Johnny storm straightened his tie as he waited in the reception room of the former Symkarian Embassy.  Sable had told him to be here at her headquarters at 10:00 AM sharp and he had no intention of being late.  He knew that when it came to man-hunters, no one was better than Silver Sable. As the door to the conference room opened, the Silver Sable addressed her client "Mr. Storm, if you could come with me, its time to meet your associates in this adventure."

Johnny stood and entered the the doorway behind the regal man-hunter as he heard a cheesy voice say "And *now*... Our next contestant on 'The Bachelorettes'!"  An deeply feminine voice to the right answered "Will you give it a rest? This is *business*, not *pleasure*."  From the left another sexy lady's voice chuckled "Haven't you heard this guy's rep?  Dating him is anything *but* a pleasure!"

While Johnny was trying to get his bearings, Deadpool grabbed his arm and pulled him deeper into the room and walked him around the table.  In his best Master of Ceremonies voice, the madcap mercenary continued his babbling "Oh, ladies how can you resist our next contestant? Here we have the ever hot Johnny Storm... I know it's hard to recognize him without fire pouring out of every orifice, but this is how the Human Torch looks when he's 'chillin'. That's right ladies, Johnny Storm.. Rich, handsome, and a hero to boot..." Deadpool eyed the man from head to toe before he continued "Who apparently has been possessed by Tony Stark. I bet it feels good dressing like a big boy, now doesn't it Johnny?"  Before he could answer, Wilson jerked him toward the first member of the team "Nevermind son, here's your first competition for the heart of the young ladies... The mighty Orka... Size of a mountain, strong as a whale, faster than Flipper, and both the temper and sense of humor of a tactical nuke!"

The huge Atlantean snared "I wonder, Deadpool, will your healing power still work when I pound you to algae?"

Wade Wilson laughed "Yes, yes, that is as close to a joke as fish boy can come. It's sort of like Al Gore reading jokes written by Wes Craven.. But enough of him." Johnny was quickly pulled to the next person at the table as Wade continued "And here we have another competitor... The mysterious stranger, scourge of anyone with a price on their head, villain to heroes and hot stuff to heroines... It's that merc with the most, the infamous Paladin.  Yes this man is all business... Expert marksman and strategist extrodinare in the field and monkey business with the hottie heroines after."

Paladin didn't even look up from the table as he responded "There's no sense interrupting Wade when he's in a mood.  Just go with it Mr. Storm and we can get down to business in a minute."  

Deadpool laughed "See, all business. But now we have the lovely bachelorettes..." This time Johnny started walking before Wade could pull him to the next person at the table "First we have the mistress of sound, the siren of sexy sonic justice.  Once she was the villainess Screaming Mimi, but then joined Thunderbolts and while the others were pretending to be heroes, low an behold she actually started to become one.  She even was offered a spot on the Avengers by Cap himself! Say Hello to Song Bird."

Melissa Gold looked the young hero in the eyes as she replied "Good to meet you Mr. Storm. I'm have experience dealing with the Purple Man and although I owe him a trip to hell, I want it clear that I do not nor will I allow him being killed unless it is absolutely necessary."

Wade laughed "Awww, aint that sweet?  Truly reformed villains are always the most zealous... Just like ex-smokers."  Now the pair moved seamlessly to the next chair at the table "Ah, and this gentleman is not only a competitor, but a dear friend of Sweet Melissa.  As the Beetle, he use to give the friendly neighborhood Spider Dude attitude, but then he got in on the ground floor of the Thunderbolts with Song Bird.  Yeah, you got it.  He was one of the ones that turned the corner from actor to hero. Now he's Mach IV, or is it Mark V?"

Abner Jenkens smiled wryly as he replied "Actually it's Mach VII now.  Pleasure to meet you Mr. Storm."

As they approached the next chair Wade waved an arm toward the sexy woman "And here we have another friend of Spidey's.  New Yorks best cat burglar turned heroine. She can cross my path any day.  The beautiful Black Cat!"

