I could hear Largo laughing over my headset radio. I smiled.
“Bro. Look up ahead. It’s Frost himself waiting for us! At the raid location no less. Huh?!” Largo said.
“Looks like we were finally able to draw him out of hiding in the background. You know what that means?!”
“Mission accomplished!” I said feeling the full satisfaction of knowing we had played this asshole into finally coming out into the open where we could hit.
“Aw. Look at him coming to greet us. He must be fans of ours!”
I laughed as we got off our bikes the mission was done. The reat depended on whatever plans the Boss or kings had going.
< Get out of there. It’s done!> Hexi yelled over the radio.
We cut the line. We couldn’t do that we still had to keep the ice head located to location until the Boss made his move.
Fucking shit! The fuckers were in the city already and gaining at my back door. Omarion kept looking back like he was thinking of doing something stupid. I waved him on. We had to make to keep going. I had to figure out how to shake this shit head on my own.
I felt something. It was like a feeling of something creeping up on me. I leaned to the side on instinct and watched a stream of light barely go past me. But I felt the heat of the shot on my shoulder. I saw the ice energy hit Omarion but he burned it off with his powers and kept going. Fuck this shit.
I turned my bike around and drew my P20-Hawk and fired on the hover car.
I watched in surprise as the hover car caught on fire with green flames and then a second later exploded. “Holy shit! What the fuck?!” That was unexpected. Where the fuck did those green flames come from?
<Largo! Haul ass. Hexi says the invaders are flooding into the city. We got to get off the street. The Boss is waiting for us. Come on!> Omarion voice said over my head radio.
“Shit. Copy that!” I holstered my piece and took off quickly catching up to my brother.
I stared at my message displayed on visor lenses as I got the second confirmation from Mr. Golden in a short email message congratulating me on my success in avenging my father. I didn’t send in any reply back because I knew he was only trying to blow smoke up my ass while he was the only one responsible for succeeding.
“CALL Dad.” I said.
I got no response from my detapad at first and then a message started being typed out. Titled goodbye. I sighed. “Dad. Talk to me.”
The message went on until it was complete. I didn’t read. I already knew what it said. “Daisy. summarize message from my Dad.”
(Confirmed. The chairman is giving his final goodbyes after the successful mission completion of his avenging. He wishes you well and now has gone on to the great beyond. The roads of the beyond are calling him. Personal comment. LOL!
I frowned at her last comment. “Daisy. Are you laughing at my Dad?”
(Confirmed.)
I sighed Dad was bullshitting me again. But, why though and where the hell was he. “Daisy, tell me. Formulate reasons my Dad would be avoiding talking to me now. I know you can’t tell me the reason he gave you. Three examples will do.”
(Confirmed. 1. A inability to face what Chairman Sergio has lost. 2. In ability to protect President Sergio. 3. A secret.
Hmm. All seemed likely but the last one. I had to find him. “Daisy, Is my Dad similar to you know?”
(Negative. Chairman Sergio is highly advance alien species. Daisy 0200A is a A.i. with a recent upgrade in emotional intelligence and brainstorming. Personal comment. Bam!)
I smiled shaking my head at her. Okay. I frowned. “Daisy. How did you get your upgrade from Dad. I didn’t see invoice in our accounts from a software engineer.”
(Chairman Sergio performed a personal conditioning, induction into my sensory core and elevated my status into that of more-
“He had sex with you. Your saying he mated with you?” I asked wondering if I was hearing it wrong.
(Confirmed. Six times with future updates promised. Personal comment. Bam!)
Holy shit. My Ai assistant was getting laid more then me lately. Hmm. I needed to find Dad. I had to get a profile list on Dad to find out where in the cyberspace he would be hanging out. It was time to get to work. Wait a minute. I didn’t have to do this alone. “Daisy! Call up my Lawyer Golden. I have a request to make from him.”
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Five hours later after our retreat from from the park and Omarion was still burning with Lightning energy as we came to the target location of the People that took the car. The street traffic was all pale skinned corporate vampires and corpo security were policing the area moving toward us.
