Well, given the unsubtle hints I kept leaving in my comments, I guess everyone and their grandmother had guessed there was going to be a follow-up. And they were right. I didn't go quiet during 5 months for nothing! Hopefully, I'll maintain a steady rhythm - most of the remaining parts are already almost complete as I speak.
For the record, I really did try to find an other title and to post it separately, but I got lazy and chose to use the same topic. Plus, one needs to read the previous part to understand this one, so... 
Part 1
**************
It was a normal day in the Federation.
The streets of the capital city were busy, as they always were. Many people were walking them. There were the sounds of the cars, vans, and various trucks.
The weather was warm, but not too hot. Thanks to some very helpful ocean currents, the country had always been blessed with a favorable climate.
Two delivery women were checking the cargo in the back of their truck. Both were wearing the same-looking outfits: black work shoes, comfortable blue trousers, blue t-shirts with a black logo, a yellow reflective vest, and a blue cap. They were named Ethel and Carrie.
Ethel was a tall beautiful girl with a curvy figure and well-toned legs, a pale white skin, emerald green eyes, a soft-looking heart-shaped face, and neck-long light blond hair tied into a small neck bun.
Carrie had an apricot skin, brown eyes, and orange brown hair which she tied into two long stiff braids. She was of average size, with a pudgy waist and a round-shaped face.
“Where are we supposed to take these crates?” Carrie asked her colleague.
“To the pool.”
Carrie groaned in annoyance. “I thought we’d dodge this assignment today. How can pool equipment be so heavy?!” she complained. “Talk about a rotten shift...”
Ethel nodded.
“Besides, someone mismanaged the schedules. Look at that. They put some of the empty crates we use for the zoo.” Carrie pointed at a bunch of wooden crates with air holes in the back of their truck.
“I bet it’s Jessie’s fault. I didn’t even see her at her desk on my way here.” Ethel complained. “Probably taking a smoke break instead of working. Lazy bum…”
She sighed, and cracked her fingers.
“Let’s go. The sooner we’re finished, the better.”
Carried nodded.
The two delivery women got down to work.
However, unbeknownst to the two delivery women, they were being observed.
Infiltrators were stalking them, longing to divest them of their uniforms in order to perform some improbable heist.
It was indeed a normal day in the Federation...
**************
Maribel smiled as she was listening to the two women’s complaints about the ‘mismanagement of the schedules’.
Indeed, contrary to what Ethel and Carrie were thinking, the crates with air holes hadn’t been put in the truck by mistake. In fact, one of these crates was going to be put to good use very soon...
Ethel really should have taken the time to look UNDER Jessie’s desk on her way.
Because seated under the desk, there was the real Jessie.
The real Jessie who was a lot less clothed than usual; as, to protect her modesty, she only had navvy blue knickers with black borders and a black anchor on the front, a dark blue t-shirt bra with black edges and a pattern of black anchors on the cups, and sky blue socks (adorned with little planes, for some reason). The chestnut-haired hazel-eyed light-skinned secretary was bound hand and foot with ropes (the knots were certified ‘scout girl quality’), and gagged with a clean neckerchief (Jessie’s own neckerchief actually) and tape. Currently, she was silently snoozing, knocked out by a hefty dose of sedative.
“So… Are the puzzle pieces coming together?” Talia asked behind Maribel.
The reddish-brown-haired infiltrator had stolen Jessie’s clothes, and had used the secretary’s computer to change a few details of the company’s schedule. Unfortunately for poor Jessie, the impostor had also made sure to complete all of today’s work. Therefore, nobody would come to check Jessie’s office before the closing hours and the janitor’s tour of the building. For the unlucky woman, the afternoon was going to be long and uncomfortable…
Maribel nodded. “This is easy picking.”
**************
“We’re the last ones to leave. Let’s check the register, then we can go.” Ethel said to her colleague.
Carrie nodded. “Hey, we were speaking about the zoo earlier… You heard what happened there? There was a robbery. They found four employees mugged.”
Ethel looked interested. “Do tell...”
The two delivery women started to chit-chat. At the same time, they entered the warehouse.
It was the opening Talia and Maribel were waiting for.
They rushed after the delivery women, and entered the building after them.
Ethel’s and Carrie’s conversation was cut short. Familiar noises followed suit. Two yelps of surprise which ended with gurgles, as tight sleeper-holds were applied. A few muffled grunts and moans. The noises of two pairs of feet futilely stomping on the floor as their owners were trying to struggle. The faint rustles of two unconscious bodies becoming limp. And then, the sound of two pairs of heels scraping against the floor, since two women were dragged out of sight.
**************
Talia and Maribel dragged the unconscious delivery women by the undershoulders inside the back of the truck. Here, they laid them on the floor, closed the vehicle’s door, and stripped Ethel and Carrie of their work clothes in peace.
They unlaced and pulled off the work shoes, then loosened and shimmied down the trousers. The snatched the caps (Maribel immediately put her on), unzipped and took off the reflective vests, then removed the t-shirts.
Ethel was wearing a candy pink triangle bra, beige boyshorts, and light grey socks with light pink polka dots. Carrie was wearing bright red hip-hugging panties with a pattern of little hollies, a red-and-green bandeau bra, and red socks with black heels and tips and a pattern of white snow flakes.
Maribel let out an admiring whistle at the sight of Ethel’s ‘behind’, and affectionately pinched Carrie’s chubby waist. “So sexy… and so cute… a perfect combo...”
“Remain focused.” Talia intervened.
She was holding two small syringes filled with a powerful sedative drug, which would make Ethel and Carrie sleep through the next couple of hours. The two infiltrators injected their victims with the knock-out drug. Ethel and Carrie relaxed slightly, as they were falling into a deep slumber.
