The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive

“So... you’re really going to do this?”

Parker Albinn glanced up at the woman standing in the doorway, staring sidelong at him, her expression unreadable. “That’s what I said, yes,” he remarked simply, turning back to his closet, digging through his clothes, withdrawing a pair of heavy suitcases from the back. “We can’t keep going on like this, Veronica. It’s tearing us apart. One way or another, this has to end.”

Veronica let out a loud sigh. This was simply the worst kind of hell... wanting to go to her husband, pull him tight and take comfort in his arms... yet knowing doing so would provide no comfort at all, only more tension between them. She couldn’t help what she was feeling, and knowing that Satore was the cause didn’t help, only made it worse. I almost wish she’d just turned me into one of her helpless obedient thralls, she thought bitterly, hugging herself tightly. At least then I wouldn’t feel so... conflicted.

“So, that’s it? You’re leaving and going out on your own?” Roni said suddenly, angrily, causing Parker to pause and turn to face her again. “What about me? What about Lucy? What am I supposed to tell her?”

“Tell her Daddy went off to fight the very bad lady that messed with mommy’s head,” Parker replied, turning his attention back to the closet again, “and if the worst happens, tell her that I loved her very very much.”

“Parker!” Groaning heavily, the dark haired speedster turned away yet again to glare at his wife. “Parker, you can’t do this alone,” she said in a softer tone. “It’s too dangerous. If... if anything were to happen to you—”

“Then you’d be free to date again, and find a nice hot girl with a bubble butt and huge rack to settle down with,” Parker snapped, his frustration showing. Roni gasped, shocked by his words, before scowling at him.

“You fucking prick,” she snarled. “You almost... almost... make me wish for something like that to actually happen! Do you HONESTLY think you mean so little to me that I’d simply throw away our life together so easily? Yes, I’m frustrated. Yes, I’m angry about what’s happening. But all this pain and angst isn’t aimed at you—its aimed at Satore!”

“Maybe so, but I’m the one of the receiving end of it,” Parker replied with a sigh. “Look, Roni... I’m not trying to drive you away. Far from it. I’d love nothing better than for things to go back the way they used to be. That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why I’ve decided to bring Satore to us, to force this into a showdown NOW instead of further down the road... before we end up hurting each other past the point where we can reconcile.” Nodding again, he returned to the close, grunting as he at last pulled free a small flat metal case. “This all begins and ends with Venus Satore. If I take her down once and for all, this will all be over.”

Roni nodded. “I know. But... but what if it doesn’t?” she asked softly, barely able to ask the question. “What if beating her doesn’t fix the problem? She said it herself—she didn’t do anything to me. She merely undid what her magic did to bond us together all those years ago. What do we do if taking her out leaves us... like this?”

Parker stood up, turning to face her now, holding the case in his hands. “We’ll deal with that when it happens,” he told her gently. “Honestly, Roni... it will all be up to you. My feelings for you haven’t changed at all, from the day we left home to go on vacation to right now, this very instant. You’re my wife, and the woman I love. Even if we have to turn it into a sixty’s sitcom and sleep in separate beds from now on, I don’t want to leave.” He flashed her a wan smile. “You know the old saying... ‘Love will find a way’. That’s what I’m clinging to, babe.”

Tears shining brightly in her eyes, Roni nodded, moving close to hug him tightly. “I love you, Parker Albinn,” she told him, honestly from the heart. “And no matter how this all ends that will never change.”

The two simply held each other for a long moment, enjoying the closeness, however tenuous it felt. Finally, pulling away, Roni sighed softly, asking the question that was foremost on her mind. “So... what was in the back of the closet that you were so set on digging up?”

“Oh this?” he answered, opening the case, “just a little something from the past. I figured it would be fitting somehow, wearing the old costume when I face her again. If nothing else, it might unnerve her a bit, reminding her of the last time we faced each other.”

Roni frowned slightly. “As I recall, the last time you two faced each other, you ended up with a bullet in the side of your head.” She sighed deeply. “I still think I should go with you when you face her. We’re a team after all...”

“I know. But you’re at a disadvantage if we face her head on. I can whip around the place fast enough that she won’t have time to work her mojo on me... but if she gets a bead on you, she can get fully inside your head and turn you against me.” At her dour look, he shrugged. “Besides, you can help me in other ways, Roni. You don’t have to be the one to deliver the deathblow.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she mused, forcing a grin. “You get to have all the fun, as always. So... how do we do this? How do we get the ball rolling?”

“I’ve already taken steps,” Parke replied, pulling out his satphone. “The ball’s already rolling. Now it’s just a question of guiding it where I need it to go.”

”Yo, Frasier!” a loud blond haired man called out from across the room, ”don’t strain yourself there! Heh heh!”

“Yeah, thanks Rick,” Jimmy replied with a grunt, struggling to lift the small steel barbell up above his head. His arms trembled slightly, but he managed to press the thirty pound weight to its maximum height, before lowering it back down again. Across the room, Devon panted slightly as she ran on a treadmill, listening to some music while she ran.