I frowned as I saw Kang and Cooper coming up to us frowning. “What the fuck are you two doing here?”
Cooper ignored me facing Omarion. “We came to burn this shit hole. What is your mission here?”
Omarion smiled. “You’ll have to get in line old man. These shit heads did a burn job on my Boss and I aim to set the fires first.”
I turned to see a corpo coming up to us from the building. “Cooper. There is no need to be here. We have no need of your mate.”
Omarion looked at Cooper and back at the corpo. He walked up to the corp and grabbing him by the throat and started coughing him. “Why do you want Peaches?”
The corpo gagged. “We no longer need her.”
“Your fucking liar. Answer my damn question now.”
Cooper nodded. “Yes. I would like to-” He started to ask but something in his pocket beeped loudly. He took out his detapad and looked at the screen. He stared at the screen until his eyes started turning into pools of moving flames of light. “Blood Hound Omarion. Blood law seven as been broken. I, King Cooper call you to burn and Princess Inc to the ground and hunt down the board members responsible for the attack on Peaches mother of-“
Omarion dropped the crying man as he started burning in flames of light. He drew his sword and ended the man’s life. Omarion looked at me. “Peaches is my mother.”
I frowned shaking my head. “How? Your fucking old enough to be her-“
“-Peaches is a Genetically engineered Human. She’s a lot older then you think. She wasn’t allowed to keep me by the corporation that owned and created her. They took me from her and left me on the streets.” He said and looked at Cooper. “Is she alive?”
“I don’t know.” Cooper said quietly.
“I’m going too burn these fuckers to the ground.” Kang roared.
The look on Omarion’s calm acceptance face pissed me the fuck off. Just one more disappointment. I grew up with Omarion. We had no one but each other and then we had bought our own pack registry finally becoming pack brothers.. I never knew who my parents were.. Omarion had a mother and now.. Alright fuck em. “Let’s finish this bro.”
Omarion smiled at me and nodded taking out his sword and leading the way to the building.
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Music played softly a few feet away on my work station as I read from Garret Wild’s Dreamer’s sailing adventure in the Outlands. It was a charming story about the first Nomad’s attempts and success story of sailing the desert sand dunes of the Outlands.
Cooper had been born in the Outlands and had traveled out there every year with my sons teaching them the ways of his ancestors and taking them on the Rite of Passage in a more controlled environment and with his guidance and protection. I wondered what it was like.
The music stopped. I felt the presence of one of sons and looked up in the direction of my son to frowned at Kai and another young man with him. The other man was a corpo dressed in a black suit and with silver blue eyes. I put my book down setting it on the couch and facing them. “Kai. Who is this you’ve brought to your father’s house?”
The man did a mocking bow to me and smiled looking around the room. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you. G. E. H. model 0042M. Your son was gracious to allow me this audience with you.”
“Your an Executive or security Chief from the company then. I can’t go back with you. Cooper bought my contract.” I said frowning at him and keeping Kai in my side vision as he edged around me. “Why are you here?”
“Terry Serio. Do you know that name?” He asked.
I shook my head edging around the couch and putting distance between me and the both of them. “No. No. I’ve never heard of him. Who is he? Another G.E.H. or rival corpo?” I asked.
The man shook his head. “No one important at this stage. Just a solo hired to retrieve something taken from the company. He supposedly failed in his job but that was a lie. He found the item. He just decided to pocket the item to sell for later and put it somewhere safe until he could retrieve it again. Silverback. You must be knowledgeable about of it.”
I frowned at him. “Yes. I am. I don’t have it and whoever this Terry Serio is didn’t give it to me. I’m not lying.”
He smiled and I saw strange white glow come from his eyes that radiated a heat in them. “Oh I know your telling the truth the problem is you Silverback is inside you. It wouldn’t be wise to fight us. Your son has no choice in the matter. He owes us big and we have agreed to compensate him for his betrayal by funding his rise in Cooper’s pack.” He said calmly.
I felt a punch of invisible hit my chest and then the feeling of ice started creeping from my chest and spread all over my body. I fell to my knees as fought hard to breath.
