by Gavin Magson
“Inside, I want you inside.” moaned Aiko between heavy breaths.
The mischievous grin on his face had Aiko cursing him. He moved back up, planting another passionate, juicy kiss on her full lips as Aiko's hand ran down his body. She grabbed and guided him inside of her, Ajax pushed to meet her rising hips. Aiko's mouth formed an O of ecstasy and Ajax could not help but to pull out and push his full length back in just to see Aiko's expression again.
Aiko wrapped her arms around the man's neck, her fingers gripping hard as Ajax built up momentum. Teeth bit into his shoulder, the pain oddly erotic, and mixed with the sounds and smells of their bodies. Her legs wrapped around his buttocks, pulling him in even closer, almost willing him to plunge deeper still.
Ajax managed to free his head from her grasp, pulling away from Aiko, leaning her backwards to rest on his left arm as the hand reached up to pull back hard on her long hair whilst his free hand caressed her breast. Aiko moaned as his teeth chewed at the free nipple, her legs struggled to hold on as their hips met faster and faster.
The heat in her stomach built up until she could not resist it anymore. Aiko clutched him even tighter and nearly deafened him with her screams of ecstasy, spurring him into his own climax. As fast as the orgasm hit her Aiko was limp in his hands. Ajax lowered her back to the mattress where she lazily rolled over to her stomach. He laid down next to her and let out an exhausted sigh.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You looked like you were spent, so I thought to lay next to you.”
“I'm not done if you aren't, get back on top.” said Aiko, arching her back as she propped herself up on an elbow to plant a brief kiss on his lips.
Ajax stretched his leg over her buttocks, straddling Aiko once more.
“You'll have to move your ass up, I can't reach from this angle.” he said.
“Who said that's where I want you this time?”
Ajax grinned with sudden realisation.
A soft kiss awoke Ajax, a far more pleasant awakening than most of his post-drinking mornings consisted of. He could feel the smile behind the lips before he opened his eyes to see Aiko. Soft light filtered into the room as he wrapped his thick arms around her, pulling Aiko closer to kiss her again and again. When he let her pull away Ajax rubbed at his heavy eyelids, surprised by just how early it was.
“I was having such a wonderful dream, why did you have to wake me up?” he groaned as he rolled onto his back.
Aiko pushed her hands onto the mattress in order to move herself into a seated position. A tablet rested in her small hands, its screen filled with black text. “Rine just sent me a message. He said things are getting worse down there and he needs you on the train two hours ago.” the half frown on her face made Ajax doubt her enthusiasm for his departure.
“I hope that isn’t concern written across your face. There is no need to worry about me, I can handle myself against whatever the slums can throw at me. How else do you think I survived that prison? Now, how about one last parting gift?”
The frown was forgotten as Aiko slid on top of Ajax, feeling his excitement pressing against her body. They kissed, almost mashing teeth together, and Ajax felt one hot tear press against his cheek. Aiko did not stop so neither did he, she continued to grind herself against him, smiling more at the frustration she caused.
“Stop teasing me or I'll take what I want,” he growled. Aiko laughed at the torment he was suffering, redoubling her efforts.
When the feeling got too much his hands lifted her, bringing Aiko back down and easing himself inside of the gasping woman.
When both of them were spent Ajax led a lethargic Aiko to the bathroom, where they washed the heady smell of sex from each other’s bodies. It was obvious from her lip biting and the way Aiko could not keep his gaze that she was not happy and words were being suppressed.
“What is the matter? You won't even look at me, Aiko.” said Ajax, holding her head in both hands, forcing the woman to stare at his hard face.
“I finally drop my guard enough to show you my desires and you are leaving already, off to the slums where Rine said the situation is worse than ever. I knew that it was stupid of me to pursue this right before another one of his missions. Now I am afraid that you are going to get yourself hurt out there, perhaps worse.”
The pause grew into silence that stretched between them. The only noise within the bathroom was from the warm water hitting their naked bodies. Ajax pulled the now sobbing woman into a tight embrace, her shoulders shaking against his chest. He had no idea what her feelings for him were, always he had assumed she harboured a reserved dislike for him, yet whatever Aiko felt for him it was stronger than he could have ever suspected.
“I promise you that I will not get myself killed out there, I will be coming back alive and rich.” he said, pulling away to kiss Aiko once more. “I bet I can make it out without a scratch on me.”
“If you are lying to me I will kill you all over again.” she said, giving him an uncertain smile.
With the conversation forgotten and their bodies smelling of cheap soap the couple towelled their damp flesh, sharing the same tooth brush to clean off the previous night’s drinking. When Aiko saw his bag of clothes she started to well up again, Ajax still did not know what else to do to ease her sadness.
“This isn't like you, Aiko. I haven't seen you upset once in the months I have known you; never once have my injuries caused you to bat an eyelid. It's just for a few weeks and then I'll be back in Four, safe and sound. I would invite you to visit but there is going to be a lot of violence, from what I have been told, and I wouldn’t want you distracting me from my duties. Or being in harm’s way, of course. Come on, we need to get dressed and go down to the train station; Rine will only be angry if I hold up his operation.”
