The Game 18
Edited by Karen Leigh
Eugene Sands, dressed and not connected to darling Rodney for once, fought his way through people going in, going out, and Anne, struggling to keep her two malamutes from leaping to the defense of the woman they had recently accepted as 'Smells like pack". Two lunging, growling, one hundred pound malamutes were as effective as a blockade.
Allison, holding onto Mac Brown's hand, looked out the window to see what the hullabaloo was about. Seeing an enormous, black, dog-like creature, her jaw dropped.
To make matters worse, Alison's cat had leaped out of her hands and was screeching its way, claws lashing from body to body in the crowd.
"Sappho!" Allison yelled. She was barely aware of the scratches on her arms as she tried to catch the cat. "Sorry, sorry," she muttered as Sappho clawed her way through the crowd.
Rodney, holding the chain and the three feet long pipe that had been requested, yowled himself as the cat ran up his chest, over his head, and down his back.
"Sorry, Rodney," Allison said, trying unsuccessfully to reroute Sappho. Of course, it was a bit late to do so...
"Shiiiiht!" yelled Rodney, "We're not getting out this door. Let's go around!"
"Good thought," Allison said, reversing direction, colliding with Mac Brown. "Oof. Sorry..."
Turning around, Rodney forgot to lower the pipe. The end hit Eugene in the back and his lover fell to the floor with a groan.
"Oh, God, Eugene! I'm sorry. Are you all right, lover?" Rodney gasped.
"Fine," Eugene said, a whimper swallowed by his effort to spare his beloved's feelings.
They gathered all their equipment and sprinted for the side door. Now, clusters of Mac 27s, temple folk, and even Skip Brule seemed to be trying to out the door at the same time.
As their long legs stretched and reached an amazing speed, Mac Smith intersected them. He was carrying a huge, round tray of lunchmeat, cheese, bread, desserts, and fruit. Both men hit the tray and the Mac at the same time and went down for the second time.
Eugene brushed a salami slice that slowly slid down his face aside. A cup of mayonnaise had landed on his head and dribbled toward his eyes. A cluster of grapes coquetted over his shoulder.
Rodney wasn't moving anything but his hand. He reached toward his back as if in slow motion. Eugene said, "Crap, it didn't? It couldn't..."
It had.
The prepared shot quivered from Rodney's perfect ass as if very happy to have found such a fine home. Drool and chocolate pudding slid down Rodney's face. He asked, slack jawed, "Did I win?"
"Yeah, babe, you KO'ed them," Eugene assured as Rodney smiled in slack jawed and sleepy satisfaction. "Night, babe."
Okay he wanted to help the situation outside, but damn it, that was a big dose of tranq. He snarled at Mac Smith, "Help me carry Rodney some place where I can clean him up and keep an eye on him. And tell One or someone that they have to get someone else to deal with those assholes outside. I'm going be busy with Rodney."
Anne red faced and drenched with sweat, yelled, "What is going on here?
Allison looked at Anne. "I don't know, but..." She shouldered her way back to the window. "Whatever that... dog... wolf... is, it sure spooked your dogs something fierce." She looked at the knot of people and Mac 27s around the animal. What she saw, or rather didn't see, alarmed her. "Where's Jess?" she asked. She hadn't known Jess long, but she felt a liking and kinship for the woman, in part because of their shared history with Jake, but mostly because she seemed like a genuinely nice person. A thought had struck her suddenly, in the viscera. What if that - dog - had eaten Jess? Her rational mind screamed to her that there was no blood, but she hardly heard it. "Jess!" she yelled, running through the throng of people and dogs, opening the door and running across the lawn, not looking to see if anyone followed. She was only dimly aware of Anne's malamutes running behind her, quickly overtaking and running ahead of her. "Jess! Are you okay? JESS!"
She heard someone yelling her name, but she didn't dare take her eyes off of Wraith. She could hear Johnny still speaking to her in a soothing monotone. Her ears started coming forward and the fur on her neck lay down slightly.
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The frantic phone call was really the first work that Romeo and Jules had to really fend off. Most of the calls were to schedule retreats at the Temple. Skip had looked martyred, but told them to put the callers off. He had dismissed all but the most faithful or the newly smitten with Mac 27s who might yearn for freedom but didn't mind personal, very personal service.
Nibbling on Romeo's ear as he perched on his lover's lap, Jules wiggled to seat himself deeper on that lovely cock designed for him as he was designed for it. He moved faster, holding to Romeo's neck and shoulders as he rode out his pleasure, cock sliding into him, eyes gazing into his soul. His lover, his only...
Crying out, Jules hung for a moment, a white light of joy blinding him to all but Romeo's face.
As he became aware to the outside, he reached for the phone that screamed undulations of alarm into his ear. "The Temple. All is foma, but we accept Master Card and Visa."
A frightened voice said, "You have to help us. The hounds are chasing us. Please, we don't want to be terminated.."
Taking the details, Jules learned that the Macs were hiding out in the dumpster behind a bar. One of them had snagged a mobile phone and had made the call from this unsavory shelter.
More of his kind. Jules hurriedly dressed. He had to ask One for permission to go out and help the trapped Macs. Romeo turned the phone over to a sweet-faced Mac 27 who apparently belonged to a master who craved purple hair. He spotted a Mohawk and eight earrings one side.
"Dude!" the Mac said, sitting down to take his turn at the desk.
The scene inside the room was very tense. When Jules poked his head in, Ricky shushed him and waved him to back off, following him out to the hall. "What's wrong?"
"There are two Mac 27s pinned by the a bar called "The Purple Onion." Apparently, they followed a number of clones to the place thinking it might be a safe place for Mac 27s then they saw a team of Hounds sniffing around so they hid,"
The human clone looked as if he had just been given a big bite of chocolate. He said, "Well, let's go save them. I'll grab some armor. You go see about that shield for you guys. We'll see if Alexei and Sasha will ride along." (Ricky moving away from the Temple and unknowingly towards a rendezvous with Walter and Denise.)
As Ricky and his four cohorts left the house, they passed a cluster of very tense figures. Ricky mumbled, "Just my luck, here I am leaving and things are just getting interesting."