“Just come along with Mr. Ice and me, Momma. They’ll fix you right back up with no memory about what happened and I’ll get you back to the pack safe and sound. You ain’t human so they’ll fix you up nice right and you’ll be seeing me better then all my brothers soon enough.” Kai said coming up behind me and started putting electric hand cuffs on my wrists behind my back.
I stared at Mr. Ice. I could feel my breath being stolen from my body. “Lying to my son about the Silverback isn’t going to get you-” I paused Mr. Ice brought out a laser knife. “I see. So you’ll be doing the operation here then?”
“What?! Yo. That’s not what-“
“Be silent.” Mr. Ice said calmly and Kai closed his mouth. “There is no need to worry. First I get what was promised to me and then I put your mother asleep, reprogram her and the next morning she will have no idea what is missing from her body. Easy!”
I shook my head slowly. “Lies. This will not go as easy you would like.” I said drawing power from Silverback and drawing it up to the surface around my body.
Mr. Ice nodded. “Yes. I will. It saves time. All I need is the Silverback in your chest and yes it is inside you. It was put inside you before you came out of the deep sleep before birth. He kept your secret to the end but your explosive show at the park finally revealed what was inside you from the beginning. Now this won’t take long though it will hurt a bit.” He said and proceeded to drive the knife down toward my chest.
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The lights came on as I entered my apartment alone. No one greeted me and I couldn’t trace where my father’s hunting hounds where.
“Daisy! Call lawyer. I need information on any progress he’s making with finding out who the fuck stole my black box and if those two cowboys have found out who the fuck jammed up my Dad.”
((acknowledged. Your lawyer has sent you a message regarding the corporation that stole chairman Sergio and documents for you to look over.)
“Send them to my detapad and I’ll look over them. What’s the message?”
((Tetermination of asset liquidators will be complete in less then five hours. Twenty-eight minutes and zero seconds.))
“Daisy. I need a location on the hunters so that I can join them.”
(request, denied.))
“Under whose orders. The AI posing as my Dad. My father is dead.”
((Negative. Chairman Sergio is alive currently located in President Sergio’s detapad. Under his orders and advice of President Sergio’s lawyer it is so.))
“Daisy. Video call Lawyer Golden. Now.”
((acknowledged. Call received.))
A live video of Golden sitting at his desk still in his suit working appear. Golden had jade green eyes and a sharp black suit. He was a dorf mutant and always had a sunny smile on his face when he greeted me but not today.
“President Sergio.”
“Golden. You will give me the location of the cowboys or I will fire you on the spot.”
“I am employed by the chairman currently and seeing as he is still alive you do not have the authority to fire me. Is there anything else?”
“My father is alive then?”
“Yes. He currently is in your detapad.”
“So my Dad isn’t human?” I asked though I knew the truth I still needed to hear it. I needed to know I wasn’t crazy.
Golden shook his head. “No. Chairman Sergio is an alien of course. His kidnappers destroyed the body he used and permanently disabled him. I was able to aquire his mind luckily through the black market for a price. Is there anything else?”
“Give me the address to the people that hurt my Dad. Now.”
“Under the security and regulations contract you signed for the chairman you not allowed to engage in any form of corporate espionage or revenge quests in the event our chief asset Chairman Sergio would be liquidated. You put your name on that contract as a sign of your word and loyalty to the corporation and it’s founder Chairman Sergio.” He said smoothly.
He was right but damn it I couldn’t lose this chance. “Fuck your contracts. You corporate devil. I’m Nomad. I have a right by Noman law to-“
“-Blood law seven. Under justice repayment clause. All matters of eye for eye are handled by the elder brothers of the pack and all children are forbidden from acting in the place of an adult. I am your elder by twenty years. Your father named me the man to handle this matter quietly. You are a child by nomad law. This matter would be none of your business. By corporate law you are President Sergio. A young talented youth that is a rising star in the financial industry and business acquisition area. You are neither a solo or Fixer. I have had a practice in both professions. You pay men such as myself to handle those matters you are ignorant of in general. Is there anything else?”
