I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. I like it in theory, but during execution I found myself distracted by a number of things. And I got really pissy while writing it thanks to a close-minded highschool alum who made some very inappropriate and bigoted comments towards me and the gay community D: ... So I apologize if chunks of it seem off or rough or disorganized or what have you. Hope you still love me anyways :) because I love you guys!
"Sinjin, you little fuck! Get back here! I'm going to rip your arms off and beat you to death with them!"
Tori started violently from her slumber and flailed blindly. She didn't know where the screaming was coming from, she didn't even particularly care why it was happening. She just wanted it to stop.
"Sinjin!" The cyborg clutched at her chest and tried to slow her pounding heart. She took a deep breath and glanced around, blinking away the sleep she'd been so rudely snatched from. As the fog melted away it occurred to her that she recognized the source of the bellowing that echoed through the house. Jade. Jade and Sinjin, apparently. Tori groaned and hauled herself out of bed, snatching her oversized t-shirt off the floor and tugging it over her head before she stumbled out the door. It was early, she realized with mild surprise. The sun wasn't even up yet, though after consulting her internal clock she saw it would be soon. Why was Jade even awake?
More importantly, why did she feel the need to wake the whole house as she tore it apart around them?
Tori paused halfway down the stairs and leaned over the banister, watching with sleep-deprived irritation as the younger girl kicked and pounded on Sinjin's bedroom door. "Jade." She called, her voice hoarse and raspy. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Jade. Jade. It's 5:00 in the morning. What are you doing?"
Without relinquishing her firm grip on the knob she turned to face Tori. "I came down here for a glass of water and saw the little creep heading for the door! I'm going to destroy him," she turned back to the door. "Hear that? DESTROY YOU!" She yelled.
From beneath her feet Tori heard a muffled shuffling and, seconds later, a sleepy Cat pushed her cupboard door open and peeked her head out. "Jade." She whined. Despite her exhaustion and utter frustration Tori couldn't help but smile as the disoriented redhead attempted to make sense of the situation. "What's going on?"
"She finally found Sinjin… she's apparently trying to destroy him." Tori yawned, catching her attention. Cat screwed her head up and smiled sleepily at the cyborg above her, cocking her head to the side after a moment.
"Oh, hey Tori. I can see your underwear." The Latina locked her knees together and blushed, silently cursing herself for not putting on shorts… mostly cursing Jade for causing such a scene so early.
"Jade." She chose to ignore the comment and instead continued down the stairs. "Just leave him alone. I know you want to eat him and pick your teeth with his bones but he's really not worth it this morning, and I think you've woken everybody in the house at this point."
"No I haven't."
"Yes, you have!" Came Andre and Beck's voice down the hall, muffled by their bedroom door.
"I'm personally not a fan of the screaming either." Robbie's voice sounded from Sinjin's room.
"Come back to bed. Destroy him at a decent hour." She placed a gentle hand on Jade's wrist, squeezing it to encourage her to release her death grip on the doorknob. Tori recognized the determined gleam in those blue eyes and sighed. "Come on… there are other things we could be doing that won't wake everyone." She leaned in and kissed the tender skin below Jade's earlobe. While rage was a powerful motivator Tori had found that Jade's sex drive tended to overpower all.
"That actually wakes us up more than you think… we've been meaning to talk to you about it."Cat chimed from behind them, only deepening Tori's blush.
"Jade. Bed. Please? It's far too early for me to have been embarrassed this much already."
The pale girl glanced side-long at her and rolled her eyes, releasing an exasperated sigh. "Fine. You've only bought him a few hours anyway." She allowed the older girl to lead her back to the stairs. They were only a few paces away when the bedroom door swung open and Sinjin flew from the room and made a desperate dash from the front door. "Worm!" Jade snarled. It was only Tori's tight grip on her waist that kept her from bolting after him.
"What are you going to do, chase him down in the snow in your pajamas? You'll freeze in the snow or slip and break your neck. Just let him go!" She chastised, smoothing her wild raven hair. She dragged her up a few stairs before she stopped resisting and followed on her own volition. "Goodnight, guys! We're sorry. We're going back to bed now."
