomb collars."

"Are you out of your mind?" Pam thought back, "I haven't even disabled the one in front of me, and you want me to risk setting the others off? Jake, there has got to be a better way."

Jake tried to think of something as Claudia spun around and slowly walked towards the back. "I've got something I've been tinkering with, but I haven't field tested it yet," Jake thought.

"She's about to blow them up," Beth chimed in, "Whatever you've got, you might as well give it a go. We can handle these numbskulls while you deal with the clown princess over there. Seriously, who wakes up and says, 'I'm gonna dress up like a clown in a pink and blue leotard, and go on a fucking crime spree!'?"

Jake grabbed two long rectangles from his utility belt. He held the two together, and they magnetized and locked into place. A panel slid open on the back end, and Jake flipped a few switches to make the device hum to lite. He hoped it worked as he stepped out of the shadows. "That's enough, Madame Sinclair!" he shouted, giving away his position once and for all, "I'm going to give you once chance to let these people go and come quietly."

"What is zis?!" Claudia demanded, glaring at Jake, "I tell ze MPD to send me Jake Blackridge, and zey send me zr bird! Ugh, is everyone in zis city incompetent?! Stay where you are, birdbrain! You are not ze man I was looking for, and one more step and zese idiots will go boom!"

Jake kept his composure and remained still. If only she knew that the man she wanted was right in front of her. He waited and hoped that his latest contraption would work. A remote disruptor that he'd begun toying with only a week ago. It wouldn't disable the bombs, but it might intercept the signal from Claudia's detonator. "What the hell are you doing?!" Beth's voice shouted in his head, "Are you trying to get everyone killed?!"

"You're not bad looking, but you're not rich enough for my tastes, birdbrain," Claudia sneered, waving the detonator around, "You should check your intelligence before storming in. I've got five people wired to blow if you try anything. I'll make you a little deal, zough. Get on your knees and remove zat silly little mask, and maybe I won't blow zese people up!"

"So this is about money to you?" Jake asked, stalling while his device worked, "Innocent lives in exchange for what?"

"Zese people are peasants!" Claudia shrieked, "Zis is about more zan money! Zis is about making ze man who zought he could use me for his wants pay! If he happens to pay me literally once I'm done, zat's just an added bonus! I intend to make zat little worm my personal toy, and he will pay me for ze privilege of serving my perfect curves."

"This woman is as twisted as she is delusional," Ashley scoffed, appearing behind her, "I'd rather die a thousand times over than be anywhere near her repulsive feet, let alone any part of her putrid body."

"That's not the way the world works!" Jake shouted, hoping that Ashley could see if the detonator was responding to his device, "You can't just abuse people because you're upset!"

"I can do whatever I want!" Claudia laughed, wiggling her hand holding the detonator, "Zis conversation is boring me. You know what would spice things up? Fireworks! Let's start ze show, shall we?!"

"Goddamnit!" Beth shouted in his head, "Whatever you've got better work, Jake!"

Claudia opened her hand and released the switch she'd been holding down. A moment of incredibly tense silence followed her release, and everyone held their breath in anticipation. The explosion and screams never came, though. Jake breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that his invention had worked. "It's over, Madame Sinclair," Jake said, stepping forward, "You've lost, and I suggest you come quietly."

"What have you done?!" Claudia demanded, glaring at him, "Ugh, zis changes nothing! I don't need zese peasants to beat you! You're outnumbered, and I won't let you walk away from this unharmed! Nobody crosses za Madame! Get him, you idiots!"

"Feral, now!" Jake shouted as he flipped a switch on his gauntlet and triggered his traps.

"Thought you'd never ask!" Beth shouted as one of the disks he planted began spewing smoke and a cable shot out of it and embedded itself in the opposing wall.

Jake's other trap began beeping as the thugs rushed to attack him. Beth flipped through the air with her pistols out and fired a volley of Jake's modified rounds at the thugs. Without the worry of killing, she aimed at their chests and limbs with furious anger. They grunted and cried out as they were pelted by Beth's ballistics. The wire that had shot out of his trap surged and crackled as several goons walked into it and got a debilitating shock. Jake grabbed his escrima sticks in preparation for the fight that was unfolding, and a thundering boom filled the air as someone passed by his proximity mine. Claudia growled as she backflipped onto the desk of the Plaza and struck a fighting pose.

"Zis changes nothing!" she yelled as she pulled a circus mallet from her back, "I'll crush your skulls and then peel zose masks from your faces!"

Jake charged at her while Beth and Pam attacked from the shadows. Beth spun her pistols around to use the butts of her guns for a close quarters encounter. She stepped to the side as a woman wielding a bat swung at her head, and Beth quickly threw two punches at her face with her right hand. The woman recoiled from the force of Beth's attacks, but she remained standing. She stumbled backward and swung her bat wildly. Beth tucked her shoulder in to dodge, and spun one of her pistols in her hand. She fired a shot at the woman's knee and made her fall, and Beth seized her opportunity to finish her off. She stepped forward and threw her knee forward to slam it into her jaw. The woman flew backwards, and Beth quickly opened fire on another couple of thugs rushing at her.

One of the men managed to dodge the oncoming bullets and get close, but chains appeared out of thin air and wrapped around his arms. He pulled against them, but his eyes went wide as Pam approached, "Shit, it's the witch!"

"Be respectful, asshole!" Betb snapped as she shot him in the leg.

