Sorry for taking so long to update this story. I have been busy with work and other things. I have finally been able to take time out to finish up this chapter. So for all of you who wanted me to do an update… Well I have done it. Hopefully next time the update won't take as long. (like over twelve months)
Be warned that this chapter does contain mature imagery not suitable for minors. This chapter is rated "M" for Mature Images and themes.
Now on with the story.
Chapter 6: Gambo connections and the Marrow
Shadow was sitting across from Amber as Valerie Shookcar came into the TC Clinic. Amber looked like shit.
"Shadow... we need to talk." Was all Valerie said as Shadow got up and moved across the medical bay until they got to the office and Val closed the door behind him.
"What is it Val?" Shadow said as Valerie moved to the computer display on the office wall.
"Shadow... It's about Amber's blood." Val said as she tapped the touch sensitive film on the screen to call up a chart of the blood gas analysis of the various chemicals, DNA, proteins and viruses that existed in the universe of a single drop of blood. What he noticed or didn't notice caught his immediate attention. "She doesn't have any of the normal endorphin levels in her body."
"Yes... but it is this that I wanted to look at." With that, Valerie brought up another chart. "Amber's body is not suffering from endorphin loss... she is in the mother of all withdrawals and given how she attacked Rain... her body is sucking the proteins and enzymes out of her body to keeps itself together." Valerie said as she looked at the strapped down T-Blood female. "Shadow... Whatever Marrow had her on wasn't the same blood drug that Rain and the rest of the T-Bloods were on." Valerie said as Shadow looked back at the chart.
"Yeah... and whatever it is, it makes what Rain and the others went through look like it was a mild case of the sniffles." Shadow said as he pondered on what to do next.
Rain was scratching on the bandage on her leg as she sat in the waiting area. She was scared... more scared than the time she learned the truth about the meaning of the barcode on the back of he neck. Was what was happening to Amber going to be in her future? Would she become a crazed blood-sucking addict that would grab innocent people off the street and start to rip into their flesh to get her next fix of blood? Rain reached and wrapped the edges of her leather jacket and pulled it tighter as she shook off the cold of the outside Seattle weather. The more she thought about her parents... her Mom and Dad... She had family... Now she wished she had stayed with them as she closed her eyes so that they could stay warm.
"A penny for your thoughts..." a voice said as Rain had to open her eyes to see who it was. Looking up she saw Melfina.
"Hey Mel... what's up?" Rain said as she kept her hands close to her as her shirt and jacket had found the warm section under her breasts.
"Nothing much... I heard about what happened to you." Mel said as she handed her friend a hot cup of Tapioca flavored Chi.
"So you know about the... 'I van ta suck your vlood' thing that went down with Amber." Rain said as she rotated the hot cup in her hands.
"Some... Mostly that she attempted to bite you." Mel said worried. "Did you... Did you know what set her off?" Melfina said as she looked into her Human-Transgenic Hybrid friend.
"I don't know... one moment we are talking about how her first day of work went... then." Rain changed her tone considerably, "I become the humanoid equivalent of a mega chug slurpy." Rain said as she started to scratch at the bandage on her shoulder.
"Well... Do you want a shoulder to lean on?" Melfina said as she sat down by her friend.
"Yeah... But are you afraid of me deciding to go all Gurr on you." Rain said worried.
"Rain... I am part eel, you bite and you will be knocked out cold with one shot." Mel said concerned. "Rain... your my friend... you saw me when I was in heat... if this gets worse... Well find a cure or a way to help you deal with it." Melfina said as she leaded against Rain.
"Mel I am so scared..." Rain said tearfully.
"It's going to be okay Rain... Okay." Melfina said as she rested her head against Rain's. "It's going to be okay."
Over the centuries, any society will develop shifts in its ideology. No matter if it religion or politics, a change will occur. Now three members of a faction of the Familiar species were meeting in a deserted factory. They were scared...
"Sir... Given how the Conclave has been behaving the Familiar people... US. We are in deep shit." A woman in her thirties said, as she looked at the other two in front of her.
"Yes. Given that if the Conclave continues its activities... The Transgenics will given their skill will come after us all..." The Man in his thirties said, as he looked at the two o f them.
"No Shit Sherlock..." The woman said looking at the documents that she had on he handheld computer. "... I have the feeling that if the Conclave continues being fucked will be the last of your problems... I mean Four-five Freaking Two beat the shit out of two teams of Phallic warriors... TWICE..." The woman said as she scrolled through the images to one of her sister and the small girl in her arms. "My sister is so afraid of the Transgenics coming an killing her child... She..." The woman got choked up... "She tattooed a barcode on the back of her child's neck hoping that if the Transgenics ever find her... she prays that they will let her live to have daughters f her own." The other members of the Familiar's group looked at her with shock and understanding.
"I have heard rumors as well about other Familiar parents doing the same thing to their children... My own daughter stood in front of two mirrors so that she could trace a barcode on her neck... I thought that she was scared... or was being rebellious..." The man said as the feeling of dread started to set in. That was when an aid cam in and tapped him on the arm.
"Sir ... I got this off of the comm. net." With that the young female aid in her simple blue dress and long brown hair made her look like she would be suited to being an student in college or a dancer rather than a secretary. When she handed him the message... he went white as a sheet.
"What is it?" One of the group spoke up. The blood was still draining.
"It's bad..." Another said...
"The Conclave just attacked a Transgenic program in South Africa..." the man said, as he just stood there numb...
"We have to make contact with Four-Five-Two... Tell her that..." the Woman was halted by a hand being raised...
"Tell her that the Freeborns exist... that our Familiar brethren must be stopped for the sake of all." The eldest said as the aid put her hand on her belly...
"Sir... I just learned I was with child... I don't want... I don't want to lose..." Everyone in the room understood.
"Make the plans ready... Put a team together of who you think can handle the job and possibility pass for Transgenic X-series or otherwise." The man said as he moved over and hugged his aid to let her know things were going to be okay. It was the Human thing to do as she started to cry on his dress shirt leaving a trial on number seven mascara on it.
Max was sitting by the medical bed that had Amber laying on it. She looked so fragile... Max attempted to sort through her actions as leader, but had none... Amber for better terms was a Civilian. Max almost laughed at herself when she thought that, but it was the truth. Amber had none of the Manticore training... none of the pain or emotional trauma of being raised in that hell. But Amber was a Transgenic none the less due to her mother being paid to be a surrogate to carry X-series or maybe Nomailies.
