Cat And Mouse: The Whale, Part 1 free porn video

Cat and Mouse: The Whale, Part 1 By Bluto WEEK SEVEN - The secret headquarters of The Destroyers was humming with intense activity today. Five new recruits, all the result of the Master's gene-doping experiments, were being brought into the group. The initiates were composed of four men and one woman and they all wore similar outfits - skin tight, dark blue jumpsuits with pullover masks that hid everything but their mouths and noses. Their real names were kept unknown, instead, they used designations straight out of "Star Trek," One of Five, Two of Five, and so on, with the designations spelled out on the front and back of their costumes. "And I thought our names were lame," EXO1 said to her brother, EXO2. "The Commander has hit a new low with this bunch. I hope they prove to be something more than just cannon fodder." "Haw, I don't expect them to last long," EXO2 said. "They're probably just some bums who couldn't find any other jobs because of the rotten economy." The Commander was only a few feet away from the sassy speedster and her brother and had heard every word. "EXO1 and 2 forget their place," he thought, as he observed the Blue Ninja put the recruits through their paces. "They must soon be taught a lesson in respect. Still, I can't help but agree with them - those names are silly, but my hands are tied because of the Master. If he ever shows his face here in person, I think I shall have to indulge myself in the extreme pleasure of killing him." The Ninja was leading the recruits through his own personal training course. The obstacles on the course required a combination of speed, strength and agility that until now only the Ninja possessed, yet the recruits easily kept up with him. "Impressive,'' he told them at the conclusion of the course. "You did very well, indeed. In fact, I could tell some of you were actually holding back. Please do not do that again. I will not be upset if you beat me. It will only make me want to work that much harder." It was the same with all the trials that day. They all scored bulls eye after bulls eye with a variety of arms on the Weapons Master's course and, while none of them were quite as strong or as fast as the mechanically augmented EXOs, they came closer to matching the two than anyone, except Cat, had done before. "Well, Sal, what do you think?" Weapons Master, still recovering from his confrontation with Cat some weeks ago, asked Junk Yard Sal, the resident mechanical genius. "Do you think these mutants can take on the Cat?" "I said it before and I'll say it again - patooee! She'll chew them up and spit them out like play toys. I don't think the cat-woman is human and it's going to take something more than human to beat her." EXO2 used a lull in the activities to ask the Commander a question that had been bugging him for some weeks. "Hey, Commander, when's the next job we are going to pull? We haven't done anything but train since that attack on Protectors HQ and the Weapons Master and EXO1 were the only ones involved in that. I'm gettin' rusty waiting for some action. That's why I joined this chicken outfit, you know. Action!" The Commander regarded the youth with a jaundiced eye, almost chuckling at his brashness. "Was I ever so young, so enthusiastic?" he asked himself. "Has it really been so long since I actually enjoyed what I was doing and wasn't just going through the motions?" "You want action, my young friend? You shall have it soon enough. There is someone observing all of you right now, someone . .. you haven't met before. He will lead us on our next mission and, I promise you, you will have all the action you can handle." EXO2 was perplexed. He couldn't imagine anyone but the Commander leading them into battle. As he puzzled over who this new leader could be, a massive figure was staring intently at the various view screens set up in the Commander's private office. The figure was bathed in the glow of a half dozen monitors, but was still dark and foreboding. It seemed to suck in all the light like a miniature black hole. "The time to strike will be coming soon, young one," it growled to itself. "And when that happens, my brothers will join us and the world will tremble." *** Training of a different sort was going on at the Protectors' HQ. Micki, Diego and Lupe had been given permission to use the HQ's gym, as long as they had adult supervision and didn't interfere with anyone else's workouts. Micki, as Cat's 'daughter' was a cinch to be allowed in, but the other two were there only because of Nancy Miller's friendship with their grandfather. Micki, of course, was a whiz in the gym. Her remarkable new body, plus the years of experience she'd gained as Mick Montana, put her far ahead of her training partners in every exercise. Diego, while basically a lazy person, had put in a lot of time developing his body to help him impress the girls. He was a lean, muscular 145 pounds at 5'8" and he couldn't help trying to see if he could match Micki at something, anything. Lupe was the laggard. She'd never been a particularly athletic child, preferring to spend her days inside watching television or studying with her beloved Pop Pop. Even with the additional height and weight she'd gained since she learned how to change genders, she was still relatively weak. "You should'a come as Lue instead of Lupe," Diego whispered to her while spotting her pitiful efforts at the benchpress. "At least as a boy you would have been a little stronger." "Not enough to make a real difference," Lupe gasped, as she struggled to rep out a mere 50 pounds. "Besides, I'm registered here as Lupe so I gotta come as a girl. Now take this weight before it crushes me!" Rae Ming, who had been spotting Micki as she did repetition squats with 300 pounds, walked over to the two cousins and slapped Diego on the back. "Ow," Diego bellowed. He could swear the big Chinese woman had left a hand print between his shoulderblades. "What'd you do that for?" "Your partner was asking for assistance and you were slow to give it. In order to avoid injury, you must all help each other. And do not chide your cousin about how much she can lift, you could be doing a lot better yourself, you know." "Hey, I can bench 225, that's not bad for a 16-year-old kid!" "Yes, but obviously your previous training efforts were completely focused on your upper body; your arms, chest and shoulders. The real seat of power is in the legs and the lower back. Your development is asymmetrical." "Look here, Babe, the chicks dig guys with big arms, so I'm going to make sure I got the guns," Diego said, as he flexed his little baseball biceps. "You are far too light, also. You should put on at least another 40 pounds of muscle to be really effective at your height." "No way, Doll. The chicks don't like dudes with really big muscles, like bodybuilders. They think they're gross. I'm gonna stay lean and mean." "Ah so. Am I not a . . . chick, as you say? I have nothing against big muscles." "Well, yeah, but, damn, your own muscles are bigger than most bodybuilders I know. Hell, your thighs look like a couple'a tree trunks. No offense, but who wants to be that musclebound? Look what I can do." Diego bent backwards until the palms of his hands touched the floor. Then he kicked his legs up and was in a handstand that he held for several seconds. He flipped back to his feet and gave a satisfied grin. Rae