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Chapter -8- Free Running

Friday, July 16, 2049 - 8:40pm CDT Chicago, Illinois ...

James Parker sat up in bed. He looked around the dim room then reached over and felt a warm body. He moved towards it, pressing his chest against her back. "Hey baby. How's my favorite hacker?"

Dawn murmured softly. She wiggled her backside against him while reaching her hand forward. Stretching a bit to reach, she pulled her phone off the charging plate on the nightstand. With a yawn, Dawn thumbed her display. Her eyes widened, seeing the time on the lock screen. "Jesus, Jaye, we slept all day."

"So?" He nibbled on her neck with a grin. "We finished the whole comic finale. We pulled an all-nighter. We deserved to sleep all day. This is exactly how I want to start my weekend."

"We laid down at nine this morning. We slept almost twelve hours." She pushed her phone under the pillow to keep it secure then rolled over in his embrace, coming nose to nose with him. "Your phone didn't go off at all today. Aren't you worried?"

He nodded in reply then rested his forehead against hers. "Yeah. It's a full week I've heard from my folks. You'd think they'd have returned my calls this afternoon, but, like you said, not a peep from my phone all today."

"What do you think that means?"

"It's not a big deal, hon. My dad works for the Government and sometimes he goes on business trips." He paused then nodded as if in agreement to her unspoken thought. "Yeah, but for him to drop off the face of the Earth is really weird. I wish he'd pick up so I could tell him that I can't find mom. I mean, maybe she's with him but she'd have told me if they went away together or something. It's all freaking weird. They've never disappeared without telling me before."

"Jaye, I'm so sorry babe. I know you're worried about them."

"It wouldn't be so bad if I knew one way or the other. They've never just disappeared before."

"Yeah. No, I understand babe." She brushed her lips against his.

"Mm, what was that for?"

"Seems like you needed it."

"I did. Do it again?"

Dawn grinned and pressed her lips against his. After a moment, she broke the liplock and said, "How about we take a shower together then go over to your mom's house and see what we can find?"

"That's a really good idea. But first." He ducked his head down a little bit and began nibbling along Dawn's neckline. In a muffled tone he added, "I just woke up with my girlfriend. She's been in my arms almost all afternoon."

"Yeah, except a few times when you were the little spoon and I was the big spoon."

Jaye grinned against her collarbone. "As much as I love having boobs against my back, I like facing you even more."

"Caddy flirt."

He leaned forward and they shared an intimate kiss. After a moment, she broke it and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Morning breath," she whispered into his ear. "That's one of my ticks, sorry."

"Yeah, I know." He reached away from her, opened the top drawer of the nightstand on his side of the bed, and withdrew Listerine strips. He thumbed one into her mouth, another into his own, then he leaned down and closed his lips over one of the sensitive pink nubs of her breast.

She writhed about due to the tingling minty sensation on her nipple, trapped by his tongue tip. "God that's nice. I'm glad you kept those in the drawer. You're right, they did come in handy again."

"Want me to go down on you again before it dissolves?"

"No. I like what you're doing. And don't ask permission, Jaye. Just do things. Feel your way through it. You know you don't have to ask - that ruins the mood. Just do."

"My pleasure," he whispered against her chest then began to nibble back up, over her neckline, along her jaw and back to the corner of her lips. "I love you."

She smiled, delighted by his words and his touch. "I love you more."

"I love you most."

She ran her fingers through his hair. "Mm, I love you more than most."

"We sound ridiculous together."

She beamed, brushing her lips against his forehead as he began to lower once more, and said, "We are ridiculous together."

Jaye heard her hiss with delight as he made his way back down her torso, nibbling and nipping sensually.

"Don't stop. Do your job," she said with a sigh of delight. She reached down and wiggled her boy-shorts down her thighs then wiggled them past her knees.

James snatched the fabric and pulled them down, over her ankles and tossed them over his shoulder. "Best way to wake up." He slid his right hand between her thighs and traced his fingertips over her slick, dew-drenched flower petals. He grinned then stuffed two fingers into her and continued to kiss down her belly, inch for inch, moving ever lower.

"Mm, get up here and do the job right."

He kept his fingers in place and moved back up, over her, and kissed her firmly. In reply, she wrapped her arms and legs around his waist, delighted and needy.

James moved between her thighs, guided himself into position then sank into her from tip to hilt with a sigh of content. A shiver raced down his spine at the sound of her delighted groan.

X

X

Meanwhile... 1:45am, District Coast time zone Washington DC ...

Gregory Watson glanced at his cellphone with a sigh. Two missed calls from his step son, dated about twelve hours ago. Greg opened his phone app and called his wife. A moment later Fara Watson answered, sounding wide awake. Greg cleared his throat and said, "Hey hon. I think James is getting worried."

"Why can't we reply to him again? Explain it in a way that I can understand. Short and blunt. No techno-talk."

Greg frowned. "Our phones are encrypted with special software. If we talk to him, it will make it so that both parties can be traced instantly. I have reason to believe that Falcon's people are watching supernatural again. If I talk to Jaye, whose phone is not encrypted, then he could be used to find me. And if you and him talk, then he could be used to find you, and you could be captured to draw me out of hiding."

"Where are you? Or can you not tell me?"

"Washington DC."

"Jesus, Greg! What about nuclear fallout!"

"You're thinking of New York City and the Atlantic coast of Florida. Maryland had only one major nuclear planet, and there was one on the Delaware River that I know of, but those plants were taken offline before the quake of 2025. DC is safe, just dirty."

"Is DC really as filthy as people claim?"

Greg sighed. "Yeah. It's pretty bad. Third world country poverty."