"Rain..." Amber said in her semiconscious state... "Did... Did I..." Amber attempted to move but was held down by the straps on her bed.
"It's okay Amber... you're going to be okay..." Max said as she stroked the girl's hand. It felt clammy from the sweat.
"Rain... I need water..." the girl said as she licked her lips... Her body was craving fluids. Max moved over to pick up a pitcher of water that had been treated with salt and electrolytes and poured it into a paper cup before turning and propping up Amber's shortcut blond head so that she could sip the salty yellow colored water. The water started to go slowly as Amber's top lip started to bind at the top of the cup so that the fluid could drip into her mouth.
"Easy there... you're body is still lacking fluids." Max said as the girl focused on the water going into her mouth...
"My mouth feels like the inside of a bike tire." Amber said as she squinted to see Max.
"Rain..." the girl said as her vision started to get clearer, then she saw Max. "... Max?" Then Amber started to get up, "What are you doing here? I had the strangest dream that..." That was when Amber was stopped by the strap across her chest. That was when she got scared and started to pant like mad.
"Amber..." Max said as she put her hand on Amber's chest... "You attacked Rain while she was in the shower..." Max said as she could see in Amber's eyes the flashes of memory that were coming back towards her... Hunger... Wanting the taste of blood on her lips and in her mouth. She could feel the softness of Rain's wet soapy naked shoulder. Then she remember being on the floor with Rain... biting at her friend's... Amber got scared...
"Did... did I..." Amber was scared as she bit the bottom of her lip. Hoping to whatever deity was out there that had pity for Transgenics or the genetically altered.
"Noo... you didn't kill Rain, but she did kick you in the head before you let go of her leg." Max said as Amber relaxed some but was still scared. "Amber..." Max said as Amber turned her head away from Max. "Shadow and Dr. Shookcar did some blood work ups on you... your attack on Rain was..." Max tried to put this to the young T-Blood as gently as she could. "Amber... Whatever Marrow did you... you had a relapse... and you."
"I went for blood... I wanted to taste blood... I wanted to feel alive... I could feel the salty-coppery taste in my mouth..." Amber said going into tears... "I'M A MONSTER... I DIDN'T CARE IF SHE WAS MY FRIEND... I WANTED THE BLOOD IN her..." Amber started to break down... "Oh... God... I'm a monster..." Amber said as Max leaned over and hugged her...
"It's going to be okay..." Max said as a slow sobbing took place. Behind Max Rain stood looking at the scene.
"Amber... I hope that you..." Rain said, as she was unable to complete the sentence. She was scared about what would happen next as she scratched at the bandage under her clothes.
Boddicca lay in her bed... the back of her neck itched from the tattoo she had gotten... Talk about a pain in the neck. How the fuck did the Transgenics deal with these tattoos on the back of their necks was beyond her knowledge. Her mother a very muscular Phallic warrior had become disgusted with the council... when it came to the choosing of her mate. The Freeborn were nothing much than a rebellious movement against the stiff rules of the Conclave but, she had been born among them... She was a Second Born... Somehow, she had lived through the birthing progress and survived. But having the infamous Sandeman there at your birth, well she felt safe knowing that he had a Second Born as well.
"Bodie... Bodie..." A young child voice said as she came into her room and started to jump on her bed with excitement. Bodie just thrust her head under the covers just to avoid the onslaught but decided after a pair of small, very bony knees landed on the calf of her leg that throwing her pillow at the child would bring her a moment of peace. So taking her slender and well-developed hand she took a handful of her pillow from her head and flung it at the child.
"Moreana..." Bodie said as the child ducked out of the way...
"Bodie... you were going to take me the aquarium..." the little girl said as she moved around Bodie's bed and kneeled down on it. Bodie who looked at the child with distain then with understanding knew what her responsibilities were.
"Okay Mora..." Bodie said as she took her well toned muscular armed and grabbed the child and started to tickle her.
"Bodie. That tickles..." the child called out as Bodie traced the scar line on the child's side that she had received during an accident. An accident that Bodie had caused in a moment of forgetfulness that nearly killed this child by a screwdriver being left on the floor of the garage getting launched at her when Bodie revved the engine of her motorcycle. Mora had been lucky that it only grazed her but seeing it made her think of the mortality of all life.
"Yeah I know, but for a child of the Shiede. I care about you very much." Bodie said as the child tickled her back along her broad almost feline cougar face.
"Bodie... do you want to see the tattoo my mom got me?" The young child said as her long dark hair drooped around her body.
"Tattoo? What tattoo?" Bodie said as she wondered what stick on tattoo this child's mother had gotten her.
"Um... Well she actually got me two... one that hurt and the other that doesn't." The child said as Bodied wondered what she meant... then the realization hit her.
"Was it a barcode?" Bodie said a bit scared...
"No..." The child said as she turned around and pulled up the sleeve of her shirt. "This..." On her arm was a mystical blue skinned woman just hovering over a stone... the imagery caught her off guard.
"Wait you talked your mom into getting that?" Bodie said as the child nodded no... Then what was the permanent one?" Bodie queried...
"This one..." The child said picking up the back of her long hair to reveal the words on the back of her neck written in ancient Sumerian.
"Do you know that they mean?" Bodie asked of the child.
"Mom said that if anything happened to her and you... to go to Terminal City and show these to a Transgenic... I don't know what they mean but... I wouldn't be harmed by them." Then the child turned around as Bodie was attempting to read the last phrase on the girl's neck.
"Mora... mind that I read them to you?" Bodie said as she looked at the last new symbols on the girl's neck.
"Yes, I do... what do they say?" The girl said staying perfectly still as Bodie traced her finger along the wording.
"Okay... it says..." Bodie had to remember some of the way this was being phrased. "Warbride... do not harm... this..." Bodie stopped and started to reread the text again. "Warbride do not harm this Shiede child... Mothered by the blood of..." Bodie stopped reading and felt a chill run over her body...
"Bodie... why did you stop? Whose blood? Is the Warbride going to drink me?" The girl started to get scared... Bodie continued to retrace the last few words... this wasn't right... but if it was then Mora was...
