by Darcy Town
“Soon.” The Hunter rubbed his thumb across her cheek. Marx examined Rake’s attire. “Please change into pants and shoes. I will have an unfair advantage otherwise. Or we can both go nude.”
“Clothes.”
Marx snapped. “Czar, do this.”
“Fine.” Evgeniy stepped back inside to get Rake some clothes.
Marx bounded down the steps and stretched in the sunlight. He made sure he stayed in view of Tasanee, so that she could see his flexibility and fitness. She made a point of looking at anything but him.
Rake and Ravil leaned on the house. She held onto his hand. “Rake, I cannot fall to the Empire. If you lose, I must depart and terminate.”
Rake rubbed her hands between his. “I know, not planning on letting him win.”
Danny leaned towards the pair. “How did you get here? What the hell is going on? What the hell is that thing? Why aren’t you untying us?”
“First things first. Ravil’s an alien.” Rake forced a smile. “Mr. Marx is too. Isn’t that grand? They exist and Ravil here is my Navigator. We’re a team.”
“What?”
Ravil hissed at Danny. “You had me kidnapped so shut up!” She looked to Rake. “He doesn’t deserve to know anything!”
Danny spoke calmly, “It seemed the best thing to do at the time.”
“Really? Because whoever kidnapped me is dead! Everyone in that car is dead!” Ravil shouted in his face, “Because you haven’t let me be, people are getting killed! Those in command that act without knowledge are foolish and deserve no right to lead others!”
“Ki—killed?” Oro choked. “You’re sure?”
Ravil nodded. “Positive.”
“Theo’s…he’s dead?” Oro broke into unrestrained tears. “No, no, no! It’s not true!” He struggled with his bonds. “No! No! No!”
Danny paled. “I, Oro—”
Marx cocked his head at Oro’s behavior. He leapt up the porch steps and dropped into a crouch before Oro. “Your mate has died?” He touched Oro’s cheek. “I am sorry for your loss.”
Oro sobbed. “What…what do…do you know of it?”
“Much. I have lost others in my time.” He turned to Ravil. “Most recently that one’s guardian killed mine.”
Ravil took a step towards Marx. “Then you killed her!”
“Of course I did.” He adjusted his sunglasses. “She killed my Stalin, and so her mate suffered for killing mine. We were a partnership for work, but she was a good person. Her death deserved equal payment in blood.”
“I don’t care how good she was! You are Empire slaves!”
Marx touched his glasses. “We were ordered to take you all in alive, Ravil. The Pyro did not need to bring deadly force to the fight. She killed my mate unnecessarily. What I did to her in return was fair.”
Ravil trembled. “Fair would be your death!”
“It will happen eventually.” Marx cracked his neck and looked at Rake. “Come to me when you are properly attired. I need to focus.” He unbuttoned his suit jacket and set it aside. Underneath it, he wore a white button-up shirt. Marx left the porch and went for a jog around the block.
Evgeniy stepped out with pants, boxers, socks, and shoes. “I tried to find something sensible, this was difficult.”
“Thanks, man.” Rake looked over his clothes.
Ravil tugged on his arm. “Rake, please don’t do this! There has to be something else we can do!”
“I don’t think we have a choice, Ravil. Even if you took these guys and fled, they’d be able to track me down. This dueling thing seems to be the way to get them off of our case.”
Ravil held back tears. “You cannot fight a Hunter, Rake. No one beats them.”
“So I’ll cheat then.” He dropped his skirt and boxers, leaving him naked. He slipped his new boxers on. He glanced over at Ravil. “Stop watching.”
“Why? I’ve already seen you naked.”
Rake pulled his pants up over the boxers. “That was different; I thought you were a boy then. So look elsewhere.”
“Whatever.” Ravil turned and stood by Tasanee. She examined the claw mark on her cheek. “Has it drawn much of your blood?”
“No, I mean…I don’t know. A few claws worth I guess.” Tasanee shuddered. “It’s so weird, Ravil. It wants to have sex with me and bathe me with its tongue. I hate cats.”
Ravil eyed the rope around Tasanee’s wrists. “It is not an individual tracker, so be thankful for that. If you get separated it will not be able to find you.”
