This story is based "very loosely" around ideas from Highlander and
various Vampire stories I have read recently.
The story of the past continues... Linna and Sylia begin to experience
what the "real" reality is like. Sam begins to show something of her
"true" nature. Priss begins to plan a nasty surprise for Sylia. And the
ADP get into a little fire fight.
Any comments, C&C, or flames taken and used to warm myfrozen
soul.....
Cheers
Alex Gray.
E-mail - mailto:hitomi@ndirect.co.uk
WWW home - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Subway/7630/
===================================================================================================
Chapter Three - Reality? What is that?
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2039, 15 July, 01:06
Sam sat very quietly on the sofa drinking orange juice while both
Yoko and Sylia stared disbelievingly at her.
"And you expect us to just accept that crap?!?" Sylia finally
erupted.
Sam smiled and shrugged. "I don't give a damn if you do or don't.
You demanded an explanation and I gave you one."
"So you're saying that you are actually a vampire?" Yoko said
incredulously. "You're crazy!"
Sam sighed, "how many times to I have to explain this? Vampires
are not the blood sucking, cross fearing creatures that you humans
seem to insist on portraying us as. That stupidity came from western
romanticism. I have never drunk any blood in all my life. While it's
true that the majority of Vampires tend to have a more... ah...
chaotic nature than your kind that still does not mean...."
"You are crazy!" Sylia repeated.
"Oh, really?" Sam raised an eyebrow and was suddenly standing
behind Sylia with a hand at her throat. She smiled coldly down at the
woman and whispered softly. "You're dead my dear..."
"Wha..." Sylia gagged in shock and Yoko leapt startled to her
feet. Sam stared at both of them for a moment before slowly letting
go of Sylia's throat. She looked at the woman's chalk white face and
giggled. She then flashed a coe look at Sylia and gave the woman a
quick kiss on the cheek before slowly returning to her seat.
"Are you convinced now?" she said picking up the orange juice.
Yoko swallowed and slowly sat back down. "Yes," she said in an
amazingly calm voice.
"And no," Sam said looking at Yoko. "Vampires are not responsible
for what has been happening in Tokyo. We are not 'the enemy'. For us
to go up against your kind would be paramount to committing racial
suicide."
"Why?" Sylia asked. She had managed to recover somewhat from her
shock and was rapidly trying to fit this new concept into her
worldview. "You could have easily killed me just now. And I suspect
murdered the rest of us with as little effort. With that kind of power
why fear us humans?"
"Yes, I could have easily killed you all just now," Sam agreed.
"But a hundred of you? A thousand? No. Your kind is like the leaves of
a forest - there is no end to you. And as for us... Well, we do not
reproduce. There has always be few of us and although we do not die
naturally - we can be killed. To go to war with you..." She shook her
head, "no way."
"Then how did your kind come..."
"Enough," Sam broke into Sylia's question. "You do not need to
know the history of my people, only that we are not responsible for
what is happening. I..."
"And how are we to know that you are telling the truth?" Sylia cut
her off.
"You don't," Sam replied. "However, as you said I could just
simply kill you all right now and that would be that. But I want to
find out what is going on here just as much as you do. We have a
better chance of doing that working together." She smiled disarmingly,
"and of course I need the money."
"Money..." Yoko queried. "You need money?"
"Of course I do," Sam snorted. "I may be immortal but that does
not mean I am rich! I am a loner among my kind and living in Japan
isn't exactly cheap. Personally, I am beginning to wish I never came
here in the first place but..." she left it hanging.
"Okay, so who were those... people... that you just fought?" Yoko
asked.
"Politics," Sam answered. "I am something of a... black sheep, I
suppose you could say, to certain elements among my kind. But then it
is very difficult to live as long as I have and not step on a few toes
now and then."
"So how old are you actually?" Yoko looked at the teenager. It was
difficult to believe this youngster was anything other than what she
appeared to be.
"Old enough," Sam smiled. "Besides its not polite to ask a girl's
age."
"But..."
"I was around a long time before the tales of Gilgamesh, if that
gives you an idea."
"Christ..." Yoko muttered. "You're over 10,000..."
Sam winced, "please - don't remind me."
Yoko actually had to smile at that and decided that whatever this
girl was she could very easily become a good friend.
"I don't want either of you to tell any one else about this," Sam
said. "And that includes Linna. I only told the two of you because you
saw what happened."
"Why?" Sylia asked. "Linna..."
"Did not see and does not need to know," Sam looked at Yoko and
then at Sylia. "Not all the tales about Vampires are false. I do have
the power to compel you to do my will, if that is really necessary. I
don't want to have to do that but I will if you force me."
Yoko or Sylia did not answer, so Sam took that as an agreement.
"Oh... Gods my arse..." Linna announced as she limped slightly
into the room. "What the hell were those goons?"
"Boomers," Sam replied lightly. "It seems someone doesn't like
us."
"Oh," Linna replied. "What happened to them?"
"After you passed out Yoko was able to finish them off with her
gun," Sam looked over at Yoko. "It was fortunate that you had one on
you - wasn't it?"
"Yes..." Yoko said after a brief pause. "Yes, I suppose it was."
"Then we came back here to Yoko's apartment. Nothing too exciting.
By the way - how do you feel?"
"Like I have been kicked into the middle of next week," Linna
complained. "It's been far too long since I have done this sort of
crap..."
"Don't worry kiddo," Sam commented brightly. "I am sure Sylia will
get you back into peak condition in no time. As for me - I thought you
were brilliant!" She giggled, "that kick was astonishing..."
"Hey," Linna replied. "You weren't exactly no slouch either -
especially considering it was boomers that you went up against. But
fuck those bastards were fast! It seems things have certainly changed
in the last few years...."
"Yes," Sylia commented to no one. "That they certainly have..."
"I'm going to give Priss a ring and see how she is," Sam said
getting up. "If she isn't going to be in on this then I want to make
sure she is alright. Yoko, where's your vidphone?"
"I'll show you," Yoko got to her feet. Well, she thought to
herself. The next few months are definitely going to be interesting.
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 5 March, 01:23
"Hey! Watch it!" Sam cursed at the slightly drunk man who bumped
into her. The halt in the girl's soft, almost hypnotic voice allowed
Raina to begin to comprehend what the young redhead opposite had been
telling her.
"Vampire..." she whispered as she looked in horror at the girl.
"No, of course I'm not," Sam overhearing the whisper turned back
to smile at Raina. "That was just what I told them. Don't mistake me
vampires do exist but I am infinitely more... interesting than one of
them. Now if you don't mind I will carry on with my story...."
The "girl" started to speak again in that same soft voice and once
again Raina was carried away into the world of the past...
* * * *
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2039, 10 August, 02:16
Sam crouched low to the profile of the roof and watched as the
boomer's bought the latest of their freshly killed victims into the
small, dilapidated building below.
"Sam," Linna's voice came over the comlink. "Do you have a
positive id?"
"Confirmed," Sam replied as she looked briefly over at the distant
building were Linna and Yoko were watching yet another site. "It's the
same ones alright. And they have a fresh body, just like the previous
times. What do you want me to do?"
"Keep on point," Yoko said. "At the moment we are only here to
observe. Someone has to leave your building sometime."
"Do you want me to follow them if they do?" Sam asked. "They will
not notice me..."
"I don't think that would be a very good idea," Sylia's voice
interrupted. "Unless you are absolutely sure that...."
"Oh I am sure," Sam giggled. "I can be extremely good at following
unseen - believe me."
"I hate to ask..." Sylia's voice muttered. "Very well, if you
think it is absolutely safe then do so. But I insist that you activate
your tracker..."
"Ahhh... I won't be able to do that..." Sam whispered. "Not the
way I had planned to follow..."
"Oh..." Sylia's voice replied. "Well, do what you have to do but
make sure you contact us. Alright?"
"Hai Obaa-san," Sam drawled before cutting off the link and
returning her attention to the little toys below. For almost a week
Sam had been watching this place, and every night it was almost the
same. Boomers came with a number of freshly killed victims and then
left. Apart from that no one went in and no one went out. Linna was of
the opinion to just burst in on one of these places and find out what
the hell was going on. Sylia however was much more cautious and simply
wanted to observe. Sam personally did not care, she was just in it for
the fun, but then all this observing was getting a bit tiresome.