"Bodie... please tell me, I'm going to die aren't I... if a Manticorian finds me." The child said as Bodie reread it again... "Mothered by the blood of your ancestor." Bodie just shook as she couldn't move... What was Mora... was she one of the... now their bloodlines had been wiped out long ago by the great purge that brought the Third age of the Conclave into being when the great plague called the Black Death swept the world. If Mora was the child of... then... Four-Five-Two... would... Bodie's world was swirling around her.
"Mothered by the Warbride's ancestor... then... I am a... Manticorian?" Mora said as Bodie tried her best to control her breathing and not hyperventilate around the child.
"Now you are not... but you do share the same... Ancestor... think relative." Bodie said as she attempted to ease the child's fears.
"Like Mothers of my Mother and Daughters of my Daughters... that kind of blood?" Mora said getting up and hugging around Bodie's waist near the point of trembling.
"I think so... I don't have all the answers Mora... I think your mom put that on your back so that if you ever... if something happens... the Transgenics would take you in." Bodie said as she helped the young girl up and started to hug her... not so much for the child's sake but for her own... little did she know that her phone was ringing and the answering machine would pick up.
Nanushka sat in the back of the van... The dang blue haired Transgenic girl in front of her was drilling her eyeballs right through her head.
"So Luna... how are things with Domo coming along?" Alec said to the tribal tattooed African Transgenic in the driver's seat.
"Well, given that Domo and I have been thinking about making our pairing more permanent, but since we alienated Danni a few days ago... I think telling Domo that I am with his child might kill the mood the next time we have sex." Luna said as Alessandra looked out of the window. Most of her feelings looking like they were about to burst behind the controlled wall of her mind.
"Reice... Could you cut that out?" Luna said to the young child.
"I was studying her." The blue haired girl said as she returned facing forward as they drove down the road. "Her form intrigues me... She is like some of the photos I see some of the males looking at. Luna... why do males like the size of a female's breasts?" The girl said as she looked down at her own chest and did and experimental grasp on her own developing breasts.
"Hey... it's a guy thing... But in some circumstances girls like Boobs too." Luna said as she attempted to change the subject. "So... anyone want to listen to any music?"
"YES." Was the chorus from behind her.
"Between Joshua and this X7 here, every teenaged hormone must be going into overdrive." Alec said as he attempted not to think about the female form. Nanushka looked at the girl in the front seat. Going from battle strategy to basic teenager must be murder on someone who was just getting their footing in human society. Now... the people chasing after them didn't seem so scary. It was the problem that this girl might want to experiment with how the plumbing worked before they got through the night.
Aspen was on the Beach looking out as Quinn, Grams, Komillia and her older Brother Orlando watched as Orca rode in on the wave she was riding.
"Not bad for someone who weighs about a hundred and seventy pounds." Quinn said as the large big boned, slightly overweight blond woman coasted to shore on her belly. Her mostly black wetsuit had a section of white on it. Given her size the name of Orca just stuck, not as an insult, but more along the lines of a compliment to the sea predator for which she took her style from.
"How did I do?" Orca said as the southern twang to her voice made it apparent to where she was from.
"Pretty damn good..." Aspen said leaning over as she let the thermal dive shirt, she was wearing stretch as she walked with Orca to the shore.
"Do you think... well that I missed that sweet spot of the wave?" Orca said as her braided blond hair started to turn green.
"Noo... you didn't miss the sweet spot... you found another... and that is a real sign of a true surfer." Aspen said as Komillia leaned over behind her brother to dig her mixed dark Polynesian and African American foot into the off brown sand of the Seattle beach they were on.
"Komillia..." Aspen called out... "What do you think of Orca's ride?" Aspen said as the young child moved forward.
"She's good... but she needs to find the Force... The Sweet spots are easy... keeping them under you for the ride is hard. But for today... I say she gave one of her most Excellent runs. What do you think Grams?" The child said turning over to the eldest of the group. Grams.
"Well Komillia, she has the art..." Grams said as the young girl wrapped the beach blanked closer around her body.
"Well its official... you are now part of the tribe" Quinn said as he moved forward to shake Orca's hand. Orca who was in a semi state of shock watched as her hand shook from the cold as she took Quinn's hand.
"You mean that I am in?" Orca said looking up at the small group.
"Didn't we just say that?" Grams said as Orca's jaw dropped on the ground in shock. Then a moment later the extra busty blond woman gave Quinn a bear hug and spun him around.
"I'm in... I'M IN... I'M IN..." Orca said as she spun around. That was when a girl with shortcut red hair showed up wearing a purple techno wetsuit.
"We know..." She said as she moved down by Aspen...
"Aspen..." the girl said as she led the Transgenic aside. "... We have a situation in TC. The T-Blood want you to look after them knowing that you can do the whammy on them if they..." The girl said as Quinn shot her a sexy look.
"Okay... Listen, why don't you stay here and give Orca a walk through. Okay Kino." Aspen said as she wrapped her extra large beach blanket around her before heading and grabbing her changing poncho.
"Aspen... you know that me and Quinn don't have anything in common... I mean come on..." Kino said as her form fitting wetsuit started to cling to the back of her neck.
"You know for an X6 custom, he likes you and I know that you like him... So why don't you go and ask him." Aspen said, as she was about to leave.
"I'm not going to talk with him because." Kino didn't finish her sentence before Aspen used her powers on her and moved over and pulled the zipper down the front of Kino's wet suit to reveal the bare flesh she had underneath and to give a hint of the naked breasts underneath the rubber suit. Then Aspen did a little mental thing to Kino's mind.
"Kino... just talk with him... like or no like... just talk." Aspen said as she let Kino return to reality.
"No... I am not talking with him..." Kino returned...
"Kino... here is the thing, talk to him and he will leave you lone... Hell, go and kiss Orca on the lips if you want him to leave you alone... But talk..." Aspen said as she stripped her swim garments as the soaking cold wetness of the November Seattle air rolled off of her body and donned her sweats so she could head to Terminal City.
"Okay but I am going to hold you to one thing... After I talk with him and I don't like him. You have to do my laundry for a week." Kino said as she turned back to Quinn who was starting to blush.
"Will do." Aspen said as she said as she walked over and picked up her board before heading back to her bicycle and placed it on the carry rack on the back..
