Bombshell - Toxic Riverside Pt. 01

"Eh? Who?" he replied, holding a hand to his ear. "I don't know any Kevin."

Could this be him? She wondered, stepping a little further into the room. Or does he have some free-loading grandson running drugs out of his house?

"Dr. Kelvin," she said a little louder. "I saw the drugs in the kitchen refrigerator, are you the chemist?"

"Bugs?" he echoed, ambling around the desk. "No bugs, I clean every day, dearie."

Great, Miranda sighed internally, and crossed her arms. Riverside would have a deaf senile old drug dealer.

"Drugs," she over-enunciated. "I saw the drugs. Are you known as Dr. k-EL-vin?"

"Eleven?" he took a step closer. "Eleven what?"

It's impossible he doesn't know something, Miranda thought with a sigh. But how do I interrogate a senile old man? She glanced around the room again, noting briefly what seemed to be a coil of rope resting on the desk.

The instant her eyes drifted; the old man lunged forward! Miranda didn't even have a chance to react as he jammed the heel of his cane into her stomach. Electricity rippled out over her body, crackling across the magnetic field. For a second, she didn't even feel it, then the barrier collapsed. The shock was painful, jarring, and she teetered back on her high heels.

The old man shoved the handle of his cane under her chin, driving the dazed heroine back against the wall and pinning her there.

Miranda grabbed at the wooden shaft, but there was no strength in her arms, even her fingertips were tingling and barely responsive.

The old man straightened out his hunch, the change in posture and bearing peeled ten years off him in an instant. Now just as tall as she was, his good eye peered at her with unmistakable clarity and malice.

"Who are you?" his voice was harsh, a bit raspy but that elderly warble had vanished entirely. "Who sent you here?"

"You are D-Dr. Kelvin?" Miranda gasped.

He glared at her, pressed the handle a little tighter, not quite choking her. "I'm asking the questions now, toots; who gave you that name?"

She gulped past the handle, straining out: "Get... off..."

Miranda whipped one long leg at the older man. It was a clunky movement but forced him to take a hop back in avoiding it. The instant the cane pulled back from her throat, Miranda lurched away from the wall, and threw one hand out to hit him with a repulsor burst.

Nothing happened.

Miranda glanced at her power belt, the energy cells were flashing red. Which meant not only was it almost out of juice but that it was out of calibration with the Nandex. Fear edged into her mind.

Dr. Kelvin stepped back in, driving his cane into her side. Miranda was completely unprotected this time and she screamed as the shock ripped through her, every muscle spasming.

She collapsed to her hands and knees, gasping for breath, head spinning.

"So you're the superheroine everybody's talkin' about," the man grumbled, seeming further off than he was. "Just another silly broad." He reached down to grab her pert round ass, still trembling in the skintight blue leotard.

Even though her entire body was tingly and numb, she felt his hand on her. Miranda tried to pull away, only really able to fall on her side. Her body wasn't responding properly, barely able to keep itself propped up on shaky arms.

Dr. Kelvin loomed over her, a grin on his weathered face. He poked her with the cane, and she recoiled, whimpering in fright. No shock this time, but the old man wheezed out a chuckle.

"Now, I asked who sent ya here," he demanded.

"No one," now it was her voice that warbled feebly. "Go to hell..." Miranda coughed, trying to drag herself towards the door.

"Ah ah, where do you think you're going?" Dr. Kelvin set his cane on the desk and picked up the coil of rope.

"Stay away from me!" Miranda gasped as he came towards her.

The doctor grabbed her by one ankle, yanking her onto her back.

"I'm not as spry as I used to be," he groaned, one knee popped noisily as he straddled her hips. "But I still know how to handle a canary like you."

Miranda tried to squirm away, but now his weight held her down. Her body still wasn't responding properly as he got hold of her wrists. Even in her weakened state, she was surprised by his strength. He pulled both arms together, holding them tight as he looped the rope around them.

"You can't do this! Get off me," Miranda whined in protest, trying futilely to pull away as he cinched and knotted the rope.

"Now you just stop yer strugglin'," he said, taking out a hunting knife.

Miranda couldn't help but freeze at the sight. His grin widened, leaning forward Kelvin pressed the blade against her masked cheek.

"That's right," he grumbled. "You just lay still now so we don't have to ruin that pretty face."

Miranda scowled up at the older man, but slumped beneath him, knowing she had no protection against that gleaming blade.

