by C. W. Ashley
Clarissa could barely see anything, the tears of betrayal blurred everything in front of her. Balling her fists in indignation she bawled in emotional pain, drawing her pistol and aiming it at all 3 men in the room.
“It’s empty Clarissa, I took out the clip in the bedroom,” Baker stated flatly.
Clarissa pulled the trigger rapidly as she sobbed, struggling to breathe as she choked on her own tears. Feeling the reduced weight of the gun and hearing no gunshots, she dropped her pistol in despair. Before she could declare her hatred, her world was rocked by a devastatingly heavy impact, as Grady’s punch rendered her completely unconscious.
Chapter 24: Deadline
Sil emerged from the abandoned gas station wearing a new makeshift poncho that she had crudely made from a rug found in the back room. She tore a wide hole open for her head and neck, and it fit just as comfortably as her previous one. The now-dark sky brought with it a cold breeze and Sil was comfortable wearing the only type of clothing she knew for the practical warmth. Iggy and Mode finished the last repairs on the Blockgain and were loading some of the tools in the trunk, knowing they might need them again soon.
“The Blockgain Chaser will require further maintenance to be back to optimum condition, but the vehicle is functional now. We can depart anytime,” Mode said as she handed a monkey wrench to Iggy.
“Well now, I won’t be paying off my bounty so I might as well spend a little of the job money on some upgrades,” Iggy said as he wiped his forehead with an oil-stained sleeve. “Hopefully the next Shell isn’t too far. we need gas.”
“I will try to download a local map of the surrounding areas, though it may take some time. Also, you have multiple injuries that may need treatment,” Mode said.
“Yeah, nothing that won’t heal. It’s only my shoulder in any sort of pain.” Iggy said while clutching it. “What have you got there?”
Mode reached past Iggy and grabbed the shock-prod attachment that he had scavenged from the Nomad’s Tin-Man. Her eyes glowed green as she turned it back and forth to fully examine it.
“A very primitive arm attachment, but could be useful with some modification.” Mode mused, before placing it near the stump of her wrist.
“Yeah, it’s all yours. I had no idea what we were going to use it for anyway. You need a proper lab to put that on though, right?” Iggy asked as he studied its size, noting the two large ‘hook-prongs’ which could be useful as a grappling prosthetic.
“I may be able to use these tools, but I’ll need to download an assembly file for that procedure. This will take a few moments,” Mode said.
Iggy rubbed his eyes and nodded in response to her comment and closed the trunk. “Alright, let me check the radiator. It’s getting pretty cold out here.”
After placing the shock-prod attachment on top of the trunk, Mode clasped her metal and flesh hand around Iggy’s wrist, preventing him from returning to the car. In one swift motion, she stood in front of him, her eyes now glowing pink, with a noticeable expression of curiosity.
“Randall, let’s engage in sexual activity,” she said bluntly as she released his wrist to unzip her poacher’s jacket exposing her mostly flesh naked torso.
“What? Really? Now?” Iggy asked in thrilled confusion. Feeling his body fully reacting to the sight of her.
“Yes, we have time while I download the area map, and you desire this. Also, I am curious about my first experience in this model. How would you like to begin?” Mode asked.
“Hang on how did you know that I-” Iggy sputtered.
“I was not certain at first, but your frequent glances were joined by heavy respirations, and increased body temperature, especially in your groin area. This was at its peak while we repaired your vehicle. I am assuming that despite my incomplete appearance, you still desire me,” Mode said.
She wasn’t wrong.
In the hours they spent repairing; Iggy had spent more time examining Mode than his own vehicle. Desperate to push all thoughts of Clarissa from his mind, he let his base urges take over and his eyes wander. In contrast to Sil’s beastly lumber and Clarissa’s roguish strut, Mode moved in an elegant stride that Iggy found difficult to look away from. Similar to Sil, Mode had little-to-no concept of human modesty and would regularly leave parts of her lithe body exposed as she was repairing the car.
Iggy glanced over to the rooftop of the gas station, seeing Koi still on watch duty, but facing eastward from their position at the car. He knew it was possible she might see or hear them, but he didn’t care. Soon he would be far away from this hideout and maim creek as a whole and his attraction to Mode was undeniable.
