Eventually, Mazakala came to the conclusion that she would need to act. With Victory-Gal, Silver Tiger, and Blackwing all split up, investigating in their own ways, she had remained stationary so that, at the very least, they had a point of contact to return to. Silver Tiger even had a means to escape, should she require it, but Mazakala had yet to see her return, and the others had likewise been out of contact for a concerning amount of time.
With a sigh, Mazakala exited her meditation and prepared to embark on her own investigation. Hopefully the others were OK and simply taking their time, but she couldn’t assume that was the case. The only question was where to begin and how to proceed.
*****
Using her magic to cloak herself, Mazakala made her way to a commercial street filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants. Passing women, all of whom featuring exaggerated curves to some degree or another, spoke amongst each other as they went about their daily business, though nothing they said had any particular merit as reconnaissance.
“I do hope my hubby enjoys the new lipstick I bought,” a redhead in a white dress that gave her the appearance of a housewife from the 1950s tittered. “I was told that it’s stain-proof!”
“Oh?” The redhead’s friend, a Black woman in a poofy, floofy pastel green dress that seemed more fitting for Easter Brunch than a simple day out, giggled. “Maybe I should look into that!”
Mazakala could only lower her gaze in disgust as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She thought she recognized the pair. The redhead was Doctor Vivian Graham, a physicist, and her friend was Doctor Chandra Aimes, a professor in the field of Computer Science. Except Vivian, a pudgy woman in her sixties now looked perhaps a very healthy forty, at most, and Chandra, while not noticeably any younger in her thirties, stood at maybe 4’6” when the height listed in her file had her at 5’8”. Both were also no exception to the curvaceousness of the local women. Chandra’s bust size was more pronounced with her smaller height, while Vivian’s exposed cleavage was dotted with freckles.
“Where is your hubby, by the way?” Chandra asked. “Is he at the lodge?”
“Oh, yes!” Vivian giggled. “He’s always talking about how much work it is as the order’s treasurer. Budgets and all sorts of math that would fly over my empty head. He actually asked me to meet him at the lodge for a quick blowjob!”
Order? Lodge? Mazakala began to pay more attention. Was there a fraternal organization in the town? If one did exist, there was a possibility that served as a front while strings were pulled from behind closed doors. Though Mazakala wasn’t about to jump to conclusions, given the number of delusional conspiracy theories that existed regarding the Freemasons alone. Sometimes such orders were behind grand conspiracies, and sometimes they were just funding charities and throwing hard candies from parade floats.
Regardless, it was a potential lead, and as Vivian and Chandra parted ways, the magician followed the oversexualized retro housewife. Though she was cloaked, and Vivian didn’t appear particularly attentive, Mazakala kept herself at a safe distance. There were too many unknowns to account for, and with the rest of the team split up, she couldn’t afford to take extravagant risks.
Vivian’s path took her only a few blocks over to a large brick-and-mortar facade building that looked otherwise unassuming in the quiet neighborhood, and could have just as easily been the home to a public library. As Mazakala trailed, she took note of a large sign posted next to the walkway leading to the building’s front entrance.
The Bucks Lodge
Mazakala would be the first to admit that she wasn’t familiar with all of the different fraternal orders that existed, but this was definitely one that she had never heard of. The name on the sign was framed by images of a buck’s antlers, but otherwise didn’t do much to stand out. It was almost banal, in a way.
As Mazakala paused to check the sign, Vivian disappeared through the lodge’s entrance. She was undoubtedly on her way to pay her ‘hubby’ a rather personal visit. To think that such was the existence of a once respected mind in the world of physics research!
But there was still hope. The heroines of S.P.E.A.R. were determined to get to the bottom of this strange phenomenon and rescue those that had become trapped in its thrall.
Feeling as prepared as she could be to infiltrate, Mazakala maintained her cloak as she approached the lodge’s entrance. Her powers had allowed her to come this far without detection, but she couldn’t be complacent. Opening the door, she set foot inside and felt an odd tingle in the air—
“Oh! There you are!”