The Mac 27s all turned to stare at Ricky in disbelief. Sasha firmly took his arm and said, "We have to rescue our comrades."
"Sure, okay, whatever..." Ricky commented, a longing look cast back at the tense scene.
Alexei picked one of the armored vans instead to the Bugatti that Ricky had drifted toward. Taking the passenger's seat, Ricky folded his arms and sulked. No ringside seat and no sports car...this better be a good fight.
Someone had taught Alexei how to drive right though. They never went under seventy even when zipping around a tractor pulling a huge flatbed of hay ales. Ricky grinned and began to whistle. Okay, more like it.
The van barely squeezed into the alley; headlights illuminating men searching every crevice where a Mac 27 could hide. Yelling at the top of his lungs, Ricky jumped out of the van as soon as it slowed to a crawl. Momentum carried him straight into one of the armed men. A strange looking weapon leapt skyward, spiraling down like the spear in 2001 that turns into the obelisk.
Using the side of his gun, Ricky connected three times with the side of his opponent's head. He frisked the man as he checked to see it any other target presented.
Just then, a dull watermelon thud sounded. Ricky looked, realizing that the noise was a human body hitting a brick wall after achieving the velocity of sound if not light. Romeo's eyes met his as if challenging him to protest.
Jules, to whose defense Alexei had been leaping, jerked a limp figure over to Ricky like a cat hauling a freshly killed zucchini to put next to his owner's slippers.
Alexei and Sasha seemed to have disposed of four other armored men. Jules brought his prey over, the only one left conscious.
Smirking, Ricky said, "Hey, guys, drop the survivors naked next to the Washington Monument. Send a message to whomever sent them. I'm going to make sure that we are being properly ignored by all the upstanding citizens of the nation's capital."
Two more Mac 27 heads peeked out of the dumpster. One wore a mohawk of purple and the other had shocking neon green locks. Ricky thought, 'Hmm, I-Mac isn't alone."
Ricky slunk around the corner of the alley and peered at the street. The one or two passing strangers hurried away from the commotion in the alley, eyes adverted. All they needed was to hop along in the classic "See no evil. Hear no evil. Speak no evil" poses.
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Having listened to Gross's ravings at Mulder's apartment for a while, and given his story some thought, Tin Man realized that Gross was suffering from an old problem once more... severe over-heating of his imagination chip leading to fragmentation of his logic processes and total suppression of his inhibition circuitry. Suggesting re-fuelling would be prudent before Gross attempted his rescue of Langly, Tin Man settled Gross down before a large dish of Monkey brain stew in a local Nepalese restaurant, and while he was savouring it, jabbed his main control switch and set him to manual over-ride.
He allowed him to complete his meal, then walked him out and took him to a local park, sat him on a bench, and programmed him to remain dormant on a clean-up and maintenance routine for 48 hours. That usually did the trick. Happy in the knowledge that he had done his good deed for the day, he returned to Mulder's apartment.
Trapped inside his shell, Gross fumed. His motor controls wouldn't respond, and though he knew that Tin Man thought he was acting for the best, he resented the interference. However, his emergency re-boot took some time to complete, and Tin Man had been gone for some hours before he shook the dew from himself and stood up, dislodging a couple of pigeons that had roosted on his motionless form.
Obviously, Tin Man's help was not forthcoming. He would have to rescue his beloved alone, using his natural strength, cunning, and panache. Hotwiring an Aston Martin that had been left near the park gates, he screeched away from the curb and drove like a madman all the way back to the enclave.
Outside, a strange scene met his eyes. A group of people, some with guns...Macs... clones... and an enormous dog-like creature with slavering jaws. This was the stuff for which Gross's soul yearned. He sprang from the sports car, and seized a garden chair by its back, brandished it at the animal, and cracked his whip over the wolf's nose like a lion tamer.
"Yarp!" Jess's yelp was accompanied by slapping a paw on her now stinging nose. Immediately her ears flattened, and her hackles fluffed up again.
"Hah! Down, sir! Down I say!" he bellowed, placing himself between it and its victims.
"Whoever you are, get away from her!" Johnny yelled. Jess was growing more agitated by the moment, and Johnny's attempts to calm her weren't working. The last thing she needed was someone playing wild beast tamer, reminding her of her time as a lab experiment.
Once again, Baines lowered the gun and stepped back. The situation was escalating but now the odds seemed more even between the two combatants. Blood might be spilled but it wouldn't be by him this time. All of a sudden the noise level increased as a crowd of humans and animals scrabbled at the front door. A woman was screaming and the adventure loving android Gross appeared out of nowhere. It was beginning to look like a circus and if the situation didn't have the potential for tragedy he would laugh.
Seeing the fool with the chair momentarily distracted the beast, Wraith dared to shift his attention briefly so he could firmly push Marita back to safety once more. "You don't understand. That is a monster. Monsters must be destroyed. It is a primary command."
"But you're not taking commands from them anymore, Lauren. *I* don't want it destroyed," Marita reasoned.
Wraith's expression was fierce. "It's an animal. It threatens you." The need to protect her clashed with his ingrained desire to take orders.
"Please Lauren."
Her voice sent a shiver running through him. "As you wish." The action went against his own desires, but Wraith backed them away from the creature. Still, his guard didn't drop. If it came any closer to his precious charge, that would be justification enough to attack it.
It didn't work. Jess took a stiff legged step towards Wraith, eyes still locked on him.
The dogs wheeled as they heard Allison behind them. Anne had a flash of brilliance and yelled, "Boris, pin!"
Boris and Aura were trained as therapy dogs. One of the male dog's tricks was to gently keep someone on the ground until Anne gave him the release command. Boris loved this trick and despite the dismal showing of malamutes in obedience, he always came through on this one.
Happily, one hundred pounds of malamute impacted about the same weight of woman and sent Allison to the ground. Although he kept most of his weight off her, Boris would not let her up. His salad plate sized tongue swept up her face from chin to forehead, metronomed back and forth across her face, and settled into grooming her hair into dreadlocks. His tail thumped as he made Allison into his puppy, sending mounds of shedding hair everywhere. She began to look a little werewolf like herself after a few moments of the avalanche of dog fur.