"I don't understand, Greg - why is the old American coast living in such squalor? It thrived when it was part of the continent."

"Fara, this fifteen-hundred mile strip of land has little to offer the world. They have nothing to export. The land was ruined, they have no major source of oil. It's worthless land. These people live on imports; the farms in Jersey and Maryland can't sustain the whole coast. Are you still in the safe house?"

"Yes. I haven't left. Why couldn't I bring my son? I never asked you that. I've done everything you told me to do and I trust you, but I miss my little boy."

"Hon, he's twenty-six. He's a man, now. And he's crazy in love with that girl Dawn. And..."

"Just tell me the real reason, Greg."

"Fara..."

"Tell me. Be honest."

"I'm always honest with you."

"I'm sorry. You're right. Jonathan messed me up on the trust issue, always stealing everything. Just tell me why you didn't invite Jaye to the safe house. There's enough room here for him and for Dawn."

"He's got his father's abilities. Nothing can block it. A tracker would lead a hunting party right to him because of his ability. I can't lose you. I need you in my life. Jaye can protect himself and Dawn, but you would be used as a hostage. Jaye isn't trained to deal with that situation, and they would take him down by using you as bait. I had to separate you. I'm sorry."

"You're an asshole. He's my son. And he is my little boy, I don't care how old he becomes. And I really like Dawn. I wish they were here. I'd feel better."

Watson sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He pivoted in place and switched his phone to his other ear. "I wouldn't. They'd lead a hunting party right to you; you'd be used to get to me. I can't play that game. Listen, hon, I can't chat too much longer. I promise I'll join you soon."

"He's out there by himself, Gregory. My son could be in crosshairs right now."

He sighed again. "Do you remember when James was arrested a few months ago?"

"He was let go. He was never charged."

"He used his ability to take down an armed attacker. No training. He's naturally good with his ability. He's confident. And for him to be that good without training means one thing ... he's a prodigy. I promise you he can protect himself. I've got to go. I don't know why Falcon's started hunting for supernatural people again, but I'm working on a way to stop the man for good."

Fara sighed over the line. "I love you, too. Don't get yourself killed."

"Remember, do not call him. Please, Fara. Promise me."

"I promise. I'll stay in the safehouse. It's just lonely here. Come home soon."

"I will." Watson disconnected the line and shoved his phone into his pocket. Greg turned around and came face to face with Lance Patterson. "She would strangle you if she knew what you were planning, old man."

Lance grinned. "She would. But you said so yourself - James is a prodigy. Karla has no allies to go after Falcon. It's time to build a new team for her. But first, I need to get all the pieces set in place so that your stepson will meet his nephew, Conner Parker. And you're wrong in thinking James has had no training. Topaz occasionally visited her younger brother and showed him basic techniques. She was quite impressed with his raw ability."

"Conner's been extensively trained, correct?"

"Yes. His training continues, even now. He's fourteen, yes?"

"Conner is fifteen," said Greg. "Thankfully, Jaye isn't a kleptomaniac like his family. I don't think he's stolen a single thing in his life. But why do you want them working with Karla? She betrayed her friends twenty-five years ago. Fuck her. She's useless."

"Karla's children are in Falcon's possession. She's going after them. And she will kill Falcon to ensure he never goes near her kids a second time."

"She's a woman scorned. That's your play?"

"She's far more dangerous. She's a scorned mother."

"And the Parker boys?"

"I will set the board so Conner and James meet. Consider it a training mission of sorts. It will mold them into what they need to become."

"And you expect James to defeat Falcon? How exactly?"

"Jaye, like Moses, is raised by an adopted father. Like Moses, he denounces his heritage as a thief and uses his abilities in a righteous fashion. When the time is right, he will find an artifact within a fancy box in a town called Axiom."

Greg's eyes widened. "No, wait. I know a thing or two about what you're suggesting. You want that boy to open the Ark of the Covenant? The guards that live their life babysitting that box have all died from cancer with cataracts in their eyes. Whatever is in that box is dangerous. Besides, the staff in that box belonged to Moses' brother, Aaron."

"The Staff of Aaron, known as Asclepius, was switched for the staff of Moses, known as the Nehushtan."

Greg began walking. Lance walked adjacent to him. Watson pulled his phone out, glanced at the time then slid it back into his pocket. "So some stick is going to kill Falcon? How do you figure?"

"It's a last ditch effort."

"I get it, you're throwing a Hail Mary play. Fine. How the hell does this stupid stick save the world? It makes water come out of a rock, it turns into a snake and it parts a body of water. Let me tell you the score, Lance. Falcon ripped a section of the American east coast right away from the rest of the continent. God only knows why, but he's obviously got some serious power to rip a fifteen hundred mile strip of land away from the nation, and make it go tectonically in reverse. Maine is now a mountain at the southern tip of Greenland. Massachusetts is now part of Iceland. The whole fucking coast is sitting atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Let's face it, Lance, Aris Falcon broke the laws of physics, so how the hell does a stick help?"

"Calm down, Gregory." Lance gestured for Greg to stop walking. He stepped through the front door of a building with no west wall and no roof. At the center of the crumbling building, he used his foot to sweep dirt from a hatch door in the ground. Patterson unlocked the hatch and opened it."

"You've got a bunker in DC? Nice." Greg descended the stairs leading into the bunker.

Lance stepped over the lip and down the stairs. He pulled the hatch shut and dialed a set of numbers on a keypad above the handrail. "There's a blower in the air vent. It'll blow the dirt back across the hatch and hide it." A moment later, he locked the hatch from the inside and the two went down the dimly-lit stairs.