Ming also smiled and took a few steps away from Diego. Then she did a triple back flip and came to rest on the floor in a full split. Diego's mouth sprung open. "I weigh almost twice as much as you and I am not muscle bound," Rae said. "You have got a long way to go, dude." "That was pretty funny, Rae," Micki said, as they resumed their workout. "Diego means well, but he needs to have his little balloon punctured every now and then."ow "You are wise for a child," Rae Ming said. "Tell me, Micki, Minnie, the Mouse, she is your aunt, yes?" "Huh?" "The Mouse, she is the Cat's sister and you are the Cat's daughter. That would make you the Mouse's niece, correct?" "Well, yes, when you put it that way," Micki said, wondering where this conversation was going. Her head was already starting to ache at the concept of being her own aunt. "I miss your aunt, the Mouse. Do you have any idea when she will be returning?" "Ah, no mam, you'd have to ask my 'Mom' about that. But I'm sure wherever she is now she's thinking about you and all of us." "Do you think so? I hope she returns soon, there is something I would like to ask her." "What the hell," Micki thought. "Rae's temperature is rising, her heartbeat went up and she's giving off a slightly musky odor. Is that because of the workout or could it be . . . oh no! It can't be! Aren't things screwed up enough already?" "I'll let her know you asked about her the next time she calls, Rae Ming," was all Micki could think to say. The Girl Goliath seemed pleased with that bit of information and went back to her workout whistling a happy tune. The training session ended with a mile run around the gym. Micki finished first, even though she had run the last few laps backwards, and had barely raised a sweat, while Rae Ming huffed and puffed into second place. Surprisingly, Lupe came in third with her slow and steady pace, while Diego, who began running flat out, finished last and only with the help of a torrent of curses and wailing about his fate. His skimpy workout gear, consisting of some ill-fitting boxing trunks, an old white T-shirt and knee, elbow and wrist wraps, was soaked with sweat. Micki wore a pink gymnastics outfit with leggings, while Lupe made do with a green track suit she'd just picked up from a local Goodwill Store. As the kids cooled down before hitting the showers, one of the security guards brought them a message. "There's some man in the lobby says he has something for 'the kids.' Says his name is Nicky. Do you know this man?" Since Nicky couldn't come into the facility proper without an invitation from a card-carrying Protector, Micki went to see him in the lobby. Micki had missed her friend because they hadn't spoken since he admitted he hadn't tried to help Tony Bass avoid being feminized. Yet she was still angry that he'd treated his cousin so cavalierly. "Hi, Nicky," she said. "You are looking well." "Hi, Micki. I see you've grown up some more." "Yeah, I'm up to 3'9" according to my wall chart. I don't speak like an idiot anymore, either." "Oh, you didn't sound like an idiot. I thought the way you spoke was kind of cute. That's a cute get-up you're wearing now, as well." "Yeah, well, it's something Cat picked up at the yard sale. None of that stuff mom and dad bought fits any more so I'm sort of short on clothes. It makes no sense to buy anything nice because I'll just grow out of it in a week or two, so I guess I'll be looking kind of like Second Hand Rose for a while." "Funny you'd mention clothes," Nicky said, as he tapped the three large boxes he'd brought with him. "These are some costumes for you and the Basilio kids. Diego's is one I'd made for myself and never used, but the other two are brand new. If you kids are serious about trying to be superheroes, you have to be properly dressed for the part." "Why, Nicky, that's so unexpected and so sweet of you. Thanks." "Micki . . . I know you're still mad at me because I didn't help Tony when I could have and I don't blame you. I was wrong and I'm so sorry. I just don't want you to hate me." "Oh, I never hated you, Nicky, I was just disappointed. How is Tony doing?" "That's just the thing. I haven't seen Tony since the night after you all went to his councilor together. When I got home from work he was packing a bag. He wasn't wearing a dress or make-up and he'd had Mother cut most of his hair off. All he packed were the few men's items he had left and he was gone. He never said a word to me and I have no idea where he's been. He hasn't even shown up for work in almost a week and I don't know what I'd tell the parole board if they called about him. I was hoping maybe you could tell me where he is." "My goodness, I haven't seen him either. He was supposed to have a date with the Arrow last Wednesday, but I don't know if THAT ever happened. I've only seen the Arrow once since then and he had nothing to say about it." "Well, if you do see Tony or hear anything about him, please let him know that I'm sorry and and . . . just tell him that, OK?" "Sure, Nicky," Micki said, as she hugged her old friend good-bye. Micki returned to the gym to find that Lupe, Diego and Rae Ming had already started their showers. She quickly undressed and joined Lupe and Rae in the women's shower, while Diego happily washed alone. Embarrassing as it was to admit, Micki had more than a little interest in the nude bodies of her companions. Lupe's was sleek and nubile, with newly budding breasts and just a hint of pubic hair, while Rae's was massive, yet shapely, with large amounts of well-defined muscle packed in her back, legs and abdominal areas. Micki noted that most of Rae's chest size was the result of her huge rib cage, while the breasts themselves were no more than B-cups at most. Micki remembered reading an article about female weightlifters and bodybuilders, particularly those who took steroids or steroid-like substances, and how their breasts shrink and their clitorises are enlarged because of the extra testosterone in their bodies. She inadvertently focused her gaze on Rae's neatly trimmed pubic area, then looked up to see that the Girl Goliath was looking at her with a kindly expression on her face. "You haven't seen many necked women before, have you child?" Rae said gently. "Naturally, you are curious. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me." Micki turned bright red, while Lupe could not restrain a giggle. "Curiosity killed the cat girl, Micki," she chuckled, while Micki pretended to be too busy washing her tail to hear anything. "Remember the tub, eh girl?" After they dried off, the kids tried on their outfits. Diego's consisted of a black top hat and formal wear, complimented by white gloves, a domino mask, a short cape and a pearl-handled cane. "I look like fuckin' Tuxedo Mask," he fumed, as Micki and Lupe laughed gleefully. "Leave it to a gay guy to come up with a fag outfit like this." "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Cuz," Lupe said. "Besides, didn't you tell us Nightman compared you to the Shadow or Mandrake the Magician? I can see real possibilities here." Lupe and Micki's costumes were almost identical yellow cat suits, embellished with black tiger stripes and hoods with cat ears on them. The difference was Micki's had fishnet stockings and a hole for her tail, while Lupe's was more unisex in appearance, with stretchy leggings and squared off shoulders. Both the suits had the letters "LW" stitched