Yuko put her head against him, “I don’t deserve you guys, you know that?”
Akio chuckled and pulled his arm down as they made their way up the round staircase, “And that is precisely why you do.”
This time, Akio was ready for Yuko to stop when she saw how packed the viewing deck was.
Everyone was waiting for her and Akio to join them and this time, Yuko couldn’t stop the tears from cascading down her face. She put her hand up to her face, trying to catch the tears when Gabrielle suddenly was beside her, wiping them with a cloth.
“Bethany Anne told me to be ready, but damn girl, you were supposed to make it at least five steps inside the club for me to win.”
Yuko choke laughed as she took the cloth and dabbed at her eyes. “Who won?”
“ADAM, that AI silicon sonofabitch,” Gabrielle spat out, “I’m out two ounces of gold, too. Greedy bastard.”
ADAM? Yuko called out
YES?
You bet on me?
Of course.
But… Yuko didn’t have anything to say.
I had to have money, else I couldn’t give you my present. ADAM told her.
You got me a present?
Yes. Bethany Anne told me if it was to be from me, then I had to make the money myself to mean the most. So, I’ve been doing that.
What could you need money for? Yuko asked him. You don’t owe me anything.
I might not owe you anything, but I wanted to give you something. He told her Now, enjoy the party.
Yuko took a step into the viewing deck and greeted her friends.
—
Akio was talking with Darryl and Scott when he felt her presence. Turning around, he bowed to his Queen. “Got a minute? she asked him.
“Yes, my Queen.” he replied and she put a hand on his shoulder, “We will be right back,” she told the guys and disappeared.
“Now that,” Scott told Darryl, “I’d like to figure out how to do.”
“I understand it takes a certain amount of something you don’t have,” Darryl told his friend.
“Really?” Scott turned to him, “What?”
Darryl patted Scott’s shoulder, “Intelligence.”
—
Bethany Anne and Akio arrived in one of the Bar’s meeting rooms. They had it locked from both sides, so no one would accidentally venture in while Bethany Anne was transporting back and forth. While she made an effort to look before she arrived, always better to be as safe as possible.
“Yes, my Queen?” he asked her.
“How is Yuko?”
“A young woman who has made her decision, but it is still painful as friends must leave.”
Bethany Anne nodded, “I understand. Are you ok with staying?”
Akio nodded, “I am good with this, my Queen. It isn’t like I can’t speak with you,” he tapped his head, “If I must.”
“True, but remember due to the distance, it is very draining.” She put a hand on his shoulder, “He will be back, Akio. I don’t know when, probably not soon. Please, take care of my people on Earth as they do whatever the hell they do. Continue the responsibilities of the Queen Bitch in my absence. Are we clear?”
“Hai, we are clear, my Queen.” He answered. Then, looking up into her eyes, he smiled, “You brought honor back, when I felt there was none available. Myself and my men will do this you ask, until our dying breath, or we have him again.”
“I’ll be back, whether it is a hundred years, or a thousand,” she told him, “If I’m not dead, I’ll be back when this is finished.” Bethany Anne took her hand off of his shoulder and walked to the small dresser on the side of the room. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out a sword, in a sheath and closing the drawer, she turned around.
“You are my Elite, my Bitch on Earth. Take this sword as evidence of my faith in you and wield it in my absence. You are my representative. Your actions brings me honor, your respect brings me honor. Take it now and know you have my complete trust, Akio.”
Akio pursed his lips and bowed, “I understand you will not accept my refusal,” he held out his hands, “So, I accept my Queen.”
Bethany Anne smiled and put the sword in his hands, “Good, cause I really don’t want to have to fight you to make you take it.”
Akio smiled, “That would not be respectful, my Queen.” Akio grinned, “Nor would it feel good, either.”
Bethany Anne chuckled, “You know, I think being around William has helped loosen you up a little, Akio.” She thought about it for a second, “Not much, but a little.”
“Yes,” he admitted as the two of them headed towards the door, “William is an interesting experience, my Queen.”
“Ok, I’ve been putting this off as long as I can,” she sighed, “Now comes the worst part of the evening. I have to tell Yuko goodbye.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“So, I was shot, blood gushing out of me,” Yuko listened for the umpteenth time as William related his story of getting shot in Japan, “when Akio comes and just slays the guys who did this to me. I’m foggy, fading in and out of consciousness and I see Akio, red eyes blazing as he kneels down and I bravely bite on a piece of leather as he jams his claws to pull out the slugs…”
“He fainted.” Akio said from behind William.
William turned around and looked down at Akio, who had Bethany Anne behind him, “Hey, you are absolutely messing up a good story with the facts. Didn’t Bobcat and I teach you better than that?”
“Right,” Akio deadpanned, “well, I will switch places with Yuko here,” he reached out and gently pulled Yuko towards him. Then, he did some sort of trick where one second he was behind her and the next, she was behind him. “My Queen,” he told Bethany Anne who winked and then the two ladies were gone.
