And then there was silence. Cygnus turned to see the only conscious gunman holding one hand up and the other to his stomach. Twilight was standing over him with her pistol in her hand, just in case, but it did not look like he was going to be any trouble.
‘Check out what fell out of the crate,’ Twilight said, nodding toward a broken container on the floor beside the aircraft.
Cygnus walked over and picked up a plastic bag, turning it in her hand. ‘I hope this isn’t just flour.’
‘I’m thinking you don’t use military hardware to defend flour. Better call the cops.’
‘There was a phone in the office. You’ll be okay here?’
‘I don’t think he’s going to be any trouble.’
Cygnus headed for the back of the warehouse, glancing at the two box-carriers as she passed them huddled against a wall. She found the telephone and dialled, and then looked down. The bullets had done little to her, but they had put several holes in her suit.
‘June’s going to kill me,’ she grumbled.
~~~
June was actually quite sanguine about it. There had been a little tutting over the number of holes Cygnus had managed to put in the suit, but then she sat at her work table with the little gun-gadget, pinching and sealing, humming as she worked.
‘I was expecting more…’ Penny began and then realised she was not sure what she had been expecting. ‘Well, more emotion.’
‘Are there any holes in you?’ June asked.
‘A couple of bruises,’ Penny replied, peering into the mirror. ‘I hope this one under my eye goes before morning or I’ll have to tell people I walked into a door.’
‘I can cover that with make-up. After Miami, if you aren’t bleeding I’m not going to worry over it.’
‘Probably a good attitude to have. I suspect we might be hitting Ghostfire’s business where it hurts now. There are going to be more bullets.’
‘Come back in one piece and I’ll be happy. Mind you, perhaps you should invest in a spare costume…’
~~~
‘That shipment cost a quarter of a million dollars,’ Ghostfire said, his voice rising to levels which Kopf generally found uncomfortable. ‘First the lab and now this? They have inside information from somewhere.’
‘They have information from somewhere, I agree,’ Kopf replied.
‘I want everyone who knew the details of that shipment interrogated…’
‘Those who knew are either in prison, or passed our security checks before we let them in. At this point it is too early to speculate on their source, but it is unlikely to be within our group. Perhaps the Red Huntress has been doing more digging. The woman is good at uncovering information.’
‘Huh.’ Kopf had a way with Ghostfire; talking to him always calmed the man down. Almost always anyway. ‘I should have made sure I finished the job when I had the chance.’
‘Perhaps. I have arranged increased security at our other facilities. In a few days we can go back to a normal footing. You should have that talk with Heartbreaker as soon as possible.’
‘I’ll see her tomorrow.’
28th November.
Adrienne Philips looked around her apartment, frowning a little. Something was wrong. Nothing she could put a finger on…
She shook her head. It was a new apartment, and not really hers. It had been supplied for her job and she was not really used to it. She did not think she was going to get used to it either, assuming she did what they asked.
Something moved beside her. There was nothing there, but she felt it; a touch of air where there should be no breeze; a sensation of motion where there was nothing to move. A hand stroked over her cheek and she heard the voice.
‘The Professor tells me that you’re… having second thoughts about this one, my dear Heartbreaker.’
Of course, he had a key. She bit back on the reprimand she wanted to give for sneaking up on her. ‘I… This isn’t like the others. The others were gangsters, this is…’
‘I need this person eliminated,’ Ghostfire said, his voice soft. His fingers traced a pattern over the skin above the low neckline of her T-shirt. ‘You are perfect for the task and look at all the nice things we’ve bought for you to play your part.’
‘I won’t be able to keep them, though…’
‘I don’t see why not. Professor Blutadler says he’s close to finding a cure for you. With this little thing done, you’ll be able to lead a normal life.’ His hands lifted her shirt, his fingers slid over her stomach. ‘A normal life with anyone you wish.’ His lips brushed her throat and she moaned.