over the right breast, with a note from Nicky that the initials stood for Little Wildcats. "Name needs some work," Micki said. "The man is obsessed with felines." "At least he didn't dress you two as Sailor Scouts," Diego said. "That would have really been too much. Hey, I can see us now: The Persuader and the Little Wildcats. Yeah, that has a nice ring to it!" "Especially since it gives you top billing, you swell-headed male chauvinist," Micki said. Just then a claxon horn blasted an alarm and the lights in the dressing room started to flash. "Protectors' alert," Rae Ming said. "Is it another Destroyer attack?" Lupe asked. "No, emergency meeting," the Girl Goliath replied while listening to her signal device. "Follow me." The four of them hustled to the second floor meeting room, where most of the Protectors, plus Nancy Miller and her security detail, were already gathered. One of the security men nodded and pointed at the costumed kids. "Let them stay," Miller said. "Perhaps they can learn something from this experience." In a matter of minutes all the active Protectors were on hand (including the Mouse, but most of those present didn't know that.) As usual, Nightman was the first to speak. "I have in my hands a faxed message from the Mayor of Los Angeles. His Honor and the City Council are asking for our help with an emergency supervillain situation. He says this menace is more than they can handle and begs us to come to the rescue." "Isn't LA Captain Stars and Stripes territory?" the Arrow asked. "Cain't he and that little sidekick of his handle an emergency?" "The Captain and his sidekick, Corp. Rusty, did battle this villain and they are now both in intensive care on life support." A collective gasp rose from the assembled heros. Captain Stars and Stripes had no real super powers, but he was a consummate pro and an unmatched hand-to-hand fighter. He specialized in beating enemies much bigger and stronger than himself. If he and his partner were so utterly defeated, everyone knew this must be an extremely powerful opponent. The Medium spoke next. "From my research I have to conclude that there's a strong possibility this new villain is the same dude who single-handedly destroyed a village in Peru about a month ago and beat up a band of Mexican masked wrestler superheroes several weeks ago and some other junk. There are similar descriptions of him from all these incidents: a giant, at least 8' tall, no visible nose or body hair and black skin on his head and arms, but, like, a white torso. Do you think he's got that same condition that turned Michael Jackson white and junk?" "Damn, the man sounds like a killer whale," Cat, who had just made it to the meeting, said. "That is, if killer whales walked on land and picked fights with superheroes." "Well, that may not be too far from the truth, you dig?" Gaby said. "It's also reported that this character always runs to the ocean when he finishes his rampages, but no one has ever seen him on a boat or a ship. And there have been some odd killer whale sightings on the same rough path this guy has been taking, starting in the seas around Antarctica." Cat was beginning to get an uncomfortably familiar feeling about this foe. "Oh, oh, I wonder if it's happening again?" she thought. "I'm going to have to have a private talk with Gaby and Micki when this meeting is over." "That'd be a long way to go to tackle a lone bad guy," the Arrow said. "What about the police, the National Guard?" "The police have had a run-in with this monster and from all accounts they filled him with lead and he shrugged it off like they were pelting him with popcorn," Nightman said. "Conventional weapons may be of no use and they don't want to bring in the Army out of fear of a general panic. That's why there has been remarkably little about this in the news so far, but in this age of the Internet, that situation can't last for long." With all discussion at a close, it was put to a vote whether or not to travel to the other side of the country to lend their help. The Protectors had never been on an official mission outside the NYC area before, so they wanted to make sure they were all of one accord on the need for action. The vote was unanimous in favor of the trip and it was decided that Nightman, Cat, the Girl Goliath, the Medium, Mr. Fix-it and Rover would use the same government jet that had taken Cat and Mouse to the Philippines and leave that night for Los Angeles. They had five hours to make their personal arrangements before departure. Only the Arrow, who was still short of 100 percent recovered from his injuries, was to stay behind and man the fort. "It's another idol finder, I'd stake my life on it," Cat said, when she, Micki and Gaby were alone. "If this person is bulletproof that's the most likely answer." "Yeah, I kind of get that feeling too, you know?" the Medium said. "But I don't get it. I was able to foresee Akbar Sali's actions all the way over in the Philippines and here's some bastard tearing up my hometown and I didn't have a clue. Something's wrong." "I just wish I could be going with you two, but I guess you guys don't need a kid stringing along," Micki said. "I'm sure Nightman wouldn't allow it." "Naw, you're going to have to sit this one out, Hon," Cat said. "Say, who made the cute costumes for you and the kids?" "Nicky. He's feeling pretty guilty about Tony and wants to make amends over our spat." "Hmm, looks like he's got felines on the mind," Cat said, as she examined the cat suit closely. "I hope that's made of really stretchy material or else it won't last you very long. Hey, if she had any tits or ass it would be kind of sexy looking, don't you think, Gaby?" "Leave it to you to turn something innocent into something dirty, Cat," Micki said, with a groan. "Thanks a lot." "Well, with Tony not around to babysit, I don't think you can stay at home by yourself," Cat said. "The nosey neighbors would probably call Child Protective Services on me." "If it's OK with the Perfesser, I'd like to stay at his house while you're gone, Cat. I think the more time Lupe, Diego and I spend together, the better." "Fine by me, Pumpkin," Cat said, as she tousled Micki's hair. "We can call the old boy now." Five hours proved to be just enough time to get Micki moved in to the Perfesser's building and for Cat to grab some clothes for the trip to LA before she had to leave with the rest of the Protectors. After they were well on their way, Nightman shared another fax from the West Coast, that had arrived just before they left. "It seems the police have in their protective custody a man who was apparently the target of this supervillain's attack," he said. "A fellow by the name of Rick Simmons. Seems this monster, who goes by the name Killer Whale [good call, Cat], captured him in his apartment for some reason and held him prisoner for most of a day before this Simmons fellow got away while Captain Stars and Stripes fought the Killer Whale. Needless to say, Simmons' current location is top secret, but we will be allowed to meet him when we get to LA and perhaps find out more about this Killer Whale person." With that bit of additional information to digest, the Protectors tried to make themselves comfortable for the long trip in the slightly cramped jet. Cat, Gaby and Rae Ming didn't have much to say to Mr. Fix-it, who in any case, seemed preoccupied with working on modifications to Rover. "I