She watched as the boomers, having deposited their kills
reappeared in the small dingy alley and then left on a fresh hunt. She
already knew that the... thing... in the building would not be
leaving. So, to make up for the boredom she decided she might go out
on a little hunt herself. She had already told Sylia that she would be
uncontactable and if they asked any questions she could make up
something - like being a vampire...
She stood up and looked down at the armoured suit she was wearing;
it vanished and she was clothed in a much more familiar black
one-piece. She jumped from the top of the building and landed gently
on the ground below. Briefly her eyes flickered to the door, beyond
which she could sense the sick presence the boomers were servicing. A
mischievous grin flickered across her face as she briefly considered
"playing" with it, but that would only push the Game too fast. So, she
turned and trotted off after the boomers. They at least could be
amusing.
ADP Officer Kim Cheung and his partner Mio Amano were performing
their last sweep of area K-312A before they came off duty. Tonight,
like most times this sweep involved a visit to a very warm and little
known burger joint known simply as "Rayo". Run by an ex-ADP trooper
this place tended to be rather exclusive in who was welcome.
Tonight was Mio's turn to leave the shelter of their patrol car
and run the short distance through the rain to get their midnight
snack. And run she did, for tonight it was absolutely chucking it down
in buckets. So much so that Mio was completely soaked by the time she
entered the cafe.
"Irashai-irashai," came the usual greeting as she took off her
soaked waterproofs.
"Bloody pouring it down tonight Jyoji," Mio swore as she wiped the
water off her face and had a cursory look around the small bar.
Unusually for this time another figure was seated at the counter
talking to the owner.
"Aye," Jyoji said with a grimace. "That it certainly is. Are you
after the usual?"
"Yip," Mio said walking up to the counter. "And feel free to take
your time making it, I need a break after that sprint."
"Seen any mad boomers tonight?" the young girl at the counter
asked with an easy smile.
"No," Mio answered the redhead's odd question. "Been quiet
tonight."
"Really?" the girl replied. "I am surprised that the ADP are
missing so much. You used to be much more effective."
Mio frowned at the implied insult. "What do you mean by that?" she
said.
"Nothing beyond the fact that you seem to be completely ignorant
of all the deaths boomers are causing at the moment," the girl said
causally chewing on a burger. "Five murders tonight in this district
alone. You must really be slipping..."
"What!?!" Mio grabbed the girl's shoulder and turned her around.
"What do you mean 5 murders?"
"Arisa Yukio, Yuri Oomori, James Chanter, Carli Simmons and Reiko
Yanami," the girl replied. "All killed within the last 2 hours by the
same gang of boomers." She looked at Mio, "really Mio you should
be more attentive to your job, instead of your partner's butt."
Mio let go of the girl in astonishment. What the hell...
"I can show you the remains of the boomers if you like," the girl
said with a grin. "I found them most fun..." Her face fell, "no Mio I
am neither mad nor joking. In fact I am doing you a favour - a free
favour. Well..." the girl looked thoughtful. "A second free favour
actually - as those boomers would have ended up killing the two of you
tonight... and you don't believe a word I am saying do you?" She
sighed, "why do you mortals have to be so narrow minded...." She put
down the burger and grabbed Mio's hand.
"Whaaa..." Mio suddenly felt sick and disorientated as suddenly
the two of them were elsewhere. Mio looked around disbelievingly. The
two of them were standing in a murky alley, opposite to the very...
shredded... remains of three 55C-E type boomers.
"Howw..." Mio managed to say as each of these facts began to
register on her brain.
"Come on sweetling," the girl said with a grin as she pulled Mio
over to remains. "See I told you..."
Mio looked at the frozen looks of pure horror locked on the
humanoid faces. She looked at the bits of synthetic flesh and savaged
bits of boomer that were scattered about. Something insane had
happened to these boomers... Her eyes returned slowly to focus with a
cold feeling on the grinning girl.
"Youuuyaya..." was all she managed to say.
"Oh come on Mio," the girl said with a giggle. "I did not bring
you all this way just to amuse myself with you, unless..." she looked
speculatively at Mio. "Unless of course you want too..."
Mio saw the insane look flash in the girl's eyes and a warm fluid
seeped down her legs. "Yaahhaa...." she tried to scream.
"Now, now..." the girl said softly patting Mio's hand. "I am only
kidding. I bought you here to help you, not play with you. Now, will
you listen to me?"
"Yaaa..." Mio simply continued.
"Mio, Mio - hello?" Sam sighed. "Oh dear, Mio love - wakey
wakey."
Mio blinked and then smiled. "Hello Sam," she said looking at her
old friend. "What can I do for you?"
"Listen and take this warning back to your chiefs," Sam smiled.
"Fire ahead," Mio said listening intensely as Sam told her the
details of the murders. about the "enemy" that the government was
secretly trying to fight, and more importantly what would happen if no
action was taken.
"...alot of your officers will die," Sam finally commented. "But
your kind will survive, and that is the best I can promise you I am
afraid. I know that it will be little compensation to those who must
sacrifice themselves but..." Sam giggled. "That is life, or perhaps
death - whatever..."
Mio nodded sadly, "I know."
"Hey Mio!" Jyoji exclaimed from the kitchen. "Do you want fries
with that?"
"Whaa..." Mio blinked. "What?"
"I said do you want fries with that?"
Mio looked around. What the hell had just happened?
"Jyoji..." she said uncertainly, there was no sight of the
redhead. "What happened to that girl?"
"What girl?" Jyoji replied entering the room.
"The redhead..." Mio said.
"Are you okay?" Jyoji looked at her concerned. "We have been alone
ever since you came in. You know that."
"Yeah..." Mio mopped her wet head and smiled nervously. "Right...
Fries will be fine..."
Jyoji gave her an odd stare and then returned to the kitchen.
"Mio," a soft voice behind her caused her to spin around.
"Sorry," an apologetic semi-transparent redheaded figure said. "I
forgot to give you this..." and she put a severed boomer's head in
Mio's hand before giving a final giggle and vanishing.
It was at that point that Mio finally discovered she REALLY could
scream after all...
"So, did anything happen?" Sylia asked Sam now that everyone had
finished changing.
"No," Sam paused drying her hair from the shower. "Not a twitch.
The boomers came, the boomers left. What about you two?"
"Just the same," Linna said with a shrug. "By the way - that's my
tee-shirt you're wearing Sam..."
"I had nothing of interest either," Yoko said.
"So all we know is that boomers deliver fresh bodies and then
leave," Sam said looking at Sylia. "Don't you think it's about time we
tried to find out more? Maybe try a more direct approach?"
"No," Sylia shook her head emphatically. "When we last tried that
good friends... died. I don't want that ever to happen again. We will
take things slowly and carefully until we know exactly what we are up
against."
"And in the meantime people continue to die," Linna said.
"Yes," Sylia said. "But your deaths would not change that. Your
lives on the other hand may help in ways that will save others. I am
not willing to let you die just to try and find out information."
"But what exactly is it we are doing at the moment?" Sam asked.
"Just watching while nothing happens - what are we gaining from that?"
"More than you know," Sylia said. "We know that they have a
network of independent bases, each of which seems to have little or no
direct contact with any other. We know that they employ only boomers
as their agents. That they need bodies of young people, none of whom
have been over 24. We know that these victims are not reported as
missing to the general police or to any police as far as Nene can
locate. That alone says that they have a good deal of control over
either the police or that the government is deliberately suppressing
information "
"We also know that they are not natives to this reality..." Sam
mused almost to herself.
"What?" Linna asked in astonishment.
"Ahh, sorry," Sam temporized. "Nothing.... Just thinking aloud."
"Linna," Yoko got to her feet. "I want to show you something I
came across today - I thought Priss might like it." She did not wait
for a reply but strongly "encouraged" Linna to go with her.
"Right," Sylia immediately said when Linna was safely out of the
room. "What the hell did that statement mean?"
"Well..." Sam looked at Sylia for a moment. "Are you sure you
really want to know?"
"If I can accept vampires then I can accept anything else. Tell
me!"