Max was looking at the documents before her on William Gilland, what she was thinking was chewing at her. Now how could a guy like this start working with Marrow? Between Marrow's use of his addictive blood on these innocent hybrid kids, how could a guy start feeding on his own people? It was at that moment there was a stir from the bed beside her as Amber rolled over. Max put the file down as she looked over at the young T-Blood. The girl looked like Hell, but given that Shadow had given the girl a chemical cocktail of hormones to help Amber through the worse of it but she had a long way alone. Max knew what it was like being on the other side of the fence and being here allowed her to take on the role of the big sister that Tinga, Eve and Jondy had been to her growing up. Then there was a moan.
"No... Marrow... don't leave me to die... Just give me another fix." Amber said as Max moved her mover and placed a blanket on the girl's body.
"AMBER..." Max yelled towards the girl. "Amber wake up..." Max said as she shook the girl awake. Then with a shot Amber's eyes blew open in fear as she looked around nearly feral. Then as she searched the room for anything, that was familiar as she attempted to break free from her bonds. Then Amber locked onto Max's face and the realization set in of where she was at and tears started to run down her face.
"Max..." Amber choked out as she slowly started to sob. "... How bad is it?" Amber felt years of her pain flowing out of her and towards the surface in waves.
"Amber... you are going to get better..." Max said as she let Amber get the let her emotions out.
"Max... is... Rain going to hate me?" Amber said as she started to settle back into bed.
"No... However, you definitely owe her a monster apology for your actions... But she knows that it wasn't you." Max said as Amber turned her face away from Max. "But Shadow has run every test on you and that you will not have to worry about this... again." There was a pause from Max before she continued, "Amber... how long has it been since you last had anything?" She said as an audible growl came from Amber's stomach.
"I don't know?" Amber said as she started to look at Max again.
"How about I get you something to eat?" Max said as she reached over to dig through a pile of papers she had to pull out a had written sheet of what the Mess Hall's meals were for that day.
"Soup... as long it isn't red." Amber said as Max grinned at her.
"I'll see what they have today." Max said as she looked at the menu.
Alessandra was getting out of the shower... Boy did she feel clean. Well better at least... Eyes Only had taken up to her disappearance. Now how would she explain to her parents that he not only knew who she was but also he might know about her family's more illegitimate ways it earned their living. That was when she saw the blue pixie haired transgenic standing by the shower door holding out a towel. Aless let out a shriek as she stumbled backwards.
"What are you doing here?" Alessandra said looking at the girl. The girl seemed impervious to her demands.
"I brought in fresh towels..." The girl said moving forward. "... That and the scent on the towels in here smell tainted and dirty." The girl said as she motioned the towel in her hand upwards.
"Oh... so... you came to give me..." it hit her... "Wait you mean that the towel that I was about to wrap myself in was..."
"Dirty..." the girl said as she tossed the clean towel so it landed far enough over Alessandra's shoulder that the rest of it covering her exposed body. "I will leave now..." there was a pause as the girl turned to leave as she stopped by the large bathroom mirror and reached up and cupped her breasts with her hands.
"Every female has larger mammary organs than me..." The girl said as she sighed as she let her hands drop to her sides and left the bathroom. Alessandra realized that this girl had self-esteem issues and viewing her own ample bosom had taken a blow this girl's psyche.
'Human designate Alessandra... Physical parameters of her mammary area show non-augmentation... "Natural jugs" as the males call them..." Reice wrote in her journal as she took her pencil and started to sketch Alessandra's nude form from the shower on the opposite page. Art had been her way of communicating with the non-X7 models of Transgenics... Drawing on a two dimensional surface took some effort but once she realized that she could communicate images of the past it had become simpler for her. Writing and connecting words not by computer was next, but since the information started to roll out of her onto these sheets of cellular fiber. When the elder X5 she was with was able to get her a surgical operation so that she could have an extra pair of vocal cords to communicate in "slow." But it was art that held her own interests... it was a long process but the images communicated her thoughts and feelings. Even the 0.0 Prototype had taken notice of her skill. He preferred paint but he commented that as her style progressed she was incorporating her emotional state into the images...
Emotion... how was she communicating that... but it was information... was this information being piggybacked by some unseen subroutine that was in her fine motor controls of her hands or was it... something else... Ever since she had seen one of her kind executed on the revenue spot back during the day following the fire, Her mind did not want to move forward... But it was when a young PsyOp touched her mind and told her to stay alive and function that she had the will to keep going. Humans were an enigma to her and the other X7s but it was probably the fact that they were young. With that, Reice finished her drawing and returned towards writing in her journal.
'Physical growth of ones own mammary organs has been deficient even with the hormonal boost that has occurred within oneself. Even with the development of these secondary attributes, self has been worried as younger X8 model Fiona's organs have developed faster than ones own.' Reice wrote down in her journal as she craned her neck to relive the pent up pressure that was forming in her own muscles.
'X7 designate Lain's form has been slower to develop but the start of the budding has occurred. Even the males have been taking notice... Self's own emotions have started to become concerned over this physical development even after Self's encounter with Adolescent human male. Body warms with thoughts of his physical structure... even projected simulations of this individual's phalli have been creeping into one's mind.' Reice wrote as she curled her legs under her body and moved the notebook she was writing in and to a more comfortable position.
'X-series designate Original Cindy will have to be communicated with for further information about female thoughts. Even after seeing Human Designate Alessandra's mammary organs, self is worried that self is not developing fast enough. Self has started to picture Human female designates Aneli's nude form in an attempt to draw out the images needed to know why males are drawn to these structures.' Reice wrote as Alessandra came out of the bathroom.
"Listen I'm sorry about blowing up at you..." Alessandra said as Reice looked up at her and discreetly closed the notebook.
"You were startled by my arrival..." Reice said looking at the olive skinned young woman. "I was not able to recall at the time the social procedures that stated I needed to announce one's self in that particular situation." Reice said as Alessandra's eyes and brow expanded in a state of shock then understanding.
"Oh..." Was the simple answer Alessandra used. "So... seeing another..." there was a clear reference that Ordinary Humans were not used to causal nudity.
"Your form is more developed... Mine is not..." Reice said as she turned towards Aneli. "Her's is overdeveloped. I believe that her form would allow her to last longer between getting nutrients and possibility the cold." Reice looked back at Alessandra... "Your's is set up for water tolerance and sun exposure... Though I am unsure about your design." Reice said as she looked downwards towards the notebook.
