Torun perked up. “What? I thought Eleven was soft and helpless.”
“By choice. Not too far under that kitten is a tiger. She just needs to be properly motivated.” She sighed. “I hate that this happened to her, but I think she needs to rediscover her claws.”
“She had them before?”
“She did. Instead of joining the program, she took peacekeeper training but stopped right before graduation. Her parents had been in an accident, and she had to leave town. She missed the final exam, and when she returned, the heart had gone out of her.”
“Why?”
“Her family is dismissive of her activation. I think that had a lot to do with it.”
“You seem remarkably calm about this.”
“I am not, but there is nothing I can do, and they have taken her out of local jurisdiction. Your team could manage it, but it would generate a lot of press that she really doesn’t need. She feels strongly enough about being unusual; she doesn’t like attention being drawn to her.”
“And we have to go under authorization, which would create a why, which would mean that her name would appear in the news reports.”
“The Milkmaid isn’t something she likes to see in print or hear about in the news.”
“Ah. You think she can manage things?”
“I think if there is no one there she needs to worry about, she can do just about anything.”
* * * *
Khytten groaned and sat up. Her hands were shackled together, and she was on a cot. Her breasts ached, and she gritted her teeth against the persistent heaviness. Her beautiful new gown was filthy, torn, and smeared with blood. Her blood.
She felt so stupid. She shouldn’t have tried the clothing on. It would probably be fine in a box, but with it on her, it had taken the majority of the hit. Her hair was still tight in a braid.
“Oh. The little cow is up.” The man had dark hair and glowing white eyes. “I don’t know why the precog told us to kill you, but I think I could have a lot more fun with you alive.”
She looked at him impassively. “Fun is not something I have ever been accused of being. Where am I?”
“You are in our little hideaway. Don’t worry. No one can find you here. We checked for a tracking device, and you are clear.”
He stroked her neck down to her cleavage. She jerked away. “Ah. Don’t fight it, little cow.” She grimaced while he cupped her breast and squeezed. The spray of milk was annoying, but when he growled, “That is fun. Let’s just fix those cuffs, and we can enjoy ourselves.”
Khytten smiled. He had the key. He leaned forward. She slammed her hands up, and when he reeled back, she struck him in the skull with the manacles. Once he was down, she hit him repeatedly until his eyes were open and the white glow had drained from them, leaving sad brown eyes that dimmed.
She rifled through his pockets and found the key. He didn’t have a weapon, but many actives didn’t carry them. She unlocked her manacles and tucked her breasts back into the gown. If they were out, someone had been playing with them. She didn’t fall out on her own when the bodice was made this well.
She walked to the doorway and sighed when she saw a guard approaching. She wrapped the chain from the manacle around her fist and waited until he had passed the door. He continued down the hall and made a left turn. She counted to ten and glanced out, seeing him turning and coming toward her. She stepped out and walked to him, running the last few steps before she jumped up and slammed her fist into his face. He turned his head and grinned after taking the hit; his arms caught her on her way to the floor.
“Surprising, little cow.” He gripped her, squeezing her ribs until she saw spots. “Looks like we need to tie you tighter, little cow.”
She pushed against him, but he kept holding her until things went dark.
They took her attempt at escape seriously. The next time she woke, she was shackled to a wall with her ankles connected as well. The fuckers had strapped breast pumps to her. She glanced down, and they had only gotten a few teaspoons. The fact that her lactation was mostly voluntary was a boon. She didn’t want these assholes getting any kind of boost from her.
Her ribs were sore, and there was a stabbing pain as she inhaled. Great.
She smelled blood. She took a quick inventory. It wasn’t hers. She also wasn’t alone. There was someone in the room. The scent of blood got closer. She felt a stroke on her cheek, and there was a smell under the blood. Her eyes went wide. “Patron!”
He chuckled. “Hello, Eleven. I got a call that you were in trouble. Luckily, I was still in town.”
She shivered. He was carefully stroking her neck. “Um, thank you for coming to get me.”
“Oh, I am not in the business of rescues. I do accept ransoms, so what will you offer me to free you?”
She licked her lips. “What do you want?”
“Oh, that is a long and varied list. I see you got my gift.”
She hung her head, and a fat tear made its way down her cheek. “They wrecked it.”
She felt his lips on her cheek, and his tongue licked the tear.
“I can get you another. You liked it?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful.”
He chuckled. “It is just well-constructed fabric; you are what makes it come alive. Now, you are shackled here in place, and... wait. Is that someone else’s blood on you?”
She blushed. “When I woke up, there was a man with white eyes. He tried to play with me, so I beat him to death.”
The invisible suitor laughed. “Why should I not be surprised? Why aren’t their pumps working?”
“I don’t want them to. They aren’t getting it.”
He chuckled and shut the pumps off, removing the harness