Placing his hand on Mode’s hip he pulled her closer towards him and locked his lips over hers. Her mouth shared the same blend of flesh and machine as the rest of her body. While her tongue was warm, wet and very human, the inside of her mouth was a cold metal alloy, creating a strange but exciting sensation for Iggy’s tastes. Her kissing was soft but deliberate. Her ‘experience’ as a machine made for human pleasure was instantly apparent.
Iggy wanted to take the lead for once, but as soon as his hands could get to caressing her lithe frame, her nimble fingers had already breached his zipper and clasped around him, pulling and stroking in an automatic but effective rhythm, instantly bringing him to full mast. Feeling around her body was a fascinating journey, both soft and hard depending on where his palms found themselves. Eventually reaching down he felt her entrance, it was fully flesh, and slightly moist, indistinguishable from any other he had felt. Pulling away from the kiss, he worked his fingers in and around her with carnal intent, curious to what reaction he would get from a being such as her.
Iggy heard her make no sounds of pleasure and realized that she didn’t breathe. Her reaction was the increased pink glow of her eyes, along with the hard, circular grind of her hips into his hand, it was different, but Iggy was still turned on. Sleeping with both a Werewolf and Vampire made him much more open-minded to non-standard forms of sexual interactions. However, he couldn’t shake a curious uncertainty.
Is she actually enjoying this? Does she have the sentience to ‘like’ it? Or is it just a series of programming that makes her react like this automatically? But in the case of an artificially built person, is there really any difference?
Iggy’s existential thoughts were interrupted by a very new sensation enveloping him. Mode had dropped to her knees and taken him into her mouth in one fluid motion. Iggy couldn’t believe how fast she was. Her heated tongue was sliding around and pushing his shaft around the walls of her frigid mouth giving him a frightfully exhilarating experience that he didn’t want to end. His eyes fluttered open to see the uniquely gorgeous android looking up at him with her pink beams of light. Iggy accepted he couldn’t really understand if androids could receive pleasure, but he felt an intuitive certainty that she was enjoying herself.
Iggy’s body was in such extreme levels of arousal, he didn’t hear the quiet footsteps of a curious werewolf, who was brought over by the powerful musk of Iggy’s thrill. As always, Sil stopped to observe the activity with natural intrigue before speaking.
“Metal-Girl...eat Nishin?”
Iggy’s eyes shot open and snapped his head left to find the wild female only a few feet away from him staring intently at Mode’s growing speed and intensity.
“Sil! Crap, it’s uh...I ahhh, she’s...Hnngg-”
The arrival of Sil had zero effect on Mode’s rhythm and her tongue actions only became faster, overwhelming Iggy and impairing his ability to talk. Sil walked closer to the pair softly growling with mild concern.
“Nishin, being eaten...need Sil to save?”
Iggy’s eyes widened at Sil’s muscles tensing and her claws slowly starting to reveal themselves. Realizing her misunderstanding he forced himself to speak out before the situation turned ugly.
“No! It’s not eating…ugh...it’s like when we push? Just different…” Iggy stuttered as mode gripped his rear, pulling her mouth
off to swirl her tongue around his tip.
“Push...in mouth? But not eating?” Sil said with genuine puzzlement, her growling settled.
“This is fellatio, Sylvia. Also known as a blowjob. A popular form of human foreplay to stimulate the penis orally. I am bringing Randall to full arousal before intercourse,” Mode explained while her mouth was full, highlighting that her voice didn’t actually come from her throat.
Iggy had no idea if Sil understood even some of what Mode said, but her tilted head and increased air sniffing around them made him doubt it. She glanced at Iggy one more time and dropped to all fours, smelling Iggy’s groin area as Mode continued before licking around his crotch gently.
“Sil!?” Iggy gasped with surprise.
“Nishin likes Metal-Girl mouth-push...Nishin like Sil mouth push?” she purred gently as her lapping became more deliberate.