Talia and Maribel gagged each woman with a roll of package tape they found inside the van. They wrapped a copious amount of tape to ensure Ethel and Carrie would remain silent after they woke up. A mix of remaining package tape and small sturdy ropes (also found in the van) was used to cross-tie each woman’s wrists behind her back, to immobilize her shoulders, and to bind her thighs and legs. The delivery women were left inside a crate with air holes, lying on a side and facing each other. Their noses were touching, as if they were doing a nose rub. Maribel put on the box’s lid to conceal them.
The two infiltrators then took off their clothes, and slipped into the delivery women uniforms.
As she was tying her stolen shoes, Maribel started to talk: “Hey Talia, about our job…”
“Don’t you dare chicken out now. You’re the one who took the mission.” Talia warned her.
“It’s not that! I just did some digging, and I heard rumors…”
“Rumors?”
“Yeah. Apparently, our victim isn’t as innocuous as we think.”
Talia rolled her eyes. “You shouldn’t pay attention to gossips. I mean… Our target is a social worker. A SOCIAL WORKER, for Goodness sake! Is there any less glamorous and less impressive profession out there?”
“And that’s precisely WHY the girl peaked my interest. Because why would anyone pay so much money for a random social worker?”
Talia shrugged. “Don’t know. Don’t care. Our clients are the Supremacists. Who knows what sick thoughts go through their heads?”
“I heard it has something to do with contracts-” Maribel insisted.
She was interrupted by the sound of Talia’s cellphone. The latter read her text.
“Speak of the devil.” she commented. “It’s Aurelia. She says she’ll meet with us personally at the pool, once we’ve captured our target.” Talia pocketed her phone. “We better hurry. If ‘Lady’ Aurelia makes the effort to come herself, it means she’s impatient to get the target. Supremacists are many things, but they are not subtle. If we take too much time, they’ll try to capture the girl themselves and ruin everything. And then we’ll just have to kiss our money good-bye… We’ll discuss your conspiracy theories later.”
**************
The disguised infiltrators parked their delivery van on the reserved spot, near the pool’s back entrance.
They exited the vehicle, playing the part of the real delivery women.
A watchwoman greeted Talia and Maribel. She was dressed like some sort of security guard: a dark blue cap, a light blue button-up shirt, dark blue trousers, and black shoes. According to her name tag, she was called Constance. Her dark brown hair were tied into a professional-looking neck bun. She was of average size, but with the athletic frame of someone who trained her body. Her skin was tanned, and her eyes were hazel green.
“Hello! You’re bringing the new pool equipment?” Constance asked.
Maribel answered with a disarming smile: “Yep!” She gave Constance the delivery order.
The security guard looked at the paper, and nodded. “Everything’s in order. If you need to know where to put the equipment, the lifeguards can help you.”
Maribel’s smile widened. “Oh. I’m sure some of them will.”
Constance didn’t catch on to her double-meaning.
Talia opened the van’s backdoor, and jumped inside, followed by her accomplice. The two women shared a look.
They knew that mugging some staff members of the pool, then capturing their target, would take time. Much more time than a real delivery should. Plus, the guard would of course become suspicious if she didn’t see them actually unload the van. They didn’t need her uniform, but they needed her out of the way.
It wasn’t Constance’s lucky day…
Talia grabbed a thick rag, and poured a generous amount of chloroform on it. Maribel opened the crate inside which Ethel and Carrie were still peacefully slumbering.
“Can you help us with the heavy crates?” Maribel then asked the security guard outside with a cheerful voice. Her adorable appearance was disarming. Even the dourest people had a hard time resisting her.
“Of course.”
Constance climbed into the van’s back.
“Say. Why did you open that one?” she asked.
The security guard glanced inside the open crate…
… and saw two bound-and-gagged underwear-clad women.
“Because that crate is there for you.” Maribel playfully retorted.
Constance’s eyes widened. She tried to say something.
Maribel grasped her around the waist, blocking her arms. At the same, Talia walked next to her. With one hand she immobilized the guard’s head, and with the other she clamped the cloth soaked with chloroform over her mouth and nose.
“Fmmmhh! Gmhhh!Mh mh mh! Mghhhh!”
Constance let out cries and shrieks, but the piece of cloth was thick and muffled them. The security guard tried to struggle. Maribel prevented her from moving her arms. Her hold was firm. Constance couldn’t squirm her way free. She tried to flail her legs, but Talia had positioned herself to Constance’s side precisely to avoid such hits. All the guard could do was to kick the crate in front of her. Her cap fell on the floor.
Constance’s vain struggles were even working against her. They were making her waste her energy, and in her panic she was forgetting to try to hold her breath. On the contrary, she was breathing hard and fast to fuel her struggles. Soon, her mind was overtaken by the narcotic chemicals. Her muffled screams became slurred moans, her eyelids flickered, and her movements became sluggish. Finally, her eyelids closed and her entire body relaxed. Talia and Maribel held her as she became limp, and laid her on her stomach.
They didn’t bother with taking off her uniform though. They didn’t need the identity of a security guard, and it would have made them waste time. Sometimes, an infiltrator had to leave a guard fully-clothed. It felt weird, but there were situations in which stripping a woman was a hindrance to the mission.
However, Maribel couldn’t resist the temptation of snatching Constance’s security guard cap. She took off her own delivery woman cap and tried the new headgear with a catlike grin.
Talia used white zip-ties to bind Constance’s ankles and knees, while Maribel used black zip-ties to tie up the woman’s wrists. They wrapped a few layers of package tape around the guard’s hands, wrists, and calves just to be safe. A balled up cloth shoved into the mouth, some strips of tape, and a cloth gag were used to silence her.
They laid Constance on her back inside the crate, in-between Ethel and Carrie. The unconscious delivery women’s heads were resting on the security guard’s shoulders.