“That is a bit of a relief at least.”
Ravil moved on to Oro. She hugged him. “I am sorry about Theo.” Oro couldn’t speak, just nodded with tears rolling down his cheeks. Ravil stared at the rope, then at Evgeniy. “Did you have to tie them up quite this well?”
Evgeniy looked sorry. “It was watching.”
“Well, get them untied now.”
“It won’t stop me?”
“No, they’re dueling. We can’t stop Marx even if we’re all untied, and regardless of the outcome, you’ll be free anyways. They’re always true to their word.”
“Then I have everyone out soon.” Evgeniy set to work on Oro’s ties.
Ravil watched Rake as he slipped on his shoes. “You have no idea what you are doing.”
He shrugged. “I’m winging it.”
“Is this how you approach all situations?”
“Yes. So?” Rake laced up his tennis shoes. “You said that if I win, I win whatever is being contested. You’re being contested, so I win and he leaves you alone.”
“Yes, but—”
“Seems worth the risk don’t you think?”
“We are supposed to do things as a team, Rake!”
“And we will, once this shit is taken care of.” He hugged her quickly. “Now, if I go down, you blip out of here with as many of these guys as you can take.”
“What about you?”
“Don’t worry, it wants you, right? It won’t kill me.” Rake kissed her forehead. He swallowed hard. “You’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Dummy.” Ravil planted a quick kiss on his lips. “For luck.”
Rake smiled and ruffled her hair. “When we’re done, we’ll get everything else squared away, and we’ll be golden.” He took a step down the porch steps. “All right where’d the cat man go?”
Cars squealed around the block. A helicopter flew into view with the insignia of the American Empire painted on the door. Rake scratched the rest of the neon rave paint off his face. “Well that’s no fucking good.”
Danny stared in shock. “Rake, get out of here! They are—”
“Here for me, I assume. I know.” Rake pushed Ravil into the shadows. “So I’ll buy us some time. Czar, hurry up on the bonds already, this is going to get bad fast.”
The car in front ran up on the curb. Soldiers spilled out. Men in suits trained their guns on Rake. “Freeze!”
Rake held up his hands and grinned. “The yanks have arrived, everyone can relax now!”
The man in front held up a warrant. “Drake Leon Arvrington.”
Rake saluted. “Present!”
“You are under arrest for the attempted assassination of the President of the United States of America, Emperor of the Western world, Samuel Arvrington—”
“Oh is that what this is about?” Rake scuffed his feet. “I thought Daddy had gone ahead and pardoned me.”
“Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law.”
Rake leapt on the man that spoke, he wrapped his legs around him and kissed his lips. “Jason, Beb, talk to me like you used to in the bedroom.”
Jason punched Rake in the stomach. “You’re disgusting, Drake.” He shoved Rake aside. “Cuff him.” Two soldiers forced Rake’s arms behind his back. They slapped metal handcuffs around his wrists.
“Hot.” Rake sneered at them, but did not fight.
Danny pulled on his bonds. “You can’t arrest him! This is not American soil, Jason!”
Jason shrugged. “I don’t see anyone stopping us, Daniel. Get him loaded into the car!”
Ravil jumped down the steps. “Let him go!”
Rake shouted, “What the fuck! Czar, stop her!”
Evgeniy made to grab Ravil, but five soldiers trained weapons on his face. Evgeniy stopped in his tracks; he had no weapons on hand. “Shit.”
Jason smiled at Ravil. “Ah, convenient, the second one on our list. Thanks, Drake. Ravilaea Langone, you are under arrest for simply being here—”
“Bullshit!” Rake sputtered. “Ravil, I order—” Hands muffled him before he could finish.
Jason smiled at Ravil. “Come on girl, be good and walk on over. We won’t hurt you if you behave.”
“Ahem, government officials.” Marx coughed and stepped around the cars. He stood on the sidewalk and gestured to Rake. “I must protest, I have a prior engagement with this one and my masters will not approve of you interfering. Please release him. I won’t ask twice.”
