Incubus Inc. 3

by Randi Darren

  Wow.

  Irma went all out with this one. Maybe I won’t have to do much after all to sell this!

  “Fuck you! Fuck both of you, Zeus and Skipper! You can fuck each other!” Sam said, making sure to not engage his microphone.

  Sprinting back to the vehicle, he clambered in quickly and yanked the door shut. They peeled out and got rolling as soon as everyone was back in their vehicles. Moving quickly away from the ruins.

  A glance out the window assured Sam that Abigail was right where he wanted her to be. At the back of the convoy but following along. It looked as if she’d moved her energy shield to the back of the mech and was merely following them now.

  “Seriously. What the fuck?” asked Sam, yanking his headset and helmet off. “Really, Skipper? You nasty cunt. You were that willing to prevent us getting to the Hub that you blew it the fuck up? You and your little bitch-ass cuck of a boss, Zeus!?”

  Once again, Sam felt the heavy, overbearing pressure of something looking down at him. It pushed down on his very soul and felt like it might just poke it right out of his body.

  He’d been right in assuming that not only had it never left, but it was very unhappy with him.

  “I knew it!” Sam yelled and threw out a protective dome of Essence around himself and the over vehicles. One that was strong enough to actually push the crushing weight of Zeus’ displeasure back. “You did do this, Skipper! Really? You couldn’t handle us getting to the Hub first, Skipper?

  “Does your boss fear Runner and Ryker that much that he can’t even stomach the idea of us possibly getting to the Hub first? I knew you’d tell him as soon as you found out!”

  There was confusion coming back through the presence that Sam assumed was Zeus. Confusion and concern. It was very angry at Sam, but was clearly unsure of what he was saying.

  Then it was gone in a flash. Retreating off into nothing and becoming little better than a fading feeling.

  One of anger and desire to understand. That perhaps it’d been betrayed.

  Perfect.

  Hopefully, Zeus thinks Skipper did that and takes it out on her. Skipper won’t know what the hell is going on at all and will end up looking suspicious.

  She gets flustered when she doesn’t know what’s going on.

  We just have to act like this really was the Hub and never change that story.

  No guarantee it’ll work but… better than doing nothing.

  Sam leaned his head back against the seat and turned his head to look at Caer.

  She was staring out the window as they drove back the way they’d come. She was holding her weapon like she expected to be ambushed again at any second.

  Ah, yes. Need to look the part.

  Sam put his helmet back on and made ready.

  I suppose… that’s it for now. Now we hunker down, protect and guard the Hub, and wait.

  Wait for Runner and Ryker and hope.

  Epilogue

  Sam chuckled at the sight of Anna. The baby of a friend of the family, a Succubus named Amy, Anna was a very pretty little girl.

  Right now, she was trying to get her tiny hands on his son, Alex. Her small arms wobbled back and forth as she did so. She was completely hunched forward and looked like a less-than sign.

  Carla, Valeria, and Nannie also seemed very interested in the pair, but were content just to sit where they were. All five children sat in diapers in a small circle.

  It’d been nearly nine months since they’d faked the destruction of the Hub and everything had been going in the right direction. Skipper and Zeus were incredibly quiet at the moment and keeping to themselves.

  To the point that Eugenia had more or less free reign of the battlefield and was making inroads. Taking up positions that had long since been vacated and forgotten.

  Even going so far as to briefly retake the High Heavens.

  It lasted long enough to clear the dead, and recover weapons, heraldry, and a great many other treasures.

  All before a single crazed woman chased them out by herself. Wielding magic that seemed to split reality as if it were little more than an egg.

  “See?” Mitch said, sitting behind Anna and Alex. Right now his brown hair had grown a bit long, but nothing too out of style. Sam still wasn’t sure what he was since his outward appearance was still that of a Human. Looking up, he grinned at Sam, his clear gray eyes completely into the situation. “Anna just wants to be near Alex at all times. So it’s easier just to put her with him.”

  The boy picked up Anna and sat her right next to Alex. Nearly side by side with the boy.