With a nod, he sliced off the remaining length of rope, then scooted backwards and turned around without taking his weight off her. There was a sheath for the knife hanging on his belt at the small of his back. Sitting on her thighs now, he crossed her legs one over the other, then began binding her ankles.

Miranda's chest tightened, as she pulled and tested on the bonds around her wrists. All the while she could feel him looping the rope around her ankles, and tugging it tight, and then finally securing the knots. Shame trickled through her, letting it all happen without even a word of protest.

Not that it'd do any good, he'd only cut me, she reminded herself. If my belt doesn't re-calibrate soon, I'll be in real trouble...if there's even enough juice left. Geez, I might be in real trouble already.

Dr. Kelvin got up with a grunt and groan, then sheathed the knife on his back.

Miranda scooted away, pulling at the bonds encircling her wrists and wiggling her legs.

"There now," he said, looking pleased with his work.

Her body was beginning to regain its functionality, not that it mattered by then... but she was able to squirm over and prop herself up against the end-table-safe. She dropped her bound arms into her lap and pouted up at the older man.

"Let me go," she demanded, wishing she didn't sound so whiny.

"You just sit tight, girly," he said. "I'm gonna go grab something to make you a little more well behaved."

"When I get loose I'll show you well behaved!" Miranda jerked at the bonds and kicked her legs.

The ropes held tight. She slouched again, a sense of helplessness settling over her. Kelvin chuckled at her little fit, then walked calmly out of the room. A twinge of humiliation flushed her cheeks.

In the hallway, Kelvin opened that security door. Miranda heard his steps thump unevenly down a flight of stairs, confirming her earlier assumption.

What could be in that basement? she wondered. I can't believe I fell for his senility routine, I knew that- She huffed frustratedly. I have to get loose before he comes back...who knows what he plans to do to me!

Miranda inspected the ropes. They were doubled over and looped several times. He hadn't taken off her gloves, fortunately, that would protect against the bite and chaffing. However, he had made sure they were more than tight enough to keep her from slipping out. And he'd smartly positioned the knots on the bottom side, so she couldn't get at them with her teeth.

Her power belt was still blinking red. It had a reset button on the high-tech buckle that would force the belt to power cycle, which would hopefully get it to recalibrate to the Nandex. Unfortunately, the magnetic fields of the belt would still leave her powerless against these ropes, which weren't made of metal. Further, the binding kept her from being able to reach the button in any case.

Miranda groaned, pulling against the bondage. Her sense of helplessness was beginning to grow, threating to turn to panic.

She kicked and thrashed. The ankle bindings were more than secure, as well. Not just encircling her ankles, the ropes were threaded through her high heels, giving them extra purchase. Wiggling her legs as much as she wanted, her feet still barely moved. And with her ankles crossed over each other, there would be no getting to her feet. Not for standing, much less making any kind of hopping escape attempt.

Cold fear crept down her spine and formed an icy pit in Miranda's stomach. How is this happening to me?

Dr. Kelvin's footsteps clumped back up the stairs. As he came back into the room, the captive heroine couldn't even manufacture a scowl. At least, her blue mask obscured most of the panic and helplessness showing on her face.

The chemist was holding a long syringe, which contained a cloudy yellow substance. His face was stretched in a ghastly grin.

"Don't," Miranda hissed, pressing back against the safe. "No! Stay away!"

Dr. Kelvin flicked the chamber and squirted a tiny gout of the yellow liquid. "Let's see if we can't teach you some manners."

Chapter Three

The long needle glinted wickedly as it came towards the helpless heroine. Dr. Kelvin grabbed a handful of her silky blonde hair and jerked her head to the side.

"Stop this!" Miranda gasped, thrashing.

"Now hold still," he said with another sharp jerk. "Or this could really hurt."

Miranda whined helplessly as the needle punctured her skin, sliding deep into her neck. He thumbed down the hammer, flooding her with a searing rush. Whimpering miserably, her entire body shivered and welling tears stung her green eyes.

"There we go," he said, pulling out and letting go of her hair. "Not so bad, was it?"

But it was. She could feel the burn spreading, snaking through her chest and slithering down her arm. Her racing heart pumped the toxin fast.

"Wha- what did you give me?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Do you like it?" he gloated, sinking into the reading chair next to her. "It's my own recipe. I combined a fairly standard opioid blocker, with a concentration of PmV extracted from stingray venom. The venom acts to increase the sensitivity of your pain receptors, while the OP-blocker completely inhibits your opioid receptors' abilities to dull even small pains."

Miranda gulped. Her skin was already prickly and hot, feeling overly sensitive.

