by Wyatt Kane
Tempest smiled broadly. Yet she shook her head at the same time. “What you ask is impossible. Your business hurts people. It is my mission to protect them. But tell me this. Your business is extensive. Could you not focus your attention on those aspects that harm no one? The money-laundering? This restaurant?”
The big man studied first Tempest, then Ty for a moment. He pushed himself back away from the table and sat as if pondering. But then he, too, shook his head.
“While I don’t admit to any activities that you would call unsavory, if, hypothetically speaking, such activities did fall within my purview, then I would expect them to be among the most lucrative of my interests. Given where we are currently placed and our long-term ambitions, I could not possibly agree to that request.”
He paused for a moment, but it was apparent that he hadn’t finished. “But maybe, if you were to focus your attentions on our competitors more than the Vecoli family activities?”
All at once, Ty understood what was happening. Maybe he was naive, but he hadn’t really considered how the meeting would go. It had taken until then for Ty to understand that the information Rubio had came with a price, and the man was negotiating hard.
Ty thought it was a good thing he wasn’t leading the meeting. But Tempest was more than up to the task. With all the skills of a trained diplomat, she deflected Rubio’s efforts with ease.
As she and the crime lord spoke, Ty couldn’t help but admire the blonde superhero. She was so perfect that Ty would not have been surprised to find a film crew appear out of nowhere and to realize he’d blundered onto a set. Everything felt a little unreal, and yet for the first time in Ty’s life, everything seemed to be in focus. Even though they were facing off against one of New Lincoln’s most despicable crime bosses, there was nowhere Ty would rather have been.
Tempest countered Rubio’s request with a suggestion that if she didn’t have to watch him so closely, then she would be free to look at his competitors more.
The crime lord looked thoughtful, and latched on to the idea of a pause, suggesting that Tempest might like to go on vacation for a set length of time.
But again, Tempest declined, even when Rubio offered to pay for the vacation in its entirety, for Tempest and any companions she should want to invite.
At this, Ty couldn’t hide his interest. But Tempest just bit her lip and politely declined.
“I wish I could,” she said. “But there’s just so much to do in New Lincoln. How could I possibly leave, even if for just a short time?”
Rubio nodded agreeably. Yet when he spoke again, it became apparent that he thought they had run out of options.
“Well,” he said expansively. “It appears that we have reached an impasse. I admit to being a trifle disappointed. I have information you want, yet you are unable to offer me anything of commensurate value.” He sighed out loud. “Perhaps this meeting was ill advised,” he finished.
Despite his words, he made no move to end the meeting. Even Julia just continued to sit in her seat, occasionally sipping her wine and all but ignoring everything else.
Tempest took her cue. “What if I were to owe you a favor?” she asked.
Rubio’s eyebrows shot up in a signal of immediate interest. He leaned forward. “Anything?”
“Of course not,” she said with a smile. “I will not help you to hurt anyone, either by direct or indirect action, or through inaction. That part of our relationship, such as it is, will remain as it always has been. But if you need something I can offer, that is within my power, then I will do what I can.”
The man looked thoughtful. “So, if we were to find out that a competitor had an important shipment arriving, perhaps we could give that information to you?” Rubio suggested.
Tempest held the man’s eye and nodded.
“Interesting.” He said. Then, slowly, he nodded as well. “That could have considerable value. I think we might have a deal.”
Tempest sat back in her seat, her smile back in place. “So. Tell us what you know.”
Rubio took a surprisingly delicate sip of his Cabernet and set the glass back on the table.
“Ahh. I do like a good red from time to time,” he said. “Even on an empty stomach, it can be surprisingly satisfying.” Then he gathered his thoughts. “Your message was vague,” he said, his tone just short of an accusation. “You asked for information regarding a mercenary army moving through the streets of New Lincoln. You asked about the man Bain, as well as a shadowy figure, perhaps known as the Master. Beyond that, I have to say, there wasn’t much meat on that particular bone.”
He paused for a moment. “And yet, perhaps there was enough.”
Rubio watched both Ty and Tempest closely as he spoke. To Ty, the man seemed to be deliberately speaking slowly, perhaps in an effort to define his control. Yet now that the man had actually started to speak, Ty was more than happy to wait, as was Tempest.
Neither of them said anything, but instead let the mobster speak.
“I have been receiving reports of a new faction in town. The mercenaries your message referred to. Now, be aware that mercenaries aren’t new. Our competitors have used such before, and so have we. But this feels different. These mercenaries do not guard shipments, nor are they hired muscle in advance of a turf war. And, in fact, they appear naive to the possibilities in that area.” The man paused as if to assess the impact of his words.
“Go on,” Tempest said.
“They act as if they are permanent. As if they are working on a long-term plan. They do not make trouble for its own sake, but those few who get in their way pay a heavy price.” The crime lord shifted slightly in his seat, and when he began talking again, the topic was different.
“We do not know of this Master you speak of. As for Bain, he is also new on the scene. A man like him stands out in a crowd. Six months ago, he didn’t exist in New Lincoln. But again, he does not act like an employee of a regular crime syndicate.”
