You’ve never messed with a guy like me, you mobster prick.
Then he thought of Straya, who he knew was watching despite claiming to face the corner. He knew her well enough to know she’d be taking great pleasure in the show.
He returned his focus back to Calico. Not only did she deserve his full attention, but he wanted to be there. The naked feline-like woman was underneath him. This beautiful once-enemy of his. The newest escapade of his many beautiful women that he had taken since leaving Earth.
He felt her legs as they reached around him and held him in place. He felt her lips as her breathing panted through them. He felt her tits that stayed so perky and proper as he continued to thrust.
Then he felt her wet entrance tighten around him. He felt her tremor all over. He felt her claws grow and dig into him. Though he was already wounded, he didn’t mind her clawing. She was loving it. She wanted all of it, and Regan gave it to her.
She dug hard into him. She arched her body upward, reaching her tits up to him, her back bending from the ground. She screamed then bit his neck hard.
And as her climax grew, Straya began to fade back into view. She had moved from the wall and was now right next to them. She was looking at Calico with a lust. Calico smiled at her, then she immediately came, which pulled Regan into a deep, pulsing climax too as he filled her up.
They shared in it, making Regan forget he was locked inside a cell, and that he was in a life or death situation. He thought only of the feeling and knew she shared it too.
Calico pulled his face to hers and kissed him hard. She sucked on his tongue and even though their lips were locked onto each other, it seemed as if she was smiling. And Regan smiled too.
He was slow when he pulled out. He slid out and tickled her slightly. She smiled harder and looked at him with an openness he hadn’t seen before. He finally had gotten to the real Calico. The vulnerable, anxious, and longing Calico. The Calico that was buried underneath much shielding and protection.
“That was everything I wanted it to be,” she said.
“Still, I wish it could have been like you always imagined,” Regan replied.
Calico shook her head. “It was better.”
She stood up and pulled her torn clothes back on. The smile never left her face. There was something refreshed about her. Something new. She looked at Straya and Regan, then faced the door.
I just hope whatever power this is works without the ceremony.
Calico stood silent for a moment. She touched herself a bit, as if she was feeling herself for the first time. She rubbed her hips, felt her tits, stroked her long tail, and licked her arm in a cat bath sort of way. And then, to the surprise of everyone, she thrust her arms toward the door.
A brilliant light flashed as the door flew off its hinges. It was thrown back with great speed and force, leaving a massive hole in the wall.
She stretched her arms into the air and purred loudly. She arched her body in a way that was satisfying and sexy.
Calico was a new woman with new powers. She stepped out into the room outside the cell door. She kept her fingers outstretched and walked with a determination that she could take on any obstacle that got in her way.
Regan and Straya were about to find out just how far her power went.
Chapter Twenty
Calico stepped out of the room, with Regan and Straya behind her. The cell door she had sent flying did more than let them out; it also crushed two guards who were standing right outside.
They entered a small waiting room with several doors. A monitor screen gave a view of the inside of the cell they were in.
So the guards were watching us. Hope they enjoyed the show before they died.
Next to the screen was a speaker, and it began beeping, accompanied by a little red light below it. Regan wondered what would happen if he answered it. If it was perhaps Salvato calling because of the noise. The thought of casually answering it made Regan smile, but he also didn’t want to give himself away. Who knew how many guards still roamed these crooked hallways?
“Arkei,” Regan said, attempting to use his communication link. “Do you read me?” He kept his voice low, but it didn’t matter. The zap from the turret gun had destroyed the device.
“I guess we’re on our own,” Straya said.
But then something happened. On the monitoring screen next to the phone, the picture of the empty cell started to get all fuzzy. Then Bob came into focus. He pointed to the speaker next to the screen, and Regan realized it was them calling, not Salvato or anyone else.
Regan dashed over to the speaker and pressed the blinking red button.
“Bob?” Regan gasped. “You can tell Squit she’s a genius!”
Bob laughed. “She knows. Also, how did you open the door?”
Regan realized that Squit might not have been able to view inside the cell, and that they may have only seen the door flying from the outside.
“I’ll let Calico explain that one once we’re back on board. Until then, can you navigate us out of here?”
“Sure can,” Bob said. “Squit can shut down the security systems along the way to make it easy for you, but the place is on high alert right now. Salvato has the casino on lockdown. So you still must watch your step.”
“Where can we find him?”
Then Arkei stepped onto the screen. Her face was beautiful and Regan realized then that he missed seeing it.
“Captain, you must escape,” she said. “There’s no time to mess with Salvato.”
Regan knew leaving was the practical thing to do, but he needed to win this one. He had come this far. Now that he unlocked Calico’s powers, he realized that her efforts had been noble all along. There was no way in hell he was going to let Salvato keep that cube. He had to get it back. And he knew that with Calico and Straya’s help, he would be able to. Even though they were injured, they were a force to be reckoned with.
