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Chapter-19- Wild Goose Chase

Friday, December 3 Interstate-81, East Coast Common Wealth Of Virginia, USA ...

The Chevelle rumbled down the highway. Both windows were down and Karla's hair whipped around behind her.

It occasionally came up and half-wrapped around her face. Each time, she casually used a hand to draw it back. "It is unusually warm today for this time of year. I don't get it. I was wearing a coat yesterday. It's seventy degrees out today."

"I'm not complaining," Reno said. "It makes me miss California weather."

"Yeah, no shit. I guess we're never going back to San Francisco. I'm not trying to die from goddamn breast cancer after all the hard work I did to stay alive for four-and-a-half centuries."

"I just want to find this asshole before he detonates the second one." Reno glanced at his phone screen. "We still have a little bit before we make it to the next town. How you holding up? Should I stop for a burger, or so you can take a leak?"

"Nah," Karla shrugged. "Don't need to pee. Keep going. Let's get through the day."

"So Cybil really things he'll be arriving in Roanoke, Virginia?"

Karla drew her cellphone and called a number in the speed dial. She put it on speakerphone, holding the phone towards the center of the car so as to hear it over the wind.

A moment later, Cybil answered. "Karla, you're on your feet finally?"

"I fell asleep in the front seat. It's a nice day. Give me a break."

"Why not talk to Reno?"

"Because I'm a big breasted bimbo who likes to sleep with her feet hanging out the window. So what's the scoop?"

"I wouldn't call that being a bimbo," Cybil said over the line, clearly not understanding her sense of humor. "If you're not having a conversation, that makes you more of an introvert, don't you think?"

Karla sat up a bit and shifted the phone in her palm. "I believe the introvert and extrovert binary is a bullshit dichotomy, poorly researched, and is an unnecessary designation, as many people often do not fit into one camp or the other."

"Mm, I just assumed you only spoke to him when you wanted sex."

"Mm," Karla replied, mocking his tone of voice to a degree, "It doesn't matter the validity of the psychology; it has turned into terms that people pass around to make themselves sound smarter than they really are. Those terms are, at best, mere buzzwords used by simpletons when talking about shy or outgoing people. And, often, those terms do not necessarily apply to people."

"Feisty," Cybil said. "I like that. Evan is here. He saved my life, by the way. Also, let's not talk about things most people do not fully comprehend. Especially when speaking of words that go beyond the use of shyness or being outgoing. People can be outgoing to a certain crowd, but a complete hermit the rest of the time in their lives, or in other types of crowds."

Karla laughed. "You're right, let's not argue about psychology. You're a doctor and I've lived eight lifetimes. I wouldn't want intelligent people to judge us for being ignorant to each other. But what do I know? I'm just a big breasted dim-wit."

"Just be a team player, Mrs. Loupe."

"Why do you sound different?" she asked.

"I took an anti-anxiety pill. I'm feeling much better about nearly dying. But let's not worry about that - you're calling about Loki! He just left the District Coast and should be arriving in Roanoke."

"I'm good for that."

"Also, Karla, you're not a dimwit. You're just an introvert. You go out, you have sex, you play in a crowd, and then you go home and you read, and you avoid the world in your down time. I'm not trying to insult you. I'm trying to point out the truth."

Karla grimaced. "What is the point of this conversation?"

"I can't help but point out the truth. Sorry."

"People just really need their identity to be wrapped up in a label, don't they?" She leaned back in the seat. "I blame Meyers-Briggs. Maybe it's a shorter, easier way of you trying to tell me I don't like being around people sometimes. Fine."

"I didn't mean to be random. I was just blurting it out."

Karla scoffed. "I can be random, too. I like turtles. I have a belly button. I could really go for pizza right about now."

"Just as long as you're not hitting on me. I'm not straight."

Karla laughed out loud. "What? Are you serious?"

"Not in the least."

"But you don't even talk gay, Cybil. You don't even have the gay voice, not even a little bit."

"Surprised?"

Karla thumbed the speakerphone button on the screen and brought the phone to her ear. "Since when are you gay? I could easily change your mind."

"Stop hitting on me. I'm as gay as a three dollar bill."

