...an original story written by Doug, KB7RKY, in conjunction with Miss Pippa Moran, Paulette Agee, Running Brook, Kim and Nicole Ali, TC Stanwood, and Amy Sherman, for The Invisible Woman Story Archive and Shecky's Illusion Archive. This story is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual persons, living or otherwise, is purely coincidental. This story copyright (c) 2001, KB7RKY and company. No part of this story may be copied, in whole or in part, without express written consent of Doug, KB7RKY, and those involved.

The lyrics of the song "Invisible Touch", written and performed by Genesis, copyright (c) 1986, Genesis (Phil Collins, Tony Banks, and Mike Rutherford), and Hugh Padgham. No copyright infringement is intended.

As Kim hung up the phone, she shot a glance upstairs. Her sister Nikki hadn't gotten up yet.

"Nicole Sara Ali, I'm giving you exactly ten seconds to get your butt out of bed!" she shouted.

Kim counted off the seconds. 3...2...1...

"It's SARAI, not SARA!" she heard from the upstairs bedroom.

"So you say. Hurry up! We have to go meet someone at Starbucks in about an hour!" Kim said. She walked into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. Why am I drinking this, she thought. We're going to have coffee soon enough anyway...

Kim was on the phone when a rumpled old gray nightshirt made its way around the corner...with a young girl inside.

"All right, you'll get ahold of Brooke, then? Good. And, please ask her to call TC, Paulette, and Amy. Great. Okay, I gotta go, Miss Pippa, Thanks." She turned to address Nikki as she hung up the phone. "It's about time," Kim said, "but your hair's a mess."

"How can you tell?" Nikki asked.

"Well, if you'd make yourself visible when you wake up, you'd see it," Kim said.

Nikki looked at her hands. "I am visible!" she said tersely.

"Not all the way, brat."

Nikki looked at her reflection, somewhat distorted, on the refrigerator door. Her head was invisible.

"Dammit!" she said. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I just did...now hurry up and get yourself ready. We've got a job interview."

Nikki's head faded into view...and sure enough, her hair was a mess. "I don't wanna get a job...I'm too tired."

"That's what you get for staying out all night with your, as you call 'em, your guy-buds..." Kim started.

"Hey, what can I say...they like to have fun," Nikki said.

"Sure, just tell Paul that next time you sneak up on him with a water balloon, or when Doug's shooting you with his paintball gun," Kim said. "Come on, now, let's get ready..."

"Can't I have a bowl of cereal first?" Nikki complained.

Kim just rolled her eyes. Even if Nikki was a brat at times, she was her sister, and she loved her.

________________________________________________________________________

Steve literally bounded in the door of the Starbuck's at New York, New York, on the Las Vegas Strip.

"Top of the mornin' to ya, lad," the barista said as he greeted Steve.

"And a fine one it is," Steve replied. "I'll have my usual, please."

Minutes later, the aroma of a hot steaming latte filled Steve's nostrils. The flavor was one of sheer ecstasy...

"You always know how to make 'em, Bill," Steve said. "I'm expecting two women to show up shortly. Would you be so kind as to point them in my direction?"

"Certainly, lad. Anything I should tell them?"

Steve frowned. "Other than associating with known riffraff? I don't think so." He plunked down his money and made his way to his usual booth.

Sometime later, two young ladies arrived in the busy coffee house. "Aye, lass, he's back there," Steve heard Bill say.

Steve stood up to greet the two young women approaching him. "You must be Kim," he said, addressing the first.

"I am...and this is my sister, Nicole."

He shook both their hands. "Thanks for coming on such short notice. You can probably tell, I'm a bit desperate..."

Kim nodded. "Well, we're looking for something to do, as well. Repairing dryers and washing machines just barely covers our rent," Kim said.

"Well," Steve began, "I can't promise you'll get paid very well to start, but if I get my show back up and running the way it was, you'll be able to buy yourselves a new house."

Kim smiled.

Nikki just sipped her coffee loudly. "Can I show him now?" she asked.

"Show me what?" Steve asked.

"Nikki, we don't even have the job yet," Kim said.

"Too late...you've piqued my curiosity," Steve said.

"Watch this," Nikki said. "I can make my arm disappear."

She pulled her arm up into her sweater.

"See? Gone!" Nikki said.

Steve was unimpressed...

"I'm not done yet," Nikki continued, sensing Steve's skepticism.

Nikki then shoved her arm back down the sleeve, her hand emerging as usual.

"Is that the best you can do?" Steve said.

"Well, just watch this," Nikki said, rolling up her sleeve...

...revealing nothing. From her wrist up, it was as if her arm never existed. She flexed her fingers as if there was nothing wrong.

"Ta daa!" Nikki said.

Steve's eyes were as big as saucers

Kim rolled her eyes and shook her head. "You were supposed to wait longer than that," she whispered.

Steve was speechless. "That...that's...hoo! That's amazing!" was all he could get out.

"And I can do the other arm, too!" Nikki said, rolling up her other sleeve, with the same result.

Steve regained his composure. "I've seen one other person do that...and he does it to his assistants. You sure you've never done magic before?"

Kim shook her head. "Well, Mr. Ericson..."

"No, no...you're allowed to call me Steve," he said.

Kim nodded. "Okay, Steve...what I was about to say was: Nikki and I have this special, unique ability. We share this with five other women in the world. We can turn ourselves invisible at will."

Steve blinked. Invisible women? He'd only heard of such a thing from books, comics, and TV...

"Okay, hold it a minute. Where's Copperfield at? He put you two up to this, didn't he?"

Steve said, looking around for the famous magician...

"Steve, please. We're serious," Kim said. "Watch me...I'll prove it."

Steve paused a moment, as Kim closed her eyes...

...and vanished from view mere seconds later, her clothes still holding her shape...

"See? No tricks," Kim's disembodied voice said, from the seat near Steve. Seconds later, Kim faded into view. Steve could only stare.

"You two are hired, as of right now," he finally said. The girls smiled.

Steve then got down to business. "Okay, Kim. You said you share this...what did you call it...ability with, what, five other women in the world? Who are they, and what can they do?"

"Oh, they'll be along anytime now," Kim said. "They'll show you what they can do themselves, when they get here."

Steve could barely contain his excitement. He was already forming a brand new show with what he had just witnessed...