‘I…’ Adrienne’s voice faltered as his fingers brushed beneath her large breasts. Intimacy, the kind she never enjoyed normally, was her weakness. Ghostfire knew her secret and knew how to guard against it, and with him she could pretend… ‘I’ll do it,’ she groaned.
~~~
Cygnus and Twilight stood outside a building in Churchton, watching as women were escorted out toward a waiting bus which the NMCPD had brought out from somewhere. Most of the girls were wrapped in blankets, many were barefoot, and a lot were in clothing that provided little protection from the cool night.
‘I wasn’t expecting that,’ Cygnus said, her voice dull.
‘Well… brothel… not too unexpected, I guess.’ Twilight still sounded a little shocked.
‘Yeah, but…’
‘The slaves in the basement were more of a shock, I admit.’
Cygnus had had to kick the door in, thinking that perhaps they had found another drug lab. They had not been upstairs to see the half-clad women which would have made the building’s function more obvious. Instead of chemical equipment, they had found cots in rows down the walls of the room and distraught women who spoke little in the way of English.
After that, the guards on the upper level had taken more damage than usual as the two Ultras swept through to make the place ready for the police. There were a couple of ambulances alongside the bus, dealing with sword wounds and broken limbs. None of the cops seemed inclined to complain about excessive force, however.
Special Agent Bryant walked over from that direction. Her face was tight; suppressed rage under control, which was slipping. Cygnus watched her, wondering whether they would get a reprimand from the UID.
‘I commend your restraint,’ Bryant said when she was close enough to speak without being overheard. ‘I’d’ve shot them.’
‘They’re low-rank rent-a-thugs,’ Twilight replied. ‘They deserved what they got, but it’s the people in charge I want to hurt.’
‘You two’ve been busy. This is, what, the third big score in as many days?’
‘We’re following up on some information,’ Cygnus replied. ‘If a couple more leads pan out we’ll call and you can get the FBI in on it.’
‘That big?’
‘Not sure yet, and I need to be sure before we bring in the cops. It’s… complicated.’ Like, if they told the Feds how they had got the list of locations, Leighton and Thorpe would be implicated and Penny would likely be out of a job.
‘Well,’ Bryant said, ‘leave some for us to clean up. Good work tonight.’ She turned and headed off toward her car.
29th November.
Kopf checked the report he was reading, nodded, and picked up the telephone receiver, dialling from memory. He waited a few seconds for the line to connect and then spoke. ‘Heartbreaker, my dear, this is Blutadler. Everything is ready, we go tonight.’
‘All right, Professor,’ the voice on the other end replied. She still did not sound happy, but he could live with that.
Still… ‘I’ve made a breakthrough in your case. We can’t risk you coming here until the heat has died down, but I am cautiously hopeful.’
‘That’s great news, Professor. I’ll let you know when it’s done.’
‘You have the burn phone we provided?’
‘Yes, sir. I’ll toss it after using it.’
‘Good. I’ll see you soon, child.’
&n
bsp; Kopf hung up and nodded. By tomorrow, Cygnus was going to be too grief-stricken to worry about Ghostfire or anything else.
~~~
‘Out again tonight?’ June asked. She was stripped to the waist and trying to decide what bra to wear under a purple, translucent blouse.
‘Well you are?’ Penny replied as she put her costume into her bag.
‘I’m not planning to get shot at.’
‘True. Ask Red about getting some more of that plastic stuff for a second costume, would you?’
‘Sure. You won’t be joining us?’
Penny considered for a second, and then put her overskirt into the bag as well. ‘Maybe. Depends on how things go.’
~~~
Bobby looked up as a chime sounded, alerting him to something on the drive. He stepped out of the kitchen and looked up at the big, wall-mounted screen which was now showing the image from one of the security cameras.
There was a girl walking up the drive. Not tall, from the looks of it, but very… pneumatic. Large breasts for a small frame, wide hips, and a very narrow waist. The body was almost too attractive, as though nature was trying too hard when it had created her. On the other hand, she was not wearing a costume of any kind, just jeans and a handkerchief top. She was not even carrying a bag.
