The Incredible Fighting Contest

Chapter 2

WOOHP Gadget Lab- Two days ago

Stacy, wearing a lab coat over her Containment Facility garb, sits in a chair by Dean's desk as he checks over her work. "This is amazing. To think we never had a brain specialist working on gadgets til now. I mean, there are a few others qualified in the CF, but no one willing to help or that we could trust," Dean said to Stacy.

"So you trust me?" Stacy inquired after a brief hesitation.

"Your window washing and janitorial robots have been a success," Dean gestured and smiled at the currently inactive cleaning machines. They'd been a good testing ground for whether Stacy could be trusted not to use them or this important new gadget to escape.

"Sam trusts you, and you've told me how much you respect her," he added.

Stacy nodded. She'd been happy to make those robots and share her success with Sam when she visited her at the CF a while back.

"Sam's fortunate to have a guy like you," Stacy said.

"Thanks Stacy, I hope you get to find that special someone too," Dean replied. "Alright, time to test this thing," he said.

Mali U Penthouse Dorm- Present

The girls had finally returned from their individual busy schedules around the university, and were in their respective rooms, when they all received a a call on their X-Powder simultaneously.

"Hello girls, can you kindly convene in the living room for a WOOHPing? You haven't been together yet today," Jerry inquired.

"Well yeah, we do have a life, Jer," Clover quipped, flustered by the sudden call.

Jerry paused, frowning slightly.  He patiently waited in silence.

"It's fine.  We're just a little busy around here.  You know," she added with a slight smile.  "Let's go," she said to Sam and Alex.  They nodded, moved to the middle of the blue and white throw rug in the living room, and were WOOHPed to Jerry's office.

"As you know, there's been a shortage in missions. The only one you've had in quite a while wasn't even through this branch, but Sydney," Jerry began. "However, a Montreal woman recently went missing after her match at the IFC. Incredible Fighting Contest," he elucidated.

"And a familiar face from your past has finally reemerged in Dublin, where a second fighter went missing. The one villain who eluded capture in all the years of your service," Jerry said and gestured to the shaky WOOHP Pad footage an agent had managed to get of an athletic-looking woman with black hair. "No fault of yours, naturally, since you reported she vanished into thin air," he finished.

"Vanished...," started Alex, thinking back over countless missions.

"Shorter hair, but that face...Ariel!" Sam said in recognition.

"Wow, she said she'd return again with another scheme, but it's been so long. She sure is patient!" Clover remarked with surprise.

"Hm, I remember she tried mind control of women to try and eradicate men," said Sam, deep in thought.  "That was a bummer for you and your sweetheart, Dinah," she said.

Jerry practically drooped in sadness.  "Alas, she's in our Canada branch now," he said.  The girls nodded in sympathy. 

"It's okay, Jer.  You're amazing.  You'll find someone," Alex said encouragingly. 

"Thank you, Alex. Now, gadgets. The M-Ray Contact Lenses and Earring Sound Amplifiers are in your Jet Pack Backpacks," Jerry said, handing them out. "And due to her being able to vanish, we've developed the Power-down Handbag to counteract such measures. A containment shield that projects out like so," Jerry explained as he pulled a small white handbag out of a desk drawer. He pressed a button on the underside of the handle to cause a person-sized translucent energy field to appear before him, then switched it off and handed it to Clover.

"You ladies have endured mind control many times over the years. Ariel used it on specially chosen women last time, such as Sam," Jerry noted. "Finally we've developed a gadget to block such an attack; the Mind Protecting Hairpin," Jerry proclaimed and handed them out to the girls. "And by we, I include Stacy from our Containment Facility. Her experience with technology and the brain were something we desperately needed to achieve this. Rest assured, she was closely monitored by Dean and his team, and they were tested thoroughly," he said.

Alex and Sam, hairpins already in place, blinked in surprise. Clover frowned and pulled hers back out of her hair. "And you trust her? What if these things fry our brains or put us under her control?" she fumed. "If anything happens to you girls, I'm yanking those pins out," Clover said firmly, gesturing to her friends. "And if they are OK... Um, I guess I'll just need to get mine in my hair quick if I need to," she finished, flustered.

Sam put a hand on Clover's shoulder and looked at her in sympathy. "You're right, Clover. I understand it's a good idea to be cautious. I really hope it works out OK. We could've used these years ago," she said.

"An IFC event is scheduled tonight here in L.A. If Ariel shows up and you manage to apprehend her, we've developed a WOOHP cell to neutralize her power," declared Jerry. "Your disguises: Clover, ticket collector. Sam, medical assistant. Alex, a last-minute replacement competitor by the name of Marta Perez," he said. Their X-Powders instantly put them into the appropriate garb for their jobs. Alex's hair was colored a reddish-brown and pinned back in a bun.

"Whoa! Wait a sec! I'm competing?" Alex exclaimed, glancing at her fighting outfit. A pair of protective gloves were in a handbag.

"I'm used to fighting, sometimes even in martial arts competitions. But this is a steel cage, televised! With knockouts and submission, right?" she fretted nervously.

"Simply try your best, Alex," Jerry replied sympathetically. "Each of you has a unique area you can cover in your positions. Now, off you go ladies!" he called out and gestured to the nearby black sedan.

Alex sighed, while Sam and Clover smiled encouragingly at her. They dashed for the car, Clover took the driver's seat, and they were lowered to the garage on a hydraulic floor. They sped off out of the garage into the early evening traffic, Clover following the GPS to their destination.

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