swear he carries on conversations with that thing," Cat whispered to the other women. "And it's not like he wasn't creepy enough as it is. The way he stares at my tits every time he sees me, you'd think the little bastard had never seen a real woman before." "Well, let's face it, Cat, everybody stares at your tits, you know?" the Medium said. "They're kind of way out there for public consumption and junk. Besides, rumor has it that Fix-it is married." "No way! Who'd marry that fat little tub of goo?" "That I don't know, but I bet Ted could tell ya." "Haw, fat chance getting an answer out of Nightman. He's more tight-lipped than Mount Rushmore. But that just makes him all the more lovable, eh Gaby girl?" "None of your business, harlot." So, while the female Protectors engaged in girl-talk, Nightman conversed with the pilots and studied what little information was available on their new foe. By the time they were halfway across the country, the steady droning of the jet engines had put most of them to sleep. Nightman took the opportunity to have that talk he'd been wanting with the Medium. "Have you had any visions concerning this whale-man, Gaby?" he asked her, in a hushed tone after making sure she was still awake. "This certainly doesn't sound like our usual type of opponent. I don't know why, but something about this reminds me of the Gamboli case, you remember, that unknown 'thing' who murdered and mutilated so many gangsters. That one came from Africa and this Whale character seems to have come all the way from Antarctica." "Yeah, there is a certain similarity, isn't there, Ted. I must admit I've thought of that possibility, but I haven't had any visions and junk. My powers seem to be on the fritz." "Hmm, well, that's too bad. Gaby, can you tell me something?" "What's that Ted?" "Please don't put me off and please give me a straight answer: what is it with the Cat's daughter? When she showed up at the emergency meeting she looked like she was at least seven or eight years old, but it's only been a couple of months since Cat supposedly had her. How is that possible?" The Medium looked around the cabin conspiritorily and, seeing that Cat was asleep and snoring loudly, motioned for Nightman to come closer. "First you have to swear to me, as leader of the Protectors, that what I'm going to tell you goes no further. Swear it, Ted, or I'll tell you nothing!" "OK, Gaby, I swear. All I want is the truth." "Ted, Nightman . . . the Cat, she was raped. Raped by a powerful sorcerer she met at my guru's house." "The Cat was raped?" Nightman repeated in a harsh whisper. "I didn't think such a thing was possible. I mean, it's just hard to think of her as a victim." "Well, believe it. This mage came from India and is rumored to be more than 100 years old, but doesn't look a day over 40. I introduced him to Cat and he was immediately smitten. After she left, she was all he could talk about. Anyhow, he used a locator spell and found out where she lived. He went there and cast another spell on her as she slept. She tells me he made himself look like her ideal lover and before you knew it they were doing the horizontal dance. Cat woke up in the morning alone and thought she'd had a very realistic dream, but a few days later, she started getting morning sickness and discovered she was not only pregnant, but was several months along." "She's sure she didn't get pregnant by someone else?" "Cat told me she hadn't had sex for more than a year. She flirts a lot, but she's much less of a slut than she appears to be. Anyhow, she went full term in less than a month and now Micki, her daughter by this magician, is growing at a highly accelerated rate. We're not sure how this is all going to wind up, chances are Micki is going to have some unusual powers and abilities, but we're trying to keep the truth of her origins away from the poor girl as long as we can. That knowledge would be very disturbing to her, fer sure. And you can imagine how embarrassed Cat is about how she was seduced and abandoned." "Yes, I can see that would be very damaging to her self esteem," Nightman said. "Now I understand why she was so secretive about the whole affair. Don't worry, Gaby, her secret is safe with me and you should be proud of yourself for being such a good friend." Nightman playfully cuffed Gaby's chin, then settled down for some shut-eye. When she was sure he was asleep, the Medium moved next to Cat. "That was a masterful reading, Gaby," Cat said, with a wink of her eye. "I almost believed that one myself." "Yeah, but, Christ, I hated lying to Ted like that," Gaby said, with a worried look on her face. "I just think it's best he doesn't learn the whole truth just yet, you know?" "I agree, we need to concentrate on this Killer Whale person and anything else is a distraction right now." In the darkened cabin, Nightman's brow seemed to furrow in his sleep. *** WEEK EIGHT - The next day Micki was finishing her temporary move to the Perfesser's family abode. In truth, there wasn't a lot of moving to do. She only had a few changes of clothes, some nondescript underwear and various odds and ends, including a large teddy bear she had grown fond of sleeping with. She and Lupe were going to make another search through Lupe's old clothing bags for anything that would fit, but Micki was getting really tired of hand-me-downs. Lupe was in no better shape. None of the clothes she wore before she started to change genders fit any more. Her male self could get by on Diego's cast-offs for now, but for the female Lupe, trips to Goodwill were necessary. "I don't see why your Grandad doesn't take you someplace for some new clothes, Lupe," Micki said, as they dumped old clothes on the floor for examination. "Honestly, he's about the stingiest man I've ever known." "Oh, don't blame Pop Pop, Micki. Look at all the people he has to take care of. There are ten of us living in this building and none of us are working right now. Remember, baseball players weren't getting those million dollar contracts back when he was in the big leagues, so he's always had to be careful with his money. I guess that's why none of us ever throw anything away." "Well, he seems to always have the money when he wants to buy some new magic do-dad. This place is loaded with all kinds of arcane stuff. It must be worth a fortune." "Yeah, but a lot of that stuff was given to Gramps for services rendered or in trade or as a reward. He's helped a lot of people over the years and usually for free." "I just hope he doesn't hand me a bill when my stay here is over." "Oh don't be silly, girl. Besides, it'll be so neat for us to live together. We're going to share a bed and stay up late and do girl things and everything. How much do you know about makeup?" "Quite a bit, actually. Remember, I may have been a real female less than two months, but I've been dressing like one for business for ten years. So, yeah, I know a lot about make-up and clothes and stuff." "Well, I don't and I expect you to tell me all you know while you're here, young lady." After sharing a warm giggle, the friends continued digging through the old wardrobe for an hour until they decided to take a break. Aunt Alabrecca had a message for Micki. "Tony Bass called," she said, as she served the girls some ice water. "Said he wanted to come over and speak to you, Micki. I told him he could. That's OK, isn't it?" "Heck yeah," Micki said. "I've been wondering