Tom Bradley crouched low, measuring his opponent, and sensedthe match was almost over. His adversary, Whip Smith, swayed with exhaustion andglistened with sweat, having suffered several power moves anddebilitating holds. At six feet two inches and 244 solid pounds,Bradley's height and conditioning lent him a visible advantage asthe match pressed on. The crowd of over fifteen thousand shoutedand shifted as the grapplers studied one another. Smith summoned his remaining strength and lunged, butBradley ducked under his clumsy offensive and moved behind him.Smith rebounded off the ropes, and took a flying dropkick fromBradley, which sent him down. Moving in on the dazed man, hejerked Smith to his feet, then pulled him into his arms. The matshuddered as Bradley body slammed him hard to the mat. He laydazed and incoherent, shifting his arms and legs as Bradleyclimbed to the top of the turbuckle. With a smile and wave tothe crowd, he leaped; his elbow slammed into Smith's sternum,forcing the air from his lungs. The crowd roared its approval asBradley hooked a leg and covered Smith for the three-count.
"Lookin' good, my man." Tiger Jackson high-fived Tom as hereturned to the dressing room. "'Course, Smith ain't exactly acontender, but you put 'im away pretty well." "Yeah, I thought so, too." Bradley took a towel from anearby stack, and began wiping sweat from his arms. Otherwrestlers passed between the lockers and suited up as theyprepared for their matches. "Besides, I pinned him two and ahalf minutes faster than you did." "Hey, I was pacin' myself. All that counts is who took homethe winner's share." "True." "You gonna hang around?" Jackson secured the knot on hisstriped bandana. "I got a match with Crusher King comin' up.Even a boy wonder like you might learn somethin'." Tom pitched the towel into a hamper, then shook his head."Nah, I'm gonna shower and go home. I wanna catch my highlightson ESPN." "Whatever. Later, buddy." Jackson waved and left thedressing room. Bradley slipped out of his tights and boots, and wrappedhimself in a fresh towel. Though he'd won the match, Smith'sinitially vigorous performance had left him looking forward to astrong water massage. He was nearly to the showers when a voicebehind him called out, "Bradley." He turned, a little annoyed at being stopped short of hisdestination. Leonard Harris, match promoter and notoriously poordresser, shook a handful of contracts at him and said, "You weresharp out there, Tom. You got potential." "I've got more than potential, Harris, and you know it. Ifyou'd set me up with someone important for a change, the rest ofthe world would know it, too." Harris straightened the lapel on his polyester sportjacket,and walked closer. "Yeah, well, that's what I'm here to talkabout," he said, lowering his voice. "See, the fans are warm toyou right now, and I know you can pull a good crowd. Most of thesingles titleholders are booked up for a while, though--" "Then why are you talking to me? I'm tired of waiting." He held out his hands in a "keep it down" gesture, thenleaned closer. "Let me finish. The singles belts are busy, butI can probably swing a tag team match with the state titlists.If you're interested, that is." "Tag team?" Tom shifted on his feet, a little surprised."I don't have a partner." "Find one. Unless you'd rather--" "I'll get a partner. And I'll take the shot." Harris gave the kind of smile Bradley associated with usedcar salesmen, just after they'd locked their jaws on a choicedeal. "Great. Just understand that I can't wait around forever.I need you and your partner to sign the papers by next Tuesday." "No problem." They shook hands; Harris' palms were characteristicallydamp. "I'll be waiting. You got my card." As steamimg water beat down on his body, Bradley consideredhis options. Being new to the area, he hadn't acquainted himselfwith many wrestlers, leaving him with a small pool to choosefrom. The ones he knew were committed to other partners, or justnot good enough to credibly challenge for the title. Thechampions, a pair of intimidating masked men called theMarauders, were rampaging through the region like a force ofnature, and the chance of generating a successful team strategywith a near-complete stranger was slim. Troubled with these thoughts, he re-dressed and left thearena, to the private parking facility to the rear. He stoppednext to a weather-beaten Mazda and fumbled around for his keys.The thought of a title match pleased him for more than justprofessional reasons; after all, he'd make more money from achampionship loss than he would from a win over a lesser-qualitysingles opponent. He might even be able to buy a newer used carafter the bout. Bradley looked up as a sleek black Lamborghini rolled towardhim, its engine purring with restrained power. He passed alingering glance over the glossy, aerodynamic countours of itsbody, and hoped he'd one day know the special thrill of owning soelegant--and expensive--a vehicle. It slowed as it neared, thenstopped behind his car, blocking him in. He pulled his duffle strap higher onto his shoulder as thecar shut off, and the door on the driver's side slid up and open.A strikingly beautiful