Sam shrugged, "okay. You are familiar with the concept of the
multiverse I assume?"
Sylia nodded, "in quantum physics - yes."
Sam smiled, "well it exists. There are not just alternate
realities, but also radically different realities. Hells, Heavens,
Gods, Demons... They all exist."
Sylia just nodded and Sam looked at her.
"You are taking this very calmly," she said slightly surprised.
"How else do you want me to take it?" Sylia said bluntly. "Fall
down and start whimpering?"
Sam giggled at the thought. "I suppose I should have expected that
from you. Alright, basically it is possible, if you know how, to
travel from one reality to another. Usually it requires a great deal
of power, but not always. Not if you know the shortcuts."
"Like you do?" Sylia said.
"Well..." Sam looked a bit uncomfortable.
"Tell me Sam, do you even come from this world?" Sylia casually
asked the squirming redhead.
Sam rolled her eyes. "Me and my big mouth..."
"I will take that as a no," Sylia commented. "Alright, now on with
your point. You are saying that these... whatever they are aren't...
ahhh... local. That potentially they have a lot of power, and that
basically we are in deep shit. Yes?"
"You have such a way with words, but basically yes," Sam agreed.
"But I don't think that they are that powerful. At least not
compared... Haa... Haachooo!" Sam suddenly sneezed and the rest of her
statement was lost. "Oh shit..." she said as she held the contents in
her hand and rushed towards the bathroom.
"And it only gets better..." Sylia muttered under her breath as
she thought longingly back to when she only had to worry about one
crazy megalomaniac. "Why does life have to be so complicated?"
"Because it is so much more fun," Sam said as she re-entered the
room. "And sometimes that is all that matters."
"Did you say fun..." Sylia said incredulously. "You call this -
fun?"
"Hey," Sam sat down. "You only have a short existence to worry
about. It gets slightly different when you get to my age. Infinity is
only so big you know..." she cut off as Linna and Yoko walked back
into the room.
"So," Linna said. "Discuss anything interesting in private while
Yoko took me out of harms way?"
"Nothing you want to know about Linna," Sam replied.
"You mean nothing you are going to tell me?"
"Got it in one!" Sam winked.
"Imp!" Linna said.
"Nope. I am saying nothing."
"Devil!"
"Still cold..." Sam said with a giggle.
"Ultimate fiend of Darkness and Corruption!"
"Spot on!" Sam laughed and tackled Linna to the floor.
"Hey!" Yoko jumped out the way. "What the hell do you two think
you are doing?"
"Bleee..." Sam stuck her tongue out and with a sweep of a leg
bought Yoko to the ground.
"...." Sylia muttered to herself as a free for all erupted. So
much for strategy meetings.
"Sylia..."
Priss swore softly as she yawned and got out of bed. Who the hell
would be calling at this time?
She got up and wrapped a nightgown around herself before going
over to the door. She took a moment to gaze out the spyhole before
opening the door.
"Yes?" she asked blinking in the light.
"Ah, hello..." the black, exotic looking woman said. "Can you tell
me if Sam is around?"
"Sam?" Priss kicked her brain into gear. "No, she's out at the
moment."
"Oh," the woman's face fell slightly. "Do you know what time she
will be back?"
"What's the time now?" Priss said.
"01:01," the woman replied looking down at her watch.
Priss knew there had been a good reason for her sleepy state. What
idiot calls at 01:00 in the morning?
"I know," the woman smiled. "I'm sorry, but I just got here
and..."
"Alright," Priss cut the woman off. "Sam should be due back
anytime. She said about 1ish... I think." Her face erupted in a yawn.
The woman looked at her. "Why don't you go back to bed Priss? I'll
wait up for Sam and Linna..."
Priss nodded and opened the door. "That sounds like a very good
idea..."
"Loria," the black woman introduced herself as she closed the door
behind her.
"Nice to meet you..." Priss muttered with a yawn. "Now if you
don't mind, I'm going back to bed. Good night..."
Loria settled into one of the ancient chairs. "Good night,
child..." and watched as Priss returned to the single bed. She sighed
and settled down to wait.
Sam waited until Linna had turned off the bike's engine before she
removed her helmet and eased off her position from behind Linna.
"That was interesting," she commented with a grin. "I didn't think
you would be able to lose those traffic cops."
"You kidding?" Linna laughed swinging herself off the saddle.
"This beast of Sylia's could outrun anything they have!"
"And you just had to test it out - didn't you?" Sam giggled.
Linna did not reply, but the twinkle in her eye as she removed her
helmet said it all. She removed the activator from the motoroid and
slowly wheeled it up to where Priss kept her bike.
"I think Priss will want to try out this new toy," she commented
briefly before following Sam up to the door. "I hope she's still not
up waiting for us. We are rather late."
"No," Sam said. "Just Loria is up."
"Loria?" Linna turned to face Sam. "Who the hell is Loria?"
"I am," a very attractive black woman said as she opened the door
to the caravan.
"Hiya," Sam pushed passed a very surprised looking Linna to give
the other woman a very affectionate greeting. "It's been a while..."
"Kelly was well pissed off when you disappeared," Loria said
returning Sam's kiss.
"Hey you know me..." Sam giggled. "I always pop..."
"Sam!" Linna exclaimed. "Who the heck is this!?!"
Sam pulled a face, "sorry... I forgot to introduce you. Linna, let
me introduce to you a very old and very dear friend of mine - Loria.
Loria, this is..."
"Linna Yamazaki," Loria finished with a smile. "Yes I have been
meeting rather a lot of Linnas
looking for you Sam..."
"Oh come on," Sam shot back. "I did tell you where I was going."
"Yeah," Loria retorted. "You just forgot to mention which where.
Do you have any idea how many wheres like this there are? Kelly has
been checking so many Tokyos..."
Linna blinked, this conversation was getting more surreal by the
moment.
"Linna," Sam said passing her helmet to Loria. "Do you think you
can just check on Priss? I'll get a place sorted for Loria to sleep."
"Fine, fine..." Linna muttered and headed for the makeshift
kitchen.
"Nice looking woman," Loria commented.
"Is that all you think of?" Sam laughed.
"Why? Don't tell me you haven't?" Loria returned.
"I have much more interesting pursuits here," Sam replied
mysteriously. "Besides, she's still human currently. My attentions
would... harm her. And I don't think Kelly would appreciate it
either."
"How long are planning on staying here anyway?" Loria asked.
"Not long," Sam started to take her riding boots off. "It's not
like there is that much here to interest me."
"Suppose you're right there," Loria said holding Sam's arm while
the girl removed her boots at last. "It is a bit of a boring place. I
am surprised it even has any other non-native life."
"Oh, there are a few..." Sam sighed with relief as the last boot
hit the floor. "Gods, I hate those things..."
"How long is long?" Loria repeated.
"Just long enough to finish this Game," Sam replied moving towards
the linen cupboard. Opening it she rummaged around.
"2000?" Loria asked. "Kelly won't like that."
"No!" Sam's voice was muffled by the piles of cloth she was
sorting through. "Not that long! This is only a minor... Ah, there you
are...." she retrieved the duvet cover and added it to the blanket and
sheet. "Pillow... pillow..."
"So?" Loria said again.
"Pillow, ah-ha," Sam closed the cupboard door and passed the
various items to Loria. "125 years at most. It sort of depends on
Linna and someone who hasn't been born yet."
"What does?" Linna asked walking into the room. "What depends on
me?"
"What happens tomorrow," Sam pointed Loria towards the empty spot
on the floor where she could kip. "Sylia doesn't need us for anything,
so we need to decide what we want to do."
"Let's discuss that tomorrow," Linna yawned. "I'm exhausted. Night
Sam, Loria." She turned and headed towards the sofa.
"Want to share?" Loria asked with an evil grin looking at the
place she was going to lay her linen.
"Tempting..." Sam said. "But not practical given the space."
"I can soon change that," Loria said raising a hand.
"No, I don't think so..." Sam said with a sorry smile.
Loria sighed and started to lay her stuff out.
"Night love," Sam giggled before causing the light to go out.
"Yeah..." was Loria's reply.
The next morning was quiet but crowded. This small old caravan had
not been made originally to house four separate people, and the lack
of space was beginning to tell.