He paused to sip his wine again. When he resumed, he spoke as if his words were significant. “The markers on these people have a corporate stench to them. If I were you, I would look to the mega-corporations. Shake that particular tree. See what falls out.”
With that, the man lapsed into silence.
For a moment, no one said anything. Then Tempest spoke. “That’s it?” she demanded. Ty could tell by the tone of voice that she was a long way from happy.
The gangster held her eye and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s more than you had,” he said.
“For that, you expected me to turn a blind eye to your activities? Even for a single day, that price would have been too high. You have given us next to nothing!”
Rubio Vecoli didn’t appear to enjoy being spoken to like that. He clenched his jaw and his fist, and the tension in the room immediately returned. But this time, all the aggression was from Tempest.
Ty reached around his back for his blaster and held the activation of his shield on his tongue. He would be ready if Tempest needed him.
Once again, the woman in the red dress squirmed in her seat as if she wanted to be somewhere else.
“What did you expect?” Rubio said with a hint of a sneer. “Did you want a full, itemized list of their intentions?”
“A location would have been good. Even the name of someone with more insight. Anything, really. What you have given me is just empty babble, no more than we could figure out for ourselves!”
Rubio’s face grew dark with anger. Ty had the suspicion that he wouldn’t put up with being spoken to like that by anyone else. Yet this was Tempest, and Rubio knew what she could do. Should she choose, she could have turned him into a living pretzel.
“What are they up to?” Tempest demanded.
“I don’t know what they are doing,” Rubio snarled. “I just know what they are not doing.” Then, as if struck by a thought, Rubio calmed down a fraction. “There is one thing,” he said.
“What?” Tempest asked.
“A
rumor. Word on the street is that there is a new lab in town. We thought it was drugs, but it isn’t. Perhaps that is related to this Bain and his Master.”
Tempest still wasn’t satisfied. “You say, ‘Perhaps.’ Well, perhaps isn’t good enough. If you expect a favor from me, then I want more.”
30: An Uplifting Experience
Rubio glared at Tempest with irritation. Yet there was doubt in his eye as well, and Ty knew that the man understood he had not yet given the full measure of information Tempest required. And a favor from Tempest was valuable.
Ty knew it, and Rubio did as well. Even Julia, who had said next to nothing, seemed to know it.
In the end, it was that value that made the difference. “What more do you need?” Rubio grated.
“A concrete location. I want to be able to find this Master. If this lab is connected, then that will be a start. But I need more than just rumor and hope.”
Rubio glared at Tempest for a few moments more. Then, with a guttural noise that was almost a snarl, he sat back from the table. “I will see what I can do,” he said.
At this, Tempest relaxed. She took a sip of her drink. “Thank you for your hospitality, and for the drink,” she said, maintaining her courtesy. “You know how to contact me. I look forward to hearing what you find out.”
The crime lord just nodded.
Ty didn’t need to be told. He knew it was time to go. He stood, and even though Tempest could have picked up a car and thrown it through the wall, he offered his hand to help her stand up.
◆◆◆
As Ty and Tempest left Rubio’s Bistro and headed toward the same alley they had touched down in, Ty found himself walking with a spring in his step, and a relieved and happy expression on his face.
He hadn’t really thought that he or Tempest were in any danger, but there were several times when he’d thought violence to be inevitable.
Tempest’s reaction was different. As they walked, the blonde superhero shuddered noticeably.
“Tempest?” Ty said. “Are you okay?”
Tempest flashed him a grin. “I’m fine. It’s just that dealing with him and his kind makes my skin crawl,” she said. “I don’t really want to owe him anything.” She made a grimace. “I’d prefer to go one-on-one with Bain than owe a man like him.”
Then she gave Ty an appraising look, just taking a moment to study his features. It appeared she liked what she saw. “You handled yourself well,” she said.
Ty grinned. “You expected otherwise?” he asked.
Tempest let out a laugh, then bit her lower lip as if contemplating something. “Do you have a little time before heading to work?” she asked him.
Ty hadn’t yet told her that Angie had fired him. Nevertheless, he did indeed plan to head to the Concubine Club. He had people to talk to. But he had no set time to be there, and the expression on Tempest’s face brought to his mind an image of the blonde superhero, naked, on a boulder in the middle of a lake.
His grin grew broader. “I do,” he said. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Tempest raised a mischievous eyebrow. “I doubt it,” she said. “But it might be within the same general ballpark. Come here. I want to feel something wholesome against me.”
Ty was happy to comply. As he stepped close, Tempest grabbed him and kissed him hard on the lips. Ty marveled at the strength and suppleness of her and became instantly aroused. When Tempest broke free, she made a small noise of pleasure and seemed to melt a little. Then she grinned, and without any warning, leapt into the air, still holding Ty tightly.
In moments they were higher than the tops of the tallest nearby buildings although the mega-corporation structures in the distance were still taller. Ty was more than happy to go along for the ride and held on to Tempest tightly. He wondered if they were heading back to the boulder but thought it more likely they were heading back home.
He didn’t ask. He didn’t need to know. He just enjoyed the feeling of being next to Tempest as they flew through the air.