Aura, the more cautious of the two, howled a greeting to the furry wolf-like creature. She slunk close and paused, ready to circle around and help cut off prey. Anne clenched her fists. She firmly yelled, "Down, Aura, down!"
The silver bitch looked back at Anne, but she appeared to be responding to... Anne wondered if she was seeing right. The rags of clothing that hung from the wolf were certainly the one she had noticed the woman, Jess, wearing.
Oh my God, Anne thought, wondering if she had finally decided to believe any number of impossible things before breakfast...Oh no! Aura moved so swiftly for such a large dog. She gathered her herself and sprang, right at Baines who had lowered his gun. Her large jaws closed on the metal and neatly purloined it.
Before the man could snatch it back, Aura bounded away. She play bowed, large tail wagging as she waited for her chosen play mate to react.
Each move the man made caused the malamute bitch to romp further away. At last, she headed for the bushes, Anne in hopeless pursuit.
Too much stimulation pushed Jess over the edge. "Jess! No!" Johnny yelled as Jess's growl became a roar and she lunged for Wraith, slapping Gross out of the way. Claws fully extended, she swiped at Wraith's face and neck.
Marita was physically thrown off to one side and Wraith ducked down below the razor claws slashing at him. He attempted to knock the legs out from underneath the monster so it couldn't advance any closer to Marita. Staying close to the body of it might protect him temporarily from its claws but now he had to watch out for the thing's teeth.
A flick of his wrist extended the small blade that was normally sheathed within the muscle of his lower arm. It wasn't much of a weapon but it was the only one that he still had. He'd been holding it back for possible use on unit 'one', but this was an emergency. Maybe if he could take out the creature's hamstring it would slow it down.
Growling and snapping, Jess feinted towards Wraith's throat. Her claws, however, in a downward arch aiming for Wraith's stomach. Johnny threw himself onto Jess's back, desperately whispering to her in an attempt to end this. Off balance from the sudden weight shift, the blow wasn't the gouge she intended it to be. Instead she caught Wraith's left shoulder, slicing through fabric and scoring his flesh.
Bounding to his feet, Gross drew back his whip, and with a mighty sweep, snarled it round the animal's neck and heaved for all he was worth, hoping to strangle the wolf-creature, and render it unconscious
Baines stopped laughing as the situation turned bloody. In seconds he was on Wraith's back, one arm around his throat and another gripping the knife hand. He roared at the top of his lungs, "enough, damn it, enough."
The opportunity was too convenient to waste. Throwing himself forward and down, Wraith heaved the man clinging to his back forward so that he was flung into the trunk of the monster's body. Their combined weight should topple the thing over and the move disrupted the restraints on his throat and wrist slightly. As soon as his captor's grip loosened, Wraith tore his arm loose. Slashed out with his knife, he felt it flesh part and hot blood. A wild buck and a solid kick backwards also connected.
Michael felt like he was watching a car wreck. Baines was on the ground and there was blood. The gun came up almost without thought and he spray the air with a long burst. He screamed and brought the gun to bear on Wraith. "Get back or I will kill you where you stand."
Baines was on his feet pushing Anne to one side and swung around to face Wraith who seemed prepared to take his chances against the automatic weapon. Jess was on the ground behind Baines with Johnny on her back and a whip around her neck. Anne was down beside her. Marita was also on the ground behind Wraith. The two men faced each other with Michael holding the uzi on Wraith his hands visibly shaking. There was stillness and silence and blood dripping on the ground.
Gagging, Jess took a few staggering steps backward, trying to relieve the pressure on her throat. Johnny's additional weight made it harder for her to keep her balance. She felt a line of fire race along her abdomen. The extra weigh and the pain was too much and her legs gave way. Struggling for air, Jess struck out as she fell, grabbing at Wraith's knife arm while kicking at his legs.
There was a man... or was it a Mac, with a machinegun... he seemed frozen. "For goodness sake, use it, you fool," Gross cried. "Shoot the blasted thing. I can't hold it!"
Michael ignored the voice. Wraith was his target not Jess.
"Don't shoot!" Johnny yelled. Gunfire would only startle her more, and make her more violent. Jess was toppling over backwards onto him and he took advantage of it by yanking on the whip wrapped around her neck. He would have preferred sedating her medically, but if this was the only way to knock her out, so be it.
His voice soft and low Baines spoke to Michael. "Lower the gun Michael. We don't want anyone killed."
Michael stuttered, "B-but he's trying to kill Jess."
Still not taking his eyes off Wraith, Baines tried to reassure Michael, "I won't allow him to hurt her Michael."
The gun slowly returned to Michael's side, "I don't want him to hurt you either."
Baines laughed and palmed his own knife. Watching Wraith gather himself once again.
Behind him Jess was slowly losing consciousness as Johnny twisted the whip applying just enough calculated pressure not to injure her. Hoping the crew by the front door would hurry and sort themselves out and come to his assistance he quickly glanced in that direction.
Skip had finally made it out the door by way of heaving everyone else to one side. Chewing on a chocolate cigar, Skip shook his head in disbelief at the scene on his formerly serene temple grounds. None of the bizarre elements made him pause for a moment as he had seen stranger things before he cleaned up.
Calmly, Skip extracted a giant very powerful hose from its holder and turned it on, dousing all parties equally. The stream knocked Michael off his feet and sent the Uzi flying. It swept over the irate werewolf and her Mac 27 friend, quickly reducing the hackles on her neck to bedraggled limpness.
He doused the cyborg in a steady stream and yelled, "All right, sit on them a minute."
The chaos calmed for a moment and Skip said, "I love it when a plan comes together. I sure in hell wish we had one."
He sternly looked at all the parties and remarked, "Now, the problem as I see it is those two want to fight. So let them. All this other shit is more dangerous then a little fur pulling match."
Eying Michael, Skip said, "Kid, an Uzi is not a party popper...take my advice, don't try to pick it up."
Looking rather like a huge grizzly woken from a winter's nap, Skip surveyed the group and then addressed Wraith and Jess. "You two got it out of your system or do you want to go another round?"
Damning to hell whoever had turned the water on them, Wraith twisted his wrist and the blade retreated back into his skin. The beast was down and disguised as a human once more. He should take the time to finish it, but Marita was also toppled. Wraith shot one black glare about to assure himself it was safe to step back and the paced over to his blonde treasure.