“So... how often do you guys do this?” Emily asked the pair as she sipped lightly on a bottle of water.

“Uhhnn... once or... uuhhhnn... twice a week,” Jimmy said, gasping, struggling to lift the bar up above his head, then back down again before pressing it above his head again. “Usually... uhhnn... we have... Jette... join us for a bit... uuuhhnn...”

Emily cocked her head to the side. “You okay, Jimmy?” she asked, frowning. “You seem to be having a bit of trouble. Are you still recovering from what happened in Texas?”

Jimmy chuckled softly, lowering the bar to the ground, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from his face. “I am a bit weary still, but I’d say I’m pretty much recovered. But I am still a little out of shape,” he admitted, gesturing to the barbell. “More than two months of torture, and near starvation will leave anyone a bit under the weather. Still... I kind of like the new ‘lean and mean’ look I’m sporting. I decided to go with a sculpting and strengthening routine this time around, using more reps with lower weights.”

Emily smirked. “Lower weight, I get,” she said, kneeling down to grab the barbell, “but just thirty pounds? I mean, you’re superhumanly strong. I’d think this would be—huh? What... the... hell?” she groaned, struggling to lift the suspiciously heavy bar. “How is this... why can’t I lift this?”

“See the black caps on the ends?” Jimmy stated, gesturing with a hand. “A little gift from my dad. They emit a gravitometric field through the material that increases the relative gravity of the weights by a factor of one thousand. That simple looking barbell is roughly fifteen tons.”

Emily’s eyes widened. “Fifteen... tons?!? I’m surprised it hasn’t crashed through the floor!”

“Yeah, the original prototype actually did that,” he stated with a grin. “The newer model, however, comes with a resistance sensor built in. It only activates when someone physically tries to lift it, and, just in case its someone NOT superhuman, the force it exerts downward is relative to the force used to lift it.” At Emily’s blank look, he clarified. “Basically, if you can only lift a hundred pounds, it feels like it weights one hundred and one pounds, just outside your range. Or two fifty, or five hundred or whatever you max is up to the weight it was set to.”

“Wow... that’s really clever,” she remarked, impressed. “It makes it easy to get a good workout with normal weights at a gym without outing yourself as a Super.”

“Yeah, well, as I said, I’ve been trying a lower weight limit with more repetitions.” He picked up the bar again, sweating slightly with the effort. “Normally, even fifteen tons is nothing. But after a hundred and fifty presses, you really start to feel it.”

Suddenly, Devon, running in the treadmill just beside them, stiffened, jumping off the machine to walk over to them. “Hey, guys,” she said, taking out her earbuds, “you have to hear this. It just came through on the XML satellite station.” Turning up the volume on her radio, the announcement playing became audible.

“...repeat, this is Armor Man, I have taken temporary control of the worldwide Emergency Broadcast System to issue this alert,” Jimmy’s father’s voice came through. Several people stopped talking, glancing around at the announcement.

“Hey, it’s on the TV as well,” Emily said, gesturing to the wall-mounted flatscreen TV, as one of the students tried changing the station. “And he’s on every channel as well,” she noted. “This must be serious.”

”A worldwide search is being conducted for this woman,” he continued, showing a picture of an unfamiliar redhead standing next to a young looking strangely familiar brunette, “who recently escaped from the Bellevue Mental Institution. The woman, Venus Satore, is a Super, considered highly dangerous and completely unstable. She is not to be approached under any circumstances. If you spot this individual, please contact the local police with any pertinent information...”

“Venus... Satore?” Jimmy repeated, gaping openly. In his shock, he dropped the bar with a loud clang. Thankfully, the gravity field dissipated as soon as the bar left his grasp. Emily glanced sharply at him and Devon, who also seemed stunned by this revelation.

“What? No way... it can’t be her!” Devon exclaimed. “Can it? I mean... I’ve seen her before in your memories... but she looks exactly the same as she did years younger! What... she doesn’t age or something?”

“Who knows?” Jimmy replied with a soft sigh. “She obviously has magic of some kind... and just from my own family, beings with magic tend to look a lot younger than they actually are. And even though I’ve only seen the pictures of the redhead, I know her very well. That’s definitely Venus Satore... aka, Goddess Aphrodite, the witch that nearly enslaved every person in River City two decades ago before she was stopped by my Uncle Parker.”

Devon frowned. “Okay, but I must be missing something here,” she said, crossing her arms. “I know the story, more or less... your Uncle Parker was turned into her pawn, but managed to break free somehow, then had to fight his way through half the other Supers in the city to finally beat her. But how did she get free? I thought she was brain damaged from the battle and had the mind of a five year old?”