woman emerged, and turned toward him. Herheight struck him at once--she was eye-to-eye with him in herheels--as did her strong, well-toned physique. The neckline ofher skintight miniskirt was cut for a suggestive peek at herample cleavage. "Mr. Bradley?" He smiled. "That's me. What can I do for you?" She walked to him, the heels of her hip-high boots clackingon the asphalt, and extended a hand. "Hello. My name is AvaWinchester. I've been looking forward to meeting you." Her grip was surprisingly strong. "Thanks. I'm flattered." She looked away briefly, a cool summer breeze playingthrough her thick brown hair, before meeting his eyes again. "Isaw your match tonight, and I'd like to compliment you on thevictory. You were impressive." "Thanks again. I'm happy with it." The more he examinedAva's delicate face, and her strong, supple body, the more hehoped he'd be occupied with something more interesting thanSportsCenter that evening. "Nice car." "Thank you." "I don't guess you'd consider a trade." He patted the roofof his Mazda, and said, "With a paint job and a rebuilt engine,this one would get you around." She smiled, her brown eyes sparkling in the glow of theoverhead halogen light. "I'll pass." An awkward silencefollowed, as she fumbled with her hands and exhaled. Heconsidered asking her out for a drink, but decided to wait untilshe'd made her intentions plain. He could tell she wasn't agroupie, but he doubted her sole reason for approaching him wasto praise his victory. "Mr. Bradley," she said finally, claspingher hands. "You're probably going to laugh at what I'm about tosuggest, but I have an offer for you to consider." Tom didn't like the sound of her statement. He'd heard thesame thing too often from well-meaning churchgoers trying to herdin the strays. "Offer away." "I'd like to wrestle you at my private facility, and foreach pin you win, I'll pay you one million dollars." Tom smiled, slightly dumbstruck. This was more like theindecent proposal he'd been hoping for. "Wrestle me? What doyou mean?" "Just what I said. I have a wrestling ring on my grounds,and I'd like to compete with you. All the moves and rules you'reused to would apply." He considered what she'd just said: that she wanted to facehim in real wrestling competition, and that she'd pay him sevenfigures for every pin he won. His dates often used playfulGreco-Roman freestyle action as foreplay--matches he enjoyedletting his girlfriends win--but Ava was calmly discussing ahead-to-head confrontation of a coldly professional kind. Tomdecided that this woman needed to be kept away from safetyscissors. "Miss Winchester--" "Please, call me Ava," she said. "Right. Ava, either you've got an Uncle that thinks he'sNapolean, or you've got more money than good sense. I mean, I'llbe happy to lose a few on purpose, but for a million bucks afall...hell, I'd pin my own mother for that much." Ava seemed unfazed. "Mr. Bradley--" "Please, call me Tom." "Fine. You may rest assured of three things, Tom. First, Iam not deluded, psychotic, or otherwise mentally impaired.Second, I'm a primary shareholder in Amatech Conglomerated, andhave more money in one mutual fund than you could collect in anevening of pins. Finally, I intend to prevent you fromcollecting any of the money." He scratched the back of his head, trying to decide whetherto roll around with her for the sheer lewd thrill of it, or to bekind and send her elsewhere. Tom's id and superego clashedmomentarily, his libido prodding him to leap at the opportunity,and his conscience wagging a finger of still-unresolved Catholicguilt; he sighed as his conscience won the fall. "Ava," he saidfinally, "You're a beautiful woman. Correction: you're the moststunningly attractive woman I've ever met. And if you'd asked meto dinner or out for coffee, I'd've jumped at the chance. But,I'd feel too much like I was taking advantage of you. I knowsome female wrestlers, maybe I could introduce you to them and--" She moved her left hand from behind her--he hadn't noticed,but she'd kept it obscured the whole time--and held out anenvelope fat with something square. She dropped it on top of hiscar with a thud. "That's ten thousand dollars, Tom. Just for showing up." Tom blinked, regarding the envelope cautiously. He figuredit wouldn't hurt to count it, and picked it up. The money wasthere, in hundreds, all the bills crisp from the mint. In hismind, greed nailed conscience from behind with a metal foldingchair. She stepped closer, her face deadpan. "I'm serious aboutthis. You're a good wrestler, and I'd like to face you. Youhave nothing to lose, and immense wealth to gain." "Well," he said, re-sealing the envelope, "If somebody putyou up to this, then they're out ten thousand bucks. I might aswell see this through." She smiled, and Tom saw a hint of something dangerous."Excellent. I'm looking forward to it." She gestured to hercar, and said, "I'll be happy to take you there." Tom was thrilled. Not only was he going to grapple withthis exquisite woman, but he was also going to ride in herexquisite car as well. Money, a gorgeous woman, wrestling...thewhole thing was twisted and oddly exciting. "Can I drive?" "I don't think so."