Shrugging, Bobby went through the lounge to the front door to see what she wanted.
‘Oh… Uh, hi…’ Close up, she looked a little nervous, but just as attractive. She had a cute sort of face, with full lips, and blue eyes, half-hidden under a long fringe from the mop of ash-blonde hair. She had a thing for tattoos, it seemed. There was a tribal band on her left bicep, stars peeked out over the top of her jeans, and there was something written on her right forearm.
‘Good evening,’ Bobby replied. ‘A little late for a walk, is it not?’
‘Uh, yeah… Well it was a drive, except that my car broke down about a mile down the road, my phone is in my bag, which is in my apartment… I don’t suppose I could use yours to call the auto club?’
Bobby looked her up and down. She was stunning, really beautiful, and Cygnus had been with Svetilo… ‘Of course you may,’ he said, stepping back to let her in. ‘Go straight through. There is a telephone in the lounge.’
‘Thanks,’ she said, walking past him. ‘I’m Adrienne, by the way.’
‘Bobby.’ He followed her at enough distance that he could watch her behind swinging. It was mildly hypnotic. ‘The phone is on a small table just to the left of the door.’
‘This place is amazing.’
‘Thank you. I did the basic design myself. I am not an architect, but it follows my plan well.’
‘I guess you’re kind of rich, living out here in North Beach.’ She stopped in the doorway, spotted the phone and reached for it, smiling.
He laughed. ‘Not as rich as some, but I am comfortable.’
She gave him a grin and then turned her attention to the phone as it was answered. ‘Hello, yes, my car’s broken down… Well, it just stopped. I’m sure the tank was full… Uh, hang on.’ She looked around at Bobby, holding her hand over the mouthpiece. ‘What’s that road called?’
‘Tree Lane.’
‘It’s Tree Lane, in North Beach… Yes, in New Millennium City… Okay… An hour? Well, if that’s the best you can do. Thanks.’
Bobby looked consoling. ‘An hour before they can pick you up?’ Adrienne nodded. ‘Then you must stay here until it is time to meet them. I was just pouring myself a drink…?’
‘Oh, you’ve been so kind already, I couldn’t…’
‘One small glass of wine will make the time go faster, and not impair your driving.’ He marched off toward the kitchen before she could say anything else.
She followed, leaning against the counter as he poured her a glass of white wine. He glanced over, wondering whether she knew she was curving her body the way she was: hips tilted back, chest pushed forward. No, he thought this one was innocent of the allure she exuded. Yes, she seemed old enough to drink, not that such regulations bothered him, but she had something of the Lolita about her.
‘Here you go,’ he said, handing her the glass.
She took it, sipped some wine, smiled, and licked her lips. Bobby’s pulse rate increased. As he rounded the counter she stepped closer, still smiling.
‘You’ve been so kind,’ she said, stretching up on the tips of her toes. ‘Thank you.’ Then she kissed him, just a touch at first, then deeper, her tongue sliding between his lips as her breasts pressed against his chest…
And something felt slightly wrong, but he found he no longer cared as his world became a haze of pleasure. He felt himself slipping to the ground and there was nothing he could do about it. He could see Adrienne’s pretty face, the smile no longer there. Why was she unhappy when he was so elated?
Adrienne backed away after lowering Bobby’s twitching body to the floor. The pleasure they felt was the only good thing about it. She had never met a man who could kiss her without succumbing; Ghostfire knew her lips were a no-go area. It took the intimacy out of the sex they had, but she still felt she could share more of herself with him than any other man.
Biting her lips, she looked down and saw the pleasure give way to pain. Bobby’s fists clenched and he curled into a ball, his face twisted in sudden agony. At least it did not last long. A second or two later he was lying still. There was a reason they called her Heartbreaker.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, and then she turned, running for the door because she did not want to be there any longer than she had to be.