Marx was hit with a taser from behind. He went rigid and crumpled. Jason glared at the Hunter as it twitched and went still on the sidewalk. “Fucking disgusting aliens.” He glared at Ravil. “All of you.”
Ravil snarled. “The Ampyr will hear of this!”
Jason shrugged. “The Ampyr will get you after Drake is executed. We’ll be praised for keeping you safe. I doubt they’ll care that one of their cats was killed.” He jerked his head and Rake was thrown in the back of a car. The man with the taser turned it on Ravil and shot her. She passed out.
Jason picked Ravil up and threw her on top of Rake. He looked to Danny. “I hear Keto met a rather unfortunate end recently. Too bad.”
Veins stuck out on Danny’s neck. “Jason, you cannot execute Rake!”
“Of course we can. Tune in, we’ll be airing it on all the local stations. Good for the re-election campaign you know.”
“The President thinks it’s a good idea to kill his real son on TV?”
Jason flinched. “People love a human interest story. First the incident with the sister, now the son, what a family tragedy. His approval ratings will spike just in time for the election.” He slipped into the car and the vehicles pulled away from the curb, speeding out of sight. The helicopter vanished over the buildings.
Marx coughed, got to his feet, and rubbed his chest. He wiped blood off his face and glared at the retreating cars. He turned to the others. “Rake is the American President’s son?”
Danny nodded. “Sure is.”
“This is going to turn into a nightmare for them, poor choice of action.” Marx eyed his broken sunglasses sadly. “Does anyone have a spare that I may borrow?”
Lincoln and Kennedy appeared in a blur. Lincoln pointed to the street. “Kennedy says the one we need is now being dragged that way, in cars, again!”
Marx nodded. “With the Langone as well.”
Lincoln rubbed his temples. “How could you let them both escape?”
“I assumed the Americans would not be so stupid to interfere, recognizing me as they did, but they have and they injured all three of us. They used an electricity weapon on me, someone must have told them about us in detail.”
“Why was your guard down?”
Marx checked for electricity burns on his shirt. “Rake and I were to duel.”
Kennedy grinned. “An official duel?”
Lincoln frowned. “You cannot duel a Waster, Marx. That is devoid of honor.”
Marx shook his head and walked up the porch steps. “Later. Now, we need to focus on the fact that they will be executing him per their law.”
Lincoln frowned. “An unfortunate turn of events.”
“The Langone is blood bonded to him.”
Lincoln and Kennedy went rigid. Lincoln snarled. “Do they know?”
Marx shrugged. “I suspect they do not understand or care. They attacked me not fearing the consequences of my death, and they damaged Ravil with electricity as well. The Ampyr will not be happy at all.”
Kennedy looked up at the humans. “I am angry! May I kill one?”
Marx stepped in front of Tasanee. “No you may not.”
“Why not? I want to!”
Marx patted Tasanee’s head. “This one is my future mate.” He covered her mouth before she could protest. “I need to fight with the blonde woman for her, and she is not fit to join in such a contest at this time. The three males I believe we will have use for.”
Lincoln folded his arms. “I doubt that.”
Marx sat on the steps. “This is my mission. I am ultimately in charge, and I believe using them is appropriate.”
Lincoln inclined his head. “Using them for what?”
“A rescue.” Marx smiled. “Besides, I know what their subspecies talent is and these here are prime examples of it. Though in Rake I think we find our best sample. Yet another reason to collect him before the humans kill him.”
Lincoln sniffed the air. “They are not talentless? Not Wasters?”
Marx grinned. “Oh definitely not, that is why I wished to duel the Rake. To see what he could really do. It would have been very informative.”
“Fascinating.” Lincoln’s stance towards the Wasters changed. He took his glasses off and eyed them with interest. He hopped up the porch steps and looked at Danny. He smelled his hair.
Danny leaned away from Lincoln. “What is he doing?”
Marx rubbed Tasanee’s shoulders. “Hunters are three things: chasers of prey, moody, but above all, we are curious.”
Kennedy sat on the ground and pouted. “I bored now! Why not chasing prey? Bored! Bored! Bored!”
Marx eyed Danny while Lincoln examined Katarina. “Do you know where he is being taken?”
Danny grimaced. “I have a fairly good idea.”
