Chapter 1

Lifting her head, looking once more at her surroundings, Madeline Joyce could almost imagine she was in a movie. One of those horror films put out by Universal Studios, but a movie nevertheless. Unfortunately, the reality of her situation was all too real and more terrifying that any Hollywood screenwriter could’ve imagined.

The medieval castle she was trapped in wasn’t on some studio back lot, but deep in the heart of National Socialist Germany. Nor was it Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi that roamed the walls of the ancient edifice, but members of the Super-Axis as well as a regiment of Hitler’s elite Schutzstaffel, known to the world as the dreaded SS.

Her gaze shifted from the various scientific devices that filled the large hall, some that seemed far beyond the limits of 1940’s technology, to the heavy steel table she was strapped onto. Gone was the familiar red, white and blue stretch suit she wore as Miss America, replaced while she had been unconscious by the type of short gown you might find in a hospital. This garment, however, was so translucent as to make her most intimate areas visible through it.

There was nothing immaterial about the metal bands that held her on the table; bindings of such strength as to resist the limits of her electrically enhanced strength. Not that she hadn’t tried numerous times to break out of them since she had first opened her eyes twenty-four hours before.

Ending what would be try number thirteen, Madeline dropped her head back on the table, her near-naked body covered with the sweat of her effort. Her eyes closed again as she tried to regroup her strength. In her mind, she reviewed the events that had led her here.

She found it hard to realize that it had only been two days before that she had been taking a walk along the London docks. It was long after dark, but the woman who had fought alongside both the Invaders and the Liberty Legion felt no fear from the underworld elements that still practiced their nefarious trades in a city and world at war.

The dark hulking form that had unexpectedly appeared out of the shadows was far more formidable than the run of the mill ruffian she might’ve expected. Lost in the thoughts that had prompted her late night stroll, Madeline had been taken totally by surprise. The fight had been brief, with darkness overtaking her within seconds. When she finally regained consciousness, she had been here in this chamber of the damned.

The reason for her high-risk capture was made clear soon enough. Even before the start of the war, the Nazi Government had the creation of their own mystery men to match those of the Allied Nations a top priority. The Red Skull had been one such attempt, Baron Zemo another. Still these had just been ordinary men given bizarre identities to further their murderous rampages. Neither was more than human.

An effort to duplicate the United States’ super-soldier serum had begun even before America’s Project Rebirth had its first successful test. A success that turned out to be the only one when the intervention of a Nazi agent led to the death of the serum’s creator. Still, the one had been Captain America, who had proven his worth to the war effort a hundred times over.

In the years since, other agents had limited success in obtaining aspects of the original formula. A few times they had attempted to capture Captain America himself to learn his secrets, only to learn that catching the celebrated hero and keeping him were two different things.

Finally, taking a different, and what they considered perhaps an easier track, Nazi Intelligence had decided to concentrate on some of the lesser heroes in an attempt to unlock their secrets. Picking someone on the periphery, they had started with Miss America, reasoning that she would be an easy conquest.

An appraisal that, so far, the auburn-tressed heroine had done little to disprove. True, they had so far learned few of the secrets they sought, but Madeline had no illusions as to the lengths they might go to find those answers. Even if they had to search for them during a post-mortem.

The truth was, even if she was inclined to share that knowledge, Madeline had little idea as to the how and why she had developed the powers she had. It had only been a little more than a year before that she had made a late night visit to the lighthouse that her Uncle had converted to an electrical power plant. A thunderstorm had been raging outside that night, one that sent a lightning strike almost into the building itself. It had been close enough to cause a tremendous power surge in the equipment, trapping the young woman in the middle of a deadly electrical field.

She awoke from a death-like coma a week later, having survived what the doctors and engineers had described as enough current to kill a thousand men, but evidently not this single woman. When she rose from her hospital bed, Madeline discovered that the incident had left her with the ability to actually fly, as well as enhanced strength and vitality. Having always considered herself an adventurer, even before the transformation, it didn’t take her long to adopt the identity of Miss America and set out to help fight her country’s enemies.

That those powers might somehow now benefit those same enemies was almost too much for the twenty-two year old to bear. Still weak from her last attempt, Madeline tried one more ultimately fruitless effort to free herself. A draining effort that caused her to lose consciousness once more.