“Man… Look at that seductress… Having one scantily-dressed lady at each side…” Maribel joked.
Talia took Constance’s cap, still on Maribel’s head, and threw it inside the crate, then closed the lid without deigning to comment.
“Killjoy.”
Talia ignored her accomplice, and grabbed a clipboard with a piece of paper, and took from her backpack a spray of sleeping gas. Maribel took an other canister of sleeping gas, and put the delivery woman cap back on. The two women left the van. They closed the vehicle’s backdoor, then entered the building.
**************
In the changing room of the pool’s female employees, two women finished putting their removed casual clothes inside their lockers.
Millie and Flavie were pool lifeguards.
Each was wearing a one-piece red swimsuit and a wide short-sleeved white t-shirt with the deep blue logo of the pool on it.
Millie had a soft light skin, dark brown eyes, and black hair worn in a messy bob style with pointy tips. She had a diamond-shaped face, a beauty mark on her left cheek, and a gap between her front teeth. She was of average size, but with wide hips and butt, and shapely legs. Thanks to the swimsuit leaving her bare legs exposed, she surely got a lot of attention from the attendants of the pool.
Flavie was a tanned-skinned blonde, with blue eyes and short curly blond hair. She was thin and slim, with sharp facial features, a big chest, a long nose, and a pointy chin.
Their shift was starting. Both women were about to collect their hair in order to put on their red swim caps.
However, they were interrupted by a knock at the door of their changing room.
“What is it?”
“Delivery, ma’am!” a female voice answered.
Millie half-opened the door to check.
Two delivery women were waiting. One of them was brandishing an official-looking clipboard. On her lips, there was a disarming smile. With her curly hair, dark freckles, and chubby cheeks, she looked adorable.
It put the lifeguard at ease. She opened the door fully.
“Can I help you?”
**************
I just love it when they give me an opening. Maribel thought to herself.
“Yes.”
She pulled out her canister of sleeping gas, and sprayed a generous dose of its content into the lifeguard’s face.
Millie coughed and took a few steps back.
“Hey!” Flavie exclaimed.
Talia rushed inside the room, and pointed her own spray of sleeping gas at her.
However, the pool lifeguard was a martial arts adept. She grabbed Talia’s wrist, and made her drop the canister.
Unfortunately for Flavie, the infiltrator was also trained in martial arts. And she was better… In one swift motion, she punched the lifeguard in the stomach with her free fist.
Flavie bent forward and staggered, her eyes wide open.
“You should have chosen the easy way.” Talia commented.
She slapped the woman’s temples at the same time to daze her, then used a sweeping kick to the ankles to make her fall on the floor.
Flavie landed on her butt with a yelp. Nearby, at the same time, Millie was also landing on hers, as the sleeping gas was taking effect.
Talia raised a balled up fist. “Do I continue the demonstration?” she coldly asked.
Defeated, scared, Flavie shook her head to show she surrendered.
“Smart girl.”
Talia grabbed Maribel’s canister of sleeping gas, and sprayed a dose of it on Flavie’s face.
Next to them, Millie’s eyes rolled back. She let out a faint moan and fell forward. Maribel caught her mid-fall, and laid her onto the floor.
Flavie reached slumberland at the same time.
**************
“Did you have to be rough with the girl?” Maribel commented as she removed Millie’s t-shirt. She was sitting on the floor, and the lifeguard’s upper-body was resting on her lap.
“Don’t you come over all Princess Innocent Knickers with me. I didn’t enjoy it. But sometimes it’s better to be rough with them, lest they play hero and you have to truly hurt them.” Talia lifted Flavie’s upper body, grabbed her t-shirt, and pulled it off her limp body. “Sure, she’ll have a few bruises, but at least all her bones are intact, and she’s still breathing.”
Maribel didn’t try to question her accomplice’s logic. Talia used to work as a nurse before. Her job had desensitized her towards pain.
Once the two infiltrators were done with the t-shirts, they removed the lifeguards’ one-piece swimsuits, leaving the unfortunate women naked.
Since time was of the essence, Talia and Maribel had come prepared. They used white zip-ties to restrain Millie’s and Flavie’s limbs. They bound each woman’s wrists behind the back, each woman’s knees, and each woman’s ankles. They used black ball-gags to silence their victims. Then, they stashed the lifeguards inside two different lockers.
Maribel moved Millie and Flavie so that they would face the back of their respective locker, and therefore so that someone opening the door would see their from the back.
“What are you doing?” Talia asked.
“Well, if I was in their shoes – metaphorically of course – I wouldn’t want someone to see me front.”
Talia rolled her eyes. “This is a female-only changing room. They’ll be found by women no matter what. It’s not like they’d be seen naked by a guy…”
“Also… I couldn’t resist the view.” Maribel gave a light smack on Millie’s butt, causing her to grunt in her sleep. “I must have been a pirate in an other life… ‘Cause I just love a good booty.”
Talia punched her accomplice’s shoulder.
“Ow!”
“Aurelia and her goons are already waiting. We’re on schedule. Don’t lose your focus.”
She then closed the lockers’ doors to conceal the naked bound-and-gagged real lifeguards.
“Killjoy.”
With the two real lifeguards out of the way, Talia and Maribel removed their own clothes, put them into bags, and hid said bags in unused lockers. They slipped into the swimsuits, and put on the t-shirts.
Finally, they used Millie’s and Flavie’s red swim caps to conceal their hair.
“Thank Goodness this is the country’s biggest pool… There are so many employees, nobody will question two unfamiliar faces as long as we keep our distances.” Talia commented
**************
The swimming pool was crowded.