She put her feet up on the dashboard. "I could change your mind."

"Karla, I am just kidding. See? You don't get _my_sense of humor. I'm just offended you don't remember we had sex."

"Wait, what?" Karla blinked. She sat up in the car seat. "When?"

"A long, long time ago."

Karla relaxed. "Oh. I thought you meant recently, like when Tamamo possessed me. I would have been pissed."

"It was a very, very long time ago. I remembered you as soon as I saw you. I could never be gay. I wasn't born that way."

Karla smirked. "Yeah? Don't deny it till you at least try it."

"It's not like liverwurst, Karla."

She grinned. "Oh, honey, even spaghetti is straight ... until you warm it up."

"Okay, okay, enough. I was kidding, and you took it too far."

"So we're going to find Loki in Roanoke?"

"With any luck your paths were cross when he comes ashore. He'll be arriving in the harbor of Lynchburg shortly. I expect him to make his way west to Roanoke, then take I-81 south to I-40 towards Knoxville."

"Why? What the hell is in Knoxville?"

"A split to the rest of the country. He can head west to Cincinnati, and then west to Indianapolis. If he wants, he can continue north to Chicago. He can hold a great deal of the country hostage from Tennessee. It touches more state borders than any other state in the country."

Karla sighed. "Are you trying to guess using logic, or are you trying to tell me that's a prophecy?"

"He hasn't made a decision, and at this point he is at a fork in the metaphorical road. What happens next, if you let him get away, is a split of decisions. I cannot guess which one he will choose. So, please, catch him in Roanoke."

Karla frowned. "Okay, okay. Just ... okay. Thanks for answering when I called. I'll keep you in the loop."

"Don't argue next time. It makes me anxious, and then that causes a list of other problems for me."

Karla opened her mouth to retort, but decided against it. "Are you sure we had sex?"

"I was a very, very different person back then."

"I understand." She thumbed the screen on the phone and put into her cleavage. "Jesus Christ, Reno, I want to kick him. He's being a little troll."

"He has his moments. Did you guys really...?"

"I don't remember it. He claims it happened a long time ago. Apparently before I was married, because I haven't had sex with hardly anyone lately. Just a handful of people."

"So, Roanoke, huh?"

"Yup."

X

X

Celestial Realm

** Sinopa Guillot bowed.**"Shizuko."

"Peter." He folded his hands. "It is extremely rare to let the living into Heaven. I can count the number of times on my thumbs alone."

"I am so glad you speak Japanese," she said. "My husband, Jules, has the knowledge to save humanity. I must see him. I have gone through great lengths to make my way here."

"Mm. First, I speak tongues. I understand your spoken language, and you understand that meaning of mine, Shizuko. But letting you into Heaven is not a simple task."

"Please. Desperate times call for acts of desperation."

"His information came to the grave with him."

"With all due respect, the Messiah you call 'Savior' died for humankind. But death did not keep him away from humanity. I am not asking to bring Jules back with me. I am only asking that you allow me to learn what he knew to save humanity."

"And why did he not share this with you while living?"

"To be honest, I do not know what it is that he knows. I only know that he was prophesized to save humanity. I do not know how. And because he gave his life to protect my grandson, humanity may suffer. He did not knowingly choose a child over humanity. He acted with his heart, just as the Messiah, your savior, chose one lamb over a flock."

Peter nodded. "But I cannot betray the orders of Heaven. Since assuming the role as the gatekeeper of Heaven, this is my penance, and I must adhere to it to the best of my ability."

"You serve Christ, correct?"

"I do."

"And your penance for betraying him thrice is to stand at the gate of Heaven, but never enter it?"

"It is not a punishment. I am acting in service of my Lord. A policeman cannot enjoy the peace he provides to the land, because he is acting in service to the land. It is a sacrifice."

"But you assumed this role after learning a lesson, correct? This is atonement for denying your God."

Peter frowned. "What is your point, Shizuko?"

"Christ lives in service of humanity. That is His sacrifice. You worship Him as your savior. Therefor, His plight ... His mission to mankind is, by proxy, your mission."

"Yes, and I serve Him by allowing the worthy access to Heaven."

"And how has Christ rewarded you?"

