“You will have to give in to me eventually.”
She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. “I know. But I have to finish the company expansion first, and that means more personnel, which means interviews.”
“I am beginning to regret my suggestion.”
“Without it, we would be facing charges again. It is easier to be your whore than your girlfriend.”
His arms tightened around her. “I don’t like that term.”
“I know, but it is the one the government lets me live with. Team members can’t have relationships, but they can pay for relief, remember? It was a fun loophole that we found.”
“It is frustrating.”
“Yeah, but you have been able to try so many more lovers this way.”
“And I always come back to you. You are my choice, every time.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Though your friend Kit offers some interesting options.”
She chuckled. “You have no idea, and you won’t. Salat will skin you alive if you try.”
“Shit. Salat? I thought she was Morniger’s.”
“You fear an auditor more than being sliced to pieces?”
He laughed. “Every day of the week.”
Kit walked back to her and said, “I have to, uh...”
“Yeah. Got it. I will wait here with Torun. Torun, this is Kit.”
He extended his hand and took hers in his. Zera watched her face as Kit tracked the hand being raised to Torun’s lips. He left a light kiss on her knuckles, and she stood politely until he let her go.
“Pleased to meet you, Team Leader Torun. Please excuse me.” She bobbed a short bow and smiled. Kit scampered off, avoiding hands that tried to reach out for her, and Zera didn’t think she even noticed that she avoided contact.
“Wow. She’s so wholesome.”
“And she also shot two men in the ladies’ room with less emotion than her applying her mascara.”
He tensed, and she winced. “What?”
“A portal opened in the ladies’ room. Kit shot the men coming through. We are about to be under attack, or someone is trying to kidnap me.”
He nodded. “Or Kit.”
Zera’s eyes widened, and she ran into the chapel and the room where Kit had set up her pack. There was spilled milk and blood in the chamber. Oh, Salat was going to be pissed.
She turned and looked at Torun. “They got her.”
“She’s the lactator?”
“Yeah. If they can convince her to cooperate, they will be able to access the limbic centres of anyone they can get the milk into. They can brainwash an entire city block using one coffee shop.”
His shock was obvious in his features. “That’s dangerous. I haven’t heard of a registered active with that capability.”
“She wasn’t registered. Her parents found her active transformation embarrassing and left her when she was just a child. She has filled out the minimal amount of paperwork to get by.”
“And has never been on record, so no one knows her capabilities.”
“I have run some tests, and her biology is remarkably adaptable.” Zera brought up her com and winced when the angry tone rolled through.
“You were supposed to keep her safe, Zera. She’s in the warehouse district, and her system is in distress.” Salat’s voice growled at her.
“I know, Salat. It is my sister’s funeral. I thought they would come for me, not her.”
“I am heading there now. Feel free to send backup.”
“Yes, Salat. On its way.”
Torun nodded. “I’ve got this. Get to the transport.”
She nodded, and he gave the team members at the funeral the briefing. Five minutes later, they were on their way; the fliers went ahead for recon in their formal uniforms, looking like dark angels.
Torun looked at the site, and he whistled softly. “Salat is losing his touch. No one is bleeding.”
Zera was looking for the pale limbs in the forty bodies, and when she didn’t find them, she smiled. “It wasn’t Salat. This was Kit.”
Torun blinked. “What?”
“She didn’t complete her peacekeeper’s exam, but she was a fully trained peacekeeper. She also likes weapons.”
An angry Salat stalked in, walked right past them, and headed for a collection of barrels. He reached down and pulled out a bloody and dishevelled Kit. “My heart nearly stopped when you started shooting.”
“I am a really good shot.” She squeaked as he hugged her tightly. “No... don’t!”
He glanced down between them and chuckled. “Come on, kitten, and let’s get you sorted.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, and the small blast weapons were still in her hands.
Zera let them pass, as did the army of team members who came to help. “Um, I guess we start identifying bodies?”
Torun chuckled. “I guess so. Women like her take all the fun out of being a hero.”
“That is just because Salat gets to comfort her, and you don’t.”
“Probably. Why were they after your friend?” Hron stepped up.
“Kit has tremendous power. When they get back in here, she is going to have to get registered.” Zera sighed. “Kit is not going to like that.”
“Why not?”
“She is an unidentified classification. An at-will booster who can create modifications.”
“Salat didn’t look any different. Angrier, maybe.” He chuckled.
“She doesn’t want him to change. She likes him just the way he is but will probably keep him healthy and healing rapidly.” She smiled. “I just don’t want to see her ground up by the program. She hasn’t had good experiences with it yet.”
The teams started recording the massacre.
Someone asked, “Where did she get the weapons?”
Zera grinned. “I gave them to her. They were created by one of the Z-tech designers.”
Kolij frowned, a storm cloud over his head. “No, physically, where were they? I find it hard to believe they didn’t notice it when they grabbed her.”
Zera looked at him, made guns with her fingers, and tucked them under her breasts. “Like that. There were also six extra charge packs on each side.”
His eyes widened. “Right, so she is that... uh... well-endowed.”
There was the sound of a vehicle powering up, and Zera sighed. “And there she goes. I think he is going to offer some first aid and a safe place to recover.”
Torun