Greg stepped aside to let Lance through.

Patterson flipped several switches, activating lights. The multi-room bunker was laid out like a living room. There was a television on the wall, a kitchenette and a strange contraption, adjacent to the fridge, with an accordion-looking attachment.

Watson approached it and smiled. "Hey, I know what this thing is. It filters the air in case there is nuclear fallout."

"Yes. State of the air thirty years ago. It's for emergencies. Now, come here." Lance walked into another section with beds mounted along the wall. There was a bathroom at the end. Lance walked opposite of the bathroom to another section, which had a library.

Greg looked at the collection of books then peered into yet another section, which was filled with dry goods, food, grains, and bottles of water. He glanced over his shoulder and stepped back into the library section. "So why've you brought me here?"

"This is where you and your wife will be staying while the new team fights against Falcon. You will stay here until I need you. I'm not sure if I'll need you at this juncture of time. But if I do, you'll be close by."

"I see. You're going to bring her here?"

"Yes. But when I move her, I'm going to take her to Europe briefly. I have my reasons. It's just a layover flight to divert any would-be followers. She'll disappear while in Europe, then come back here and join you in the bunker."

"So how does a stupid stick that supposedly belonged to Moses help my step-son end Aris Falcon? Nobody knows where his stupid domed city is hiding."

"I'll explain everything when I return with Fara."

"Before you go, I want an explanation how a fucking stick is going to take down Falcon. Why didn't we do it twenty-five years ago? Who gives a shit about a stick?" Greg paused. His eyes widened. "Wait, is it a deity-made stick?"

"No. It's technology. As modern scientists have discovered, all living creatures are comprised of genetic code."

"Yeah, DNA and RNA and all that crap."

"Yes, exactly. The people of the First Age had the technology to alter the genetic code of objects. Didn't think it existed did you? It's not so simple as that, but it's the best way to explain it. With the right manipulation, a balloon's static cling could be focused so that the object became a battery. So you see, any object could be designed to do anything. The staff of Moses, the Nehushtan, controlled water. It could pull water up through solid rock to quench thirst. It could part the ocean. Asclepius, the rod of Aaron, controlled earth. It could be driven into soil to create almonds. It could phase with solid rock and, just like the Sword in the Stone story, it could be placed into the earth and not be withdrawn by a normal being. A section of its base was cut to create a sword known as Caliburn. That sword actually was thrust into a stone. When Arthur withdrew it, he became King of the Britains."

"These sticks are First Age technology? Where are they? Aaron's staff is in Axiom in northern Africa, right?"

"That's the rumor. But it was switched with the rod of Moses. So. Nehushtan rests in Axiom. I believe Falcon has obtained Asclepius and found a way to use it to rip the American coast away from the continent. I assume that by lining up the town you saw beneath Virginia, he's able to go through it and access a section of the Capital City of the First Age. But without Fox and Topaz's biological child, he cannot access the inner sanctum of the city."

"This is complicated. So tell me how the water stick is going to stop Falcon."

"It will be used to access Falcon's underwater city, which he's dubbed 'New Atlantis.' If it can be easily accessed, it can be assaulted. He has a submersible fleet to protect it. What if you part the ocean away from it? It will be defenseless."

"Christ. Even with everything I've seen, I don't think I can believe that stuff, Lance."

"Just stay here. You have everything you'll need. I will have Fara brought to you within a few days. You will have just enough cellular reception to make and receive emergency phone calls. You're far enough from the city that you're safe from discovery. And you're close enough that you can arrive on scene if necessary."

"I'm a director of a Government agency. They're going to..."

"You're going to call them and explain that you've taken your family into hiding because Falcon is after you. You're going to relinquish command to your deputy director."

"Fine."

"On the other side of the kitchen is a master bedroom. It also connects to the bathroom you saw, like a horseshoe. It has a king-sized bed, exercise equipment - this bunker is nearly two thousand square feet. Above the bed is a secondary escape hatch for emergencies. If you open it, be careful. It swings down and three to four feet of dirt will come down on the bed. The hatch is on hinges. When it swings down, its backside will have ladder rungs that you will use to climb up and out. Be very careful. The emergency hatch also has a gunsafe with two loaded, silenced handguns."

"Silenced?"

"Have you ever fired a gun inside of a small bunker? Do you want to go deaf? Yes, silenced, and they're of particularly high caliber. Enough to pierce armor at close range. There is also a flash-bang grenade in the box. Use it once you open the hatch, that way when you escape, everyone up top will be blinded. It's the best I can give you."

"I appreciate it. Sounds like you've thought of everything."

"The handrail on the stairs is a flamethrower. That's why there are ports cut in the metal. Do be careful."

"Jesus. Alright. I'll see you when you get back with Fara."

"Stay hidden." Lance turned away and headed back into the main section. He made his way for the stairs. "From this point on, Greg, you are playing dead. Tell your deputy director and your immediate supervisor to fake your death. Do that immediately. It's part of my plan to make everything tie together. Make the call as soon as I leave. You have a backup diesel generator for emergencies. Do not use it unless of an absolute emergency. It's loud and it will attract attention. I have solar panels hidden nearby that will provide for you in the meantime."

Greg followed Lance back to the main stairs. "Is there a manual for everything here?"

Lance smiled over his shoulder. "It's in the library." He made his way up the steps, opened the main hatch and closed it behind himself then covered it with dirt again.

Greg stood on the steps, listening to the sound of dirt being thrown on the hatch above him. He sighed and withdrew his cellphone. He pulled up his call history and looked at Fara's number and the number beneath for his deputy director. His eyes danced from one name to the other. After a sigh, he opted to call his wife first.