”I have no idea of the ‘why’ or the ‘when’,” Jimmy stated, “but the answer to ‘who’ and ‘how’ are both the same. Remember the picture we just say, the brunette next to Venus? That was Ghost Girl, our very own Rose.” He shrugged. “I have no idea why she’d break her out of that hospital, but if there’s anyone who could, it would be G.G,”

Devon shook her head in confusion. “It just doesn’t make any sense! Why would Rose go through the trouble of breaking someone that dangerous out of a sanitarium? Surely she would have to know about how Satore’s powers worked, that just being near her could end up getting you enslaved to her will?”

“Oh, it goes way beyond that, from what I hear,” Jimmy replied grimly. “Apparently, she has the power to shape the hearts, minds, and even the bodies of her followers to her whim. Hell, even her thralls can tap into that power to enslave and shape others to their Goddess’ will.” He sighed. “My Aunt Eva used to call her a ‘walking, talking STD’.” He glanced over at Emily, who had gone strangely quiet and pale. “Uh, Em? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Ghost Girl... Rose,” she said in a low voice. “The other night, I heard Julie talking to some of the other girls about her trip. She mentioned running into Ghost Girl at the resort her mom managed at Teton Springs... and that they spent a lot of time together, catching up...”

Jimmy and Devon in turn went pale. “Shit,” he cursed softly, remembering Devon’s ‘gut feeling’ about something being off with Jette. “Em? Have you or the other girls been alone with Julie, one-on-one, since she returned home?”

“I... I don’t know,” Emily replied, obviously scared and anxious now. “Diane, Mei and I were on a mission last night until the early hours of the morning. I went straight to bed and crashed, and everyone was already up and gone when I woke up this morning.”

Jimmy glanced at Devon, who nodded. “Then we’d better head back to the mansion with you right away. We have to isolate Julie right away, and anyone else she may have converted. And the sooner the better—if Aunt Eva is right, all it would take is a simple kiss to brainwash your teammates!” He and the others stood up and made their way towards the locker room to change.

“Tch... finally!” Rick said loudly, walking past the group. “I’ve been waiting to use the free weights since forever!” Bending down, glancing over his shoulder, he called out. “Hey, Frasier! Check it out. This is how a REAL man lifts!” His grin turned into a grimace of pain as he pulled hard, only to fall back flat on his face as the bar refused to budge. Several others laughed loudly, as Rick glanced around, furious, rubbing his arm and the likely sprain he’d given himself.

“Yeah, um, very informative Rick,” Jimmy said, walking back over to the fallen student. “Sorry. I forgot—should probably have set this back up on the stand for you first,” he said, bending down to easily lift the bar. Placing it back on the stand, he surreptitiously removed the black bands on the ends, pocketing them as well. “Ok, Rick, it’s all yours now.”

Emily glanced at him askance as he caught back up to them. “So, you forgot to remove the gravity bands and place the weights back? I thought you had a photographic memory?”

“Its an eclectic memory, actually,” he clarified with a grin, “and no, I didn’t really forget. Rick is just kind of a douche bag. Now come on, let’s get out of here.”

Nodding to himself at the response from the different law enforcement agencies across the world, Gene glanced up to see his private secure line ringing. He moved to answer, then paused, considering. Ach... I can count the number of people that have this number on one hand, and most of them are either here with me or unable to call. Considering the announcement I just made, if it’s who I think it is, I can expect a less than pleasant conversation. Activating his newly installed communication filters, he flipped the switch, answering the call.

“Hello, this is Eugene—” he answered.

“FRAISER!” the shrill feminine voice rang out as soon as Eugene connected the call. “You foul, vile, wretch of a man! How DARE you try to attempt to interfere with my plans?!?”

Aye... as expected. I wonder who provided the unlisted number for her, Hank or Rose? “Interfere?” Gene replied aloud, nonplussed. “I’d say attempting to have yer brains splattered on the inside of your car and revealing your presence to the world at large goes a wee bit beyond mere ‘interference’, wouldn’t you?” Venus’ expression darkened momentarily, before changing back to a knowing smirk again.

“You’re a blunt and direct man, I see,” she replied archly. “I see my High Priestess’ assessment of you was very accurate. She always told me that you were a man to be feared. I had thought her respect for you a lingering effect of being your devoted slave for so long... but now I see that respect was well deserved. You’re not only a smart and clever man... you’re also completely ruthless.”

“Ruthless? I suppose I should consider that a compliment, coming from you,” Gene replied blandly. “Really, though, are you surprised? You have all but pushed us into a corner, after all. Taking Ghost Girl was bad enough. Going to war with Parker Albinn was worse. But what you did to his wife and daughter, using them that way just to get to Parker? Despicable!” He shook his head in disgust. “And to think you consider ME ruthless.”

“Neither of them were harmed, were they?” Satore pointed out. “Think of me whatever you wish, but I’m a Goddess of love and lust, not violence. I’m not above using helpless pawns from time to time, but I’ve never shed any innocent blood. My vengeance will be against Parker Albinn alone, because of the grievous harm he dealt to me all those years ago! And for all the lives I’ve twisted and taken under my control, I’ve never actually killed anyone, have I? Unlike you, Frasier, I have no blood on my hands.”