  Anna looked up to Mitch, gave him a big toothless grin and then grabbed Alex with both hands. Leaning against him.

  “Carla, Valeria, and Nannie get the same way with Alex if you put them next to him. But they’re also generally content just to be by themselves,” Mitch said and then moved over to the three little girls. Getting behind them, he started to pick up the toys and try to play with them. “It’s honestly sort of interesting, Uncle Sam.”

  “Well. Thank you for babysitting them as often as you do,” Sam said with a shake of his head.

  Miles was having some trouble getting Mitch situated in a new life. He was spending more time here with Sam and the rest than anywhere else.

  It didn’t seem to be causing him any problems though.

  If anything, he was learning very quickly from everyone around. Most especially Decima, Stacia, and Tiffany. Those three doted on the boy and were quite insistent about him learning.

  “Of course, I don’t mind. I’ve been bringing in a few of the other babies as well,” Mitch said, then scooped up Carla. Holding her to his side, he smiled at the cute baby and then ran a finger over her brow. “Isn’t that right, Carla? You like being with the others, too.”

  “Others?” Sam asked.

  “Mm. They’re all friends of Amy,” Mitch explained. “They’re staying in that apartment building you don’t use. They pay rent to Irma in return for guarding it.

  “So they like to bring their kids here for daycare and I’ve been taking care of it. It’s kinda fun.”

  Carla gave Mitch a bashful smile and then looked back to Alex.

  Mitch just grinned then put Carla down right between Valeria and Nannie. So close that the three of them were all touching now.

  “Thankfully, they all play well together. Though Inara acts a bit odd at times,” Mitch said with a shake of his head. “She will actually try to crawl away as fast as possible and hide. I’ve literally found her under beds, behind wardrobes, and even under a blanket once.

  “But only in whatever room where Alex is. It’s like she can’t stand to be seen near him, but always hides close by. I just find Alex, then start looking for her. Like she’s his personal shadow or something.”

  Sam nodded his head as if he understood.

  Which he didn’t.

  “Well, thanks again, Mitch. I appreciate it. I’m going to go see your Aunt Irma,” said Sam, getting up to a standing position.

  “Of course. It’s not a problem. Not else much to do during the day while everyone works, so it’s enjoyable for me,” said Mitch, grinning up at him. “See ya, Uncle Sam.”

  Walking past, Sam took a moment to look at each of the children. He had grown rather fond of them and they could be quite amusing.

  Especially in the middle of the night.

  There had been a number of times when he’d found himself just going into the nursery to find several wide-eyed babies all watching him. As if they were bored and waiting for something to happen.

  Often, he’d pull them out of their cribs and just sit with them, talking about his troubles and worries.

  He knew they couldn’t understand him, but he often felt like they listened to him intently. Watching him with non-judgemental eyes.

  “Until next time, Mitch,” Sam said, leaving the room.

  Exiting the converted apartment that was apparently Mitch’s daycare, Sam closed the door and was now in an apa
rtment hallway. This floor was primarily childcare, medical station, pharmacy, and now Mitch’s daycare.

  He’ll be a good father later.

  Sam opened a portal right there and stepped through, appearing in Irma’s office with little more than the soft pad of his shoes on the carpeted floor.

  Irma was in the middle of typing something on her personal computer. Her fingers flew across the keyboard.

  She didn’t look up from her work, though she’d probably noticed the portal. It was hard to miss it when it opened.

  “Hello, dear. How goes?” she asked, her fingers continuing to roll and tap across the keys.

  “Same as ever. Was just hanging out with Mitch for a bit while he took care of the little ones,” Sam said and closed the portal. “How’re you? Anything of interest?”

  “I’m fine. It’s the same really, not a lot going on,” she said and then finally paused in her typing. Swiveling her chair around, she faced him directly. “Honestly, ever since Skipper destroyed the entrance to the Hub, we’ve not heard much from her or her allies.

  “Oh, and Erv wants you to drop by and see her if possible. She’s finally finishing up with the reorganization for everything that had rolled up to her previously. More’s the pity that she couldn’t find anywhere to start in on the other side of Skipper’s old empire.”