"Wait... is this about you being bummed about not having larger breasts?" Alessandra realized what the girl was talking about. When the words leapt from her lips Reice looked back up at her in shock. "Whoa..."
"Do you think I am underdeveloped?" Reice said as she started to move away from Alessandra.
"No... Hell no... I think you are... Hey... Puberty is hard enough when you are a kid without all the extra bells and whistles they probably tossed into you..." Alessandra said looking at the girl.
"Hey don't worry I was a late bloomer." Alessandra said as she reached out and touched the girl's hand. "And I turned out fine."
"I'm a "Early" bloomer." Reice replied back in an attempt to place a reference to delayed grown and early growth.
"Oh... then... Wait..." Alessandra looked at her as she was trying to process the information she was given. "Then the reason you are so bummed is because... Because you haven't filled out yet?" Alessandra looked at Reice.
"Filled out as in Developed... I wish to know what my body is going to do next? Was I designed wrong... or is my state something the designers set up for me before I was created?" Reice said as she started to avert her eyes from the Ordinary human. With that, Alessandra moved over and hugged her by the shoulder.
"Don't worry..." Alessandra said as she slowly started to stroke though the X7's short hair. "... Your body is going to do what it wants on it own schedule and there is nothing you can do about it." Alessandra said as she started to realize how hot a Transgenic's body could be when you were actually touching it. "All you have to do is weather the hormones as they come." She said as Reice slowly looked up at her.
"Then not damaged..." Reice said as a small tear started to creep out of her eye.
"Not damaged..." Alessandra replied back as Reice moved forwards into a studying mode.
"Tell me about your physical development... I could use the references..." Reice said as she slowly placed a hand on some of Alessandra's exposed skin and started to trace the ordinary's nose with her fingers.
"Well... tell me what the other Transgenic children think of you?" Alessandra said as Reice tilted her head and a low-end vibration started to work it's way through her body.
Logan was sitting at one of the computer terminals inside of Terminal City and Max looked like hell. Marrow... There were things that set off Max that she took personally. One... People who were preyed upon by scum that brainwashed them with the thought you couldn't escape... Second, people that took advantage of children...
This Eyes Only case had both... and if Max didn't handle this right, it would destroy most of what she was attempting to build here in Terminal City. Logan knew it was time to call in Clemente and tell him what was going on. With him, Otto and Max working together the shit storm that would follow would be mild, but there would be support in the end. There would be the occasional ranting by the Reverend Jerry Caldwell with all of his Anti-Transgenic Rhetoric, but several members of the Transgen Council realized that if they kept old Jerry in a position of separation, then they could use him as a thermometer to track the various Anti-Transgenic groups in the area. In essence... Jerry would be their way of tracking down anyone that would want to hurt Max and the rest of the residents in Terminal City and with the proper use of the Brainics Jerry would be at least ninety before he would finally give up. But to get back to the business at hand, where would Marrow be hanging out and how did a guy like William Gilland get hooked up with a scumbag like that?
Rain and Hottie were walking through Terminal City... given that a decent section of the residents were mostly nocturnal creatures mid-day was fairly quiet.
"Rain..." Hottie said as she hobbled forward some on her crutches.
"Yes, what is it Hottie..." Rain said as she looked over at her fellow Female T-Blood.
"Do... do you think that whatever happened with Amber will happen to us?" Hottie said worried...
"I don't know..." Rain said as her head sagged down... "I mean Shadow said that what happened to her might be..." She was getting scared.
"I mean being a vampire isn't so bad... But I have a boyfriend and I don't want to blackout while we are in bed one night and wake up in a pool of his blood." Hottie was scared.
"But if... if it is something else... Something that Marrow did to us and..." Rain looked up into the early winter Seattle Sky. "I don't know..." Then there was a loud ka-thunk as something was hit... hit really hard.
"What was that?" Hottie said realizing that they were not alone.
"I don't know..." Rain said as the followed the noise. boom... boom... Thud...POW.. thud... thud... thud... BOOM... with each step they took the sound was getting louder. Suddenly as they approached one of the old warehouses, a punching bag went flying through a window. They jumped back realizing that whomever was beating the crap out of something happened to be punching this bag.
"Fin'o stol that piece of crap..." A male voice called out as a man lunched through the window and proceeded to continue pounding the punching bag.
"Lock me up... take away years of my life... Destroy everything father made me for..." the man yelled out as he took his fists towards the punching bag until tears started to form as sawdust, cotton wads and straw started to fly out.
"I hate you... I hate you... you piece of fucking shit..." the man said as he blurred his hits faster and faster on the punching bag. "God..." the man said as he fell do the ground in the now obliterated punching bag. Both Rain and Hottie were scared now as they looked at this figure who had gone from completely feral to now exhausted.
"C.J..." A female voice called out as a rather busty X-series came out of the now perforated window and kneeled down beside him so that she could cup her hands around his face. "... It's going to be okay. "
"It won't... Brit... It won't..." C.J. pounded the mass again before he gave up. Then the girl kissed him as she pulled herself to him.
"C.J... You were there for me... I want to be there for you... you have to let this go... not completely... But let it go... for me... I want to be your mate... your wife..." Brit said as she hugged him tight. "I lost my child... Biggs... I... I don't want to lose you." There were tears starting to run down her face as she forced the edge of her chin into the crick of his neck. For a long time she stayed like that until C.J. brought his arms up and hugged her back.
"Brit... I will let got of this now... just for a little while okay..." C.J. said as Brit brought her hand up behind his head.
"You swear..." Brit said as C.J. started to rub her back with his hands.
"Yes... Brittany... I will." C.J. said as Rain and Hottie watched this unfold.
"Um... listen if you two are going to want some private time..." Rain said looking at the couple, who now realized that they had an audience forming around them as they pulled away and saw several figures looking through the demolished window.
"C.J." Brittany said as she helped him up. "Want to get cleaned up and help get a new window for the..." She hinted at the broken glass they were sitting in.
"Yes... that would be permissible." C.J. said as he brought one of his hands up and looked at it. It shook a little before he made a fist with his hand and opened it again. "I'm getting a little better."
"Okay... so after we get the window..." Brittany said as she took his hand into her own.
"Snugglies..." he winced a grin.
"Snugglies..." she said back with a grin on her face.
"Um... C.J." A tiger Striped X-series girl said as she looked through the window. "If you wanted to know... you just broke five hundred pound support chain... that's a record... you beat out Joshua by at least fifty feet." The stripped girl said as she dropped down a broken link of chain.