Then, unexpectedly to Ty, they were no longer flying. Tempest had touched down, not on the ground or even on the roof of the building, but within a large satellite dish that was aimed almost straight up. Ty looked around and could see no taller buildings anywhere close. He didn’t know how high they were, but it must have been at least fifty floors.
Tempest let him go and stepped back, still grinning. “Take off your clothes,” she said.
Ty had never done it in a satellite dish before and was more than happy to do as she said. In moments, he and Tempest were both naked. It wasn’t the boulder in the lake, but it was still something new, and the view wasn’t bad at all. It would have been better if it weren’t for the low clouds, but Ty figured that even Tempest couldn’t control things like that.
Although he might be able to do so, a small part of his brain suggested. With technology.
It was something to think about later. As for that moment, he had other things on his mind. Once again, Ty admired Tempest’s naked perfection. Her skin was paler than Dinah’s, and unmodified from the delicate pink of her nipples to the soles of her feet. The only suggestion of modification was her nails, which she had painted bright red.
Ty didn’t wait for an invitation. He knew how strong Tempest was, so he went to her and crushed her against him as hard as he could. She let out a squeal of enjoyment and squeezed him right back, but it didn’t end there.
Much to Ty’s surprise, Tempest again launched into the sky. They flew through the layers of cloud and came out into sunshine above. Ty’s heart started pounding. They were naked, flying above the city, in a land of sunshine. It was so far beyond his experience that he didn’t know quite what to think. Yet he knew one thing. This was a moment that would be fixed in his mind for as long as he lived.
“I’ve always wanted to try this,” Tempest said, her voice filled with suppressed excitement.
Ty understood what she meant, and it took him by surprise. “Is it even possible?” he asked.
“There’s only one way to find out,” she said.
Ty was more than willing. Yet he could already see some potential logistical difficulties. “Just don’t drop me, okay?”
Tempest just laughed. High in the air, above the layer of cloud through which only the tallest structures peaked through in the distance, Tempest and Ty clung together as they spun slowly about. Ty was unwilling to let go of her enough to caress her soft skin, but was more than happy to kiss her on the neck, chin, shoulders, and lips.
As for Tempest, she gave as good as she got. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moved against him for just a moment or two before getting impatient. She let go with one hand and guided him in, then broke out in a brilliant smile.
“Well, that part was surprisingly easy,” she said.
Ty felt incredible. Even though they were held in the air by nothing more than Tempest’s will, he felt somehow invulnerable, as if they could do anything they wished. Buoyed and enthused, he moved first one hand then the other down to Tempest’s hips and shifted her back and forth against him.
Tempest closed her eyes and breathed out in a way that suggested intense pleasure. Ty could feel the muscles of her abdomen and thighs as they clenched and unclenched around him. He thought that even if Tempest lost control and they fell to their deaths, it would still be worth it.
But they weren’t falling. If anything, they were still ascending. Flying higher than ever. Ty clung to her with all of his strength, knowing that the superhero could take everything he had. For her part, she responded in kind, although Ty knew she was still holding back.
He wondered then about his mesh suit. Maybe he could alter it in such a way that Tempest wouldn’t have to hold back. He wondered if she would like the opportunity to unleash with someone who couldn’t be hurt.
Yet even that thought was fleeting. He had other things on his mind that were much more immediate and exciting.
High in the sky above New Lin
coln, Tempest and Ty moved together in a time-honored way. Ty would have been happy to keep going forever, until they were nothing but empty husks in the air, but Tempest was determined. Within a shorter time than any of their previous sessions, their rhythm built into a crescendo. Tempest let out a gasp and clutched Ty with her arms and legs strongly enough to leave bruises and shuddered against him.
It was too much for Ty. He couldn’t hold on. He reached his climax as well, and then they both clung to each other, gasping for breath.
Tempest was the first to recover. Perhaps splitting her focus to keep them up helped her. She grinned in honest, open enjoyment and gave him a peck on the lips.
“I guess now we know,” she said, full of impish glee.
“I guess we do,” Ty managed.
“So, would you like me to drop you off at your work?” Tempest asked.
Ty continued to grin. “Maybe a shower first?” he said, and Tempest agreed.
31: Hidden Threats
They collected their clothes from the satellite dish but didn’t bother to put them back on. Ty couldn’t help but be amused by the knowledge that if anyone happened to look up at just the right moment, with maybe a pair of digital binoculars, they would have been in for an unexpected sight.
To him, their brief, naked sojourn seemed to add to the fun, and he sensed that Tempest felt the same. They were both still grinning broadly when they touched down on the bridge outside the penthouse door.
Ty fumbled through his bundle of clothes until he found the remote and turned the shield off so they could enter. Then, together, they headed upstairs. Tempest directed Ty not to the en suite bathroom in her room, but to the main bathroom on the top floor, the one with the oversized shower.
Within minutes, they were both covered in suds and laughing in the wet. Ty learned that the slipperiness of liquid soap added a new dimension of interest, and he was just starting to explore the possibilities this afforded when they heard Dinah calling from outside in the hall.