X

X

Saturday July 17, 2049 - 4:30am Paris, France ...

Conner ran along the power line with ease. It bounced and swayed beneath his weight as he raced along the humming cable. He leapt to the left and scampered up a fire escape, then made his way to the roof of a building. At the end, he somersaulted off the edge and landed on the roof of a shorter building.

The fifteen year old boy sprinted across the second rooftop, dove off the edge, and used momentum to make his way up the concrete window sills until arriving at the top of a third building. He put his feet against the wall and pushed off hard, doing a back flip up onto the roof.

As he ran, his mind began to run. So much information over the last few hours. His sense of time felt off. It felt like he'd been with Tamamo-no-Mae for almost two full days. When he arrived back home, it had only been a few hours. Yet, last time he went on her side, time passed differently. He'd only stayed a few hours, and a great deal more time had passed back home. He couldn't wrap his mind around any of it.

Two days. Everything he learned about his parents and his grandfather, and Aris Falcon's plan, and the fate of his sister ... no, his half-sister. It was so much. And then all the romantic time he spent with Tamamo. His first kiss. His first touch. His first blow job. Learning how to please a woman. The second day with Tamamo started out with a shy blush. By the end of the afternoon, Conner had a confident gleam that was still in his eyes.

His free-running was particularly accomplished. His stride was a little wider, his every breath felt a little deeper. He ran at the top of his game. He felt lighter on his feet and rather accomplished. The waning moon, about three-quarter full, was brighter than any normal full moon. His body felt alive.

He wasn't sure if it was the confident feeling of being accepted in a beautiful Asian woman's bed, or if it was because of something else. His mind raced faster than his feet could take him over the Parisian cityscape. He recalled looking down at Tamamo, his hands in her fine white locks of hair. He thought about how she looked up at him with an innocent gaze, while gorging herself upon him. The mental image sent a shudder through his body.

He put his foot on an air conditioning unit and performed a flip off of it. He dropped into a roll across the rooftop then dove off the ledge. His feet met a clothing line, which snapped.

He captured it in his hands and, using only his upper body strength, he ascended the rope, hand over hand, all the way to the hook at the top. He put his feet on a window sill, kicked off of it, and landed on a fire escape, then took it the top. Back atop of a roof, he continued across it the way he had with the others.

Tamamo made him feel wanted. She was so attractive. Her skin was so soft. Her kisses were so needy and passionate. Her lips were amazing. Not just the kissing. He couldn't stop thinking about what they'd done together. It wasn't 'all the way,' but it was close enough that he'd never forget that night. Ever.

He remembered her promise. All he had to do was what she asked, and one day soon he would be able to actually go the rest of the way with her. The promise motivated him to be at the top of his game. He somersaulted off the side of the building and dropped into open air. There was nothing but a park ahead.

His heart was in his throat; adrenaline was coursing through his body. Yet he remained calm. He dropped two stories then his feet met the branches of a tree. The limb bowed sharply.

Conner bent his knees as the tree limb continued to bend. He could feel through his specially-made running shoes that the limb was starting to crack as it continued to bend. At the last possible second, he dove away from it. His hands met the branch of another tree. He dropped from it, to the ground, and fell into a practiced roll. The boy came up from his roll and sprinted through the grass with ease.

He performed a no-handed cartwheel between the chain links of a swing, not touching either side. He began running with his hands folded behind his back, and performed two more small somersaults.

Everything felt amazing. All he could think about was all the delightful things he did with Tamamo. It was so good - he wanted to know what the rest would be like. He'd never fooled around with a girl before, let alone a bonafide goddess. And even though it felt amazing to climax the way he did, what really put the wind beneath his step was the fact he made her moan so loudly with his touch. He'd done everything the way she showed him, and the fact he had an effect on her made him feel powerful.

But there was something else nagging at the back of his mind. Tamamo told him that his father ... his real father, Fox Parker, had a powerful family secret back in California. The problem was, Sinopa and Rufus already told him he couldn't go and get it. He didn't know what it was, but Tamamo made it sound amazing. She said that with the device, he would become powerful enough to find his parents. She said that nothing would stop him. But upon returning home, he was immediately forbidden to go to California and get it.

He was the richest boy of the richest family and he felt trapped and helpless to do one simple task. But Tamamo also foretold something. She said that Sinopa, Rufus and a few others would be leaving Paris briefly. He was told that he'd be left home, alone, until they return.

Conner decided, then and there, that he would wait until they left then head to California to claim what was rightfully his. A family secret that was both powerful and would bring him closer to his real father.

His thoughts turned to Fox. The man he thought was his uncle. He wanted to be angry but Tamamo broke the news in a way that made their egregious sin seem somewhat understandable - they wanted to protect him from some man hiding under the ocean. He didn't want to believe it was possible, but who could argue with a goddess whose lips wrapped so perfectly around his...

Conner tripped. He spun his body about and landed on his butt, facing away from the way he'd been running. A forgotten croquet hoop was wrapped around his ankle. He wasn't sure if he tripped because it was difficult to see the little metal wire hoop at this hour, or if it was because he was thinking about fooling around with that beautiful Asian cougar.

He laid back in the grass and looked up at the moon with a sigh. "She said Rufus and some guy named Kalen were going to America. She said Sinopa and the blond girl were going on some sort of mission."

A feminine voice came from off to the left. "Karla. My name is Karla, darling. That was a really impressive run, babe. I was about to teleport you when you went off that building, but you looked so confident, I couldn't help but think you'd done it on purpose. The tree thing was slick."

Conner looked over at her. "Karla, right. Sorry, I sometimes talk out loud to myself at times. It's weird, I know."