“Randall enjoys it, Sylvia. His heart rate is increasing. We will stimulate him together,” Mode lectured before gently placing Iggy’s balls in her mouth.
Sil’s licking made its way to the underside of his mast, trying to emulate Mode’s actions as best as she could. Iggy’s mind entered pure euphoria as they used their mouths in tandem, both taking turns to lick, suck and kiss with growing speed. While mode was direct and methodical, Sil was chaotic and eager.
Looking down at the android and werewolf at their knees, cleavages on display with neither of their single items of clothing covering their legs or rears, all restraint rushed out of him like a vacuum. Gripping the Blockgain’s side mirror as he leaned against it, Iggy ejaculated forcefully into Sil’s mouth, catching her off guard as she was taking her ‘turn’ to handle the main organ.
After roaring long and loud with one of the most intense orgasms he had ever experienced. Iggy’s entire body went limp. With no strength or balance to keep him standing, he slumped backward before falling into a seated position, with only his vehicle keeping his back upright. Avoiding the intense gaze of his two companions he lazily put himself away and pulled up his zipper.
Me, Mode and Sil. I could get used to this, really used to this.
A half grin found its way on Iggy’s face as she finally swallowed everything he released in her mouth, and crawled over to him, sniffing the air between them once again. Mode leaned in once again and kissed Iggy softly placing her hand on his thigh suggestively.
“Me and Sylvia would like to continue to full intercourse, are you ready?” Mode asked plainly.
“Ugh let me rest Mode, I need a while.”
Mode’s eyes lost their pink glow instantly and Iggy couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Sil, on the other hand, was still very eager to continue, attempting to pull down the pants he had just zipped up.
“Sil, I’m spent! Give me a second!”
Lazing on the roof of the auto-shop and scanning the area for threats that she was certain would never come; Koi rolled her eyes after listening to the noisy activity of the three outsiders. Impatiently wondering when they would finally leave. Her quiet boredom was broken by the buzz of her communicator which she picked up, knowing it would be Yotie.
“Yeah, they are still here, should be going soon...Uh-huh, yeah…really?!” Koi said before walking to the other side of the roof and lowering her voice. “Fuck off, she couldn’t?”
Sil’s advances suddenly stopped as she rose to her feet. Her head darting in multiple directions as her ears began to twitch. Iggy finally sat up, trying to follow her head movements but couldn’t hear or say anything outside of the night’s sky and the gentle wind.
“Rissa? They say, Rissa?!” Sil suddenly barked, loud enough to startle Iggy but not quite loud enough for Koi to hear from the roof. Mode turned to Sil with a blank expression, and her eyes began to glow green once more.
“What are you talking about? Who said, Clarissa?” Iggy asked with concern.
“Mutant up there, saying Rissa, talking to box, saying capture Rissa.” She explained as best as she could while pointing at the roof. Mode turned towards Koi who was still on the communicator and began to focus intensely.
How could she even hear that? Are her ears that powerful? Why would they want to kidnap Clarissa?
Sil dropped to her fours and began to growl. Her face was that of a guard dog who had found an intruder. Iggy was surprised at her concern for Clarissa. He didn’t think Sil had empathy for anything but the Blockgain and it brought him feelings of resentment.
Maybe they do want to snatch her. This ain’t my business anymore. I did the job, she paid me and then she went off with that Baker guy. I don’t understand the Gangster life, and I don’t want to. Sil needs to forget her.
“Sil, it’s fine, we are gonna leave soon, let’s get into the house. We got a long journey ahead of us,” Iggy said, trying his very best to sound detached. Sil turned to him with a tilted head and furrowed brow.
“Nishin...not save Rissa?” Sil asked.
“No, we won’t. This is gang business, not our business,” Iggy said.
Sil looked between Mode and Iggy with lost eyes before rising back to her two feet and plodded to the passenger side of the Blockgain waiting for Iggy to open the doors. Dusting himself off Iggy placed a hand on Sil’s shoulder and kissed her softly, trying to keep only the future in his mind.
“Sylvia is correct; they are indeed discussing the kidnapping of Clarissa. Richter Baker, Yotie Caskey, and Grady Sullivan can be heard over the communicator belonging to Koi Kari,” Mode said.
