For whatever reason, it seemed people in the city loved to work with the shadier types from back home. Allison didn’t bother to wonder why. It just made her better equipped to handle them.

 An infamous thief, an old arms dealer... and their apparent business in clashing with another from back home. From Cranbrook. Apparently there were dealings with some from Juniper. But Allison remembered him...

 Michael ‘Stretch’ McCarty. He was the old boss’ son, and a low level enforcer in the McCarty gang last time Allison ran into him. He did prove to be a decent challenge in a fight. And, apparently, had a knack for drawing the ire of the underworld of Juniper City. His father did too. Feuded with the O’Malley gang, from what she remembered.

 This time, though, no O’Malleys. Instead there were some conflicts with this Russian kid, Stukov. Along with him, there seemed to be a thief from Juniper that Allison had looked into going by the alias ‘Red Spider.’

 And, as it happened, this brought at least one old friend to town again. Someone she had hoped would stay away...

 From the rooftops that night, she had spotted her. The young journalist, walking with an adorable red-headed girl. They walked into a downtown hotel together.

 “Just had to follow them...” Allison said to herself. “Have to give you a reason to leave town again, Sidney...”

 Not that she didn’t like Sidney it was just, last time Sidney was in town, well, Allison still blamed herself for that kidnapping. She refused to allow a friend to come into harm’s way like that again. So she kept an eye on them, from a distance.

 Atop the building across the street is where Dark Falcon crouched down and waited. Her all black uniform blended into the night, protected by gray armour pieces, a falcon with its wings spread wide adorning her chest. Her black cowl covered her face, red lenses over her eyes. A quick tap and she could spot heat signatures in the darkness. Or night vision, as the case may warrant. Long, pale purple hair flowed out from atop and behind the cowl. Nobody but Sidney new that this hair was attached to the cowl, Allison’s own hair tucked underneath, tied back, and kept in a tight hair net.

 She watched the pair of them sneak back out of the hotel as darkness fell. Dark Falcon new where they’d be headed. Sidney was chasing a story, as always. McCarty had his ties to Juniper. And both she and Dakota seemed to wonder why Stukov and Red Spider had showed up. For now, they headed to the docks. The entire lake harbour had something going on that night.

 Red Spider had been spotted in the area, stealing pockets of illicit merchandise and cash from McCarty. Just enough to be a nuisance and get him irritated. He had ordered her captured.

 Stukov, on the other hand, seemed to be picking fights in places. Tried going by the name ‘Steward’ to hide his identity but Allison, along with a host of others, had him figured out pretty easily. What he was fighting them for, she didn’t know. Though, from what she gathered, there had been some talk about a girl named Dakota... Allison surmised that must be the girl with Sidney. She didn’t know why McCarty would be interested in this Dakota but Stukov seemed hellbent to beat information out of McCarty’s goons. How he hadn’t been caught yet was a mystery.

 What sort of story Sidney could cobble together from this mess was yet another mystery. But she chased it all the same, as she always seemed to do. Allison remembered her dogged determination, even in just trying to interview her for some fluff piece back in Juniper for that race Allison was in.

 Dark Falcon followed from the shadows above the two young women. She led them to the docks, as she suspected. McCarty and his goons were already there. A tall, muscular woman was there with him, and her own goons it seemed.

It’s some kind of deal then Allison thought to herself. She knew the woman from her silvery, purple-hued hair and penchant for pinstripes. Roxanne Biggs, otherwise known as Roxy the Boxer.

 “Hope that PI hasn’t stumbled in again...” Allison said to herself. She scanned the area for heat signatures and found no sign of anyone hiding, aside from Sidney and Dakota. She turned off her thermal vision. “Good. The fewer people in danger the better...”

 McCarty himself, a tall, gaunt man dressed in a dark suit carried a suitcase toward the muscular woman standing with her arms folded. She raised an eyebrow.

 “Not many bosses would get their hands dirty like this...” she said.

 “Too used to grunt work,” McCarty answered back.

 He held it up and opened it for her. Roxy reached in and took something out, checking it over in her hands for a bit. To Allison it looked like a small dart.

