Bad Behavior (The Last Time Traveler Book 3)

by Aaron J. Ethridge

  On top of which, her will to win was almost equal to Robert's. She would be willing to do almost anything – within the scope of her own moral code – in order to beat him into submission. Normally, Morgan could have severely dulled this particular edge by fighting dirty. However, in this context – and, especially as Cleo was his adversary – he couldn't do that. Even had he been willing to – which he wasn't – Cleo, Azure, and Robert would have all worked together to come up with some very inventive way to murder him if he did. Still, he could force himself to go however far she went. That would at least put them on an even footing from that point of view.

  Another advantage Cleo had was her anger, her wrath, her fury, and her rage. For most people, Morgan would only have used one of those but, in her case, all four were less than her due. All he had to counter this with was being slightly annoyed with her and Azure. When he considered the fact that his annoyance probably wouldn't be able to stand up against her honey flavored mouth for more than two or three seconds, he realized he couldn't count on it to be of any help to him at all.

  Of course, he also had some real advantages. In point of fact, her tasting like honey was one of those. He could just pretend he was eating honey out of plastic bear. After all, he had done that a good deal since he had first met her. And, whatever he might taste like to her, it certainly wasn't Krispy Kreme bear-claws.

  In addition, he smelled like a musk ox to her – at least, that's how Robert had told him she had described it. She, on the other hand, smelled like mouthwatering to him. In reality, he had no idea what the smell was that she smelled like; he just knew it made his mouth water for some reason.

  Also, whereas he thought she was the second most beautiful woman he had ever seen, she had only ever seemed to think of him as not ugly. And, even that was probably influenced by the fact that he was one of her closest friends.

  Which was another advantage! He had to beat her for her sake. If she actually managed to break Robert's spirit, it would crush her soul. She always knew Robert would win! Deep down, she always wanted him to! She wanted him to force her to submit to him! Robert had found a way to do it. He had sent his enforcer – like any good gang boss would have – to get her back in line. Morgan was determined that he wasn't going to let either of them down!

  The physical edge. He had the physical edge on her. He just had to bring it to bear with full force. That would take at least half-a-minute. Morgan had to commit himself to thirty seconds of kissing her brains out before he went in. For him, it would just be a lot of honey flavored saliva and pheromone filled body odor. For her it would be musk ox and not-Krispy-Kreme.

  Plus, if he approached it right, he could put the fear of Morgan in her. If she thought for a second he was actually serious, she would make a run for it. Then, after Doc explained everything to her, they could all have a good laugh about it. As neither of them would actually mean it, this was nothing more than two actors kissing in a movie. Morgan had always wanted to be in a movie.

  In addition, Cleo had once told him that good fences made good neighbors. Well, he was about to build a thirty-foot concrete wall topped with barbed-wire between them. He sincerely hoped that, once the dust had settled, she would truly appreciate all the effort he had gone to for her.

  “Hey, girl,” he said, stepping into the chamber, flexing his pecks, and hitting her with his best sup.

  For those of you not familiar with the term; sup was a shortened version of the phrase what's up. It was part of the mating ritual of the human male on Earth from the late 1980s until well into the 2030s (Although, not all historians agree on these dates). During this period, it was an integral component of the system of attracting a mate colloquially referred to as game.

  Time travelers were able to prove that – depending on the particular talent of the male – sup was effective as far back as the beginning of civilization, all the way up to several weeks before time stopped. However, most experts agree that, should time ever start moving again, sup will still be effective for the foreseeable future when used by a master of the art.

  Although sometimes spoken, it was more often communicated using a combination of body language and facial expression, and conveyed a willingness on the part of the male to engage in some non-specified level of physical intimacy with the female toward whom the sup was directed.

  Cleo didn't need this explanation, however. She recognized sup when she saw it.

  “Hey, Morgan,” she said, turning toward him and offering him a coy smile.

  “So...” he replied, slowly making his way toward her with an extremely confident stride. “I've got to tell ya; I've been thinking about you a lot lately.”

  “Have you?” she asked, before gently biting her lower lip.

  “Oh,” he replied, dropping his voice almost an octave, “I have.”

  “What about me exactly?” she asked, gazing up at him with a look that was an open invitation.

  “All kinds of things,” he replied, leaning down and bringing his mouth to within inches of her own. “For instance, you may be right. It may be time for something new, after all.”

  Having said this, he did something he had often imagined himself doing – in the now distant (at least it seemed that way to him) past – but, had never believed he would actually do. He kissed her with everything he had to give. Her initial reaction was exactly what he had expected. She pushed up against him, doing her best to be even more aggressive than he was. She then stood, wrapped her arms around him, and began digging her nails into his back.

  That was just Cleo. If you threw down with her, you had to be ready for a fight. You also had to be prepared to counter-attack. He reached around her, drawing her body against his own as he did his best to focus on the image of a plastic bear just filled with honey. He found this somewhat difficult, however, because not one of the plastic bears he had encountered in all his travels had ever stuck even so much as a little bit of its tongue in his mouth.