"Hey - watch where you put that thing will you?" Priss's voice
floated from the cubby hold that laughingly was known as the bathroom.
"Oh..." was the unidentified person's reply.
Sam giggled slightly at the comments and returned her attention to
the slightly larger breakfast that she was preparing. She smiled
wistfully as she once more returned to the battle with the eggs. It
was the same wherever and whenever she was, she just never really got
the hang of cooking. It was funny then how much she always enjoyed it.
Oh, there were ways she could have... improved her skills, but this
was one activity she preferred to do the mundane way. If she was
totally honest with herself she was not half bad either. The... ahh...
centuries of experience had actually made her quite a good cook. She
would just never have a natural flare for it - not like she had for
music.
"Is it ready yet?" Linna's voice woke Sam from her musings.
"What?" she looked over her shoulder at the brunette.
"Daaa - I said is it ready yet?" Linna repeated coming over to
look. "I'm ravenous!"
"No," Sam looked down at the various bubbling pots in front of
her. "Not yet."
Linna's face fell slightly and with a telling sigh she turned and
dumped herself cross-legged on the old multipurpose sofa. She picked
up the remote and started to flick through the morning channels.
"What are we going to do today?" she called back. "Now that YOUR
friend has decided to drop in."
Sam winced slightly at the emphasis Linna put on it. The brunette
had been too tired last night and so had just accepted the sudden
presence of the black woman, but today... Sam did not want to "alter"
things too much to get Linna to accept Loria's unannounced presence,
but if she had to...
"Where would you like to go?" Sam said. "There are any number of
places that could be interesting."
"What does your friend like?" Linna muttered.
"Oh anything a ex-Demon Goddess from Hades gets off on," Sam
commented dealing one of the freshly boiled eggs a fatal blow.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Linna looked up at Sam.
Sam did not answer, as at that immediate moment she was performing
a delicate balancing act with breakfast for 4 people. She grabbed one
hot pan, emptied the omelets, threw oil into another one, wiped sweat
from her face and...
"Sam, breakfast ready yet?" Priss called out as she waltzed into
the small kitchen area looking over Sam's shoulder. She did not wait
for an answer as her hand snaked around Sam and grabbed one of the
freshly made muffins.
"Ahhh..." she sighed with pleasure as she stuffed the sweet morsel
into her mouth. "Sam," she commented as she licked the caster sugar
from her fingers. "I think I am going to marry you. Then you can cook
for me forever!"
"Hahaha..." Sam commented dryly. "And you can lay off... Priss!"
"Too late!" Priss giggled in triumph as she walked off with her
sweet prize.
"I'm not making you any tomorrow!" Sam called out. "Really, some
people!"
At that moment the last of the "family" walked in and before she
could open her mouth Sam shot her a glance. "No!" she said
protectively guarding the rest of her morning's effort. "You can wait
- like the rest!"
"But..." Loria looked slightly surprised. "I didn't say anything!"
Linna looked at the woman. "Don't worry - Sam always gets like
this when she cooks. And considering she is the only one of us who can
cook we have to put up with it."
"Interesting," Loria commented almost to herself before joining
Linna on the sofa. They both looked at each other for a moment and
then both sets of eyes turned almost unconsciously to follow the
slender redhead as she continued her battle in the kitchen. For some
reason Linna found the sight of the harried redhead relaxing and a
faint smile came to her face.
Priss wiped the last of the sweet sugar from her mouth and looked
at her watch. It was almost 07:25, breakfast was usually available at
07:30. Well, that was when Sam was making it. When Priss turned her
hand to cooking - it was usually burnt offerings at 07:45 or nothing.
She crossed over to her bed and slipping off her tee shirt began to
finish getting dressed. She had seen what the weather was like outside
and it definitely was NOT tee shirt weather. She looked at the small
selection of clothes that she had. Linna and Sam had been talking
about some sort of day out. She frowned, it had been a long time since
she had been socially "out" with friends and the state of her "out"
attire was not exactly fashionable to say in the least.
"I know," Priss muttered as inspiration struck. "I can borrow from
Linna. She's roughly the same size, roughly..." Priss giggled as she
reveled slightly in the fact that she was still slimmer than Linna,
and with that amusing thought she went to help herself to Linna's
clothing.
The scene that she walked into was odd to say in the least. Both
Linna and Loria were sitting back on the sofa with the same distance
dreamy smile on their faces watching as Sam put the finishing touches
to the breakfast.
"So," Priss said announcing her presence. "Is breakfast ready
now?"
"Just about," Sam replied and then looked over at the sofa.
"What's up with you two?" she asked as the two women suddenly seemed
to come to agitated life.
"Nothing," Linna got to her feet her face slightly red.
"Yeah, right," Priss commented with a grin. Linna turned an even
deeper red and took a mocking swing at Priss.
"Will you lot stop larking around and eat," Sam commanded with her
hands on her hips. "You wanted it after all."
"Hai Sam-sama," Linna laughed and using the sound to cover her
embrassament moved over to join Priss. Loria looked at Sam and then at
Linna. A faint knowing smile flickered around her face, trust Sam to
import common elements into any Game she played.
"Not always," Sam said giving Loria a direct glance. "Nothing is
ever the same, no matter how it might appear."
"Sam," Priss looked at the redhead. "Will you stop talking crap
and have breakfast."
"Oh... right," Sam blushed.
"Hades?" Linna looked at the long queue of people trying to get
entrance to this most infamous of Tokyo's nightclubs. "You're got to
be joking. How the hell are we going to get into there?"
"Yeah Loria," Sam turned to the black woman "And why should we
want to go there? It's crowded, overpriced and a waste of time."
"You suggesting anywhere else?" Loria said.
"Yes, I am. I know a very nice and quiet bar only a very short
distance from here," Sam replied.
"Quiet?" Priss snorted. "Why should we want to go any place quiet?
It's Friday night - let's enjoy ourselves!"
"With what?" Sam looked pointedly at Priss. "Have you suddenly
come into some money or something? Enjoying oneself in this town
costs, and we have already spent far too much today as it is. Even
with Sylia's money we can't exactly afford to spend spend spend."
"Spoil sport," Priss muttered.
"Realist," Sam replied.
"So," Linna looked at Sam. "What is the name of this place? Maybe
I have heard of it."
"It's called Labyrinth," Sam replied. The name bought a startled
gasp from Loria and she shot a disbelieving look at the redhead.
"Sam!" Loria exclaimed. "You can't be thinking of...."
"Why not?" Sam replied. "It is after all only a short distance,
and the one I'm thinking of is quite different from the reality you
are considering."
"But the Entities..."
"Never happened," Sam replied. She saw the confusion on both
Priss's and Linna's faces. "Don't worry," she said. "You will like it,
and I know the owner very... well."
"Where exactly is this place?" Linna asked still surprised by
Loria's reaction to Sam's proposal. "I have never heard of it."
"That my dear, is a secret," Sam sniggered. "Just follow me."
"Not me," Priss announced. "I am going to try my luck at Hades."
"Me too," Loria said looking at Sam. "Sometimes you risk..."
"Linna?" Sam looked at the brunette offering a hand and ignoring
Loria. "You coming?"
Linna paused for a second as she considered Loria's odd reaction.
What did it...
"Linna..." Sam's face looked slightly hesitant.
Linna smiled and took the offered hand. "Let's go," she said.
"Sam, you can't..." Loria tried once more.
"Look after Priss," Sam said over her shoulder as she and Linna
started to cross the street. "I don'twant anything... unusual to
happen to her."
"What's that suppose to mean?" Priss asked Loria as the other two
figures vanished into the shadowsof evening. "I'm not exactly
helpless."
Loria did not answer, she just watched as the immortal redhead and
the mortal brunette disappeared into a Darkness not even her eyes
could penetrate. "Samantha," shemuttered. "Sometimes you are...
impossible."
"Hey!" Priss touched her arm. "Are you going to stare off into
space all night, or are you coming?"
The night was cold and Linna pulled the warm form of Sam closer as
they walked through the erriesilence of the dark alleyways. The usual
sounds of the city seemed tobe muted as if by a great distance. Slowly
as Sam led the way Linna noticed that the nature of the surrounding
atmosphere changed. The air, even the smells were somehow different.
