Liberty Girl: The Equalizer (Episode Three)

In the past week, Liberty Girl has narrowly escaped two attempts at ending her superheroine career: a home invasion by a bounty hunter named the Equalizer, and an interrogation by an old "friend," the dastardly investigative reporter Megan Malos.  It seems like the whole city is turning against our heroine... Little does she know, this is just the beginning...

Scene One: Liberty Girl sits, legs crossed, in full costume across a desk from Commissioner Kelly, head of the Police Department and one of the few people in the local government who our heroine trusts.

LG: Commissioner Kelly.  To what do I owe the pleasure?

Kelly: Evening, Liberty Girl.  Glad you could make it.  How are you, my dear?

LG: Can't complain.  Just being a superheroine, you know.  It has its ups and downs.

Kelly: Yes.  Seems like there's been some weird ones, lately.

LG: Weird ones?  You're talking about the Equalizer?

Kelly: Yeah.  Him and that nutty reporter, Megan Malos.

LG: Right.  I heard she's getting parole.  Just like that.

Kelly: She is, Liberty Girl.  And that's what we need to talk about.

LG: What?  You don't like that I'm bringing in these thugs for you?

Kelly: Oh, we appreciate it.  We really do.  It's just that... Your methods...

LG: Oh come on, Commissioner.

Kelly: I'm serious.  Neither the Equalizer nor Megan could remember a damn thing they'd done when they got here.  We can't work with that, Liberty Girl.

LG (sighing): Come on.  You know who these people are.  You know they're evil.  They want to destroy me and they want to destroy the city.

Kelly: That's not how the law works.  The law requires some evidence.  And a confession is always nice.  I can't make an amnesiac confess!

LG: So what do you propose?  You think I should "take it easy" on these creeps?

Kelly: No, I'm not saying that.  But could you stop turning criminals into fucking vegetables, please?

LG: Listen.  For my own safety, and for the safety of this community, I need to use every tool at my disposal.  Megan Malos found out... Something... That absolutely cannot be revealed to anyone, ever.  I didn't have a choice.

Kelly: What?  So she found out your "secret identity," or something?

LG: Umm.  No.  She found out... Something.  Okay?  We don't need to go into details.

Kelly: You can't fault that girl for being curious, now.  You're the sort of person a town gets obsessed with, after all.  We all want to know more.

LG: You don't need to know more, though.  If you knew more, it'd be over for me.  And then it'd be over for the city.

Kelly: Like, where did you come from?  What makes you so powerful?  Who are you, really?

LG: Commissioner, stop.  You're starting to sound like Megan.

Kelly: This is something the public is talking about, Liberty Girl.  Didn't you see that poll?  More than half the city thinks you've been crossing the line.  They think you should turn yourself in.  Two-thirds of the city wants to know your secret identity.

LG: Fake news, all of it.  Why do you even pay attention to that garbage...

Kelly: And three-quarters of the city would like to see you lose, if only just once.

LG: What?  What is that?

Kelly: Read the polls, Liberty Girl.  You're a divisive figure, like it or not.

LG: All I've done for these people, and... They want to see me lose?

Kelly: Why do you think I had to schedule this meeting after hours?  You can't be seen in here, Liberty Girl.  It'd wreck the reputation of this department, completely.

LG: Commissioner.  I need to have your support.

Kelly: You do, okay!  Honestly, you do.  But you've got to have a plan.  A plan to win over the city, again.

LG: Okay.  So I'll bash fewer heads.  Think that'll help my P.R.?

Kelly: It might.  But I say you go further.  Give the people what they want.

LG: What?  What are you talking about?

Kelly (gets up from the desk, walks toward LG): I mean, you know.  Lose.

LG: Lose?  I'm not going to lose, for anyone.

Kelly (now standing next to LG): I'm telling you, Liberty Girl.  For the sake of this department, and for the sake of our community, you have to give the people what they want.

LG: Commissioner... What?

Kelly: I'm sorry, Liberty Girl.

Kelly swiftly pulls out a syringe and jabs it into Liberty Girl's thigh.  LG screams in pain and jumps out of her seat.