what happened to him. We haven't seen him in a week. I'll be glad to see him again." While they waited, Lupe gave Micki a complete tour of the building. Micki was surprised to realize that, as many times as she'd visited here she'd never seen more than a little bit of the place. The tour started in the basement, which included a small apartment for the super. Since there was no super anymore it was used primarily for torage and contained mountains of what, to Micki, looked like junk. "Fire hazard," she said out loud. "Tell me about it," Lupe replied. No family members lived on the first or second floors, the rooms of which were filled with mystical objects from all over the world. Several rooms were posted "Do Not Enter" and Lupe could only guess what those apartments contained. The third floor held the general living quarters for all the Perfesser's family. Like the first two floors, it seemed much larger to Micki than it looked from the outside. She couldn't help but think of Dr. Who's tardis. Of course, the fourth floor, the top floor, was living quarters for the Perfesser and his wife. Mrs. Basilio was in poor health and seldom left her rooms these days. This floor was where the Perfesser kept his most prized possessions, including the three idols Cat and Mouse had brought him for safekeeping. Frequently, the Perfesser would spend days on this floor, dead to the world, in the midst of studying some new conjuration or book of magics. The door to his inner sanctum was closed so the girls could not go in, but they did see some odd looking smoke seeping up from under the door and a sound like that of a multitude of bats inside the room. "I don't think it would be wise to disturb Pop Pop today, Micki," Lupe said. "I heard him mumbling something about a big storm coming and he had to get prepared, but I'm not sure what he meant." By the time they made their way back to the general living quarters, Tony Bass was waiting for them. Micki hugged the former gangster like he was a long lost relative and they settled down at the dinner table to talk. Micki saw that Tony was still wearing his man's clothing, complete with a stylish tie and cufflinks, but, even without make-up, Tony didn't look anything like a man anymore. His new womanly curves were at odds with the squarish cut of his suit and, frankly, he looked like he needed a bra because his nipples were clearly visible through his suitcoat. And didn't Nicky say Tony had most of his hair cut off? Yet now it was down to his shoulders, just as full and bouncy as ever. "You don't have ta say it, Micki, I know what you're thinkin," Tony said, as he gratefully took a cup of coffee from Alabrecca. "I look like a dame wearin' men's clothes, don't I?" "I'm afraid so, Tony," Micki said, with a wan smile. "I'm not going to lie to you - if I didn't know you from before I'd say you were a very tall, very nice looking, very BUSTY woman dressed up for Halloween." "Yeah, I know, but I had to find out the hard way. When yous kids got that witchdoctor to break her spell on me I was pretty sore. I was mad at everybody, particularly at Nicky for not warning me what she was doin'. So I gathered all my non-female clothes together and left Nicky's house fer good. I spent a few days in hotels, tryin' to get my thoughts together. I tell ya, even renting a room was a hassle, nobody believed it when I showed 'em my driver's licence an' it said Sex - Male. I hadda convince people I was a transsexual, even though I wasn't dressed like one." "Did you keep your date with the Arrow?" Lupe asked, impulsively. "Yeah, Hon, I kept my date wit' da Arrow. I met up wit' him dressed just the way I am now. I figgered the idiot would finally put two an' two together and realize I wasn't the 'girl' for him. Yeah, right. We got a cab and went to see that Indiana Jones wannabe movie at a theater in Times Square." "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow?" "Yeah, that was the one. It was a pretty good flick, but Richard, the Arrow, kept tryin' ta hold my hand and kept makin' stupid comments about the movie. Then we went to dinner at Orleans, that new place on Eighth Avenue. I mean, here he is, hobbling along on two canes and here I am, his date, dressed totally in men's clothes . . . they musta' thought we was a coupla' nuts! Anyhow, he does all the orderin' an' that's OK wit' me because I know nothing about southern food and, surprise, surprise, the food's pretty good. He ordered us a Creole chicken pilaf, real simple to make, but real tasty. And we been drinkin' all along, Harvey's Bristol Cream, vintage white wine, a coupla' Manhattans - I tell ya, I was getting stewed and I can usually hold my liquor pretty good. So Dickie-boy volunteers to take me on a cab ride home. We have a real nice ride through the City, lookin' at the lights an' the landmarks. I don't know, it was like I'd never seen the sights before. An' then the ride was over and I was back at my hotel." "'Ah thought you were still livin' with yoah Momma,'" he says. "It was time for me to move out," I says. "I'm gettin' a place of my own." "'Ah hope you'll let me visit you thera,'" he says. "Yeah, sure, see ya later," I says. "Then I turn ta go an' he grabs my hand and spins me around and the next thing I know he's landing a smooch right on my kisser, a real wet one. I'm surprised the asshole didn't put his tongue down my throat." Micki and Lupe gasped in unison. "What did you do then, Tony?" Micki asked. "Did you slug him?" "Naw, by the time I could even move, he was back in the cab and wavin' good-bye. That kiss kind of floored me. I've been spending a lot of time thinking about it and I reached a very scarey conclusion." "What's that, Tony?" "I liked it," Tony said, as he turned beet red. "God damn it, I liked it when he kissed me. It made me feel all fuckin' warm inside. What's up wit' dat? I thought I was over Lana's spell. That's the only possible reason I'd like for a man to kiss me, right? I got to still be hypnotized." Micki and Lupe looked at each other and shook their heads. They had both noticed that Tony was even more feminine than when they last saw him more than a week ago. His lips were now as pouty as Angelina Jolie's and, even without lipstick, slightly red. His eyes seemed larger, cuter, so clear and innocent, not blood shot and shifty. He still looked kind of like Tony, but much more like the hot younger sister Tony never had. All that was left of the old Tony was the voice - and the fact that he was still 6'2" - and who knew how long that would last? "Tony, I'm no expert, but I'm pretty confident Dr. Tern's control was completely broken. I guess it's possible there's a post-hypnotic command still operating, but I'd doubt it. There must be something else still feminizing you." "But what?" "I don't know. Look, all three of us have gone through some gender changes lately and what's been the common denominator?" "Cat," Lupe said. "We all had some contact with Cat. Cat's milk gave me the ability to change gender at will, or, at least, it helped me use an ability I might have already had hidden deep down." "Yes, and having sex with Katherine and drinking gallons of her milk has turned me into a miniature version of her," Micki said. "Tony, you had sex with Cat, but she wasn't in season so that couldn't have changed you this completely. And you didn't drink any of her milk, right?" "Er, wrong." "What?" "Actually, I did drink