Peter narrowed is gaze. "Do not assume to play such a dangerous game with me. You cannot cause me to question my faith."

Sinopa held her hands up. "Wait, hear me out. Did your faith in Christ allow you to walk on the Sea of Galilee?"

Peter nodded. "I walked on the sea towards my Savior. But I was a foolish human man and I became afraid of things I did not understand. I began to sink. He rescued me. We returned to the boat and the sea calmed. His divinity is not to be questioned."

"And I would never question it," said Sinopa. "But He has given you trust. He gave you the ability to walk upon the water to meet Him. He gave you a mission to help Him to help humanity."

"Again, I must ask - what is your point, Shizuko?"

"Jules may not realize he has information that will spare humanity from a horrible fate. By speaking with him, the life he sacrificed will be in service to the world instead of my grandson. My grandson is necessary to save the world and James ensured the boy's life. But it does not match up with my prophecy."

Peter offered his hand to Sinopa. She took it and lowered to one knee before the man. "Humility is the ability to put the needs of everyone ahead of oneself. Shizuko, you've risked everything, including your ability to help your friends, by coming here. I cannot deny such a noble sacrifice."

"You will grant me an audience?"

"I will. But you will have no recollection of Heaven. You will recall it was bright and pure. You will remember its warmth, but you will remember nothing else of your time here."

"I understand."

"You should know that your husbands have met one another."

Sinopa nodded. "Jealousy, I imagine, is an affliction of the heart and mind."

"Correct. It does not exist in the spirit. There is no malice between your mates because all that exists of them is their spirit in Heaven."

"Shedding one's sense of self allows the spirit to achieve perfection."

"Yes. Some have chosen to remain in limbo or worse in order to stay true of their sense of self. They have chosen to be true to themselves, and to their imperfection rather than enter Heaven. God does not begrudge them their love of their imperfection. Purgatory is not beyond God's sight. That punishment is reserved only for the damned."

"It warms my heart that Jonathan and Jules achieved spiritual perfection."

"I tell you this so you can understand that they may not be the men you remembered in life."

She nodded. "Understood."

Peter withdrew a simple, elegant key from his robes and placed it into her hand. "Your time is limited. You will not have access to the heart of Heaven. Imperfection cannot cross the threshold. I will give you time with your husbands. Become enveloped in the love they felt for you. But weigh your time carefully."

"How long?"

"Imperfection is weighed when you cross through the gateway. That determines how long you can stay before Heaven flushes you out."

Sinopa stood and bowed again. She held the key in both of her hands. It was not gold, nor was it platinum as she expected. It was carved from polished granite. "How will I know where to find them?"

"They will be attracted to your presence. Just wait at the gateway. Remember, when lost, stay where you are and you will be found. Just wait."

"Thank you."

"I have only one question for you, before you enter Heaven," said Peter.

"Yes?"

"Why not have children with Jules?"

"It was so very difficult with Jonathan. We required aid from a brilliant geneticist. And the man used us. I left it to fate. Jules performed admirably and was a very loving husband. I would have been delighted to be fruitful with him. It was not meant to be, although not for lack of trying."

"So you were afraid of bringing in a third party again?"

"I was tempted, but some forbidden fruit is forbidden for a reason."

Peter smiled. "So you left it up to God's plan."

"Who would dare the plans of the One True Creator? I did not have children with Jules. That is not his fault."

"I am satisfied with your answer. Thank you for not having malice in your heart concerning God's will."

Sinopa bowed again. She went to the gate, eased the key into the lock and turned it. The tumbler slid open and the gate opened. Sinopa's key disappeared. She lifted her hands up to cover her eyes and stepped into the brightness ahead...

X

X

Friday Evening Roanoke, Virginia ...

Karla let out a contented sigh. She shuddered, grasping at Reno, and tensed her thighs around his waist. The blissful orgasm was exactly what she needed. Her body relaxed, and her legs dropped to either side of his waist.

Face tucked into his shoulder, she nipped playfully at his skin. Her head dropped back on the pillow and she relaxed into the second half of the orgasm. A moan was whispered into his ear, as if offering it only to him. "God, I needed that. If there is a God and a Heaven, _that_was a full-access pass, babe."