 “Fires from any standard dart gun. It’s an instant sedative. Targets hit with it are unconscious inside of five seconds,” McCarty said.

 “That’s your word is it? Or can you back this up?”

 McCarty said nothing and just motioned with the suitcase. Roxy pulled out a document and looked it over for a moment.

 “Lab test data. We’ve been working on this one for a while. You want proof? It’s right there.”

 Roxy handed the document to one of her goons. “Whether you like it or not, still just your word. I need something more.”

 “A demonstration then?” McCarty asked.

 “Something like that.”

McCarty nodded. “We’ll get that arranged. Meanwhile... we’ll negotiate terms.” He closed the suitcase and handed it to a goon, motioning with his arm toward a small, single floor office building. Silently stalking above them, Allison swung her way down to a lower roof. Her eyes found Sidney and who she presumed was this ‘Dakota’ and saw them heading in the opposite direction. Curious, she followed them with her eyes. The two women stopped just outside the old harbourmaster’s house. It was long abandoned, now since used for occasional storage.

Wonder if she’s seen something Allison thought.

 The front door was already ajar as Sidney and Dakota made their way inside. Allison watched the door to see if they emerged... but neither of them did after some time. She kept her eyes on the office building. Neither Biggs nor McCarty had emerged again either.

 “Damn it.. what’s the hold up, Sidney?”

Allison climbed her way to the ground and kept once again to the darkness. She was sure the goons would spot her on the roof of the old house. So she instead ducked low near one side wall. She splayed out her fingers and pressed them to the wall, tapping something on her belt. Sounds from within travelled to her ears inside the cowl.

 “Mmmpph! Gggrrmmpph! Mmmmrrrrgghh!”

That’s Sidney... her voice is muffled. Allison thought. She heard a second muffled voice near to her. And then... footsteps. Someone sneaking... behind her.

 Someone tried reaching around to her face but Allison whirled around and grabbed them by the scruff of the neck, pinning them to the wall. She was suddenly looking into the face of a younger red-haired woman. The woman wore black... well, barely.

 Her shirt had tight sleeves just past the elbows, with a deep neckline, forming something of a corset around her chest, her sleeves forming into a tight collar almost like a turtleneck. Her midriff bare, the black top matched tight short shorts, with a heavy belt around her waist, another around her left thigh, brimming with small equipment. Thigh high, heeled boots and fingerless gloves completed the outfit, as well as an eye mask that didn’t conceal her blue eyes.

 The woman, remaining relatively calm, reaches for a dart gun at her hip. Allison pins her arm and knocks the gun away as it comes clear of its holster. A smile creeps across the redhead’s lips.

 “Getting handsy already, are we?”

 The distorted, almost robotic feminine voice of Dark Falcon answered her back. “Who are you?”

 The woman just smiled. “Genius Falcon girl like you should know...”

 Dark Falcon just growled and punched the wall inches from the woman’s head, electricity sparking from her glove. “Answer me!”

 “The tough ones are always the prettiest... can’t wait to get my hands on you. Or your money... you seem like a pretty rich gal.”

 Allison punched her in the stomach this time. The woman let out a grunt but kept smiling. “Go on. Do that again.”

 “Last chance.”

 The woman sighed. “People have been known to call me Red Spider... and you’re the Falcon. And also...”

 Allison put a hand to her throat. “And also what?”

 Red Spider chuckled. “What? You think I know something? It’s just dumb luck that I heard about you.”

 “Say it...” Dark Falcon said.

 “I heard... you know that girl I’ve got in there. The pretty one. The dark-haired pretty one, to be specific.”

 Dark Falcon said nothing but Red Spider continued. “Oh, she didn’t tell me. She would never tell me. But soon as I saw you come here, the way you followed her... you’re... ‘special’ to her, aren’t you?”

 Dark Falcon squeezed her hand around Red Spider’s throat. “Tell me what you want.”

 She let go and Red Spider gasped and coughed slightly. “I knew it. Ms. Driver...”