"Sam..." Linna whispered. "Where are we going?"
"Don't worry," Sam replied patting Linna's hand reassuringly.
"We're almost there."
"Alright... I'm okay..." Linna replied.
"Of course you are," Sam giggled. "Now, watch your head the rain
around here is slightly acidic."
"Acidic?"
"Yes look," Sam replied pointing ahead to the end of the alley.
Neon lights flashed at the exit, their light being reflected off the
wet ground. "Ready Linna? When we get into the open just run like hell
and follow me, okay?"
"Yeah," Linna muttered.
"Let's go!" With a cry of delight Sam ran off down the remainder
of the alley pulling Linna after her. They burst out into the open
Linna felt the slight tingling of the rain as it momentarily hit her,
then it was gone. Sam pulled her into the shelter of a covered
walkway.
"You okay?" Sam grinned up at Linna.
"You're enjoying this aren't you?" Linna giggled slightly out of
breath.
"Haiii," Sam said. "Ikimashooka?"
"Lead on my dear," Linna smiled.
The private party at Labyrinth was well underway when Linna and
Sam opened the door and walked in. Six faces turned up to look at them
and for a moment there was a surprised silence One of those surprised
faces was that of a brunette, brown eyed young girl about a year or so
older than Sam. When she saw the redhead her face burst into a wide
grin.
"Sam!" she exclaimed running over towards the redhead and throwing
her arms around her.
"Hello Yuki," Sam laughed returning the hug. "It's been a while
hasn't it."
"Sam, where the hell have you been?" a violet eyed woman said
getting to her feet.
"Yeah, you little imp!" another violet eyed younger woman
exclaimed. "It's been over a year!"
"Travelling, looking for adventure," Sam replied with a lopsided
grin. "You know me - completely unreliable as far as maintaining
contacts..."
"Yeah Sam," the one called Katsumi walked over and gave the
redhead a warm hug. "We know you, but a year..."
Sam's smile grew a bit wistful, "sorry..."
Linna felt something like an outsider as the group welcomed Sam
with the air of an old dear friend. She had the impression that this
group was both very close and had been through an awful lot to get to
that closeness. She hung back a bit and watched more than a bit
jealous of the warmth that this "family" was generating. Or was the
source of that jealousy something else...
"Linna!" Sam rushed over to the grim faced brunette and grabbed
her hand. "Come on! Stop mopping in the corner and come and join us.
Everyone wants to meet you!"
Linna could not help but responding to the grin on the young
redhead's face and she slowly let Sam drag her over to the center of
the room where the others were waiting for the stranger.
"Everyone," Sam pushed Linna into a chair. "This is my friend -
Linna Yamazaki."
"Ah... Hello," Linna said slightly embarrassed by the eyes
focusing on her.
"Do you like coffee?" one of the younger women asked with a smile.
"Ahh, yes... thanks," Linna replied.
"Yuki's obsessed with coffee," Katsumi said and held out her hand.
"Linna, my name is Katsumi - please to meet you."
"Likewise," Linna took the offered hand and shook it.
Sam watched as Linna slowly relaxed and began to speak with the
others. Sam engaged in the conversation just enough to get Linna
comfortable before she left them to it and crossed over to the coffee
bar. Yuki noticed Sam staring slightly off into space and excusing
herself from the others moved over to join the redhead.
"Penny for your thoughts," she said as she sat down next to Sam.
"Oh nothing much," Sam said looking at Yuki. "Just thinking about
stuff..."
"Stuff?" Yuki grinned. "That's a frightening concept. What sort of
stuff?"
"Nothing really... just stuff..." Sam looked at Yuki. "Forget it,
just me getting old."
"Old?" Yuki looked at her surprised. "That's a bit of a weird
statement coming from a teenager."
"Teenager..." Sam murmered. "Yeah, suppose you're right."
Yuki frowned. It seemed the redhead still suffered from those
strange chaotic mood swings so Yuki delicately dropped the subject
"Tell me, how long are you in town? We could all get together..."
"I wish I could," Sam said regretfully. "But it might not be
possible."
"Well, I'm free all this week. You must have sometime available."
"I don't know - really... And with looking after Linna..." Sam
shrugged.
"You can always bring her along," Yuki said.
"Let me give you a ring. Let's see - today's the 23rd July 2030,"
Sam said glancing down at her watch. "I will try and see what I can do
but if you don't hear from me then..."
"Do try," Yuki said. "It has been a long time."
"I can't promise..."
"Well," Yuki smiled. "That will have to do I suppose. But tell me
how are things generally going? Since we all lost our jobs at Cheyenne
Industries you have been the only one out of contact."
"Not too bad," Sam replied. "I went back to the States and managed
to find a reasonably paid position at a very small specialist law
company in New York. I work as an assistant to one of the owners. He's
a great chap and treats me more like a daughter than an employee. I
really do love it there."
"You lucky sod," Yuki huffed. "I am stuck in a secretary pool.
It's boring and isn't going anywhere. The only thing good about it is
that it pays regularly."
"Yuck!" Sam's face curled. "What a crappy job, but what about
everyone else? And what about the cafe? Surely you are able to make
some money from it."
"You have got to be joking!" Yuki exclaimed. "Most of what I earn
here goes on the rent! I suppose I am lucky in that at least the
landlord is reasonable about giving me time to pay, but I am just
breaking even."
"Why not jack it in then?" Sam queried.
"Because it is the only place I have to live and frankly it's much
cheaper than renting somewhere."
"Well, I did offer you my place..."
"Don't remind me!" Yuki said. "And not taking it was the worst
mistake I ever made." She sighed, "but that's the past - lets get back
to the present. You asked me what the others have been doing. Well,
Katsumi has a job with Tokyo TV. I think she's planning on following
in her mother's footsteps. Nami, I don't know what she's doing at the
moment. Hey Nami!" Yuki turned and yelled at the group of chatting
woman.
"What?" Nami said as they all looked over at Yuki.
"How's your job hunting going? Sam wants..."
"Why don't you come and join us you anti-social bunch," Katsumi
exclaimed. "I for one do not feel like yelling across the room."
"Come on Sam," Yuki stood up and pulled the sleeve of the redhead.
"Let's join the crowd."
Sam looked briefly out the window. "I don't like the way it's
beginning to darken up. Did the news mention anything about storms?"
"Don't worry," Katsumi stood up and walked over to join them. "I
have my car parked just around the block. I can give you a lift to
where ever it is you need to go."
Sam laughed slightly. "That would be interesting..." she
commented. "Thanks Katsumi but I do not think that will be necessary.
So what have you lot been doing then?" She pulled up a chair and
squeezed in beside Linna.
"It's Katsumi you should be asking," Nami said with a cat like
grin. "It is her who is having the fame and success."
"Get serious," Katsumi laughed. "I have a small slot on the local
news..."
"She's famous!" Lebia raised her glass to Katsumi. "Following in
her famous mother's footsteps."
Katsumi went slightly red, "I have a long way to go before I do
that."
"Indeed," Sam muttered behind a sip of coffee.
"Ahhh... Who exactly was your mother?" Linna asked slightly
confused.
"Ha!" Lebia pointed at Katsumi. "This is the one and only daughter
of the world renown Fuyaka Liqueur."
Linna frowned, the name meant absolutely nothing to her. "Sorry,
but I have never hea..."
"She was a presenter among other things," Sam cut in. "She died in
the great quake."
Linna nodded, "I'm sorry, my parents were killed in the quake as
well so I know how it feels."
Katsumi was silent for a moment. "I never really got a chance to
know either of them. I wish I had..."
"Katsumi..." Nami said. "Don't lose yourself in the past. We all
lost..."
"So," Sam interrupted rudely. "How are you handling the pressure
of being a star?"
Katsumi looked at Sam and forced herself to cheer up. "A star?
Hardly - it will be quite a while until I reach that accolade." She
smiled, "but I am working on it."
"I look forward to it then," Sam giggled. "Although..."
"What?" Katsumi asked.
"Ah, nothing," Sam replied pushing her fringe out of her face.
"Tell me Lebia did your manage to get into that play? I saw the
rehearsal that you did and I thought you were great! They must..."