Reno clung to her for a moment.

She felt the rush of warmth followed by a delightfully slick wetness. His release put out the friction-fire brought about by their passion in bed.

She draped her forearms over the nape of his neck. "Mm, that'a boy. Good timing." She took deep breaths to relax her racing heart. "Not going to lie, I half-expected Loki to kick in the door any minute. It's hard to relax into good sex when you're keeping one eye on the door and window."

"I can't remember the last time we went missionary."

"Vanilla sex is only 'vanilla' if you do it that way every time." With a playful expression, Karla lifted her legs up. She spread her knees wide apart, lifted them up further, and then draped her legs over his shoulders with a grin. "This was how we did it last time."

Reno grinned at her in the dim hotel room. "I remember. You said it's a good angle for depth."

She grinned back. "You remembered. Good boy." She guided her ankles to cross one-over-the-other. "A biology teacher would say it's impossible to feel a man grind against the cervix - something about having no nerves there. But they obviously never tried this angle before, so how could they know?"

"I wouldn't know," Reno said softly, looking down over her.

"I would," she said breathlessly, shifting her hips. The angle and the emotional closeness brought her to another release. Shivers of delight raced up her spine, and then back down. "That makes three. God, this is the best part of being a woman."

"Multiples?"

"God yes. I never have them unless I'm emotionally attached to my partner, though." She offered him a cheesy smile. "If you're going to run away screaming, better do it now before I get too attached."

Reno brushed his nose against hers. "So get attached if you want. I already told you, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for the long haul."

She placed her palms on either side of his face and kissed him softly. She relished in the way he kissed her back. She loved feeling desired by someone she adored.

And then her cellphone rang. Its incessant annoying chirp cut through the quiet room, and the mood.

Karla held her right hand out, palm up. The phone appeared in her grasp. She thumbed the screen and, in a terse tone, said, "What?"

A masculine voice came over the speaker on the back of her phone. "Hey, it's Gregory."

Karla balked. She licked her lips and replied in the same firm tone she used to answer the call. "I know who you are, Watson. The thing is, you never call me. Even twenty-five years ago, you found other ways, or other people to contact me if it was important. So obviously something life-or-death is compelling you to apologize to me and beg for my help."

"Listen, I know you hate me because of Jonathan. I appreciate that you haven't told the kids about it, Karla. I never expected you to hold that kind of secret for as long as you have. And I appreciate that you kept the secret because you see the bigger picture, here."

"Oh, you're calling out of the blue to compliment me? Well now. You should probably know that I told Topaz last spring. Vincent said she's still alive, so expect her to hate your guts when I rescue her."

"I see."

"She feels betrayed, having treated you so well. She's angry you're living on her father's money. She's angry you step-fathered James."

"I was manipulated. Sire paired me with Fara to help with Falcon's agenda to manipulate me. Fara and I went to counseling and our relationship is more genuine now. I'm not saying it was right. I'm not saying I'm innocent. But you should know how that feels, Karla."

Karla furrowed her brows. She looked up at Reno; he shrugged back.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Sire arranged your marriage," said Watson over the line. "Eric can't understand why he stays with you; the two of you are polar opposites. Falcon wanted two ways to control him, and two ways to control you."

Karla swallowed. She patted Reno and shifted her weight.

Reno took the hint, gently eased off of her and rolled besides her on the bed.

Karla shifted the phone to her other hand. "Explain."

"Eric was part of a failed Government sponsored program to control people with abilities. They managed to program him, but he couldn't effectively control his abilities when activated. That was why the program failed. He had minimal control over shadows until he came out of the trance."

Karla remained silent, listening.

"Are you still there?"

"You want me to acknowledge your every sentence with 'uh huh?' Just spill it, Greg."

Watson sighed. "Anyhow, you were uncontrollable. Sire used his ability on you in 1997 to destroy an airplane because it was a political assassination of someone on the Esoteric Council. But, years later, Sire tried programming you again in 2023 and it didn't work."

Karla narrowed her eyes. "Yeah. Instead, I remembered all the shit he put me through. It started coming back."

"He tried to give you an order, and you partially blew him off. Then you started having dreams, until you remembered everything. Falcon's people felt you couldn't be reliably controlled by Sire's ability anymore."