Ignoring the slices of pain that were lancing across his shoulder and back, Wraith crouched down to gather Marita against his equally soaked body. Sopping wet hair was brushed back off her forehead. If she was hurt Wraith was going to rip out the heart of whoever was responsible.
Marita looked up at Lauren as she felt a stab of pain slice her head in two. "Lauren?" she said, barely holding on to consciousness as she reached to touch his cheek. "Lauren..." Drawing his face down to hers for quick brush of lips against lips. Iron taste of blood in her mouth. She sighed, her head falling back in his arms, exposing her throat. "Don't let them hurt you..." As consciousness faded, finally slipping away, she felt his arms tighten around her, and knew she would be safe. But would he? She'd have to hope...
Johnny loosened the noose around the now limp and very wet Jess; Baines had staggered back under the force of water leaving an open space between the downed wolf and a rising Wraith.
Johnny pulled Jess's head into his lap, smoothing back her damp hair. "She won't be causing any more problems, as long as she's not provoked," he said, staring pointedly at Wraith.
Jess, still unconscious, moaned softly, and Johnny turned his attention back to her. There was a lot of blood pooling by her abdomen. There was what appeared to be a six-inch stab wound to her gut, which should heal since the knife did not seem to be silver. A thought crossed his cerebral processor that caused a shiver to run through his infrastructure. He addressed the group that had been involved. "Was anyone bitten?"
Jess moaned again, and Johnny resumed stroking her hair, soothing her. The wound was closing, and she would be waking soon. Whether the wolf or human would be in control when she woke up was still to be seen...
"So then, you all going to behave? I want to remind you that you are guests here and I want to be a gracious host. Now, I am a holy man, but that does not mean a good men or what's the use of it? Any more scenes like this and I'm gonna lose my temper. Which you will not like. I got a pit way out back for making methane that needs a little stirring as in you play the spoon. In other words, you give me shit, I give it back to you doubled." Skip's voice rumbled out like the NCO he had once been. His slab of a hand massaged his dreadlocks to remove the residual headache.
He bellowed, "Somebody go find Eugene Sands and get him here double quick. I don't care if his boyfriend is still attached at the time. I mean now."
Skip's disciples scurried at his roar, heading for high ground. Skip Brule was seldom in a temper, but God help those who crossed him when he was.
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Pressing his ear to Rodney's chest, Eugene had to admit that his lover
A: was doing fine
and
B: snored.
Poor kid had that darling nose bent a few times in the ring. He really hadn't been a very apt boxer...rumor had it that the only reason he was kept on contract was that patrons enjoyed seeing him in boxer's trunks. Eugene could agree. Although he liked Rodney best au natural.
Taking Rodney's pulse led to merely holding his beloved's hand. His peace was disturbed again as a lovely tanned blond Mac 27 ran in the door. Eugene took in golden hair, golden skin and a somewhat asexually pretty variation on the Alex theme.
"Hey man, Skip wants you. Somebody got hurt. I can watch your buddy," said the blond Mac 27. He was clad in brightly colored, baggy shorts and thongs. His sweetly vapid face smiled, showing dimples.
Eugene sighed and said, "Okay, but who am I having take care of my lover?"
"Hey, man, I'm Malibu Alex...used to belong to a surfer until those dudes came and hauled me back to the factory..."
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Damp, and circuits somewhat in random oscillation from the scuffle, Gross got to his feet, and recovered his whip. The wolf-beast had turned into a woman, he was pleased to note... That would make for a far more interesting tale when he boasted about it in the 'Last Crusade' chat-room. But who was the guy with the hose? The very man that was keeping his honey bun a prisoner, that had brainwashed her into thinking she was a man.
Gross felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his fuel-processing unit. He'd really blown his chances for an unobtrusive entrance here. But maybe there was a chance? After all, he was the spit of all the other Mac27's. Removing his battered hat quickly, and hiding the whip behind his back, he went up to Skip and held out his hand.
"Hello! I'm ..er... Mac 1001, and I've come about cleaning your carpets. Someone called Langly called our company? Perhaps you could take me to her... um... him?" he said ingratiatingly.
Accepting the hand, Skip dutifully shook it, but he whistled the theme song that immediately occurred to him, "Home, home on derange..."
"Langly is occupied," he said, eying the odd accouterments of the Mac 27. No one could say that all Mac 27s were created alike. His own lovely Mac Smith had joined the throng on the lawn. He looked as if he had lost a fight with a deli. His usually neat garb was splattered like a Jackson Pollock painting on one of his manic days. "And I'm very sure that he didn't call to have the carpet cleaned," Skip said, "But you don't have to be afraid. You're safe here. Did you just escape from Innobotics?"
The Mac 27 seemed familiar, but he was not one of the recent freed slaves. There were differences between all of the Mac 27s, but this one had the most demented eyes Skip had seen yet. Still, a freed slave was a freed slave. Skip gestured at Mac Smith and said, "I'm sure that my lover can find you something to eat." Giving Mac a second look, Skip added, "His shirt alone had enough for an intimate dinner for two."
Expecting the android to be taken under Mac Smith's wing, Skip continued to hold the hose in case chaos tried to erupt again. Not that he had anything against chaos, but even a Bokononist had limits....
Whistling along..."Where never is heard...A discouraging word..."...Gross entered the building. His cunning ploy had worked. Just an anonymous Mac 27, no one would realise he was here on a desperate and secret mission, to rescue the luscious Langly from the clutches of her oppressors. Muttering, "Excuse me... corrupted file... " he dashed off to the privacy of the bathroom and waited for his escort to get bored. He waited a long time until all was silent. . Tiptoeing out, he turned up his audio input to maximum, and filtered out all tones save those unique to his beloved. She was here! Joy flooded his primary pump as he triangulated the signal, located the source, and innocently strolled towards it. He paid no attention to where he was going; the blip in his visual sensors was sufficient for his purposes. Oblivious to distance, he crashed full-tilt into Langly before he realized she was even within 50 yards.
