Aisaak: Delti Utopia 6 (A Sci-Fi Alien Weredragon Romance)

by Celeste Raye

  Irene motioned that she would follow Mariana in a moment. She had heard the man's question and decided to take the opportunity to discover who the man upstairs was. She did her best to imitate Mariana. Her long fingers touched the sleeve of the man next to her, his webbed hands twitching from surprise. "How about you, handsome? Would you care for a companion tonight? The man upstairs sent me over especially for you. If you can tell me his name, you'll get a discount."

  Aisaak choked back laughter. Irene was laying it on a bit thick without any feelings to guide her.

  "He chose wrong. I prefer my own species. Tell Tuuleuss I will demand a double discount to make up for his mistake. Old friends should know each other better," the man replied.

  Aisaak's laughter froze in his throat. He knew the name well, though he'd only heard it in stories meant to frighten young weredragons into behaving.

  Chapter Eighteen

  ***Irene***

  "I got a name!" Irene exploded with excitement. "I did the impossible. I know the big boss's name."

  Aisaak's tone was devoid of the triumph Irene expected when he answered, "Yes, you got a name. However, it is unknown whether it belongs to the big boss or not. The 'man upstairs' could be another of his henchmen for all we know. Tone down the excitement and think about it. Why would the name we seek suddenly be on the tip of everyone's tongue? It was too easy. Besides, the name he gave is fictitious. It comes from a terrible story from Naga childhood. Tuuleuss is a mythical, evil dragon. He was a man of human origin who used science to turn himself into a form not his own. He is an unnatural hybrid creature of human, dragon, and serpent. He was to Naga children what the boogie man was to humans, only worse."

  "Do you think the big boss is a Naga?"

  "I told you, we don't know that the man known as Tuuleuss is the big boss. Even if he is, he's not a Naga. Anyone using that name would have to realize the significance. He'd be an evil subspecies of several worlds. Drop it. I don't want to hear that name from your lips again. It pains me," Aisaak snarled.

  Subdued after Aisaak's tirade, Irene became very quiet. She meekly took the trail through the crowd that Mariana had used moments ahead of her. She couldn't open herself to learn of his true emotions for fear of gathering the thousands around her once again.

  Mariana and Tann had waited just outside the hallway leading to the ladies' lounge. Women were scurrying back and forth, some with fresh clothes and makeup and others sorely needing both. None of them seemed distressed or forced to do such work in any way. Perhaps Lolita knew nothing about the sex trafficking.

  Having been given a description of what Lolita looked like, Irene was surprised to see the actual woman appear. The tattoos gave her away, but without them, she'd never have known it was the ex-stripper. Lolita's hair was no longer bleached and breaking off. It had been allowed to return to its natural hue, a soft brown. It had hints of gray as was to be expected at her age and softened her facial features. Devoid of makeup, she could have been someone's rather lovely mother. In place of the pasties and thong, she wore a loose, sleeveless blouse and flowing pants.

  Looking their way, she got a glimpse of Tann. Her eyes showed recognition and a touch of fear. She patted the back of the young girl beside her and sent her on her way. She'd placed one palm on the door with the intention of retreating when Tann called out to her, "Lolita, please. One minute is all I ask of you."

  Sighing, she leaned her brow against the door, and her shoulders sagged. "Not here," she said barely above a whisper. "The alley behind my old job in an hour." She didn't look at any of them, not even once.

  Aisaak motioned for them to move away from the hall and pointed up. Cameras were everywhere. Lolita had done her best not to acknowledge that she knew them, for her sake and theirs.

  They stopped by some tables and made a few bets for appearance's sake but made their path far from the table where the two women had offered their nonexistent services to the gamblers who were probably wondering where their 'dates' for the night had disappeared to with their money. Shortly before the hour was up, the foursome left through the front doors, walked sedately across the bridge and were lowered to the ground on the magical platform.

  At the same time, Lolita left via the kitchen. She joked with the chef and complimented the dishes she couldn't really taste. Everything she ate tasted like ashes after spying Tann. He was there for information, which she had and didn't care to disclose. She knew she would tell him anyway, for the job she had been given wasn't quite the one she'd been promised.