Felicia Hardy smiled sexily as she winked at the hero "Johnny and I have met Wade. He's tight with Spidey and we've tossed back a couple cold ones from time to time. Good to see you Johnny.  I wish it were under better circumstances."

Finally, Deadpool showed Johnny to an empty seat as he moved behind their leader's seat. As he found his own seat, Wade finished his routine "And of course, you already know our final bachelorette.  Our fearless leader and the woman that always gets her man... Either with handcuffs or a bullet between the eyes. She's the vivacious vixen of that allows no mixin... At least on her missions. She's one tough lady and cold as ice unless you tick her off and then she's burn even your asbestos underoos.  The sublime Silver Sable."

Sable's voice carried the most subtle undertones of irritation as she took control of the meeting "Thank you Wade for the introductions.  Just one point before we start... If you bother me or the other ladies of this team with your inane attempts of mating then we will test your healing factor... Quite thoroughly and *most* unpleasantly.  I hope I don't have to reinforce that rule.  In any case, I hope that the team meets your approval Mr. Storm.  Most of us are quite adept at stealth but we do have Black Cat for an extra fine touch.  When it comes to muscle, few people can match Orka. For firepower Song Bird, Mach VII, and Paladin are quite formidable at distance attacks. All in all I believe that we have a well balanced team for this trip. And a reminder to all, in this mission we have three goals. 1) End Killgrave's threat by any means necessary. 2) Free any and all slaves the bastard has created. 3) Send Punisher and Ghost Rider home safe and sound.  Mr. Storm, do you have anything to add?"

Johnny nodded to the leader as he replied "Yes Silver, I do. First, please call me Johnny.  I am not usually this formal but as this was a serious business transaction I thought I should show how seriously I take it.  I got in this mess because I let my anger over what this bastard did to friends and family and that was a mistake... A mistake I intend to make right, but I need your help to do this.  Killgrave does need to be dealt with, but not at the cost of so much collateral damage and certainly not at the cost of anyone's soul.  This is not just a nab and grab mission; its also a rescue mission.  We need to make sure that Punisher doesn't get his soul sucked away by an evil-drunk Ghost Rider."

Silver took the floor again "Yes, on that note, I have received additional information that even S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't yet have.  They sent two agents in to deal with Purple Man.  My information indicate that they have been captured and turned into avid supporters.  We need to free them as well."

Johnny sat straight up as he growled "Black Widow and Maria Hill?  He has them under his control? Holy shit, we need to call Ben and Nick... How the hell did you find that out before them?"

Silver Sable's stare burned hotter than Johnny's Nova Blast as she hissed back "You have agreed to be under my command *Mr. Storm*, and that means doing what *I* say.  We are moving immediately to Slorenia before S.H.I.E.L.D. gets further involved.  When this information get to their ears, they will move like a juggernaut onto that small nation.  If you think Punisher and Ghost Rider have kicked up a shit storm, you haven't seen anything yet. This could potentially spark a military event that will make WWII look like a school yard spat! As to where I get my intel, that is as private as the information you shared with me.  I do not betray confidences Mr. Storm and while on my team you will respect any and all privileged information that you acquire here.  Am I understood?"  As Johnny hesitantly nodded his agreement, Silver Sable stood up and continued "Good, because our transport is here.  We will be in Slorenia within 8 hours. Lets get a move on."

******************

Sue had spent the afternoon shopping with Alicia.  It was an interesting thing for the young woman to experience the Perception Filter and leave via another secret exit from the Baxter Building, but it was imperative that no one spotted the women. It felt good for Sue to be out with the girl and it was obvious to Alicia that this shopping trip was as therapeutic for the heroine as it was needed for her.  Three hours and $2500 later the women returned heavily laden with bags.  Of course most of what they bought would be delivered to the Baxter Building for them, but Alicia needed clothes and toiletries now that they couldn't wait on.

It was obvious that Slick had turned up the heat.  There were easily three times the Yancy Streeters prowling the Manhattan streets as when they left.  With the whores and their children he had at his disposal he could definitely make it difficult to move about, but women we smart and took no chances in returning.