Gene scowled. “Ach, I never claimed to be a saint. But let’s not kid ourselves, Satore. Or, do you consider what happened to your foster parents ‘self-defense’?” Venus gaped in surprise. “Didn’t Rose tell you? I always do my homework.”

“It’s Rosella these days, heretic,” Venus replied with a scowl.

“Very well, then, let’s cut to the chase,” Gene stated. “What is it that you want, Satore?”

“I want what belongs to me,” she replied imperiously. “I want my Priestess and her friend returned to me.” Her smile twisted. “And I want you to give them to me, along with your unconditional submission.” He grin faded, however, as Eugene’s own grew.

“Sorry, lass. That’s not going to happen. After what happened with Henry, I took precautions. You won’t be seducing anything through my communications array, witch. Nice try, though.” He nodded briskly. “Aye, and for the record, Rose was MINE before she was yours. I have a counter proposal for you, however. Release your hold over Rose and Hank, and I promise not to send out anyone else to eliminate you.”

Venus’ eyebrow raised. “Hahaha! Such impertinence. You expect me to simply surrender my hard earned thralls to you? Never. Besides,” she said, holding up her left hand with the golden bracelet, “thanks to your own technology, you have no way to even find me.”

“Oh?” Gene’s smile turned slightly wicked. “Computer, override code Zeta Epsilon Two Five Seven Alpha Six Three Five Two Two Gamma One Nine.”

“Aaaaahhh!” Venus yelped suddenly as the bracelet on her wrist suddenly shocked her. Sparks ran along the edge, and a wisp of smoke floated up from it. “Wh... what happened? What was that?”

“Every FrasierTech device has a collapsible circuit that can be activated remotely,” Gene responded calmly. “It took a while to find the code to disable that specific piece of equipment without shorting out all the others in use, but suffice it to say, you won’t be able to hide from me anymore. And with every law enforcement agency in the world after you, it won’t take long before you have no place left to hide.”

“Clever. Very clever,” she muttered softly. Rosella was correct. This truly is a man to be feared. “So,” she said aloud after a moment, “it seems once again that we’re at an impasse. I’m unwilling to give up my hold over my lovely flower’s mind, and you’re unwilling to free her body from captivity. I’m free to come and go as I please, though I can longer hide from your ‘eyes in the skies’. You can, of course, make another attempt on my life... but doing so now that I’m aware of you will likely cause significant injury and casualties on innocents, and probable collateral damage—something my new bodyguard, Hank Matthews, assures me that you’ll try to avoid if at all possible.” She nodded softly. “You have a clear advantage, but it’s still a stalemate. So... what now?”

Eugene paused considering his words carefully. “It depends on whether its Rose... er, Rosella and Chloe that you want... or just their usefulness as Supers.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I have a method of removing their powers permanently,” Gene informed her, crossing his arms. “It’s something of a ‘last resort’. If you agree to free Sgt. Matthews and undo whatever you did to Veronica Albinn, I will release Rosella and Chloe—but only as long as neither of them can benefit you with their powers.” His expression hardened. “If you truly care so much for your ‘lovely flower’ as you claim, I will give them back to you. I just need to make sure neither of them will continue to be a menace to the rest of the world around them.”

“What? Remove their powers?” Venus yelled, affronted. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Aye, I would,” Gene replied soberly. “If it were the only way to assure that they wouldn’t be used as living weapons against anyone else, then aye... I would indeed. It’s not a decision I make lightly. But the alternative would be to end their lives, or yours, in order to assure you don’t turn them against us.”

Venus bit her lip, considering. Having both girls rendered powerless would effectively negate their usefulness, defeating the purpose of having them freed. Nevertheless, considering her recent success with Hank, she was relatively sure she could restore their powers. Besides, the idea of losing her High Priestess, again, having her servant and closest confidant taken from her, rankled deeply. Before she could respond, however, she felt it... a subtle tingle, her shared power flowing forth into a new vessel. Stretching her awareness outwards, she gasped in disbelief, then laughed, clutching her sides in delight.

“Well, Frasier,” she said smugly, “it occurs to me that this is all a moot point! It seems that your carefully wrought plan has just fallen apart. My High Priestess and her dear friend have managed to escape their captivity!”

Eugene blinked in surprise. “That’s not possible... there’s no way,” he muttered, glancing to the side, pulling a different video feed. His eyes widened at the scene before him. “Curse me heid and name me a bampot,” he breathed shaking his head. “It’s just.. it’s not possible.” He turned to glare back at Satore. “All right. How did ye manage it?” he accused. “I put this plan into motion mere hours after Rose broke you out of Bellevue. How’d ye manage to get someone on the inside to bypass my security?”

“She didn’t,” a male voice spoke up suddenly, patching into their secure line, appearing on both of their screens. “I did.”