Pam walked at an almost lackadaisical pace towards Beth. Another goon tried to attack from the side, but Pam held up a hand with a glowing circle forged with magic and runes to blow his attack. She pushed the hand she used to block forward, and the circle swelled in size and shot out at the goon. The magic swirled around him, and forced him down to the ground. His body suddenly felt like it weighed a ton. Pam held her hands out to her sides, and her cape billowed out as wind rushed past her. Her palms began to glow as she conjured various portals along the ground. Skeletons started to crawl out of the portals, and they rushed toward the remaining goons. Pam looked disinterested yet confident as walked.

Claudia somersaulted off of the front desk as Jake neared her. She swung her mallet down at Jake, but he managed to easily dodge her with a quick sidestep. He stepped forward and swung his weapon at her ribs. Claudia threw herself forward, rocking the mallet head onto its head, and flipped out of the way of Jake's attack. She landed on her feet and used her momentum to swing the mallet in a spinning circle. Jake was forced back on the defensive as she spun around in a wild sweep with her weapon. He flipped backwards to avoid a crushing blow as her mallet crashed into and splintered a chair. He landed once again on his feet atop the very desk Claudia had first stood on.

Jake shifted his weight once more, and he kicked off and flew forward as Claudia rushed at him once again. He flew over her in a sideways flip and landed behind her. Three lightning fast strikes from his escrima sticks jarred Claudia and briefly gave him an opening; the first against her neck, the second across her back, and the final struck her left shoulder. She grunted, but she managed to keep herself standing. However, Jake kept up his assault with a leaping side kick that knocked her forward. Shockingly, Claudia still refused to fall despite the force of the blow. Her left hand clung to her mallet, and she pulled it around for another swing to force Jake to back off.

Claudia let the mallet continue to swing, and she carried its momentum into a spinning flury; shifting the weapon from side to side as she spun it around in angled arcs. "Zis is where you fall, Raven!" she shrieked as she charged toward Jake in a destructive frenzy.

Jake dove out of the way in hopes of avoiding her whirlwind attack, but Claudia changed course to give chase. Jake searched for an opening, but her swings were too fast and he couldn't see one. A lone gunshot rang out, and Claudia screamed as she suddenly stumbled and dropped her mallet. Before Jake could capitalize on the opening, Beth ran forward and grabbed the back of her head to drag her to the ground. Claudia's face smashed into the floor, and Beth planted her boot on her back. Taking it a step further, Beth dropped her knee down and elicited a scream from Claudia. Beth pressed the barrel of her gun against Claudia's left shoulder and fired another shot and earned another pained scream.

"You've wrecked enough my evening," Beth growled as she knocked Claudia out, "Let's get this bitch into custody and get home."

"Did you have to shoot her twice?" Jake asked as Beth stepped off of Claudia and picked her up.

"Look," Beth said as she threw Claudia's body over her shoulder, "She kidnapped and strapped bombs to civilians, chose to fight and try to blow them up, and she kept me from, what should have been, an explosive fucking night. I shot her with your stupid non-lethal rounds, but she's lucky I only shot her twice. Do you want to stand here and nitpick my tactics, or do you want to bring her in and call it a night?"

"I don't think-" Jake started before Pam walked up and spoke evenly.

"You can take tonight's patrol, Jake. I'm afraid the two of us already have plans, and I have a promise to keep. We'll accompany you to hand Claudia over, but we'll be taking our leave shortly thereafter."

Jake thought about arguing, but he decided against it. Beth was clearly on edge, but Pam's tone made it clear that arguing wouldn't be a good idea. He walked to escort the hostages out as Beth carried Claudia out of the Plaza. They met Zoey at the barricade, and received thanks and praise from the civilians and some officers. There were several of the MPD that seemed displeased by their efforts, though. However, Zoey was relieved to see that their mission was a success. Detective Black stood towards the back with a frown, but she refrained from speaking out against what was happening. Claudia was hauled off to the station for processing and questioning, and the trio took their leave shortly after. Beth and Pam retreated to their apartment to finish what they'd started, and Jake left to begin his patrol.

He perched atop the roof of a nearby building and sighed, "This is not how I was expecting this night to go."

"Same, but I'm glad that Beth shot that wretched jester twice," Ashley laughed, "I'm excited to see what else tonight has in store for us."

"You're in a surprisingly good mood," Jake remarked, kneeling down and listening for any signs of criminal activity.

"The woman that I detest was beaten and arrested, I'd say the night is off to a good start," Ashley countered as sirens filled the air, "You managed to do it without anyone getting hurt as well. Don't pretend that you didn't enjoy yourself. From the sounds of it, we might have an eventful night after all."

"Heh, looks like you might be right," Jake said, pinpointing where the sirens were coming from, "Let's move out."

Jake fired his grappling gun off at a nearby building. He cut through the air in pursuit of the police. Having the distraction would be nice after the afternoon he'd had. Truthfully, Jake didn't mind taking the night's patrol. There was still a lot he needed to do; scheduling his date with Alexis, looking into the gem from his nightmare, finding a cure for his mark, and even investigating the possibility of Meg Myers being alive. However, those things could wait one night. He needed this now too. Fighting crime was as much a release for him as an intimate night. He loved the feeling of flying through the air and the rush of saving a citizen. With that in mind, Jake chased after the next lead with high hopes and a smile on his face.