"No," Lebia replied with a shake of her head. "I struck out. Not
only then but a few other auditions. I don't know what happened, but I
never managed to make it."
Linna made a noise of sympathy. "I tried to be a dancer as well
but I ran into exactly the same problem you did. I never made it
through the auditions. I finally gave up as well and moved into...
other things."
"That's the way..."
Sam smiled slightly and relaxed as the conversation flowed around
her. Linna was getting along quite well with the the alternates from
this reality. So far, so good. It would make the task that Michael had
begged her to do so much easier...
Loria kept a watchful eye on Priss as the brown eyed woman danced.
Fortunately, Priss's age meant that she was not as attractive to some
of the predators here as many other of the human prey that were
enjoying themselves. Loria had helped this impression by tainting
Priss's natural aura with a sense of weakness. As a result the target
Priss presented was very unappatising. As for herself, she exuded the
aura of a young healthy female. Unlike Sam she did not like to...
announce her presense. Especially not in a crowd like this. Although
it would not have mattered, it was not like anything here could offer
her even a vague threat. It was just habit, part of who she was.
"Hello..." a sultry voice male purred as yet another "man"
attempted to pick her up.
"Goodbye," Loria said sharply and pushed passed him, easily
casting aside the webs of power he was trying to ensnare her with. She
could hear "his" muttered curse but "he" had no choice but to let her
go. The Hunt had many rules, and freedom of choice was among the
first. The prey had to doom themselves. Personally Loria thought it
was pathetic. If she wanted something she just took it. Power was what
mattered - nothing else. However, when in Rome... As the humans of
this world said.
She wondered why Sam had let Priss come to this place. Was it part
of her Game? Loria was more than slightly puzzled about what Sam found
so interesting in this world. What was it that had made her suddenly
leave and come to this nowhere place?
"Loria!" Priss called out and pushed her way across the dance
floor to where she saw the other woman. "Wait up!"
Loria put a smile on her face and turned to the approaching woman.
"Hi Priss. You look like you're enjoying yourself."
"Yes," Priss breathed excitedly. "This place is great! I just love
it!"
Loria noticed the faint twinges of power radiating around Priss.
She sighed inwardly and dispelled the nets of power that had made
Priss slightly hyper. "It's okay," Loria commented. "But I have seen
better. Tell me, who were you dancing with just now?"
"I..." Priss was slightly confused. What had just...
"Who were you dancing with just now?" Loria repeated slowly.
"Priss! Who is your most attractive young friend here?"
Loria looked at the two "men" who came to stand behind Priss. Both
were extremely attractive and exuding power nets like anything.
Children... Loria thought to herself. Unable to compete for the better
prey they went after the weaker and less fit - Priss. She shook her
head slightly and sighed.
"What's wrong cutie?" the first spoke confident of "his" own
power. "Why the big sigh?" He put his arm around her waist and pulled
Loria closer to him.
Loria's eyes went flat and her face twisted in unnatural rage.
This child DARED to touch her... An almost unholy expression came to
her face as she had to force away the torrent of rage and power that
threatened to overwhelm her.
"Let go," she hissed in a voice that held faint overtures of
barely surpressed insanity. "Now."
The "man" almost backpedaled in shock at the sound of Loria's
voice. As for the other, "he" instinctively flared his power and
struck a blow at Loria's mind. Loria smiled with contemptuous glee as
she decided that enough was enough. It was time to...
"Loria - stop it."
An ancient and alien Power gently clamped down on Loria's rage and
with great ease cut her off from her own strength.
"You are not here for that," Sam's voice whispered softly through
her mind.
Loria felt a flicker of something akin to terror pass through her
for a moment and then she recovered herself. Sam was only warning her.
She took a deep breath and let her rage pass. She schooled her face
and shot both of the very lucky beings a glance.
"Leave," she said in a deadly calm voice
The two predators looked at her with something almost akin to
disbelief. They did not understand.
"What exactly is going on here?" a calm female voice said drawing
all their attentions.
Loria's eyes narrowed as she carefully looked at the woman who had
just interrupted them. Here was a Power - a very old and very
dangerous power. Instinctively she reached for her own but Sam was
still shielding her from it.
"I asked what is going on here?" the woman repeated. Loria could
sense the faint trace of menace in the woman's voice.
"And what's it to you?" Priss demanded boldly with hands on her
hips. This woman's attitude almost reminded her of Sylia and that was
enough to get her back up.
"I am the Caretaker and owner of this club," the woman repeated
calmly. "I ensure its smooth running. Now, will you answer my
question?"
"I apologize," Loria said with a guarded expression. "I think I am
the one at fault."
"How so?" the woman asked.
"These... gentlemen tried to get... forceful in their affections.
I did not appreciate that."
"Oh, is that so?" the woman said looked at the other two who both
paled. "Then it is I who must apologize to you for letting such...
gentlemen into my club." She gestured at the two "men" and almost from
nowhere two largish figures appeared. "Remove these gentlemen from the
premises," the woman said in a dead voice.
"No... No!" one of the "men" tried to protest as one of the guards
grabbed him. "Please... No!"
The other tried to turn and run but the second bouncer caught him
as soon as he tried to move off.
"You violated the rules," the woman told the two panicking and
struggling figures. "You bought dishonor upon my establishment and
now..." She made a dismissive gesture at which the two bouncers pulled
the now terrified figures away through the crowd.
"No... please... I..."
"My name is Sophia," the woman said with a smile turning back to
Loria and Priss. "Once again I most humbly apologize for any insult
that was offered to either of you here. Please, will you not join me
for a drink on the house as a way of repaying my debt?"
Priss looked at the woman for a moment, the reaction of the men
had unnerved her slightly. This Sophia seemed to be a woman who could
generate great fear. That meant that she had something... a
strength... She might be someone very useful to know, especially...
Sylia... A faint smile came to her face as a very interesting thought
crossed her mind.
"We would be honored," Priss said with a slight bow. "Would we not
Loria?"
Loria did not like the game that Priss was beginning. This Sophia
was far more dangerous than Priss could ever imagine, but she had
promised Sam...
"Yes," Loria said with a cold smile. "Of course."
"Sam, I thought you said you had no one," Linna said as they bid a
final farewell to Yuki and the others. "Those..."
"Shh..." Sam said and smiled mischievously up at Linna.
"What?" Linna said with a slight smile.
Sam fluttered her eyes and tilted her head. "Just..."
"Just what?" Linna asked. "Sam I.. Mmmm..."
Sam suddenly pushed forward and landed a kiss straight on Linna's
lips. Linna's eyes widened with shock as the faint salty taste of
Sam's mouth assaulted her senses, then it was gone.
"Got ya!" Sam giggled and jumped back merriment all over her face.
Linna was too surprised to be able to do anything. She was not
exactly sure how she should react. She was embrassed, angry and...
slightly arosed. Linna shook her head, what was she thinking? She
looked at the grinning redhead and lunged forward. "Come here you!"
she growled.
"Hoho..." Sam easily avoided the mock attack. "You're getting slow
in your age - Knight Saber."
"We'll see," Linna countered and executed a feint to the right
before shooting her leg out in a move designed to trip that grinning
red imp onto the wet pavement.
"Pathetic," Sam commented as she skipped over the leg and gave
Linna's left breast a playful pock. "Strike two! Ancient One."
Linna hissed and drew herself up to consider her options. The
slender redhead was fast, far faster than she was. She needed a
plan...
"Admit defeat Ancient One?" Sam sniggered.
Linna focused on the pale face and it's impudent grin. "Not
yet..." she muttered and then erupted into action. She sprang in a low
attack designed to tackle her opponent. Sam laughed and danced out of
the way leaving Linna unbalanced. She slipped on the pavement and
landed badly with an exclaimation of pain.
Sam blicked and an expression of concern passed over the face.
"Linna? Are you okay?"
"Owww..." Linna groaned. "My foot..."
"Oh shit...." Sam said and rushed over to the fallen figure.
"Linna, I'm sorry. I did not mean to hurt you." She knelt down, "let
me have a mmmm...."
Linna suddenly recovered from her injury and grabbing the redhead
in her arms pressed her lips fully against the redhead's. Revenge!