There were plenty of families here to have a good time, and plenty of sports enthusiasts here to train. Talia and Maribel weren’t complaining though. They used the crowd to conceal their presence, allowing them to avoid the other employees – who were too busy to notice the impostors anyway.
At the same time, the infiltrators were looking for their target. According to Aurelia’s intel, and if they had timed the operation correctly, she should be in the area. The girl always went to the pool this day of the week, and at this moment of the day. They had a precise description, but it wasn’t easy to spot her among all these people.
It took them some time, but after a while Maribel grabbed Talia’s t-shirt.
“Look over here. There she is. The one with the blue swimming cap and the black one-piece swimsuit.”
Their target was a woman in her mid-to-late twenties with a light skin, black hair, and brown eyes. She had a cute face, but an average-looking body. And also average-looking curves. (Maribel was disappointed.) The young woman was currently swimming in the biggest pool.
“There are too many witnesses. We’ll wait until she returns in the locker room.” Talia decided.
Maribel nodded.
It was one aspect of the infiltrators’ job most people tended to overlook. They always remembered the dashing escapes or the flawless take-outs of women to steal their clothes. But there were also moments in which intruders had to wait. Wait for an opening. Wait for a precise moment of the day. Wait for hours sometimes. Patience was actually a virtue, as well as nerves of steel – because one had to remain calm while also doing nothing, perfectly aware their cover could be blown at any moment.
The pair waited a little – and chased off a handful of annoying guys attempting to flirt with Maribel. Talia had long realized that her accomplice’s chubby cheeks and limbs were paradoxically making her look even more desirable. By comparison, the much slender Talia had much less success – mostly because her sharp angular face and figure, combined with her sour expression, were dissuading people from getting to know her better. Finally, just as Talia was contemplating to drown one wannabe suitor to teach the others a lesson, she saw their target leave the pool.
“Go to the female lifeguards’ changing room. Set up an ambush there. I’ll lead her to you.” Talia instructed her accomplice.
**************
In order to not look suspicious, Talia and Maribel didn’t leave the pools area immediately after their target. They reasoned that the young woman would wash herself before going to change herself.
Maribel went in the locker rooms first. Talia waited to give her the time to prepare herself.
It also gave her the occasion to kick in the shin the latest wannabe seducer, who had foolishly come to ask her where Maribel had gone.
Then, Talia quickly went in the lockers room, as she didn’t want to risk having her target leave the building before she could grab her. The reddish-brown-haired woman quickly searched the room, looking for the girl.
By the time she approached her target, the latter had already washed herself and gotten dressed in her casual clothes.
She was wearing red-and-white sneakers, beige trousers, a light red button-up shirt, and a light brown button up blazer. A scarlet red neckerchief was tied around her collarbone. She was carrying a red purse.
Just in time.
“Excuse me ma’am.” Talia said out loud.
“Yes?”
From up close, Talia could see better the girl’s soft light skin and round angelic-looking face, which gave her an aura of childlike innocence. The feeling was reinforced by the proper braid used to tie her black hair, which Talia hadn’t previously noticed because it was under the swimming cap. However, she could also see a glimmer of craftiness in the woman’s brown eyes.
“We’ve received a call. There’s an emergency. It’s about your mother.”
Thankfully, Talia was a talented actress and liar. Her lifeguard outfit inspired confidence in other people. And even smart people tended to not think straight when their loved ones were concerned.
The other woman frowned. “What?”
“I don’t know the details. Your aunts said people found out about South Window. They need you on the phone.”
Talia had absolutely no idea what this meant. Her clients had told her to use that lie to gain her target’s trust. Apparently, it was working.
“Please, lead the way.”
Talia hid a smile of satisfaction. “Follow me.”
**************
Talia led the girl in the female lifeguards’ locker room. She allowed the young woman to enter first, followed her, and then suddenly closed and locked the door.
Maribel didn’t give their target the time to realize she had been duped.
She assaulted her from her blindspot, and clamped the chloroform-soaked rag over her face.
“MMHHTT?”
Surprisingly, the young woman didn’t make the same mistakes as Constance the security guard. She didn’t waste her time with frantic struggle or with muffled cries for help. On the contrary, she held her breath, and tried to get free with efficient movements and jerkings, while also saving her strength. She was using her entire body mass to try to unbalance her attacker.
It was almost as if she had received lessons on how to react if she was assaulted with chloroform…
Just as the young woman was about to free herself from Maribel’s grip, Talia jumped into the fray. She avoided the girl’s flailing legs, and grabbed them to unbalance her.
Their target was maybe a fighter, but they were stronger than her. Talia immobilized the woman’s legs and kept a firm hold. She mentally counted the seconds.
She felt the young woman’s struggles grow weaker, then suddenly she went still.
“Phew…” Maribel exclaimed. “That was a close one…”
She was about to remove the rag. However, Talia suddenly had an intuition.
“Wait! Don’t loosen your grip!” Talia exclaimed.
Reflexively, Maribel complied.
She did it just in time, Talia was sure of it. She could swear she had felt their victim’s body get ready for one surprise struggle. The infiltrator pinched the young woman’s thigh. Their target had a brief spasm, and couldn’t help but let out a quick muffled yelp.
“Clever girl… She’s faking it!” Maribel exclaimed.
The two women maintained their tight grip, with the chloroform-soaked rag firmly pressed against the girl’s face.
The young woman was maybe clever, but she was still human – she couldn’t hold her breath forever. Soon, she was forced to take breath, and to fill her lungs with the narcotic fumes. After that, it was only a matter of time…
Talia let out a sigh of relief when she felt the girl’s legs go limp for real this time. She and Maribel laid the motionless body of the deeply asleep woman on the floor.
“Crafty one…” the reddish-brown-haired infiltrator commented. “Way too savvy, I’d even say…” She was starting to wonder if Maribel’s conspiracy theories didn’t hold a grain of truth.