LG: Augh!  What was that?

Kelly: A mild sedative, that's all.  Something to make you easier to beat.  A little slower, a little weaker.

LG: You're... Betraying me?

Kelly: I'm sorry, Liberty Girl.  I don't have a choice.

The Commissioner raises a walkie talkie and speaks into it.

Kelly: Okay.  She's yours.

Four large, black-clad, masked figures burst through the door.  Liberty Girl turns around and tries to fight them off.  In seconds, the men have wrestled her to the ground, holding her squirming body down by her limbs.  Liberty Girl tries desperately to force her attackers off, but the sedative has make her a fraction of her normal strength.

LG: You lousy scumbags!  You're all going to pay for this!

A Familiar Voice: Wrong, Liberty Girl.

Ned Jedson, aka the Equalizer, steps into the room.  He's clad in black and carries a rag in one hand.

The Equalizer: Or... Should I say... Denise?

LG: Equalizer!  You... Dirty.... How did you get your memories back?

EQ: Simple, SUPERHEROINE.  I never lost them in the first place.

LG (still held down, still squirming): So why did they let you go?

EQ: Hahahaha.  You mean you haven't figured it out yet?  This town has had it with you, Liberty Girl.  It wasn't hard for my lawyers to strike a deal with the local authorities.

LG: Commissioner!  How could you?

Kelly stands silently.  The Equalizer cackles.

EQ: Oh, don't blame him, DENISE.  He's just a pawn in the larger game.  The real gamemasters let me go on one condition: that I'd take down that star spangled costumed freak terrorizing the city.  They're so serious about it, they even gave me a partner!  (he whistles)

Megan Malos steps through the door, also clad in black, grinning.

LG: Megan!

MM: Hiya, bitch.

EQ: It's worth saying that she actually DID lose her memories.  Seems that little rope of yours has got a lot of power.  What she didn't lose was her deep hatred of you.  It didn't take me long to get her back up to speed on what you're all about, Liberty Girl.  Megan: Remember what I told you?

MM: I do, oh, I do.  I remember that Liberty Girl's real name is... Denise Kingston!

LG (scowling): Megan... You don't know what you're doing...

MM (ignoring LG): And I remember that the source of her powers is... this belt!

Megan steps over to Liberty Girl, bends down, and takes off the power belt in one fluid motion.

LG: Augh... No...

Random thug: Wow.  I can feel the difference already!

EQ: Commissioner, you getting all this?

Kelly shakes his head.

EQ: Hahaha.  Alright, Liberty Girl.  It's time to move.  Or for us to move you, anyway.

The Equalizer puts the rag soaked in chloroform to LG's face.  LG struggles but can barely move with the pressure of four thugs on her.  In due time, she is unconscious.

Megan (spinning the belt around her finger): Well that was easy.  Now what?

EQ: Oh, that was just the start, partner.  That was just the start.

Fade to black as everyone laughs.

Scene Two: A dimly lit room.  Liberty Girl, helpless and beltless, has been tied to a vertical rack.  The Equalizer and Megan stare at her as she slowly regains consciousness.

EQ: Okay.  She's waking up?  Camera ready?

MM: All set.  We're rolling... now.

The Equalizer and Megan stand on either side of Liberty Girl, facing the "camera."

EQ: Hello everybody and welcome to Liberty Girl Loses Dot Com... You're first and only source for videos of the city's greatest heroine in peril!

The Equalizer and Megan clap.  Liberty Girl, now awake, looks up and around.

LG: What the hell do you think you're doing?

EQ: Gasp!  She speaks!  Hello there, sleeping beauty!  Smile!  You're being filmed right now.

LG: Turn that camera off and let me go, Equalizer.

EQ: Why do you superheroines think that will accomplish anything?  Now shut up so I can finish our intro.

LG: If you let me go, right now, I promise I'll let you live.  But I make no guarantees if...

MM: If you don't shut up I'm gonna tell the world your secret identity in 5...4...3...

Liberty Girl shuts up.