 Dark Falcon growled and tensed up again. Red Spider threw up her hands. “I won’t tell anyone! I just need you to do something for me...”

 “Why would I do anything for you?”

 “Because... I’ve got Sidney.”

 “What do you even want with them?” Dark Falcon asked.

 “Oh, just a bit of revenge... part of it, anyway. What better than getting Sidney’s dear girlfriend to do something for me?”

 “I’m not-”

 “Oh, save your excuses and listen. That man over there, McCarty... he’s got something bad going on. I’m trying to take some of his funds and keep him toothless but that sleep drug... it’s dangerous. Can’t be trusted in his hands. He’ll... make things difficult. For people like me.”

 Dark Falcon narrowed her eyes.

 “So, you stop his little... operation. And I let dear Sidney go. What do you say to that?”

 Allison clenched her free hand into a fist. Red Spider felt her tense up.

 “And before you get any ideas... they’re locked in the root cellar. Under concrete. Behind a heavy iron door. Nothing but a combination lock from 0 to 999. No other way in. I know how to open the door... so you need me conscious for this.”

 Dark Falcon growled again but let Red Spider down on her own two feet again.

 “I knew you’d see it my way...”

 “If you go back on this-”

 “Yeah, I know. You’ll come back and beat me to a pulp or whatever. You think I’m looking to cross you? Falcon, I’d have to be desperate or crazy... in the bad way.”

 Dark Falcon grabbed her grapple gun. “Just don’t harm them.”

 “Again, not looking to cross you. Now go on... do your thing, Falcon.”

 ...

 Sidney grunted into her gag, glaring as she struggled. She swore and her screams of rage at their captor was heavily muffled.

 Dressed as usual in a form fitting, red shirt with long sleeves, pleated black mini skirt, dark nylons, and red running shoes, that matched the hairband keeping her shoulder length, black hair out of her eyes. Her brown eyes blazed as she continued to curse into her gag.

Rope circled her torso, to keep her arms trapped to her sides, and ran along above and below her chest. Her wrists were pinned down by rope around her waist, keeping her tied together wrists in place. Further rope wrapped her ankles, her calves, and her lower and mid thighs. Completing this was a cloth stuffed in her mouth, another tied between her teeth, and yet another covering her face from nose to chin.

 Beside her, a red-haired woman, younger than her, was bound and gagged identically. Her green eyes flashed with anger and worry as she struggled. Her short, purple floral dress, with bright mixed colours, dark nylons, green camo print shoes, and dark fingerless gloves gave her a rather odd style of fashion. As well as the tight short shorts under the hem of her dress.

 For the moment, the two were as stuck as they could be. Sidney hadn’t managed any progress on her bonds, nor had her cousin Dakota, the red-haired girl. They were locked in a dark room, a heavy steel door between them and the rest of this small house. In her mind, Sidney wondered what this room had been used for but put that thought aside, focussing instead on struggling wildly to try and loosen the ropes. Finally, sweat on her forehead, Sidney collapsed to the floor on her side, exhausted, trying to get a breath from behind her tight gag.

 Dakota, for her part, fought her own ropes but had decided to rest up a bit. After all, she remembered something Sidney had told her about the city they were in. Though her thoughts were tinged with jealousy, she remembered how admirably Sidney had spoken of the vigilante crime fighter Dark Falcon. And someone named Allison as well, though Dakota hadn’t been told they were connected. Sidney did promise to keep Dark Falcon’s identity a secret, not even telling her dear cousin Dakota.

They heard the floor above them creak and both women’s eyes shot to the ceiling, then the door, as they awaited who might be coming. The two of them could hear someone punching in the code... and both looked shocked to see a group entering the room. Led by Red Spider, a woman Sidney knew as Lily Lacroix... with her hands up and guns pointed at her. Though the look in her eyes gave Sidney pause. She didn’t look surprised by this...

 “Well I’ll be.” One of the people holding a gun was Micheal McCarty himself, along with Roxanne Biggs, the other mob boss. “More folks from back home, I take it?”

 “Mmmnnnggghh!’ Sidney grunted, glaring at them.