"Okay... New window, chain... Should we go to at least a thousand pound strength... or more..." C.J. said as Brittany looked at him blushing...
"C.J. what would they think... okay chain and then snuggles..." Brittany said as they both got up and they snuck away... That was when Rain turned towards Hottie...
"Okay... if 'snuggles' means what I think it means... then I am out of here and I don't want to be anywhere near those two when they start banging the gong..." Rain said as she attempted to force the images coming to mind out of her head.
"That's an understatement... I'm more into the Tantric department." Hottie said as Rain just shot her a look.
"Information I did not need right now." Rain said as she started to look only in one direction... Straight ahead of herself as she walked away.
Hannah was looking at the various garments before her.
"Asha you have such pretty garments." Hannah said as she brought the fabric of a silk scarf across her face. "So soft..." She said as Asha moved into the closet.
"I'm glad that you like... most of this stiff I found here and there." Asha said as she brought up the new fabric of the dress she was working on.
"You make your own garments Hannah said as she realized that several of the garments had no labels on them.
"Well a few..." Asha said as Hannah moved over to a garment that was hanging only by threads. "Some things I like doing is clothing design. Sometimes when a girl needs and the stores don't have it... you make it."
"Including this..." Hannah said as she pulled out a dress which was made out of fishnet. "Why would you have a garment made of out threads used to catch fish in?" Hannah was getting distressed looking at the fabric remembering being caught in the fisherman's net and having no way to get out of it.
"Um... That is for..." Asha got a little uncomfortable as she attempted to sort out her next words... "In home use... I wear it so Alec and I can have some intimate moments." Hannah looked at the fabric then at Asha...
"This garment is used so you and your mate can... mate..." Hannah felt wired as she looked at the dress as her language skills broke down and she swapped to her native chirps and squeals.
"Hannah..." Asha said as she moved over to the water breathing Transgenic. "... Some times a woman needs to feel..."
Hannah let out another series of chirps and squeals as she looked at Asha as she went into Asha's closet again looking for another garment.
"Hannah..." Asha called out as she went into the closet and pulled Hannah out. "Hannah..." Asha said looking at Hannah. "... Would you give me a moment? I know that you are scared because if I remember right... you were snagged in the same type of material. You felt trapped." Asha said getting worried and biting her lip. "For me... the symbolism is..." Asha blushed... "Hannah... I play a mermaid... a water breather and Alec is there to rescue me..." Asha was now emitting a lot of heat from her body. "I kinda of pretend to be... you..." Hannah looked at Asha as her jaw hit the ground.
"You pretend to be... Me..." Hannah said in shock... Asha was getting very uncomfortable mostly because of the mating talk. "So this garment is..." Hannah reached down where she had dropped the garment and looked at it and realized that the night she had seen Asha for the first time after she had been rescued was when Alec and Asha started to show feeling for each other...
"Asha... you didn't consider Alec as a potential mate until the night he and Max rescued me." Hannah said looking at Asha.
"Not really. I mostly saw him as a friend but... after that night and seeing you with your..." Asha got a little uncomfortable remembering the image of Hannah's young.
"My young..." Hannah finished with a squeak at the end.
"Yes and tending to his wound... something clicked..." Asha said looking at Hannah as she leaned against the wall as a grin stretched over her face. "He was a gentleman that one time I got drunk and didn't take advantage over me." Asha was growing warm and Hannah could feel the head waves.
"You are growing warm..." Hannah said getting worried. "Are you Ill?" With that, Asha slowly opened her eyes.
"No... Just remembering Alec's touch across my skin." Asha looked at a picture that she and Alec had taken together at an old photograph booth they had found at an arcade at the pier before looking at Hannah and growing concerned. "Hannah... listen... how long have you been out of the water."
Hannah reached over and touched her face and felt it's dryness. "It has been awhile. I need to get wet." Hannah said as she looked around Asha's place.
"You can use my shower." Asha said moving to a door and opening it up. "You better undress out of your street clothes... it would be a little weird if people saw you dripping wet as you leave here." Hannah moved into the small room. Humans had such weird notions about needing to wet down, but she humor Asha as she undressed and stepped naked into her shower. Turning the knob, she felt the chill of fresh water patter against her skin. So many thoughts rippled through her mind as she caressed her hands against her naked belly. She had seen how bloated the land walkers had become during their carrying of their young... did Richard see her as bloated... They hadn't mated in weeks... maybe because of the crisis to get Terminal City and other Transgenics off to safety... but mating nonetheless... Though breeding season was months away... she wanted to feel Richard inside of her... she wanted to feel him spoon against her and feel his hands against her bare flesh... how he would tickle that area just behind her gills with his nose.
"Asha..." Hannah called out. "Asha..."
"Yes Hannah... what do you need... Soap... a wash rag... sponge?" Asha said peeking head in.
"Asha... after I get out... I wish to try on the mesh garment you have... I want to learn how landers..." Hannah didn't know the above water words to describe what she needed to say.
"Oh... you want to know how to turn on the sauce in your love life... okay..." Asha said coming in.
"Yes... this Sauce you speak of..." Hannah said a she turned around to rub her flesh to get rid some of the dry stickiness to it.
"Okay..." Asha said as she disappeared out of her hearing range.
"Asha... Nani liked the new swim garment you made for her... she said it is more flexible..." Hannah said as she let her body take in unfiltered watered oxygen into her gills. Hannah moved forward, opened her mouth, took a mouthful in, and swallowed.
"Asha... you have good tasting water here... not as salty as in Waterdome... but... it has a bit of a sweet taste to it." Hannah said as she cupped her hands and let the shower water collect in her hands before taking another drink.
"Hannah... if you have a moment I'll get you a towel..." Asha said as she came in with a towel.
"Asha... I don't need a towel... I'll let the water soak in." Hannah said as she turned off the water and shook some the water off leaving her hair wet.
"Hannah... I..." Asha stopped in her tracks when she Hannah coming out of the shower nude. "OH... " Asha yelped as she looked at Hannah's form... "I wasn't expecting you to..." Asha just looked at Hannah's' form. "Wow... Hannah... under that body suit of your's you hide a lot of..." Asha's eyes traced over Hannah's body. Hannah was starting to feel uncomfortable. It was like the time she was a child and the personnel would have her disrobe to be examined.