It was him. This was the man my Dad had selected for me.. The dominance and complete arrogance dripped from his lips and cold gaze. He regarded me as nothing more then a nosy female being a busy-body in his affairs. I shook my head. “No. I will look over the files and have them signed if I like the offer.”
Lawyer Golden smiled his face becoming a mask of friendly open innocence. “Good. Good. You know best in such matters. President Sergio. I’m just a humble tradesman in this regard. By your leave.”
I waved him away and live video blinked out. Damn. I wasn’t ready for him.
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I lay in bed at peace.. My body was still a glow with power but my excessive violent energy was stomped down. I could relax. I lay next to Cooper who was rubbing his large hand on my backside smoking a thick cigar. My spirit was calm under his masculine care.
“Thank you.” I told him.
Cooper shook his finger at me. “No thanks required. So what was all that a few hours ago with Kang and Omarion?”
“Mr. Astro was on a case and needed a distraction to hide him as his pack brother. I provided it and then things got out of hand when I amplified their powers with my energy.”
Cooper nodded. “Did you mean any of that stuff? The words you said to Kang?”
“Of course. I love my children however Kang is twice blessed by Lightning Baby and the flame deva because of you. That’s why it got out of hand. I lost control of my emotions. Why?”
“Damn. I wish you had lied about it. The others are going to get jealous now.”
“I didn’t mean-“
Cooper held up his hand. “I know. You didn’t do anything wrong. You were just expressing your love and pride of your sons. Legendary flame king. I like that. Thank you.”
“Why are you taking all this so well?”
Cooper frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be? I just the best news I’ve ever had in my life along with some great sex. I’m winning at life.” He said and then his detapad buzzed on the night stand I froze.
Cooper stared at me. “I got you. Don’t worry.” He said and reached for Detapad and looked at the screen. He stared at his screen and then sent a short reply and but it back on the nightstand.
“Is it the kids?”
Cooper shook his head while rubbing my backside. “Nope. I made a mistake. Now. I know what I have to do. It’s your old slavers. They sent me an offer for you.”
“Okay. That is strange. I am an old model GEH. I thought they retired me once you bought my contract did they want to take my DNA for cloning or something else?”
Cooper shrugged. “I don’t give a fuck. Just the fact they contacted me a second time today shows they’re trying to fuck me over. You felt it didn’t you?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Is it about what happened today?”
Cooper nodded. “Oh sure and they’re trying to fuck me over. This isn’t out of the blue. Remember. They contacted me earlier today before we went out with the boys.. They offered me 5 Million ebs for you.. This time they offered me two GEH warrior models and 10 million ebs. What’s that sound like to you?”
Asset liquidation. Corporate takeover. esperation. Greed. War.
Cooper nodded staring at me like he could hear my thoughts. “They’ll try to kill me then they’ll come after the boys and then they’re going to try to steal you.”
“My sons? Why?!”
Cooper nodded his head but his eyes were lost in plans. “To make you come to them. That ain’t going to work though. I ain’t giving you up. I’m sorry honey I’ll have to burn em down anyone that gets in my way to fuck me over ain’t walking away.”
I nodded. “Yes. If they aim to kill my sons please burn them all.”
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I knew this was bound to happen again. I just wish I could have avoided.
Peaches sat with her eyes lowered and Cooper and his kid staring at us.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t plan on meeting you.”
Largo snarled at her voice but I popped the back his head. He glared at me in surprise.
President Sergio was following us and would meet up with us soon. We needed to hide.. I got down on my knees and presented my sword to her. “Bless me mother wolf with your grace. I am on my king’s mission.”
“A distraction. I understand.” Peaches said in a soft voice.
Lightning traveled up my arm lighting the sword with power as I felt her reach her hand forward to touch my forehead first. People took notice and started making a wide space for the impromptu ceremony.
“I bless you, my son with the grace given you by the mother of the Nomads. Rise above the rest. Fight with honor. I name you Iron Endurance. You are kissed by lightning and your enduring will is like the Iron steel sword of the Heavy Metal Dragon.” She said and then put her hand on the blade of my sword.