Sue has stuck around to be sure that Alicia had a good meal before she headed back to her own suite.  Alicia had to practically beg the heroine to get her to leave, but frankly after all that happened, Alicia needed to have some alone time to think things through.  The fact that her own father had made a puppet out of her as a child was more of a shock than she ever could have imagined and now she had to deal with her anger as well as starting a new life.  

the young beauty's mediations were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door. She thought 'What the fuck? Starr said no one even lived on this floor anymore.  Who the hell is that.' As eh approached the front door, she carefully checked the peephole and was shocked by what she saw in its fish-eyed view. The woman was petite with olive skin and thick black waves of hair flowing down her back.  Her figure looked like a parody of Barbie but even with the view she could see that the woman was gorgeous.  Suddenly Alicia threw the door open and growled "YOU... You've got a real fuckin nerve comin here bitch."

Gina shot back "Hey, in the highest tech building on the planet that's also crawling with heroes, who the hell do you think made sure that Sue and only Sue saw you here? What the hell do you think would have happened if Captain America or Ben or Johnny, or God forbid REED had found you?  Do you think you would have found Sue or a trip to the slammer.  Even better, if they had you, know where they would have gone next?  Slick's hooker compound, that's where!"

Alicia snarled "Fuck that prick Slick.  I hope they *do* catch his nasty ass. Mother fucker gonna wish they did when I get through with him too."

Gina nodded "Yeah, I guess he's got that coming.  I saw the data on the device he had implanted in you.  You must have been 6 or 7 when he did that. He's been shaping you to be his perfect little whore when the time came. I can't imagine what finding out about that would be like."

Alicia pushed the scientist against the wall and yelled "Who you fuckin kiddin, bitch! Like you give a shit! I know stuff about you to, ya know. You're all sugar and spice until you get alone with the man of the house. At least a ho lets the john go when the jobs done, but not you. You sink your nails in and hold on for life. You're not happy until you steal her man. Don't forget I saw you with Slick.  You had him lickin your boots and he's a master manipulator.  Aint no bitch ever got the better of him before so you must be one serious piece of work. Don't even try to play saintly angel with me, cunt!"

Gina pushed her off and returned her harsh words "Yeah, I did use him like a cheap condom. He fucked up my friend and of all the tons of shit I have to be ashamed of I don't have *regret one* in what I did to get her back. And I'm sure theres lots of shit you *don't* know."  

Gina turned and walked toward the elevator but the young woman wasn't done with her. As she got to the lift, the girl called back "Yo bitch, don't you turn your back on me! We aint done yet!" As the elevator door opened, Alicia grabbed the petite beauty from behind, but she was surprised at the smaller woman's quick response.  In a fluid movement, Gina twisted herself out of the girls grip and pushed her into the elevator.

As Alicia turned to face her adversary, Gina hit the button for another floor and said "We can play this game if you want Alicia, but I guarantee you I'm no pushover.  I grew up in a neighborhood not too different than Yancy Street and I can take care of myself. But if you want to understand where you're living now, there are things you need to know and I have just what you need in my lab.  You give me an opportunity and I can show you what I'm talking about. Otherwise you can attack me and I will have your ass sent to jail over night. Even if you knock me out, Roberta will gas the elevator and call the cops. Of course Sue will be pissed and go to get you, but I bet Slick already has people waiting to pick you up and bring you back into his little sect. So what do you think? Give me 10 minutes and you can do what you want or we hash this out the hard way."

The blond girl was not scared of the woman in the least, but she was no fool either.  Fighting was definitely a losing proposition.. for now. The stubborn teen hissed "Fine, 10 minutes not a second more."