However, they were in the middle of a job. It was too late for questions. In fact, she wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answers.
Talia used her cellphone to send a text to Aurelia, telling her she and her associates could come and collect their target.
The answer came almost immediately – she supposed her employer had written the draft hours ago.
“They’re on their way. They want us to remove her clothes. They say they need them for a disguise.” Talia instructed her accomplice.
Maribel didn’t question the orders.
She unbuttoned the young woman’s light brown blazer and took it off. Next, she unbuttoned the light red shirt, and lifted up the girl's arms, wiggling her shirt upward and off. The young woman was wearing a plain light pink t-shirt bra with dark pink straps and borders. Maribel unlaced and removed the sneakers, revealing light pink socks. Then she unbuckled her trousers and grabbed them by the edges. She wiggled them down her legs and pulled them off with a sharp tug to reveal modest-looking candy pink boyshorts with a hot pink waistband.
“Interesting… She’s a fighter, but she also likes girly pink undergarments…” Maribel commented.
She retrieved her bag, which she had hidden inside a locker, and took a few coils of ropes that were inside. Said ropes were white and soft on the skin, the best quality bought in the best bondage shop of the city. It was actually an instruction of their clients. They wanted the girl in good condition. Maribel cross-tied the black-haired woman’s wrists behind her back. She wrapped a coil of rope around the shoulders, below and above the breasts, to immobilize the upper arms. She then bound the thighs. Finally, she wrapped one last coil from the legs to the ankles.
Talia interrupted her accomplice when the latter grabbed a roll of tape. “They want a cloth-gag. They say it’ll be more comfortable.”
“Do they want me to kiss her goodnight on the forehead too?” Maribel joked.
She put a sponge inside the young woman’s mouth, and tied a thick black piece of cloth over her lower face. She knotted the cloth OTM-gag behind the head.
Maribel rubbed her hands. “All done! The parcel is all ready and set to go.”
“I’m calling Aurelia. She’ll want to pick her up here.”
**************
Aurelia Erikell was a nostalgic of Olympus’ rule. Talia could spot people like her from miles away. They all shared the same haughtiness, the same scornful expression, the same way to subtly wrinkle their nose at the people who weren’t like them – the ‘Provincials’, as they liked to call them. In fact, Aurelia was secretly leading the ‘New Eye of Olympus’ – the last remaining Supremacist terrorist movement.
The woman was always sharply dressed with a business ensemble, and had the bearing of an aristocrat. She behaved as if she was the heiress of a Major House, and was in truth the daughter of a fertilizer manufacturer who simply got lucky and managed to build a big company. The real Olympian aristocrats called her an upstart, but the sad truth was that she held more money and influence than them. Outside of House Eudokia, and even they were on the decline, no aristocratic House was holding any real power anymore. The only things left they had were their arrogance, their nostalgia, and just enough income to maintain their lifestyles.
Aurelia was accompanied by two goons. Two burly brutes with bovine faces, chosen for their brawn and not their brain. One was carrying a long duffle bag, big enough to contain a person.
There was also a second woman in Aurelia’s group. A discreet one, who was staying in the shadows of the two bodyguards.
“Right on schedule.” Talia greeted them.
Aurelia didn’t deign to reply. She made a quick gesture of the hand.
One goon gently picked up the unconscious bound-and-gagged young woman.
The other one opened the duffle bag. Inside, there were several pillows to make the prisoner a little more comfortable.
“She’s getting deluxe treatment. Most of our victims wish we were as considerate.” Maribel commented after taking a glance.
“We want her in good condition.” Aurelia retorted.
Talia shrugged. “You’re the boss.”
The goon cautiously laid the kidnapped victim inside the duffel bag, then zipped it close.
“Hand over her clothes.” Aurelia instructed Talia.
The other woman of Aurelia’s group stepped out. She was of the same size as their kidnapped victim, and shared the same black hair colour, braided haircut, brown eye colour, and light skin tone. Talia’s acute eyes could see however that her hair were dyed, and she was wearing contact lenses. There was probably some make-up on her face too.
Talia recognized a fellow professional, and gave her the clothes. The lookalike started to remove her own outfit without any care that other people could see her in her underwear. It confirmed Talia’s suspicions – that woman wasn’t an amateur infiltrator.
“Even with the right outfit, the disguise will only work from afar.” Maribel remarked. “Their faces are too different.”
Talia saw Aurelia’s faint pout of disdain. She refrained an urge to punch the woman in the face.
“She’s not supposed to take her place forever and fool the people who know the real one.” the businesswoman explained, acting as if Maribel was a slow-in-the-head child. “Just to exit the building with her clothes, to buy us some time.”
Aurelia sure was taking a lot of steps for a mere social worker… Talia could sense the Supremacists were hiding something, but ultimately didn’t care. If they wanted to keep secrets, then so be it. As long as they were paying her, of course.
The lookalike slipped into the stolen clothes. She was good, Talia admitted it. From afar, with the neckerchief and the purse, the illusion was perfect.
“The money has been transferred on your bank account. As usual.” Aurelia concluded.
“Pleasure doing business with you.” Talia said. It was of course a lie. She couldn’t stand the Supremacists. But it wasn’t professional to snipe at your client. And Talia was a professional.
Aurelia didn’t add anything. She didn’t bother with asking her two mercenaries how they intended to escape the pool, or if they needed help. She didn’t even bother with a token ‘good luck and good-bye’. She and her three accomplices simply left the room. One goon was carrying the duffle bag which contained their precious prisoner.
The lookalike was the only one who acknowledged Talia and Maribel, saluting them with a respectful nod of the head. Talia returned the salute. From one professional to an other.
The lookalike closed the door.
Talia exchanged a glance with Maribel. It was time for them to also take their leave.