  He was going to have to do better. It was only the five-second-mark and he was already beginning to falter. Although he much preferred kissing Azure, he had to admit – as much as he hated to – that this was still good. Really good, in fact. However, It was a form of really good that he sincerely didn't want.

  Morgan decided that he had to – as Robert would put it – up the stakes. He spun her around, shoved her up against the console, and forced himself against her. In response, she reached up, grabbed him by the hair, and pulled him down to her; actually matching the rhythm of her mouth to the rhythm of his heart.

  Under normal circumstances, this would have been far more than too much for Morgan. However, an image of Robert and Azure formed in his imagination that forced him to forge onward. In his mind's eye, he could see Robert dominating Azure's will, completely mastering her, and sending her running. If Robert could do that for him, he could do this for Robert!

  This determination carried him to somewhere around the fifteen-second-mark. At that point, however, Cleo apparently decided to up the stakes herself. She spun him around, shoving his back against the console, and began to just about climb up him. That was it. At that point, Morgan realized that she was simply the better warrior. She could out-shoot him, out-wrestle him, and out-make-out him.

  There was no shame in knowing your limitations. Robert might be able to master Cleo but, he certainly couldn't. Maybe one day, after years of training, he'd be able to get a rematch and overcome her. That day, however, was not today. The moment this realization hit him, he did the only thing he could. He pulled her off him and literally ran away.

  Morgan rushed into the medi-bay to find Robert sitting on one of the tables with Doc checking his pulse. His hair was disheveled, his shirt torn, and his lips appeared to be slightly bruised.

  “Well,” Morgan said, climbing up beside the traveler and offering Doc his wrist, “that plan was a complete and total failure.”

  “Yes, Morgan,” Robert nodded, “I think you could safely say that. In fact,
I think what you just said stands out as the biggest understatement I’ve ever heard during my entire lifetime. Just try to wrap your head around that.”

  “I see what you mean,” the young man replied. “Although, I have to admit…”

  “Don’t, Morgan!” Robert interrupted. “Don’t admit anything! If the two of us start admitting and confessing, it’s just going to end in a fist-fight.”

  “You’re probably right. I can imagine confessions you could make that would get you popped right in the mouth.”

  “That’s what I’m saying,” the traveler pointed out.

  “I know I have a few,” Morgan said, rubbing his chin with his free hand.

  “Shut up, Morgan!”

  “Sorry,” the young man replied. “My mind was wandering. What were we talking about, again?”

  “The fact that the plan didn’t work!”

  “Oh. No, it didn’t,” Morgan agreed. “You know, I really wish you hadn’t gotten us into this mess in the first place.”

  “I got…” Robert began with a rising inflection before pausing for a moment. “You know what? I can’t wait to hear this explanation. How, Morgan? How did I get us into this mess?”

  “I’d decided not to say anything about it,” the young man said, shaking his head, “because I didn’t want to embarrass you, and I certainly don’t want to have to say it in front of Doc but, you’re about to force my hand.”

  “I am forcing it!”

  “Cleo told me all about it,” Morgan replied with a knowing nod.

  “All about what?”

  “About you not letting her turn the program back on.”

  For several seconds, the traveler said nothing.

  “She told you that?” Robert finally asked before taking a deep breath through his nose.

  “She did.”

  “I don’t suppose there’s any point in trying to deny it?”

  “None, bro,” Morgan chuckled. “It’s your word against Cleo’s. No offense but, that’s not a hard one to work out. Lies are your native tongue, man.”

  “I take your point,” the traveler smiled. “I sincerely hope that you don’t feel like I betrayed you.”

  “Not at all. We’re partners. If you can’t handle it, you can’t handle it. We’ll just have to keep working toward getting you to where you can.”

  “I appreciate your understanding,” Robert replied, grabbing his companion by the shoulder. “Thanks, man.”

  “Not a problem. However, that doesn’t alter the fact that what you did frustrated Cleo into temporary insanity.”

  “How do you explain Azure?”

  “Same thing,” Morgan said, shaking his head. “With you not kissing Cleo, she wouldn’t kiss me. So, finally, she broke down and started kissing you. It’s as simple as that.”

  “I don’t really think that would explain it, Morgan,” Robert replied with a wide smile. “But, fortunately, I have another theory that I think just might.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Get everyone together, and I’ll show you.”

  Minutes later, Morgan had Vox (who looked exhausted), Celeste (who looked angry), Azure and Cleo (who looked self-satisfied), and Doc (who looked amused), all gathered in the conference room. After a brief wait, Robert marched into the room wearing a new shirt and a holster with a tranq-gun in it.

  “What's with the pistol?” Morgan asked.

  “Be prepared,” Robert smiled.

  “So,” the young man said, “if any swag-mad pirates just pop into existence in the corner of the room, you'll be prepared?”

  “Exactly!” the traveler chuckled. “Now, Celeste, we're going to start with you. I know you're furious with me right now, but I really am basically positive that I can take you to see your mother without hurting the time-lines. If that’s the case, I fully intend to do that for you.”

  “Right, Rob,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

  “Before we embark on that adventure though, I have a few questions for you.”

  “Such as?”

  “How did you know how to turn off the transponders in the escape pods?”

