It was late Friday afternoon, and Detective Sergeant Muldowny and his partner, Detective Twitty were literally on the carpet trying to explain to their irate boss, Deputy Chief Inspector Walters, why after an entire week of trying, they still had not established whether the Eberle Industries Warehouse was being used as a base of smuggling operations in the metropolitan area.

From behind her desk, Veronica Walters glared at the two sheepish detectives under her command.
"What d'you mean you can't get enough evidence for a warrant to search that warehouse?  We know it's the central shipping point for most of the smuggling operations in the City!  This is the only major case you two clowns have worked on all week.

"Well Geez Chief," Sergeant Stan Muldowny whined, "Y'know that warehouse belongs to Eberle Industries and that Marian Eberle is real tight with Hizzoner the Mayor!"

"Nobody's politically untouchable in this City, Dammit!" The Chief exploded. "Not even sweet, little, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, Marian Eberle!"

Marian Eberle was the belle of a genteel but impoverished Southern Family who'd come to the Big City and made good, thanks to a shrewd brain and her honeyed southern charm. She now headed the biggest Import/Export conglomerate in the area. She was also a generous contributor to political causes and their candidates. Moreover she was doing her best to become more than just a Political ally to the handsome young Mayor.

It was no secret in the Department, that the Mayor often escorted Chief Walters, herself, to social events, so there was little love lost between the two women, on that score. Of course, even the two detectives, certainly not the sharpest minds on the Force, knew their stern, incorruptible Boss would never let herself be swayed by personal considerations when it came to doing her duty. There was good reason to believe there was something fishy about Eberle Industries.

"We're doin' our best Boss!" Sergeant Muldowny explained.

Chief Walters exploded. "Your 'best' doesn't seem to be good enough! I don't want any more lame excuses! I want results! For God's sake can't you do two do anything right? The last six cases I assigned you, you bumbled around, until Red Queen solved them for you! I think sometimes, if it wasn't for Red Queen, the city would be overrun with crime!"

"Ah Chief, that Red Queen is just a headline hunting bimbo!"  Detective Twitty blurted.

"Bimbo? BIMBO? Maybe it's time you two went back for another sensitivity training session! The last one certainly doesn't seem to have done any good!"

"Ah, sorry Chief, but ya know what I mean!"

"I know exactly what you mean!"

Sgt. Muldowny changed the subject. "Yeah Chief, but that warehouse IS owned by Marian Eberle, and there isn't a Judge in the City will issue a Warrant without iron clad proof!  She is kinda politically untouchable!"

"Well! Get some proof! That's what the City pays you for!  You've wasted a whole week trying! As long as you two can't accomplish anything during the regular work week, maybe if you cover the graveyard shift tonight, you can turn up something!"

"Aw Geez, Chief,"  Detective Twitty muttered, "I gotta a hot date t'night!"

"Your hot date whoever he or she may be, will just have to wait, Detective Twitty!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever y'say Chief!"  The crestfallen Harry Twitty muttered, wilting under the Chief's stern glare.

That evening, in her luxurious Park Avenue Penthouse, socialite turned policewoman, Veronica Walters, still fuming at the incompetence of her subordinates, pressed a disguised wall switch in her bedroom, thinking.  "I suppose Red Queen will have to solve another case for those two dimwits!"  In response to the switch, a concealed door swung open.

Behind the door, was a room known only to Veronica. The secret inner chamber was a  combination crime laboratory, exercise room and communication center. The tall police official quickly slipped off her skirt and blouse, revealing a fantastically shapely form beneath the dowdy outer garments.  From a cupboard, Veronica took a scarlet costume, red thigh boots and a red mask. Any citizen in the streets would instantly recognize them as the well known garb of Red Queen.  Red Queen, the masked, crimefighting crusader for justice, who was a heroic legend in the City and the darling of the media. Veronica swiftly donned the scarlet garb.

In moment, the dynamic Red Queen was ready for action.

A short time later, on a roof top adjacent to the Eberle Warehouse, as darkness was falling on the Big City, Red Queen employed her own methods of investigating those premises the Police couldn't enter.

Before long, Red Queen was inside the warehouse, examining crates that confirmed her suspicions that the storage facility was being used to smuggle goods in and out of the Country. The crimefighter was so intent on her investigations, that for once in her career, she failed to notice that she was being observed. A shadowy, masked figure in dark blue body suit stood poised upon a large crate behind her, ready to spring.

Caught by surprise, Red Queen took two punishing kicks before she could retaliate.

Startled by the surprise attack, Red Queen was thrown off balance long enough for the blue clad attacker to capitalize on the success of her sneaky tactics, with vicious effectiveness.

As the overconfident criminal in blue crowed triumphantly over her momentary success, Red Queen nailed her in the belly with her hard right fist.

As Red Queen sprang to her feet, she struck again, driving a damaging left fist into the Blue Ninja's side. Standing, she followed up with a right to the chin.

Blue Ninja backed away, surprised by the incredible force of the crimefighter's blows. She warily sought to use her Martial Arts skills to even the score with her high kicking feet.

Despite her larger size and weight, Red Queen was quick as a cat, and deftly avoided Blue Ninja's deadly kicks, responding to each miss with a hard fist.

After missing with all her kicks and taking a punch after each one, Blue Ninja staggered backward. Red Queen followed snapping her head from side to side with her fists. Finally she  threw a straight right putting everything behind it. As her fist connected solidly with Blue Ninja's jaw, she felt the pleasant shock wave all the way up her arm.

"Impertinent twerp should never have taken on Red Queen!" The Scarlet Crusader mused as she watched her foe crumple to the floor like a sack of wet laundry.

Red Queen took a deep breath letting her tense body relax. She looked at the small, still, pathetically sprawled figure. "Gee! Maybe I shouldn't have hit her that hard! Sometimes I get carried away! Hope I didn't hurt her too bad!  Well she did bring it on herself!  Wonder who she is?"  The victorious Red Queen triumphantly prepared to unmask yet another criminal, just the latest in a long line in her celebrated crimefighting career.

But as Red Queen confidently leaned over the moaning figure, Blue Ninja uncoiled like a snake striking. Her foot rammed into Red Queen's crotch, and as she straightened her leg, she flung the Scarlet Crusader high into the air before she hit the floor.

Before Red Queen could move, her blue clad foe pounced on her, grabbing her around her fully turned right thigh.  Blue Ninja twisted with skilled enthusiasm, immobilizing the larger woman.  Red Queen struggled to escape, but was trapped by the diabolical hold. "The little bitch set me up!  She took my best punch and played possum?" This was no ordinary foe, but perhaps the deadliest opponent Red Queen ever faced. As she yelped at the first fiery pain in her leg, she knew she was in the fight of her life.

With a twist of her wiry but incredibly strong body, Blue Ninja wrenched Red Queen's leg, almost splitting her down the middle.