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The Brave and the Bold
Phantom Lady & Black Condor
Times Past, 1942
Lethal Legislation
Chapter 1
Sandra Knight was chilly as she sat in the Senate chambers, listening to her father grumble about the long hours he went through and the little reward he got for them.
"I tell you, Sandra, no one takes an interest in politics anymore... at least, no one cares about national politics... only foreign affairs. Why, half of these goldbricks are not even listening!" said the elderly Senator Knight.
Sandy leaned forward with a contented smile on her pretty face. "Hmmm, yes, Daddy," she murmured as she watched a young Senator cross the floor. He was tall, dark, handsome and moved with a grace unseen off the ballet stage. He was also intense and serious, from all she could see on this February morning in 1942. He seems to just float on his feet, like he has to make an effort not to soar across the room like a graceful and powerful bird, she thought.
Tom Wright did indeed move with the agility and power of a natural athlete. He also worked and spoke to his peers and their guests with passion.
"You know, Sandra, that young man never even spoke up before, except with a kind of smooth, uninvolved rhetoric. Now he's a changed man! The words are less precise... not so polished as before... but the power and passion behind them stir every listner. He is the leading crusader for the crime bills and the environmental reforms," said Senator Knight, who had noted his daughter's interest.
Sandy nodded. "Yes, I read about Tom Wright's anti-crime legislation, but I didn't know he cared for natural issues. Nice shoulders, too," she said.
Tom Wright passed close by and Sandy smoothed her dress and excused herself to her father. "Hello, I'm Sandy Knight. You are a wonderfully impressive speaker, Senator Wright," she said.
"Thank you. Please call me Tom. I think my causes are vital, and that helps me find the words," he replied modestly.
"You do seem to love animal life... with the anti-pollution bill and all," she said, stumbling for a topic she knew little about. The lab and the crime scene occupied most of her time as Phantom Lady, while Sandy Knight was often found in the DC debutante circles.
"Well, I should... I was raised by birds," he whispered with a serious look on his face.
Sandy smiled. "Birds? Why not say you were raised in the jungle by apes?"
Tom Wright said, "That's been done," and walked off. Only after he had passed the pretty girl did he allow himself a small grin.
Further conversation was not possible because of a sharp retort from the gallery. A man fell forward and Tom Wright's keen eyes picked out the reason. "The Black Assassin," he said as he saw the black clad Nazi sniper.
Chapter 2
Tom Wright slipped away in the chaos and returned as the high-flying Black Condor. He soared above the heads of his excited peers and closed in on the Black Assassin.
"This is a hall of justice, not a shooting gallery, although I know you Ratzi creeps like to mix the two things up in your government!" he declared.
Black Assassin said nothing, but he leveled his laser rifle and fired at the heroic Black Condor. The Condor dodged fleetly and slammed into the gunman with both feet. The Nazi grunted in pain and swung his rifle at Condor's head. He stopped the swing with one strong hand and wrenched it free from the gunman's gloved hand. A second beam of deadly heat sliced across his shoulder and he winced at the nearness of the thing.
"You need someone to watch your back; I volunteer!" said Phantom Lady as she vaulted over the gallery rail to kick a second Black Assassin.
"Thanks! Didn't know there were two of these trigger happy jerks," said the Black Condor.
Phantom Lady gasped as she rolled over the gunman's back and kicked him in the back a second time. He's Tom Wright! Others can't tell, since he has stayed up in the shadows or moved so fast, but I recognize him, she mused.
The Black Assassin spun to shoot at the bare-legged beauty, but he gasped as his world grew black. "Can't see! I'm blind!" he shouted in panic.
"Oh, do grow up! It's just the blackout ray used by cute li'l ole me!" she said with a quick upper cut that dropped the frightened man.
The Black Condor followed up by slugging his own gunman. One blow knocked his foe cold, since Wright's strength was above average. "That last scream was in perfect English," he said frowning, as Phantom Lady bent over to unmask her gunman as well.
"Lefty Johnson! He's no Nazi, he's a small time thug from a Gotham gang!" said Sandra.
"His date here also has a well known mug shot. Jimmy Wilson -- Babyface Wilson of Detroit," said the Black Condor.