“I’m surprised they didn’t ask to take the delivery van.” Maribel commented.
“I guess they didn’t want to bother with the women locked inside.” Talia pondered with a shrug. “Probably for the best. Things tend to be unnecessarily bloody when Supremacists take direct actions.” Talia didn’t care much for the well-being of the women she mugged. One had to be cold in her line of work. However, she certainly wouldn’t purposely kill someone either. The Supremacists’ eagerness to solve their problems with murder unnerved her. It was sloppy. Talia despised sloppy people.
“So. We take back the delivery van?” Maribel proposed.
Talia shook her head. “Those things have a tracking device. It’s best to not count on it too much.” she objected. “Besides, this building is crawling with lockers and women willing to lend their clothes.”
Maribel smiled. “More booty in prospect… Count me in!”
The two infiltrators went hunting.
**************
Lynn let out a sigh of contentment as she was tying her hair into a ponytail. Nothing beats an hour of swimming at the pool. Well, except a good old football training. Or a good old football match.
Lynn was what one could call a ‘sports enthusiast’. Thanks to her many hobbies, her body was well-toned and athletic-looking. She had a light skin and chestnut brown eyes. There were a few freckles under her eyes, the result of an entire childhood spent outside. She had thick medium brown hair pulled back into a short high ponytail, held up with a red hairband.
The brunette grabbed her backpack, and put her swimsuit and swimming cap inside. She adjusted her undergarments, then took her casual clothes inside the locker. She slipped into a red-and-white football jersey. The number seven was written in black on the back. The woman loved wearing her football jersey as casual clothes. It was very comfortable! She also put on her red track pants with three white stripes on each leg, her black sports socks, and her bright red running shoes. She intended to jog home. One she was fully clothed, she grabbed her backpack and left.
On her way, she passed near a woman with curly chin-long black hair, a lightly tanned skin, and hazel brown eyes, who was wearing the clothes of a pool lifeguard.
The woman eyed Lynn’s jersey.
“A fan of the Red Eagles?” she commented
“A player actually.” Lynn proudly answered. “Well, technically a reserve player, but a player nonetheless!”
The black-haired lifeguard chuckled. “I wouldn’t say it so proudly if I was you! Everybody knows the Red Eagles are a joke!” the black-haired lifeguard teased her. “The Blue Lions are WAY better!”
Her comment was enough to spark Lynn’s fierce competitive spirit.
She swelled out her chest. “Oh yeah? You tell that to a team who won ten games in a row? The nerve!”
Unbeknownst to the brunette, Talia left her hiding spot and walked behind her.
“You think you can do better?” Lynn added, unaware of the threat.
Talia hit a specific spot of her neck with the edge of the hand. Lynn grunted. Her eyes rolled back. Her body briefly staggered, then she lost consciousness and her body went limp. She fell forward.
Maribel caught her. “Yes I do.” she answered with a big smile.
The unconscious brunette mumbled something, but it was only gibberish. Her face was nested in Maribel’s cleavage.
“An other woman who fell for me…” the woman joked.
Maribel and Talia each grabbed one of Lynn’s arms, and passed it around her neck. They put their other arm around the unconscious woman’s waist. Then, the both of them started to carry the unresponsive brunette, as if they were supporting a wounded or a passed out person.
They walked towards the lifeguards’ changing room.
On their way however, an other woman who had just finished changing herself saw them.
“Do you need help?” she asked.
The two disguised infiltrators glanced at her, then shared a quick look. The woman was of the right size. However, they then noticed that there were two young children behind her. Obviously, they wouldn’t be able to neutralize this woman and her daughters, while also dealing with the unconscious Lynn.
Maribel smiled in a reassuring way. “It’s nothing. Just a little malaise. Don’t worry, we have everything under control.”
Her lifeguard swimsuit and t-shirt, coupled with her adorable innocent-looking smile, were enough to convince the other woman, who didn’t try to object. Of course, the young mother would probably never realize how close she had been to become Talia’s and Maribel’s victim...
Maribel and Talia carried Lynn inside the female lifeguards’ changing room.
“I’ll try to find an other one.” Talia said to her accomplice. “Deal with ‘miss reserve player’.”
“With gusto.”
Talia exited the room, while Maribel got down to work.
She unlaced the brunette’s running shoes, and took them off. She also snatched the sports socks. Then she loosened the jogging trousers, and pulled them off. Finally, she lifted the football player’s upper-body and arms, and took the jersey off.
Lynn was wearing a white thin tank top, a scarlet red sports bra, and bright red boxer briefs with white borders. Maribel noticed the woman’s well-shaped thighs and backside. She gave her the thumb up. “Nice.”
In her and Talia’s equipment, there were still a few zip-ties. Maribel used them to bind Lynn’s wrists behind her back, and to bind her ankles and her knees. She put a balled-up piece of cloth inside the football player’s mouth, and sealed her lips with a few strips of thick tape. She added a cloth gag over the brunette’s mouth.
Finally, since Lynn was strong and athletic, Maribel grabbed an emergency rope, and ball-tied the football player to secure her in a seated position, with her thighs against her breasts and her chin resting on her knees.
Maribel stashed Lynn inside a locker next to Millie’s and Flavie’s own lockers. At least, the football player was lucky enough to not be completely naked…
The black-haired mercenary slipped into Lynn’s sports socks, jogging pants, and football jersey. She appreciated how comfortable they were.
“I commend you for your taste in clothes.” Maribel said to the woman inside the locker.
She heard a few muffled noises and grunts. Clearly, the effects of the neck-chop were starting to wear off.
Maribel put on the running shoes, then waited for her accomplice.