Sometime later, the noise of guards coming to attention in the hall beyond the massive wooden doors told the captive heroine that her tormentors were returning. A flood of light filled the room as the portals swung open and three members of the Super-Axis, flanked by four black suited members of the SS, stepped inside.

The two women who led the group couldn’t have been more dissimilar. The taller of the two stood six foot three, with raven black hair that was braided and tied back in a bun. She weighed almost two hundred pounds, all of it muscle. Dressed in a leather bathing suit-like, outfit, complimented by high black boots and assorted leather straps on her arms, Frieda Ratsel had taken on the name Krieger Frau - Warrior Woman. Previously an expert in interrogation for the Gestapo, the agent had used a variant of the super-soldier formula that she had obtained on herself.

More than half a foot shorter, the second woman wasn’t German at all, but Japanese. Only the Kempei Tai, the military secret police of her homeland, knew her real name but she was known on three continents as Lady Lotus. Unlike the militaristic garb of everyone else in the small party, the willowy Asian wore a low cut, seductive indigo evening gown that stretched down to her ankles and split up the side to show off her legs. Long black hair framed her face, the most striking feature of which were a pair of hypnotic brown eyes.

The third member of the trio dwarfed both women in size, if not in height. Two hundred and forty-five pounds, the crew cut blond wore a blue body suit with a yellow belt, boots and gloves. On the center of his chest rested a large black swastika in a red circle. The first survivor of the Nazi’s attempt at creating a super-soldier, Wilhelm Lohmer was indeed the Ubermensch - the Master Man. Actually physically stronger than his American counterpart, Master Man lacked Captain America’s fighting skills and was further hampered by the need for occasional reapplication of his particular version of the formula.

“This soft-hearted approach of yours is a waste of time,” Warrior Woman said to Lady Lotus in her native German, unaware that it was a language Madeline understood as well. “Give her to me and I will show you how to conduct a proper interrogation. It will not take me long to gain the information we seek.”

As if to underscore what she thought a proper interrogation entailed, the leather clad woman gestured at the smaller Japanese woman with the long bullwhip she always carried. A gesture that the Asian casually ignored.

“Nevertheless, it is how we will continue,” Lady Lotus replied, using what she considered a barbaric tongue. “I would remind you that my control of this operation has the approval of Reichsfuhrer Himmler himself.” she added, putting an end to the discussion.

“Bah,” Warrior Woman said as she made another defiant gesture, then stormed back out of the room, considering the decision by the head of the SS to put this non-Aryan she-devil in charge to be just one more example of idiotic male domination of the party. A condition she hoped to change one day soon.

“And do you have a problem with my methods as well?” the Japanese woman asked as she turned to face Master Man.

“No, of course not,” the Nazi Superman said, a noticeable hesitation in his voice.

Lady Lotus continued to stare into Lohmer’s eyes, causing the powerful soldier to feel an unaccustomed weakness deep inside him. It was a frailty that he hadn’t felt since the days when he was just the smallest man in his local party organization. He felt as if long minutes had passed as she held him in her gaze, but he knew that must’ve been his imagination. Finally, she turned her attention away from him and to the woman that was the object of their mission.

“And how are you enjoying our hospitality?” Lady Lotus asked, switching to English as she applied a slight pressure to the side of the table, bringing it up to a standing position.

“Why don’t you change places with me for a few hours on here and find out for yourself,” Madeline said as she looked down into the face of the shorter woman. She tried to keep her tone calm and not exhibit any of the emotions that had been building up within her. Or the weakness she felt after being confined without food or water for two days. There were limits to even her vitality.

“I see that you still need some more time to consider your situation,” Lady Lotus said as she reached up and ran her fingers along the side of Madeline’s face. “We will talk again in a few hours.”

To the surprise of both Miss America and the Germans, the Japanese woman abruptly turned and headed for the door. They had expected her to at least threaten the prisoner if she didn’t reveal the information they sought.

Lady Lotus indicated for the security guards to follow her, but Master Man remained behind as the SS troopers fell in line behind the Japanese woman. He had been the one to capture the American, yet he had been treated no differently than when he had suffered defeat at the hands of the Invaders. Once again he wondered if he would ever receive the honors and respect he deserved as the embodiment of the superior Aryan race.