"Go on."

Watson cleared his throat. "Anyhow, they programmed Eric to fall in love with you. But you can't just make someone understand what love really is. So he adopted a distorted version of what he thought love was, and so..."

"Get to the fucking point," she snapped.

"Eric can be activated as necessary to carry out a job. He was also programmed by Sire to covet you. But eventually mental programing can break down. That's how Fara and I realized we were manipulated. But we already had a family, so we went to marriage counseling. We have a lasting loving connection now and..."

"Watson!"

"Sorry I'm rambling. You make me nervous because you're unpredictable. At least to me."

"So you said Falcon has two ways of controlling me. What two ways?"

"Husband and children. You don't have loyalty to anyone but your family."

She felt an ache in her chest. It was heartbreak. She hated that feeling. "Falcon has my children and he murdered my husband. So. Everyone trusts me to see this through with them."

"You also hold a grudge, so god help Falcon and his people."

"Yeah. No shit. I still hate your guts for killing Conner Parker Sr."

"Listen, JC Parker lost his ability. He was depressed and internalized his depression. He was a widower without the one thing that made him tick. So, as callous as this sounds, I did him a favor. I didn't want to do him that favor, but I cannot take it back."

Karla jerked her hand back as if to throw the phone.

Reno reached for her wrist. He took the phone from her and said, "You could have said this shit to her a year ago. You could have said this bullshit two years ago, or five years ago. Why are you calling now?"

"Who is this?"

"Answer the fuckin' question, dickhead."

"Fine. I'm calling to regain Karla's trust. I don't expect her to be friends. I do, however, expect her to know that the intel I give her is legitimate."

"You haven't heard my voice in twenty-six years. This is Reno Nevada. Maybe you forgot, but I was going to marry Jonathan's younger sister. And then I was in stasis for a quarter century. So, you killing my brother-in-law - that's still fresh to me. So say what you've got to say. If you keep beating around the bush, I'll visit you. I'll stop your heart, and then I'll restart it. And then I'll do it again. I like Jaye. He's a good guy. He deserves better than you."

"Reno..." Watson sighed. "Reno. They told me you were back. I couldn't believe..."

"Shut_up_, dickhead. I ain't your pal; don't talk to me like we're friends. Karla asked what you want. You're monologue. That's not like you. You couldn't spin a filibuster to save your ass. So what the hell are you calling for?"

"I'm trying to trace your phone because I didn't think you would honestly tell me where you're at. I'm ordering people to go to your location, because you're closing in on Loki. We need him to get to the bomb in time."

Karla groaned. "You should've let me throw the goddamn phone, Reno."

Reno grimaced. "No one else would tell you our location, huh? I thought you were working with my people?"

"They don't trust me," said Watson. "If I take Loki, I'll prove to you and your people that we're still on the same side. So I'm doing it my way."

Reno rolled his eyes. "Well, you've obviously traced us by now. You know, you almost killed Conner and Evan, sending them to your office in Chicago? Would you have risked your step-son's life like that, Watson?"

"I don't have to answer to you, Reno. Lance Patterson put me into hiding because he knows my value. And now I'm told he's dead. So I'm taking control."

Reno scoffed. "Lance Patterson put you in the penalty box until this whole thing blows over. Dead or not, he put things in motion, so he's still pulling the strings."

"From beyond the grave," Karla added. "So don't think you can sway him on his plans. Hell, dying was part of his plan, so you can't unhitch it. So fuck you."

Watson sighed softly. "It doesn't matter, now. I have air support coming in. They'll be in your location in less than an hour. We're taking over this God-awful mess. You have no say in this anymore. Thank you for closing in on him. USPRI will take it from here."

The call ended abruptly.

Karla slumped back onto the bed and sighed. "God. If you hadn't just given me a dose of med-dick-ation, I would have probably gone ape-shit on him."

"That guy is the biggest dick ever."

"But he sees the endgame," Karla mused. "And so do I, now. He's trying to take control of something that's too big for him to understand. This is way out of his league." She held her hands up to keep Reno quiet. "The thing is, he thinks he's doing the right thing. He thinks _we_are the ones that will screw up again. He remembers how shit happened all those years ago. He probably blames us for Falcon winning last time. So he really thinks he's coming to save the day."

