= = = CHAPTER 12= = =
SEATTLE – CLUB CRASH
MAY 5, 1944
"These bonds are kinda tight," Max said doefully, lips pulled in a full pout. She had been tied by the wrists to one of Crash's wooden chairs in the ladies room of the club. A plush velvet settee sat next to a gold leafed vanity. Women's coats and purses littered the marbled tile floor because the soldiers that had found Max ordered all of them out at gunpoint.
Max sighed in a cat's whimper at the LC who was staring her down from the barrel of his gun. "Think you could loosen these ropes for me?"
The LC fell under the spell of her sultry look and large brown eyes and almost went to fulfill her request but Colonel Lydecker's growling voice barked out: "If you lay one hand on her bonds Lance Corporal you'll be picking that hand up off the floor."
The LC went back into his original stance. He obeyed Lydecker's orders because of the chain-of-command not because he understood why Lydecker considered this nymphet of a woman any kind of threat.
"Too bad," Max remarked, her pout still in place. "Would've been fun."
Lydecker laughed dryly. "You haven't changed at all Max." He stepped towards her as he spoke. "The package may be more dressed up and better looking but you're still that foul mouthed girl I picked up eleven-years-ago."
"We'll play 'do you remember' later Lydecker," Zack spat beside Max; tied up in the same fashion as his sister. "You have more urgent matters concerning keeping us here in these pathetic bonds."
"I'm never without a plan Zack-" Lydecker insisted. "Your civilian friends' lives are dependant on you staying exactly where you are."
In the corner of the restroom –against a full-length mirror – four soldiers had their weapons trained on Logan and Cindy.
"They're not my friends," Zack returned.
"Then all you have to do is convince your sister of your non-caring attitude so I can go ahead and turn their bodies into target markers." Lydecker knew right where to touch people.
"Speaking of targets Donald," Max deadpanned looking in his eyes in order to take his eyes off her breasts. Only Donald Lydecker would mentally seduce a woman he was holding under military capture. "Care to explain your desire to hold this little interrogation of yours in the ladies room? I mean if you had to piss you shoulda just said somethin'"
"No big strategy; there was just no other space available." Lydecker responded honestly. "Even military officials can play it by ear every once in a while."
"Oh you play too?" Max stated. "And here I didn't buy a concert ticket."
"Let's stop playing this bullshit game Max," Lydecker ordered now inches away from her body. He narrowed his eyes at her. "We both know what I came here for so there's no point in pretending that this is a social call."
"You're the one with the hired Army goons – make the first move."
Lydecker didn't say anything and traced the coagulated blood trail that clung to Max's chin.
"What's a matter Colonel?" Max taunted. "Upset that you did a bad job?"
The LC stepped forward and cocked his gun at Max.
"Go through with it soldier and I'll kick your ass before the Colonel here does," Max's voice was low and threatening – the LC had a fully loaded weapon aimed at her chest but she was more intimidating then him.
For the third time that night the LC backed off of Max lowering his weapon down towards the ground.
Lydecker glowered at him. "Give me your gun Corporal."
The LC handed his gun off–butt first – to Lydecker.
Lydecker cocked the gun and fired a single round at the tile only centimeters from the soldier's feet. Despite his Army training the LC jumped slightly at the sound of the discharge. "The next time you do something as stupid as that I won't miss." Lydecker handed him back his gun.
"So this is your big tactical plan?" Zack cut in. "Tie us up in here and then bore us to death?"
Lydecker stared at Zack for several long seconds and then gave a snap with his fingers. Every soldier in the room turned their guns on Max and Zack. "If you wanted something interesting all you had to do was ask."
"You goons better not touch my girl!" Cindy shouted ending her silence. She tried to break away from the soldiers around her but they grabbed her by the arms.
"Shut her up," Lydecker ordered.
Two of the soldiers aimed their guns at Cindy.
"Come any closer to Original Cindy and you're gonna need those guns," Cindy threatened. She didn't care whose government gave these men authority over her, she wasn't about to be bullet riddled by a duo of seven foot jack asses.
"Then why don't you shut your trap so we won't have to use them?" the soldier closet to Cindy ordered.
"I'm glad to know that despite all the vicious shortcomings you soldiers still find the time to treat the ladies right," Logan retorted beside Cindy.