"You find me ugly?" Hannah said as she covered her body with her arms... Quickly Asha rushed over and gently touched Hannah's' shoulder...
"Hannah...No" Asha said being compassionate. "Just that... come over to the mirror..." Wit that Asha slowly moved Hannah over to the large full-length mirror in the bathroom. "Hannah... your not beautiful... your are Gorgeous..." Asha aid as she slowly peeled Hannah's arms away from her body... "I would kill to have a body like yours." Hannah turned away from looking at her own body and at Asha... "If Richard thinks you are ugly... you come and tell me and I will beat him senseless with a stick until he comes to understand that you..." Asha looked Hannah up and down again. "Wow..." With that Asha left the bathroom and grabbed the fishnet dress. "Here Hannah try it on... I know that the fabric brings you bad memories but just try it on." Hannah turned and looked at Asha.
"No. I cannot... this is yours..." Hannah said getting worried.
"No. Just humor me and try it on..." Asha said as Hannah touched the dress.
"How do I?" Hannah said as she attempted to slide it overhead like a shirt...
"Wait... you step into it." With that, Asha took the dress, unsnapped the back, and handed it back to Hannah. "See the hole... you put one leg in and you step in and pull it up." Asha said doing an imaginary mime of the same garment and Hannah got the idea as she stepped into it and she slowly pulled the garment up her body... Hannah noticed that she started to fell... exited... it was until she reached the top she noticed that she needed Asha to strap it together.
"Asha. Could you..." Hannah motioned to the back of her neck.
"Yeah... Hannah." With that Hannah moved her head down and Asha strapped the dress together and Hannah looked at herself in the mirror and moved back to see her form.
"I look like..." Then she saw Asha's jaw on the floor. "One of those females that did those mating dances when I was..."
"Hannah... you look better in that dress than I do." Asha butted in as Hannah looked at her naked flesh that was now being hinted at under the dress. "Okay... If that doesn't give an erection old Rich then nothing will."
"I look so..." Hannah looked at her body... unsure if she looked attractive. "Strange."
"Hannah... tell me a little of what makes you feel romantic. You have to have that mindset when wearing something like that." Asha said as she noticed Hannah was having hard time breathing. "Need more water?"
"Yes..." Hannah said limping back into the shower and turning the water back on and started to breath normally again.
"Hannah... Tell me about what makes you feel... sensual... loved... cared about." Asha said as she sat on the toilet.
"I don't know... I love to sing... but there was this one mission where when we were young, I got my leg stuck and Richard came to free me. He held me in such a way that despite all of my fears I felt safe..." With that Hannah started to tell her tale... as she did the dress got more comfortable to wear. Asha was right you needed the right mindset for this garment. Maybe that is why land walkers loved to mate when they were out of season... When Hannah walked out of the shower again Asha said she needed another perspective and called her friend Cindy.
Reice looked at the human... she just blinked... "Not different..."
"Yes... see... not everybody has the same physical build... so what if you have small boobs... you are going to bloom in your own time. Even there are folks that like small boobs..." Aless said as she nudged the young Transgenic on the head.
"Then... not a design flaw... but be being..." Reice as attempting to process this data...
"Human... come on... I got made fun of because I had big boobs when I was young... so what you barely a hand full... just wait a few months..."
"Hands full?" Reice looked at her hand.
"Here..." with that Aless took Reice's hand and placed it on the young transgenic's breast. "See... just use your hand as a reference..." Reice looked up at the copper skinned woman.
Reice squeezed her had against the cloth... "Then..."
"If you feel comfortable with your body... then... you are you..." Aless said looking at the girl.
"So... I am human? This is my human side... then..." the girl was struggling... "I will be different... unique..." The girl was almost in tears...
"It's going to be okay... I mean... you are becoming a person in your own right... you have your own feelings... your own motivations... hey do you have someone that you like?" Aless said as the girl looked up at her.
"Um... an Ordinary... Male... I kinda of like him... he ran into me... I thought he was X... but he was human... made a joke... he... touched me and I touched him... felt strange... like insects flying in my stomach..." Reice said pondering what this meant.
"You felt like you were flying, but scared..." Aless said looking at the girl whose eyes shot off shock... "Don't worry... it's perfectly normal... so what's is his name?" Reice looked at her a little scared but realized that after a moment that it wasn't anything threatening, it was just normal girl talk.
"His name is Riven, but my friend Fiona wants me to talk more to him... I am hesitant... Not used to..." Reice was getting unsure...
"Talking with kids your own age..." Aless said looking at the girl and she just grinned. "Okay... do you own a dress?" Reice looked at her and thought hard.
Gilland was pissed... Transgenics... possibly Eyes Only Transgenics were at the rendezvous point... Shit... he needed to work off some of this frustration... He moved over to his worktable and started wetting strips of papier-mâché.
"Damn idiots..." he said as he looked at the semi-nude body of the drugged model he had propped up. Most of her form was being supported by a series of steel cables that were holding her in position. He wasn't an artist but this was his kink... He would hire women who were on drugs and sedate them up so that he could cover them head to toe in plaster or papier-mâché... the process would take days but putting a feeding tube town their nose was the first thing he did before he doped them into a state of ecstasy... They didn't mind the restraints much but when it came to them having to go... well... that is why he used catheters... then he would cut them free after he had scanned them and put them on their way. Most lived but a few… well they were part of his collection of mummies.
So far, he had covered the girl's arms. Legs and the supporting strap across her chest and head so that she was in a wild Hindu dance position...
" Gilland..." Marrow said coming into the room... Shit... what a way to kill the mood. "Will you listen to me?" The Transgenic said as slammed down a plastic bag... "I need to know why you have taken my resources to do your..." Marrow pointed to the woman in the restraint. "... Kinky sex life." Marrow said slamming his hand on the steel table.
"Well let's see... The cops were about to pick you for several murder charges... Not to mention the rape charges of what you did to one of your own." Gilland said as she moved over to the bucket and pulled a strip out and laid it against the oiled flesh of the mounted woman. "Also Might I add... without my technology... that your Black Tar Heroine blood of yours would have made your current batch of followers OD faster than your last ones... There are so many of those Hybridized kids out there..." Gilland said as he moved over to get another strip of sticky newspaper out of the bucket. "As I see it You need my help to lay low, and I need your... shall I say Unique talents from time to time to help my out with my own personal activities."