"It's okay. Talk aloud, sing if you want. I don't care. So what are you planning?"

"Nothing."

"I won't tell your grandmother. But if I know what you're doing, I know where you're at if you disappear. Falcon's dangerous, babe. Your parents are fucking bad ass. And they disappeared. So where are you going?"

"California. Tamamo said Uncle Fox - rather, my _father_has some sort of super-secret family heirloom there. I'm told it will make me able to protect myself from that Falcon guy. I'll need to get my hands on it and start training with it right away."

Karla settled down adjacent to him. She shifted her weight onto her right hip and placed her right hand on the grass, half-sprawled out besides him. "Nanobots."

"What?"

"You know how you can interface with some electronic devices?"

"Yeah. It's what mom's brother could do."

"He's your father. Call him dad. It's okay."

"It's weird."

"Your father spent his whole life at your side. You thought he was your uncle, okay, and that sucks. But you spent all these years thinking your father was away on business. Now you know your father didn't abandon you at all. He was besides you every step of the way."

"I never thought of it that way."

"Yeah. Well, he got his hands on nanobots. Technology from an age long forgotten. And he could interface with them directly. He could do anything. He could create weapons in his hands as if conjuring objects from thin-air. He could create a shield that deflected bullets. He could chew a gun down to its base elements from across the room. It was pretty sick. I'm not joking. Nanobots. And yes, if you interfaced and practiced with them, they would protect you if you used them right."

"So why did Sinopa say I can't go?"

"You're supposed to be hiding. I'm a bit of a rebel, babe. As a mature adult, I cannot tell you to go against your grandmother. However, I can tell you that we'll only be a few days. And you've got the house to yourself. So long as you're there when we get back, she will be happy. So..."

"So..."

Karla smiled somewhat. "I hear you hung out with Tamamo."

"Uhm, yeah. She's cool."

Karla rubbed her chin, eyeing the boy. "You fucked her, huh?"

Conner's eyes went wide. "What? No!" He swallowed and looked away. All control of his expressions and emotions were gone. His lips contorted into a scowl with the smile of a blush behind it. He wasn't sure if he was offended or amused by Karla's words.

"Boy, it's the middle of the night and you're blushing so bright it's lighting up the whole park. Okay, fine, so you didn't bang the goddess. But you definitely fooled around with her. I can tell by the look on your face that you're shy about the subject. How far? Hand job? Blow job?"

"Oh my God, you're awful."

"Oral huh? High five!" She held her hand up. After a brief pause, she said, "Do not leave me hanging!"

"I..."

Karla finished his sentence. "...Was just about to give a high-five. C'mon. Palm-to-palm, boy. I'm a succubus. A sex demon. You got head. First blow job. That's monumental. Slap it out - high five, ya goober."

He reluctantly brought his hand up until his palm gently met hers.

Karla drew her hand back then thrust it at his, slapping her palm against his own. "Like this. You got your rocks off, and it gave you the confidence to free-run like a beast. The least you can do is slap me some skin, kiddo."

"Why do you call me kiddo? You look my age."

"It's a habit I picked up from my friend, Nathanial. He passed away. I was four times his age; he died an old man. Yes, I'm really that old."

"When are you guys going away?"

"Two days. Think you can wait that long, goob-a-tron? And don't say I told you to do it. If you're going to blame anyone, blame Tamamo. Your best bet is to get back before Sinopa gets home. A thief doesn't get caught, remember?"

"Yeah. How gross is it that my parents were twin brother and sister?"

"It's complicated."

"Tamamo gave me all the details. There was pheromones. They tried really hard to stay apart, but they were 'genetic chimera.' Apparently so am I. I'm two people. I'm a reborn dude who died, like, ten thousand years ago. And I'm also a Parker. It explains why I'm a white guy with tan spots. I thought they were just birth marks or something. But my palms are darker than the rest of my body. My feet are tan and I always wear shoes. My, uh, you-know-what is darker than the rest of my body, too."

Karla grinned. "Take it from a sex demon, babe. That last one is normal. Lots of guys have tan dongs, yet they've never been in the sun naked before."

"What? Really? Why?"

"Look it up. Google'll have an answer. Maybe it's like a pregnant woman's 'hormone mask'. It's just a lot of testosterone. Or maybe it's discolored because you always have blood rushing down there. Look it up."

"Uhm, I'm good. Thanks, though. You really don't know? You're a succubus who doesn't know something about sex?"

Karla eyed him for a minute. "Damn. You're gonna make me go home and look it up, aren't you? But yeah, tan junk is normal for dudes. So, how was it with Tamamo?"

He swallowed to keep his mouth from feeling dry. "It was nice."

"The head or hanging out?"

He looked away again, blushing furiously. "Both. Can we not talk about that?"

"I'm not judging you. You don't have to be shy with me."

"Yeah, well, it was private, okay? I don't brag. That's between me and her."

Karla laughed. "A guy who doesn't kiss and tell! That is so 'teenaged' of you!"

"Fine, then I'll tell you all about it when I'm thirty-five."

The succubus gaped at him then laughed. "Wow, that was a quick answer. Nice! I'd high-five you again, but your palms are sweaty."

He looked down at his hands. They were, in fact, sweaty. "It's from running."

"You've been sitting here cooling down for a while. It's from talking about doin' the hanky-panky with the lanky Asian. Did you give her spanky-spanky?" Karla changed her dialect, doing a horribly faux Asian accent. "Aw, soh Connah, you give me spanky, I give you sucky-sucky! You have so-nice firm grip, round-eye! Show me giant American cock-ka! Ohh, I love American cock-ka!"

