“Consider that Nathan got us new names, new identities and in a place that provided a great job in Texas. Because of that, I was already predisposed to like Bethany Anne. I saw enough in Miami that I know what she is capable of. That is one scary lady when she wants to be.”
“Tabitha, we are the good side. Unfortunately, the bad side is still pretty powerful. There will be a lot of challenges on our way to accomplishing our final goals. Success is never black or white, there are always shades of gray. We can use you, because you have skills that we need. How did you get those skills? I seriously doubt that you have led a squeaky clean life while you acquired them. We would never have met you if you had not ended up in Miami. I desperately need someone with your skills to help me clean up this mess in South America. But I don’t want a slave in this position. If you want the opportunity to walk away, you need just to tell me and I will make it so. I will provide you enough money to see you through the next year of your life. In that time, you should be able to find a job anywhere in the Americas.”
Tabitha was shocked, this was not how the conversation was supposed to go. True, she had some misgivings about this position, but not many. Now, she felt the opportunity to work in this clandestine world slipping from her grasp. “Wait! You need me, right? I understood from Bethany Anne that you always had a technical liaison that helped you whenever you were awake. Why wouldn’t you want me?”
Michael shrugged and shook his head. “I never said I didn’t want you. What I said is, I didn’t want a person who didn’t want to be in this role. I’m not sure if you chose the role, or you were chosen for the role without your permission. I just want to make sure that you really, really wish to do this. I don’t doubt that you have the skills, I am just doubting whether or not you have the passion to make a difference.”
“If I have the skills why do I need the passion?” This time, she didn’t seem like she was arguing with Michael, so much as truly curious about what he meant.
Michael answered, “Because you will find a time when your skills are not enough. You will need to feel a reason to dig deep, to accomplish what the team needs you to accomplish. Without passion you will not have the energy, or the drive necessary to make this occur. I would rather not have a technical liaison, than to have to depend on a technical liaison that was not willing to give everything she had to make results happen.”
Tabitha grumped, “It’s not like we’re trying to save the world here.”
“Tabitha, that is exactly what we’re trying to do.”
When Tabitha studied Michael’s eyes, she realized that he meant every word.
14
Key Biscayne, FL USA
The ambience from the candles around the bar faded away as Patricia was floored by Lance’s question.
She repeated it out loud softly, “Would I drink Bethany Anne’s blood?”
Lance answered her question. “Yes, that’s the question I asked. Do you believe you could do that? Obviously you get the physical benefits.” He waved up and down his own body with his left hand. “But it comes with the responsibility as well. Bethany Anne only does this for those who are with her until the end. However long that takes.”
That could be a very long time indeed, Patricia thought. Patricia had to be honest, not only with herself but also for Bethany Anne’s sake and Lance’s. She wouldn’t be able to lie about her feelings. “Lance, I’m not sure my feelings about saving the world would be adequate for your daughter. But I promise that until forever occurs, I will follow you. And I vow, if something should happen to you, I will transfer that promise to your daughter. I’ll make this promise whether or not Bethany Anne decides to increase my longevity. But know this, Mr. Man, your ass is mine whether I drink or not!” She reached over with her right hand and grabbed Lance by his shirt collar, pulling him toward her waiting kiss.
The Queen Bitch’s Ship Ad Aeternitatem, Mediterranean Sea
Darryl went searching the ship for Gabrielle, finding her above deck at the stern, watching the water churn behind the big vessel.
Gabrielle spoke to Darryl before he had a chance to open his mouth. “I realize that you guys have no idea how beautiful the simple things in life can be. When you haven’t seen the sun for as long as I have been alive, the daytime has its own special meaning for you.”
Darryl closed his mouth, considering that. He hadn’t thought about what life would be like if he had been unable to be out in the sun. Hopefully, his request of Gabrielle wouldn’t send him down that path. “Hey boss, Scott and I have a question for you and I got voted to ask.”