"Darling!" he cried, overjoyed, and kissed the beauteous creature full on the lips. Slinging her over his shoulder, he ran full-tilt for the nearest window.
"Oh my God! Oh my God!" Langly screamed as the bizarre version of I-Mac and the other Mac 27s bore him away. He tried to lock his thighs and kick at the same time. Ravishment might be mildly amusing, but losing his equipment was another. He didn't think there was anyway to reboot those!
"I-Mac, I-Mac, help!" screamed Langly as the android with the Jones for him dragged him out the window. He saw his red haired beauty running down the corridor and increased his kicking and flailing. Sometimes he wished that his kung fu was real life not cyber talk!
I-Mac's stunned face gazing out the window in total confusion was the last thing he saw before Langly swooned. Or maybe, it was the crack on his head when Gross turned the corner; in any event, Langly was out of it...
Leaping like an albatross that skims effortlessly across the arctic waves, Gross jumped from the window and landed feather light on the lush sward of Skip's lawn. A sprint to his stolen Aston Martin and he was away, his prize secure, fortunately unconscious; this time she wouldn't throw herself willy-nilly back into the arms of her oppressors. But where to take her? Gross was puzzled. Rescuing he could do... but the 'happy ever after bit' was an unknown. Tin Man was always telling him to think about consequences; maybe this was what he had in mind.
He'd overheard that Mulder was Langly's friend, and friends were always there for each other (because the TV said so), so he decided to take his lovely maiden to Mulder's apartment. He knew it wasn't a fitting setting for her delicate beauty, but as a temporary measure... maybe he could blind her with devotion and the overwhelming force of his manly attributes...
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Running like Johnny Gage into a three car and one school bus pile up, Eugene carried a fat bag of supplies. He found that he had two patients. One was the woman...the werewolf? And the other the sleek blonde bitch that had accompanied the cyborg.
All the blood on the wolf-woman persuaded him that she needed to be first, but as he bent over her, the wound was closing. If Rodney weren't asleep, he would ask him to pinch him. It had to be a flash back.
"Is this normal? Eugene asked of the Mac 27 who seemed to be the woman's companion, before realizing how stupid that question was. Yeah, right, clones, androids, and now werewolves, it was Mel Brooks meets Blade Runner.
A swift check revealed a racing pulse, but the heartbeat was strong and she looked better all the time. A rare steak and a bath, and he would lay a bet she would as good as new when she woke up.
The cyborg snarled at him when he approached the blonde. Eugene said, "I'm a doctor. Let me help her."
Wraith watched with a smoldering scowl, as a stranger touched his precious charge. If the man didn't perform like a proper doctor Wraith would break both his wrists.
As Eugene began his examination, he reflected that practicing medicine was hazardous to his health. He seemed to spend a lot of time patching up people who's significant others wanted to negotiate payment at the wrong end of a gun.
Frowning, Eugene noted that he couldn't find any real damage. The blonde woman lacked any bumps. In fact, her pupils looked evenly dilated as if was merely asleep on the lawn. He thought she might have fainted...or maybe he should draw a blood sample. As thin as the woman was, he thought she might be anorexic. He took a sample kit out and showed it to the feral creature that watched his every move. He said, "I have to get a blood sample. I think she just fainted, but I want to find out why. Do you know when she last ate? She seems very thin."
Marita dimly heard a man's familiar voice, felt his hands on her body. Her eyelids fluttered, and she looked at the man who was taking out a syringe kit. "N - no," she said, jerking her arm away in reflexive memory. Then, as her eyes focused slightly, she asked in amazement, "Agent Mulder? What are you doing here?" She looked around. "Where's Laur - Wraith?"
Michael, from his position flat on his ass in mud, looking Baines over carefully pointed to a ragged blood stained on Leigh's pant leg.
At the same time, Baines who was coming down from the adrenaline rush felt a rush of pain in his left leg. Looking down and pulling at the tear in his trousers he could see blood welling from what looked like a bite. He looked down at Johnny, "Looks like I was bitten."
"Shit." said Johnny his expression turning sympathetic. "Doctor, could you please confirm that Baines has been bitten."
Leaving the surly cyborg with a curt, "Get her inside and see if you can avoid causing any more chaos here on the way. She's probably fine, but I have to remind you that she is human and therefore fragile. Getting caught up in street fights because YOU can't control yourself is not good for her continuing safety."
Resentfully because he was still worried about Rodney, Eugene went over to his next patient. He was a handsome creature, looking like Rodney except younger and leaner. Eugene sliced open the left pant leg, revealing the bloody indentations of a dog like bite. Wincing, he took a scraping of the site, a queasy notion commandeering part of his normally unworried mind. Weren't werewolf bites supposed to lead to the victim becoming one as well....of course, Eugene's knowledge only came from ten or twenty views of "An American Werewolf in London." Unless you counted a stoned viewing of Abbot and Costello Meet the Werewolf" Trying to remember if there was a cure, all he could recall was Heath Barkley trying to cauterize his brother, Nick's wolf bite with fire. But that was a rabid wolf.
Eugene cleaned the wound and said, "Just in case, I'm going to hit you with a good strong cocktail of antibiotics."
He looked at the wolf woman's friend and asked, "Any idea what kind of problems this will cause?"
Johnny nodded. "Yes, tomorrow is a full moon. If he is infected he will change as Jess did today. Jess can tell him what to expect but since she will change with the moon herself I am not sure how much help she can be to him at the time of change. I want to get her cleaned up and fed and sequestered." He looked at Baines and said, "I suggest you do the same and then come to Jess' room for a briefing."
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Wraith tried to gather Marita back up, pulling her tighter to himself. It was just as well the doctor had withdrawn. Marita didn't need to lose any blood. She needed her strength. Whenever Dr Sawyer took his blood, which was far too often for Wraith's tastes, it left him dizzy and useless for at least an hour afterwards. Sort of how he felt right now.
If she fainted, she needed liquid and warmth, Wraith reasoned. He wanted to pick her up and carry her away from this mess. Negotiation and compromise were impossible without Marita awake to guide him. Strange, she was such a wisp of a woman. He should be able to lift her easily. Vertigo threatened and he shook his head violently to dispel it.