“Huh?!” Immediately upon entrance, Mazakala had been spotted by a man seated at the coat room counter. Middle-aged, yet with a rugged handsomeness to him, he seemed the genial sort, but…why would he be expecting her?
“Uh…” Mazakala cleared her throat. She’d just play along, at least for the moment. “Yes. Sorry, am I late?”
“Oh, no!” The man smiled. “You’re actually early, if anything. You should have plenty of time to set up for your magic act.”
Her magic act? Maybe they were expecting a stage magician and, well, she was certainly dressed like one, and acted as one when she wasn’t on her superheroine duties. This seemed an easy enough ruse to follow.
“Oh, good.” Mazakala nodded. “And you are?”
“Reginald Richfield,” the man leaned over the counter, offering his hand, and Mazakala shook it.
“I’ll be performing here at the lodge?” Mazakala asked.
“Indeed! It’s a charity event for the Bucks, and we’re glad you were able to accommodate. We’ve set aside a space for you as a dressing room, of a sort. Care to see it now?”
“Sure, sounds good.” Part of Mazakala wondered if this ruse was perhaps too easy. Introductions done, and she hadn’t even been asked for her name. Did Reginald just assume she was someone else? She’d have to be careful in her introductions until she could piece together who she was supposed to be.
Reginald stepped out from the coat room and gestured for Mazakala to follow. “Right this way. It’s obviously not going to be a full, proper dressing room like in a proper theater, but hopefully you won’t mind.”
“I’ve performed in my share of odd places,” Mazakala said. The petite woman spoke comfortably next to Reginald, who stood a full head-and-a-half taller. She had similar conversations in the past about similar venue concerns. “It shouldn’t be a problem.”
*****
The “dressing room”, as it turned out, was more of a small lounge with sofa seats surrounding a low table and a bar counter stocked with what appeared to be an expensive assortment of liquors. The faint scent of tobacco hung in the air. Mazakala imagined the room played host to more than a few regular social gatherings with a boy’s club atmosphere.
Which really wasn’t surprising, given that the woman she had followed here, Vivian, was apparently giving her ‘hubby’ some oral pleasure elsewhere in the lodge at that very moment.
“Care for a drink?” Reginald asked.
“Hmm, I’d rather…” As Mazakala was about to decline, another waft of the faint smoke in the air tickled her nostrils, and she felt an urge to reconsider. “...Actually, that does sound good.”
“Splendid!” Reginald stepped behind the bar and pulled out a pair of whiskey glasses. “Do you prefer ice?”
Mazakala had never drunk anything harder than wine and had no experience with whiskeys, bourbons, or similar liquors. She wasn’t even sure why she was obliging to the offer, but… “Of course.”
Reginald smiled, filled both glasses with cubes of ice, and then retrieved a bottle of whiskey. Mazakala only recognized the Suntory logo as Reginald pulled the cork, and then filled both glasses before offering one to the magician. “Here you are.”
“Uh, thanks…” Mazakala blinked. Was it really necessary to play along this much? She watched as Reginald raised his own glass.
“A toast to your coming performance?” he asked.
Mazakala smirked. What a strange way to wish her luck, and at a charity event of all things. If only Reginald knew why she was really there. But regardless of whether Reginald was on the inside, and had any role in the town’s mysterious existence or not, he certainly played a good host. “I’ll accept that.”
After raising her glasses in the toast, she sipped her drink, feeling a pleasant burn as the whiskey washed over her tongue and down her throat. “Mmm…”
That was…that was damn good. But Mazakala couldn’t let it distract her from her actual business. “Oh, Reginald, I saw a redheaded woman enter a minute or two before I did. Who was that?”
“Vivi?” Reginald asked. “She’s the wife of Clark, the Bucks’ treasurer. I’d say Clark made quite the catch, huh?” He chuckled.
Whether it was the alcohol or the need to put on an act, Mazakala chuckled along with him. She did have to admit that Vivian, or Vivi, had quite the figure…not that she was supposed to, of course.
Sat May 31 11:49:00 2025