"Mister there ain't no ladies here," the soldier cut in getting so close to Logan's face that if took one step closer they would be kissing.
"You're right about that," Logan agreed.
Lydecker laughed again – a dry crackling release of air from his mouth but lacking any real humor. "What's your interest with these two anyway?" he asked Logan. "I can understand Original Cindy's concern about the prospects of her being denied her next date but you're a cub reporter –you've got nothing at stake here-" Lydecker broke away to examine Max's reaction to his words and Logan Cale's returning gaze on her brown eyes. "I know that her package is worth dying for son but what's underneath that pretty wrapper is something you don't want to get involved in."
"You seem to think I'm involved with her enough to warrant shoving guns in my face and keeping us here like we're not worth something unless we're together." Logan replied in quiet anger.
"And you're under the impression that your opinion is of any merit to me," Lydecker snapped back. "No matter; it's not like I'll be around you long enough to become frustrated by it."
"What are you gonna do?" Cindy interrupted, fear staring to show in her voice.
"Something I should've done a long time ago ma'am," Lydecker responded coldly.
"Drop the 'ma'am' crap Colonel Lydecker," Cindy growled. "Your moral dipstick two drops away from bein' bone dry so quit actin' like bein' gallant counts anymore when you're about to do my girl up wrong."
"Your girl is a genetic slut." Lydecker informed coldy. "I pumped her full of the highest quality cocktail enhancers which she turned out beautifully; but then she bolted before I got the chance to tinker and perfect her."
Now Cindy was completely confused. Lydecker just assumed that Max had told her about her past. But being the military trained observant man that he was he soon picked up on Cindy's lack of knowledge. "Judging by your blank stare Ms. Original I'm assuming that Max didn't divulge her secrets to you. I guess it doesn't matter that you have some knowledge of it now because it's not like you'll be able to tell anyone."
"This has nothing to do with her," Max demanded.
"I'm not just going to let her walk with her new found information waiting to boil over to the first scank she runs into." Lydecker replied.
"Let her go," Max ordered. "You have what you want and enough man power to make sure it stays that way."
"You must think I'm stupid Max. That I'll suddenly sympathize with your friends' pathetic civilian lives and set them free." Lydecker looked at Max like a disappointed teacher to the slip up of his prized pupil. "I thought I taught you better then that."
"You're more sadistic then I thought if you call what you did to us 'teaching'" Max's anger was livid, a tigress only held back from her attack by a thin binding of rope. "You spent your days torturing us!"
"I was preparing you for greater things," Lydecker insisted.
"I was nine-years-old you bastard and you tied me down and sawed through my arms! Explain to me how you call that prepping for the greater things?"
"You're remembering it through a little girl's eyes," Lydecker's voice was almost soothing, almost.
"Believe me I don't want to."
"Why? Because it scared you? Disturbed you? You're an adult now Max; looking at it with mature eyes you can't say that it wasn't exhilarating to know that you could have been better then the street trash you were."
"That's probably the same reason your wife got pimped by you Don."
Lydecker's face switched from a quiet authority to a furious rage. He flipped his gun around and backhanded it across Max's face, much harder then before. So much harder that her neck bones popped and the cut on her lip reopened causing a spray of blood to spurt down her bottom lip.
"You son-of-a-bitch!" Cindy screamed.
Lydecker ignored her completely and stared at Max who's long hair had gotten thrown into her facet because of his assault. "Do not disrespect me like that again."
Max flipped her hair back in a quick snapping motion. The blood from her cut now almost completely coated her bottom lip like a hideous shade of lipstick. "Who's disrespecting whom?" Her eyes were ablaze.
Lydecker removed a white cotton handkerchief from his uniform and leaned in close to Max to wipe the blood off her bottom lip, stroking like she was his lover. Zack visibly yanked at his bonds at that instant because he did not want Lydecker anywhere near Max's mouth.
"If you weren't such a valuable asset I would have killed you a long time ago," Lydecker said quietly pulling back from her, not touching her further.
"I'm sure she's appreciating that right now," Logan commented with obvious sarcasm. "I mean you can't put a price on chivalry; at least not with money."
"I'm afraid this party is over son," Lydecker growled at him. He turned towards the LC. "I want the two prisoners moved out to our vehicles after which I want the two non-essential captives disposed off."