a mouthful of the stuff, Micki. Remember when I was babysitting ya and Cat pumped out her milk so I could bottle feed ya? I'd warm up the milk in the microwave an' then I'd try a little on my tongue to see if it was the right temperature before I fed ya." "Tony, you don't test milk on your tongue," Lupe fairly shouted. "You sprinkle a little on your wrist! Man, even I know that." "Well I didn't know! Jesus, I tol' yous I wasn't much of a parent to my own kids before, besides I only had a few sips of the stuff. How'd I know what it'd do?" Suddenly, the changes Tony had gone through made perfect sense. The powerful combination of sex with Cat and drinking her milk could probably turn Arnold Swartzenegger into Paris Hilton. It just took a while for the magic to work its way through Tony's system. Now Micki had an idea what Dr. Tern meant by "other changes." "Tony, what's going on . . . down there," she said, looking right at his groin area. "I know your cock and balls are gone, but have there been any additions?" Tony Bass hesitated for a moment, then looked as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Dr. Tern had a gynecologist examine me a few weeks ago," he said in a steady voice. "Said it was the darndest thing he'd ever seen. Instead of just a scar where my dick and balls used ta be, there was a perfectly developed - to use his words - vagina. Lips, hole, clitoris n' all. That plastic tube, er, shunt, I'd been usin' to pee had fallen out weeks before. I didn't need it anymore. Only, there wasn't nothing on the inside: no womb, no vaginal canal, no uterus, no prostate either, by the way. So, I ain't a man in no way, shape or form, but I ain't really a woman either. I don't know what the hell I am." Tony took a deep breath and sighed. Micki was afraid he'd start crying again, but he just blew his nose on a napkin and smiled. "Don't worry, Mick, I ain't goin' ta cry. I've done so much bawling the last few days I'm all cried out. I'm ready to move on." "So what are you going to do?" Lupe asked. "I ain't goin' back to the rackets, I'll tell ya that. The day after I left Nicky's house I had a meeting with some capos from the Scarlotti gang. They're strictly small-time, you know, Micki? The kind 'a bums I wouldn't even spit on before if they was on fire. So I tell 'em I'm Tony Bass of the Gamboli family and I was lookin' to hook-up with a new gang. They sat there with their mouths open for a minute or two, den they busted out laughing. They told me they ain't a equal opportunity organization and they don't need no female muscle. Said the only job they had for me was in a whorehouse they ran in Jersey City. "What did you say to that, Tony?" "I tol' them I didn't like the idea'a workin' wit' their mothers. They didn't seem to like that answer too much and started making all kinds of threatenin' noises. So I pulled out my piece to quiet them down and eased myself out the door. I don't think I want to run into any of dose guys anytime soon." "Tony, you're on probation, if the cops find you with a gun it's going to be bad for you." "Maybe, but it'd been worse if I hadn't had it. Besides, nobody's goin' to throw me in the men's prison now, I don't care what my ID says. And if they put me in the female lock-up, I'll be runnin' the place in a week." "So, are you saying you're ready to go to jail now?" "Hell no! I'm just saying I'm not afraid of being locked up anymore. The first thing I gotta do now is find a place to stay. It's way too expensive to keep livin' in a hotel and I'm not moving back in wit' Nicky. I guess I can understand why he did what he did, but I don't want to see his face every day. That's also why I'm quittin' my job at the Glamor Boutique. That and the fact that I don't fit in there any more. I don't need a gaff or breast forms or wigs or duct tape or anything else to pass as a woman. All I have to do is be myself." Micki flipped Tony a key. "Tony, I want you to take Katherine's apartment," she said. "Cat never uses it anymore and the rent is paid up for another two months. We were going to let it go after that anyhow, and, if you can pay the rent, consider it yours. Do you have any job prospects?" "Believe it or not, I'm lookin' into getting into the child care business. Several of da ladies I met at the yard sale remarked about what a good job I did babysitting for Cat and asked if I was available for them. I got half a dozen jobs lined up already." "That's nice, but I don't think anyone can live in NYC on a babysitters earnings." "I got other irons in da fire, Mick. Let's just wait an' see what percolates, OK?" "Sure thing, Tony. Now why don't you help us sift through the rest of these clothes for something for me to wear?" "Let me at 'em!" *** Rick Simmons was being kept under wraps in Claremont, a small city on the outskirts of Los Angeles County, right on the San Bernardino County line - close to the desert and as far away from the ocean as possible. The LAPD had him in a non-descript safehouse on North Claremont Street, surrounded by a detail of at least three heavily armed officers at all times. It was thought best that the Protectors wait until after dark to visit Simmons so as to draw as little attention as possible. There was some mild curiosity from the neighbors as the colorful quintet approached the house, but not enough to raise any apprehension. Cat, Girl Goliath and Mr. Fix-it took seats in the livingroom, while Nightman and the Medium remained standing as one of the policemen on duty went to fetch Simmons from the bedroom. The officer brought back a tall, tanned, muscular man wearing a sleeveless T and white shorts. Simmons still looked like a jock ten years after his college glory days, but there was an unmistakable air of fear about him. He seemed as nervous as a jack rabbit at a coyote convention. "Is this it?" he cried in dismay. "Is this all you've got to send against the Whale? I'm as good as dead!" Cat was about to stand up and tell this asshole a thing or two, but a "harumpth" and a stern look from Nightman stopped her before she started. "Tell us, why is this Killer Whale person after you?'' he asked the trembling man. "Why?" Simmons asked, as the tears started to fall from his eyes. "Because he used to be my wife." "Huh, what the fuck?" Mr. Fix-it said. "Did he say what I thought he said?" "Ah, I should have warned you heroes," said Det. Mason, the senior officer in charge of the house. "He's been saying that ever since we took him into protective custody. Swears this monster is the reincarnation of his dead wife's spirit, or something, come back to make him suffer for divorcing her. We think it might be a result of the trauma related to confrontation and imprisonment by the Whale." "So what's the real story with the wife?" Nightman asked. "After the divorce she went to work in Antarctica and she hadn't been there too long when she was lost in a snowstorm. Never found the bodies - hers or her pilot's. In fact, Simmons had hired a couple of slimy local attorneys to try to get her insurance from Enburton - that's the company she worked for - even though they weren't legally married anymore." "I'm right here, detective," Simmons snorted. "Don't talk about me like I wasn't even in the damn room. You can believe whatever you want, but Barbara told me how she became the Whale and I believe her, because she also told me things about the two of us nobody else could know, most certainly