"Why would two mafia figures doll themselves up as Nazi snipers?" asked Sandy.
"I suggest we ask him," offered Wright as he scooped up Phantom Lady in one arm and dragged Wilson skyward as well.
Chapter 3
Black Condor gently placed Phantom Lady safely on a rooftop. With a sudden grin, he said, "We'll be right back!" He flew off with Wilson tucked under his arm.
"Arrrrghh!" cried the blond gangster as Condor swooped skyward and suddenly turned to dive from the sidewalk.
"I could do this all day!" said Tom Wright. "Unless I get careless or tired and hit a phone wire or flagpole... like that one! Close call. Almost took your head off! Say, if I had somewhere to go I'd just turn you in to the police. So, tell me why you are dressed as a Nazi? Why try to kill Senators? Is it to stop the anti-crime bill and place a blame on the Axis?"
"No! I -- help!" cried Wilson as windows loomed ahead inched from his face.
That is some fancy flying Black Condor is doing. He must be able to fly better than Hawkman, Superman, or the Green Lantern. Such precise movement, such grace, admired Phantom Lady from below.
Wilson yelped. "I can't take it anymore! We were hired by some mug ta kill Wright, so some bill he is working on will die! The boss is a masked guy. Here is his address where we met up with him. The Nazi garb was his order. I don't serve dem rats!"
Black Condor said, "I believe you. Now, back to good old mother earth for you." He dropped the thug off to the police and carried off Phantom Lady.
"I do like being swept off my feet like this," she said.
"Wilson claims a masked man at this locale hired him to stop a bill I was working on as Wright," he announced.
"I'm surprised you just revealed your identity to me," said Sandra.
"Well, Miss Knight, I figured a woman of your talents and intellect would have already put it all together," he said.
"So you know who I am too," she said.
"Yes, as a man who knows DC society and crime, I figured you to be the mysterious Phantom Lady long ago. That's why I was willing to make that raised by birds quip to you. I knew you could be trusted with a secret, since you had one yourself."
"Well, this could be the beginning of a nice partnership," she said with a wink.
"I'm counting on it. To Gotham?" he asked.
"Assuredly, sir," she replied.
Chapter 4
Tom Wright was not the Black Condor's birth name. He had been born Richard Grey, Junior -- son of a noted archeologist whose plane crashed tragically in the mountains of Mongolia. Poor Richard Jr. had survived the wreck and was taken in and, amazingly enough, raised by a flock of mutated huge condors. These birds possessed an almost human reasoning ability and their unique condition was possibly due to proximity to a glowing meteorite. In any event, Richard grew to young manhood as an accepted member of the flock. He could talk to the birds in their tongue and his superior strength and agility along with heightened senses developed gracefully.
Finally, as an adult, he met another human. He met the kindly Father Pierre, who taught him the human language and educated his eager young pupil in the history and mores of the human world.
Some months after Richard left this refuge and came to America, he came across a dying senator named Tom Wright, who was Grey's twin in looks, if not in morality. The guilty man begged Grey for a chance to redeem himself. Hitting upon the idea that, since Richard Grey Jr. had no real life in the human world, and Tom Wright could do much good as a Senator, the man who would become known as the Black Condor vowed to give up one life to live another.
He took on the identity of Senator Tom Wright and fought crime as the soaring Black Condor. As Wright, he battled for anti-crime and environmental protection legilation. Now, the hero turned senator carried Sandra Knight down to a run down hovel in Gotham.
"I don't hear any conversation, but I do detect movement within," he said.
"Let's go, then," she replied.
The colorful pair broke inside to see a group of around six thugs. Some were well-known to Sandra from wanted posters.
Chapter 5
Phantom Lady was very much in her element. Not just because she came rushing in from the shadows in which her special lens allowed her to see, but more so because as Sandra Knight or the sexy Phantom Lady she loved adventure. The thrill, the rush, even the simple change from the debutante routine caused her heart to pound faster. She cared for people and justice and wanted to see both the individual and the ideals upheld. However, above all else this daughter of privilege lived for the reckless rush of danger.
She said, "Any of you boys got a match? Won't help you anyway!" She blanketed the room with darkness and crashed into them with skill. A high kick dropped one fat thug even as she spun away to trip a second gunman.