His charge was stirring, murmuring softly. Wraith needed to secure her. Speaking aloud so whomever required would hear, he reminded the, "We were offered a room." A single door would be easier to guard.
Mac Smith stepped forward despite his lover reaching for him. He knew he was supposed to be afraid of Wraith, but watching him with the blonde woman made him want to help him. Mac was new to love and giddy with it. Seeing love between the two called to his compassion.
He said, "I'll show you to a ground floor room, one door to defend although hopefully that will not prove to be important. It is not far from the kitchen and I will bring you food. You have no reason to fear me. I am a mere service Mac 27, trained only to cook. The worst you can expect from my hands is an occasional fallen souffl..."
Hoisting Marita up took far more effort than Wraith was willing to admit to, but he wasn't about to stay out here in the open any longer. In fact he feared he was liable to pass out before he had got his precious burden to safety. His bloody shirt dragged at the tears the monster had inflicted on him but Wraith adjusted Marita so she'd be comfortable and began walking.
"Show me. Now."
Mac Smith felt very timid, but he was determined not to give into his fear. Perhaps if Wraith could see that Mac 27s were capable of emotion, of love, and of kindness, he would refuse his orders and spare them.
The room near the kitchen met all of the specifications to assure a paranoid creature and all of the Alex clones as well as the Mac 27s had a streak of that in their makeup. Of course, someone was always after them too so it wasn't really paranoia after all.
The room was nicely decorated as all of Skip's rooms were. This one had a rose colored bed, reproduction William Morris wallpaper that matched the drapery and bedding, and a beautiful bay window.
Mac Smith said, "When I bring you food, I will also bring you security equipment that you may check and install yourself."
Evaluating the situation with his head cocked to the side, Mac added, "And the doctor seems to have missed that wound on you. I'll find Eugene too and lure him back with Tiramisu. He is almost like a Mac 27 in how much he likes chocolate...
Mac Smith, wondered if the way to Wraith's heart is through his stomach.
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Baines just stared into the android's eyes remembering the sight of Jess' Change. He shook his head and looked over a Michael who was climbing to his feet looking worried, he smiled to reassure his lover before addressing the doctor. "Eugene, can we take this inside. Give me the shot but let me shower before patching it up, okay. I'm not going to bleed to death in the meantime." He reached out to Michael as the shaken young man came closer. "Come on, Michael, let's get you out of those muddy clothes and I'll let you wash my back."
Baines headed for the front door giving Wraith a wide detour and pulling Michael along behind. "Let's get in quick while there is plenty of hot water." Michael's mind was whirling. He had spent a long time celibate after watching a woman he had just been making out with turn into a man. He had barely gotten used to having a man for a lover and now this. Resilient Baines might be but Michael didn't think he had the same bounce back quality in his make up. The only thing he held to was that he trusted Leigh and maybe that trust would be enough to keep him together. Baines might appear to be taking this lightly but he might need Michael to be strong for him. Michael was determined not to fail him.
Baines wasn't thinking or at least he wasn't thinking of his future beyond the next half hour or so. He was concentrating on getting Michael naked and wet. Something told him it was going to be a while before he got the chance again. They reached their room and as soon as the door closed behind them they were stripping off leaving a trail of clothes all the way to the bathroom. Baines had palmed the astroglide from one of his deep pockets before pulling Michael into the bathroom and turning on the shower and setting the water temperature to as hot as they could stand it. Michael got in first and while Leigh was stepping in he grabbed a bottle of shampoo ready to wash them both. They came together in a deep kiss, holding tightly to one another. Neither wanted to speak of later they only wanted to concentrate on now.
When the kiss broke, Leigh put his head down on Michael's shoulder and Michael just stroked his back. Slowly they moved apart and Michael began to shampoo Baines' hair as Leigh soaped Michael. Rinsing and switching roles they moved as if in a dance coming together and sliding apart. By the time they were clean they were both erect and ready, silently Leigh handed the astroglide tube to Michael and turned to lean up against the tiled wall. Tentatively, Michael squeezed some lube onto his fingers and blocking the flowing water with his back he slid them between Leigh's cheeks. Gently pushing one finger inside he moved it back and forth oiling the entrance before trying for two. When he had two sliding easily he took them out and lubed his cock and added another dollop to the entrance before lining himself up and pushing inside. That remembered heat and tightness made his heart jump. Leigh adjusted his stance and pushed back into Michael. Michael reached around and wrapped his slick hand around Leigh's cock.
Leigh moved back and forth between Michael's cock and hand as Michael kissed his back and murmured his pleasure into the soft skin. It did not take long before Michael had to move and began thrusting harder into Leigh who adjusted to his rhythm. As he felt his orgasm rising, it was hard to concentrate on what his hand was supposed to be doing; he faltered and reestablished the rhythm. When Leigh threw back his head and cried out as he came the muscles in his ass tightened and Michael lost all coordination as his own orgasm followed. They both trembled with Michael's weight pressing Baines into the wall. Separating slowly to soap and wash off once more while kissing and attempting to keep each other upright, which was becoming more difficult.
They staggered out of the shower grabbing towels but not even trying to dry off both headed for the bed where they flopped down and practically passed out. Michael surfaced first and began patting them both dry and then wrapped a towel around the large bite on Leigh's leg, which was still bleeding sluggishly. All they had to do was wait for Eugene, dress and find Jess' room in this warren
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Allison, after her initial freak-out and subsequent laughter, now laid on the lawn, panting almost as loudly as the big, friendly malamute that licked her face. "C'mon, Boris, let me up," she laughed. Sitting up, she realized she had a mouthful of hair, and her entire body was covered with hair.
"Phhfffwwtt," she said, trying to rid herself of the hair in her mouth. "Pfffwwt! Pwwwffft!"
Boris looked at her, his Arctic dog's grin large.
"Thanks for sharing," Allison said, patting him with one hand and trying to wipe hair off her clothes with the other.
Anne had her malamutes under control and was slinking away as if she was thinking about hiding out in one of the crates herself.
Allison, covered with dog hair, slobber, and much the worse for wear rose from the thoroughly muddy ground.