"Kay-kay." Cat yawned, disappearing back into her cupboard.
"Sweet dreams." Andre yelled.
"I need a new roommate." Robbie sighed as he pushed his bedroom door to.
Tori released Jade as they entered their bedroom, making a beeline straight for their bed and collapsing face-first onto it. Jade swung the door shut and lingered at the threshold, arms crossed as she chewed her lip in frustration. "Where do you think he was going?"
"Probably away from the murderous hell-beast that's trying to kill him." Came Tori's muffled reply. She yawned deeply before rolling over, propping herself up on her elbows and staring back. "It doesn't matter. It does you no good to be mad at him… if you hadn't been sneaking around behind my back in the first place he would have had no secret to give up."
"That's not the point."
"Then what is?"
"… He's a freak and I hate him."
Tori shook her head. "Oh yeah, really sound argument there. Would you just come over here and go back to sleep? We could still get another 3 hours in."
"I'm too pissy to sleep." Jade muttered.
The Latina stared at her for a moment before a small smile spread across her face. "Then come back over here anyway. We'll find something else to do."
Jade blinked and regarded her suspiciously. "Aren't you withholding sex as punishment? What's your angle?"
"Withholding sex is just as much punishment for me as it is for you..." She grabbed edge of her shirt and dragged it up sinfully slow, revealing that delicious tan flesh inch by inch. Suddenly she released the worn material and sighed. "But I suppose if you aren't in the mood…"
The pale girl licked her lips before she could stop herself and took a cautious step forward. "I didn't say I wasn't in the mood."
"No, no… it's okay. You can stay over there and seethe about Sinjin. I'll just entertain myself somehow." She raised a mischievous brow as her free hand ghosted across the hem of her panties, hooking it with the thumb and snapping the elastic.
The sound erased all thoughts of Sinjin from Jade's mind. Actually, it erased all thoughts of everything but her girl in front of her. "I think I'm better at entertaining you than you are yourself." She smirked, likening herself (in Tori's opinion) to a hungry wolf. She crossed the room in three quick strides and knelt at the foot of their bed, gently pushing the Latina hand away before she placed soft kisses on the most sensitive of areas, applying pressure with the tip of her tongue. The simplest of actions made Tori's breath catch, and she allowed her head to roll back and a low moan escape her lips. Jade smirked as she continued to plant kisses along the inside of her lover's thighs, nipping the tender skin every so often to draw more sounds from the Latina. Her thumb ghosted across the thin fabric of Tori's panties, pleased to find that they were already damp.
Wasting no more time, Jade hooked her fingers under the offensive fabric and dragged them down her long legs. She removed her own shorts and crawled onto the bed, straddling the toned girl at the hips. She ground against Tori slightly, savoring the jolt of pleasure that coursed through her body like electricity.
Tori smiled at her and laid back, freeing her arms to wrap around Jade's neck and pull her down. She kissed the other girl with restrained passion, and Jade realized she was trying her best to maintain composure and take things slowly, tenderly. She closed her teeth around Tori's bottom lip and chewed briefly, tugging the skin a fraction of an inch before releasing it.
Jade West had no intention of complying with her wishes tonight.
She smirked deviously and Tori huffed, knowing well by now how to predict her lover's aim. She gasped when Jade ground her hips again suddenly, and with much more pressure than before. "You don't play fair." She whispered thickly.
"What are you going to do about it?" Jade replied huskily, taunting Tori with hooded eyes. The Latina didn't respond. Instead she pulled Jade down again and kissed her again, this time without limit. Their tongues brushed and danced against each other, just as their fingertips danced along the surface of their skin. As the kiss deepened Jade relaxed herself against her lover, savoring the feel of their bodies pressed together despite the fabrics between them.
That's when Tori moved without warning, rolling both of them to the side so she could claim dominance of the situation. "You fall for that every time." She breathed, carefully pinning her hands over her head.
"Not fair, Vega!" Jade grunted; she hated when the Latina managed to pull one over on her so easily, especially when she had the element of strength in her favor. Jade tugged against Tori's grip futilely, cursing her inorganic advantage.