The drive to Ava's home went without incident, and theypassed the time chatting about the weather and the recentfortunes of other wrestlers. She surprised him with astuteobservations on move strategy, and realized she was more thanjust a casual fan with a peculiar fetish. They arrived at herestate half an hour later, in a secluded, wooded area thatbordered the ocean. She fed a keycard into a slot at theoutskirts of her property, and a wrought-iron gate lifted and letthem through. The road twisted through the surrounding forestfor at least half a mile, before terminating in a circular driveadjacent to her villa. The three-story mansion was a pillared,ornate fusion of classic architecture and modern streamlining,its intricate detail and proximity to the rolling surf making itimpossible for him to guess at it's cost. "Nice digs," he said, closing the Lamborghini's passengerside door. "Didn't I see Robin Leach here once?" "Absolutely not." She aimed her alarm remote at the car,and it chirped obediently. "He eats too much, and I don't likecameras." She gave him a short tour of the home, leading him throughroom after room of sculpture, priceless paintings, and ornatefixtures that put most galleries to shame. It made him wishshe'd painted a yellow line on the floor for visitors to follow.One false move would send him tumbling into financial ruin. "Relax," she said, and took his arm in hers. "This isn'tSachs. I won't hold you liable if you knock something over." "That's nice to know," he said, his head craning for abetter view of a Dali original. They stopped as a maid walked in from an adjacent hallway,heels clacking on the tiled floor. She was a frosted blonde,wearing a short servant girl skirt and black hose. Her fair hairand bright blue eyes were offset by a perfect tan. "You'reback," she said, and looked at Tom; he evaluated her delicatefeatures and well-curved physique, and pronounced her Ava'sequal. Looking him up and down with a sly smile, she asked, "Isthis the man you were talking about?" "Yes. Tom, this is Anna, my maid. She's the only permanentstaff I have here." He took her hand, and gave her fingers a light kiss."Charmed." Anna giggled. "Will you be going straight to thegymnasium?" "That depends on Mr. Bradley." Ava looked at him, and said,"Are you tired after you match? I can put you up for the eveningif you'd like." Tom considered her offer, but decided that the sooner theywere rolling around together, the better. And if Anna were tojoin in.... "Nah, I've had plenty of time to rest. I might needsomething fresh to wrestle in, though." "Not to worry," said Anna. "We've fresh togs for you towear. You're a size twelve boot, aren't you?" "That's right." "Then follow me," said Ava. "I'm anxious to begin."
The boots, kneepads, and tights were a perfect fit. Afterchanging, he was led to the east wing, where he found a two-storycomplex equipped with free weights, resistance machines, aerobicdevices--a private training facility of unsurpassed quality.Behind the weights was a half-court for basketball, and adjacentto that was a wrestling ring. "I don't believe it," he said, as they guided him to thering. "Somebody must've drugged my coffee or something. I mean,look at all this." "Trust me," said Ava, as he ran a hand down the cold metalcornerpost, and along the ring apron. "You're perfectly lucid."He noticed her studying him, smiling slightly, leading him towonder if there weren't hiding an ulterior motive after all. "Look," he said, making a final attempt to reconcile hisknowledge that she was unfairly overmatched. "Have you beentraining with anyone? Or should I show you a few basics?" "Anna and I train every day. We've become quite even in ourmatchups, so I thought it might be time to try a male opponent." "Just thought I'd ask." "I'm going to change now. Go ahead and get familiar withthe ring--it should be what you're used to." He felt compelledto watch her sway from side to side as she walked away.
