Ms Virtue: A Bold Beauty (Chapter 4) (Patreon)

Chapter 4

Nexxus City, Monday night, 9:55 PM…

Ms Virtue dropped down to a soft landing atop a fifty-story office building. The glass and steel tower was the tallest on the other side of the river from Downtown. She had a sweeping view of the city skyline at night, a beautiful sight that never failed to lift her spirits.

“So beautiful, yet her underbelly is crawling with evil,” she whispered, tugging up on her strapless corset, then her thigh boots. “My city. My super heroine beat.”

Bright blue eyes scanned the city again, shaking her head woefully. Her shoulders tensed as her mind filled with all the issues she was dealing with. There were bail jumpers she needed to find. Pimps and pushers spreading their misery across the land. Robbers and muggers enough to keep a super heroine busy. And now four beautiful, popular celebrities had gone missing right under her nose.

While Virtue Girl was down in Mexico on vacation with friends, Ms Wondrous and Starfire had joined Ms Virtue in looking for the kidnapped celebrities. None of them had any faith that the missing women were still in the city. They had gone missing at a rate of one a week, so she thought the kidnappers were slavers and were selling them as they went.

Nexxus City was a major American city, so there was always a few celebrities in town. Though, due to the unfortunate incidents of late, most of the female celebrities had canceled plans to visit.

“Wise on their part, but unfortunate for our city.”

Her phone rang, vibrating in the secret pocket inside her right thigh boot. She pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and answered.

“Good evening, Lil Doggie.”

“Heeey, Ms Vee,” he said with his usual enthusiasm.

Ms Virtue rolled her eyes. He was a character, but he was her best informant. So she’d tasked him with finding out anything he could about the men kidnapping female celebrities.

“I’m assuming you have something for me?”

“I do, beautiful,” he purred. “So good you might even give it up to me this time.”

“Don’t hold your breath,” she said. “You’ll be paid. In the traditional way, with hard specie.”

“Hard specie? Is that cash money?”

“Yes. What do you have for me?”

“Not on the phone. You know I don’t work that way, beautiful.”

“Name the place. Tonight.”

“Of course tonight,” he said. “There’s an abandoned theatre at the corner of Nexxus Avenue and Crater. I’m waiting.”

He hung up. She pushed the phone back into her boot as she lifted up and away. The blonde, blue-eyed beauty flew straight as an arrow toward the meeting place. Lil Doggie’s call had her excited. His information was always spot on. If the human traffickers were still in the city, he’d tell her where to find them.

Ms Virtue flew over the river, then turned to follow it deeper into the city, past downtown. Past vast, centrally located Nexxus Park. She turned into the city when she reached Crater Street bridge, and flew up to Nexxus Avenue. The Crater Theatre stood dark on the corner, while the street was active and full of cars and pedestrians. It was an upscale neighborhood, with lots of trendy shops and cafés. The busty heroine landed next to the back door, deep in the night shadows.

The door was ajar, so she pushed inside. Ms Virtue paced slowly, deeper and deeper. She found the backstage, creepy props scattered about, leaning against the wall. Ropes dropped down everywhere. The dusty, hardwood floor made her stilettos echo through the building. She might’ve put a little extra in her steps to help announce her arrival.

“Over here, Ms Vee.”

The blonde beauty veered to the left and spotted the informant just inside the closed curtains. It was hard to see him in the dim light, but it looked like the stage lights were on past the curtains. Ms Virtue stopped about five feet in front of Lil Doggie. He could get a little handsy when excited.

“So…?” she said, prompting him to speak.

Lil Doggie fidgeted, looking uncomfortable. The twenty-eight year old African-American wore baggy pants and a Topac t-shirt, his afro even bigger than last they met. He stood just a little taller, but was so skinny in those hip hop clothes. Then he grinned.

“Yeah, about that…”

Her left brow rose, even as her body tensed for action.

“…I don’t know anything about the kidnappers, or the whereabouts of the missing women,” he said. “But I brought someone who does. He won’t tell me. He insists on telling you in person.”

Her baby blues narrowed, hands curled into fists at her sides. She very subtly shifted into a fighting stance.

“You know I don’t like surprises, Lil Doggie,” she whispered menacingly.

“Yeah, you’re not going to like this one. For sure,” he said just as quietly. “But, um, here he is.”

Lil Doggie lifted a remote, and then pressed a button. The curtains opened to reveal a man she knew about, recognized, but had never met face-to-face.

“Scott Jeremy?” she said. “The mobster?”

Lil Doggie shrugged and hurried away. She found herself alone and facing the notorious crime boss. Or were they alone? She couldn’t imagine he came without backup. Was it a trap? Did he use her trust of Lil Doggie to lure her in to capture?