“Parker?!?!” Gene exclaimed, recognizing the voice instantly. “Ye did this? Are ye daft man? What do ye thin’ yer doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m taking control of this situation,” he replied calmly, his voice steady and composed. “I sent a message to Dr. Perkins using your personal ID to allow Rose contact with Chloe. I suspected she’d take the opportunity to make a break for it. and she didn’t disappoint.”

“Albinn... what the bloody hell have you done?!?” Eugene roared. “Are you mad? Do ye have any idea what ye’ve done? Ye tossed away the only bargaining chip I had—”

“And that’s your problem right there, Eugene,” Parker cut in. “Trying to bargain with her. Goddess Aphrodite doesn’t bargain or make deals. She thinks such a thing is beneath her. At beast she would have simply lead you on, stalling and biding her time until she could find a way to break them out. At worst she’d simply refuse, call you a heretic, and set about finding ways to make your life miserable. All I did was bypass all the B.S. and cut to the chase.”

Satore’s frown deepened. “What’s your game, Albinn?” she growled. “After what I did to your wife and daughter, I can’t imagine you choosing to help my Rosella escape merely out of the goodness of your heart. What’s your angle here? What do you hope to gain from all this? Sympathy? Compassion? Mercy?”

“Hardly,” Parker replied in a flat voice. “I know you too well to expect something like that from you. No... the only reason I helped your precious Rosella break free is because I want you at your full strength, with all your resources available, when you come for me. I’m back home in River City, by the way,” he added blandly. “You said you wanted me... so here I am. Come and get me.”

“Oh, rest assured, Albinn,” Venus said with a smirk, “I will. But only at a time of my choosing. I told you before. I want you to suffer first. And I intend to enjoy every second of it!”

Far from being angry or upset, Parker merely laughed. “Well, that’s your choice. You’ll only live to regret it, though. I happen to know that an integral part of your plan involves enslaving a number of Supers to serve as your vanguard. Well, I happen to have a container of that special serum Eugene mentioned a moment ago in my hot little hand right now. It would take little to no effort on my part to have the contents dumped into the city reservoir and spread to every single Super in River City.”

“Parker? Are you MAD?” Eugene yelled. “You’re talking about depowering every hero in the entire city!”

“It’s no less than what you were planning to do yourself,” Parker shot back, “only on a wider scale. Besides, the alternative is to let her run wild, and eventually they’d all end up her obedient thralls anyway!“

Satore glared at her screen with barely restrained fury. “You’re bluffing,” she said with venom. “There’s no way you would go through with it. You’d leave your entire city defenseless! Besides, River City isn’t the only city with Supers in the world!”

“I’m aware of that,” Parker replied calmly. “That’s why I also arranged to have couriers with containers of the serum sent to Midas City and Crescent City as well, with special instructions to dump them into both city’s drinking water unless I call them off. And with just a bit more work, I can do the same to every major city in the world.” He turned to stare into his monitor. “Look into my eyes, Venus. Tell me that I’m bluffing or lying.”

“Grrraaaaaahhhh!” the goddess yelled in frustration. “You unbelievable bastard! Fine! If you want a confrontation so badly, you’ll get one! I’ll just have to take satisfaction in the fact that your demise at least will be slow and painful!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Parker replied with a sigh. “Look. You have twenty-four hours to face me yourself, or send your High Priestess to face me. Otherwise, you can kiss your dreams of ruling the world with an army of super powered beings at your command goodbye.”

“Twenty-four hours, eh” Venus grumbled. “Very well. I suggest you use your last remaining hours wisely then, Oh, and Parker,” she added with an evil glint just before disconnecting, “be sure and give your wife and daughter my best wishes...”

“Insufferable bitch,” Parker grumbled, shaking his head, once only he and Eugene were left on the phone. “I really do hope she comes along to face me herself, though I’m absolutely sure she’ll send her in her shock troops instead...”

Eugene sighed heavily, hanging his head. “Ye damned fool. I had everything set. I had her on the ropes... but this? I really hope you know what you’re doing, Parker,” he said wearily. “You took a big risk doing this your way.” He glanced up at the younger man. “I’ll admit, I’m not happy about you going behind my back to free Chloe and Rose that way... but at least your bluff worked. Satore is focused entirely on you now, just as ye wanted. You have a chance to end this entire mess once and for all.”

“Yeah, I know,” Parker replied grimly. “And I don’t intend to let this chance slip through my fingers. Sorry if I screwed up your intricate well laid plans, being all secretive and all,” he said with an edge, “but well, I guess this makes us even for blindsiding me with that thing with your brother Duncan. Oh... and one last thing Gene,” he said before disconnecting, “the part about using your serum to depower every Super in the world rather than letting Satore sink her hooks into them? I wasn’t bluffing.”

Gene stared at the blank screen for a long moment before sighing again. The lad... aye. I’ve been where he is now. So I can sympathize. But the same way Lacie Ann had to remind me about crossing certain lines, I think Parker may need a not-so-gentle reminder as well. He shook his head, tapping a few keys, bringing up a different screen. Looks like the situation is out of my hands now. I just hope it all comes together the way we hope...