“Arkei, we can’t let Salvato get away with this,” Regan said. “We’re getting that cube back.”
Calico looked at Regan with an admiration that she hadn’t shown before.
“I will do whatever you ask, Captain,” Calico said. “We don’t have to risk our lives again on my account.”
“I know, but we need to finish this.”
Squit muttered some sounds and Bob’s face returned to the screen.
“Okay, Squit can open a path for you that isn’t guarded. It will take you through the Grand Suite that you already destroyed. It’s treacherous in there, so watch your step when moving through.”
“Understood,” Regan said. “What is Salvato doing right now? Do you have a line of sight on him?”
“We can’t see him, but we know where he is. We know he’s sitting at a computer terminal on the same floor, decrypting the data cube.”
“Then we’ll stop him,” Regan said. “Squit, lead the way.”
One door slid open. It led to the Grand Suite like Bob mentioned. Regan stepped inside first, followed by the girls.
They were unarmed, so they looked around the destruction for weapons. It seemed that the guns had been removed from the dead soldiers. In fact, the soldiers themselves were gone. Whether it was for security reasons or an attempt to cover up what happened, Salvato and his men had acted quickly.
But there was still one thing Regan could use. The broken bed post was still there, on the ground just waiting for him. He picked it up, allowing time for the bat-like weapon to feel comfortable in his hands. He swung it once and then rested it on his shoulder.
Regan was ready to lay the smackdown on Salvato’s ass. He was ready to finish this thing.
There was a speaker on the far wall near a sealed door that started blinking red. Regan dashed over to it and asked, “Are we going through this door next?”
“Yes,” Bob’s voice came through. “There’ll be a long hallway with many doors. Take the fourth door on the right. That’s very important. And it’s very important that you maintain silence while
going through that hallway. We can’t get a line of sight on any of those rooms. They’re top secret.”
“How do you know Salvato is in there?” Regan asked.
“And how do we know he’s alone?” Straya asked.
“It’s a hunch,” Bob said. “But I doubt he’d want anyone else to know about the cube, even his own men.”
Regan nodded. “Okay, fourth door. Can you open it on your end?”
“Yes, we can, but the security system will probably recognize an intrusion, so once you’re in, you probably won’t have very long before soldiers come snooping around.”
Regan readied his bat as the door before them slid open to reveal a long hallway. It was dark with subtle sconces between each door. It looked very modern, with a hum running through the walls, as if these rooms held a great deal of power.
Regan tightened the grip on his bat as he quietly made his way. He held it even tighter as they stood before the fourth door on the right. The door Salvato was behind.
It slid open and there he was with his back to them. He was facing a large screen with a status line running from left to right. The progress bar was at 95% with a great deal of code running underneath it.
Just then, Straya faded from sight, turning invisible, and slid right by Regan and Calico, who also stepped quietly inside the door, knowing the door would shut at any moment.
And while they couldn’t see Straya anymore, they could see the result of her action, which was putting Salvato into a chokehold before slamming him up and down from his chair. He wanted to shout with surprise, but her grip was too tight on his neck for him to get a word out.
He was spun around and made to face Regan, who smiled at him as they made eye contact.
Salvato was more than furious. He was scared. He couldn’t believe what was happening. He glared with his wide eyes full of surprise.
Straya then made herself visible, and loosened her grip just enough that Salvato could speak, though she didn’t allow him too much room to breathe. She also removed a pistol from his hip and tossed it over to Regan.
Calico dashed to the screen and sat down behind the control console. She started pressing buttons and the decryption process ended.
“No!” Salvato whisper-screamed. “You can’t do that. You can’t—”
“Shut the fuck up,” Regan said.
Salvato turned his angry gaze back on Regan.
“You’ll regret this, human,” Salvato managed to get out of his tight throat. “You will live your life looking over your shoulder until I get you. And I will get you.”
Regan raised the gun and pointed it at Salvato.
“Well, then I guess I must end it right here,” Regan said calmly.
Salvato shook his head as much as he could. He put his arm out attempting to stop Regan.
“Okay, okay,” he began. “Maybe I underestimated you. Maybe we can cut a deal.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You do not understand how powerful I am,” the mob boss said. “How many connections I have. I can make life easier for you. In fact, you’ve impressed me quite a lot today, so I’d very much like to have you in my corner.”
“Got the cube!” Calico said, before ejecting it from its housing. She put it in her pocket and stood up from the console, joining Regan again near the door.
“Just leave me with the cube, and you can live like a king,” Salvato said. “You’re an illegal species, traveling on a stolen ship. I can make sure these problems disappear for you. You can live your life in pleasure forever. I just want the cube.”
Regan admitted that having a clean slate sounded good. He thought briefly about never having to worry about being an illegal human in space. Never having to worry about money, fights, or obstacles. He could make himself part of an elite network. He could make himself untouchable.