A little while later, Talia entered the changing room. Her face was dour. Maribel’s eyes widened when she saw her accomplice’s disguise. Talia was clad in a garish pink jacket, a pistachio green shirt, a black leather skirt, leopard tights, and bright red high heels.
“Wow… Uhm…”
Talia raised a threatening finger. “Don’t. You. Dare. Say. A. Word.” she warned her accomplice, emphasizing each word.
Maribel pretended to zip her lips.
The two disguised women left the changing room. They chose to not walk together, as their clothes were too mismatched.
The impostors took advantage of the fact that a big group of persons were leaving at the same time as them. They hid among the crowd, to make sure the receptionist couldn’t get a good look at them, in case she remembered the appearances of the real owners of their clothes.
The two accomplices went to the parking area. They stole the car belonging to the woman Talia had mugged. Thanks to the small remote allowing to lock and unlock the car at a distance, it was easy to spot it.
Maribel sat behind the wheel, Talia took the passenger seat, and they drove off.
“Working for the Supremacists probably gives me a bad karma.” Talia commented to herself. “Every time we accept one of their missions, something ridiculous happens…”
“The mission at the zoo wasn’t THAT ridiculous…” Maribel objected.
“WE HAD TO STEAL A BIRD, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! NOT EVEN CASH! JUST A STUPID BIRD!”
“What’s the problem with that? Are you a speciesist?”
Talia rolled her eyes. “Forget it! Just drive us home. I want to remove and BURN these disgusting clothes.”
“By the way, where did you hide the woman?”
“I used the most crammed and smelly locker I could find.”
Maribel grimaced. “Yeesh… And you always say you’re cold and efficient, but not needlessly mean…”
“I made an exception. Now, drive.”
**************
Talia and Maribel were renting a small house in the outskirts of the city. It was a cosy place, surrounded by hedges, and with a big garden. Their neighbours thought they were a couple, and worked as traveling sales representatives – which was a convenient excuse they had come up with to justify their long absences when they were on a mission.
Currently, Talia was resting in the living room, comfortably sitting in an armchair. She was holding a drink in her hand. In front of her, there was a small fireplace. Inside the fireplace, a pile of garish-looking clothes were slowly burning.
Satisfied, Talia smiled and took a sip of her drink.
In an other armchair next to her, Maribel was playing a videogame on a mobile console.
Talia’s cellphone suddenly rang. She picked it up. She knew the number. It was her contact in the underworld.
“Hi, Benny! What’s up? Still having fun with your goth girls?”
The man on the other side of the line didn’t waste time with her jab – or with the presentations for that matter. “Talia! Are you the one who took the job offered by the Supremacists?”
Talia was used to his bluntness, so she didn’t comment on it. She also didn’t try to ask how he had learned that information.
“Maybe.” she answered.
“Afraid we’re being unfaithful?” Maribel intervened. She put away her mobile console, and approached to eavesdrop.
Talia tried to shoo her off, but Maribel remained in front of her to listen.
“I don’t care if you work with other informants. Just give me a straight answer. Yes or no.” Benny replied.
Talia rolled her eyes. “Why do you care so much?”
“Do you actually know WHO the victim’s mother is?”
“No.”
Talia couldn’t care less. She took an other sip of her drink.
“It’s Mikani Noyokaze.”
Out of surprise, Talia spat her drink on Maribel’s face. The latter gurgled and retreated.
“Mikani?!” Talia shouted. “As in the Mikani who was part of Aster’s resistance network during the civil war?!”
“Yes.”
“Aster’s team… As in the women who put Reka’s mercenaries behind bars fifteen years ago? And Reka herself-”
“- in a wheelchair.” Benny finished her sentence. “Yes.”
Talia nervously bit her lower lip, ignoring the indignant stare of Maribel, who was wiping her face with a handkerchief. “This… may be a problem.” she finally commented.
Like many people, Talia had learned about Aster’s team’s feats. Of course, they weren’t her role models, since she was a criminal. But any infiltrator worth their salt studied the tactics of Aster’s team. These women had completely redefined the practice during the civil war. Even nowadays, with the government having come up with new ways to counter infiltrators, their strategies were still worth learning.
“Plus, you also got ripped off.” Benny added.
“What do you mean?”
Talia heard him sigh. “You really didn’t know who the girl was…” he lamented.
“Stop wasting my time and spit it out!” the infiltrator exclaimed, out of patience.
“You’re one to talk, about spitting!” Maribel intervened, having finished to wipe her face. Talia motioned her to keep quiet.
“Rumours say she’s related to the Basileus family. People thought they had all been wiped out. But not her. She’s a pure-blooded descendant of Constantin Basileus himself.”
“So what? That name doesn’t mean jack-sh*t since the end of the civil war.”
“It still does for some people. Zoé doesn’t know it, but she’s the legal heiress of several frozen bank accounts oversea. Well-provided bank accounts. And that’s not even counting how much value she has in the eyes of the Supremacists sympathizers. You could have asked ten times the price your client was offering, at the very least.”
Talia completely forgot about the threat of a mother’s wrath looming over her head. Out of anger, she jumped on her feet. “TEN TIMES?! These bastards ripped me off?! How dare they?! Nobody plays Talia Agathoklès for a sucker! Nobody!” she shouted.
Her accomplice quickly retreated, plugging her ears with her hands.
Talia pointed at her. “Maribel! Get your stuff ready! We’re going to pay a visit to some cheapskates! We’ll teach them a lesson!”
She had already forgotten everything about Zoé’s adoptive family.
She shouldn’t have…
Because unbeknownst to her, other women were also about to make their move.
