# # #
"Explain this to me again, boss," Deadgirl asked, trying to adjust her leather shorts.
"Mr Versehen hangs out at Club Kanonier," Jill answered. Her subtle green dress made her hair look even redder. "If we're going to get some answers, here's the best place to go."
"Okay, but do I really need to wear this get up," DG continued, trying to pull out the seam of her shorts that were trying to ride up on her. "I don't think my ass can breath in these."
"You don't have an ass," Kiri remarked. She wore something cute. She always wears something cute.
Our Hero looked at her in shock, mouth agape. "Valk! Defend my honor," she ordered.
"You're on your own," he replied. He wore an opened shirt, but this one had what looked like black dragon scales. His black cargo pants had chains hanging from the waistline.
"Oh, you're a bastard."
Jill and Kiri giggled. The four finally made it to the door. The large man stood before them, clipboard in hand. "Name," he asked in a voice that was a mix of boredom and fatigue.
"Jill Nemo. Versehen is expecting me."
The man looked at his clipboard. The other Heroes looked at Jill. "You're on here. They're not."
"We're going in," Deadgirl declared.
"You're not on the list, you're not getting in," he stated, standing a bit taller.
"I can hit you were it hurts."
"I'd like to see you try."
DG glanced down, then looked the bouncer in the eyes. "Those pants are a little tight. You're not that big, are you?"
The bouncer's face became beet red. He flipped through the papers on the clipboard. "There you are. Go on in," he said.
The Heroes entered the darken nightclub. The music was loud. Laser images fluttered across the walls. The smell of fruity alcohol, cheap fragrances, and desperation floated in the air. "Oo! I love this song," Kiri yelled, starting to dance.
"How can you tell," Jill asked, looking very annoyed at the sounds that they were calling music.
"I'll keep watch at the bar," Valkadaidan declared, leaving them behind.
Kiri grabbed Deadgirl. "We'll scout from the dance floor. Let's go!"
Jill watched her drag Our Hero off for a moment. "I'll check the V.I.P. section then," she said to herself. She trudged up the stairs to come face-to-face with another bouncer holding another clipboard. This one seemed bigger, or it might have just been the perspective of the staircase. "Versehen is expecting me," she repeated to him. The bouncer looked over his list.
"Name," he asked, any hint of life having long since departing his voice.
"Jill Nemo," she sighed. It was beginning to feel more like trying to get a business permit through city hall than a club.
He looked through the sheets, or at least tried to make it look like he was looking through his sheet. He already had the list memorized, she could tell. It was all just an act until he stopped. His head jerked back slightly in actual shock. He turned and unclasped the velvet rope that gave the illusion of separation. "Go on ahead," he grumbled.
Deadgirl and Kiri were in the middle of the dance floor, making a very convincing scene of dancing. The two were dangerously close to each other, and hands found their way onto body parts that may or may not get them in trouble later on. They were caught up in the music when DG felt someone's hand that wasn't Kiri's slap her on the butt. "Nice ass," a guy said in a voice that hinted at other plans. She spun around and grabbed his wrist. She twisted it, forcing him to his knees.
"You ever touch another woman like that again, I'll rip this hand off and make it your new boyfriend," she threatened. "Got it?"
He simply nodded, his lip quivering from the sudden pain. She let him go. He scampered off as the crowd stared at her. A few of the women started applauding. DG gave a grandiose bow. The crowd resumed dancing as Kiri and Deadgirl stood, staring into each other's eyes. "That was awesome," Kiri said.
"Yeah, I think I need out of this spot," she replied. "and a drink. You want a drink?" They two pushed their way out of the dance scene and collapsed in the bar stools with Valkadaidan between them. "Hiya Valky," she greeted. He merely growled.
"Whoa ho ho," Kiri remarked. "Someone's a grumpy drunk."
"He's always growly when at a bar," DG explained. "Barkeep. Two of the girliest drinks you have. With all the bells and whistles and straws and umbrellas and everything. Oo! And make sure it glows all sorts of weird colors."