He spent some minutes testing the flexibility of the ropes,and practicing a few rolls to feel the give of the mat.Satisfied that the ring was regulation, he began limbering up.Anna came to the ring first, dressed in a black high-cut pelvicleotard--thong-backed, to his delight-- and a matching half-top.Her thick blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. "Hi," she said, stepping into the ring. "Hi." Anna's beauty was breathtaking, and he had to make aneffort to compose himself. His tights wouldn't do much to maskhis true intentions. "I'm the referee," she said. "Oh, okay. I hope you're not gonna play favorites." "Don't worry. I'll be impartial." "I should hope so." The voice was Ava's. She was walkingtoward them, wearing a black interlaced posing suit, which leftall but her breasts and lower body exposed. It was cut to thewaist on the sides, and dipped low in front. Her full, raisedbreasts were barely concealed. Matching boots and kneepadscompleted the ensemble. "Mr. Bradley will certainly need animpartial official." She bounded onto the apron, and leaped overthe ropes. He noticed that the rear coverage of the suit wasequally minimal. Tom took a deep breath, and shook his head. "Goddamn it,what are you trying to do to me here? How can I possiblyconcentrate? I mean, you're both--both just--oh, man...." "Relax." Ava ran her hands over her breasts, down herchiseled midsection. He decided that she and Anna were builtprecisely to his tastes: they were tall, strong, and athletic,with lean physiques and ample feminine curves as well. "You'llhave other things on your mind once we've started. Likesurviving." She moved toward him. "Let's go." He shrugged, and backed up a few steps, where they began tocircle one another. Anna withdrew to a nearby corner, and leanedover to watch, her hands on her knees. Ava's face becamefocused, her eyes never straying from his, her body tense. They locked up, collar and elbow, and he moved first, goingbehind her and embracing her waist. He lifted her and broughther to her knees, where he forced her to her stomach. Hisintention was to use only mat wrestling, and to immobilize herwith some simple holds. He wanted to reduce her pain andsuffering as much as possible, while getting at least one pin.Or a few. Or ten, if she were still game.... Her body twisted in his arms, and she broke free. Rollingto the side, she jumped lightly to her feet, and crouched low. "Excellent," he said, grinning. "You got out fast." "Don't patronize me," she said, and they locked up again. It was her turn to move first: she slid behind him andjerked his arm into a hammerlock. He winced; the move sent sharppain through his shoulder, much more than he'd expected. Turning him in place, she took him under his body and aroundhis neck, and--to his shock--lifted him into her arms with ease.A second later, she was holding him high above her head, her armsfully extended, supporting him with no apparent difficulty. "I told you I was serious," she said, and then pulled himback to her; turning with his downward momentum, she spun andpower-slammed him to the mat. Dazed and shaken by the press-slam, he was vaguely aware ofher dropping astride his chest, and of Anna delivering a three-count. Ava lightly patted his cheek, to bring him back tocoherence. "Hello," she said, a sly smile on her face. "Are you sureyou're up for this?" He shook his head, trying to clear it, as she stepped backand pulled him to stand. "How...how in the hell did you dothat?" Ava winked at Anna. "The mechanics of the move are prettysimple, Tom. If you'd like another demonstration--" "Never mind," he said. He re-gained some stability, thensaid, "Okay, let's do this again." They came to grips, and she shot a knee into his midsection,bowling him over. Ava lifted him up and slammed him down, thenlaunched into the ropes as he lay prone. She leaped on therebound--gaining easily ten feet in height--and landed across himwith her body. She followed this with a succession of elbowdrops, punishing his chest and sternum. He lay helpless, more pain lancing through him than he'd yetfelt in his professional career. She stood and paced around him,considering her next move. "You can pin him again, probably," said Anna. "Probably. But I'm not through yet." She pulled him tostand; he wobbled on his feet, still disoriented. She flew offthe ropes again, then jumped and brought him down with a flyingclothesline. He twitched as she slid over his chest once more,and was counted out. He came to a few minutes later, coughing and weak, barelyable to roll to his side. Ava lay beside him, propped on anelbow, one eyebrow raised. "You're back. I was beginning towonder." He struggled to sit up, and rubbed his neck. "I--I don'tget this...." "What's to get? You're getting your ass kicked." "Thanks." He staggered against the ropes momentarily,before