"So... I'm in a scratch your back and you scratch mine... Situation here." Marrow said as he walked over to the girl and took her throat in his hands and felt of her pulse. "Um... you know... you could cut down on some of the sedative... her body temp is running a little on the cool side." Marrow said admiring the woman's partially encased body.
"I'll take note of that..." Gilland said feeling the woman's forehead before reaching over to pull a skullcap over her head and giving it a good coat of oil. "So any leads about those two Transgenics that were at the hotel?" Gilland said continuing with his work.
"Nothing yet... given operating procedures they would have probably dumped their vehicle now and sought an alternative means of transport." Marrow said as he watched Gilland work. "So what do you get out of this... little thing you do to women?" Marrow asked.
"Well... I love the beauty of the human body... So since, I cannot do the art of a master... I collect... but this..." the pointed to the woman as he caressed a section of her exposed back and buttocks... "Is intimate... I let them free after I am done, but I do keep them a few days... and..." With that, he pulled out a remote control... and a row of lights lit up. "I scan them..." Marrow looked at the row of translucent transparent statues stood before him. "For my collection. I love replicating the forms of the greats, but India... Oh India. They knew how to put life into those statues." With that, Gilland leaned against a nude form of a nude busty statue wearing a necklace. "The girl for this statue took three weeks to mold before I set her free after I did the scan. She died over a year ago... If I am right from an overdose. She was going to be a mother... the child... well the child..." Gilland grinned cheerfully. "Is sitting in some orphanage waiting to be adopted... I hope she isn't... I want to copy her form when she gets older." Marrow just shuttered...
"I'll look into finding those girls." Marrow said as he left the room. "Humans... such weird creatures..."
"Marrow... Tell that mate of yours... what is it... Mary... that I loved the taste of her hair." Gilland said as he broke out a spray bottle and proceeded to spray the woman's head with oil before he tapped a few controls on her nutrients system to increase the drug mix to her system.
"Yeah... right... you stay away from her and I'll give you more of what you need." Marrow said as he left. "If I had a female in that position I would be fucking her before I killed her." He whispered under his breath. "Humans... the main reason this planet is so fucked up."
"Logan... This is Alec..." Logan heard over the phone... "Listen... how far have you started digging into this murder of this Sebastian guy? I need to know. Okay... Logan Tell Asha that if things go well, I'll be home in a few days and I'm ready to say 'yes.' She'll know what I mean. Oh, and Joshua wants you to tell Gem and Elfie that he will be back about the same time as us... Oh... Logan... you will have to do the Panda dance... Gem will walk you through it but it is the only way Elfie will go to bed."
"Tell Logan that Joshua is worried about Gem... that hopefully with Shadow cure... they can get busy with it"."
"Joshua... " Alec yelled.
"Well this is Alec signing off from the Safe house. If you heard Joshua's last statement Logan... I think everyone wants you and Max to get Laid..." There was a pause... "Well Alec signing off." With that, the line went dead.
"Okay..." Logan looked at the phone. "... Now all I have to do is stop a potential gang war from erupting on the street..." Logan said sitting down in the command chair... "Well old friend, it is time to don the mask once again." With that, the let the system start a search for optimum broadcast range.
Segri was pacing around his den... Now for a Russian crime figure doing such a thing would be a sign of weakness... But... As a father... It was the only way he could work off the energy he had built up.
"Boss..." Ninska said looking at his boss. "I know how worried you are man... I have kids of my own... I mean if anything happened to them. Hell you wouldn't have second thought of helping me wack the guys..." With that, Sergi stopped pacing and walked over to his Bar Globe and opened it up to reveal a large bottle of imported Vodka and several glasses. He twisted the lid off and tossed it to the way side and poured himself a glass to the point where it was overflowing. "Boss..." Ninska said rushing over to take the glass from his employer sloshing its contents all over the place to the point where a forth of the glass wound up being on the floor. "... Listen boss... me and the gang are going to turn over every last stinking stone, rock pebble, in house, outhouse, hen house, swine house, nook and cranny in this city and the entire coast. If she is out there we will find her." He said as he pushed his employer against the wall. "Now... I am your employee Segri... and your friend, now if you let me take care of this... I can keep up your façade in front of the other bosses and let you be the dad you need to be." With that, Segri lessened his hold and his stance towards Ninska and leaned against the wall losing one battle so that he could win a war.
"Okay..." Segri said as he let his guard down for a moment as events were put into perspective. He was being driven by every paternal instinct in his body. Suddenly Rustam rushed in from watching his cable sports.
"Boss" Rustam yelled out almost panting as if he ran the mother of all one hundred yard touchdowns during the playoff of the Five A CFL in his expensive suit and Mariner's sports jersey. "You better come in here..." He said as he tried to catch his breath.
"What is it Rustam?" Segri said looking over at the sports fanatic.
"It's Eyes Only... Boss..." Rustam said as he finally caught his breath. "... I think he has a lead on where Nanushka is?" With that Sergi attention was fully on him.
"Where did you hear about this?" Sergi said as he marched over and placed his hands on Rustam's shoulder's just far enough away that if he had too. He could strangle the guy.
"Boss... it was on his last cable hack just a minute ago... I have it recorded on my Tivo..." Rustam said fearing that his boss was going to kill him.
"Show me..." Sergi said as him and his boss moved slowly back to the den and Rustam was sweating fearing if his on-air digital recorder didn't capture EO's feed he was one very dead man.
Once in the den Rustam hit the rewind button, it took a moment for the blurp of the Streaming Freedom Bulletin to appear, it took a moment for Rustam to hit play and the feed started to play.
"This Cable Hack will last thirty-seconds, it cannot be stopped, it cannot be traced and it is the only free voice left in this city. I am sending a Message to Sergi Csokas... My operatives have located the missing member of your family that you are looking for... She is safe... You will be contacted shortly with where to pick them up at. I believe that we are pursuing the same individual that has been causing trouble for the fair folks of Seattle and attempting to hurt this member of your family. This has been a streaming Freedom Bulletin. Peace. Out." Eyes Only's words hung in the air. Then the phones the house started ringing.
"I believe that I have a call to pick up." Sergi said as he picked up the phone and listened to the voice on the other side.
TBC:
Chapter 7: Gambos... Pasta... Familiars... and Art Critics...
