by Piper Stone
“How the hell did they find us?”
“From what I was told by the captain, they had a tip from an unknown source. Coupled with the heat sensors and they put two and two together.”
I remained furious. “Petrov is to blame. I know that.”
“Let’s not go back to that again.” He took another sip of his drink. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay with you tonight?”
“I’ll be fine. I just need some time alone to process everything.” I almost laughed. I was completely human and still had to process the information. “Too many pieces just don’t add up.”
“Just don’t do anything stupid.”
“I don’t have the energy.” I leaned my head against the glass.
He pressed his hand against my shoulder. “For what it’s worth, whoever killed Dr. Zicoff was extraordinarily strong. That’s what the reports said anyway.”
I knew he was insinuating that Rogue had killed the doctor as part of his programming. I couldn’t discount that possibility. “I know. Doesn’t matter any longer.”
“Well, I’ll leave you alone, but we should talk tomorrow. You know, get you back in the groove.”
“I meant what I said. I might take some time off.”
“Well earned.”
The tension was palpable.
“I do care about you, Noire.”
“And I appreciate that, Chris. I’ll be fine. Stop worrying about me.”
“Uh-huh. Talk in the morning and I mean it.”
I didn’t answer. What energy I had was zapped. When I heard the front door close, I slid to the floor, tears flowing easily. How had I fallen in love with a...
Machine?
* * *
Night had fallen across the city, twinkling stars and the full moon almost the only light in my room. I was grateful that the bastards who’d tossed my place hadn’t realized I had a storage unit in the basement. I’d hidden all my father’s records there, tossing a blanket over them and never imagining they’d become so useful. I’d lugged up three of them, the ones I’d remembered he’d identified as his most important projects. The information had been overwhelming as well as disheartening to a large degree. The technology had vastly improved during the last twenty years, and I suspected even more so, but there was significant concern about the mechanical host rejecting the human one. Sometimes vice versa.
I’d seen this first hand with Rogue and suspected both Dr. Petrov and Wells had kept this from Congress, but that was something I would never know for certain.
While I’d certainly learned a hell of a lot about why my father believed cyborgs to be so important, I hadn’t found any incriminating information that would put the nail in Petrov’s coffin.
Granted, my father’s work was somewhat outdated, but certainly worthy to a degree. My eyes ached from reading the comprehensive data and I was ready to call it a night, but I’d never stop searching. The person responsible for programming Rogue as well as destroying his cells slowly over time was going to receive my wrath to the full degree. And I knew in my gut it was Petrov. I even had a suspicion that the fact I was Hargrave Richardson’s daughter had something to do with why Rogue had been selected or perhaps targeted for being used in assassination attempts.
I remained on the floor, taking sip after sip of whiskey. Even the alcohol didn’t seem to have much of an effect on me. I was stone cold dead inside. Kicking the box, a group of papers that I’d placed on top floated to the floor. What looked like a picture caught my attention. Yanking it up with two fingers, I blinked in an effort to make out what I was seeing. My father was in the picture with what had to be Petrov and... Who the hell was the young girl?
Clamoring to my feet, I moved into the bathroom, turning on the light. The picture had been taken several years before but I knew exactly who stood with her arm wrapped around Alexander Petrov. “Oh, my God.” Every part of me shaking, I rushed into my bedroom, trying to remember where I’d left the com band. I needed to call this in. What I’d found would break the investigation wide open. Fuck. My mind was muddled, rage making spots appear in front of my eyes. How could I have not seen the resemblance? The little bitch had played us all, doing her father’s work.
The picture still in my hand, I raced into the hallway. My instinct kicked in immediately, hairs raising on the back of my neck. I had a visitor. “Sara.” I heard cackling laughter.
“Well, well, Noire. I knew we would see each other again. It’s such a shame that we can’t work together.” Sara’s tone was much darker and also with a slight Russian accent. She’d even played Rogue.
“Dr. Sara Petrov, I should say. Isn’t that right?” I could see an outline of a weapon in her hand.
“Very good, Officer Richardson. If we’re being so formal.”
“You were the one who programmed Rogue. Didn’t you?”
“Along with the help of my father, yes. Rogue was very special to us, that is until you came along. We had significant plans for him. He was going to help us create an entirely new set of cyborgs.”
There was raw anger in her voice. “I was just doing my job, Sara, just like you were.”
“Yes, my job. My father was a brilliant man and he had everything stripped from him for years by your father.”
“Revenge. This is all about seeking revenge for what my father did?” I could tell there was something even more personal going on with Sara.
“Your involvement was merely good fortune.”
I could see the outline of my weapon in my mind’s eye. There would be no way to get to it in time. “So, you used Rogue after you realized he had a connection with me.” I was able to smell not only her anger but also her fear.
“Rogue was my project. He was mine.”
“And Dr. Wells’ involvement?” At least I could find out answers.
Sara snorted. “A fool. He refused to maintain certain protocols on Rogue, allowing us to intervene. So easy.”
I held my breath, trying to make sense of everything. “Rogue never belonged to you or your father.”
“Yes, he did and you took him away from me!”