The two acolytes drove along for several minutes saying nothing, one apprehensive, while the other merely sat deep in thought. Rosella glanced again at her friend, her mentor, her lover, wondering what was going through her mind. Since her conversion at the compound, she’d said maybe three or four words, and the silence between them was beginning to unnerve her. Unable to take it anymore, she sighed deeply, and opened her mouth to speak.

“You, know, I never really thanked you, back there,” Chloe said softly, causing Rosella to pause. Her friend turned to look at her then, her expression thoughtful. ”Sorry... I should have said something right then and there. Thank you, Jenn. Thank you for helping me... for doing all of this, to bring me back.”

“Oh, Chloe, you don’t have to thank me,” Rosella replied dimly, shaking her head. “Everything that happened to you... all of it, from beginning to end—it was all my fault. I did this to you. Me. And I’m just so sorry that it took me so long to fix it all...”

“Hey, now, stop that!” Chloe said sharply, causing Rosella to glance up again. “This wasn’t on you, and you know it.” She sighed glancing down at her hands, which trembled slightly. “If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I dragged YOU into this. When the Conf... Confectioner,” she said with difficulty, “when he took me unaware, enslaved me, turned me into his candy-coated thrall, you were the one who risked everything to find me and rescue me. And I betrayed you to him, even helped him do the same to you!” She closed her eyes, shuddering in memory. “It’s kind of funny, really. In the hospital, stuck in that state, my mind short circuited like a broken computer board, I could still remember what happened to us... what HE made us do. It was disjointed, broken into bits and pieces, flashes mostly... but I remembered. I remembered it all.”

“Yeah... I kind of figured,” Rosella replied back. “The, um... woman, the one who first helped us, she blanked out our memories at first, to help us deal with the trauma, but said that they would eventually come back. Something about not being able to have a present without a past to build on...” She shrugged. “And I figured the memories were coming back when you started making drawings of Ol’ Goopy again.” She went silent for a moment, considering. “Chloe... hon... are you... I mean, do you... resent the way I... ‘helped you’?” she asked hesitantly.

“You mean making me the slave of our Goddess?” Chloe asked her bluntly. “Jenn... er, Rosie... um, Rosella, you know I don’t blame you. And no, I don’t resent being Her thrall. I literally can’t resent it... the Goddess is now my life, just as much as She is yours.” She reached out and took Rosella’s free hand, squeezing gently. “You were in an impossible situation. I know that. And while the old me would have probably preferred to be healed WITHOUT ending up in someone else’s collar,” she said with a smirk, “the new me thinks it’s not so bad. It certainly beats being trapped with the mind of a four year old. And, well,” she added, glancing at herself in the rearview mirror, “the fringe benefits aren’t so bad either.”

Rosella concurred, smiling grandly. She hadn’t expected the body sculpting effect when it happened, changing Chloe from the short haired, rather chunky friend she’d come to love into the slim, trim, long haired, long legged vixen she’d become. Really, she hadn’t known WHAT to expect when she’d kissed her damaged friend, merely trusting her Goddess to help heal her, and putting all her focus and energy on making Chloe ‘into the woman she used to be’. Apparently Satore had taken her at her word, as her magic had transformed the middle aged woman back into the heroine of her prime, restoring her youth and vitality along with her mind.

And it wasn’t even with Her own touch, Rosella though in wonder. She used ME as her conduit, her vessel, to perform this miracle! And those non-believers still try and assert that she’s NOT a Goddess?

“So, um, what now?” Chloe asked, braking her out of her thoughts, pulling her back into the present. “I’m pretty sure we’ve shaken off any pursuers, if there were any, by now. Where are we heading to?”

“We need to meet up with Goddess Aphrodite,” Rosella said with a slight frown. “Our ex-Master and benefactor, Eugene Frasier, tried to take her out permanently when he captured me,” she said with a obvious edge, “but luckily, She was able to convert her would-be assassin. He’s now serving as her bodyguard, but it’s only a matter of time before Eugene goes after her again. We need to meet up with her again as soon as possible—”

«Not so, my little flower,» Venus’ voice sounded inside her head. «There’s been a change in plans. That heretic Parker Albinn has made his move, and is threatening my plans. He’s back in River City now. I need you and your companion to go there now, and eliminate him for me, once and for all.»

“Wh... what? I hear... someone talking in my head,” Chloe remarked, eyes wide and slightly glazed. She glanced at Rosella, who nodded, smiling. “Is that... is this... my Goddess?” she asked, uncertain, and more than a bit overwhelmed.

«Yes, my sweet,» Satore’s thoughtspeak voice focused on her, now. Chloe sighed in blissful contentment, feeling the Goddess’ smile of approval as well. «I am very glad to have you with us. And I was eager to help you. I know only too well the pain and indignity you suffered from your condition,» she added somewhat bitterly. «I too had my mind torn from me, rendering me in a childlike state, until our precious Rosella freed me. And now, I send you both to exact my revenge on the one who did this to me—Parker Albinn!»