 “A lot of Juniper people making their way up here... I take it you must have heard about a few things... that means trouble.” McCarty prodded Red Spider in the back with his gun but she didn’t flinch. “And I hear this one is planning a surprise for us.”

 Sidney’s eyes went wide, then filled with fury as she turned to Red Spider. “Wmmt dmmd ymm dmm!?”

 “Don’t you worry a thing about it,” she smiled. “It’s all part of the plan...”

 Sidney struggled in her bonds while one of McCarty’s goons scooped her and Dakota up. She could hear the telltale click of handcuffs being used on Red Spider, who was led out of the room. With the three captives in place, McCarty led his people back upstairs and out to the pier.

From above...

 Allison watched the procession exiting the house. McCarty had caught Red Spider. There was still no sign of Stukov. And now McCarty had Sidney and Dakota. Sidney watched the smug look on Red Spider’s face from a distance. But footsteps from behind her made her whirl around and reach for the staff on her back.

 But in front of her, casually striding in, hands in his pockets, a handsome looking man with long red hair and dark eyes. Allison extended the staff and stood tall.

 “Alexei Stukov...” she said.

 The man smirked. “And here I thought I would get away with using the name Steward... you’ve heard of me, Sokol?’

 Dark Falcon ignored his question. “What do you want?”

 He stepped forward and removed a hand from his pocket. Allison flinched but stopped when she noticed him holding out a cell phone with a picture displayed.

 “Recognize her?”

 Dark Falcon gave is a quick glance. “The girl down there... Dakota.”

 “I see you’re familiar as well. Blago.”

 Silence passed between them. Dark Falcon kept one hand on her staff. “That man down there has her. My uncle would want me to walk away, let them do what they want...”

 “Get to the point,” Dark Falcon said.

“McCarty has a new sleeping drug. It works ochen' bystro.”

“Fast then?” Dark Falcon asked.

Stukov smirked again. “You know Russian?”

Dark Falcon didn’t answer and simply glared.

“Of course. I’ve been trying to destroy it but I can’t get close. A svoloch like him can’t be trusted with something like that. He’ll sell it to all the wrong kinds of people...”

Dark Falcon narrowed her eyes. “Human traffickers...”

Stukov nodded. “Blago. We are on the same page.”

Dark Falcon growled and turned around to watch what was going on below once again. Sidney and Dakota were both being sat down, tied to chairs, while Red Spider had her hands cuffed to a pipe above her head, sitting on the ground.

Biggs and McCarty were standing together again. Neither had a history of human trafficking. But a woman like Roxy was sure to up the ante on her hostage taking games she was known for if she had a tool like that.

A tap on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. She turned her head and Stukov was presenting a small book to her. “The Spider’s plans. She seems to know who you are...”

Allison took the book and read it over carefully. She handed it back to Stukov. “Burn this...”

He smiled. “Call me Alex. Or Alexei, that is also fine...”

Allison’s eyes blazed when she turned back to him.

“Not the time, I understand...” he said, the smile still on his face.

She glared down below again. “This is for me... a trap.” She said. “They’re luring me in.”

“Spider knew the bol'shoy, the woman down there, would ask for a demonstration. She planned for it to be you.”

“And what happens if I don’t show?”

Alexei put the book in his jacket pocket. “Spider doesn’t want that, it seems. If her ideas are right, McCarty will kill them...”

“No choice then....”

“Seems not. But Spider is out for mest'. On Sidney. Having you captured is part of that, I suppose.”

“Vengeance for what?”

Alexei shrugged. “All I know is she wants Sidney alive.”

“That’s all in the book, is it?”

“Well... mostly,” Alexei said with a smile.

“So what’s your plan then?”

“We use this. Let them capture you. It will get you close to them, to the drug. And judging by that look in your eyes... the svoloch down there has a history with you? I know you will want that...”

Allison ignored his last statement. “And where do you come in?”

“Simple. I show myself and offer a truce. I have been fighting with the svoloch for a while.”

“Why?”

“He is going to sell this drug. In Juniper. Uncle Ivan and old man O’Malley already don’t like him... he’s trying to muscle in on their territory.”