Iggy felt a cold shock in his neck and stepped closer to Mode. “Grady? As in, Grady that works with Clarissa in Folsom?”
“Grady Sullivan’s file places him as Tower Security in Folsom, yes. The voice matches the file,” Mode said.
Iggy looked at the roof of the shop and the back at Mode and Sil with disbelief. “And you’re sure that’s his voice and they are talking about taking away Clarissa? You can hear that from here? I can barely hear her mumbling.”
“Yes, I’m certain. And the subject is Clarissa’s fate,” Mode said while turning towards the shop and walking slowly closer towards it. “They also mentioned an alternative – the ‘Thorn Institute’. This area is not on my records.”
Iggy’s face went pale. “They are going to send her to the Thorn?” Iggy asked with shaking hands and a thousand-yard glare. “That Baker fuck and Grady are talking about selling Clarissa to that...place?!”
Iggy’s face morphed into a scowl of disgust and rage. After glancing up at Koi on the rooftop again, he marched to the trunk of his car and immediately grabbed his 2-2 rifle. Sil and Mode watched as a scowling Iggy rested the gun barrel over the roof of the car and crouched with the butt of the rifle stock tucked neatly against his shoulder.
“Nishin…” Sil said as Iggy began to take aim at the roof. Watching Koi closely.
Hurry up and put the phone down, I got another call for you.
Iggy saw Koi pacing up and down with the communicator in her hand while chattering with a look of surprise and excitement on her face. This only made Iggy’s nerves harder and his focus sharper as his finger hovered over the trigger guard.
Koi finally ended the call, dropping her arm to pocket the communicator and Iggy fired his rifle, shattering the peaceful silence of the night. The bullet punched through her skull, painting the large part of the roof with her blood and brain fragments, leaving her head a partially formed crater. She never saw it coming.
Sil dropped low into a wary stance looking around for more enemies, expecting there to be another large fight, but Iggy simply dropped the rifle back into the trunk and marched towards the shop with fists both tightly balled.
“Do you still plan to leave for the next Shell, Randall? I have the local area map downloaded now,” Mode said calmly, not detecting any enemies.
“No, I need to get back into the hideout and get Clarissa out,” Iggy said, turning to face his two companions. His scowl dropped into a frown of worry. “But I can’t save her without your help.”
Sil stood up straight and walked over to Nishin with a look of determination on her face. “Sil will save Rissa with Nishin…” She placed a clawed hand on his shoulder. “Not Fenrir.”
Iggy paused before taking Sil’s hand and holding it firmly before nodding firmly and bringing her face towards him for a long kiss. Mode approached them both and nodded once, brandishing the shock-prod arm attachment with the slightest look of intrigue on her perfectly angled face.
“I will continue to preserve the life of you and your companions, Randall,” Mode said.
“How fast do you think you can equip that attachment, Mode?” Iggy asked.
“With the tools here, I can affix in approximately fifteen minutes.”
Iggy looked between Mode and Sil and gave a small but encouraging grin. “Alright, I might have a plan. We just got to figure out how to get them to open up the hideout. Any ideas, girls?” Iggy asked with a breathy tone.
Mode glanced at the roof, then Sil, then Iggy. Her green eyes were now a full emerald glare, “Sylvia, please retrieve Koi’s communicator from the roof. We can attempt to have the hideout opened so we can proceed with Randall’s plan.”
Iggy raised an eyebrow as he watched Sil follow the request without question, dashing at the storefront and ascending to the roof with a single leap. “They aren’t going to open up the hideout just because I ask them to, Mode,” Iggy said.
“You are most likely correct, so Koi will be the one asking,” Mode said.
Iggy glanced up to the dead body with confusion and the slightest of smiles appeared on the human part of Mode’s lips.
Baker’s office was filled with heated debate, a recently floored Clarissa was laid out on the luxury carpeting next to the pool table, while Grady, Yotie and Richter Baker paced while exchanging words candidly. The sound of heavy footsteps and muffled disagreement put the guards outside the room on edge.