Linna thought gleefully as she repaid Sam's insult threefold and
nibbled the other girl's faintly salty lips. The redhead went stiff
for a moment and then slowly melted into the kiss. The yielding
softness of the salty mouth and the faintly spicey aromor went to
Linna's head. What first had been intended as a joke became something
far more serious. Linna wrapped her arms around the smaller form and
pulled the warm figure against her. She felt light headed as hot
shivers ran riot down her body and she sucked greedily at the lips.
Her mind was both vague and focused. She both knew what she was doing
and was lost in the physical sensation. She slowly began to lean back
pulling the other girl with her. She was... At that point Sam lost her
balance.
"Ouch!" Linna exclaimed as the two collasped onto the wet concrete
pavement. The pain of the knock bought Linna fully back to her senses.
"Oh Gods..." she whispered as she was both shocked and confused by
what had just happened. She raised her head and met the wide green
eyes of Sam. Gods, Linna thought as she looked at that pale face, I
never really noticed how deep those emerald eyes were...
"Wow..." Sam said faintly. "That... was... quite some kiss...
I..."
Linna scrambled to her feet. She did not know what exactly she was
supposed to say or do at this point. "Ahh.." she swallowed, act calm.
"Is it... about time we went back?"
"Back?" Sam got to her feet. "Yes, I suppose it is."
Linna wiped her muddy hands against her jeans. Act normal, nothing
happened, it was just... "Come on," she said in a slightly forced
light tone. "I bet Priss and Loria will be wondering where we are."
"Yeah," Sam said as her elfin face regained it's composure. "I
suppose they will."
Linna watched the girl's attractive face and once more remembered
the soft lips. Act normal! It was only a joke!
"Linna?" Sam asked.
"Wha... What?"
"You coming?"
"Oh sorry," Linna told herself to get a grip. "Lead the way."
"Where the hell are they?" Sylia swore yet again as the vidphone
went unanswered. "Why now of all times? Shit!"
"We had better get over to them with the mobile command," Yoko
said. "The ADP messages I am monitoring indicate that they are almost
in position. If we want to be there when they execute the raid we have
to get to Linna and Sam now."
"If they are in," Sylia swore. "Why now? Why now of all times does
the ADP need to find out?"
"Sylia," Yoko said. "We have to go now. Come on."
"Damn them," Sylia muttered. "Let's go."
"It does not look like Priss and Loria are back yet," Sam said as
they approached the darkened caravan.
"Well," Linna said as she reached for the keys. "I am sure that
they are enjoying themselves."
"Yip," Sam smiled. "That is one thing... LINNA!!! LOOK OUT!!!"
The sound of Sam's sudden panicked scream caused Linna to spin
around looking for the danger. The laser blast caught her full on in
the chest ripping straight through her. She did not even have time to
scream.
"LINNA!!!" Sam shrieked as horrified she watched the burnt body
fall to the ground. A second blast of furious power blasted out again
and struck Sam full on. The explosion threw her into the air and she
landed in the mud and was still.
The sound of metal crunching on metal filled the air as the battle
boomer rose from the wreckage in which it had been hiding. It scanned
the vicinity for any further movement. Nothing. Satisfied that no
other humans were around it lumbered forward to check it's primary
target. It had been warned that the target would be extremely
difficult to kill, but the strategy that it had chosen seemed to work.
It scanned both of the humans for life-signs. They were both silent.
It's primary target had been successfully terminated. A small high
pitched electronic squeal filled the air as it squawked its success to
the satellite overhead and waited for follow up instructions.
A faint alien sound suddenly registered on its senses and the
boomer shifted. It's heavily armed head swiveled around as it tried to
identify the source of the twittering. It's senses registered nothing.
No heat, no light, no movement. The only thing it could detect was the
sound. A sound that was coming from a source of cold darkness. The
boomer's visual systems and heat senses focused on the parameters of
the sound. There was definitely an area of cold, twittering darkness
that seemed to be slowly rolling towards it. The boomer's battle
computer could not make any sense on what the hell this darkness was
but it suggested the only action that seemed appropriate. The lasers
came back on line and the boomer fired point blank.
The whine and flash of energy tore repeatedly at the approaching
darkness, but it seemed to be simply absorbed to no visible affect.
The boomer increased the power to the weapon in increasingly draining
increments, even pushing it up to critically dangerous levels. The
only effect that it seemed to have was that the twittering from the
approaching unknown entity seemed to increase. The boomers various
computers were confused, logically the impossible was happening. The
gigawatts of power flowing into the darkness were only causing it to
giggle harder. The boomers power reserves were dangerously low and the
battle computer made the only suggestion that it could - retreat. The
boomer opened its rocket ports and tried to take off. It's rockets
whined in protest as the boomer tried to fly but nothing was
happening. It was as if the laws of physics had suddenly stopped
working. It was frozen in place and could not do anything.
"Bye bye..." a soft voice whispered from behind it. The boomer's
head was forced around to stare at the insane face of a furious
redhead. The boomer's energy began to fade and slowly it collapsed
into the loving caress of the Darkness.
Sam watched dispassionately as her minions devoured the shell of
the boomer. She looked down at her clothes with disgust. The mud had
ruined them. She sighed, she had liked those... Oh well. She turned
and walked over to stand by the very dead form of Linna. The blast
from the laser weapon had done its job well. Linna's body was not a
pretty sight. However, all that mattered was that the soul was still
present. The Reapers had not yet arrived so she still had time. She
knelt down and put a finger on Linna's shattered chest. A faint black
radiance emitted from her hand as she started to repair the damage to
the human's body. Flesh and muscle flowed like water as Sam rebuilt
Linna's form. At this point in time she had to recreate the body
exactly as it was. She could make no improvements, or do anything else
that was not already in the mortal's genes. She was so engrossed in
the work that she did not notice the presence of the Other until an
amused twittering from her still present pet drew her attention.
Sam stood up and turned to face the angelic form. Her eyes
narrowed, she did not recognize this one. It must have been "born"
after her time.
"What do you want?" she asked it.
The Other ignored her question and her presence. It's eyes were
focused on Linna and slowly it walked forward.
Sam stood in front of it, "you cannot have her. She is under my
protection."
The Other gestured like trying to dislodge a fly. Sam simply
grinned and repeated "you cannot have her."
"She is mine," the Other said. "I have my duties and I warn you
not to interfere."
"Or what?" Sam said. "You will destroy me?"
The Other shifted in an annoyed fashion. "If necessary."
"One last time - go," Sam giggled.
"If you do not desist I..."
Sam turned from the empty spot where the Reaper had been and
returned to repairing Linna's body. When she had finished on the
woman's form she manipulated Linna's memory of the events that had
just taken place. Her work was now physically complex. The body was
repaired and breathing under it's own power. The only thing that
needed to be done was to place Linna's soul. Slowly she held out her
hand and called the bright radiance to her. For a moment she examined
it. The taint of murder rose from it. In the past Linna had killed and
the taint of that murder stank on her soul. If the Reaper had captured
it then Linna would have been bound for the Abyss. Sam was not
judgmental. Personally, she did not care what people did and why the
individual powers insisted on judging people's actions she did not
understand. What people did, they did. She looked at the taint again
and then shrugged. She removed it and placed the soul back in the
body. She sat back and looked at the results of her work. Linna was
fine, but the question of who the hell had sent the boomer to attack
them concerned her. Who had the target been? Sam had not been able to
detect the presence of the thing as it had been shielded by EXTREMELY
strong power. Someone or something had taken a lot of time and trouble
to weave protections on that machine. That suggested that the boomer
had either been after her, or that the being behind the attack knew
that she would be there with Linna. But why bother? Sam had never been
in danger from such a pathetic attack. Why would someone take all that
time and trouble to support an attack that would never have worked. It
was that question which concerned Sam the most.
"What... What happened?" Linna suddenly groaned from the ground
causing Sam to end her speculation and kneel down next to her.
"Are you okay?" Sam said pressing a cool hand against Linna's
slightly hot face. "You just fainted. How do you feel now?"
"Fainted?" Linna queried. "I've never fainted in my life! Why..."
