The low rumble of The Marauder’s motorcycle engine echoed off the walls of the dark ally as she let it idle as she coasted towards the last building on the left. The only light coming from a single incandescent bulb above the door in the center of it.
Cassandra pulled up to the door and killed the engine, kicking the stand out and leaning the bike over in one swift motion as she swung her leg over the seat.
She rolled her shoulders and stretched slightly, her heavy leather jacket riding up her torso as she did. She grabbed the base of it with her thick gloves and pulled it back down in to place before unbuckling her helmet and placing it on the seat.
Her jet black hair was slicked back against her head and her she double checked her mask was securely in place before taking a step towards the door.
She was meeting an informant tonight who said he had vital information about Lucian, the criminal kingpin she’d been at war with for years. Recently she’d gotten the upper hand on the street, but he’d managed to remain untouched in his ivory tower downtown, safely behind his army of lawyers.
Cassandra opened the door to the familiar stench that all these back alley dive bars had and stepped inside. Her first few steps caused no reaction from those inside, her leather boots falling firmly on the wooden floor, until the first of the patrons noticed her.
Then a quiet moved through the room and all eyes were on her.
“No trouble tonight boys… unless someone would like to start some?” she said, a grin crossing her black lips.
Almost everyone returned to their conversations and drinks, everyone except her informant who was sitting in a booth near the back.
Cassandra walked towards the booth and slid in to the bench across from him.
“What do you have for me Benny?”
“I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
“Then why did you come?”
“Like I had a choice? If I hadn’t come you would have just tracked me down and beat on me for a while.”
“Well, that’s true enough Benny, but if you don’t tell me about Lucian I’m just going to take you out back and beat on you anyway.
She’d been, perhaps, a bit generous when she’d called him her informant. He wasn’t cooperating with her so much as he feared her beating him to a pulp the next time she caught him committing a petty crime like the last half dozen times she had.
Just as Benny was about to speak the waitress arrived, “Can… can I get you anything?”
“A beer.” Benny said quickly.
Cassandra thought for a moment before replying, “Yea, a water, lots of ice. I think someone might need some ice soon.”
Benny twitched at the not so subtle threat as the waitress went to retrieve the drinks.
“Benny, Benny, Benny. Are you going to start talking or should I order a rag to go with that ice?”
“Ok… ok… just… this s big and I need more than just a ‘I won’t beat you up this time’ for it. I need more.”
The Marauder’s face took on a scowl, “What do you want Benny.”
“I want… I want your promise to leave me alone for good.”
“That’s a big ask Benny, your info had better be top notch.” she replied.
“It is. It is.”
Cassandra took stock of Benny, whatever he had he was more nervous than she’d ever seen him. It was a big ask, leaving him alone meant turning a blind eye whenever she caught him. And she would catch him again and again, he wasn’t the type to learn from his mistakes.
That and she kind of liked kicking his ass once in a while.
“Alright Benny, if it’s good, you have my word.”
Benny’s shoulder slumped as if a huge weight had been lifted from them just as the waitres returned, setting the drinks down in front of them.
Benny grabbed his and took a long swig of the beer, she grabbed her own glass of water and took a sip.
“Alight, Lucian has got something huge planned for the city celebration next month. He’s been planning it for weeks, pulling in lots of extra man power.”
“I know that Benny, the words been on the street for a while about a big job.” she said as she took another drink of water.
“Yea, but do you know he’s even recruited super-villains for it as well?”
Cassandra raised an eyebrow.
“Yea, you’ve really pissed him off over the last while. He’s calling in the big guns to kill two birds with one stone, the celebration and you.”
“That’s interesting Benny, but you’d better have more.”
“I do. Lucian is going to lead the charge himself. He’s so worked up about the damage you’ve done to his operation he wants to take you out himself.”
She smiled, that was good news, catching Lucian in the act would make it impossible for even his lawyers to get him out of it!
“You know who he’s got on his side for this shindig?”
“Not yet, but I’ll know in a week or so.”
Cassandra drained the last of the water from the glass and slammed it down.
“Alright Benny, get me the names and we’re been good.”
“There’s one more thing…” Benny said, looking at his watch.
“What is it.”
“Well, I’m not sure if your going to like it.”
“I don’t like anything that has to do with Lucian Benny so just spit it out.”
“Ok… Lucian has put a price on your head…”
“I’m not surprised.” she said as she stood up, the room suddenly spinning just a bit, she reached out to steady herself on the table.
“Wait…” Benny said as the room spun faster and she sat back down in the booth as her legs gave out beneath her.
“Whaaa…” she managed to get out as the room started to fade to black and her head hit the table.
Cassandra looked up at the white ceiling as focus returned to her mind.
“Thanks for seeing me on such short notice Doc.” she heard Benny say.
“Of course, happy to help Benny.” another voice replied.
She tried to turn her head towards the voices but found it restrained, along with her arms and legs. She was laying flat on a table of some kind.
“I’m just so tired of being her punching bag and I had to do something! And the bounty was… you know… for killing her. I just couldn’t do that.”
“A conundrum to be sure, but I think Lucian will be quite happy to pay out the bounty after I’m done with her.”
Cassandra pulled at her restraints as hard as she could be they didn’t budge.
“Ah I see your awake Marauder. No point fighting against those restraints, they held SupremeGal, they’ll hold you easily enough.”
A chill ran down Cassandra’s spine at the mention of SupremeGal as she realized the second voice must belong to Dr. Taylor.
“Now let’s get started shall we?” Dr. Taylor said as he lowered the programming helmet over her eyes and turned it on.
The low rumble of The Marauder’s motorcycle engine filled the quite street as she pulled up in front of the large mansion.
Cassie kicked out the stand and killed the engine as she lowered her dark sunglasses to double check the address.
She swung her spike heeled boot over the seat and stretched out a bit, she took each of her large breasts in one hand and pushed them together and then repositioned them to make sure she was showing as much cleavage as possible.
She double checked her makeup in her mirror and re-applied a bit of pink lip glass as she smacked her lips together, then she quickly restyled her hair and started towards the front door.
She pressed the doorbell with her french manicured nail that was sticking out of the half gloves she was wearing and waited.
The door opened and large, imposing man answered.
“Like, hi! Is Mr. Lucian home?”
“Who’s asking?” he replied in a deep, menacing tone.“
“Like, I’m The Marauder silly! Benny sent me and totally said I should show Mr. Lucian how much he deserves the bounty and give Mr. Lucian as much head as he wanted.”
