“Well, we need to find out!”
“Why? What the hell for?” Jock was incredulous. “I think we need to quit worrying about saving her ass and start worrying about saving ours!”
“Be frosty,” Tiger tried to sound calm, but all he could think about was how Amber had been nervous about being left alone. She’d known the whole time what kind of danger she was in. Even so, she’d been a trooper and agreed to stay alone. Even though he had no idea of the magnitude of danger she was in at the time he’d left her, guilt washed over him now like a tidal wave.
“You don’t understand. Tanner!” Jocko’s eyes were wild with fear now. “Orders have been sent out to eliminate the creatures at all costs. That includes anyone caught harboring them or who knows too much. Does the term “extreme prejudice” mean anything to you?”
Tiger was about to give an annoyed response, but thankfully, the buzzing of his PDC interrupted him. After all, he reminded himself, Jocko was not used to being in real danger.
“Hello!” His voice activated the PDC and a hologram appeared on the windshield in front of the two fugitives.
“Tiger!” Cutter was talking even before his image had fully materialized. “Where you at, brother?”
“I dunno if I need to give that away at the moment.” It wasn’t that he didn’t necessarily mistrust Cutter. At the moment, he just didn’t trust anyone.
“Don’t!” Cutter agreed. Someone might be trying to triangulate this very call, so listen fast. There’s a badass ARA on your six. He came snooping around the Blackwater earlier today. Killed that annoying sonofabitch from last night and left him floatin’ in the river. Then he paid your ol’ friends, the Tuttles, a visit. Fucked the ol’ man and the oldest boy up bad … real bad! I think it’s a matter of time before he’ll be coming for you.”
Tiger shot a look at Jocko, who had started turning white at the letters ‘ARA.’ “I gotta feelin’ he’s sniffin’ my trail now.”
“Got somethin’ to do with that thing you took home last night?”
“What thing?” Tiger played dumb, in case someone was listening.
“Get the fuck out of Huntsvegas, Tiger,” Cutter ordered. “Get back up there. It’ll be a lot safer for you. Call me if you need me.” With that, he was gone. No sooner had he hung up than another call was coming in. This time, it was Dee.
“Tiger! What the fuck is going on!” The big black man’s face registered shock and concern, as he whispered conspiratorially. In the background behind him, Tiger saw a distressing sight. It was a woman in a black and red uniform entering the Jenny Lou. “I gotta Guard officer out here on my pad tellin’ me she’s impoundin’ Jenny. What’s that shit about?”
Fuck! Tiger cursed. This bastard is tightening the noose as we speak! He must have some deep connections. “I’m in a tad bit of trouble, Dee!”
Dee looked around nervously. “What kind of trouble? It ain’t got anything to do with our side business, does it?”
“Relax, bro, you’re fine! I’m the one with my balls in a vise. Look! I can’t talk anymore right now. Just lay low and listen out, ok?”
“Roger that!” Dee was gone. He was a man who knew when to talk and when to shut up.
Jenny was next. “Tiger, they’re powering me down! What’s going on? What have I done?”
“Nothing, sweetie.” Tiger tried to sound reassuring. “I’m afraid it’s my fault, my dear.”
“But I don’t want to go to sleep.”
“It’ll be alright, Jenny. They won’t hurt you. They’re just trying to keep me here. Be brave, darlin’.”
“I’ll try, Tiger. But I’m scared.”
“So am I, love. So am I.” Tiger had heard all he wanted to hear. Rage, nausea and fear were twisting his stomach in knots. He commanded the PDC to power down. It was time to go dark.
“Hang on!” Pulling out of line, he jammed the throttle all the way forward. The big custom-modified Thors roared ferociously and the truck shot forward like a spurred horse. Tiger began weaving in and out of traffic with reckless abandon. A legal vehicle couldn’t maneuver like this. Too many safety restrictions. But the Gus had been slightly modified, not a single one of them legitimate. As the big truck whipped back and forth through the air, an already nauseous Jocko felt his stomach protest vehemently.
“Don’t you puke in my vehicle!” Tiger cautioned. “I just had the interior detailed.”
It would be a waste of breath.
***
Amber had finished the steak that Tiger had ordered for her about thirty minutes earlier and was channel surfing the MV. Cabin fever had set in hours ago, but she knew she couldn’t go anywhere. She would stick out like a sore thumb. Any attention drawn to herself at this point would be bad. Still, the boredom was excruciating.
She was anxious for the human named after an animal to return. It had been several hours since their samplings that morning and she was ready for a true coupling. She’d found him surprisingly skilled in the art of pleasuring a female, at least with his mouth, and looked forward to seeing what else he had in his arsenal. The Master had been kind and giving, but he’d lacked experience due to youth and insecurities. Still, he’d been progressing quite nicely, thanks to her tutoring.
That was, of course, before they had come …
She felt intense pain sear through her heart as she thought about her young Master. He had been a gentle soul, awkward and reclusive, living off his family’s fortune. She’d been a birthday present he’d treated himself with. His parents were multi-millionaires, his father the CEO of a large Midwestern grocery chain. Homeschooled and sheltered, he’d grown up with few friends, save for