"Like you ever play fair." She purred, assaulting the pale skin on her throat, kissing and nipping until the area was bright red. She carefully released Jade's wrists, regarding her cautiously as she pulled the younger girl upright just enough to tug her shirt over her head. She traced the tip of her tongue across her left breast, just over the ridge of her bra, before dipping it into the cavern between them, planting small kisses as she went. The longer she kept her steady, gentle pace the more it drove Jade absolutely insane.
Jade, impatient as always, reached behind her and unclasped her bra, yanking it off and tossing it across the room. Tori chuckled and turned her attention to her nipple and taking it between her teeth to tease it with her tongue while her cyborg hand cupped the other. Her pale body tensed and dimpled with goosebumps as the cold metal assaulted tender flesh. Her hands knotted in Tori's wavy tresses, encouraging her to continue, intensify her ministrations. She lifted her hips off the bed, applying more delightful pressure to both of their aching centers. The sudden action made Tori whimper in pleasure, inadvertently clamping down harder on Jade's sensitive skin more than she intended. The raven-haired girl hissed in response and she arched further into the embrace – she loved a little abuse.
Tan fingers danced their way down Jade's torso, each feather-like brush sending chills through her body. She rolled over to the side and grabbed the hem of her panties before dragging them down her legs and dropping them to the floor. Tori could see her glistening in the early morning light and a smile claimed her lips. She repositioned herself between those pale legs and licked away the juices, dipping her tongue into Jade's center and savoring the throaty moan it elicited. "Tor." She groaned, thrusting her hips. The cyborg needed no more encouragement. She slid two fingers into her and dragged her tongue upwards, swirling it around that sensitive nerve bundle.
Jade's chest heaved with ragged breaths as pleasure spread through her body, leaving her fingertips and toes numb. She dug her nails into the Latina's shoulder, knowing full well she probably just broke the skin. If Tori was in pain she didn't show it, she continued her worship uninhibited, spurred on by the sounds her companion emitted.
Tori inserted another finger and curled them, applying pressure in all the places she knew would drive Jade over the edge. It wasn't long before she felt muscles clamping around her fingers, signaling the start of her climax. The scientist's body went rigid as ecstasy overwhelmed her and she thrust her head back as the whimpers escalated into moans into practically screams. "Oh God, Tori!" She cried, nearly bucking the older girl off the bed. Tori pressed down on Jade's hips with her cyborg arm and withdrew her fingers, putting them to better use as she massaged the higher button of nerves.
Jade's limbs felt like they were made of jelly. She forced her eyes open and released a ragged breath, though one that was entirely satisfied. Tori reappeared in her line of vision seconds later, her skilled hand cupping her cheek as she kissed her gently on the lips; they were still damp from her own fluids. Jade numbly tangled her fingers in her brown hair and held her there firmly, finally regaining enough control over her legs raise her knee and press it against Tori's need.
The Latina pulled away panting and rested her forehead against Jade's, her eyes fluttering shut. She used her momentary lapse of control to roll them over once again, pinning her body to the bed. "Let's wake up everyone downstairs." She whispered mischievously, nibbling Tori's earlobe.
"I think we already did that." Tori giggled.
Jade pulled away and trained her gaze, studded brow climbing up her forehead. "Let's do it again."
Sinjin's breath came out in thin streams of fog as he trotted down the road away from Sanctum. He had slipped past the guards with relative ease – they hadn't given him a second look once he flashed his identification, one all citizens of the town were supplied. He was practically skipping with excitement – finally! After weeks of proving himself he had finally won the favor of the leaders of a Horsemen faction. They were going to take him away from this technologically strapped place; he was going to be around his own kind.
He hoped the rumors he'd heard about them were true. His friends in town had told him that the Horsemen were leading a new charge – they had accomplished their goal years ago with Armageddon. They had eradicated the technological virus that plagued the world, crippling it. They had stripped the power from those undeserving to wield it. Now was time to establish a new regime, to drag humanity out of the pit they had been cast into.