The sudden squeal of tyres caused the two to look up. A truck
which Linna recognised as Sylia's mobile command centre came charging
down the muddy track that led to the caravan as fast as it could.
"What the hell is going on here?" Sam said looking at the
approaching vehicle.
Linna scrambled to her feet, "I don't think I want to know."
"Are you sure you feel okay?" Sam asked Linna again.
The look of concern on Sam's face caused Linna to smile. She
brushed her hand against Sam's cheek. "I am fine, really. Come on lets
see what has got Sylia so excited."
They both waited for the van to crunch to a halt. The passenger
door flew open and an uncharacteristically red faced Yoko got out.
"Thank God you are here," she exclaimed. "All hell is breaking
loose."
"What do you mean?" Linna asked a frown on her face.
"The ADP have somehow got wind of one of the sites we have been
watching. Ten minutes ago 3 squads attacked it. Six minutes ago I
picked up a panicked call for reinforcements. Whatever they are going
up against is a hell of a lot more lethal than simple boomers. We have
to get over there - now!" Yoko's eyes flared with anticipation at the
revenge she was finally going to be able to get on those who had dared
to kill her friends.
"You are suggesting we ride straight into a killing zone?" Sam
asked slightly incredulously. "I didn't sign up to commit suicide you
know."
"You will do what you are told," Yoko snapped. "We have to stop
them. We are the only ones who..."
"Can?" Linna shook her head. "We are not an army for Christ's
sake. If 3 squads of heavily armed ADP attacked the place and got
wiped out in 4 minutes what bloody chance do we have? I'm not that
suicidal either."
Yoko's face grew dark with anger, "it's what you are being paid to
do! And you will!"
"Yoko!" Sylia's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Linna's
right. We are not here to commit suicide and a full frontal attack
would be just that!"
"Then what do you suggest we do?" Yoko asked in a cold voice. "Let
the ADP and everyone else simply get butchered?!"
"Of course not!" Sylia said beginning to get annoyed. "We need
to..."
"Blow the fuck out of the place," Sam finished. "You want to use
the Comsat system don't you?"
Sylia's eyes narrowed as she looked at Sam. The redhead grinned in
response and shrugged, "it is the only attack that makes any sense. A
clean surgical strike. However...." her voice trailed off in thought.
"What?" Sylia asked.
"Considering what we could be up against I don't know how good
such an attack would be," Sam said. "I'm also wondering why it hasn't
been tried already. Surely the government would have thought of this
option."
"What other alternative is there?" Sylia glared at her. "We are
running out of options and time."
"I don't know!" Sam snapped.
"Hit and run," Linna suddenly spoke up.
Sam and Sylia looked at her. "Sorry," Sam said. "Did you say hit
and run?"
"Yes," Linna said. "We hit, do what damage we can and get the hell
out of there."
"How's that different from a frontal assault?" Sam asked.
"Not much," Sylia commented. "But it is the best that has been
suggested so far. Let's do it. If it looks too dangerous, we cut our
loses and run before invoking a strike from Comsat. Yoko, get the
suits ready. Arm them with the heavy stuff."
Yoko nodded and rushed around the back of the truck. Sylia turned
to Sam and Linna.
"This might get messy," she began. "If it looks like we are
outclassed then..."
"We run," Linna finished. "I have absolutely no problem with
that."
"Then suit up and let's go. We have already wasted far too much
time here."
They took the mobile command as far as they could but at a certain
point the road was blocked off by traffic police and even at this time
of night the queues were already building up. Sylia pulled the truck
into a lay by which overlooked a wide section of the city. Even from
here they could see the fire fight that was going on. It was difficult
to tell but it seemed the ADP were fighting both some kind of flying
opponents and ground based forces.
"What the fuck is going on?!?" Yoko demanded as she looked at the
mayhem. "It's a bloody war!" She like the rest of them was shocked by
the scale of the action. This was not simply a fire fight but a bloody
battle!
"You want us to go into that?" Sam asked Sylia in a hushed voice.
"Somehow I don't think our little weapons are going to make a great
deal of difference..."
Sylia just simply looked at the flickering explosions. Words
seemed to be inappropriate.
"Do you want to live forever?" Linna asked. "Look at what the fuck
is going on. The ADP will not be able to constrain THAT for much
longer..."
Sam glared at Linna for a moment and then sighed. "No," she
admitted. "I don't think they will. They are up against something..."
She shook her head and turned to Sylia. "Linna's right, that battle
will soon spread throughout the whole city. I doubt we can do much to
stop it, but short of running I don't see we have much option." She
grinned, "besides as someone once said 'Today is a good day to die'"
Sylia looked at her team and her usually stoic face faltered. "I
can't just send you out there to die..."
"Hey," Linna smiled at Sylia and for the first time she really
meant it. "It is our choice and I personally would rather go down
fighting than end up slaughtered like cattle."
Sylia lowered her face and then abruptly she turned. "Launch is in
4 minutes. Mobile command will coordinate activities from here. Orders
will follow when the computers have analyzed attack vectors. Yoko is
field command. Let's do it ladies."
"Aye sir," Sam said brightly and dragging Linna with her ran
towards the suiting area. After a moment Yoko followed as well. When
the door had hissed shut Sylia turned and looked at where the three
had stood. A faint silvery track could be seen on her face.
"Good luck," she whispered. "And come back..."
* * * *
(Rough Preview chapter 4)
Chapter Four - Battle!
Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 5 March, 01:23
"Split off to the right!" Yoko yelled at Linna as yet another one
of the things attacked. "SHIT!! What the FUCK are these THINGS!!" She
kicked in her boosters and flew upwards. The thing shifted its wings
and shot up after her. Yoko looked back horrified at the insanity that
was following after her. It looked like a nightmare creation of human
bits, beast flesh, and other things which Yoko did not even want to
imagine. It was almost as if something had fused the thing together
from lots of different pieces and then given it life. Not only that,
it was fast, brutal and intelligent. Yoko looked at her power reserves
and swore. The things seemed to be nearly endless in number. Every
time she shot one or two, another seemed to take its place. This was
not going well.
"Shoot the fucker Yoko!" Linna's voice yelled in her helmet as she
dealt with a the one chasing her. Her battle system's bleeped a
warning and the scanners showed three other's flying down to attack
her. "Shit!" she swore as she took an evasion course.
Sam was swearing for a different reason. The suit was impossible
for this type of combat. The homunculus that they were fighting had a
natural advantage in the air and although the suits were good, they
were not designed for air to air combat. She looked at the combat
display and after a moments thought cut her engines. She immediately
began to drop like a stone. The two homunculus after her gibbered at
dipping their wings shot after her. Sam smiled as they came into range
of her maser.
"Bye bye..." she muttered as she turned her thrusters on back full
and blasted the fiends in one shot. She checked her scanner, for the
moment she was clear.
"Where the hell are these things coming from Sylia?" she demanded.
"Can you detect the source?"
"Yes," Sylia answered. "I'm feeding the coordinates to your
systems now. But don't try anything stupid. I am getting still well
over 50 activate radar fixes on the airborne targets. I image that if
you try...."
"Yeah, yeah," Sam replied. "Understood obaasan..." She locked the
coordinates from Sylia into the autonav and kicked the thrusters in
full. "Linna, Yoko. I'm going to try and attack the area that Sylia
has identified as the source. Keep these pretties occupied will you?"
"What?" Linna replied. "Sam don't! That's crazy to attempt alone!
Shit... wait..." She broke off as she was attacked again.
"Sam! Listen to Linna!" Yoko ordered. "Fuck..." The rest of her
comment was lost in static.
"Sorry Yoko," Sam whispered. "But its time to party..." With that
she kicked her suits thrusters into full life. Sam ordered the battle
computer to link with the suit's autonav system. At this speed she
needed every automatic response that the suit would give her. A group
of homunculus finishing with an ADP chopper changed direction and shot
after her. The battle computer noted their position and sent an
appropriate evasion course to the autonav. The suit changed direction
with a sickening shudder and the homunculus were lost. The autonav
guided Sam at breakneck speed through the twisted remains of damaged
buildings. Here and there Sam saw ADP troopers as well as regular
police fighting a pinched battle against similar unnatural
construction. Yoko had been right - it was a war zone!
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