"By benching his two best players?"

Karla smiled at the compliment. "By bypassing two people who botched the job last time. He probably sent Conner and Evan to Chicago because he thought they would die."

"And that was part of his play?"

"Maybe," she said with a shrug. "Evan was part of team-failure last time. Conner is a hotheaded little shit with no..." She trailed off and waved her left hand, trying to think of the word.

"Responsibility?"

"No, he has that. He has ninety-nine percent of the world's currency locked away, and he's being mature about that. I mean, he has no ... what's the damn word?"

"What's it mean?"

"That shit a badass karate master is supposed to have."

"Oh. Willpower?"

"I mean, like, he's not patient or whatever. He's a clever kid, and he's sharp. The fact he hasn't been killed yet ... I mean, hell I'm impressed." She snapped her fingers. "Restraint. He has no restraint. God, brain fart."

"Ah."

Karla flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "Anyway, the kid has raw talent. There's no doubt about it. He's done amazing shit. But he runs into gunfire headfirst without thinking things through. It's going to get him killed. He's just a teenaged boy for Christ sake."

"And you think Watson sent those boys to get documents because ... what?"

"I think Watson may have had some sort of intelligence network feeding him information to his bunker. Gut feeling. I think he sent those boys to do a job, where he would win either way. Either Watson gets the file he wants, or those boys would have died, and it would be two less people from my team to interfere with USPRI."

"So he's the antihero huh?"

Karla laughed. "No, babe. We're the antiheroes. USPRI has a clearly defined set of rules. They're Government. They have the connections and the gear, and the weapons and tanks."

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded. "We have powers and capes, and we don't give a fuck about small animals in trees. ...Unless they're cute, like Kuda."

"Well, that's one way to put it. So, now what? We ditch your phone and look for Loki?"

Karla slid out of bed and stretched. "You're goddamn right. Let's get Kalen out here to help. Or, better yet, let's get James and Rachel. Or call Rufus and see what he's doing. We need to get the band back together."

"Does that mean we're on a mission from the gods?"

Karla smirked. "I feel like we've already made this joke."

"Not to me."

Karla rubbed her chin. "Maybe I said it to Sinopa. Yeah. That's right. She told me she saw the Blues Brothers with her daughter once." Karla paused and sighed. "I think I told her we'd even need Greg Watson's help at the time. To think I defended that chump."

"You were defending him five minutes ago, saying he's doing what he thinks is right."

"Alright, new idea."

Reno slid off the bed and stretched. "Yeah?"

She sat up, leaning back against the headboard. "We let those assholes go after Loki."

"What?" Reno turned to face her. He switched on the lamp on a nightstand. "We give them Loki?"

"We go after Sigyn. And, while we're doing that, we do our homework to see how Loki dies in mythology. Then we do that guy a favor and help him die."

Reno shrugged. "Heimdall."

She stared at him for a moment. "I think I've heard that somewhere before. I think you might be right."

"Evan and I were talking about it. So how do we ask a god to come help us, knowing that he'll die too?"

"Because Heimdall, if memory serves me right, is the purest and whitest and badass of the Norse gods. Thor gets all the credit, but Heimdall was the badass. So he'll be honored to fight. We just have to get him."

"Let me help with that." The female voice startled both Reno and Karla.

Karla slid out of bed, nude, and flipped a switch over a bathroom mirror at the back of the motel room. "I'm not giving Kuda back. You're a bitch, and I treat him with love and respect."

Tamamo-no-Mae lifted her hands, palms out, only to breast-height. "Wait."

"No, it's fine. You can't come through there. Your ass is trapped. So go for it. Say what you've come to say."

"I will speak with Sekhmet and Heimdall. I will appeal to them for aid."

Karla waved her left hand in a circular gesture. "And?"

"And ... Kuda is yours. I spoke with Sinopa. She reasoned with me on the matter."

Karla rolled her eyes, "You weren't getting him back either way. I'm waiting for you to apologize."