managing to right himself unassisted. Anna looked at himclosely, trying to gauge his condition. She asked, "Are you okay? Are you hurt or anything?" He winced at the throbbing pain in his midsection and neck,and felt like he'd just survived a high-speed wreck--barely."I'm fine. C'mon, let's go again." Ava shrugged and rolled up, her movements now loose,confident. A sinking feeling set in that he was trapped, thatshe'd used his libido and overconfidence to get him into thering, and that now he was paying the price for underestimatingher skills. His mind raced as he tried to grasp the implicationsof what was happening: excuses aside, Ava was dominating theencounter, something he'd never expected to happen. He'd seenthe news reports about the Dominion virus--a strange, suddenphenomenon that had vastly enhanced the bodies and muscle qualityof the world's female population--but had only considered thecosmetic implications. A world of tall, athletic, shapelyfemales seemed like a libidinous dream, but he'd scarcelyrealized the broader implications. The match had gone beyond themere opportunity for financial gain: if he didn't establish acredible presence, the match might represent a shift in genderdominance world wide, something he was surprisingly uncomfortablewith. He steeled himself, determined to take control of thematch. They circled again, Tom's body still aching from her priorattack, before moving to lock up. His forearm thumped the sideof her head, and he followed this with an arm bar. He tossed herto her back and fell to his knees, cinching in the lock, tryingto slow her and recover some endurance. She quickly rolled tostand, decreasing his leverage, then forced him slowly,deliberately, back into the ropes. Anna ordered them to break,and Tom grudgingly released her arm. She swung a clothesline at him, and he reflexively duckedand rushed to one side. He jumped and hit her with a flyingdropkick, which staggered her back, then whipped her across thering. On the return, he landed a reverse flying elbow, whichsent her down. With momentum finally on his side, he jumped,targeting her forehead with his knee. Unexpectedly, she rolledaway, and his knee met the mat with painful force. She grippedhis ankle and cinched in a leglock, twisting his knee withalarming force. He groaned as she cinched the move in. Annadropped to one knee beside him, ready to accept a submissionshould he offer one. Ava dragged him to ring center, where she stepped over hisleg, then fell back and locked in a figure four. He flailed hisarms, pain lancing through his weakened knee, as Ava appliedbrutal pressure to the joint. He fought to maintainconciousness, before his vision spun, blurred, then faded. When he came to, Anna was massaging his leg, feeling it fordeformities. "Seems okay," said Anna. "I don't think anything'sbroken." "That's good," said Ava, a predatory smile on her lips."I'm not through with him yet." He ignored her remark, and tried unsuccessfully to sit up.Ava dropped and slid to him, and wrapped her legs around hischest, just under his arms. The air rushed from his constrictedbody as she rolled to her knees, sat down on his side, andtightened the hold. Her breath came in shuddering gasps, eyesfluttering as erotic warmth pulsed over her from within. Shecupped her breasts and stroked her fingers over her visiblystiffened nipples, no longer content to suppress the sensationsshe felt. Biting her lower lip, she moaned as her arousalintensified, and alternated the pressure between a death grip andsomething she felt he could tolerate. Try as he might, he couldneither roll her off nor pry her python-like legs away. He washelpless to prevent her from squeezing the life out of him. "Poor guy," Anna sighed. "I hope there's something left forme. Ava, I don't think he can signal a submission--" "Good." Ava lifted one of his faltering arms, and lickedand nibbled his fingertips. The burning heat washing over her reached a fever peak, andshe decided to terminate the encounter with her favorite hold.She opened her legs, allowing him to roll prone, then movedforward to lay on her side. Holding the back of his head, shepulled his face against her lower body, then slowly, agonizingly,clamped her legs around his skull and interlaced her ankles. Shewrithed and bucked in time with her sexual rhythms, lower backarched, breasts jutting out, glistening with a sheen ofperspiration as she squealed and screamed with each passingclimax. The sensation of his head trapped between her thighs, ofhis face crushed against her sex brought her to frequent,sustained orgasm of incredible intensity. Tom grit his teeth andgroaned as she abused him, too weak to resist. As his visionclouded into a field of flashing points, he realized he'd beencompletely dominated, and that the world--and his perception ofit--would never be the same.