  She stayed in the shadows, moving quickly as the cameras swung away from her. They were a new addition, necessary after the big boss's close associate, Corsair, had made deals in this alley to betray him.

  Irene hated the dirty, dark alleyway. It smelled of rotten fish and vegetables and was cold, though the night was warm. She was the first to see Lolita slipping along the wall and drew the others’ attention to her.

  "Lolita's almost here. I didn't really expect her to show up. Did you?" she asked of them all.

  "Yes," Tann and Mariana answered together.

  Aisaak said nothing. He was acting strangely, and Irene was certain it had to do with the name he refused to believe belonged to the big boss. He had very deliberately kept the name from Tann when he should have been shouting it gleefully.

  "Lolita, you look lovely. The change is so dramatic. I can see the woman Torbin fell in love with," Mariana said, reaching out to enfold the older woman in a hug.

  "I see her in the mirror, but she's not the same inside," Lolita explained. "I'm not her or the stripper. I should have gone off with the old man. I might have found all of her."

  "Do they treat you badly up at the big casino? You don't have to go back there if you don't want to. Leave it and come with us," Tann offered.

  "They treat me fine as long as I do what's expected. The work at the casino is easy, and the girls I take care of are happy with their place in life. It's the part I wasn't informed about that makes me regret my choices. I can't just pick up and go with you, though it would feel mighty good. There are others who need me and would suffer if I left them."

  "What others, Lolita?" Tann asked. "Are they the ones who have gone missing? Do you know where they are?"

  "My sister, Savanah, was one that disappeared," Irene cried out. "Please, if you know where she is, tell me."

  Lolita rubbed her hand down her face and tried to find a way to remain silent. Speaking of the underground organization was a death wish. However, they had already guessed her secret and must have had some information that led them to her.

  "You're asking too much of me this time, boy," she finally replied to Tann. "You've never done me wrong, nor have I lied to you. But, this is better kept to myself. The most I'll say is that those women are alive and being well taken care of. I mean to say, they have plenty of food, nice rooms, clothes, and all their needs met. It's the wants they are lacking. They want their families the way it used to be and their freedom. I can't give them that, so I protect them the best I can. It's not what I signed on for, but it's what I have to do. I can't divulge the particulars of who or where."

  Irene was sobbing loudly. "Savanah, just release her."

  "I would if I could. She's a particular favorite of mine, so sweet and innocent despite having been a cheating card dealer. She hasn't been with us long. She's mentioned a sister. I guess that would be you. Sometimes, she talks about a beautiful valley. I think she uses the memory to get her situation out of her head. She hasn't been beaten or anything like that. She's become accustomed to the job and the men like her just fine. It would be best for the both of you if you forgot about her and followed your own course in life." Lolita truly thought she was soothing Irene.

  "How can you say those things to me?" Irene shouted. "She's my sister, and I love her. Nothing she's done or that has been done to her changes that. Did you honestly believe it's okay to take someone off the street without their consent, lock them up, and force them to enter
tain men? How sick are you?"

  Aisaak pulled her against his chest to calm her. "All the women have someone that loves and misses them the same as Irene does Savanah. It's sick and twisted to say they are well cared for or that you have favorites. You're just as guilty as the one who's behind it all."

  "Now wait a minute. I didn't say it was okay or that I had no qualms about what was done. But, it was already finished when I came on the scene, and there was nothing I could do to change their fate. The truth is, the women don't want their families to know about what they've done. They are ashamed and feel dirty. They won't stay locked up forever. He'll give them the same freedom as the ones already at the casino as soon as they all get accustomed to their place in life. Savanah's almost there."

  "She may pretend to be, but she's not. I know her better than anyone. She'll fool you and then run away when she's freed. I'll be there to help her when she does," Irene retorted.