"Okay, enough! Jesus. Don't talk about her like that. She's really nice. And she's not like that. She's not some tramp or something. The first day, all we did was talk. I learned a lot. She's my girlfriend, so talk about her with respect, okay?"

Karla tittered with delight, "Whoa-nelly! Wow! You do realize you were only gone for a few hours, right? I teleported into the bathroom and saw the handprints on the mirror."

"Yeah, well..." he licked his lips, nervously, and continued, "I stayed the night. I saw the sun go down and come back up. We stayed in the same bed together. She told me she has a crush on me. She's really pretty and she was really nice, and sincere and treated me the way I wanted to be treated."

"Oh, she made'ja feel manly huh? Does Sinopa know she's your 'girlfriend' now? How weird is that right? You're dating your grandmother's teacher. Tammy-Fox is so freaking old that we need an animal other than 'cougar' to best describe her. She's like ... god, we need to think about this one. Since she's Asian, let's call her a Panda Bear."

"That's Chinese."

"I'm sure they have pandas in Japan."

"She's a fox."

"Well yeah, no shit about that. She's smokin'."

"Not like that. I mean she has fox tails and ears and stuff. She's a fox spirit. We don't need to call her any other animal than that."

"Boy, you really got it bad for Tammy-Fox, don't you? Next time you see her, tell her that if she really loves you, she'll let you go in the back door."

"What?! Why do you say things like that! Jeeze!"

Karla rolled onto her back and burst into a fit of giggles. Her hysterics melted into gleeful belly laughter. She stomped her feet on the ground, "Jesus Christ, I haven't laughed this hard since..."

"Why are you acting like this?! Aren't you supposed to be in mourning or something? Your husband was murdered, and your kids are freezing their asses off in some sort of tube in some madman's psycho lab."

Karla froze and sat up. All the amusement was gone from her face. She stared at him, horrified, and shook her head. "That was awful, Conner. I deal with stress by making jokes. It's how I've learned to deal with hurt and loss after four-and-a-half centuries. That was really fucked up to say that to me. Yes, of _course_I'm besides myself over that. I deal with shit differently than you do. You don't have to throw it in my face like a dick."

He immediately felt guilty. "I ... I'm really sorry. I don't know what came over me. I'm just confused right now. The thing about my parents, and them disappearing. And my sister is gone. And Tamamo tried to distract me from all the stuff I'm feeling by being ... you know..."

"Intimate."

"Yeah, that." He swallowed down his pride. His throat felt tight with guilt. "Sorry I said that stuff. I have a temper. I'm told it comes from my mother, but I never really saw that side of her."

"Neither did I, hon."

"What do you mean?"

"She treated guys pretty badly but was sweet on girls." Karla paused then added, "Chummy and such."

Conner stared at the girl for a moment. "How old was she?"

"Twenty-four."

"And you had sex with her? With my mother?"

Karla grimaced through a weak smile. "Guilty as charged. She only treated guys badly. At one point of time, that is. You weren't supposed to hear that, though."

"No, it explains why mom liked you so much, and talked so nicely about you up until a few months ago. What did you do that made her so mad?"

"I uh, well, didn't Tamamo tell you?"

"Tamamo said it was complicated, and that you meant well. She said you tried to keep my uncle's stepfather's secret. He apparently lied and was somehow responsible for the death of my maternal grandfather ... ugh."

Karla tilted her head at the way he made the sound of disgust. "What's 'ugh,' hon?"

"I just realized, he's also my paternal grandfather. That's really nasty."

"No, it's not. Hell, I encouraged those two to hook up. They were fighting it so hard."

"God, it's disgusting."

"If you say so. Don't knock it 'till you try it."

"I don't have any desire to have relations with my big sister. Don't even entertain the thought. God. You're a sadistic pervert."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult. Whatever. I'm the fucked up one who laughs and makes jokes in the wake of her husband's death. The one whose children are missing, and she sits around babysitting some kid who jumps off buildings like a boss, but trips on freaking lawn-game accessories."

"Hey, don't be mean."

"Yeah, sorry. That's your department."

"I said I'm sorry!"

"I heard you the first time, babe. Look, I'm handling my shit. It's not overnight. I need to put together a team of bad-asses who are capable of helping me go down to the 'Enchantment Under the Sea' base, so I can fuck shit up. So get your tail out from between your legs, son of Fox, of a fox, and get your stupid little robot bugs, and start training. I need people who are capable. I need people who are amazing, who jump off buildings, and dance their way down a tree, not angry boys who sling insults while lying sprawled out on the ground after tripping on a dinky piece of wire frame. Oh, and yeah, I look young, but I'm going on five hundred years old. So how about some respect, huh? I'm older than your grandmother."

"I'll give you all the respect you want. But don't talk about blowjobs or make fun of how Tamamo speaks. If you act like a child, I'll treat you like a child."

Karla glared. She reached out and smacked him across his face. "That's for treating me the way my husband treated me."

He got up on his feet and threw his hands up. "Fuck you, lady! Maybe he said it because you embarrassed him! Don't you smacking me in the face for being honest with you!"

Karla got to her feet. They glared at one another.

"Aren't you supposed to be the bigger person here, because I'm fifteen and you're like, a bazillion times older than me?"

"I told you I'm rebellious."

"Fine! Then instead of smacking each other, how about we refocus all this emotion towards the asshole who has our family!"

"Yeah, no problem. But first, I'm going to smack that smart mouth off of you, and make you a humble man." She swatted at his face again.

Conner jerked his head back. He reached up and smacked her hand away. "Don't touch me."

