VI
At Delta-City Clinic, MA went through a battery of physical and
psychological tests. She passed them all - except one.
Dr. Rita Markham, the clinic's leading psychologist, was worried about
possible personality changes due to MA's brush with death. So she had given the
superheroine a standard 110-question examination. When she went over the
results, she was profoundly shaken.
"The Magyar and his goons did terrible things to her," she explained to
a roomful of physicians at the clinic. "Of course, this wasn't the first time
Ms. Americana has been subjected to incredibly brutal treatment. In the past,
she has recovered fully in every way - physically, emotionally and, if I may be
permitted to use a word some of you may frown on, spiritually."
There was scattered muttering and clearing of throats.
"But this time, something went very wrong. Ms. Americana is not what she
was before. The Baleful-McGregor test clearly shows that her level of
confidence, once almost off the charts, has fallen sharply. Her self-image has
suffered far more than her body. And it appears that her psycho-sexual profile
has undergone a dramatic change."
"In what way?" asked Dr. Bohner, the clinic director.
"In a very dangerous way for a superheroine," said Dr. Markham. "She has
tasted sexual submission and found it intensely pleasurable. From now on, any
time she is under stress, she will be in danger of a relapse."
"How fascinating," said Bohner.
"I recommend she be given no assignments outside of headquarters for at
least six months," said Markham. "At that time, she should come in for more
tests."
After the conference ended, Bohner went into his office. He had left the
TV on, with the sound muted, and when he looked at the screen he was surprised
to see Ms. Americana. She was with the district attorney and a beefy looking
young man in a T-shirt, at a press conference at police headquarters. MA's belt
and mask had been restored, but not her confidence. One look told him that.
He turned up the volume. The young man in the T-shirt, who had the
improbable name of Corgi, was stealing the show. He told how he had been a
henchman of the Magyar but had seen the error of his ways. Torturing the
defenseless superheroine "just wasn't right," he said, then he explained how he
rescued her from certain death. While he spoke, MA looked down at her hands and
said nothing.
A buzzer rang. Bohner muted the TV as his secretary told him he had a
call from Police Commissioner Stepford.
"Put him through," he said. "Donald, I was expecting you to call. Yes, I
was just watching the press conference. Our little heroine doesn't look so cocky
anymore, does she?"
He was silent for a while, then said, "Listen, Donald, we've had an
interesting session here today. It seems the mighty Ms. A has become some kind
of sexual pervert."
He paused. "No, she's not going to run around molesting children in the
park. In fact, she's not likely to be the sexual aggressor at all. More likely,
she could end up the victim - a very willing victim, I might add."
As he listened to Stepford's speculation on what this might mean for
crime-fighting in Delta-City, Bohner opened the drawer of his desk and took out
the hand-carved wooden case a police detective had given him after the raid on
the Magyar's compound.
"No, I have no idea how this happened, and I don't think Markham does,
either," he said. He lifted the lid of the box and removed the silver wand. "So
I'd like an opportunity to talk with the Magyar. I wouldn't interfere with your
investigation or the DA's. This is purely in the interest of science. The
bastard is in such deep shit, there's a chance he might talk freely to me in the
hope of getting a break."
He paused again, then said, "Yes, I'll let you know if there are any new
developments at our end."
He hung up and turned his full attention to the device. Ingenious, he
thought. He flipped a switch at the base of the handle, then lightly touched the
knob at the other end. There was a slight spark, and he quickly withdrew his
finger. He had lied when he told Stepford he had no idea what had caused the
psychological change in Ms. Americana. In fact, he had a very good hunch what
had given her such a soul-damaging thrill.
"And the time will come when I can test it on the lovely Ms. Arrogance,"
he said to himself. "Yes, the time will come soon enough - and when it does, I'm
not sure which of us will enjoy it most."
THE END