no monster from hell." Gaby and Cat eyed each other nervously. This story was indeed beginning to sound uncomfortably familiar. "She said the plane crashed close to a newly-discovered cave they had just found on a rocky plateau. She dragged herself into the cave, desperate for shelter from the storm, when she saw a little black idol giving off a funny green glow. She said she heard a voice from the idol that told her she could live and have anything she wanted in the world if she would just say the idol's name. I think the name was Wullruo or some stupid shit like that. Anyhow, she says the name and she turns into this Whale character - but, Wullruo hadn't told her everything." "I can just guess what information was left out," Cat whispered to the Medium, hoping no one else heard. "For one thing, she now had a hunger for human flesh. She said she took the dead pilot's body and swallowed it whole. She later did the same thing with a couple of fishermen off the coast of South America." "Hey, like, I read that report and from what I heard, the killer whale also saved the captain of that ship from drowning at sea," the Medium said. "Yes, she told me about that," Simmons said "She told me that, so far, she has only eaten people who were already dead to satisfy the demon within. She said, as far as she could tell, she hasn't actually killed anyone yet." "Not that he hasn't tried," Det. Mason spat out. "Captain Stars and Strips and Rusty, two of the best people I've ever known, may never recover from what that bastard did to them." "She's got a bad temper, a real bad temper. Barbara always had a short fuse, I guess you would say, but what Wullruo did to her has her permanently pissed off." "What, turn her into a man-eating monster?" Nightman asked. "No, turn her into a MAN," Simmons replied, shaking his head. "She's got a man's body now, but she still has her own mind. I guess it's my fault, but she went away from California with a mad on against any and all men. Then, the next thing you know, she's turned into a man and not just any old man. I mean, I didn't believe her at first, then she pulled down her pants and showed me her dick. The thing is huge! Must be three feet long!" "Was that hard or soft?" Cat asked, ignoring Nightman's murderous stare. "Well, a girl wants to know!" "How would I know?" Simmons asked while holding his head between his hands. "It hung down past her knees, so I guess she didn't have a hard-on. Oh God, she said she was going to shove it up my ass and split me in two with it and then swallow me whole. Oh God!" The Protectors and the police exchanged perplexed looks. "I know, I know, he sounds like a fucking nut case," Det. Mason said. "I'd be ready to send him to a padded room myself, but the whale-man is real. Believe me, he didn't make that up. The part about his wife, however, I leave up to you." "We've seen a lot of strange things in our line of work, Detective," Nightman said. "So I'm not going to dismiss any possibilities. What we need now is a plan to neutralize this Killer Whale the next time he shows up." While the others brainstormed on the best way to proceed, Cat borrowed a cigarette from one of the officers on duty and went outside to smoke it. She wasn't half finished when Gaby joined her. "Medium, old girl, I think the shit is about to hit the fan. If we come to grips with this Killer Whale, I'm afraid he's going to spill the beans about me. All the idol people I've fought before liked to run off at the mouth about who they were and who I am, and if this one jabbers to Nightman I am sunk." "Yeah, bummer. Look, maybe we could try to find this dude, just the two of us, and deal with him without involving the others." "What makes you think the two of us could handle him alone? He sounds pretty tough." "Ah, come on. You defeated both Sali and that Stankovic character by yourself, with a little help from me and the Mouse, of course." "Yes, but the Mouse isn't here. And, besides, I defeated those other two by changing to full demon form. I've got Malato-Zu at bay right now and I don't like the idea of letting her lose on the world again." At that moment the Medium grabbed her head and seemed to almost swoon. "Gaby, what happened?" Cat asked. "A vision, a strong one, the first one I've had in weeks." "What did you see?" "The Whale. . . he was here. Right here! He was smashing everything to pieces and nobody could stop him. We need to get Simmons out of here NOW. The Whale is coming!" "Ah shit! I can sense him coming too! He knows I'm here. We're linked because we both have demons in us. He's coming here because he knows they'd have sent for me to help guard his prey. Damn it!" Cat and the Medium ran back into the safehouse and tried to persuade the wary policemen to get Simmons away as fast as they could. In the precious few moments it took for the officers to decide to act and load the frightened fugitive into a police cruiser, the sound of fast approaching sirens filled the night. "What the hell is that?" Det. Mason asked. "Radio says there's some crazy man driving a stolen SUV this way going 110 miles per hour," an officer reported. "He's already run a roadblock and there's at least five cars and a helicopter in pursuit." "Then get this man the hell out of here, God damn it. Go!" But before they could put the police cruiser in gear, a late model Ford Explorer blasted into view. It was full of bulletholes and was rapidly losing pieces and spilling gas, but it was not slowing down. It sideswiped the police car, knocking it on its hood and spinning it around like a top, then it plowed into the safehouse and exploded like a napalm bomb. Police and Protectors went flying in all directions as they scrambled for cover. Cat yanked off a door from the overturned police cruiser and helped those trapped inside to escape. "Was everybody out of the house?" Nightman shouted breathlessly. "Did anybody get hurt?" At that, the former safehouse imploded, seeming to fold upon itself. A gigantic figure strode purposefully from the flames and the rubble and cupped its hands to its mouth. "Give me Simmons and the rest of you can live," it said, in an impossibly loud voice. "You gnats should know by now you cannot stop me." "Protectors. . . protect!" Nightman yelled, as he threw one of his night-a-rangs at the Whale. The weighted boomerang bounced harmlessly off the giant's chest as Girl Goliath threw herself on its massive back. She wrapped her legs around the villain and tried to subdue him with blows to his pressure points. She hit him with enough force to kill several men, but the Whale ignored her fists. He peeled her legs off his waist, slung her around his head a few times, then casually tossed her into a group of police 20 feet away, knocking them over like tenpins. Rover rolled onto the scene and let lose a laser blast at the Whale. "Arrrrgh," he said. "That hurts, damn it!" "Well, if you liked that, how about some more," Nightman said. "Gaby?" The Medium concentrated, and fire shot out her fingers, while Nightman used a miniature flamethrower from one of his utility pouches to add to the heat directed at the villain. The Whale roared in displeasure. "A killer whale is a creature of the deep, I bet you can't stand the heat," Nightman said. "Pour it on, team!" And it did indeed seem that the Whale was stymied for a moment, but only a moment. Gaby's flame trick was only good for a minute or so and Nightman's