Allison shook her head. “So this is nothing more than a turf war to you...”

Alexei laughed. “Nyet, Sokol. I want to stop him selling that stuff to the worst kinds of people. And...” His look turned very serious. “One of his men told me he wants to show how lethal it can be too.”

Allison turned to look at him. “Dakota?”

He nodded. “Mest’ against Juniper at all costs...”

“He’s deranged...”

“He is, Sokol.”

Allison turned back to face Alexei. “What happens after you propose this truce?”

“I slip you the tools to escape. Distract them for a while so you can free yourself. Then get your chance at the svoloch...”

“And destroy the drug?”

“Yestestvenno.”

Allison let out a sharp breath through her nose. “Fine. But if you lied to me like that Spider thief down there-”

Alexei chuckled and smiled. “No lies. Dakota is... important to me. I must protect her.”

The Dark Falcon in front of him gave another shake of her head. “This plan of yours... what if they don’t take the truce? How will you distract them? It’s all so...”

“Reckless?” Alexei chuckled. “I have heard this before...”

“Let’s hope it works out...” Allison said before grappling away, leaving Alexei alone on the roof.

“Here goes...” he said.

...

The muffled grunts of the two struggling captives served as background noise for the two mob bosses shaking hands over their final offers.

“Remember, this is just what we’ll pay...” Roxy said. “I ain’t buying of this demonstration of yours doesn’t work.”

“I am aware, Ms. Biggs,” McCarty said.

They were interrupted when one of Roxy’s goons was dragged off by a blur leaping from the shadows. The rest of them tensed up, some reaching for their guns. McCarty smiled wide and handed a loaded dart gun to Roxy. “I believe now is the time for the demonstration, Ms. Biggs.”

“You out of your mind!? The Falcon’s here!”

“Exactly...”

Roxy took a moment to register what McCarty was saying. Then took the gun from his hands. Another goon fell and now they caught full sigh of Dark Falcon. The two captives behind them screamed into their gags. Sidney, in particular, struggling harder.

“This better work for both our sakes...” Roxy said, taking aim.

Dark Falcon rushed her. Sidney watched this and couldn’t help but feel that Allison was moving slower than usual. She’d seen Dark Falcon fight before. But this time, something wasn’t right...

This gave Roxy ample time to fire off a shot and hit Dark Falcon square, near the bottom of her neck, with the dart. Roxy watched the vigilante suddenly collapse and, within a few seconds, she was out like a light. She handed the gun back to McCarty while Sidney cursed at her under her gag.

She walked to the fallen Dark Falcon and nudged her with her foot. Dark Falcon didn’t stir...

“Well... I’d say we’ve got a deal, McCarty.”

McCarty smiled. “I’ll do you even better. I hear you have a... penchant for restraining people?”

“I do...” Roxy said, with a wicked smile.

“Would you mind making our latest guest more comfortable then?”

Roxy waved her men over. “Go get my stuff...” she said with a wicked smile. Everyone in her outfit knew that phrase, and what it meant. So off they rushed while Roxy rubbed her hands together with glee. “Not often I get to tie such a tough one...”

“Make sure you’re thorough,” McCarty said. “So when she wakes up, we can safely perform part two of the demonstration...”

“Part two?”

“Just wait...” McCarty said.

The men came back carrying two large duffle bags and Roxy smiled wide. “Let’s get started then...”

...

Dark Falcon remained unconscious, even when Roxy had finished restraining her. Near to where Sidney and Dakota remained tied to chairs, she was standing upright against a pole supporting the overhanging roof above them. Her wrists were handcuffed behind the pole. A tight chain wrapped up her arms, pinning them strictly to her sides. The long chain was locked on in front of her, and kept her standing upright against the pole.

More chains wrapped up her legs at the ankles, calves, and thighs, also attaching her to the pole. Roxy finished with a simple ball gag that, when questioned about it, she shrugged. “I like the look,” she said.

It took a few minutes for Dark Falcon to begin stirring. McCarty approached her while Roxy hovered around her, standing about a foot behind the pole.