Looking around, she saw Eugene helping the blond woman and her friend, whose arrival seemed to have caused all the trouble. She saw Jess and several others heading into the house. No dog, but hadn't she seen... out of the corner of her eye...[I'll have to ask Jess about that later.] Standing up, she staggered into the house. She wanted a shower, but she had no clean clothes... so she asked the first person she saw upon entering the house "Is there a lint brush anywhere around here?"
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Stopping by to check on Rodney, Eugene found Malibu Alex looking in the mirror and singing to himself, "You are so beautiful to me."
Sighing, Eugene went over to check on Rodney. His lover was peacefully asleep; his breathing was deep and untroubled. When Eugene leaned to kiss him, he did not quite wake like the sleeping beauty he was, but his lips even in slumber knew that of his beloved's. He opened his mouth slightly and his tongue made a lazy tumble into Eugene's receptive lips.
Malibu Alex said, "Sex makes you all groddy and everything. And it's nothing like catching the big wave."
Shaking his head, Eugene decided that Malibu Alex was as shallow as the froth on the crest of a wave.
Well, he still had work to do. Baines was his first stop, but he wanted to check on Marita too. Wraith also, he had belatedly remembered, was as much human as he was an android. Eugene had forgotten to even check on the man's injuries.
Baines and his friend, Michael, looked very pink cheeked and Eugene guessed that the shower had been hot for more reasons then Skip Brule's excellent system of water heaters.
Kneeling, Eugene examined Baines. The leg was still bleeding, but not much. All of the Alex clones could take a licking and keep on ticking although these days, the only kind of licking that Rodney had to take was marathons from Eugene's well traveled tongue.
Eugene left a cleanly bandaged leg and a bottle of antibiotics that he didn't think would do a bit of good. He had a feeling the next time he treated Baines it would be a hairy situation in which he would use his best line ALA Dr. McCoy, "Damn it, Jim, I'm a doctor, not a veterinarian.
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Jess stood under the showerhead, letting the water running over her. She could vaguely remember Johnny helping her to her feet, and being guided to a room. On autopilot, she had stripped off her ruined clothing and headed straight for the bathroom almost before Johnny had stepped outside.
She studied the blood under her nails, and shivered. Rarely had she lost control like that, and certainly not since she had escaped. Thinking back, she searched her memory for what had set her off against Wraith. Even as a human, she had a sharp sense of smell. It was his scent that first hit her, neither android nor man, something entirely unknown. Instinct said that the unknown was dangerous, and best to quickly establish dominance before it established dominance over you. That, combined with the stress from her earlier confrontation with Jake, seemed to have been the trigger.
And then there was Baines... oh God, what had she done? In the frenzy of the attack she wasn't aware of whose leg she had bitten, just that her teeth and claws had scored flesh. Now she was faced with the distinct probability that she had created another werewolf...
She shivered at the thought. Turning on the water as hot as she could stand it, she scrubbed herself clean, wincing as she touched the still tender flesh on her belly. It wouldn't leave a scar. She already had enough of those on her chest from her time with Jake. Finishing up, she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel, resisting the impulse to shake off. She was hungry, but didn't want to leave the room in search of food without being dressed.
Stepping into the bed quarters, she discovered that Johnny, Powers That Be bless him, had somehow managed to find clothing to replace her torn garments. As she finished dressing, Johnny returned, carrying a tray bearing a large, rare steak on it.
"How bad did I get Wraith?" She was half hoping that she had bitten him, but she didn't think so.
"You clawed his shoulder. Apparently you tore it up but he'll survive relatively unchanged." Johnny put the tray down on the table. "Lieutenant Baines, however, is a different matter."
Jess swallowed. "Was he...? Did I...?"
"Yes. He and Michael Tarleton, and possibly Dr. Sands, will be by shortly for us to explain what to expect."
Jess sat limply down onto the bed. This was not good. Her greatest fear was that she'd either kill an innocent person, or Change them into a werewolf. "You should have let the scientists put me down."
After Eugene left to examine Wraith, promising to meet them in Jess' room, Leigh and Michael dressed. Their first stop was the dining-room where they piled up a couple of trays with steak, fried grated potato covered in melted cheese, mushrooms and crispy warm french bread. Adding a pot of coffee and cups and an entire chocolate cake they headed to Jess's room. Johnny let them in with a worried shake of his head. Jess sat, head and shoulders drooping and untouched meal beside her.
Baines took charge, as always. Placing cake and coffee on the dresser and reorganizing the trays for comfortable eating he pulled two chairs into position facing Jess. Michael took a tray and sat with Baines following suit. There was silence as they began eating. Jess looked up and watched the two men eating as if they didn't have a care in the world. Leigh swallowed a mouthful of steak and said, "Please eat, Jess, nothing is as bad as it seems."
"You don't know, you just don't know," moaned Jess.
"No I don't know and after we eat you are going to tell me. But there is one thing you should know. A little over a year ago I almost died. I should have died. No one can explain how I survived. The creature that I was trying to kill laid its eggs in human hosts. I could have been one of those humans. From my perspective, every moment I live is gift, an unexpected bonus. I fully expected to die. I had regrets, your life really does flash before your eyes, but I was given a second chance. You live with what you are. Do you imagine I am less able the live the life you lead? Is it so very terrible? Or is it just lonely? I am a trained killer but I value life. What happened was an accident. A circumstantial accident. Accept that and look for what is positive in what has happened. We are all still alive. We all have companions who love us and will stand by us. If what you fear is about to happen then I will need all the help you can give me. I am not afraid," Leigh paused and looked at Michael who was watching him wide eyed, "except for what this will do to Michael."
Michael reached out a hand and grasped Leigh's arm. "I will be okay, Leigh. I was alone last time with no one I could talk to who would or could understand. This time I am surrounded by people who will be going through it with me. It will make a big difference. You won't lose me over this, I promise."
Jess took a deep breath and reached for her tray. Johnny smiled from his position hovering close to Jess.
Baines grinned and said, "Johnny, why don't you help yourself to some chocolate cake and join us. We have to wait for Eugene anyway.
Having finished all his other business, Eugene dragged his weary, but very cute ass to the room where Jess and her faithful robot companion waited. He felt like the professor in the Rocky Horror Picture show, being called to deliver the denouncement of the evil, but sexy mad alien scientist.
