by Aline Riva
“You did good,” she replied, “You hit him first...Crazies...people who stayed too long out in the wilds... cannibals...lunatics...this is a prime example.”
And as Spike called down she opened up the door of the motor home.
“Had one come in from underneath,” she called back, “It's dealt with now,” and with that, she kicked the body out the open door, where it fell heavily with a thud to the ground below.
Just then Lynch and Elise ran from the entrance of the building, guns ready – but those guns were soon lowered as Lynch as Joy in the open doorway of the vehicle.
She indicated to the body.
“Came in through the floor.”
He paused to look beneath the vehicle, then stepped back and looked up to Spike.
“Get down here and repair this plate. Then patch up the floor inside. We're going nowhere until we're road worthy again.”
“What if there's more of them?” said Joy.
He looked up again to the mounted guns.
“Ruby, stay on watch. I mean, watch all around the vehicle. Nothing else is coming up from the tunnels.”
“Okay,” she called back as Spike scrambled out of sight and headed back down the stairway.
As the wind blew and carried with it the stink of the rotting body parts and the smell of fresh blood from the fallen, Elise looked about the scene of carnage.
“We need to leave,” she told him.
“We will. Spike can fix that hole, two hours max...” Lynch looked back to the hideous display that remained on the fencing and then looked away from the sight.
“Then we can get out of here,” he added, “And it won't be a moment too soon.”
Chapter: 6 Of Kisses and Curses
As night fell over the city of Freedom, Josh was several floors below enjoying drinks with some members of the ruling circle. When Steph had said that he did that too often and asked if, as culture minister, she would be welcome to join him, he had simply dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
“This is real business talk, Steph,”was all he said, and then he had closed the door, leaving her alone in the apartment.
Steph went through to the bedroom and opened up a wardrobe, trailing her hand over the many outfits Josh had lavished on her after his rise to power. So many clothes, and never an excuse to wear them to any occasion, because he left her out of everything these days...
Her gaze fell on a long, shimmering silken gown as her eyes stung with tears. It had been the first gift he had given her after becoming premier, promising she would wear it to all the great state occasions when they arose. She had never had a chance to wear it in five years...
Then there was a knock on the door of the apartment. Steph hurried to answer it, having no fear regarding who it might be as security was so tight on the upper floors – she hoped it might be Josh, come back early, perhaps by some miracle he missed her company...
She opened the door and looked in surprise at Captain Kade Silk, who smiled warmly.
“I just stopped by to introduce myself. I'm your new personal guard,” he said, and as he smiled, so did she. And her loneliness was now broken as she felt a rush of heat flood to her cheeks at the sight of the handsome young Captain who had winked at her a short while before.
Steph felt her heart pounding hard as she dared to cross a line she had never crossed before.
“Please, “ she said sweetly, “Come in, Captain Silk.”
“Nice place you have here,” he remarked moments later as he stood in the living area and walked over to the wide window, looking out at the city that sprawled below, half lit up and half still buildings in progress..,”I think this is going to be a great city. Possibly one of the greatest in the world if your husband has his way. He works hard. I think he could do more for the cyborgs, though,” he turned from the window and met her gaze, “I know people who were driven out for being cyborg – people who fought for this city!”
Steph nodded as sadness filled her dark gaze and she turned from a drinks cabinet.
“Me too,”she said sadly, “When Josh first came to power he made so many promises. But people were scared. They didn't trust the use of the android tech to repair the wounded. I feel very sorry for General Lynch. I remember when he was wounded. Afterwards I did all I could to help his cause,. I supported his wish to try cybernetic treatment. I tried to get Josh to pass new laws but so many illegal cybernetic surgeons were setting up....it got out of control....But Lynch, I know him well. I wish Felix only the best...it's all so unfair on him...”
He walked over to her, smiling as he accepted a drink and sipped a fine cognac, “Thank you,” he said and continued, “Lynch... yes...Bit of a sod with the women a few years back or so I heard - but he was a fine General. And the first to be converted – machine from the waist down...I can't imagine how that must be to live with, poor bastard,” he sipped the cognac again, “And as for labelling him a terrorist – that's so wrong. He needed cybernetic fluid. Someone of his scale of modification couldn't live without it, I don't blame him at all for what he did.”
“I feel the same way,” Steph replied, “But Josh....” she hesitated as she drew in a sharp breath and tears filled her eyes at a rate she had not expected and could not hold back, as years of his neglect of her and his turnabout regarding policies that affected human life seemed to converge into one single pain her heart could not withstand, “I don't know when he changed...he just stopped caring...about everything. The cyborg issue, he just wanted to sweep it aside...giving into public paranoia...but he doesn't care what I think...I'm nothing to him. I used to be everything to him and now I'm nothing!”
As she gave a sob, all urge to sweep her in his arms and kiss her vanished as he held her and she sobbed against the shoulder of his white uniform.