"I'll do whatever I want." She telekinetically charged her hand and jabbed towards his arm.

He moved to the left and rolled his body along the outside of her arm, then brought his elbow against the backside of her head and knocked her away from himself. "I said stop!"

Karla, aggravated that she missed, kicked to the side, aiming for his shin. Conner hopped the low kick then wrapped his arms around her and brought her to the ground in a scuffle.

The succubus disappeared.

Conner rolled over and got to his feet, ready for anything.

Karla reappeared behind him. She drew her fist back then thrust it forward.

Conner ducked the punch and extended his backwards towards her, hip-bumping her back. He stood up, using his shoulder to un-extend her arm by collapsing her elbow. He snatched her wrist and doubled over, trying to flip her but she vanished in midair, causing him to stumble briefly. Conner recovered and turned around with a roundhouse.

Karla appeared in the path of his kick but with her arms up. His foot struck her forearms. The telekinetic buildup in her wrists was pushed back into his foot, launching him backwards.

He landed in the grass, did a backwards handstand and got back to his feet, using momentum in his favor. He dove back at her.

Karla jumped back and brought her foot up just as Conner went into a roll. She brought her heel down narrowly missing him. The grass exploded from a telekinesis-powered stomp. A crater of dirt was in her wake. Karla vanished again. She reappeared near him and swung but missed narrowly. "Stop moving, you little dickhead!"

"Screw you, you're the one swinging on me!"

"Yeah? Well I'm about to whip your spoiled little hot-headed ass, and knock you down a peg or two. You just wait, you have a lesson to learn, little boy!"

A voice came from across the park. "What the fuck is goin' on here, you two dummies!"

Both of them stopped and turned to face Rufus Darken. Karla sighed and spoke under her breath towards Conner. "Now you've done it. He's even more cranky than you are, lately."

"Crankier," Conner corrected. "Four hundred and how many years?"

Karla clenched her hands into fists.

Rufus approached with an aggressive stride. "Dun' just stand there, you two nitwits! Wha'n the hell you two doing? Fighting dirty like that in a park in the middle of th' night? I heard a report on th' goddamn police scanner that two people are tryin' to kill each other! Lucky for you I was just coming around the corner when I heard the report!"

"Someone called the cops," Conner muttered. "Your fault."

"Oh, the nerve!"

"Hey!" Rufus threw his hands upwards. "Both of you shake hands, right now! We're on the same team! Dayum!"

"She started it."

"No, he did, by running his mouth."

Rufus stopped right in front of them both. "Shake hands!"

Conner folded his arms. "I don't know where her hand has been. She's a sex demon after all."

Rufus's eyes widened slightly. He looked at Karla then back at the boy. "Well shit, I'm inclined to agree with you but you'd be wrong, young 'in. She was right faithful to Eric, her husband. Tha's right, son, she put her entire lifestyle on halt for one person. She had to fight back her true nature for love. That's right-damn respectable. And jus' for that remark, I want you two to hug right now."

"Hug?!" exclaimed both Karla and Conner in unison.

"FUCKIN' HUG! RIGHT-GODDAMN-NOW!" he erupted.

Karla and Conner's eyes met. They gingerly turned to face one another, as if sizing the other up.

Rufus put his hands on his hips. "Five second hug, or so help me, Chri'saw'mighty, I will sandwich you two together for five minutes. Now get to huggin, you jackasses. Make it snappy 'afore the cops show up."

Karla rolled her eyes and opened her arms. "Fine, whatever."

Conner sighed through clenched teeth and stepped into the embrace. They hugged. Rufus counted out loud. "One Mississippi, two, Mississippi, three Mississippi..."

The tense embrace softened. After a moment, Conner's rigid body relaxed. Karla responded in kind and let her guard down. After Rufus reached 'five,' they relinquished the hug.

"Now. Y'all done being children? We all friends again?"

"Yeah," said Conner softly.

"Same team," Karla murmured in reply.

"Karla, teleport us the hell outta here. Car's over yonder," he said, pointing across the way.

The trio disappeared. They reappeared adjacent to the rental car. "Shotgun," she said.

"The hell you is, girl. You're both sitting in the back seat 'till you learn how to play nice together."

"She's not my type," Conner said.

"I dun' give a shit. You're allies. You're gonna treat each other wit' respect or I'mma stomp your asses and _make you_play nice. Now get'cher asses in that back seat right now. Go on, now. Git!"

Karla threw her hands up in disgust. Both she and Conner reappeared sitting in the back seat of the rental. Rufus eyed them for a moment then opened the driver door, slid into the seat and turned on the headlights. "Now both y'all behave. Be nice to each other. Y'all're gonna have to learn how to get along and trust each other or you'll both wind up dead."

Karla grumbled.

The police scanner came on over the speakers. Rufus turned the volume down then looked back at Karla. "Wha's that, blondie? You got somethin' you wanna share?" He put the car into gear and eased into the gas.

"I_said_ you're one to talk. You don't trust me at all."

Rufus shook his head. "You're wrong. Your kids are at the bottom of the goddamn ocean. You're the only one I trust to fight tooth'n nail. I'm not naïve. You're not doing it for me. You're doing it for them. That's different. I'm willing to wager Falcon just signed his own death warrant."

"She's not so tough. I just fought her."

"Out of respect for Sinopa and your parents, I was going easy on you."

"You couldn't catch me," Conner quipped.

"Hey!" Rufus shouted, causing the car to grow silent. He put on the blinker and came to a stoplight. The blinker was the loudest thing in the vehicle. He took a deep breath then, in a calmer tone, added, "Now what did I just tell you two? Play nice. You two are the baddest-ass supernatural fighters around right now. Conner, you're not at your best, but you'll get there."