Reluctantly Aiko rounded up her clothes, the dress appeared a little more ruffled than he remembered from the night before. Despite the lack of a good night’s sleep and make-up she was still beautiful to Ajax; he told her so which earned him another glorious smile. Once her handbag was packed and Ajax had strapped on his knife, pocketed his tablet and grabbed his own bag they left the room together.
They walked around the corner where Ajax knocked on Duke's door as well as Greg and Lev's next to it. Bleary eyes answered, followed by a few general curses that were soon replaced when Ajax told them the news.
“I have to set off now, they need me in Six ASAP. I was hoping to get the afternoon with you guys but the roll of the dice said otherwise. I could not leave without saying goodbye and wishing you the best with the repairs. Sorry that it had to be so early.”
He had barely finished the sentence when Ajax was almost pounced upon as the three men closed in on him, the group hug coming close to crushing Ajax in its centre. When they pulled away he could finally fill his lungs with air once more, cursing all three of them with a wry smile plastered across his face.
“We are going to miss you, Ajax, no doubt about that. Don't do anything foolish while you are away, not that it has stopped you before. Greg will probably send you a few messages, especially if we get the ship up and running and will be off planet for a while. No one knows when the union will be so just check your tablet for any updates. Trust me when I tell you that you won’t survive Ilya’s wrath if you don’t attend.” said Duke.
“Don't worry, I will take good care of myself; I’ve no intention of getting myself hurt out there. I'll see you three soon enough. Actually, it might be four after those interviews. Good luck with the ship.”
The crewmembers waved a tired farewell as the duo turned the corner. Ajax and Aiko descended through the empty tavern swiftly whilst the men returned to their warm beds. When Ajax got to the front door he pushed it open and stepped to one side to allow Aiko through first. As he moved to follow her he saw Sarah step out of the kitchen, cleaning supplies in hand and a look that could kill upon her face; Ajax could only grin back.
Aiko forced him to pick up some f
ood on their way to the station, aware that he had skipped breakfast and berating him about the energy he would need if he was to survive what the slums could throw at him. He was unsure at what time during the night they had effectively become a couple, but the transition from a world recently devoid of female contact to genuine concern for his wellbeing felt nice, so he did not rile against it. For good measure he bought extra food and packed it in what little space was left of his bag, which earned him a kiss on the cheek.
They walked side-by-side, enjoying the cool, refreshing breeze and early morning sun that struggled through the clouds above. It caught Ajax off guard when her fingers slotted through his own. Aiko held his hand as they walked along the early morning streets, battling their way through the bustling crowds. He was glad that the winter weather was still taking a day off, light grey clouds amassed in the sky far above but had not yet dropped their payload on the city.
When they rounded a corner and could see the ominous train station in front Aiko's hand gripped his own tightly and she stopped dead in her tracks with no warning.
“You've seen me fight dozens of times, why does this scare you so much?” he asked, turning to face her.
“You don't see the reports that Rine hands over to me. People are dying every day in the slums over his war, and they aren’t rookies who are still wet behind the ears either. This is not some kind of civilised bout in the ring, there aren't rules and I am worried your skills won't be enough to survive the coming days.”
“Then why did you seem so eager to recruit me for this task if you fear so much for my safety?”
“I didn't have you back then.”
He was taken aback by her words. Ajax was both surprised and confused that her honesty had such an effect on him. Neither had spoken about what last night meant to their relationship and time was running short. Aiko was struggling not to get ahead of herself when Ajax was soon to be fighting a brutal battle in the slums, and he was still getting up to speed on Aiko having an interest in him.
It was proving tricky to attempt to think that far into the future. Was he happy to consider Aiko as a permanent part of his life, or was she someone to fill in the void that had been left by Ilya? He knew it was wrong to think of Aiko as a replacement, he just could not help the thought from hampering his attempt to assess the change in situation.
“I am coming back, after all I've got you as a motive now.” he gave the ill at ease woman another kiss and felt Aiko claw at him to stay with her.
He gripped back at Aiko's hand and led her across the street into the train station. When they stepped through the entrance Ajax could see that the Sector Six and Seven platforms were deserted, not a soul in sight. As they approached a full train rolled into the station from Six, just on time. When the train stopped they could see a press of bodies straining at the doors and windows.
“Everyone is getting out of the slums whilst they still can, it's not a lie when I call it a war zone.” answered Aiko, before he had chance to query the bedlam before him.
They stood aside as the carriage doors opened and the train began to empty, a flood of people all rushing to get away from the horrors they were leaving behind. When the last passenger departed Ajax went to step inside, Aiko pulled back gently on his arm. She neatly clipped something onto the collar of his jacket before he could stop her and leant in for a quick kiss. To Ajax it appeared to be a thin convex lens with a darkened glass cover no larger than a fingernail that had a hinged back to it, which clipped onto clothing.