Knocking on the door, Eugene looked at the food and headed for it. He said, "I don't know if I can do anything about this situation, but I'm here. The doctor is in."
--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--[o]--
Taking his bag from Mac Ramsey, Tom followed the two men into the hotel where Mac quickly arranged for a room for Tom using Victor's credit card. The short walk to the elevator and then to their suite was interesting and even a little amusing. Not one person they passed ignored them. Every single person they came in contact with did a double take or just openly stared. If Tom weren't so wary, he'd be quite entertained. He laughed to himself....{under different circumstances, it would be really fun to screw with these people's heads...I'm sure Vic and I could cause quite a stir just walking into a restaurant or department store....or a bar, now *that* would be interesting}
Turning to Tom at the door of his room, Mac grinned.
"Gimme half an hour to sort out Mr. Happy here, and another 10 minutes to make myself clean, and we'll be with you, okay? If you like, I'll phone down and book a table in the restaurant?
Ignoring the rest of the conversation, Vic was almost hopping from foot to foot by the time Mac closed the door to their room. As soon as they were out of his double's sight, he slammed Mac against the unyielding surface and kissed him fiercely. "Son of a bitch...you just keep teasing me, don't you?" he mumbled. "You like making me crazy...like making me lose control...God I need you...right now...*right*...*now*...," all of Vic's ramblings were accompanied by the removal of a piece of clothing, and he maintained just enough coherence to mind the various fastenings of his lover's attire. As much as Vic loved his beautiful thief, listening to him bitch every time one of his expensive silk shirts was ruined beyond repair was just too much to ask.
Mac smiled to himself. He loved it when Vic got toppy. He permitted Vic to strip him bare, allowing his limbs to slip free of expensive clothing, and inwardly congratulating himself on successfully preserving the integrity of all the buttons.
When they were finally both naked, Vic led Mac to the posh bedroom and tossed one of the plump pillows on the floor beside the bed. After sitting his lover down on it, he positioned himself facing his gorgeous wanton and carefully sank down on the stiff, slick-headed shaft that Mac so thoughtfully held still for him with a loud grunt of satisfaction as the burn in his ass gave way to total Nirvana.
Mac gave a sharp cry as he felt Vic start to take him in. Then his arms went around his lover and his mouth fastened against Vic's luscious lips.
"It's about freakin' time," he whispered as he nipped at the luscious mouth beneath his own. "Jesus, baby. Love you so much," and so saying, began to slowly work himself on Mac's cock, tuning out the rest of the world around them...
God! There was nothing in the world to compare to this. Vic didn't often let Mac fuck him. Usually, Mac was the bottom, and Vic called all the shots. Now, feeling Vic wrapped around him like soft, sucking heaven, Mac was going out of his mind. He clutched at Victor, running his hands over satiny skin and rippling muscles. He buried his face into the warmth of Victor's throat and sucked the soft skin, loving that he was signing him like a canvas.
"Mine," he breathed.
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Tom smiled and began opening the door to his room, but he was so shaken up at being forced at gunpoint to this hotel that his fingers shook and it took three tries before the keycard opened the door.
"Yeah...uh, sure that sounds great. Forty minutes? No problem...hell, why don't we just say an hour. Yeah, an hour. Um, so...I'll see you guys later....in an hour....when you're ..um, done..yeah."
The two men were so preoccupied with each other, they didn't notice that Tom wasn't as calm and pleasant as he seemed. The second their door closed and they were inside the room, finally alone to give each other the attention they've wanted all day....Tom was planning his escape.
This is going to be waaaay to easy. All I have to do is leave. They won't know I'm gone.......hell, they wouldn't notice if a war started right outside their room. After making a few phone calls Tom was ready to go.
He only got as far as the front desk when the receptionist handed him the bill for the rental car he had ordered. Tom reached for his wallet and noticed it wasn't there. He searched his jacket pockets and his jeans pockets and looked all through his bag....no wallet. He looked up directly into the receptionist's eyes, "That little thief!! He stole my wallet!"
"Sir, you were robbed? Do you want me to call security or the police? I'll be more than happy to assist you in any way necessary in this matter." The receptionist seemed overly helpful and eager, but Tom was used to being treated special by young women. He could tell by the way she kept looking him over, by the breathless, over-eager attitude that she portrayed, and the fact that he caught her ogling his ass when he was bent over looking through his bag, that she wanted in his pants pretty badly.
"No, I know where my wallet is, but thank you for your concern. I do appreciate it...and from such a lovely young lady." When Tommy turned it on, no one was immune. He saw her begin to melt and used the biggest gun in his arsenal to finish her off. With a sexy grin he leaned in close and lowered his voice to a growl, "I seem to have locked my key in my room, could you please get me another one.....the name on the registry would be Ramsey. Thanks beautiful."
The receptionist seemed to be running on autopilot getting the Key card, a little dazed and a lot enamored, her heart skipped a few beats as his fingers brushed hers when he took the keycard from her hand. Still using his best "sexy voice", he leaned in again and whispered "Thanks, you've been very......helpful. If there is anything I could do for you......don't hesitate to ask."
Finally, with the key to Vic and Mac's room in his hand, and only feeling a slight twinge of guilt for using his looks to get what he needed, Tom knew he only had about half an hour to get into their room, find his wallet and get out.I can do this. I just have to be quiet....very quiet and they'll never know I was there. Under different circumstances I would be very interested in Vic's story and to ask him the questions that have bothered me for years. But no one points a fucking gun at me and expects me to just sit there and take it. I'm tired of other people deciding whether or not they should kill me or let me live.....fuck that. I don't care if we are identical twins, once I get my wallet, I'm outta here.
Tom used the key card and entered Vic and Mac's room without making a sound. He saw both Mac and Vic's jackets on the couch in the living room half of the suite. Just as he was about to pick up the one that belonged to Mac, a loud sound came from the other room, followed by many other loud sounds.
Flushing furiously Tom realized what he was hearing and went back to the task of finding his wallet. YESS....here it is! That asshole really did lift my wallet.
After checking to see that his money, credit cards and id have been left untouched, Tom turned to leave the hotel room as quietly as he had entered it.
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