Chloe scowled in fury. She’d never met Parker Albinn before, had only heard briefly of the hero’s exploits in passing back in her days in Crescent City before she’d suffered her trauma at the hands of the Confectioner. And, really, she’d never met Venus Satore either, knew her only by HER reputation, and the incident where she’d nearly conquered River City decades earlier. And yet, here and now, as her Goddess’ loyal thrall and soldier, she loved Satore with every fiber of her being, and hated Albinn with a fury hotter than a million suns!

“Then we will destroy this heathen for you, my Goddess,” Chloe vowed, clenching Rose’s hand again. “I will burn him until there is nothing left but a pile of ashes, and burn THEM until there is literally nothing left!”

“But, my Goddess,” Rosella spoke up, concerned. “What of you? Albinn is clever, and this could still be a feint. Who will be left to protect you while Chloe and I are in River City? Your bodyguard... I do not mean to second guess your judgment in choosing him, but no matter how skilled, he is still merely a normal man—”

«Oh, my High Priestess, there is much more to my darling Hank then you know,» Venus’s voice replied in amusement. «But as a matter of fact, we are now heading down the highway towards Provo, Utah. I plan to send Hank to River City to serve as backup for you and Chloe, but worry not. He has found me a suitable replacement for him... someone even better, who will serve me as a perfect bodyguard. Once she is under my sway, I will have no need to fear from either your former Master or that heretic Albinn.»

“...and that’s about the size of it,” Eugene finished, having related the story to the other members of his group. “Parker’s basically decided to take matters in his own hands. He’s trying to draw Satore out into the open, and fight her head on, hoping that she’ll take the bait. While I admire the lad’s enthusiasm, I think he’s bitten off more than he can chew...”

“Damned foolish... what is my son thinking?” Ana growled, shaking her head in frustration. “Putting everyone else in jeopardy, threatening to use that serum to depower everyone else just to draw her out? I thought he had more sense than this...”

“Now, now, Anastasia,” Nigel chided. “I personally applaud his actions.” At that, everyone in the room turned to gape at the aging billionaire. “Hey, now, don’t get me wrong. Albinn and I rarely see eye to eye on anything,” he stated calmly, “but in this at least we’re of the same mind. That witch threatened his family, his wife and daughter. She’s been toying with him, trying to back into him a corner, teasing and taunting him this entire time, trying to make him crack.”

“Yes, and she succeeded,” Eva replied with a sigh. But Nigel shook his head.

“No, I don’t think so. Evangeline, you and Anastasia know Parker Albinn better than anyone here. While he’s hardly the sharpest tool in the shed, the boy IS smart. And persistent. And determined.” He closed his eyes for a moment, remember a time facing the boy himself as he’d stormed his way into Nigel’s very home... battered, broken, facing overwhelming odds, and still he’d come closer than anyone to taking him down. “By pulling this stunt,” he continued, “he has Satore dancing to HIS tune now. He’ll be facing her on his terms, on his home turf, at a time and place of HIS choosing.” He shook his head ruefully. “Satore might well be unstoppable... but at least with the way he’s set up the board, he’s given himself every possible advantage. Besides, if it were possible to win by sheer stubbornness and determination alone, Satore wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“Maybe, but stubbornness isn’t enough!” Eva protested. “He’s playing right into Satore’s hands! If she couldn’t be taken down by long range by a sniper unit that didn’t even make direct contact with her, what hope does he think he’ll have going against her face to face?”

“Nae, Evangeline,” Eugene spoke up, thoughtful at the moment. “I think Nigel might be on to something. The hardest thing about this whole affair has been trying to track Satore and Rose, tie them down to one area where we could focus our attack and develop some kind of strategy. In Parker’s case, he’s taken away their mobility by luring them to HIM. The witch is dangerous, but not invincible. The lad’s smart... if he’s planned this right, he might just be able to win the day.” He sighed softly. “I just hope he can anticipate what Satore plans to throw at him. She’s impulsive and arrogant, but she’s also quite intelligent in her own rights. Not to mention having Rose and Henry on her side for tactical support. They know he’ll be setting some kind of trap, and will prepare one of their own. If he’s not careful, they would end up turning the city into a war zone...”

“War zone?” Constance asked, suddenly piping in. “What do you mean by that?”

“Aye, think about it. Rose is more than just a Super. She’s a trained covert operative. She knows she can’t beat Parker head on, so she’ll likely be packing some heavy ordinance—bombs, mines, machine guns, lasers and plasma cannons—anything to cause damage in the off chance of getting a lucky hit in. Add to that, she’ll likely have her friend and partner, the newly healed and restored Ampere at her side. I’ve never really measured Parker’s maximum velocity as a speedster, but I doubt he’s fast enough to dodge multiple bolts of lightning.”