  Lolita knew she was defeated, so she gave in. "I hope she does, and the rest of them too. I'm spouting all this nonsense to make myself feel better. It's not working. I hate what's happened, and I want out. If I could find a way to take them all with me, I'd leave right now. I'd take them all to my house and let their minds heal. Did you know they gave me a house? It's one of those pretty cottages past the mansions. I get to go there once a week, and it will be mine when I'm too old for this job."

  Tann took her by the shoulders and demanded, "Look at me, my friend. We're coming for the women. One way or another, we'll find them. You might as well tell us everything. I promise we'll help you too. Forget the cottage. It was given to you at the cost of women's lives and will always be tainted by it."

  "If it was your sister or maybe a daughter they'd taken, what would you do?" Irene asked.

  Lolita's eyes were sad when she replied, "I'd get her out no matter the price, money or blood."

  "Then tell us who's behind it all and where we can find the women," Aisaak commanded.

  "The big boss is one, of course, but there are more. I can't tell you who, because I don't know. The man that hired me is dead. I've spoken to the boss only by COM link, and he always blocks the picture. I saw him once, by accident. He doesn't know, or I'd be floating in space by now. He's tall, like the two of you, dark-haired and handsome: the handsomest man I've ever seen. He doesn't look real, almost like a doll or a robot. It's impossible to tell his age. It gave me chills, and I hope to never set eyes on him again."

  Aisaak shivered. Her description went with the evil fairytale. He managed to prompt her by saying, "The women?"

  "There's a whole other world under the casino. That's why the bridge is so high up. The rooms were used for smuggling and hiding his stolen bounty. Half have been refitted to make cozy bedrooms and a lounge area for the customers. There’re bathrooms, a kitchen, even an office. The other half still holds treasures. He knows exactly how much and where it all is. Touch one prize or take one coin and he'll know it."

  "Where's the door?"

  "There's not one on the outside. The two inside are alarmed and guarded. I'm searched every time I go down, just in case I've brought the women a weapon. You'll never get in without my help."

  Chapter Nineteen

  ***Aisaak***

  "We have to strike immediately," Aisaak demanded. "Forget all out plans. We can't stop the entire organization without months of planning, and Savanah can't wait for that. I say we get her out and as many of the others as we can but put off the rest until we know who we're up against besides the big boss."

  Irene's eyes were burning a hole through his head. She was angry and disillusioned that he wouldn't tell the group she had learned a name, possibly the big boss'. She couldn't understand the fear that name evoked in him. The legends were evil and had darkened his nightmares all his life. He was willing to bet Tann shared that sentiment. If the stories were more than legends and the creature truly existed, and had for centuries, then they were up against a force two weredragons couldn't defeat. The hybrid's powers were too strong.

  "I would have liked to be the hero and remove the entire organization now, but I'm beginning to see Aisaak's point. Removing the piece we're currently seeing won't stop the trafficking. We'll need to find the source. It could be here, or it could be on Alpha Beta or even Earth. This mission began as an attempt to find Savanah, and we've accomplished that. Freeing her will have to suffice for the present time. All of you know who I am and I suspect Lolita guessed a long time ago. Eventually, the Space Force and Universal Space Authority will have to be notified and join our ranks. I should have been staying in touch with them all along. The pirate mentality seems to have seeped into my subconscious. I would rather work without the restrictions a cop must stick to," Tann admitted.

  "Are you saying we do this my way, using the two groups of pirates and Irene?" Aisaak pleaded.

  "I guess so."

  "Then, let's do it tonight. Constantine and his men are already in the city, and yours can be here in an hour or two. We have Lolita at our disposal right now, but she might not be able to get away on another night. Will you get us past the guards and the locks, Lolita?" Aisaak asked warily.

  "Why not? I never would have been happy retiring anyway. If I die tonight, at least I won't be a shriveled, wrinkled corpse. My tattoos will still look good instead of drooping. And if I survive, maybe I can still find Torbin. I miss my old man."

  "Why won't you tell them?" Irene angrily demanded. "I'm disappointed in the way you're handling this."