“Wow,”he remarked, “I'd heard the Premier could be a bit of an ignorant swine especially when it came to compassionate pleas from the pro cyborg movement - but I had no idea he made his own wife so unhappy!”
She pulled back from his shoulder but felt thankful for his arms around her as she looked at him with tears streaking her face.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn't have -”
“No, no,” he said softly, “That's fine, Stephanie... I took this post to be closer to you....I wanted to meet you and I'm glad I have. And I'm always around for you if you need me, okay? I'm right outside your door, at the end of the corridor, me and Captain Bracken – he changes places with me when my shift ends. But I'm not so sure he'd be as receptive to extending the hand of friendship like I am, he's a serious, miserable git!”
Steph laughed.
“Oh yes!” she exclaimed, recalling the short, stocky man with pale blue eyes who sat at his post in sullen silence through out his watch, “He is ! You're so right!”
He smiled as he raised his hand and brushed tears from her cheeks.
“That's better,” he said, “I'd rather see you smiling than crying...I mean that.”
His gaze was locked with hers and Steph did not want to slip pout of his solid, warm embrace. Their gaze lingered, he held on to her, and then she leaned in and kissed him softly. He pulled back, a little surprised after how events had unfolded, to think the Premier's wife would actually be making a move on him...perhaps he had hoped for some kind of encounter, but on meeting this woman, he had not expected to like her as much as he did...and her kiss had been soft and gentle and something he could easily welcome again...
“What time is your husband back?” he asked.
She thought of Josh, many floors below and drinking into the early hours of the morning with the others who ran this city.
“He's never back before three in the morning,”she replied, and then, feeling stronger for the first time in several neglected years, she concluded that Josh was not the only one around here with power at their disposal, and she planted another soft kiss on his lips, took him by the hand, led him into the bedroom and closed the door firmly behind her.
Far o
ff away from the city and out in the wilds of the countryside, the motor home floor had been repaired outside and patched inside, and then Lynch had wasted no time in taking off once more, driving onwards as he followed an old, crumpled paper map that pointed the way towards Wales. As evening shadows darkened down the skies and the clouds rolled in taking on a dark and unearthly hue that served as reminder of all the planet had been through since the conflicts. As the rain fell and the wipers dashed back and forth across the wind shield, Lynch slowed speed as rain bounced off the cracked road surface, taking care the vehicle took steep bends and the wheels covered more uneven and damaged ground.
Ruby and Spike had been fighting again, this time because the raid on the depot had brought no results and Ruby was said she was starving. Elise had opened up some rationed portions left from the day before, handed them to Spike who had given them both to Ruby, and moments later after their door had closed, a quarrel had ensured. They had gone quiet now, and that had come as a relief to the others, as Lynch drove on and Elise sat beside him, and Joy and Jekel sat further back in the motor home, together at the table, watching as rain spattered the window and watered down the view of a drowned out world as the darkened scenery became a wet and passing blur.
“Where do you think we'll stop?” Jekel asked.
Joy watched as they sped past the wreck of an old farmhouse, its roof caved in and the windows missing and the inside blackened and the cracked outside caved in as a door hung off its hinges. Then it was gone as darkened fields dashed by.
“He wants to put a distance between us and the possibility of more crazies out there,” she said, “They tend to travel in groups. We could be in their heartland for all we know...He said he's driving all night if he has to, we're heading for the Welsh border by morning.”
“What if he falls asleep at the wheel?”
“I guess Elise will take over halfway,” Joy replied, “And we don't have to worry about their arrangement. You should be off to bed. It's not been an easy day.”
“My power's running just fine,” he replied, and Joy smiled.
“All the more reason to rest, then!”
She leant closer and kissed his cheek, leaving the former illusionist looking pleasantly surprised.
“Goodnight, Ash,” she said, and then she got up from the table and left him sitting there, his fingertips on his cheek as he watched her leave and swore he could still feel that kiss warm against his skin. Then a look of deep desire darkened his gaze as his heart warmed through and he dared to let in something that had not been in his life since Margo's death – the possibility that he could love again. It was there, if he dared to allow it to happen, he felt sure of it...
Jekel got up from his seat and looked down the walkway. Lynch and Elise were both up front Lynch driving as they watched the road.
“Activate...” he murmured and his Stealth Mode complied as Jekel vanished from sight.
Joy had gone back to the bed in the medical area, she felt tired and the motion of the moving vehicle only helped along with the sound of the rain as they drove on to make her long for a deep and welcoming sleep.
Joy began to strip off her clothing, she got down to her underwear and then sat down heavily on the bed, giving a sigh as she turned her head to look through the gap between two pieces of armour plating, where she caught a narrow view of the darkened world and the heavy rainfall.
Then the curtain that shut off the medical area from the walkway shifted. Joy looked around, staring at the sight of the bottom of the drape moving for a brief second and then falling still. It was as if a gust of wind had come in and blown the curtain, but all the windows were closed... She sat there for a moment, listened and watched but heard nothing but the rain and the hum of the engine as it drove over cracked road surface, and then she looked again to the window, watching the passing night.