The Flood waters had receded. Now was time to rebuild the world the right way – power would be put into the hands of those with society's best interest, not their wallets, at heart.
And he was going to be a part of that. It was hardly too much to contain. It was why he had so willingly helped the mystery woman on the phone, had so happily given up such privy information. He knew Jade and Tori wouldn't understand… not initially. He had to prove to them that what he was doing was right, was good. And he would convince them, they would. They'd convince everyone.
If he could just find the damned rendezvous point.
The blonde glanced over his shoulder – the gates of Sanctum were a mere dot in the distance. He judged himself to be a little over a mile away. They'd surely be out of sight of the high-powered binoculars the guards used (luckily there was a bend in the road up shortly). But how far out could they have parked? Would they be off the main road? In the woods? "We'll be looking for you." They'd find him, he had fate in that.
"Can we light a fire?" Lillie whined.
"No… smoke might alert Sanctum security." Lara replied stiffly, eyeing the matches angrily. She held her sister's desire but not her impulse – they'd come too far to be discovered now.
"Then can we at least turn on the car?"
"We need to conserve fuel. We'll just have enough to get back as it is."
"…Cuddle with me." Lillie scooted across the cracked leather bench seat and blinked at her expectantly when her sister didn't immediately uncross her arms.
"You're kidding." Lara stared at her with exasperation.
"Absolutely not." She held her arms open and waved her hands. "Gimme a hug."
"I'd rather freeze to death."
"Totally not what you said last night."
"Okay… no. Different situation. It was snowing and it was like 20 degrees colder… and someone forgot her sleeping bag and had to share mine."
Lille was already shaking her head, her blonde tresses flying erratically around her face. "Same situation. You're cold. I'm cold. We're cold. Solution: cuddle."
The younger sister groaned and rolled her eyes – she hated when Lillie had a valid point. She unfolded her arms and, despite her bad mood, found herself smiling as the other woman cheered. Lillie crawled into her lap and wrapped her arm around Lara's neck before dragging the sleeping bag over both of them. The relief was almost immediate – both could feel heat radiating from the other, warming their chilled bones. "How long do you think it's going to take for him to find us?" She asked, wiping down the fogged up windshield to get a better view of the main road. They had parked behind a patch of young evergreens – Lara had made the effort to cut out a "window" in the branches so only a small portion of their grey Bronco was visible, and only if one was paying close attention as they walked past.
"I doubt he'll find us at all. That's why we sat the alarm before dawn so we could keep lookout." She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hands to force away sleep – she was by no means a morning person, preferring to stay up into the wee hours of the morning before passing out until mid-afternoon. The pair settled into a comfortable silence; Lara kept her gaze trained on the road while Lillie slipped in and out of a light sleep, twitching every so often.
Before long the sun was peeking through the boughs, trying its best to cut through the cloud cover and melt last night's snow. She wasn't sure how much time had passed – maybe an hour – before a figure passed the road before them. Lara's heart jumped. Was that him? She had only a vague description of the boy, but he seemed to fit it. "Get up." Lara grunted, dragging the lethargic girl off of her. "Up!" She shoved her to the other side of the truck and threw open the driver's side door. By this point he was a dozen yards ahead of her and completely oblivious to her presence.
Lillie stumbled after her younger sister, nearly plowing into her as she scrambled through the brush. "S'at him?" She yawned.
"Maybe." Lara studied his retreating form.
"If it's not do you want me to kill him?" She stretched arms above her head to work out the stiff muscles.
"Maybe." She shoved her hands in her pockets and began making her way slowly up the street. "Van Cleef?"
The younger boy nearly jumped out of his skin, spinning rapidly on one foot as he turned to face them. "Y-yeah? Are you…? Well… I don't know. Are you her, though?"
"Lara Childers." She ignored his extended hand and surveyed their so-called reliable contact. Scrawny frame, beady eyes, everything about him screamed "traitor." No wonder he was able to turn on his friends so easily. "You made good time."
"I almost didn't." He chuckled nervously. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"So am I killing him or no?" Lille called from behind them.