As the doors slid open Alicia looked about the high tech facility with awe. This floor had even more futuristic crap the the med lab Sue took her too. As Gina held the door open to one of her private labs, the pretty girl moved warily into it and Gina started her spiel "I'm sure that Sue told you about the Purple Man. One of the things he had me working on while I was under his power was a perfume I used the night that I met Slick.  Its based on an analog of his pheromones but is different enough to not trip the sensors scanning this building. One whiff of this and even Captain America would be a willing slave for a few hours."  As Alicia looked it over, she smiled devilishly and started to turn to face her hostess but the look on her face stopped the girl as the scientist held up her open hand "There is an antidote I already took before coming to you."  As the girl noticed the pills in Gina's hand the scientist completed her statement "I'm not stupid enough proceed without precautions. Without this the perfume would be as effective on me as on anyone else nearby."

As Gina pushed a button on the desk, a forcefield dropped on a cabinet behind her and reveled what looked like an exact copy of Sue. As Alicia approached it, Gina explained "This is one of those secrets that I was telling you about.  Even Sue and Reed don't know about this.  It appears that your father was successful in getting poor Sue to participate in his breeding program." Suddenly, next to the LMD, a display showed the four fetuses growing in the LMD's womb.  When I examined her, Sue was pregnant, but the drugs had an unusual effect on her.  She had released not one but four ova over a period of a few days.  Of course with the life of a street hooker, all of the eggs were fertilized."  Another display lit up with the information of the fathers, including Slick. 

Alicia gasped "One of this babies is my sister?"

The scientist replied "Brother actually, but yes.  I was able to set up an environment to nurture them full term using a Life Decoy Model of Susan. I couldn't bring myself to kill them... Certainly not without talking to Susan first, but with her state of mind at the time... Even now I hesitate to show her this."

Alicia replied "Yeah, I get that one. But I think it will be OK. I know some hos that would raise them, but... I think it would be best if Starr could be their mom for real.  I mean this is like having toaster deliver the kids like pop tarts! Its not real.  There's no touch, no connection from mom to baby. Its kinda sad.  I think that its gonna be fucked up for Starr and her kids without that, know what I mean?"

Gina looked over the displays with a critical eye as she thought for a second before replying "Yes, yes I understand exactly what you mean.  You might have just given me my way out of this conundrum.  What if I could make a neural connection between Susan and the LMD?  She would be getting the neural feedback of the fetuses and they would get hers.  The LMD would sync to her current exact rhythms.  They would develop exactly like any other baby with the exception that they wouldn't actually be inside the mother's body. Eventually the connection would even call Sue here where she could find out for herself."

Alicia liked the sound of that, but she didn't trust this bitch.  The teen turned to face her hostess and growled "Yeah, and why you hold this back in the first place? Did you think you might need something to make stretch really hate Starr? Or maybe you want to hurt her without seeming like an asshole?  What's your story?"

Gina looked her in the eyes "Could you imagine Reed's reaction when he first got back from the Negative Zone to see this? They may have drifted apart but they already have kids together! Could you imagine explaining it to them? Or what would happen when the world finds out?  I've got more than enough guilt over my part in separating them! Nothing good comes of this hitting the wide open world, at least not like that.  Maybe given time and preparation, but not cold like that." Gina looked down as she sighed heavily "I owed Sue that much.  We were friends before this."

Alicia didn't know what to think, but trust was not going to come easily to her. She turned her back on the sexy scientist as she snapped "Yeah, I'm sure. If that's all the mysteries you've got for me, our 10 minutes are up and its time for me to go to my apartment."

Gina replied "Actually there is and I am surprised you didn't ask about this yourself." The displays about the room began to show a 3-D turning model of the device in the teen's head as Gina continued "Now that you are free of Slick's control, what about your siblings? What about your friends? How many kids did he tag with this shit and how many women are chemically brainwashed into being his devoted hookers? Who's going to help them?"  As Alicia turned to face her, the scientist continued "Sure we can free them, if we can get them somewhere that we can equip with the right equipment, but how is that going to happen?" Gina smiled slightly as she held up a headset hooked to an advance desktop computer "Of course, the old AIM equipment has a weakness that we could exploit. It can be overridden with a command so powerful that even Slick couldn't stop it.  Someone could order them to get the kids and the other women and run here. That is if someone wanted to help them." Alicia still didn't trust this woman, but as Gina handed her the headset the blond beauty couldn't help but think this was a fucking great start.