"Karla, I am deeply sorry I broke your trust. I wished to heal myself, so that I might have children with Conner. But my idea to use you was both wrong and of poor choice. Furthermore, it did not work. I should have sought help from deities. And now they spurn me for my actions ... my_transgressions_ against you."

Karla rubbed her chin. "Look at you, all dressed up and your hair 'did' and your white face paint and your red fancy makeup crap. Funny, last time I approached you, I was gussied up, and you were naked. Now you're the belle of the ball and I'm naked."

"Life has its ironies. But I doubt it's a metaphor or a sign. You have a way of looking too deeply into some things."

Karla shrugged. "I'm me, with or without clothes. I've been naked half my life. I'm not put off by the switch in roles, Tamamo. But I am upset you threw away our friendship for some quick dick."

"I did it for the same reason you betrayed _your_friends a quarter century ago. I did it to try and have a family."

"Hoes before bros," Karla said. "You were supposed to have my back. We could have figured out other options together. That's what friends do, Tamamo."

Tamamo's eyes lowered. "How can you not see that we did what we did for the same reasons?

Karla smirked. "I was already pregnant. I was making a decision for the baby and her father. But you were selfish; you just wanted what Sinopa has. And let's not forget - then you were a total bitch. I thought Shinto deities are supposed to be what humanity should aspire to become?"

"I am not a deity. I am a kami spirit fox; I am a mere messenger. I will never be on the same level of greatness as Inari no Kami, or Amaterasu Omikami."

"Oh, so that's your excuse? You're just an 'overpowered messenger spirit'..." Karla rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Hai. And I've learned my place. Please, let me help."

Karla glanced at Reno. She pushed him into the bathroom. "Don't eyeball my man." Karla eyed Tamamo for a moment longer then sighed. "You get Heimdall and Sekhmet in play. That's how you can help right now. You stay out of my friends' bodies. We clear on that?"

"I will earn your trust again. It may take time but..."

Karla threw her hands up. "No!" Karla shook her fist in front of the reflection. "I hold grudges! You fucking raped me, and Conner! And you know my loathing for rape! You know it. That was the ultimate disrespect! We're not_friends. I don't care about your friendship. You'll _never have my trust!"

"Karla, please..."

"No! So stop trying to fix this shit!" Karla took a deep breath, and then added, "Listen, you can help - you can bring Heimdall and Sekhmet into play. But you and me? That has ceased to be. Now get moving."

"Please, I am trying to be open-minded and..."

"Oh yeah?" the succubus said with a scoff. "Open-minded huh? Is that how your brain flew away?"

"Karla,please..."

Karla waved her hand at the mirror. "Viewscreen off!" The mirror disappeared, leaving a discolored square silhouette on the wall above the bathroom sink.

"Where'd you put it?"

Karla shrugged at Reno, turning to face him in the bathroom doorway. "A few feet beneath us. Heh."

He grinned. "I'm taking a shower. You wanna join? We should get ready for USPRI to show up. At the very least, we should clean up before going to hunt for Sigyn."

"Shit!" Karla groaned. "I should have asked Tamamo where that bitch is at before blowing her off like that."

Reno shrugged. "Have Conner or Tamae ask her."

"Good idea." Karla grinned. "Quick thinking, Top Cop." She stepped around him and turned on the showerhead. "I'll call them right after the shower. From your phone, since Watson is tracking mine, now. I should mail my cell to Abu Dhabi with all the cute kittens. You know? To throw'em off track."

Reno smirked. "Should I get the joke?"

Hot water created a foggy steam.

Karla rolled her eyes and stepped into the shower. "Garfield, babe. Maybe a little before your time, I suppose."

Reno stepped into the shower with her. "So what do we do if we come up against Loki's wife?"

"You know what?" Karla reached for two small sealed bottles of shampoo and conditioner. "Forget that bitch. We need to go after the bomb."

"Isn't that what Watson's people are going to do?"

Karla smirked. "They're going after Loki. Do you think he would really just be sitting on that damn thing like a mechanical bull? Hell no."

"I'm listening."

She thumbed the lid open one each plastic bottle. "Loki is prepared to lead people on a wild goose chase. He's a trickster god. He would have a plan for when people catch up to him. He would lead people away from the nuke, so he could make use of it."