“You waking up there, Falcon?” McCarty asked.

“Mmmmm....” Dark Falcon grunted, shaking off the groggy after effects... someone reached around in front of her with something and her eyes opened wide, jolting her awake. Ammonia... Allison thought. Smelling salts...

 When she tried to move, she stopped herself when she felt a nagging, slight pain in her arms. Her jaw was stiff and held open. A few seconds of prodding, and testing, and Allison realized her situation in seconds.

No surprise there. Let’s just hope Stukov is good for his word...

 “There she is,” McCarty said. He stepped forward and Allison glared at him. He smiled. “I knew it. It’s old no-name from Cranbrook, isn’t it? Went and got yourself a name, did you?”

 Allison said nothing, still glaring. She caught Sidney’s look, a mixture of anger and fear, at their shared predicament.

 “Gotta wonder what Ms. Rush would make of this now...” he asked with a wide smile.

 Allison bucked hard against the chains and practically snarled at him. Roxy stepped in behind her and held her back, wrapping a thick arm around her.

 “Funny, she never did tell me your real name. Even after all she did to get close to you. Part of me thinks she actually fell for you.”

 Allison growled and thrashed again, even Roxy having trouble holding her down. McCarty just chuckled.

 “Did her job well. To a ‘t’ I’d say. Of course, then she went and just had to go rogue on us both... well, you remember how that ended.”

 Again, Allison thrashed, Roxy barely able to contain her, even chained up.

 “Hey, maybe ease up on the talking there, pal...” Roxy said. “She’s gonna break out of those at this rate.”

 “Had to have our little reunion,” McCarty said. “Not often I see folks from back home around here. Hell, this is a nice little meeting of a whole bunch of Newfoundland folk!” He said, gesturing toward Sidney and Dakota, and finally Red Spider. “Almost feels like home...”

“That’s not all, priyatel'” a smooth, rather cheerful voice said.

The long haired man stepped out of the shadows, hands in his pockets, a wry smile on his face.

“Ivan’s little nephew...” McCarty said. “And alone, no less. Here to explain yourself?”

“Nyet...” Alexei said. “I am here to propose a truce...”

By this time, Allison had calmed herself enough that Roxy had stepped back. Alexei’s sudden appearance made her walk around beside McCarty.

“A truce? Really?”

“Da...” Alexei said. “We have been fighting too much since we arrived in town. Time for mir i garmoniya.”

“And you think I’ll just take it? Just like that? After all you did?”

Alexei shot a look to Dakota for a moment. The two exchanged glances and he subtly nodded to her.

“Perhaps we can bargain...” Alexei said. “Besides, I can help you with your little drug scheme.”

“This ain’t nothing little, boyo,” McCarty said. “And here’s the thing...” McCarty stepped forward a bit. “I know you’ve been seen with the cute redhead over there...” he said, pointing to Dakota. “So what are you really here for?”

Alexei stepped toward Dark Falcon. He stopped beside her and subtly reached a hand around her back. He dropped a handcuff key there but continued leaning on the pole.

“You have Sokol. I know which way the wind is blowing. And I know what you are planning to do with your drug...”

He shot Allison a subtle glance and spoke quickly spoken Russian word in her direction. “Rezat'?” She picked up on what he was saying and gave a subtle nod. Alexei stood from the pole and approached McCarty again.

“I have an offer to make. Your plan, to test the drug and how it... ubiystvo...” He uttered the Russian word darkly.

“Speak English, boyo...”

“It kills...”

Roxy tensed up and turned to McCarty. “That true?”

“In high enough doses, yes...” McCarty said. “Where did you get your information?” he asked Alexei.

“Does it matter? My offer...” he spread is arms wide. “Use it on me...”

“Nmmm!” Dakota squealed from behind him, struggling. Despite their rather... open relationship, she had grown to care about him, in a way.

McCarty furrowed his brow. “The hell are you talking about? You’re offering yourself up-”

“Instead of Krasnyy...” he said, glancing over his shoulder at Dakota. “That was your plan?”

McCarty stepped to within a foot of Alexei. “What’s your game, boyo?”