Gabrielle turned from watching the water and smiled up at the bigger man. “I don’t date team members.” Her smile let Darryl know she was completely kidding.
“No concerns about that, Gabrielle. You’re European and I have a strict no hairy armpits rule.” Darryl’s smile started to fade as the silence drew out. He watched Gabrielle’s face as it scrunched in concentration. “Just a joke, boss. You know, one of the team giving grief to another one?”
Gabrielle smiled. “Darryl, I have been through enough ages of fashion to realize that whether you shave, or don’t shave, it will change next season. I personally shave because it’s more comfortable for me. But it’s not the end of my world if I don’t shave. I was just trying to figure out how many times that women shaving their under arms has changed in my lifetime. Then I realized that if I provided that information Bethany Anne would learn of it and be trying to figure out how old I am. Did you really want to know such personal things about me right now?”
Darryl walked to the rail and folded his arms on it. “No, I don’t. Scott and I have been talking and want to know your feelings about us becoming more vampy.”
Gabrielle looked down the length of the boat to see if anything looked amiss. When she couldn’t find anything wrong she turned around and put her arms on the rail. She stood next to Darryl, staring out at the sea. “More vampy how? It isn’t like you have a choice of Vamp or not Vamp.”
Darryl said, “More like John. He’s been upgraded somehow. But he isn’t a vampire. At least, I don’t think he is, right?”
Gabrielle laughed. “John? Lord no, he’s not a vampire. I’ve talked to Bethany Anne about his situation, and from what I understand he just had incredibly good DNA. When she gave him so much blood the nanocytes fixed a lot of things. Even with the good DNA strands, he hadn’t grown up to their full potential. So now he’s actually the absolute best specimen he could ever be.”
Darryl digested that information. “So if Mother Nature had rolled a perfect score for him in his mother’s womb, this is how he would’ve been without Bethany Anne’s help?”
Gabrielle nodded. “Yes, this is how he would’ve been. What’s the real reason you guys are asking about this? What’s on your minds?”
Darryl gave her a rundown of his conversation with Scott back in Florida. And their desire to be upgraded to be better able to handle the challenges coming at them as part of her guard retinue. He finished the conversation by asking her if she could both give advice, and maybe go to bat for them with Bethany Anne.
Gabrielle put her arm on his back. “Darryl, I don’t have to go to Bethany Anne for this. She would do anything for the four of you guys. Whether it’s giving some of her blood to you, or figuring out how best to help you. But you guys have to approach her with it. She’s not going to assume anything. I’ve had some conversations with her, and she’s told me the stories of how you guys met. My belief is that she is very sensitive about being ‘vampy’ around you guys. She doesn’t want to feel like she’s pushing something on you that you don’t want. And yes, she worries about every one of you. A lot. We will be going into dangerous situations. And being human, like you are, increases the chances of you being hurt. With me around, you generally would have a good shot at being healed quickly, but that’s not the same as being better yourselves.”
Darryl spoke, facing the sea. “What’s it like?”
Gabrielle wasn’t exactly su
re which question Darryl was asking. “What is what like? Having better abilities, needing to drink blood, being Mistress of the dark?”
Darryl chuckled at her effort to lighten the mood. “Not being human? I mean I understand that all of you guys are, strictly speaking, human. But you’ve been given enhancements from those nanocyte things that the Kurtherians brought to Earth. But still… folklore, for most of your life, has made you out to be a vampire, an undead creature of the night.”
Gabrielle answered in a snarky tone, “I have never been ‘dead in the night.’ That’s my father. At least, it was when he was older. Before Bethany Anne changed his attitude about living. I’ve always loved a good party, myself.”
Darryl stayed quiet, recognizing Gabrielle’s effort to change the subject, if ever so slightly.