"What does that mean?" she asked, even though she was pretty sure she understood.

Dr. Kelvin grinned down at her. "Oh, my dear," he hissed. "Let me show you."

He leaned forward, snagging her wrist bindings.

"No, let go!" Miranda gasped.

Bound as she was, and not quite strong enough to resist him anyway, the powerless heroine was dragged off the floor and laid across his lap. She bucked and whined in protest, but he ignored her, clamping down on the back of her neck with one hand, and swatting her round little ass with the other.

The sensation was jarring, racing over her skin and down the backs of her thighs.

"Fuck!" Miranda sucked in a breath. I could tell that wasn't even very hard, but... "Oh no," she whimpered.

She started to pull away, trying to roll off his knees. Dr. Kelvin chuckled, clamping her neck a little tighter. He spanked her again; the sting was so intense it made her gasp.

"Let go of me!" Miranda growled, fussing with her ropes.

He said nothing but spanked her three more times. Each jolt squeezed a sharp yelp through her lips.

"Stop it!" she said, squirming over his legs.

The lingering sting seemed to be growing more intense even though he'd stopped hitting her. His fingers slipped under the bottoms of her leotard, then slowly and deliberately pulled them up in a wedgie, fully exposing her peachlike cheeks.

"Now, let's try this again," he began, caressing her sensitive flesh. His leathery fingers felt like sandpaper. "Who told you to come here?"

"No one, I tracked you down myself," she insisted.

"We both know that's a lie." SLAP!

Miranda jumped on his lap, gasping as the sting flashed through her. SLAP! Each hit intensified the pain. SLAP! That sharp edged sting racing over her skin. SLAP!

"Stop! Stop it," Miranda whimpered, bucking on his lap.

"Who the fuck sent you here?" SLAP!

Miranda clenched her teeth, knowing she couldn't tell him without putting Buzzy in danger. Drug dealer or not, she didn't want that.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

The sting became a burn. SLAP! Flashes of white heat raced up her spine. SLAP! And seared down the backs of her thighs. SLAP!

The poison left every nerve raw, turning a simple spanking into unbearable torture. Miranda couldn't take it anymore and brimming tears overflowed, spilling down her cheeks.

"Alright, I'll tell you!" Miranda sobbed. "Please stop!"

SLAP! "Then tell me who it was." SLAP!

"Buzzy..." she blurted, every curve on her body trembling. "...It was a dealer called Buzzy."

"That little rat," he growled.

Miranda hung her head in shame. "Will you let me go now?"

Her abuser chuckled. "Not much of superheroine are ya?" SLAP!

When the pain seared over her ass once more, she bucked desperately, crying out. "No more, Dr. Kelvin... Please, I surrender... please stop..."

"That russki's gonna be awful disappointed to find out how easy an old koot like me took ya down."

"Russki? The Hammer?" she murmured. "Then you do work for him."

His hand came down on her ass, Miranda tensed, whimpering reflexively. He was gentle though, caressing her soft bare curves. Still his leathery hand felt sandpaper grating the over-sensitized flesh. Miranda squirmed, gritting her teeth, grateful it wasn't more spanking.

"Course I do," he grunted, then rethought. "Well, more like with 'em. My sedatives are much more effective than anything available commercially, so they fund my research."

"Research," Miranda balked. "You're a drug dealer."

SLAP! She bawled and shuddered over his knee.

"I'm a chemist, toots."

"Toots?" repeated a deep voice from across the room. "Honestly, who talks like that anymore."

Both Miranda and Dr. Kelvin looked up in surprise.

There was a tall newcomer standing just inside the door. He was dressed all in black, wearing a bulletproof vest and fatigues. He had short black hair and a tan complexion, with sharp stern features. He was holding a pistol-like stun gun aimed right at them.

Dr. Kelvin jerked Miranda up right on his lap, using her as a human shield. She fidgeted with the bonds, grimacing and shivering in pain. Thanks to the toxin, despite the gloves she now felt every scrap and chafe as if the rope were made of razor wire.

"Easy now," the swarthy stranger took another step forward.

"Who the hell are you?" Dr. Kelvin asked, standing up slowly, keeping Miranda in front of him.

"Name's Vic Walker," he replied.

"And just what the fuck are you doing here Vic Walker?"

"You skipped bail in Bay City."

"You're a bounty hunter?" Dr. Kelvin balked.

With her feet crossed by the binding, Miranda was teetering unsteadily even with the chemist holding her up. So when he started easing one hand behind his back, she felt it immediately.