"So where do we start?" Reno pulled the shower curtain shut. He ripped waterproof paper off of a bar of soap and tossed the wrapping out to the bathroom floor. "What if my brother is looking for it right now?"

"Anything is possible I guess." She stepped back, positioning herself under the water stream. "C'mere." Karla put the bottles down on the rim of the tub. She pulled Reno close.

He stepped near her, so that they were both under the water spray. "And here Watson accused you of being selfish."

"He'll never get to see my nice side."

A smile tugged at the corner of Reno's lips. "He just ... doesn't know you the way I know you."

Karla returned the smile. "I just ... don't like him the way I like you," she said.

"So what's the plan?"

She reached up and traced her thumb over his lips. "We let USPRI capture Loki. We break in to their prison and trick the trickster god. We tell him we're trying to help him. He doesn't know us. Not really." She paused. "And then we go and get the bomb and publicly hand it over to the Government on the news, to publicly humiliate Watson and the bad guys."

Reno laughed. "If only it were that easy."

She grinned. "Yeah. It never is. In all seriousness, we play things by ear. We hunt for it. If we can't find it, well, then we get the team back together and we kill Aris Falcon."

"Falcon has always sort of been the target, after all. But it's Loki who is the one with the nuke."

"A nuke kills a million if it's used somewhere populated. Falcon's little quake stunt killed millions. Falcon's attack demolished entire cities. No, babe, Falcon is the real bad guy, here."

"And Loki?"

She shrugged somewhat. "Loki is kind of stuck in our world now. Aris Falcon would be Loki's only support system. We take out Falcon; Loki is on his own."

"One deity against eight billion people. I like those odds, so long as they don't become worshippers, because then Loki will become a bigger problem."

Karla nodded. "True." She trailed off into silence.

Neither spoke.

After a moment, Karla reached for the shampoo again. "I love..." she opened the bottle and cleared her throat, "I love doing this with you. You and me trying to save the world. It's pretty awesome."

Reno replied with a calm grin. "I'm catching feelings for you, too, Karla. I don't mind saying it. You're a good catch."

She turned away from him.

"Did I say something wrong."

She cleared her throat and wiped her face. "No, no," she said. She put her face into the water to hide a rush of emotion welling up in her chest. "You got the soap, babe. Get my back, would 'ya?"

"Sure thing." Reno lathered the bar in his hands and placed his palms against her back. "Don't let Watson bother you. And even if he was telling the truth, it's in the past. Eric is ... he passed away."

She snorted with disdain. "Eric tried to love me. I'll give him that. He really tried. He just didn't know how. He didn't know how to really be in love."

"How so?"

She wiped her hands over her face. "He didn't offer to help me do this thing. He didn't want to help me find our daughter. He didn't know how to show me love. And, you're right - he's gone now."

Reno remained silent.

Karla continued. "Eric was an attentive husband. He was a good provider. He was a hands-on father to the kids. And ... he knew how to be possessive in the bedroom, always a plus."

"But?"

She sighed. "But he turned into a royal jerk outside of the bedroom." Her eyes lowered, glaring at the hot water knob. "The way it ended ... that's just ... well, it's too late. For a while, I saw shadows and stuff that made me think he was still alive. But it turns out to be bullshit. He's dead, and I'm alone again."

"I'm not going anywhere," Reno told her. "I've never really been possessive of you, but I could be possessive in bed if that's your thing, heh."

"That's sweet of you, Reno."

"And so far as you being a mom," he trailed off and placed his hands on her biceps from behind. She felt his chest against her back. "I don't know how to be a father, but I could learn."

Karla looked down, facing the water spray. "If we get Donnie back ... he's eight by now. He'll need a dad or some sort of male role model."

"I'm down for helping you raise him. I wouldn't mind learning how to be a dad. But first, let's find that bomb."

Karla turned around and wrapped her arms around Reno. She whispered against his chest, "Thanks, Top Cop."

He didn't say anything. He rested his chin on her head and held her. "I..."

She enjoyed the simple hug beneath the hot water. "The hug was better than anything he could have thought of to say to her. "Shh, I know babe. I know."

---

Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/837185