  Sam shrugged to that. It was a pity, but it also didn’t matter.

  They’d sucker punched Skipper, stolen everything they could from her, and put her in the crosshairs of her own boss. Sam had accomplished everything he’d wanted to and then some. There wasn’t much more for him to do until the Originator reappeared.

  “I know you don’t care, I just want more power,” Irma said with a delighted laugh and then leaned back in her chair. “I really do enjoy being… well… I was going to say empress but then I realized how conceited that is. True or not.”

  “I mean, given everything that you own and control now, you’re creating your own little empire now. Are you not? So empress fits,” argued Sam.

  “Yes and no. We make good money. Very good money. But we’re not a billion-dollar business or anything like that,” Irma said and then sighed. “The harder problem anymore is how much of it is dirty money. We’re still raking it in from our contracts and going after ‘bad guys’ as Jes would say.

  “It’s just getting a bit harder to spread all that money around and get it back without freaking out the IRS. The last thing we need is them auditing us.”

  “Could we convert the dirty money into goods and then go trade it on another plane for gold or silver?” Sam asked. He’d never really gotten involved in the money talks because it wasn’t his area of expertise.

  “I… yes. We could,” she said with a nod of her head. “It’s just a little dangerous. I’ll look into it though. It’s certainly better than trying to launder as much cash as we keep pulling in.”

  She didn’t really finish explaining why it was dangerous, but Sam knew.

  Many of the smaller planes were very dangerous for casual travel now. The moment you entered another plane by portal, it was prone to break out into a lot of planar warp fields.

  Where literal chunks of the plane would be torn out, spat out into the Void, and become little better than debris. Opening and closing portals to the smaller planes caused this to happen frequently.

  Most of the larger planes were more stable but also had dangers of their own. Quite a few of them were still under the control of the forces of Zeus. They didn’t tolerate Inc-Suc in the least.

  “But… yeah, nothing going on really. Everything is finally quiet. Things are finally… finally settling down across the board,” Irma said with a wide smile. “We’re just… basking in our success now. Across all fronts.

  “It’s rather nice to just sit and enjoy it. I’ve even gotten a taste for capital investing. There’s a company that’s starting to make a few waves and I’ve begun putting money into it.”

  “Oh?” Sam said, leaning up against the door frame. “Share your business secrets with me? I’d be more than willing to barter myself for it.

  “I think I’m rather expensive, though, so I hope your secrets are good.”

  Irma laughed at that and shook her head, smiling at him.

  “I love you, Sameerixis, you strange and adorable man,” she murmured, then shrugged her shoulders. “It’s called Campbell and Campbell. I think they’re two sisters, but they’re moving the needle, so to speak.

  “I haven’t spoken with them face to face, but I’ve talked to them over the phone and by email. I liked what they had to say so I started investing in them through other companies. Nothing that leads back to us.

  “They won’t even know it themselves. No reason to get caught up in their world and vice versa.”

  “Mm, curious,” Sam said, then slowly let his eyes climb up to the ceiling.

  “I’m going to get lunch in a bit, wanna go with me?” Irma asked, turning back to her computer. “I just need to finish this up.”

  “Sure, that’d be dandy,” said Sam.

  In the end, everything had come down to him and his choice to not reset the world. Sam had been the one to make the final choice for every single being. Whether they knew it or not.

  To let the universe continue as a massive trap for the Silent One.

  With him and everyone he loved being the bait for it.

  I hope you can save us, Ryker. Mr. Architect.

  Because if you can’t, we’re all doomed.

  “By the way, we got a hint about the darker side of Skipper’s old organization,” Irma said casually. “A lot of Boogiemen. Whole lot of them. Almost the entire race of them, in fact.

  “They called themselves ‘The Council’. Talk about being unoriginal and pretentious. Haven’t found anything else out about them yet. They’re keeping their heads down in a considerable way. I doubt it’s the last we’ve seen of them, though.”

  Sam could only agree.

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