A slight unraveling. The revenge was two-fold. “You were in love with him.” I took careful steps closer, keeping my voice even. “Yet, he was nothing but a machine.”
“He was more human than you are, you bitch! He was special. Brilliant. Caring.”
“Yes, he was, but he was far too caring, learning about what having a conscience meant. You and your father were terrified when you realized his human brain wanted no part of the particular programming you intended.” I took two more steps.
Sara laughed. “Don’t come any closer, Officer. Don’t try to outsmart me. I have four doctorate degrees.”
Stopping short, I calculated the distance between us. “What was he programmed for, other than killing off those who opposed the project?”
“That’s all we cared about, at least initially. However, he was being tested for great things. You fucked it up. His love for you screwed up everything! He would have never escaped if you hadn’t come along.”
I remained quiet, studying the way her hands were shaking.
A deep hiss coming from her mouth, Sara removed one hand from the weapon, running it through her hair. “I will say this. When we found out who you were, we knew what we had to do. He was manipulated easily.”
“The inoculation had nothing to do with diseases. You lied to him, which is exactly why he left the facility. All he ever wanted was the truth.”
She was the one who remained quiet.
“I read about the serum you used in my father’s files. A simple and easy way to keep cyborgs under control if necessary without disturbing any of their cybernetics. Control the human side.” Her body was shaking even more. I knew I had maybe two minutes left before she’d aim and shoot.
“Oh, so intelligent. You came into his world and he became obsessed with you because of the serum. You were just a hot fuck.” Laughing, she teetered back and forth from
foot to foot.
“Well, he’s dead now,” I said, trying to keep the anger from my voice.
“And you killed him. You! He would still be here, the perfect man. He was amazing and caring and we had something special! You fucked it up.”
I took that opportunity to lunge in her direction, hitting her square in the chest. Rolling, she screamed out in fury as I scrambled to get the gun.
She yanked my legs, jerking me away before I could get my hands on it. “Fuck you, bitch! You. Will. Die!”
I managed to kick her in the kidney, and she tumbled back, only to power herself in my direction. As everything moved to slow motion, I could hear her screaming. Almost... Almost... My finger on the trigger and...
“No!”
* * *
One week later
“You don’t understand the meaning of taking it easy. Do you, Richardson?”
I lifted my head, trying to smile at the captain. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Uh-huh. You look like shit. I thought you were taking some time off.” He lifted a single eyebrow.
“You know our girl, Cap’n,” Chris piped in.
“Very funny,” I retorted. “Just wanted to finish some paperwork. That’s all. Trust me, I put in for a permit to get the hell out of the city for a while. I might actually visit a beach.” I knew exactly where I wanted to go in order to find some healing peace.
If I ever could.
“Right. Somehow I can’t see that happening.” Chris grinned. “She thinks she’s a failure, Cap’n.”
“That’s what I thought. Look, you did real good, Richardson. With the information you provided and with Petrov’s arrest, Dr. Wells is back at work. Three Congress members are under indictment and the cyborg project is on hold for now while they reevaluate the process. That’s all they’re going to tell us, so don’t go looking, Richardson.” The captain shook his head. “Maybe your jobs will get easier.”
“Uh-huh. There are still hundreds of reprobates out there,” I said almost casually. What they didn’t know was that I had thoughts about securing another profession. I just couldn’t stomach the thought of killing them any longer.
“Yeah, I hear you. They’ve been awfully quiet lately. Makes me nervous. Well, get out of here after you’ve filled out the paperwork and that’s an order you’re going to take.” The captain actually smiled before walking away. Maybe I was no longer on the shit list.
“For the love of a cyborg. Sounds like a piece of fiction,” Chris teased.
Glaring at him, I shoved the paperwork aside. “Maybe I will finish this later.” I’d no sooner risen from my chair when the captain came flying back in the room. “Not again.”
“We have another one on the loose,” he said, an odd look on his face.
“What? Where?” Chris hissed.
“At the cybernetic facility. The rogue unit has disappeared, and they have no idea where to find him,” the captain answered, pushing Chris back when he reached for his keys. “I think Officer Richardson needs to handle this one on her own.”
“What are you talking about?” A cold shiver trickled down my spine. I searched the captain’s eyes and knew exactly where he’d gone. Everything around me seemed to shut down, his voice falling into a vacuum. “I...”
“Go,” the captain instructed. “And take all the time you need.”
Nodding, I raced out of the room, tearing through the entrance. There wasn’t anything or anyone that would keep me from this. Tears continued to slip down my face as I drove, barely avoiding two accidents on the way. When I pulled down my street, I glanced up at my apartment unit. A warm glow shown through the windows, a dazzling beacon of light.
I hadn’t left one on.
Was there any chance?
The man I adored.
The man who’d unlocked my hidden desires.
The man who’d become my master.
Then I noticed a figure standing on my balcony.
“Rogue...”
* * *
Rogue
The light breeze whipped across my skin, creating tingles skittering deep into my stomach. I gripped the railing, enjoying the way the metal bit into my skin given the severe hold. I’d never felt so alive in my existence. Inhaling, I could almost detect her scent and my heart raced. I heard her footsteps as they entered the apartment and everything I thought I knew or had wanted was swept away.