"Yes Sir," the LC returned glancing back to see Cindy's fearful gaze coming back.
"Report to me when you've completed the objective," Lydecker ordered, slowly starting to make his way to the door like a lumbering Sherman Tank; but he soon halted in his stride and looked back to his men. "Under no circumstances are you to leave the prisoners unbound. Hand them off from these chairs only after they've been cuffed understand?"
"Yes Sir," The LC responded.
Lydecker finally made it to the door but turned back one last time. "Corporal."
"Sir?" the LC answered.
Lydecker pointed to Max and Zack like he would a pack of wolves he was about to release. "Don't underestimate them." The door closed behind him with a soft 'swish'
The LC watched Lydecker leave before focusing his attention on Max. His gaze was leering, roaming all over her body without any concern for her dignity. "The Colonel's got it all wrong doll face." He leaned in close to her. "I didn't underestimate your abilities for a second." He smiled like a masturbator who had reached his self-fulfilling climax. He walked around to the back of the chair and began unknotting the industrial strength rope around her arms.
"Shouldn't you handcuff her first?" A soldier guarding Logan and Original Cindy asked.
"I'll do it in a second," The LC returned succeeding in removing one of the bounding loops wrapped around Max's wrist.
"Colonel Lydecker gave an explicit order-"
"The Colonel can shove his goddamn explicit orders alright?" the LC shouted back pulling the last knot free and effectively releasing Max from her ropes. He walked back around to Max's front side offering her a hand up from her chair like he was a gentlemen and she was his dance partner. "She's a pussy cat; she ain't gonna hurt anyone."
Max allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "Now I wouldn't go that far," she grabbed the LC's hand and threw him to the floor. The soldier had a shocked look on his face when he slammed – head first – into the marble tile.
The remaining soldiers had the same expressions as the LC but nonetheless they still reacted on their military instinct and aimed their weapons at Max.
"C'mon fellas," Max complained. "Bloodstains are gonna ruin this dress." She flipped in a martial arts move in the air and took out both men with two swift hard-hitting kicks from her sharp-heeled shoes. Both soldiers fell to the ground and Max snatched one of their guns and aimed it at them. "I'm not a girl who really uses guns but I'm gonna make an exception this time around." She turned over to Cindy who was no longer guarded. "Untie my boy and give him the spare piece." She turned back to the LC with a glower on her face. "Strip off your clothes."
The LC looked up at her in confusion. "What?"
"You heard me soldier boy;" Max reiterated. "Make it snappy."
The soldier's disgusted smile was ten miles long and she started unbuttoning his coat. "I always knew you were a pussy juice pumping scank."
"What the hell are you doing?" Logan asked, confused by the scenario and personally not wanting to know why Max wanted the man naked.
"High end fashion dealers are only into making a dress that's tight and slinky, not exactly skulking material. And I'm sure the Lance Corporal won't mind sharing his ensemble considering he doesn't have a choice."
The LC glared at her but a second later his leer was back when he handed her his pants and uniform jacket. He was now down to a white singlet and black cotton boxer shorts. "I came a little for you baby."
Max shot him a pissed off look but before she could rip his dick off bare handed Zack stepped in between her and the LC.
"It's my turn baby sister." He punched the soldier in the jaw watching with quiet pleasure as he landed flat on his boxer shorts clad ass.
"See that's why you don't go shooting your mouth off," Max said looking down at the solider. She passed Zack the gun. "I'm gonna shed my second skin for Army green. Find somewhere to stash them and above all make sure they don't peep on me." She walked into one of the velvet-covered stalls.
"Original Cindy's all over that," Cindy said getting her back. She reached out and took the LC's handcuffs Max held in front of her face, swiped from the Corporal's uniform jacket pocket.
"You wanna start something baby momma?" the LC leered licking the air like it was Cindy's nude body.
Cindy backhanded him. "You better shut your playa mouth fool cause Original Cindy's all about the smack downs."
The soldier snorted at her and his arm started to rise like he did indeed want to start something.
"Wanna keep that hand?" Zack asked making a big show of placing his finger on the trigger of the rifle.
With Zack aiming at his testicals the LC had no choice but to let Cindy handcuff his hands in the front of his chest.
