"Hey, Tayrahn! Phonecall!" A voice shouted.
Any normal person likely wouldn't have heard Gary, his boss, yell over the bar crowd, but he did.
//Thank you Manticore.// He thought sarcastically. He made his way through the crowded pub, pushing his way easily past people at the bar and grabbed the phone, leaning across the bar so it would reach.
"Yeah?" He answered the phone.
"Tayrahn?" a voice questioned.
"Who else, Zack," he replied, knowing immediately who the voice belonged to.
Tayrahn glanced at the television set, hanging from the corner of the ceiling. An Eyes Only bulletin came on and he rolled his eyes.
"If this is about the bulletin, you can just forget it Zack!" He snapped.
"Tayrahn, we need your help."
"What if I'm busy, Zack? You know I've got a girl, a job and even a kid alright? I can't go rushing out every time our pal Max gets in to trouble."
"It's not Max this time," Zack replied.
"Who is it then?"
"Her friends, Bree-"
Tayrahn interrupted, "You want us all to run and save Max's friends now?"
"It's not just a friend, Tay, it's an X6. Lydecker's got an army on her ass and they're moving closer. Not to mention the other governments who would kill for that technology."
There was silence for a moment. "I don't know if I can hang it Zack. You've got everyone else by the sound of it, how bad can it be? Plus, when are you one to put your ass at risk for someone who's not our family?"
"She is our family," Zack fought back, gripping the phone.
"That's funny, you get that line from Max?" he asked.
"Look," Zack finally said, "If you want to come, meet us here tomorrow night," He rattled off Logan's address. "If not, I don't blame you, but don't expect a whole lot of gratitude from Max or anyone else here." he replied, hanging up the phone.
On the other end Tayrahn slammed the phone down, he stared at it for the briefest of moments before moving in to action again.
Taking orders at the bar
.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Risha's long mane of black braids fell over his bare angular shoulders as he lay stomach down on the white leather couch. His black eyes were half lidded as long gentle fingers traced the tattoo that took up most of his back. Another set of long fingers was re-braiding the braids that had come loose.
"What is the tattoo about?" a sweet female voice asked him. Sara. She was the one stroking his back.
"It's a story picture. You see the dominant one?" He said in a lazy voice. "The one with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a dragon?"
"Yeah? The one with blood on its mouth?" Another female voice replied. Kelly. She was the one re-braiding his hair.
Risha gave a slight chuckle. "Yeah, that's a Chimera."
"And what's the one it's attacking?" Sara asked.
"That's a Manticore." Risha replied calmly. "It has the body of a lion, the face and ears of a man, but with three rows of sharp teeth set in each jaw and poison spikes on its tail."
"So what is the story?" Sara probed.
Risha laughed lightly. "It's a story that my brother's been telling for years. A story of how the Chimera will one day conquer the heartless Manticore. Chimera can mean one or many, so the large Chimera could symbolize one great one or many coming together. But either way, the Manticore will fall."
"I don't get it." Kelly replied pouting.
Risha shrugged and pushed himself into a sitting position. "What's there to get? I liked the story so I drew a picture of it. I liked the picture so I got it tattooed on my back." Risha smiled as he looked at the pair of twins beside him. "So come my Sara, my Kelly, what shall we do tonight?"
Both girls laughed. "It's Kelly's turn tonight, oh Egyptian god of a love toy," Sara replied giggling.
Risha pretended to pout. "But I want to play with both."
"Uh-uh Riri, we agreed to share but we didn't agree to share." Kelly replied as she kissed his cheek. "Come on my Egyptian love. You're taking me out tonight."
Risha laughed again at that. "How did I get so lucky?" He asked. "I've got the two most beautiful women in the world."
"You're pretty handsome yourself, handsome." Sara replied. She gave him a quick hug and a kiss. "Now get." She added as she lightly slapped his bottom.
Just then the phone rang. Risha answered it brightly. "You've reached the party hotline." He joked. "What can we do you for?"
"Risha?" The voice on the other end of the phone asked.
Suddenly all of the playfulness went out of Risha's voice. "No." He replied quickly as he walked out of the room. "Before you say anything the answer is 'No'."
"Risha." Zack replied firmly. "You are coming to Seattle. Now."
"But Zack."
"I said now soldier, this is important."
"No, no, no, no, no."
"Ri."
"I have only one thing to say Zack. Twins."
"Ri." Zack replied firmly. "Don't do a Tayrahn on me."
"Twins, Zack. Beautiful, female, long legged, big busted, sexy, nymphomaniac twins."
"I'm calling all of the squadron into Seattle. Avoid the sector police and call me as soon as you get within the city limits." Zack ordered he then rattled off Logan's number.
Risha groaned. "Twins, Zack." He muttered but he knew it was a loosing battle.
"Family Risha. I expect to see you within twenty-four hours soldier." Was Zack's only reply and then the line went dead.
Risha sighed as he hung up the phone.
"Who was that?" Kelly asked.
"The Chimera." Risha muttered under his breath.
"Hmm?" Sara asked.
"Big brother." Risha replied. "Family emergency, and when big brother says jump, well if you don't reply 'how high' you're likely to get kneecapped. Look, I have to leave now, I'll ring you both tomorrow and I should be back in a week or so."
"Risha." Sara groaned.
"Riri." Kelly pouted.
Risha gave them both a hug and a long kiss goodbye in turn. "I'm sorry babies, but I'll make it up to you 'kay?"
Five minutes later he was out of the apartment and making good time towards Seattle.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Oh Michael..." Kita groaned.
"Kita.. Oh..." Michael groaned in reply. "Oh god... Oh..."
"You like that huh?" Kita asked.
"Oh yeah... Oh... God... I love you Nikita."
Kita froze. It was one thing to fool around with an awesome man, but love? Love had never been part of the deal. How could he love her when he didn't even know her.
"Nikita?" Michael asked realizing that something was wrong.
"What did you just say?" Kita asked pulling even further away from him.
Michael looked Kita in the eye. "I said I love you."
Kita just shook her head. "No." she whispered. "No Michael, you don't love me."
"Kita..." Michael whispered.
"Do-don't say that Michael. Don't ever say that again."
"Nikita, Nikita I love you," Michael whispered as he touched her cheek.
Kita just shook her head. "You don't even know me, Michael."
"Ki..." Michael pleaded.
Just then the phone rang. Kita grabbed the phone up on the first ring. "Speak." She ordered.
"You're needed." Zack's voice replied.
"Where? When? I can come right now." Kita replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
