Chase Me Faster
Catherine Gale and John Steed and Emma Peel
THE AVENGERS
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by Caroline Miniscule
Prelude: Lost Rocket Summer...page 5 II continued: The Bahamas Cathy tipped the crewman who handed them their bundles of clothing, and he waved them a friendly goodbye. As they headed toward the nearest cabana to change their clothing in comfort, a wolf whistle rang out. Dan Dare flushed and turned toward the perpetrator angrily, but Cathy stopped him with a hand on her arm as she turned to glance at her unknown admirer. She felt a faint spurt of irritation, it was a man in his middle thirties, muscular and clearly proud of it, but the expression on his face, a sort of lecherous sneer, made it clear that his whistle was not meant to flatter her but to reduce her. Very deliberately, Cathy ran her eyes up and down his body, then responded with a whistle of her own - a dismissive series of notes that expressed her disinterest. The man's features twisted into an ugly mask and he bounded forward, reaching for her arm. ''Just who do you think you are...'' he began, but Cathy was in no mood to trifle with him. She seized his wrist, twisted it until his arm locked and then shoved him off balance and off his feet, into a drainage ditch. He emerged covered in mud, but did not attempt to challenge Cathy again. As he walked past her he muttered, ''bitch,'' which only caused Cathy to smile. She turned to see Dan staring at her in surprise. ''Cathy, that was simply splendid. You sure took care of him.'' ''Yes, well,'' Cathy shrugged ruefully. ''I don't mind a bit of non-verbal admiration. Usually a wolf whistle is nothing. Unasked-for comments about my physical attributes, that's another story. And as for the buttock pinch - well, anyone who takes that liberty will lose a hand.'' ''I can well believe it! But, I didn't know you knew judo!'' ''It's a wonderful sport, and it comes in handy occasionally.'' ''I can see. But I hope you won't mind if I say you do look...if I may so....quite fetching in that bathing suit.'' ''Thank you, Dan. It was a present from a friend. In fact....'' Cathy paused, as an evil thought struck her. She wore the swim suit that Steed had given her. If she were to pose seductively for a photograph, and send it to Steed....she could imagine his bowler literally popping off his head at the sight of her in it. She glanced at Dan, half in mind to ask him to take such a photograph. But she thought better of it at once. To ask a man to take such a photograph would be of necessity to give him an idea. And she didn't want to give such an idea to Dan. She valued their friendship, and didn't want to change it into anything more. As for what Steed would think, well, he would wonder who was taking the photograph and if she were posing for the photographer or for him, and that would drive him mad. Cathy chuckled. ''What's so funny?'' ''I was just thinking about some unfinished business I have to take care of. But never mind that. I'll be dressed before you and halfway to the pub if you don't hurry up.''
Cathy took a long drink from her pint and placed the mug on the table. She looked around happily. It was always a joy to people watch, no matter where she was, and the young couples, and the couples with children, all innocently enjoying themselves, gave her pleasure and a sense that one day all would be right with the world. She glanced at Dan. He was drinking from his pint with great concentration. ''You remember your feeling in the water, Cathy?'' he said at last. ''Yes, of course.'' ''Well, for me, that feeling of weightlessness, it's the feeling that I'd get if I were in outer space. Free of the pull of the gravity of earth. I've dreamed of that feeling all my life.'' ''You're going to make that dream come true, Dan. We have the technology.'' ''We have the capability of the technology - but we're being sabotaged, Cathy, and not by any enemy power, either. That's the horrible thing about it. It's our own government doing it to us.''
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