“I prefer entrepreneur,” Scott said.

Ms Virtue looked around warily, listening for any sound that could indicate other mobsters. Indicate an imminent attack.

“Distributing drugs and guns, prostitution, protection,” she said. “None of those enterprises are considered legitimate businesses, Mr. Jeremy.”

“Please, call me Scott,” he said, smiling warmly.

“Only if you call me Ms Virtue,” she said, taking a step closer. “What is this charade all about, Mr. Jeremy?”

He lifted a brow, waiting.

“Scott.”

The mob boss smiled and nodded. “It actually is about what Lil Doggie said. I know who kidnapped Irina Hoffman, Miranda King, Baylee Lloyd, and Jenny Michaels.”

“Really? An associate?”

“Hardly. Russian mafia,” he said. “The competition. So I’m willing to help you get the four celebrities back.”

She flinched. Really? “Since when do criminals narc on other criminals. Isn’t that against your rules?”

“I don’t like them. I want you to evict them from my city,” Scott said. “But if you don’t want my help, I can go away and forget about it. Or tell Ms Wondrous.”

She smiled. “So you think the threat of telling Ms Wondrous instead of me will work? She and I are on the same team. Go ahead and tell her.”

“I could, but it might be too late by the time I could arrange a meeting with her.”

All senses on alert, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean by too late?”

“The Russians plan to kidnap one more celebrity for their billionaire clients,” he said. “And before you ask me who the target is, I don’t know. I’ll try to find out, but as best I can figure there are only a few female celebrities in the city.”

He handed her a crumbled up manila envelope. Ms Virtue pulled out color photos.

“The first photo is the leader. Vlad Volkov,” he said.

Ms Virtue frowned at the picture. He was a dark, brutal looking man with close-cropped hair. Heavily tattooed. Lots of scars. On back of the photo was printed more information, like height, weight, criminal record. Prison time, mostly in Russia.

“The next photo is of his daughter, Ivanka. Only twenty-one and gorgeous, but she is as wicked as she is beautiful,” Scott said.

Ivanka’s photo showed her to be a young, beautiful blonde. Blue eyes. A spectacular smile. Nothing about her looked evil. On back were her stats, no criminal record. But it said she was heavy into BDSM, loving to give and receive pain. Kinky.

“Next up is Leonid Minsky,” Scott said. “He’s their driver. Former Formula One driver, in fact.”

Ms Virtue found his photo. Lev was a brutally handsome blonde man. His stats on back said he was tall, athletic, and a former Formula One driver.

“The next photo is of one Alexei Popov. He’s youngest next to Ivanka. I’m not sure if he is an ex-pat, or born in the US, but he is a Nexxus City local working for the Russians. Just hired muscle as best as I can determine.”

Alexei photo showed him to be average in every way. Looks. Height and weight. And no specialty listed. He did have a short criminal record, mostly petty crimes. Nothing to get him sent to prison. Yet.

“Last but never least, Lev Minsky. He’s a former Russian hitman. And he is a vicious, brutal man and fighter. Be careful of him.”

She looked at his photo. He looked even more tatted up and brutal than Vlad. And like Vlad, his dark hair was buzz-cut. His stats on back said he was just five foot nine, but very heavyset. Not fat. Muscle.

“He looks like someone mobsters would nickname Ox or Bull,” she said. “Great. Now where are they hiding? Are all four of the missing celebrities really still with them?”

“My information indicates that they have kept all of the women together with them,” he said. Scott shrugged. “My information was current as of four days ago, so things change. That’s why time is so important.”

“You still need to tell me where to find them.”

Scott stepped closer, making her tense up. Ms Virtue held her ground though, not showing any concern with him so close. Within her guard.

“One other thing, I do expect to be paid for all this amazing and helpful information.”

That made her flinch. “Paid? You’re one of the richest men in the city.”

“Who said I wanted money?”

Her eyes widened and she did take a step back then. Ms Virtue shook her head, visions of him on top of her, inside her, filled her head. That vision messed her up a little. So repulsive!

“No. What is wrong with you?” she cried. “You are the city’s top criminal, a mob boss. And I am Ms Virtue. Emphasis on Virtue.”

“Actually, I’ve heard that…”

“I don’t care what you’ve heard!”

“Whether true or not,” he said, smiling at her. “I want you. More importantly, I want you to voluntarily come to my bed and make love to me. So, when you are ready to do what is necessary to get their location, call me. We’ll arrange a time and place to make love, and only then will I share the Russians’ hideout.”

Scott turned and strode away. Ms Virtue gawked after him, heart hammering. He just made a terrible situation worse.