“Yeah, I get the picture,” Connie said thoughtfully, “and if they end up fighting in a crowded or populated area, it could end up being a disaster.”

“It could indeed. The big question is whether or not he can anticipate any of the little surprises Satore will no doubt have in store for him,” Nigel added ruefully. “The boy is clever, but he hardly has the mindset of a vindictive sadistic woman with delusions of grandeur.” His eyes narrowed, and a grin creased his lips. “But, come to think of it, we actually happen to know someone who matches that description, living right now in the basement... a virtual criminal mastermind in her own right. I think perhaps we should have a talk with our Ms. Montenegra, and see if she can offer us some insight.”

Nodding in agreement, they all turned to leave the room. “Coming, Constance?” Nigel asked, glancing back at his personal assistant, who appeared to still be deep in thought.

“Yes, Master, I’ll be there in a moment,” she said brightly. “I just remembered something important I forgot to take care of.” Nodding, she waited until the others had left, then walked over to the communication system. Inputting her boss’ private code, she accessed an outgoing signal line, and, activating the untraceable encryption key, dialed a very special number. She waited for several seconds, glancing back at the door, her psychic senses sharpened and on high alert for anyone returning to check on her.

“Hello?” a female voice spoke on the other end of the line.

“My Mistress,” Constance said, breathing a soft sigh of relief, her voice husky with pleasure. “It’s Connie. I’m calling to warn you of a possible threat to your glorious plan. Parker Albinn and his family have returned home to River City, and is planning on having a showdown with several of Venus Satore’s brainwashed minions. I don’t know the specifics, only that he is preparing to face them soon, He gave Satore a twenty-four hour time limit to face him, or he would dump a serum into the water supply that would permanently remove all the Supers’ powers... and not just in River City, but in Midas, Crescent, and all the major cities housing Supers!”

The voice on the other end sighed deeply. “I see. You’re right. This IS a game changer. I’d prefer not to get involved directly, but it seems they’re not leaving me much of a choice. Ah, well,” the voice said with a chuckle, “this could have its good side, too. If I could convert someone like Venus Satore to my side... it would make things here go a lot faster.” She paused, considering. “Thank you, Connie. You’ve been a very good girl. When this is over and done with, I’ll reward you properly... but for now, my sweet, know that your Mistress is very pleased with you.”

“Gaaahhnnn...” Connie gasped, eyes wide, a flood of pleasure overwhelming her, the mere mention of her Mistress being pleased, causing her to climax violently. Phantom tongues licked and lapped at her wet dripping pussy, sucking and teasing her clit, while phantom fingers teased and stroked every inch of her from her face and neck to curling toes and soles of her soft tender feet. “Goddess... yes... ohhh yees... Mistress...” she gasped, barely able to keep her voice a whisper as the shudders ran through her. Stars danced before her eyes, and it was all she could do to stay standing as the pleasure swept through her like a wave, leaving her sated, happy, and gloriously blissfully empty.

“Good girl, Connie,” the voice spoke again, recapturing her attention. “Now, its time to forget and remember once more.... to forget that you are my agent, my confederate and spy... and to remember your role as the obedient and loyal Constance, Nigel’s trusted secretary and friend. Forget the information you have passed on to me... and remember only vaguely having finished whatever errand or chore you were going to tend to in order to slip away and call me in private. Do you understand, my sweet one?”

“Yes, Mistress,” Connie replied in a soft dreamy voice, eyes fluttering. “I understand. I hear and obey. Time to remember... and forget...” Disconnecting, she sighed softly closing her eyes, basking in the moment, trying to hold onto the bliss for just a second longer, even as it slipped away...

“Connie? Is everything okay?”

Connie blinked, opening her eyes, glancing at the doorway at Eva... no, Ana’s concerned face. “Oh, Ana? Yeah, sorry... I just kind of spaced out a bit, thinking. Your son, Parker? We... never really got along that much. I mean, from the moment I joined Master’s family, I was taught that Parker was... well... the enemy.” She sighed. “I know things are different now, and you and Eva and Eugene are all our friends. I know he and Patricia have patched things up, and we’re all allies, if not exactly buddy-buddy...”

“But you can’t help feeling a bit uncertain about Parker after all this time,” Ana finished, nodding slightly. “Yeah. I understand that. It takes time to build trust between people. And it takes even longer to rebuild that trust when it’s broken by betrayal. I know what Parker did was wrong, and selfish, and I don’t agree with it myself... but he’s a good man at heart. Nigel was right—he’s doing what he can to try and protect his family, his wife and daughter. It doesn’t excuse his actions... but at least you can understand where he’s coming from.”

Connie nodded softly. “I guess you’re right. I guess its just a hard pill to swallow, you know? I just hope I’m never put into a position where I’d have to betray those I care about to save someone else.” She placed an arm around her mentor’s shoulder. “Okay, we’ve kept the men waiting long enough. Let’s go see what kind of insight Serpentina can offer us...”