“Before you leave I told Rine where you are to be based and he said your weapons will be waiting there by the time you arrive. He also called you a mad bastard, but I think that was supposed to be kept between he and I. This camera is linked wirelessly to a computer system, with it we can track and confirm your kills to calculate your payments. If you press this button on the rear we will send you a message through to your tablet detailing your bonus for the day. Be careful, Ajax, the fighting will be all around you and only streets away when you arrive.” said Aiko. “Don't assume that your only enemies are those that oppose Rine, I can’t guarantee the mercenaries aren’t trying to remove competition to increase their wages. Take care of yourself.” Aiko removed a thin disk from her pocket that she pressed into his right hand.
“And what is this?” asked Ajax, flipping the object around to inspect it.
“It is unlikely that you will require it but that is in case you are stopped by the police. Rine has paid them off so they already know about these tokens. Show it and they'll let you go free, but it will only work within the slums. Just don’t be stupid enough to fire upon the police; this token is not a free pass for all crimes.”
They kissed one last time and Aiko released his arm; finally she allowed him to board the train. Its doors closed and he waved at her through a stained window, Ajax watched helplessly as tears began to stream down her face. The train rolled forward and he sat down as soon as she was out of sight.
He did not have a clue what had happened in the space of a day. Two women had thrown themselves at him, one professing their love and another showing they had harboured deep feelings for him for months. His head ached as he tried to figure out what this all meant for his future. One thing Ajax did know was how glad he was that Aiko had not seen his suppressed emotions, it would only have upset her even more if he could not have kept the joy from his face. He was looking forward to the bloodbath to come and could no longer keep his enthusiasm in check.
Chapter 6
Rain was falling hard on the streets of Sector Six, it bounced off the cobbles underfoot and rattled on the rooftops above. Ajax stood in the archway of the train station and watched as two figures dashed from shelter across the street, each hurriedly passed him without a second glance.
Behind him the stations platforms were full of damp citizens with scared, hollow eyes, who tried to avoid each other’s gaze whilst queuing to make their escape. Aiko had not undersold the situation, this place had changed beyond recognition since last he had been in the slums.
In the distance three shots were fired, an instantaneous reply came from at least two guns on full automatic, which had him scanning for muzzle flashes. Ajax noticed that no one turned to the sounds source, a thousand people busied themselves with thought of escape and nothing else.
He leant out of the entrance, looking both directions he could see bodies littering the streets and even a burnt out hover that had clipped a building, bricks scattered on the ground around its upturned carcass. There were several buildings in varying states of collapse, some blackened from flames and others reduced to a large pile of rubble. Bullet holes riddled most of the buildings in sight and a dilapidated roadblock constricted the street to a narrow walkway to his left.
The weather did not appear as if it would relent any time soon, the clouds above were swollen and dark as far as he could see. Ajax had no choice but to take the plunge and head out onto the streets. He switched on his tablet, set it into navigation mode with the screen brightness dimmed and headed out of the stations sanctuary, keeping his body close to the surviving buildings and heading away from the barricade.
Street after street he passed fleeing citizens, decomposing corpses and damaged buildings; the new décor seemed to be bullet hole effect. It appeared that this area only recently became a green zone, the occasional cadaver came equipped with makeshift weapons and small blades, though no sign of guns or ammunition. He did not stop to loot the bodies; it was evident that someone had already taken everything of real worth.
It did not take him long to find the building he would be staying at, even as fog rolled in, blanketing the streets and slowing his progress He was only four streets back from the station, but a world away judging by the relatively intact buildings. Ajax moved from recess to doorway, anything that could obscure him from onlookers and offered protection. His only weapon was the knife he acquired from Aiko’s henchman until he reached his weapons cache; he did not fancy his chances in a
gun fight.
Gunshots were becoming a more frequent occurrence as he closed in on his destination. By their volume Ajax suspected the fighting was only a few streets away when his tablet binged quietly to indicate that he was outside the safe house. Aiko had not been wrong about it being on the frontline.
The buildings appearance suggested it was an old building that had long since fallen into disrepair. When compared with the more recent constructions that surrounded it Ajax suspected that the street had been built around this previously secluded house. Its brickwork suggested the builders had slapped it together hastily, few of the bricks matched each other in size or shape, and the cheap whitewash gave him the impression the owner had run out of money before construction even began.
His fist shook the wooden door in its frame, hushed whispers inside the building ceased as soon as Ajax began to knock. When he did not think someone was going to answer he rapped harder on the door and heard the faint noise of a gun being cocked behind it. The curtain of the ground floor window parted a fraction and a scared pair of eyes peered out of the darkened room, meeting his own. Ajax smiled.
More hushed voices could be heard, a swift conversation that concluded with the door opening a sliver. The barrel of a shotgun stared him in the face, its wielder caused the barrel to make figure eights as her hands shook violently.
“Who are you and what do you want?” asked the girl, voice quivering and eyes flared wide.
“My name is Ajax, I am employed by Rine and told that there would be lodgings for me here.”
“How do I know that really is your name and you aren't here to kill us?”
His hand darted out, grabbing the gun out of hers faster than the girl could pull back the trigger. She tried to back away, falling hard and scrabbling at the floor.