  "I know you are and it saddens me to let you see the chinks in my armor. That name strikes terror in my heart that shames me. If I spoke of it to Tann, he would either laugh in my face or be as terrified as me. If he believed the legend was real, he'd want to destroy the creature. We would lose, and no one would ever shut down this organization, because all of us would die with the secret stuck in our heads."

  The deep sadness coming from Aisaak penetrated the barrier Irene had made to stop her empath ability. He truly was ashamed of his terror and worried that he would lose her because he showed less than heroic emotions.

  "Deal with this as you see fit. As I've never heard the legends or been told awful stories to feed my fears since childhood, I'll stop berating you. Just know that nothing will ever stop my love for you. Never be ashamed of any emotions. They show you have a heart and soul worth loving," Irene replied, releasing all anger and resentment.

  Aisaak kissed his love and stated, "It's our turn to go inside."

  In groups of three or four, Constantine's men had gone into the casino. They had spread throughout the space on all levels pretending to gamble, yet were actually there to provide protection for Aisaak, Tann, their pirate army, and the innocent tourists who might be harmed if a battle started.

  Tann's crew was outside, surrounding the structure. They were to stop reinforcements from entering and were in charge of supplying stolen transportation large enough to accommodate the women that were rescued. Despite Lolita's declaration of their well being, Aisaak wanted assurance they would have easy, comfortable transportation in case they were hurt or ill. He liked Lolita but didn't have the faith in her that Tann showed.

  Irene had traded her heels for boots and borrowed a jacket from one of the pirates to cover her skimpy clothes. She was determined to accompany the men and be there at the time of rescue to comfort Savanah. In her pocket were syringes full of the same tranquilizer Krane had used on her. The pirates had found them easy to come by in the seedier bars of Delti Utopia 6. She was to use them on the guards if possible. If not, then Aisaak would slit a few throats.

  Mariana had a different mission. She was to cause an uproar in the casino, a distraction to cover for the break-in. Constantine was her bodyguard.

  Aisaak and Irene entered the huge, bright, crowded establishment for the second time that night. They remained on the perimeter of the main concourse, drifting with the sea of tourists who were watching the festivities instead of gambling. There were jugglers, fire breat
hers, and a rock band competing for their attention. That would all change once Mariana slipped a hefty amount of coins to the lighting crew.

  The rescue began simply, with Lolita seeking entrance to the rooms beneath the casino. She smiled and greeted the guards, playing her part for the cameras overhead. She held her arms up so they could search her for weapons.

  Since the entrance was in a corridor unavailable to tourists and heavily guarded, Irene gave her acting skills a trial run. She pretended to be tipsy and lost. Aisaak listened from his position, leaning casually against a wall, just one of many men watching a nearly naked woman contort her body into a tiny box.

  When Irene 'accidentally' bumped into a guard, he held up her wobbly-kneed body and protested, "Lady, go back to the main part of the casino. This area is off limits."

  Irene slid her hands up his chest to his neck. One carried a syringe he didn't notice. The prick on his neck caused him to shove her to the floor before he began to slide down in front of the door. His partner was reaching for a weapon when the corridor went dark.

  Aisaak rushed over and dispensed with the man, gave Irene a helping hand, and used the guard's limp handprint to unlock the door. The guards searching Lolita were stunned to see Aisaak charging at them.

  Lolita kicked one in the nether region, which took all the fight out of him. Irene used another syringe to finish him off and stop his moaning. Aisaak took care of the second one.

  Tann appeared with four of Constantine's men. "Mariana's starting her show. The main lights are off, and she's spotlighted. The cameras are rolling. I couldn't shut them down."

  Aisaak shot out the ones overhead. "He may know we're here, but he won't see what we're doing."

  Mariana was on the main stage. The rock band had been shocked when she'd jumped their lead singer and started grinding her voluptuous body against his. She'd stolen a microphone, and her clear, sweet voice was singing a very bawdy song: explaining to the singer exactly what she would do to him if they were alone. The cheering crowd forgot about the darkness and gathered from all over the casino to see the famous rock star rise to the occasion and his wife attack Mariana.