**************
In Aster’s flower shop, four old friends were gathered. However, even though they were surrounded by beautiful colorful flowers and pleasant smells, the mood wasn’t joyful. Quite the contrary actually…
“Police has surrounded the pool. They have found four women trussed up in lockers. Two of them were lifeguards, the other two were clients. All of them had their clothes stolen” Klenia was reporting. “And there were three more women locked inside a crate, in a nearby van. Two were delivery women. They had also been robbed of their uniforms. I’d say a well-planned operation took place here.”
Klenia was looking ill-at-ease. Clearly, she felt bad for not having been able to gather more information. However, Aster had given her clear instructions – no mugging for disguise, at least for the time being. Klenia was already on thin ice with the law, due to a lot of ‘incidents’ with various sportswomen over the years. The victims had each time been found unharmed, albeit half-naked and trussed up, but in the eyes of the law it didn’t excuse Klenia’s actions. Only a lack of proof, and Hieron pulling a few strings, had allowed her to escape jail time.
But now, Hieron couldn’t help her anymore. So she had to lay low and play nice.
“I wasn’t able to hear more. I’m sorry.” the busty woman concluded.
At 48 years old, Klenia was now officially dangerously close to 50 – something which Shayna loved to tease her with. However, years had been kind to her. She had retained her curvy figure and slim frame. There were barely one or two grey strings in her braided brown hair yet. A youthful sparkle was always dancing in her eyes. There were some wrinkles on her face, the kind that often appeared with people who smiled too much, but they were adding on to her charm.
Mikani nodded and smiled lightly, to show her friend she was thankful and didn’t blame her for not bringing more information. “It’s already a lot.” she reassured Klenia. “Thank you.”
Now 47 years old, the short woman had also been preserved from the ravages of time – even more than her friend. Her pale skin was still smooth, and her ponytailed hair were still pitch black.
Shayna summed up the events: “The infiltrators mugged two delivery women to get access to the building. They easily dispatched a security guard, then took the place of two lifeguards to explore the building in peace, then mugged two clients to escape the place unnoticed. Clearly, these women are professionals. And yet, they didn’t steal anything. I think the reason is obvious.”
Shayna too was 48. Some of her blond hair had turned white, or at least Klenia claimed it to tease her. Shayna affirmed they were simply light blond; though given how often she had had to worry for her wife over the years, they maybe had truly turned white… She was now keeping them short. Her haircut was a pixie cut. The wrinkles around her blue eyes and on her forehead were typical of the people who worried a lot.
“Muggings for disguise take place in the building in which Zoé is, and she disappears right afterwards… This can’t be a coincidence.” Mikani agreed. “Aster. I need you to use your contacts.”
Aster hesitated, but then she addressed the elephant in the room. “Mikani… You know Hieron has retired…”
Or, more precisely, some younger politicians had made it plain that, after 15 years, it was time for him to make way for a new generation. Hieron could have fought to keep his position, but he was already on thin ice, since he had many times covered up things for Aster’s team, the Vigilantes, or his special combatants. So he had retired six months ago without a fuss. It was convenient for everyone: both he and his successors wanted to avoid a public trial.
Things had changed. Mentalities too. The civil war was looking much more distant now. It had happened two decades ago. More and more people wanted to move on. And it meant that the persons who were embodying that period, like Hieron or Aster’s team, had to fade away from the foreground.
However, it also meant that Aster and her friends didn’t have contacts anymore in the government. On the contrary, the four friends were now wary of their rulers. Some of the big shots probably knew about Zoé’s secret, or at least they had suspicions. And their interests didn’t match the ones of Zoé’s adoptive mothers and ‘aunts’.
“If I can’t get outside help, then I’ll rescue Zoé myself!” Mikani exclaimed. “And if the police doesn’t want to share their information with me, then I’ll seek them myself! Even if I have to break in the police station!”
“And I’ll help you!” Klenia immediately intervened. “We’re maybe older, but we’re not rusty yet! I don’t know who are the fools who thought they could kidnap Zoé, but we’ll save her… and we’ll make them regret it!”
Shayna took a step forward, and approved her wife. “There’s no way we’ll let Mikani and Zoé down!”
Aster grimaced slightly. Reflexively, she stroked the grey parts in her hair. “I don’t know if I’m still in shape…”
Among their group, Aster was the one who was feeling the weight of years the most. She was, after all, five years older than them. It wasn’t that much, but it was still noticeable. There were wrinkles on her skin, mostly around her eyes. Large parts of her once black hair, which she was keeping short with a bob cut now, had turned grey. Her friends claimed she was still in her prime – simply more mature. And it was true that, thanks to her life of training, she was still a fighter to be reckoned with. However, she wasn’t as energetic as before. She was mostly tired. Her brown eyes didn’t have the same spark as before.
Klenia wrapped an arm around Aster’s shoulders. “Please! You’re the one who taught us everything! How could you NOT still be in the game?” she objected. “Stealing clothes, it’s like riding a bicycle... You never forget it.”
“We know our limits. We won’t charge upfront. We’ll use stealth, neckchops, chokeholds, chloroform and darts.” Mikani added. “Basically, we’ll use your techniques.”
Aster shook her head. “You two know how to motivate a woman… Fine! Count me in.”
“The team is back in business!” Klenia exclaimed.
“Remember I also come to reign you in.” Aster interrupted her. “You desperately need a mission control.”
“Like Aaria.” Mikani commented.
Thinking of her departed friend, Aster nodded softly. “Yes. Like Aaria.” Her eyes were moist.
Klenia gently squeezed her shoulder.
Aster took a small breath. “I’m not the one you should be comforting the most…” she said.
“I’m not going to break down and cry.” Mikani objected. “I’m going to find Zoé, and to give hell to whoever kidnapped her.”
“And we’ll help you.” Aster concluded. “Our first step is to find out who the culprits are.” She grabbed her computer. “Hopefully, some of the secret access codes Hieron gave me years ago are still valid… I’ll try to hack the police’s database.”