Marx clasped his hands. “Excellent. Now let us all get acquainted inside.” He tore through the rope around Tasanee’s wrists and drew her into an embrace. “Isn’t this wonderful, my little rat? We can work together!”
Tasanee backhanded Marx. “Your tongue, your claws, all of it, away from my skin now!”
Marx let her go and took a step back. “I knew you would be a challenge. How pleasing it will be when we are finally joined!”
Tasanee stalked inside. “You’re never going to be with joined with me!”
Marx followed her. “Insurmountable odds, the best kind!”
***
Rake bounced along in the black car, the seat itself wasn’t uncomfortable, but lying on his handcuffed hands was. A part of him wanted to drift off to sleep, he sorely needed it, but another part kept him awake, his fear for Ravil. Dead Lara punching him in the head also helped.
Dead Lara landed another blow to his face. “If you die, she dies!”
Rake glared at the hallucination. He could see through her to where Jason and two silent guards sat. Rake turned away from Dead Lara and focused on Ravil. She had not stirred since they’d thrown her on top of him. Had this been a time when their lives were not in danger, he’d have found this situation irresistible.
Rake frowned. Why wasn’t he feeling any sensations of desire? The passion had been all encompassing before, a drive that nothing could stand in the way of. Now he feared for her, was angered at her injuries. He wondered if it was the danger factor.
Dead Lara slapped him. “Of course it’s the danger factor!”
Rake glared at her. “Stop hitting me.”
Jason looked at him and frowned, then went back to reading his newspaper.
Dead Lara folded her arms. “No! You deserve every smack you get. How could you get her into this position? They’re going to use her as a bargaining chip to get more technology from the Empire no doubt! She’ll be sold! You’re a giant failure when it comes to keeping her safe! You’re the worst guardian ever!”
Rake stared at Ravil’s hair and didn’t say anything, berating him was not helping. He knew all of this already.
“Yes, well, apparently you need a reminder.” Dead La
ra sat on his legs. “If only you’d succeeded in killing him. I bet a different President would have pardoned you. Your father is a traitor to humanity.”
“I didn’t set out to kill him. I just got drunk and happened to have my knives around. Trust me, if I had set out with that in mind, I would have succeeded.”
Jason smiled slightly. “I don’t think that matters, Rake.”
Dead Lara glared at Jason. “He deserved it though.”
“He obviously deserved it! I’m surprised I’m the only one that thought of it.”
Jason set his newspaper down. “Why? Because your precious Space Corps got shut down? Lot of good it did us. It got the attention of those fucks upstairs.”
Dead Lara and Rake looked at him coldly. Rake sighed. “Jason, stay the fuck out of my conversation with my dead girlfriend.”
Jason smirked. “An insanity plea is not going to get you off.”
Dead Lara grinned. “No, only children get Rake off!”
Rake closed his eyes. “Shut up, Dead Lara!”
Dead Lara shook him. “Yes get angry, Rake! You need to be angry, fight! Kill! Survive!”
Rake snapped his teeth at her, making Jason lean back. Rake hissed. “You wanted me to kill myself, now it’s all fight, fight, fight?”
Dead Lara shrugged. “I’m moody, what can I say.”
“Bitch.”
Jason frowned. “I think we’ve heard quite enough of this.” He pulled out a syringe. “You’re going to sleep for the rest of the ride.”
“Don’t let him stab you, Rake. You need to think. We need to come up with a plan!” Dead Lara eyed the needle. “I won’t be able to talk to you.”
Rake smiled. “Really? Oh good.”
***
Danny’s kitchen was packed. No one was tied or bound, but the atmosphere could easily be considered tense. Danny, Lincoln, Marx, Evgeniy, and Tasanee sat around the kitchen table. Oro and Katarina had been tasked with keeping Kennedy happy, a job neither enjoyed.
Kennedy wanted nothing more than to smell all of Rake’s things and possibly eat some of them. When Katarina denied him access to Rake’s room, he switched to harassing her. He found her dreadlocks entrancing and batted at them, infrequently enough that she was not on guard, but a sufficient amount to be annoying. Oro watched TV and had not said a word in some time.