Chapter Three- Contact

The coffee burned a warm path through her body. She was sitting on the deck of the Inn, the warm sun enveloping her. The Patron was slowly leaving her system. She was becoming too dependent upon it, that she knew. But it was like an old friend.

Sometimes she wondered if it was her only friend.

It was time to move on. She knew that, some inner voice was screaming it at her. Eventually she would have to go back and Face the Commander. But it was going to be on her terms.

Her way, and when she did face him again, she fully planned to kill him. It might mean her own life, more than likely she would never make it off the Base. But at this point she didn't care.

It was time that raving bastard paid for his sins against her.

She was who she was, and nothing would ever change that. She had visions of doing to him what he had forced her to do to that Joe. Except this time she wouldn't falter.

She wouldn't aim slightly to the right in an attempt to interfere with the kill shot.

This time her aim would be true, and she would blow the Son Of A Bitch's brains out!

The thought made her smile as she sipped her coffee. She reached on the little wrought iron table in front of her for the map.

Hmmm….. Where to go next?

California was sounding better and better. She loved the coastline in Santa Barbara; maybe a condo on the beach was in order.

A tingling sensation crept up her spine.

She was being watched, and they were behind her!

Reaching slowly up her leg under the flowing skirt she wore, she gripped the handle on the .45 on her thigh holster.

A large, well-manicured hand slid onto hers, preventing her from withdrawing the weapon.

"Now, dear Baroness, that won't be necessary." A soft voice told her.

Tomax!

Her mind whirred with possibilities, and a part of her stiffened, wondering, if her was here to kill her.

He gracefully came from behind her, never moving his hand, until he was facing her. Using his left foot, he neatly pulled the other chair at the tiny table forward. He sat down in front of her. Smiling softly.

"If I move my hand, you are not going to shoot me, now are you?' he asked, his face not losing that smile. So sensual, but so deadly.

She looked at him and arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow at him.

"I don't know Tomax; you will just have to trust me." She said softly.

He laughed at her and removed his hand. She wasn't fooled for a minute. He was armed to the teeth, she was sure. Dressed as he usually was in Armani.

He smelled good to.

"You have led me on a merry chase Ana." He said, more of a statement. Reaching over, he helped himself to one of the scones on her plate. The Baroness looked at him, her mind whirring with possible escape routes. Why was he here?

"What do you want Tomax?" she asked him softly.

Better to get to the point, instead of beating around the bush. She had always favored the direct approach.

"Let's just say a mutual friend sent me here to warn you." He said as he slowly liked his scone encrusted fingers.

The baroness reclined back slightly in her chair and regarded him through narrowed eyes.

"Really, and dose our friend have a name?"

He smiled again.

She tapped her foot, waiting for him to answer.

"Destro, it seems, is extremely worried for your safety, ever since our beloved Cobra Commander put out a two million dollar bounty on your beautiful head."

Her eyes widened.

"Two million?"

Ana laughed bitterly.

Tomax looked at her seriously, all signs of amusement wiped from his face.

"It's no laughing matter; he has every bounty hunter at his disposal looking for you. Zartan is not far behind me in finding you. This is serious."

Ana shivered. Zartan was a raving lunatic these days, and had never liked her. She hated him, he was disgusting.

And he had that whore Zarana as a sister.

Zartan was known to have a sadistic sexual appetite. It was rumored he loved to rape his captives, and then slit their throats while he was still joined with their bodies.

A rumor Ana never wanted to find out was true!

"How do I know you yourself are not looking to collect the bounty Tomax?" she spat bitterly.

He seemed slightly taken aback by the comment.

"Ana, I do not make a habit of killing women, especially ones I have known intimately" he said, a hurtful tone to his voice

She looked into his eyes and realized she had already known that to be true. While just as deadly as his brother Xamot. He wasn't maniacal like his twin. Tomax loved women, and was actually a kind, considerate lover. They had a brief affair several years ago during one of her and Destro's "breaks".

It had been after he had comforted her in the Rattler. And while not emotionally attached, they had carried on a fond regard for each other.

"Sorry, I am a little edgy, as you can imagine."

He raised his eyebrows at her. She didn't usually apologize to anyone.

"How long have you known where I was?" she asked him as she took another sip of her now cold coffee. Grimacing in distaste she sat it aside.

"A few days. I must compliment you, not many people would have been able to follow your trail. You are very thorough."

Ana looked into his deep blue eyes, "So what now?" You have warned me. Isn't it time for you to be gone?"

Tomax dipped his head to the side and she had the insane urge to run her fingers through his soft black hair.

She mentally slapped herself.

"Actually, I am here to spirit you away to safety."

She looked at him as if he had grown another head.

"Where are you supposed to spirit me away to?" she asked, a note of sarcasm in her voice.

Tomax smiled. O, she was going to love this. He leaned forward to grab the hand he knew was about to strike out at him.

"To Scotland."

He caught it neatly as it descended towards him.

"Like hell." The baroness snarled, rising up out of her chair.

Tomax kept ahold of her hand and pulled her gently to him, holding her with his free arm, he let go of her hand and brought it up to caress her face.

"If you stay here, Ana, that's exactly where you will be."

God, she needed her Patron.

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Ok, so I ended this chapter a little prematurely. But I promise to make it up in the next one. I have had horrible writer's block, as I have meshed over the direction to take this story in. Please read and review.