He looked at Straya, the pirate who could snap the mobster’s neck in a heartbeat.
He looked at Calico, the princess who had dedicated her life to get to this moment, to shut down injustice.
He knew what the right answer was. Regan lowered his gun and holstered it.
Salvato smiled.
“Coming to your senses,” the mobster said. “I knew you were too smart to think otherwise. I have certainly underestimated you.”
“You got that right,” Regan said, raising the bat as he took a baseball stance.
“Regan…” Salvato started, squirming in Straya’s arms. He was desperate. He was afraid. He knew this was it.
Regan gave Straya a subtle wink, then said his final words to Salvato, “Ever hear of baseball, asshole?”
Straya kicked the mobster toward Regan. Regan took a solid swing that made direct contact with the mobster’s chin. His neck flew up, snapped, and like that, Salvato fell to the ground dead.
His body seized for a moment. Regan hoped there was just enough life for him to register what happened—that they beat him, that all his crooked bullshit accumulated to nothing.
Straya smiled at Regan.
“You’re gonna have to teach me this baseball game,” she said. “It seems deliciously violent.”
“Well, it is the way I play it.”
Calico went to the speaker on the wall near the monitor and tapped the red button several times, hoping Squit would realize she was trying to get through. And it worked, because Bob’s voice came through a few moments later.
“Team?” Bob said. “You all good?”
“All good,” Calico said. “You know how we can get out of here?”
“Sure do.”
Bob gave them directions and assured them that Squit would have all the monitors turned off along the way. She navigated them through the hallways, down a service elevator, and back out to the hangar where their ship awaited them safe and sound.
Chapter Twenty-One
Regan, Straya, and Calico boarded the ship. It felt good to be back aboard, back at his home base. This ship had become something more than a mode of transport. It was home.
And his crew was more than just a crew. They were a family. When they got to the bridge, Arkei, Reverie, Bob, Squit, and Posha were all smiles and singing praises for getting out alive. They gave each other hugs and congratulated each other on a job well done.
Then an alarm went off. The celebrating stopped and the crew members looked out the massive windshield. Security surrounded them.
“Please evacuate the ship immediately!” a voice shouted through a loudspeaker.
Squit started making noises of panic.
“She’s positive that she wiped all the cameras on the way!” Bob shouted. “There’s no digital trace of us left.”
“I believe you, Squit,” Regan said. “Maybe they were waiting for us to return to the ship since we landed.”
“It’s possible that they were watching it since it sneaked in,” Arkei said.
“It’s too shallow of an area to blast our way out,” Straya added. “We’ll kill ourselves in the process.”
“We’ve already been through so much,” Reverie stated with concern, her hands clutched to her chest in anxiety.
Regan wasn’t sure what to do. They had the data cube. Salvato was dead. But they were still stuck inside this asteroid. And Regan knew that since Salvato’s connections ran deep, this wouldn’t end well. They wouldn’t be praised for killing a corrupt mobster; they would likely be tried and murdered for it instead.
“Maybe others know about the data cube?” Regan asked.
“I doubt it,” Straya said. “There was too much dirt on there. Even for someone at Salvato’s level, who could you trust with that kind of information?”
Then Calico walked up to the windshield and motioned for everyone to move away.
She looked at the team of security guards before them, who then raised their weapons toward the glass. They were prepared to fire.
“What we did was the right thing,” she said softly. “What we did was for the good of the universe. And we aren’t done!”
The hangar door opened, providing a view of space. A view of escape. Regan turned to look at Squit. She was dialed in, opening the door.
Arkei dashed for her seat and fired up the engines. She didn’t wait for Calico to pilot them out. She could handle the quick escape. And they knew that after Calico’s display of power, no one would come after them.
The ship made its clearing as Arkei quickly steered them away from the asteroid.
“You’re sure they won’t follow us?” Regan asked.
Squit replied.
“Positive,” Bob translated. “That must have been a personal detail of Salvato’s, because there’s no wireless communication about our ship at all.”
“It’s true,” Straya said, checking the holographic channels on the control console. “There’s no talk of us or Salvato. And no mention of the data cube. All that security we were dealing with was closed-circuit. Salvato’s doing only.”
Calico then lowered her glowing hands and crumpled as if she were depleted of strength.
Regan raced over to her and caught her before she hit the ground. Her eyes were heavy, and she looked lightheaded.
“You’re incredible,” Regan said to her.
“I may have pushed it too far,” Calico whispered, not having enough strength to speak.
Regan lifted her up and turned to face the crew.
“I’m taking Calico to my suite to rest,” Regan said. “Reverie, I’d like you to join us and tend to her. Arkei, I’d like for you to set us on a course for someplace we can lie low for a while. Give us some time to plan our next steps.”
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