Akio turned back around to those listening to William, “I understand I looked like this?” Akio asked and then willed his eyes to go red, his voice a little harsher, “Do continue, Brother!”
Those listening to William took an involuntary step back, but leaned forward to listen to the story, anxious to see what happened next as Akio took up helping William tell the story.
If not exactly the true story.
—
Bethany Anne and Yuko appeared in her suite and Yuko looked around, “Oh!”
Ashur chuffed and Yuko walked over to him on Bethany Anne’s bed, “I’ll miss you too, fluffy one!” She grabbed him around his neck, “You protect our Queen, ok?” Ashur whined and Yuko laughed, letting him go. “Yes, I know that is an impossible task, but you are the dog for the mission, right?”
Ashur chuffed again and Yuko rubbed his head, “I thought so.”
Yuko turned around to see Bethany Anne dabbing at her eye with a tissue, “Don’t Bethany Anne! Your going to make me mess up my makeup…” Bethany Anne opened her arms and Yuko stepped forward to hug her.
“You know we are all going to miss you, right?” Yuko nodded her head and said something muffled in Bethany Anne’s chest. “Especially ADAM.”
Yuko looked up, “Hey, ADAM! What was it you wanted to give me?”
“Ah,” Bethany Anne stepped back, “I was wondering if you were going to keep it a secret, ADAM.”
ADAM’s voice came from Bethany Anne’s bathroom, “I had to use it as a way to help Yuko attain equilibrium and, well, Gabrielle ratted me out.”
Yuko leaned to her left, to look around Bethany Anne who was blocking her view of the Bath area. “ADAM?”
Yuko heard movement and then he appeared. Yuko moved out from behind Bethany Anne who stepped aside.
“ADAM?” Yuko asked, confused. “This isn’t possible, is it?”
“No,” the Android agreed, “You are hearing me speak from this android, but I have been working on this gift for a year.”
Yuko looked up to Bethany Anne who smiled, “He had to generate the funds,” Bethany Anne told her, then added, “legally.”
“Yes,” the little android admitted, “It was that requirement whic
h took me a little longer.”
“He’s,” Yuko reached out and felt the body. It was metal, and the whole unit didn’t try to act like a human, “beautiful.”
The little android put his hand up to touch Yuko’s, gently. “Thank you.”
ADAM’s voice switched to coming out of the room’s speakers, “Adam Nacht, say hello to Yuko.”
The Android faced Yuko and it’s mouth, animated to some degree spoke, “Hello Yuko, I am Adam Nacht, I am the Entity Intelligence who will be working with you.”
Yuko looked to Bethany Anne, “His name is Adam?”
Bethany Anne smiled gently, “His name is whatever you decide to call him. It’s up to you to change it once, then the E.I. is forever that name.”
“Yuko turned back to the android, “Can you turn around?” The E.I. turned easily and Yuko sought the seams that must occur in his body, “What is he made out of?”
“Well,” ADAM spoke, “he is a synthesis of human metals, and Yollin alloys which we were able to forge out here in the Asteroid.”
“How?’ Yuko asked, still feeling across the seamless body.
“With a lot of help,” ADAM admitted, “There are a lot of friends which helped back at the party.”
“I’m going to have to tell them all thank you,” she said, tears messing up her makeup.
“What would you like my name to be?” The E.I. asked her. “I can be either male, female, or gender neutral.
Yuko thought about it, “Well, ADAM is ADAM to me. And it feels wierd to have a boy as a friend…”
Yuko held out her hand, “Hello Eve, my name is Yuko and you have no idea how pleased I am to meet you.”
Bethany Anne handed Yuko clean tissues after she finished shaking hands with the shorter Android.
“Is there special care instructions that go along with her?” Yuko asked as she tried to clean up her mascara.
“No, I have a multi-century power supply,” Eve answered.
“Ah, I get it, ADAM and Eve,” ADAM said.
“Interesting,” Bethany Anne murmured, “Eve was beget from ADAM, and that is true here, as well.” Bethany Anne dabbed at her eye one last time, “Yuko, I have a few words to tell you before I go. I have to go meet with a bunch of sticks in the mud about stuff they want and I won’t give them.”
Yuko turned to Bethany Anne.
“First, you can’t police the world. Don’t try. Whatever they do, let them do. Your responsibility is for the UnknownWorld. Akio has responsibility to take care of any Forsaken, you have responsibility to take care of those who would honor Michael’s Family, or me.”
Yuko nodded her understanding.
“So, be strategic, be smart. I know you already understand how to rely on Akio and the team. However, you are getting older, and wiser yourself. You have good intuition, remember to use it. Continue with your strength and your martial training, it will come in handy. So,” she nodded to Eve, “will she. We have two E.I. containers running her intelligence. She is damn near the closest A.I. we have.”
“Perhaps, one day, she will be a true A.I.,” ADAM added, “I’ve calculated the computing power, and it is within the realm of possibility.”
“Truly?” She asked, looking at Eve who returned her stare, “What would it take?”