Alexei shot him a confident smile. Before he could answer, they all heard scraping metal behind them, the sound of chains falling to the ground...

After unlocking her handcuffs, Dark Falcon had an emergency cutting laser attached to her belt. For purposes like this... and now she was free.

“Shit!” Roxy cursed. “Someone grab-ugh!” A kick to the stomach laid the mobster low, followed up by a flurry of moves and strikes to her and the goons surrounding them. McCarty whirled around and Alexei seized the opportunity to punch him in the stomach, making him double over.

McCarty spun back around, from the pain, but in a blink he was swept away by a shaded blur... and tossed to the ground like a ragdoll. Dark Falcon’s piercing, nearly robotic voice called out to Alexei.

“Get the girls out of here!”

Even Alexei flinched at the rage in her voice, doing as she said and charging to the side of Sidney and Dakota. Allison fended off the goons around him so he had time to untie them.

“Alexei...” Dakota said.

“No time. We have to run!”

Once he finished untying Sidney, the three of them fled together while Dark Falcon battled the mobsters. This time, when Sidney looked back... she smiled. That’s more like her... she thought, remembering the fight with Night Moth.

The three of them, once far enough away, took up shelter in an old maintenance shed, with purpouse and Alexei barred the door behind them. They turned around and, inside, was the remaining supply of the sleep drug. It wasn’t much... but they knew what they had to do.

In the ruckus, McCarty had managed to get up and ran for his car. In getting it started, he didn’t bother to look back and slammed his foot down... but something struck the car as it was peeling away. In seconds, he felt something heavy land on the roof and it buckled slightly.

“Shit!” he cursed, swerving one way, then the other. He flinched as his window shattered and a hand reached in and pulled him out, the car rolling to a stop and crashing into the fence by the harbour entrance.

He was tossed to the ground again, rolling over several times before coming to a stop. He looked up... and Dark Falcon loomed over him. She picked him up by the scruff of the neck and he couldn’t break out of her grasp.

“Wait! D-don’t... don’t kill me!” he said.

“She won’t...” another voice said.

They both turned... Red Spider had broken free of her handcuffs and held the vials of McCarty’s sleep drug in her hand. The ones he had shown Roxy... and simply dropped them on the ground, stepping on them to make sure they were broken.

“So what?” he said. “I’ve got loads more...”

A hearty laugh answered him. “The svoloch lies...”

“Stukov...” McCarty said, a growl to his voice.

He and approached with Sidney and Dakota, each of them holding three vials of liquid. Each of them dropped them on the ground and broke the glass apart.

“W-well.... more is being made!”

“Not after the call I made...” Sidney said, holding up her phone.

“Who?”

“Let’s say there’s still a few good cops back home...”

“Even then, so what?” McCarty said, starting to sound desperate. “We can make more!”

Alexei stepped forward this time and grabbed McCarty’s chin. “Not if you are dead, svoloch...”

“B-but... she said she wouldn’t...”

“Not her...” Alexei took his turn to hold up his phone. “I still have my uncle’s number...”

“N-no... No!”

“I hate him as much as you do...” Alexei said. “Nyet. More than you do. But you... svoloch... you deserve him for what you have done, what you were going to do.”

Dark Falcon let him drop to the ground, losing his balance, falling on his back. She looked to Alexei.

“Not usually my style to leave someone for dead...” The fire in her eyes remained. “But I can make an exception.”

Behind them, a black car pulled up. Alexei nodded to Sidney and Dakota. “Time to go.”

“Let me handle that,” Dark Falcon said. “Hang on to me...” Both women wrapped their arms around Allison. She fired her grapple gun to a high building across the street and left the others behind.

While she was gone, she paid no mind to McCarty’s pleas for mercy as Alexei dragged him to the waiting car. She didn’t care what his fate would be. All she knew was that he would dead. And that’s all that matters... she thought.

...

Everything finally settled down, the police having their hands full with goons from both gangs to round up. Though Roxy was missing from that group, as she usually was.