Even his beloved, Frieda, who had been pronounced his wife by no less a personage than Adolf Hitler himself, never gave him his due. In all the time they had been married, she had never once let him exercise his conjugal rights. In fact, she had told him point blank that if he ever so much as touched her, she would break his arm. Despite her smaller build, smaller being a relative term, Wilhelm Lohmer had no doubt that she would carry out that threat.

To add even further insult and disrespect, Frieda also made no attempt to hide any of her indiscretions with others. The Warrior Woman’s hatred for men didn’t extend to the bedroom and her own pleasures, as long as she was the one in charge. Only a few weeks before, stories had reached Wilhelm of a wild night of sexplay during which she had worn out six stormtroopers. The men still talked of her insatiable sexual appetite, but not of course to his face.

The thought of Frieda cavorting with numerous men, letting them touch the body he had been denied sent both a surge of anger and deep longing through the large man. It had been a long time since he’d enjoyed the company of a woman. A condition he had been forced to endure as weak Wilhelm Lohmer, but shouldn’t have to face as Master Man.

His eyes lingered on the body of the American woman, bound only a few feet in front of him. The fullness of her body was clearly evident beneath her thin wrap, the dark pink of her nipples as well as the auburn fullness between her legs. Didn’t the spoils belong to the victor? Why shouldn’t he satisfy his needs with the woman he had captured? It had been the right of the conqueror for a thousand years.

Master Man took a step closer to Miss America, a simple motion that sent a pleasing feeling through his loins. He could feel the softness of her skin in his imagination, the warm embrace of her sex. He reached out to touch her breast, then unexpectedly froze in place, his hand only scant inches from its goal.

He stood there for a moment, silent and unmoving. Then, much to Madeline’s relief and confusion, Master Man turned and quickly exited the room.

“What just happened?” Madeline asked herself, trying to explain the German’s strange actions to herself.

At first, she was sure he was about to force himself on her. The lust in his eyes was that evident. Rape had been a possibility she had acknowledged the day she had first put on her costume. Women, in uniform or costume, ran a risk in capture that men rarely considered.

While she hadn’t been a virgin since before her accident, Madeline found herself filled with a cold, paralyzing fear at the prospect. A sensation that surprised her since she felt herself mentally prepared for both death and some things one might consider worse.

Madeline had no way to measure the passage of time, but she knew it had been the better part of a day since Lady Lotus had departed, promising to return. The sky outside of the large window on the opposite wall had grown dark over the last few hours as a lightning storm developed overhead. A storm that reminded her very much of the night she had gotten her powers. An event she now had cause to regret.

Her arms hung heavy as she felt her strength failing, bringing her down to a level she hadn’t felt since before becoming Miss America. It wouldn’t be long, Madeline now began to worry, before she was totally drained. After that, the real questioning would begin? She now understood Lady Lotus’ strategy. Leaving her there just to contemplate her fate had done more to weaken her than any physical assault.

Even more, she could feel it becoming harder to focus. Her thoughts seemed more erratic, memories more vague. It was as if she had already fought a major battle, and lost.

So low had her resources dropped, Madeline didn’t realize that she was no longer alone in the large chamber until the new arrival was practically on top of her. Through tired eyes, Miss America saw that Master Man was back and the lust that had previously filled his eyes had returned as well. That was if it had ever left.

The Aryan Ubermensch didn’t say a word as he repeated his actions of hours earlier. This time he didn’t hesitate as Madeline felt a gloved hand press against her breast. The touch was rough and coarse, sending a violent panic throughout Madeline. Suddenly she felt as if she were a frightened little girl again, facing her monsters in the dark.

Her fear fueled a surge of strength, and in desperation Miss American pulled at her restraints. But if she had been unable to budge them at full power, there was little chance that she could break them now.

Mindless terror filled the helpless woman as she felt Master Man’s other hand down between her legs. Her heart began to race uncontrollably and the American was finding it hard to breath. She wanted to scream, but as she opened her mouth, no sound was forthcoming.

Instead, another voice cut through the air, one Madeline heard in both her ears and in her thoughts. A voice that caused the man pressing against her to freeze in his tracks as suddenly as he had before.