Her tone was resigned to answering his question when she said, “It was tough for a little while, when I had to get accustomed to outliving my human friends. Relationships are the hardest part of this whole thing. Now, I probably have the first girlfriend I’ve had in… well let’s just say, in a really long time. Also, not needing to always be looking at necks as my next ‘happy meal’ has brightened things considerably. And don’t get me started on being able to enjoy the sun again.”
“You bring up a good point, what about relationships? You know, with regular people?”
“Darryl, you learn to love people for them just being them. It becomes less about what they can do for you and more just living in the moment. And, appreciating them for who they are. Take my recent relationship with Ivan as an example. We both got caught up in it and it was amazing and fun while it lasted. But my relationship with Bethany Anne changed my priorities. I also had something else that changed inside me. It made a longer-term relationship with Ivan more difficult to figure out. Do I miss him? A little bit. But I think that’s true for anyone that’s a good friend, or friend with benefits. We didn’t part on bad terms or anything. What about guys in the military? In your case you guys are gone a long time and you could die at any moment. How do military wives accept that?”
Darryl said, “Well, both spouses need to be truthful. I’ve spoken with married guys and I’ve spoken with a few married women who have spouses back in the states and it’s hard on both sides. You pretty much have to know that the possibility of dying is always there, and then go out and do your best to not let it affect your performance.”
“My life is similar at times. I’m away from those I care about and then I trust friends or significant others will be there when I get back. But it’s hard to go through it, damned hard. How does Eric feel about this?”
“He’s all in. Of course, he’s also thinking about how nice it will be to not be getting his ass kicked horribly by you all of the time.”
“And John?”
“Mr. Adonis you mean?” Darryl chuckled. “He’s good with whatever is decided. We’re all pro-Bethany Anne. But John is determined to make the life that Bethany Anne gave him back count. Right now, that means keeping Bethany Anne safe.”
“What about later?”
“Whatever Bethany Anne thinks is best. He wouldn’t mind getting another upgrade either. In the military, we always talk about escalation. You have a knife and they bring a pistol. You have a rifle and they bring a machine gun. You have a walking Werewolf, what are they going to produce?”
“You guys are worried about becoming irrelevant?”
“Not so much irrelevant as too easily defeated. You might end up doing more to protect us, than the reverse. We need to be able to hold our own. We’ve all talked and we’re pretty sure it’s only going to get worse before it gets any better. We might lick this Forsaken issue, but this has all been in the shadows. There are plenty of badass characters who are going to come after us when we step into the light. From talking with Bobcat, we are about to step into the light.”
“That’s pretty true. You know, I’ve never changed anyone myself…”
Darryl turned to Gabrielle, shock on his face, only to see her finger scant millimeters from his nose. “Gotcha!” She turned walked away and called back to Darryl, “I’ll talk with the boss and let her know what you guys are thinking. She’s still going to want to hear this from you, but I’ll get the preliminaries out of the way.”
Darryl watched her walk, admiring her balance.
And her ass.
“Stop looking at my ass, Darryl!”
Embarrassed, but laughing at himself, Darryl pushed off the rail and started a patrol of the boat. Heading down the stairs to TOM’s ship below, he wondered what all of those metal boxes Marcus had put by TOM’s ship were for.
15
The Queen Bitch’s Ship Ad Aeternitatem
Stephen could hear the cursing, and the ringing of metal on metal, coming down the hallway from the ‘garage.’ He knocked sharply on the door, and stepped in. He doubted any human would be able to hear him knocking over the noises that William created as he beat on a piece of metal, yelling at it the whole time.
“I… Will… Teach…You…A…Lesson… You…Mother…” Bobcat finally got William’s attention. “WHAT?” Marcus flinched at William’s loudness. Bobcat mimed William taking off his ear protection. William pulled aside one ear muff and said in a more reasonable tone, “What?” Bobcat pointed behind him.
William turned to find Stephen almost on top of him. Stephen was looking around him at the closet-sized metal box that he had been bashing the moment before. “Oh! Hello.”
Stephen looked up at him. “Having a bit of difficulty explaining something to the dense box, are we?”