The third drew his gun to aim only to receive a shock when the Lady vanished completely. "Where'd that doll go?" he muttered.
"Well, considering you just received a black eye, I'd say she's right here!" laughed Sandy as she delivered a hard right.
The Black Condor soared high and gripped a table. He hefted it above his powerful arms and dropped it in the middle of the remaining gangsters. One fell, stunned immediately, while the others scattered. He cleared the area between them instantly and clipped one with a quick left hook. Before the remaining one could fire his gun, Condor was on him. He was stronger than the typical man and it was really easy for him to rip the gun free and slam the man groundward. "Now, who is the boss around here? None of you seem particularly bright," he said.
"I do believe that I fit that description rather well," said a muffled voice. The Black Condor winced, as did the Phantom Lady, as a glowing figure appeared from the rear. He wore a business suit and a weirdly glowing hood that covered his features and muffled his voice. Even through Sandy's blackout ray the weird illumination shone. His head seemed to be floating above nothingness, but this was merely because the mask glowed so.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Call me the Shiner. Or better yet, just die!" he said. His glowing mask flared and a surge of energy bathed the room.
Black Condor saw Phantom Lady faint as he also was drained of energy. He struggled against the energy as it sapped his power. Inches away from the gang leader, he fell blinded and stunned. In the darkness of his dreams, he still saw a potent white glow.
Chapter 6
Tom Wright woke up as water rushed across his face. He was bound and weighted down with some solid object. Nearby, he saw Phantom Lady in a similar plight. "Sandy, wake up!" he cried.
He realized they were in Gotham Harbor. He strained with all his might and finally broke free of the ropes. He took a deep breath and dropped down beneath the waves until he gribbed the lead weight around his legs. He heaved it up onto his broad chest and flew out of the water to shore. A quick movement tore his legs free and he plunged down after Sandra Knight. She was fighting to be free and failing. He cut through her ropes and as the weight dropped, he carried her to shore. Quickly performing mouth to mouth, he revived her.
"The Shiner must have figured he could do us in this way. He figured wrong," said a grim Condor.
Phantom Lady replied, "Any clue as to who was behind that glowing mask?"
"No, except for one thing. That old house must have an owner, even if he is hidden behind a legal facade of holding companies. We can rip through that red tape with my connections," he explained.
Doing so, he turned later to her and said, "That place is owned by the other senator who has been working for the anti-crime bill: Cranston Smythe!" he said.
"Why would he want you dead? And why disrupt his own legislative session? Could he be angling for your death for some other reason?" she said as she perched upon his office desk.
Each was in civilian attire, and many envious eyes admired Wright's new companion. One who was less happy was Wendy -- the fiance of the real Wright, who wrongly believed Tom was her old lover. She fumed as the sexy Sandra leaned over her beloved's shoulders. "I hate to interrupt this personal moment," she yelled.
Tom winced and said, "Wendy! I'm helping a colleague's daughter with some research. Do you need something?" The spoiled blonde shrieked and stomped off-high heels clattering down the hall.
"Are you in trouble?" asked Sandy.
"Constantly. I'd almost like to just chuck it all and... I don't know... move to another Earth without that blonde nuisance. I can't just jilt her and keep up my pretense of being Wright!" he said ruefully.
Sandy suddenly kissed him, then they broke away.
"I'd better find out why Smythe wants me dead... or Congress disrupted. He may be after me because of my other agenda -- environmental reform. The first lady supports me, but we are almost lone voices," he said.
Sandy said, "Could Smythe have other holdings that are not so... uh... 'environmentally friendly'?"
"Good question," said Condor.
"I think I can get inside his office. All it'll take is a bit of money and a wardrobe change!" she smiled.
Chapter 7
It is a given fact that among the wealthy classes, be it 1850 or 1942, servants are neither seen nor heard. They are just there to perform a service and stay out of the way until needed again. Thus, when Sandy Knight hired Smythe's maid Monique away with a large raise and employment on the Knight estates, no one in authority noticed that the French maid with the blonde bob cut and fishnet hose and heels was really Sandra Knight in disguise.