“That, is something you will need to figure out,” Bethany Anne admitted. “ADAM has placed a huge amount of information in the E.I. for you to review on this subject. It could take multiple lifetimes to go through, and master, all of it.”
Yuko opened one arm and Eve walked over and leaned into her, hugging her gently, “Oh my…” Yuko squeezed the Android and smiled, “At least I can’t hurt you.”
“That is true,” Eve admitted, “Not much can.”
“Remember, Yuko,” Bethany Anne said, watching the two of them, “Be strategic with your moves, be smart and hide, rather than show yourself. Be the wind that is whispered in the leaves, a name, a phantom. Exist to bring order and protection, but try to stay hidden to the masses. Your primary objective is to be there for Michael when he arrives. When that happens, Eve can contact us. Be there for my people in the UnknownWorld. Use the technology we have provided to watch as much as you can. You can’t protect everyone. God knows I’ve tried and failed.”
Yuko nodded her understanding of her orders.
“Then, I’ve got to get back to the ArchAngel and change and get down to Earth. Are you sure you want to age?”
“For now, I need to. My parents would not understand if I do not age as they get older. I would not have them wonder.”
“I understand. We’ve enhanced you as much as we can until they are no longer with us, then. We have as much enhanced nanocytes as we can provide. Use it rather sparingly, ok?”
Yuko nodded.
“Alright, one last hug and then I’m afraid I can take you back to the Party, but Eve will have to take the Tram.”
“That’s Ok, I like the tram,” Eve said, “I’ll meet you at All Guns Blazing if that is ok with you, Yuko?” The little android stopped and waited for permission.
“Yes, that is fine.” Yuko answered, “Wait, how do we communicate?”
We communicate the same way you do with ADAM, Eve’s voice, now tilting towards a feminine sound echoed in Yuko’s ears.
Yuko stared at Eve, “Ok, this is so cool ADAM. I cannot thank you enough”
“It’s what Friend’s do for, we take care of each other.”
So ADAM, you going to admit to Yuko that Eve is a protection Android?”
>>I think there is only one way to answer that, Bethany Anne.<<
Oh? How is that.
>>Hell no.<<
Bethany Anne schooled her face, fearing she would snicker and give away that ADAM was telling her something.
“Ok, my Japanese Princess, time to get you back to the party, and me on my way to another boring meeting with stuffy old people.”
Yuko went to Bethany Anne and hugged her, “Bethany Anne, you have provided me with something I would never have had otherwise, and that is a true friend in ADAM, and an opportunity to help my country. We might be staying below the radar, but those who need to know we exist, well, we will find them my Queen.”
Bethany Anne hugged her back, “It’s time.”
The two of them disappeared.
Belgium
“Abdullah,” Paula said, as she sat in the small coffee store. He sat down, setting his coffee to the side. “Do you believe we are ready?”
“Yes, all is in place. Without you telling us, we would not know an event is occurring,” the man admitted, taking a sip of his coffee.
Paula looked around the small coffee shop, “They are trying to keep the meeting a secret. A last ditch effort to persuade TQB to listen to them and share their technology.”
“I hate their leader as much as anyone in the world,” Abdullah admitted, “However, in her position I wouldn’t share either. It doesn’t take much intelligence to agree there isn’t a government to be trusted.”
“Except yours?” Paula asked.
Abdullah shrugged, “I am a leader who enjoys the fight. The fight is here, yes?” He took another sip before setting his coffee down, “Perhaps when I was a little younger, full of what you call piss and vinegar, yes?” Paula nodded, “Well, in those times I believed more in the prophecies than perhaps I do now.”
“What is different now?” Paula asked, her voice, for once, seemed curious to Abdullah.
“Now it is about making sure my people have space, have opportunity. It is not only America who has had religious people trying to use their beliefs to run other’s lives. My people have dealt with it for centuries. Just look at how advanced we were a long time ago, and look at us now.”
Abdullah flicked his hand, the disgust on his face passing through like a bird flying across a yard,
“Now, most of our countries are held in the hands of those who would be the next Mohammad, or the next Caliph. If not that, then they are ruled by either Milita
ry Dictators who don’t sleep easy at night, keeping my people down under the threat of death, or Kings who do the same thing, but are more legitimate in the world’s eyes.”
Paula hated to admit it, but she was starting to respect this man.
“What do you hope to accomplish with these attacks?” Paula asked him, “You have to have what, two hundred fighters?”
Abdullah chuckled, “No, perhaps we were not as up front with you as we could have been. We have over five-hundred men for this operation. You have provided the perfect chance for us to ambush so many influential people. Not only TQB’s leader, who we want to hit. But, the ex-President of the US will be there, right?” Paula nodded, “Plus, maybe three other significant country representatives and over forty business and other dignitaries. It will be good to take down the ex-President. Perhaps, it will be a bigger benefit to us that he dies. Most of the people in the towns don’t know, or care, about Bethany Anne.”
Don't Cross This Line (The Kurtherian Gambit Book 14) Page 16