"He's coming around," he heard Anna say, as he drifted backto conciousness. "Yes, but I think he's had enough. I don't want to riskinjuring him permanently." Tom opened his mouth to speak, but all that emerged was ahoarse gasp. He lacked the energy to lift any part of his bodyfrom the mat. He felt them unlacing his boots, and they slid them off,followed by his kneepads. Ava asked, "How do you feel?" "B-bad," he groaned. "Real bad." "Don't worry," she said. "You won't be going anywhere for awhile." After what he'd just gone through, and the humiliation bornefrom it, Tom wished they'd dump him by the side of the road,rather than keep him around. If they had some strange snuffclimax planned, he was helpless to prevent it, and hoped that hiscorpse would be identifiable if it washed ashore. Ava crawled over him, and sat across his stomach, stilltingling with arousal. Anna reached to behind Ava's top, andunclasped it; it dropped away, revealing her perfect breasts."I'll admit that I called you here for more than athleticpurposes, Tom," she said, sliding her hands over the warm skin ofhis ribs and chest. She lowered over him, and pressed the stiffpoints of her nipples against his pectorals. "I've wanted you atmy mercy since I first saw you wrestle. You didn't win any pins,but you do get the consolation prize." Her lips met his warmly,passionately, her tongue working into his mouth. The kisslingered for some moments, before she parted. They pulled away his trunks, then slowly, sensuously removedtheir clothing. In spite of his fatigue and exhaustion, he wasno less overwhelmed by the sight of them. They crawled to wherehe lay, and stroked and fondled him, their lips, hands, andbodies sliding over him and eliciting instant response. Working in tandem, Ava and Anna used Tom in everyconceivable way, losing all control in their passions. Theyenjoyed their union for long hours, alternating between tendercaresses and erotic frenzy, leaving him coated with sweat andtheir fluids. Satisfied and exhausted, they carried Tom from thering, to molest and caress him in the hot tub. They concludedthe evening by depositing him in a guest bedroom, where theydropped onto him and fell to sleep.
He awoke to find Ava atop him, riding his post-sleeperection. She snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him."Good morning," she said. Tom returned her embrace. It was good, he decided, to bescrewed awake by a beautiful woman. "Where's Anna?" "She's making us breakfast. And she's getting an icepackfor your knee, to prevent any swelling." "Better make that an ice tub. I'm gonna need total-bodytherapy." Ava squealed and bit his shoulder, muffling her cries.Changing her rhythm, she said, "Don't worry. I know I was alittle rough, but Anna and I will pamper you back to good health.We'll subject you to massages...hot tubs...group sex...andanything else we think you'll need." He smiled, and tightened his arms around her. He wasn'tmuch into hurt/comfort relationships, but in this case, he'd makean exception. "Ava...that was the craziest night of my life." "I hope I didn't discourage you from continuing. You're atalented wrestler." "Discouraged? Hell, I'm thrilled. It's not often I runinto girls like you two. You're special." They kissed again."Y'know, if I'd won any money, I know what I'd've spent it on." "What?" "You." She looked genuinely touched by the statement. "Even afterwhat I did?" "Hell, yes. I'll get over my bruises, and like I said,you're special. Not to mention enigmatic, beautiful...andloaded. What more can a man ask for?" "Since you put it that way...." As their rhythm continued, he nibbled the nape of her neck,prompting her to scream and buck. He took some time to locateher pleasure buttons--her earlobes and the small of her backamong them--and, having done so, played her like an instrument.As he brought her successive multiple orgasms, he thought it wasinteresting that someone so dominant in the ring was somanipulable in bed. Between peaks, Tom asked, "Have you thought about goingpro?" She nodded. "That's one reason I brought you here. Iwanted to see if I could cut it." "I'm glad you mentioned that." He rolled atop her, andpushed her right leg up and over, altering his angle of entry.Her cries began again, in earnest. "You see, I've got a littleproposition of my own." Anna came in, carrying a tray of pancakes, eggs, and juice."Breakfast is served--" Noticing them hard at work, she put thetray aside and began to unzip her servant's costume. "Hey, savesome for me, willya?"
"Y'know, this is gonna pack 'em in. A championship tag teammatch--and a woman on one team." Leonard Harris checked Tom'sand Ava's signatures, and shook his head. "Hell, they'll bebeatin' down the doors." "Just make sure the Marauders show," said Tom, tapping theman's desk. "I don't want to miss this opportunity." "Don't worry, they'll be there. I suspect they'll get akick out of beatin' up a woman. They aren't known for bein'especially sensitive." "Trust me, Mr. Harris," said Ava. "I don't require anyspecial treatment. I'll give as good as I get." "Better," said Tom.
"Y'know," he said, as they walked back to the car. "Annareally ought to be your partner. If she's wrestling you to astandstill, then you'd be perfect together." "Trust me, I won't let her stand on the sidelines. But I'mlooking forward to being your partner, rather than youradversary." "That's good. I'm not sure I'm paid up on my healthinsurance." She pulled him close, and they kissed again. "Nowwhaddaya say we go study some tapes? I've got a lot of Maraudersfootage in my library." "Later. Right now, I want to bring you back home and pinyou again. Only this time, I think I'll just bring you straightto bed." "Thank God."
More to follow....
(The events and characters depicted in this story are copyright1993 Mike Shoemaker, all rights reserved)
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