"Careful," she started to say. "He's got a-" Dr. Kelvin's leathery hand clamped over her mouth.

"Don't worry ma'am," Vic said. "Just ease the girl down in that comfy lookin' chair, and I let you walk outta here."

"You're just going to let me walk?"

"Yup," he replied, even turning the stun gun away. "Can't let you hurt her over a bond contract, now can I?"

"How noble," the chemist sneered.

Miranda felt his upper body tense and knew he'd gotten hold of the knife. She "mmphed" and whined under his hand, which only caused him to crimp tighter. A sting flashed over her face as if she'd been slapped. The frustrated captive went silent, but glared at her would-be rescuer, trying to convey the danger through her big green eyes.

"I found you out here in this random ass farmhouse," Vic said, smug and certain. "It won't be the last time we see each other."

"We'll see," Dr. Kelvin hissed. He jerked the hunting knife from its sheath and hurled it at the swarthy stranger.

Miranda twisted, driving an elbow into Kelvin's stomach despite her bindings. With no leverage there was little strength behind it, but it was enough to throw off his aim.

The hunting knife thunked into the aging plaster wall right at head level next to Vic Walker!

"Bitch," Dr. Kelvin grunted and shoved her forward.

Vic whipped the stun gun forward, taking aim, "Shit!" then dropped it and lunged to catch Miranda.

His arms, which were solid muscle, felt like landing on two steel girders. Miranda cried out.

Dr. Kelvin snatched his cane off the desk, swiping at the bounty hunter as he made a dash for the back door.

"Sonovabitch!" Vic swore, deflecting the cane with his forearm. "I said I'd let you go!"

Miranda was squirming out of his arms, nearly sobbing. "Don'touchmedon'touchmedon'touchme!"

"Fuck, what?" Vic Walker pulled back, hands up like she'd burnt them. "I'm just trying to help."

The bound heroine squirmed away, propping herself against the side of the chair. Every little motion was excruciating now.

"He gave me something," she said, trying to calm her nerves. "Makes everything fucken hurt."

Out back they could hear Kelvin's car chewing up the yard as he made a hasty escape.

"I see," Vic said. "Standing up. You need a hospital?"

"D-don't know," she replied. "He didn't talk like it would kill me, but..."

"But he's a psychotic chemist so who knows," Vic finished for her.

He turned to inspect the hunting knife where it had lodged in the wall. He looked back at her with deep brown eyes.

"Y'know, two inches left and..." he tapped the center of his forehead.

Miranda held up her bound wrists. "Think you could give me a hand?"

Vic wrenched the knife out of the wall and came over to kneel beside her. The pressure as he began cutting was more than a little uncomfortable, but she bore it.

"So you're the superheroine Riverside's buzzing about?"

"I guess so," she hissed through grit teeth. "Didn't know anyone was buzzing about me?"

Her arms came free and she sighed in relief. Vic moved down and began sawing at the ropes lashed around her ankles.

"To be honest, I didn't think you were real," he went on. "Guess this is my lucky night."

"Yeah, lucky," she muttered. "You might've actually caught your man if it wasn't for my dumb ass."

"I collect bounties every day," he glanced up and winked. "You're the first superhero I ever met."

"Oh please." A twinge of shame brought the sting of welling tears to Miranda's green eyes. "Some heroine I am..."

"Hey, you saved my life," he said, finishing his work.

"Yeah, right," she balked, pulling her knees into her chest. "All in a night's work; right along with getting my ass kicked by some old geezer, and letting him poison me..."

"I think you'll be fine," Vic scratched the back of his neck. "He's wanted for some fraud and all kinds of ethics violations, but I don't think he killed anybody."

"Yeah, guess I'm the lucky one," Miranda tried not to sniffle. A wave of emotion washed over her: dread, relief, shame, fear, and everything else she was feeling all at once. She did her best to hold it back, along with the welling tears.

Gawd, the least I could do is keep it together in front of my rescuer.

"Happens to the best of us," Vic said, putting a hand extra carefully on her shoulder. "I let this sonovabitch get the drop on me once. Big bounty too, I got over excited and came through the door without checking the room properly. Fucker saw me coming though, hid behind the door and stabbed me as I came through."

Miranda looked up at him, her green eyes glittering.

Vic stood up and pressed the point of the hunting knife against his side. "Slipped right between the Kevlar. Docs said an inch or two higher, he'd have punctured the lung and I'd've drown on my own blood."

Miranda wiped an errant tear that had snuck down her cheek. "Why are you being so nice to me?"