small flamethrower was rapidly running out of fuel. The whale grabbed a chainlink fence and used it as a whip to knock Nightman and the Medium off their feet. Then he picked up a large slab of concrete to block Rover's laser and ran to the little robot. "[Oh, oh, change of tactics needed]," it said, as it backpedaled and shot teargas at the Whale. The giant simply held his breath and tossed the heavy piece of sidewalk at the plucky robot. It only struck a glancing blow, but it damaged several of Rover's delicate systems and set it spinning helplessly in a circle. "Fools! You can't stop me with toys. Bring me Rick Simmons or I start getting really nasty." "From where I stand, you look plenty nasty enough already." It was Cat. She had taken time to make sure those injured by the Whale's initial attack were being cared for and was now ready to enter the fray. She gave a low growl and flung herself at the behemoth. Before the Whale could move, she plowed into his gut head first . . . and bounced off as if she'd hit 500 pounds of hard rubber. She tumbled to the ground and quickly regained her footing. "This is not going to be easy," she thought. "I don't even know if I can hurt this freak." "YOU!" the Whale boomed in a voice that shook the ground. "You are the one who led me here. You know better than anyone else what I have become. How can you protect Rick from my revenge?" On the side, Nightman helped the Medium to her feet, while Mr. Fix-it came out of hiding to minister to Rover. A little further away, the Girl Goliath was still clearing her head, while Det. Mason and the police were scrambling to get everyone not involved with the battle to safety. "What's the Whale talking about, Gaby?" Nightman said. "Why would Cat know what he's become?" "You're going to have to ask her that junk, Ted," Gaby pleaded. "Right now, I think it's gonna to take everything we've got to stop that maniac, you know?" Meanwhile, Cat was trying to figure out her next move as the Whale steadily advanced on her. "I don't think I want to wrestle with this dude," she thought. "He's way too strong. I've got to stay out of his grasp. Wish I'd paid more attention to those martial arts lessons Mick tried to teach me." The Whale lunged at Cat, missed, and smashed into a storefront, destroying half the building. He shrugged off the rubble and renewed his attack. He wasn't even breathing hard. But, while he was much stronger than Cat, she was much faster than the lumbering creature. She literally ran rings around him, as he swung roundhouse blows that did nothing more than create a welcome breeze in the hot California desert. "Stand still and fight, coward," he bellowed. "What kind of chicken-shit superhero are you?" "One smart enough not to trade blows with a walking tank, Whale, old boy," Cat said. "Or is that Whale, old girl? I think you need to try a different brand of make-up, Barbara. What you have on now doesn't do a thing for you." "Arrrrgh!" the Whale screamed. "He told you! The bastard told you!" The Whale grabbed a pick-up truck loaded with gravel and flung it at Cat. She dodged the Silverado, but was knocked off her feet by 1,000 pounds of crushed stone. In an instant the Whale was on top of her and had her head in a vice-like grip. "Stupid bitch," he said. "I'm going to pull your head right off." Cat was in trouble. The Whale was behind her with his knee in her lower back, pulling with all his might on her head and bending her spine further and further back. Cat was pinned and couldn't move. She began to see stars and felt herself blacking out. She had never experienced such pressure since her transformation. She felt totally helpless. "Mick, Mick where are you?" she thought deliriously. "You always save me in situations like this. Where are you now? Oh God, I need you!" Cat's spine was beginning to snap, when she heard a furious yell. "HI YA." It was the Girl Goliath. She swooped down on the Whale and wacked him so hard on the head with her nunchaku that they seemed to sink into his blubbery flesh. The Whale grunted in pain and dropped the limp cat-woman to the pavement, while Rae Ming braced for the charge she knew was coming. "Stupid bitch!" the Killer Whale bellowed. "You should have stayed out of this fight!" He came at the strong woman like a runaway train, but in an instant she grabbed his shoulders, braced her feet on his gut and, using his momentum and her powerful leg muscles, flipped the quarter- ton villain roughly onto his back. Before he could get up, Rae Ming delivered a half dozen lethal kicks to his head and torso. The force of her attack would have destroyed a small house, but the Whale was only momentarily staggered. "Get away from him, Girl," Cat shouted. "Don't fight him hand- to-hand!" "No, he was going to kill you," the Chinese hero said. "The Protectors look after their own." But, without bothering to raise to his feet, the Whale slid along the asphalt and bowled the Girl Goliath over. He grabbed her by the hair and smashed a massive fist into her chest. Her mouth and nose exploded with blood from at least one punctured lung as her rib cage collapsed with a sickening crack. "Rae Ming, noooo," Cat screamed, still unable to move, while Nightman and the Medium rushed to aid their grievously wounded teammate. They yelled to the police for help: "She needs a doctor, a doctor right now! Where's the EMS?" The police, who up 'til now had been holding back, fired at the Whale with everything they had, while at the same time they tried to spirit Simmons out of harm's way and secure medical aid for the Girl Goliath. The helicopter that was part of the pursuit had finally found a suitable place to land and the cops were running Simmons to it, but the Whale brushed the police aside like fleas. Their small arms fire had no more effect on him than a spring rain. His way was clear to Simmons, when a tiny obstacle blocked the Whale's path. "[Surrender now and turn yourself over to the authorities for arrest,]" Rover said. The Whale sneered and spat at the artificial dog. "Stupid piece of junk," he said, as he raised his huge, bare foot above the little robot. "I think it's time you went to the scrap heap." "[You too . . . asshole,]" Rover said, just before that giant foot smashed it flat . . . and set-off the two pounds of RDX plastic explosive that made up its self-destruct mechanism. The resulting discharge knocked everyone within a 100 yard radius flat and blew the Whale through a nearby concrete building. The helicopter had gained enough altitude to avoid the force of the blast and Simmons was on his way to another hiding place. Mr. Fix-it let out a scream and ran to the smoldering crater, trying to find some trace of his creation. The Whale woozily emerged from what was left of the building, covered with dust and bleeding from what passed for his nose, but he was still able to limp over to a large Harley parked on the street. "I'm going to get him sooner or later, fools," he shouted, as he kick-started the powerful motorcycle to life. "If you know what's good for you, you won't try to stop me again." Cat, still unable to use her legs, raised up on her arms and screamed after the Whale as he disappeared into the desert night, the tatters of what was left of his meager clothing flapping in the breeze. "MOTHERFUCKER! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU HEAR ME, MOTHERFUCKER? YOU ARE SO FUCKING DEADDDDD!" End Episode 10