I only needed the woman I loved.
The thought more of a revelation, I waited as long as I could before turning to face her.
“Rogue. How? You were...” Tears slipped down both sides of her beautiful face. She was even more stunning than I remembered, the only thing that I could recollect in this new life.
“Noire.”
She was still my life.
She was my everything.
She was the reason I was still breathing.
Rushing toward me, she gripped both sides of my face, pulling my head down until she captured my mouth. The taste of her was even sweeter and a rush of life flowed deep within, igniting a storm that would never be extinguished. I thrust my tongue inside as I wrapped my arms around her, yanking her against my chest. The kiss became a wild flash of passion and there was nothing I wanted more than to strip her naked, consuming every inch of her luscious body.
Lifting her onto her toes, I cupped her ass, kneading her bottom. My cock was throbbing, a reminder of every minute I’d spent with her. I held her close, more cognizant of my beating heart than ever before. I could also detect her scent of desire, strong and rippling with her feminine wiles.
I would take her, claim her.
Consume every sweet inch.
Noire pushed back, breaking the kiss and lifting her chin. “How are you alive? You died in my arms. The weapons destroyed your entire system.”
“You forget what I’m made of, my sweet Noire. Dr. Wells put me back together. He sent me to you.”
“And you remember everything?” she asked anxiously.
“Almost. All the diseased programming was stripped away.”
“Everything?” She pushed hard against me. “Then how do you remember me?”
Rubbing my thumb across her cheek, I struggled to find the right words. “There are some things that no man or machine can take away, including love. You healed the man inside. The machine was able to keep me alive until the doctor restructured my cybernetics.”
“I can’t believe this. I...” Her face shimmered in the darkness, creating the kind of need that simply would not be denied. “Are you free? Did you escape?” She rubbed her hand down my chest, clutching my shirt. “Do we need to run away?”
“There is no more need to hide. I am a free... machine.”
“Man. You are more human than anyone I’ve ever known.” Noire’s eyes twinkled. “What am I going to do with you now?”
“That’s not the question,” I said in an authoritative voice. “It’s what I’m going to command you to do.”
“What did Dr. Wells teach you?”
“You’ll soon find out. No more talking.” Taking her into my arms, I stormed inside and into the kitchen, slowly lowering her to her feet. There was no discussion as I yanked the shirt over my head, tossing it onto the floor. Reaching for her, there was no hesitation as I peeled away her clothes, exposing every inch of her hourglass figure. I wanted this woman as I never had before.
Nothing would stop me from feasting on her pussy, licking every drop of her sweet cream.
A wicked smile curling on her face, she fumbled to unfasten my pants, dropping to the floor as she tugged off my boots, ridding me of the tight confines. She wrapped one hand around my already swollen balls, the fingers of her other hand dancing down the length of my throbbing shaft. I let out an insatiable roar when she squeezed my testicles. It was as if I’d never experienced the joys of ravaging sex.
Blowing across my cock, she licked in aimless circles, rolling my tender sac in her fingers. My body shook as she pumped the base of my s
haft, twisting her hand until the friction shifted stars in front of my eyes. I was so drawn to her, the woman who’d been the single reason I’d fought to stay alive. “Suck me, sweet Noire.”
Purring, she licked down the underside of my shaft until her lips reached my balls. Her tongue darted around them in slow and easy circles. Even the wetness of her mouth drove me nearly insane, my blood pressure rising. I would have little control tonight. She sucked on first one then the other, a moan slipping past her pursed lips.
As she slathered my cock with wet kisses, her tongue swirling, I placed both hands on her head, intertwining my fingers in her silky strands. Closing my eyes, I allowed her to play, her hot mouth engulfing my cockhead, using her strong jaw muscles to take it down an inch at a time.
“Fuck!” My legs were tense and I was unable to stop my own insatiable needs, thrusting the entire length of my cock deep inside, the tip hitting the back of her throat. There was no night and day, no sense of time whatsoever as I face-fucked her, plunging in and out in a brutal manner.
Noire took every inch, relinquishing control and caressing my inner thighs. Flashes of the times before whipped through my mind, but this was so much better.
Now, she belonged to me utterly and completely.
Her mouth was intensely hot, taking every inch of me. My testicles were so swollen, full of cum. I rolled onto the balls of my feet and jutted my hips, every nerve standing on end. I knew I wouldn’t last long, and I wanted nothing more than to fulfill her every fantasy. “Now, it’s your turn.” I took two steps away, feeling an instant loss when my cock fell from her mouth. Raking my arm over the small island, I didn’t care what had been on the surface. There was nothing as important as licking her sweet cream.
“You’re so... aggressive in your newfound freedom. I like it,” she panted, moving onto all fours and crawling toward me in a seductive manner.
“Have you been a bad girl while I’ve been gone?”
“Never.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” I was free. Free to indulge and enjoy, pretending I was entirely human.
But one day, there would be hell to pay.
For now? I was exactly where I needed to be.
“As a matter of fact, I think you need a clear reminder about who’s in charge and will be for the rest of your life.” Narrowing my eyes, I placed my index finger under her chin, guiding her onto her feet.