"Not yet!" Lara yelled over her shoulder. His dark eyes widened and he took a step back. "Calm down, kid. I won't let her hurt you. But we do need to have a chat. Our truck's this way." She rolled her grey eyes when he glanced towards the tree-line and back to her. "Seriously… she's harmless until you piss her off. Let's not get her to that point, shall we?"
Hours passed in that old Bronco. Lara interrogated Sinjin about every possible aspect of Sanctum – security measures, guard weapons, general attitude of the town. She demanded to know why exactly he had fallen off the grid for those few days and found herself infuriated at his carelessness. For them to have come so far only to trip at the finish line because of him? Unacceptable. She was only mildly placated when he assured her that he had managed to divert attention away from the situation, even if he had managed to strike a wedge between cyborg and companion.
"If, at any moment, Jade recalls seeing those notecards you may have compromised our entire mission." She glared at the boy on the other side of the cab, glancing down briefly when Lillie a hand on her knee to calm her.
"Honestly, it's the last thing on her mind. I promise. She's too busy focusing on Tori and the doctor."
She was pleased to hear about Sikowitz – the man was a genius in his field and she hoped she could convince him to join their ranks and return with them. If not there were surely ways he could be persuaded…Lillie, despite her quirks, was very persuasive… but she hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.
By the time they finished talking the sun was high overhead – noon, or nearly there. Sinjin had clear orders – they had devised a plan (and backup plan) to get Tori and Sikowitz out of the city without any extra company. Lillie would incapacitate them if necessary, then it'd be a speedy trip back home before Norris or anyone else could piece together what happened. A simple plan, not exactly one worthy of a Mission Impossible movie, but one that was decidedly fool-proof.
Lara and Lillie leaned against the side of their truck as they watched Sinjin begin his slow, reluctant journey back to the city gates. He glanced over his shoulder often as to convince himself that they were real, that the meeting he had looked forward to for so long had just happened. "He's kind of…" Lillie began.
"Irritating beyond all reason?" Her sister finished.
"Exactly. Do you think he'll be able to get the cyborg out here?"
"He better. If what he told us is true we didn't come prepared to storm the castle walls."
"Well, if nothing else he's dedicated. I don't think he suspected you were being anything but honest." Lara grunted in response, finally tearing her eyes away from the horizon as he disappeared into it. She walked to the bed of the truck and dropped the gate, dragging a heavy chain free and hanging it over a low branch for easy access – she didn't trust everything she read in books and wasn't convinced they had been entirely honest about Tori's physical prowess. While they had brought rope, she felt more comfortable using chain. Moreover, she had managed to locate her taser and it was fully charged and ready to go in case things got out of hand. She wasn't sure what it would do to her cyborg components, but she was willing to bet it wouldn't be irreparable damage.
There was a sudden crackling at her hip and Lara glanced down with a scowl, snatching the walkie-talkie off her belt. "Are you guys still in range?"
"Yes, Sinjin." She hissed. "The range is five miles. Now turn it back off and pocket it. Don't waste the charge!" She almost regretted giving the boy a means to contact her whenever he wished but knew it was an unavoidable circumstance. They needed to know when he was bringing out their targets. Lara just hoped he wouldn't inadvertently reveal himself by possessing it.
With preparations for Vega and Sikowitz complete, Lara returned to the cab of the truck and dragged out a bag of MREs, tossing one to her older sister, who was currently sitting cross-legged on an old stump as she sharpened her hunting knife. It bounced off her arm and landed in the snow, earning Lara a scowl and a whine before Lillie returned the knife to her boot holster and retrieved the bag. "These are so gross." She muttered, ripping open the seal.
"At least it's warm." Lara counted, sniffing the contents before pulling a face and holding it away from her nose.
"So is horse shit but you don't see me chowing down on that."
She had a point, though Lara wouldn't ever admit it. "You can stomach one or two of these… If you stop complaining I'll make it up to you."
Lillie's eyes lit up. "How?"
"… Oh, I don't know. Maybe I'll let you kill Sinjin." The older woman punched the air and hooted and Lara, for a moment, wondered if her sister actually would.
But then again, she wondered if she herself would even have a problem with it.