She entered Smythe's study while idly sweeping with a feather duster. With speed and skill she located a wall safe and broke in after moments listening at the tumblers. "Good thing I used to do that at Daddy's office during Christmas-time to sneak a peek at my gifts!" she laughed.
Sandy flipped through papers and smiled as she found a document proving that Cranston Smythe owned a radium processing plant with an amazingly low budget for safety features. "He wants the Environmental safety bill Tom is working on to die!" she realized. "He used Nazi costumes on that gang to throw off suspicion."
Then she heard footsteps and closed the safe and slipped the document down her uniform. She turned to dust away from the door as Smythe himself entered. She had seen him before in DC society. He was a handsome, middle aged man with graying temples.
"Ah, Monique, don't mind me!" he said, slipping up behind her and spanking her bottom.
She yelped in French and giggled convincingly as she hurried out. A killer, a masked crook, and a letch, she fumed.
Chapter 8
The news that Smythe owned a radium processing plant with few safety features finalized Tom Wright's own conviction that his Senatorial colleague had something to hide. "You make a fetching French maid," he said as Sandra showed him the documents.
"Merci!" she said with a curtsey. "The plant is in Gotham, so do we go back?"
"We go back," he said smiling.
*** They waited until night, then Phantom Lady stepped out from the shadows in a Gotham street to confront Smythe's top aide Wentworth. "We know about the radium plant. We know about the safety flaws. We know about the backer of the fake Black Assassins. What do you know, big boy?" she cooed seductively.
"I... I don't have to listen to this!" said a rattled Wentworth. Then a black shadow fell across his face in the glow of the signs and streetlights. The caped figure above loomed menacingly. Wentworth gasped. "The Batman! I'll talk! I'll turn state's evidence. I'll show you the flaws myself! Just don't let him hurt me. I heard he tossed a guy off a roof back in 1939!"
Phantom Lady smiled and led Wentworth to the plant. From above, Black Condor folded his hastily rigged cape and smiled. The mystique of the Bat carries a real weight around this city, he mused.
*** He and Phantom Lady walked through the deserted factory that night after Wentworth obliged them with his tour. "This place is a deathtrap. No wonder Smythe fears my environmental bill. It would shut him down fast," said the Black Condor. Sandy nodded.
Then the glowing hood appeared and Shiner stood above them. "You again? Must you haunt my every move? This time I'll slay you personally," he yelled.
"Give it up, Cranston Smythe. Wentworth spilled his guts. We know all about you," said Black Condor.
The Shiner said, "I hope that knowledge is a source of comfort to you on your final journey out of this life!" He ran forward and the radiation from his mask began to weaken them again.
"Not going to work, though. We came prepared!" said Phantom Lady as she made her way toward him in her cumbersome shielded costume.
The Black Condor wore a heavy tarp as well. They knew the shielding would diminish his energy-draining power. The Black Condor flew toward him and Shiner fled in fear when he saw that the mask's energies did not hurt his foe. "I'll pay you -- anything! Just leave me be!" he screamed, racing over a high platform.
Phantom Lady climbed the railing and walked precariously across the thin metal beam like a ballerina. She dropped down in Shiner's path and with her invisibility ray working, she was unseen. Shiner fell over her outstretched leg and hit the metal ground.
Black Condor dropped down to rip the mask free and expose Cranston Smythe's features. "This ends here. I see no need to prolong this," he said.
Smythe begged for mercy, then tossed himself over the edge of a vat. The Black Condor flew for him but was too slow.
"He fell in the chemical disposal unit that leads to Gotham River. I can only assume he's a dead man. No sign of a body," said Black Condor sadly.
Phantom Lady joined him. "We did our best. Don't let one political crook sour you on politics as a whole. Daddy has seen a lot of filth, but he still loves the system."
Black Condor watched the still waters behind the factory. "You're right. I won't let Smythe end Tom Wright's dreams," he said as they walked out.
"Hope we can work together again," she said.
"I do, too. Both being based in DC, we're sure to run into one another. Maybe we could even form a team with other DC mystery men and mystery women," he said with a smile.
"Yeah, like Wonder Woman," she said.
"True. We'd be real freedom fighters with her along in that star spangled uniform," he said grinning.