  “Obviously, Robert,” she replied with a drop dead smile, “I took a bit of time to plan all this out. I went over the controls of the pods weeks ago – well, from my point of view. They're not exactly complicated.”

  “True,” he nodded. “How did you know where to find a ship?”

  “I didn't, exactly. It took me almost a day-and-a-half to get to a time period where they might have what I was looking for. Once I had done that, it took me two more days to track down the spaceship graveyard and reach it. Fortunately, it was rather famous.”

  “I can imagine. How did you get there?”

  “I borrowed a car.”

  “Borrowed?”

  “Without the owner's permission,” she admitted. “But, I set the autopilot up to take it back to them as soon as I reached the ship.”

  “Then,” Robert said, “during the next six-and-a-half days or so, you got the derelict ship space-worthy, modified its communications relay, and rigged up a cloaking device for an escape pod using four stealth-belts.”

  “I knew you'd be coming for me.”

  “I understand that,” he nodded. “What I don't understand, however, is how you knew how to do all that.”

  “Sister programmed me right before I went to change for date night,” she replied, glaring at him. “Like I said, I took a bit of time planning all this.”

  “That explains that, then. Now, Azure, am I correct in believing that you've transferred your affections from Morgan to me?”

  “You are,” she nodded, shooting the young man a sympathetic glace. “I'm sorry, Morgan, but I've come to realize that Robert is the greatest man that ever lived.”

  This statement caused Cleo to bust out laughing and Morgan to tighten his jaws, slowly nod his head, and refuse to look at her.

  “Moving on,” the traveler said. “Cleo, would it be fair to say that you – upon further consideration – find that you prefer Morgan to me?”

  “No, Rob,” she said, tilting her head to the side. “That wouldn't be accurate at all.”

  “Can you clarify it for me?”

  “What I've come to realize – upon further consideration – is that I'm completely and totally in love with Morgan. He's twice the man you ever were.”

  “Mmmm,” Robert replied with a nod. “Yeah, that's kind of what I thought.”

  Having said this, the traveler drew his tranq-pistol and shot all three of the ladies in the throat in roughly the time is takes to blink.

  “Have you gone crazy, Rob?!” Vox bellowed, leaping up from his seat. “Why...”

  “Relax, Vox,” Robert replied, spinning the pistol around a few times before slipping it back in the holster. “They're clones.”

  Chapter 13: On the Hunt

  “They're what?!” both Vox and Morgan cried.

  “They're clones,” the traveler repeated. “They have to be.”

  “What makes you think that?” Vox asked.

  “A lot of little things. Before we discuss that, though, let's let Doc double check.”

  In less than three minutes, Doc had grabbed a brain-scanner, scanned the ladies, and discovered that they were – in fact – clones.

  “Where is Celeste, Rob?!” Vox exclaimed the moment Doc confirmed clone-Celeste's clone-status.

  “I don't know yet,” Robert replied, “but, we need to stay calm.”

  “That's not easy to do when I don't know where my wife is!”

  “I understand that. My fiancée also happens to be missing, as well as two other women that I cherish but, getting excited about that fact isn't going to help us find them.”

  “No, it isn't! Looking for them will! We need to start right now!”

  “I already have,” Robert assured him, “and, we will find them.”

  “How have you started?!”

  “I'm thinking!”

  “Wait a minute!” Morga
n exclaimed. “Were we just Electric Barbarella-ed?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Did we just kiss clones?”

  “We did.”

  “Thank goodness for that!”

  “That's nasty, Morgan,” Vox replied.

  “Oh, I know it is,” the young man nodded. “But, I don't care. Under the circumstances, I much prefer having kissed a clone to having kissed the real thing.”

  “You know what?” Robert replied rubbing his chin. “I seriously agree with that assessment.”

  “Do you think they were clones the first time?”

  “I hope so,” the traveler said, scratching the back of his head. “Actually... that could be a clue... Vox, bro...”

  “Oh, no... No, no, no... Do not tell me that... please...”

  “I'm not telling you anything. I'm asking.”

  “What are you asking?”

  “Obviously, I hate to... but... when was the last time... you and Celeste...”

  “The morning before date night,” Vox interrupted.

  “Okay,” Robert nodded. “Then, I'm going to guess that they weren't clones at that point.”

  “I sure to hope everything good they weren't. Because... I mean... just...”

  “I know...” the traveler replied. “Would you say that Celeste's... appetites... changed much after date night?”

  “They did a complete one-eighty,” Vox asserted.

  “No wonder you ended up in such a bad mood,” Morgan observed.

  “That being the case,” Robert said thoughtfully, “we probably picked up the clones at Paris on the Half-Shell.”

  “Could it have happened during the time when we can't remember what happened?” Morgan asked.

  “I take it you mean; Could it have happened during the period that was wiped from our memories?”

  “I do.”

  “I doubt it, but we can find out,” Robert nodded. “Doc, that's the same scanner I believe I used to wipe our memories. Check the logs and see if the girls were clones when I did that.”

  After a minute's worth of button pressing, Doc replied, “They were clones whenever whoever did it, did it.”