Allison had brought the two back to their hotel, even doing the kindness of climbing into their hotel room via the window, dropping them off inside. She turned away but Sidney called out to her.

“Maybe we can take some time to... catch up?”

Allison looked between the two women and her eyes flared for a moment. “Sidney... did you tell her?”

“Tell me what?” Dakota said, flashing a smile and tilting her head. She winked.

Allison sighed and growled under her breath, pulling off the cowl, purple hair and all, to reveal her shorter dark hair and entire face.

“I thought you said you wouldn’t tell anyone...” Allison said.

“Well... Cousin Scott isn’t just anyone.”

“Yep! And you can count on me! I won’t tell a soul!”

Allison furrowed her brow. “You’re... surprisingly cheerful after all that...”

“Ah, that was nothing,” Dakota said, though the distant look in her eyes told Allison otherwise.

“Allison, I... I didn’t want you to leave with saying thanks. Again. Though... was getting caught part of the plan?”

Allison growled under her breath again. “That was his plan.” She looked to Dakota. “Your boyfriend is he?”

“Sure is!” Dakota said brightly, looking to Sidney for her reaction. When there was none, she sat down on the bed and sighed.

“And you just went along with it?” Sidney asked.

“Had to. He knew what was going on. That Spider or whatever was setting me up. I would have gone after her too, if I had time...”

“Leave her. She’s... kind of my problem. I think she knew and wanted to get back at me. I don’t think she realized how far that McCarty guy was going to take things.”

“Knew what?”

“That we’re friends,” Sidney said. “And that seeing you captured would be part of her revenge... I don’t know how her mind works.”

Allison took a moment to sit down in a chair, shifting her cape aside and letting it drape over the back of the chair. “Well she isn’t stupid, I can say that much.”

“No, I know,” Sidney replied.

“Likely got away with a pretty penny too.”

“Yeah, probably,” Sidney said.

Allison looked to Dakota next. “I do owe him one, though. Your boyfriend. His distraction worked out pretty well.”

Dakota tried to hide the look in her eyes. “Oh... yeah. That was really...” she trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

“So Allison... what was all that stuff McCarty was saying? You knew him before?”

“Something like that...” Allison said, looking away.

“And who’s Ms. Rush? Is she-”

“Not going there today, Sidney,” Allison said, a flash of anger in her eyes. “Sorry...”

“Hey!” Dakota said. She eyed the two of them. “Are you two not telling me something?”

Combined with her cute appearance, and her tone like she was a schoolteacher giving a mild scolding, Allison let herself smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.

“Well... fine, okay...” Dakota said, returning to her seat on the bed beside Sidney.

“Oh and by the way...” Allison said, turning back to Sidney, a smile still on her face. “We have to stop meeting like this. You, getting tied up and then me, well...”

“Well, the getting tied up part is...” Sidney stopped herself and chuckled. “Well, like I said last time, we should.”

“Once everything blows over here, we will,” Allison said.

“Like... a da-mmph!” Sidney pulled her hand over her cousin’s mouth. “Ignore her.”

Dakota playfully shoved Sidney away, freeing her mouth again.

Allison stood up again and reached for her cowl. “Now when I say stay out of town-”

“I know I know, you meant it,” Sidney said. “I won’t get mixed up in stuff around here again...”

Allison looked to her and smiled. “Till next time, anyway...”

Sidney gave a slight laugh and then let out a short breath. “Yeah, I guess so...”

“Despite it all, it was nice catching up again.” Allison put her cowl back on and the voice modulator activated once again. “You two stay safe.”

Sidney gave her a warm smile. “I think we will be if you’re around.”

Allison smiled back. “That’s the hope...”

With the window still open, Allison jumped out again, grappling herself away. Sidney and Dakota rushed together to the window to watch her take off into the air. When she was out of sight, Sidney closed the door.

Dakota gave her cousin a sly look. Sidney furrowed her brow. “What?”

“You know, you two are good together,” Dakota said, smiling sweetly.

“What do you mean?” Sidney asked, genuinely confused. Dakota let out a sigh.

“Oh, you’ll figure it out eventually. I hope...”