"Yeah. When I get back to California and get my hands on that thing belonging to Uncle Fox." He sighed. "I mean ... my father."

"Yeah. Nanobots."

"Does everyone know except me?"

"I seen'em, son. Problem is, you're supposed to be hidin' right now. Layin' low. You'll get'em later. No rush. They ain't goin' anywhere."

"Sooner I have them, the sooner I get good with using them."

"Christ, you're as impatient as yer mother."

"So I'm told," he said softly.

Karla rubbed her face then ran her hands back through her hair. "Look, I'm sorry I swung on you. But you said some hurtful things about my husband. The man died, okay? Have some respect. And my kids? I killed people and let my friends possibly die for those kids. You can't begin to understand the sacrifices I made for..."

"Whoa," Conner said, cutting her off. "Are you really going to turn an apology around on me like that? Look, you made fun of my girlfriend."

Rufus glanced in the rearview mirror. "You gotta girlfriend, son?"

Karla rolled her eyes. "He's fooling around with Tamamo-no-Mae. She's, like, two thousand years old. And every time she hooks up with someone, it's a fifteen year old boy."

"Stop," Rue said in a firm tone. "Stop it, both of you, right now. This shit's escalating. Ain't nobody got time for that. Now, Conner, does Sinopa know you're datin' her sensei?"

"Who I date is nobody's business but mine and the woman with whom I choose to have the relationship ... sir."

Rue smirked. "Sir, huh? A'ite. Fair enough. Karla, it's the kid's first squeeze. Don't disrespect his romance. Man takes his first kiss verra' serious. Now, I know you make jokes when you's upset, and I know you upset over that shit with Falcon and Eric 'n yer son. I know you's hurtin' something fierce, girl. And I know you make jokes to deal wit' stress."

"Tolja," Karla whispered to Conner.

Rufus continued. "But, Karla, you don't make fun of people. Find another way to make jokes. You need Conner's help to get your kids back. You need his help to get revenge for Eric. You got that?"

Karla swallowed. She looked at Conner, the boy she could barely touch in a brief fist fight, then back at Rufus. "I'd have worn him down eventually."

"Wasn't fair, because I'd already been out for a run."

"I'm just saying I'd have whipped your ass if Rufus hadn't showed up to..."

"AHT!" Rufus came to another red light. He turned around and faced them both. "Christ Almighty, you two fight like your married!"

"What?!" they both erupted in unison.

"Karla, he lasted against you long enough to have the cops called. Granted you didn't teleport him into the ground 'n kick his head off his shoulders. That'd have been cheatin', but you have to admit he's good enough to be a help to you. If he fights that hard against Falcon's crew, then you're in good shape. Am'a right?"

Karla nodded. "...Yeah."

Conner swallowed. "Teleport me into the ground? And do what?"

Karla shrugged. "I've done it to Falcon's mercenaries. I fight dirty. But I wasn't going to kill you just because I can. I just wanted to teach you a lesson."

"You've decapitated people after fusing their body in the ground? What kind of person are you?"

"They were murdering Esoteric Humans by the hundred-thousands. Everybody they could find, they killed. I stopped holding back. And they can't dodge me if I tee-up their head in the grass."

"She's a mighty fine fighter, son," said Rufus to Conner. "I seen her mop up entire groups of people at one time. She's your best bet to get'cher folks back safe'n sound. You two need each other."

"What about you?" Conner asked.

Rufus shrugged. "Kalen 'n I gotta head to America and set the stage for you goofballs. And so help me, I'd better not hear you two acting like this ever again. I mean it."

"Fine, fine." Karla thrust her hand towards Conner. "Truce."

He looked at her, down at her hand, then back at her. After a moment of deliberating, he took her hand and shook it firmly. "Truce."

"Good on ya, both." Rufus cut the wheel and pulled into Karla's estate. The gates swiveled open on their metal hinges then closed when the car passed through. "Conner. You stay your ass here and watch after Reno. We cain't let any-damn-thing happen to'em. He's gonna be a key player in all'a this mess. He's amazin'. Throws lightning bolts 'n shit. Seriously. If Falcon's people find'em, then you can bet'cher ass they'll take him out of play to hold us back. So keep yer ass in Paris."

"God, fine."

"Good boy. And Karla, you keep an eye out for Sinopa on this job you're runnin' for Patterson. Lance know what'es doin'. Keep foxy alive. You got it, blondie?"

"Yeah."

"Good girl."

Karla flinched.

Rufus saw the reaction in the rearview. He pulled into the return circle in front of the front door. He shut off the door and turned about to look at her. "What was that all'a 'bout?"

"Eric used to call me that when we were alone together. It was his thing. Don't say it to me, please."

"Oh, a'ite. I din' know. Won't happen again. Now. I leave for my flight in a few hours and I'm returnin' this rental at the airport. My bags're already packed. I shouldn't've wasted my time playin' dad. I don't wanna ever do tha' again. Am I clear, you two?"

"Crystal," said Karla.

"Yes sir," whispered Conner with a frown.

"Good. Now get yer asses out this car. I gotta plane to catch."

Karla smirked. She snatched Conner's wrist and both of them vanished, teleporting into the mansion. Rufus started the car and headed back off the property.

Karla and Conner looked at one another. She grimaced then, in a soft tone, said, "I never said you should run off to California. But if you're here when Sinopa and I return, I won't ask any questions and I won't make any assumptions to her. I hope we're on the same page."

"Yeah. I don't want her to worry."

They eyed one another again then walked away in separate directions.

---

Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/681249