"I'll just have a pop," Kiri called out.
"So I'm drinking two glowy girly drinks by myself," Deadgirl asked.
Valkadaidan growled again.
"Nothing personal, but I have a fear of umbrella," Kiri replied.
"Huh. I bet that Rihanna song must drive you up a wall."
Another growl.
"Who's Rihanna?"
DG leaned forward and stared at Kiri. "You and I are going to have a talk later tonight."
"Your place or mine," the Techie cooed.
The bartender brought back two glasses covered with umbrellas and weirdly shaped straws. Our Hero looked them over, then back at the bartender. "There's actually drinks buried somewhere in these, right?"
Jill sat down at the couch across from a man that tried to look younger that in his mid-Thirties. His blond hair was slicked back and his stomach poked out from his belt. His face, which was once thin, had a bit of pudginess to it now. It was only when he flashed that lecherous smile he had always given her did she know it was still him. The two muscular men behind him also was a glaring statement.
"Ah, the beautiful Jill Nemo," he said, his German accent tinging his voice. "You finally decided to take me up on my offer, I see?"
"Rickard," she replied in a mock happy tone. "You've...grown a bit since I've last seen you."
"Ah, well Fraulein, my business has expanded greatly in the last few years."
"Funny that you bring up business, because that's why I'm here."
Rickard leaned forward. He strained slightly, but tried to hide it. "Let's not talk about that. Let's discuss more entertaining ideas." He flashed another lecherous smile. She had to fight back the urge to throw up.
"I have a good idea for entertainment," she said, reaching into her purse. She pulled out the back of the headpiece from earlier and tossed it onto the coffee table between them. "Look familiar?"
The businessman eyed the piece with disdain, then looked back at Jill. "Ja, it's my stamp, but where did you get it?"
"There was a battle earlier today, You may have caught it on the news..." She sent out a quick text as he started staring her down.
"I just flew in about an hour ago," he quickly defended.
"Oh, of course you did."
"What are you getting at," he demanded.
"Oh nothing. Nothing at all. I mean, you were out of town, so there's no way you're in any way, shape, or form responsible for Nazi Robot Death-machines rampaging through the city."
"This is racist," he yelled, slamming his fist on the table. "Just because I'm German means I'm automatically a Nazi? You Americans are all still stuck in that World War Two mentality. My bodyguards will just have to change your mind." He snapped his fingers behind him. "Shame, really. I so did like you." After a few moments, he realized that his bodyguards weren't advancing on Jill. He slowly turned to see Deadgirl and Valkadaidan standing behind him. Deadgirl gave a huge, goofy grin as she waved her fingers at him. He quickly spun around to see Kiri standing behind Jill, her shock bracelets out and ready to go. He sat back and laughed. "You can't do anything to me," he said. "You're not the police. You have no authority."
"No, but I do have a recorder and probable cause," Jill explained. "Your company. Your machines. Your convenient excuse about just getting back. Might not look so good." Rickard slumped in his seat, his gut bulging out. He was not happy, which made Jill smile a little inside. "Here's the deal. You have until sunrise to turn yourself over to the police or I hand over all the evidence."
"Why sunrise," Deadgirl ask
ed. "I'd say give him, oh...an hour? Thirty minutes?"
"Hm, she has a point. Okay, you have thirty minutes." She stood up and grabbed the headpiece. "Just in case you plan on throwing this away." She walked away as the others followed. Kiri bounced up beside her.
"Um, boss? Not to question your reason here," she asked, a bit concerned. "but aren't we kind of withholding evidence?"
"No," she answered as she stepped around the keeled over bouncer. She held up the headpiece. "This is just a piece of metal from one of his tank lines. He gave it to me as a souvenir years ago. I'm a little shocked and relieved that he didn't recognize it." She then laughed, which caused Deadgirl and Valkadaidan to stop in their tracks.
"She's laughing," she whispered.
"I'll alert the media," he replied in an equal tone.
"I'll alert the National Guard."