"Any of you other girls wanna try somethin'?" Cindy asked in a threat.
XXXXXXXXXX
Lydecker stood in the hatcheck area of Crash drinking from a flask of whiskey. He was completely calm and mild-mannered like he didn't just order the transport of two captives he had taken at military gunpoint. All of Crashes' occupants had left an hour before due to Lydecker threatening them with immediate death if they didn't leave. For all of their gun toting abilities most of them turned out to be cowards whose interests only revolved around themselves.
The only person that remained was the young blonde cigarette girl that was attracted to Lydecker's authoritarian side. She was old enough to have filed out lusciously in all the areas that Colonel Lydecker found attractive, but she was still young enough to be naieve and not question his motives. And he really only kept her around because he needed his nicotine fix.
"Hit me up with another pack," Lydecker called out to her and she responded by sauntering slowly over to him with slow sashaying hips. Her deep red lips were pressed in an alluring smile. She seemed not to care that she was the only remaining occupant of a normally rowdy and hopping jazz club.
"You're talking about the smokes right?" the girl asked, disappointment in her voice because she wanted to hit him up with something else – her.
"Look doll face I don't have time to watch you initiate poor quality seduction. So how about you just hand me a fresh pack and shut your mouth?"
The woman scowled at his mistreatment and complete immunity to her sexual mystique. She slammed a pack of Laramie Slims against his chest. "Shove those up your mouth baby. I ain't into that kind of mistreatment."
Lydecker snatched her arm before she could pull away. "I only tell the truth. Now if you can't handle that little girl you better run straight back home to your mother."
The woman's eyes were on fire and her free hand pulled back to slap his face but Lydecker stopped it and secured a strong grip to both of her wrists. "I've killed people for less then that."
The girl yanked free from his arms and turned sharply on her black heel and stomped away from him.
Lydecker watched her the entire time, eyes roaming all over her legs. He pulled one cigarette out of the pack with his lips and was about to strike a match to light it but a spark from butane lighter sounded off by his ear.
"Is this what you need?" The owner of the lighter was a woman wrapped up in a black trench coat with flapper cropped blonde hair and brown eyes that were more dangerous then they were alluring.
Lydecker accepted the light but he wasn't exactly happy to see the woman. "What the hell are you doing here Anna?"
The woman –Anna Renfro – replaced her lighter in the side pocket of her trench coat. "Now how can you talk to me like that after I just lit your fire?" Her words lacked any form of a come-on. She was not interested in anything involving getting Lydecker naked; it was rather meant as a sarcastic remark.
"Spare me the mediocre attempts at seduction Anna. You are only good for directing scourges. You should leave the cock sucking to the professionals." Lydecker blew out a cloud of blue-gray smoke.
Anna Renfro took the blow without comment. She wasn't a woman that wept at every smear against her character. "My men have been telling me things Deck," 'Deck' was a nickname Lydecker acquired through his years in the service.
"We both have the same men Ms. Renfro so why don't you just cut through all the bull?"
Renfro smiled, one that was poorly executed because she didn't smile often. "Very well. I've gotten word that you're finally bringing in one of the escapees that got away from your ward 11-years ago. Now that sounds like marvelous work Deck-" the smile vanished from her face. "But from what I've heard you're more interested in your kid's breast size then getting her back to the project."
"She is my creation after all." Deck reminded. "I filled her with enough hormones to make her that voluptuous. It keeps the men distracted before the full assault."
"Well she's certainly kept you distracted. You've accomplished levels of genetic research that the Nazi's don't even have their hands on and yet you're treating this girl like your own personal sex kitten. What about the other one, the male? Do you plan on seducing him too?"
"I suggest you cross back over that line Anna," Lydecker growled. "Because I'm giving the project back its Alpha products."
"You wouldn't have to give them back if you didn't let them escape in the first place." Renfro's voice rose to a level of disbelief. "I mean, I don't understand. How hard is it to keep children in check?"
"Why don't you ask them?" Max's voice growled out. She was dressed like a much sexier version of the LC minus the shirt. The suit jacket was buttoned up only high enough to keep her cleavage hidden underneath the wool. Beside her Zack stood aiming the M-2 at Lydecker and Renfro. "You really should make sure your soldiers know how to follow a direct order before you leave them alone with someone like me."