EQ: That's better.  So... As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted... Welcome.  You can see that we've managed to capture Liberty Girl.  What happens to her now, you ask?  Well, that's up to you, the viewing public.

Liberty Girl tests her bonds.  Without her belt, they're unbreakable.  She looks around for some kind of way out of this mess... But there doesn't seem to be much to help her...

EQ: Liberty Girl Loses Dot Com works with a tiered system.  500 a month gets access to a live stream of Liberty Girl bound and helpless.  That's right.  A live look-in at what our star is doing anytime of day.

LG: Five hundred?  Seems a little steep.

MM: Oh my god, shut up.  We're trying to explain the tiers, here.

LG: I'm just saying.  Who's gonna pay that much for a video of me squirming around?

EQ: Oh, you'd be surprised, Liberty Girl.  Besides, that's just the first tier.  An additional 500-- that's 1,000 a month-- gets you access to our first season of Liberty Girl Loses videos.

LG: So you're going to make videos of me losing fights?  Seems kinda risky to put me in the ring with someone.

EQ: It does, Liberty Girl.  It's why we're giving our fighters some options.  2500 dollars gives you the chance to step in the ring with Liberty Girl.  That's right.  Just you and her, for ten minutes.  However you want it.  You want Liberty Girl in her classic costume?  You got it.  You wanna tie her up in her own magic lasso?  2500 dollars gets you there.

LG: You're gross, Equalizer.

EQ: Maybe you'd like to take on Liberty Girl as a tag team?  Two people will cost you an additional 500.  We're willing to cooperate for prices.  Maybe you want her minus her signature starry panties...

LG: I'd rather die than give anyone that satisfaction.

EQ: Hahaha.  Don't listen to Liberty Girl, everybody!  Here at Equalizer productions, we're committed to giving you depowered heroines however you want them.  It's what democracy is all about!

MM: Just fill out the form, send us the money, and we'll let you know the rest.  She's not going anywhere, folks.  So take your time, save your cash, and think about how you'd like to see Liberty Girl Lose.

EQ: Anything you'd like to say before we go, Liberty Girl?

LG: Yeah.  If you're even thinking about signing up for this shitshow, you'd better be ready.  Because I will have no mercy on anyone who comes my way.  And once I get out of here, I'll track down anyone who watched any of the videos on this website, and I will make them pay.

EQ: There you have it, folks.  Liberty Girl Loses Dot Com, courtesy of the Equalizer.  Have fun.

Megan turns off the camera.  The two villains giggle together.  Liberty Girl rolls her eyes.

MM: That was pretty good!  I think we got it.

EQ: Yeah.  I'll get one of the guys to put it online and we'll have it going in no time.

LG: You idiots really think this will work?

EQ: Oh, it'll work, DENISE.

MM: As long as we have your magic belt and your secret identity, we think you'll stay right here.

LG: Something will go wrong.  You'll put me in the ring with the wrong guy.  I'll kill him.  Or he'll kill me.  And then the business is over.

EQ: Do you think we care about the money, Liberty Girl?

MM: Because we don't.

EQ: It's icing on the cake.  But watching you struggle?  Watching you humiliated... By normal people?  That's what this is all about.  That's priceless.

LG: I've got friends, you know.  People will come looking for me.  Superheroine friends.

EQ: And we'll depower and capture them, too.

MM: No one knows where you are, bitch.  No one's coming for you.  Even if they cared.

EQ: And I don't know if they care.

LG: They care.  They'll sign up for one of your stupid videos.  And they'll come in here and we'll kick your asses together.  You didn't think about that, did you?

EQ (picks up a walkie talkie): Yeah?  What?  One thousand hits, already?

LG: Please.  Give me a break.

EQ: Logan says we've already got four submissions.

MM: I say we start the vetting process right now.

EQ: Your first battle will be real soon, Liberty Girl.  I suggest you rest.

LG: I'm already set.

EQ: You know what?  I more than suggest you rest.

The Equalizer steps over to Liberty Girl and puts a rag of chloroform in her face.  Once again, LG is knocked unconscious.

TO BE CONTINUED