~~~
‘You made it!’ June beamed at Cygnus as she strutted through the crowd at the Den. ‘What was it tonight?’
‘Another lab, but it was shut down when we got there. I guess he had nothing to process.’
‘You’re doing very well,’ Red said, smiling warmly. ‘I’ve been following your exploits on ACPN.’
‘Thanks,’ Cygnus replied. ‘Not all my own work…’ She looked around and then grinned. ‘Speaking of which, I managed to persuade a friend to join us tonight.’
Andrea appeared from between two couples, avoiding them with animal grace. She was wearing the dress she had bought for her last visit to Lena, more holes than fabric, and a pair of high-heeled pumps, and she was getting a fair bit of attention as she crossed to the bar.
‘Andrea,’ Red said. ‘It’s nice to see you again.’
‘Someone said that I should get out more,’ Andrea replied, glancing at Cygnus. ‘And she’s probably right.’
Red gave her a grin. ‘First drink is on me then. We’ll celebrate work well done.’
30th November.
‘You sleep through that?’ Andrea asked. She was in bed with Cygnus; she was also a little uncomfortable about that, but Red only had one spare room.
‘You should have heard it when it was those two and Svetilo.’
‘I could’ve gone home.’
‘Never drink and port. You said yourself you were feeling the alcohol.’
‘Yeah… It’s not like I have to get up early.’
‘Plans for tomorrow night?’
‘I’m going to see Lena. It’s the only way I can keep an eye on Tonaldo while we’re focussing on Ghostfire. You?’
‘I’ll be at Bobby’s place. Combat exercises and then wrestling.’
Andrea giggled. ‘Wrestling? That what you call it?’
‘I’ve learned some amazing moves from Bobby’s “wrestling” lessons.’
‘Sure you have,’ Andrea replied, grinning.
~~~
‘Bobby,’ Cygnus called out as she walked in through the door. There was no answer, which possibly meant he was in his room at the top, or in one of the rooms at the back. Maybe he planned to delay the combat practice for later.
Dropping her bag she lifted into the air, up through the hole in the ceiling and into the gym. No sign of him there. Grinning, she went higher, aiming for a second portal up into the bedroom above. There he had a huge,
king-sized bed which they used rarely, but with all that space the sex was always incredibly wild.
Except that he was not there either. ‘Okay,’ she muttered, ‘hot tub again, maybe.’ Turning she made an exercise of darting down two floors with as tight a set of turns as she could pull. Then she picked up her bag again to drop it in her room, and walked through into the lounge. She was halfway to the bedroom when she glanced toward the kitchen and stopped dead in her tracks.
‘No,’ she breathed. Her bag hit the floor as she ran around to where he was lying, curled into a tight ball with his hands clutching his chest. The look of pain on his face…
She checked his pulse and his skin was cold, and there was no sign of…
‘No,’ she said again before running for the phone.
~~~
‘Heart attack?’ one of the EMTs said.
‘Looks like it,’ the more senior one replied, ‘but we’ll leave that to the pathologist.’ She glanced at Cygnus, sitting on the couch with a blanket around her shoulders. Then she turned her gaze toward Dannon and Bryant who were talking to the ME. ‘We’re not needed here. Best we get out and leave that lot to work.’
They passed Red and June coming in as they went out. June rushed over to where Cygnus was sitting, arm going around her shoulders, offering companionship and a place to cry, but Cygnus had settled into a state of weird, silent calm. She thought she should cry, but the tears were not coming. She thought that, somewhere inside her, Penny was sobbing, but the emotion was not working its way out yet.
Red joined them a few minutes later after checking that June had Cygnus covered and talking to the UID agents.
‘They’re saying a heart attack,’ Red said. She got a nod from Cygnus. ‘They think he died last night. There was nothing you could have done.’ Another nod. ‘Dannon says we can take you home. You’re staying with me tonight. They may want to talk to you tomorrow.’
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