As she felt a weight shift beside her on the bed she caught her breath, eyes wide as she looked down to see a depression in the mattress as if someone had sat beside her.
“What?” she said aloud, and looked again to the now motionless curtain.
“Surprise,” whispered Jekel, as he appeared beside her, planting a soft kiss on the side of her neck.
Joy turned around sharply to see the former stage magician smiling warmly as he looked into her eyes.
“I have a stealth mode,” he explained, “I can vanish at will.”
His was so close she could smell the scent of his skin, mixed with the faint trace of an expensive cologne that clung to the fine fabric of his suit.
“You can vanish?” she said in surprise.
“That's right,” Jekel replied, and then he locked his gaze with hers, hesitated for a moment, and leaned in and kissed her.
Joy didn't need to think about her response as Ash kissed her deeply and she returned his kisses with equal longing. As his hands strayed over her skin she gave a gasp, kissing him harder as she ached for more. Then Jekel pulled back and let go.
“Just a minute, Joy,” he said, “Must look after my threads..this is a good suit, I don't want to ruin it...”
As he started to carefully undress, leaving his suit folded over the examination table nearby, Joy giggled as she recalled five years back and how Ash had been so concerned about damage to his clothing. He still loved his fine threads, nothing about this man ever changed...
Joy's amusement faded as she lay back on her bed watching him strip off the last of his clothing. Suddenly she ached to be taken by him – by day in his tight suit he looked sleek and willowy, but that suit hid a slender body that was toned and in fine shape. She saw no trace of scars about his body to show for all the work he had been subjected to on becoming a cyborg. Seeing him with his shirt off had told her his body was in good shape but now, seeing him naked in the half light as the dimmed light turned down to save power within the vehicle as outside the rain seemed to beat heavy in time with her pulse, she ached for his closeness as she took in the sight of his slender hips and firm thighs and an obvious erection that he was clearly proud to show off as he stood over the bed.
“I want to be with you, Joy,” he whispered, and as he joined her on the bed she reached for him, catching her breath as Jekel covered her mouth with a kiss that claimed her completely.
Far away in the city of Freedom, midnight was approaching and Steph turned over in silken sheets and smiled at the man who had kept her company so willingly. Making love with Captain Silk had made her feel like a new woman – she felt appreciated, and that was something her own husband had not managed in a long, long while...
She gave a sigh of satisfaction as she ran her hands down the back of Kade Silk, and he smiled as he looked into her eyes.
“We could make this a regular thing,” he said, “I'd love to see you again.”
“I hope you mean that,”Steph replied.
“I do my dearest Stephanie,” he replied as he got out of bed and reached for his uniform, “But I can't stay any longer tonight – it would be just my luck if your husband came home early.”
She gave a frustrated sigh as she ran her fingers through her hair and looked at her lover as she watched him get dressed.
“Josh makes everything unfair.”
“But he gives you a nice lifestyle,” he reminded her, “And I don't want to be out of a job – not yet, I've got no idea what else I'd do if I wasn't in the City Guard. But I hate this life, I want to escape!”
“So do I,” Steph replied, “Maybe that's a plan. Perhaps we could escape together.”
He finished putting on his uniform, turned to the mirror, borrowed her comb to tidy his hair and then looked at her through the glass as he gave his reply.
“Let's be realistic, Steph.”
He saw disappointment in her eyes as he leaned over her to kiss her goodbye.
“I'll see you again tomorrow if he's down in the bar,” he promised, “I wouldn't leave you as a one night stand.”
Those words made her smile and he kissed her
fondly.
“And don't forget to have a shower and change the sheets before he gets back,” he added, “It smells like two people had sex in this room!”
Then he left the bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving Steph alone and strangely caught between feeling satisfied and feeling empty as her heart ached for all that was absent from her life and seemed more sharply so with Kade's departure.
As the door closed, down the hallway Sylvia opened up her own door and looked out, meeting the surprised and guilty gaze of her son, who was headed back to the place at the end of the corridor, where Captain Bracken had arrived early and was looking with interest in Kade's direction.
“What have you done?”Sylvia demanded in a low voice.
Kade went over to meet her, glancing over his shoulder – but Captain Bracken was now no where to be seen and he guessed he had strolled off somewhere, being early tonight to take over the night shift.
Sylvia Peyton's eyes blazed with anger as she looked at her son.
“You just came out of the Premier's suite!”
He chuckled.
“Mum, stop worrying!” he exclaimed, speaking a little louder than he intended as he gave into the urge to boast about his conquest, “So what if I'm banging the Premier's wife? No one knows!”
And up the corridor, as his voice carried as a soft echo, out of sight in the shadows Captain Bracken caught it all as Kade's mother warned him to keep away from Stephanie, as Bracken silently concluded this was something the Premier definitely needed to know about...
The motor home belonging to Felix Lynch was still on the road, now driving through light rain as Elise took over at the wheel and Felix went through to the next room to grab some rest.