William’s look of annoyance came back with a vengeance as he turned to look at the box. “Yes! I have seating that doubles as a payload location. I didn’t consider how I was supposed to install the seat after I had already built the surrounding box. Bad planning on my part, but I believe I’ve almost accomplished getting my point across. Another couple of sharp sentences should see the seat right where I want it.”
Stephen looked up over at Bobcat. “Can we talk for a couple minutes?” He waved his hand back at the other side of the hold. Stephen hoped it was far enough away from the conversation William was having with his seat.
When Bobcat caught up to Stephen, he asked, “What’s up?”
“I’m concerned that your helicopter is not big enough to carry everyone flying to the landing zone. How many people can your Shelly carry at one time?”
“She’s rated for four crew plus eleven other troops loaded out. With the long-range fuel pods she’ll easily make it the two hundred fifty or so miles we need to go.”
“I don’t believe there’s a we in this conversation. Or did you forget what Bethany Anne said?”
Bobcat rubbed the back of his head. “No, I didn’t forget. I was just hoping you had. I don’t like missing this operation.”
“Can’t be helped. Is there any way that you guys can get these…” Stephen looked over his shoulder when William resumed hitting the box, “ships…” He turned back around to Bobcat, “Ready to go?”
Bobcat shrilled a whistle to catch Marcus’ attention and waved him over to join them. Once Marcus was there he asked the question so Stephen could hear the answer. “Once we have the IZTA shells complete, how long will it take for you to install the engines?”
“Not long at all. I’ve been talking with TOM for the past two days. He says that the manufactured engines that I have so far—” Marcus flinched as William caused a resounding crack and then the noise ceased. He relaxed and continued the conversation. “Sorry, TOM says that the engines I have are ready to be powered up. But he doesn’t want to energize them before they’re ready to go. We have the engines ready to be charged. We’ll need Bethany Anne to help with that.”
Stephen asked, “Why is that?”
“Because she’s the only one that can get into TOM’s ship and the engine room. In order for these engines to be activated they’ll need a charge. Kind of like jump-starting a low battery in a car. You h
ook it to a car already running, then rev that car’s engine for a while.”
Stephen considered what Marcus said. “Is there any problem with the engines once they’re energized? What happens if we have the ships just sitting here for a day or two without using them? Are they like a battery, or will they eventually explode without draining their energy?”
“No, TOM assures me that everything would be fine. But if anyone were to steal an engine right now, it wouldn’t get them anything. It’s only once they’ve been energized that it will be obvious they’re something more than a box with weird circuits and a glob of stuff in the middle.”
Stephen asked, “What’s your glob of stuff?”
“Xenon difluoride, normally a white crystal used to etch silicon conductors. We have it compressed pretty decently, but TOM’s going to do something inside the engine room that’s going to be pretty impressive. Further, TOM will provide an integrated connectivity to the Etheric. Otherwise, just a minor bump would cause all of the pent up energy to release instantaneously.”
Stephen considered all that Marcus just told him. “That would be bad?”
“Well, it would be bad for everyone on the Polaris. We wouldn’t have two cells still stuck together so we wouldn’t personally care anymore.”
Bobcat nodded his head sagely. “I would consider that bad.”
“Indeed,” Stephen agreed. “It seems the good doctor has a dry sense of humor.”
“Who was trying to be funny?” Marcus asked. “That’s exactly what would happen.” His look of confusion sealed the deal. Both men started chuckling at him.
Stephen saw that William had put up his tools and was putting some cushioning inside his structure. He motioned for the two men to follow him back over to William’s working area. William noticed the guys walking up.
Stephen asked him, “Did you finish your conversation?”
“Sure did. Message was heard loud and clear.”
Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Set One: Books 1-7, Death Becomes Her, Queen Bitch, Love Lost, Bite This, Never Forsaken, Under My Heel, Kneel or Die (Kurtherian Gambit Boxed Sets) Page 119