I saw Kang come to bow to his knees to Peaches. “Mother. Bless me too. Please.”
I half wondered what Kang was on but I didn’t care. President Sergio was here looking for us trying to find us in the crowds and street traffic. I stayed bowed. Largo had caught on finally and was quiet pretending we were apart of Cooper’s group.
I glanced at Peaches. She nodded. She closed her eyes and then when she opened them lightning sparked from them. She placed her hand on Kang’s head. I felt a kick of power around her.
Shit!
“Kang. Son of Cooper the legendary Flame King of Newark.” Her voice echoed with power as elemental flames lite Kang’s body. “Kissed by lightning. The pride of the flame deva. Rise to your position. Take hold of your legacy and bring honor to blood of your noble ancestors.”
Holy shit. I was running hot and seeing lightning. Damn it. I still waited until President Sergio was gone to rise. I nodded to Peaches. “Thank you mother wolf. Be well.”
Peaches bowed. “Rise to sky Mr. Astro and take your brother with you.”
Hmm. Good idea. I needed to use up energy before I burned out and crashed. I took Largo’s hand as I did a low squat and forced the power into my legs to spring up into the sky. Up and up ignoring Largo’s screams as I landed on the top of a building and sprang again to the next to get away.
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I sat at our reserved table while my sons competed with other men in competitions for weapons and ranking. The roin young nomad men competed to acquire entry into the Cooper Pack by show of fighting prowess and to garner some show of my attention for a blessing. My mate sat with me drinking his beer with a small on his face as he stared off at the men ignoring my gaze fixed to his face.
“What are you grinning about?”
“You have all these young men trying to get a smile from the most pretty female in the park and she only has eyes for the king of the Cooper pack. I’m feeling very proud of myself right now.” He said. The arrogance dripped from his voice.
I smiled at him but then I felt, Lightning Baby’s touch on my son Omarion. I looked around until I spotted him being chased down down a tall female intent on getting him and his pack brother. His gaze locked with mean and he advanced toward me. I started to stand and the crowd of males started making attempts to block his entry to me but he pushed shoved and made his way to my side finally.
I took a seat. “Hello, Mr. Astro.”
“Hello, mother wolf. It’s been a while.”
Kang came to attempt to push Omarion aside but Omarion wasn’t easily moved. Kang glared at me standing to his left. “This piece of shit don’t deserve to be here.”
Omarion looked at me with an arched eye brow. To question how I would respond then he smirked at me thinking it was going to be same like before.
“He’s touched by lightning and a child of the mother of the Lightning Baby. I am mother of the Nomads. He is my son in the same way you are my son. Let him speak on what has come to say and be on his way.”
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
Omarion clapped me on the back the of the head.. I turned toward him.. “The fuck-“
“Mr. Golden is talking to you.” Omarion said smoothly.
I grimanced and looked at him. Mr. Golden stared up at me frowning. “Sorry, Sir. Go on!”
“Largo. I really need you to focus. The time to aquire sexual favors is later. The villains that destroyed Mr. Sergio’s body will be coming to get the items in question. You need to Identify them and rightly dispose of them before they move on to his daughter. I thought this was made clear to you by Chairman Sergio.”
I grimanced. “It was made perfectly clear. It won’t happen again.”
Mr. Golden stared at me and then got out his wallet. Omarion turned away. He held out two gold ebs cards to me. “I put 10k on each card combined that’s 20k ebs extra plus the fee you’ll receive from Chairman Sergio to keep you focused. Take it.”
Damn it. Now I felt like an asshole. I took the cards.
Mr. Golden turned to Omarion. “Omarion.”
“I’m on your zone.” Omarion said.
“Good. I have to go now. Please take care of yourselves and keep alert. Do not engage President Sergio or allow her to engage in the hunt. Our biggest asset was Chairman Sergio. He has effectly been disabled and the corporation put on a hault. President Sergio is now the only asset we can’t afford to lose.. I will be engaged in the legal front of this battle while you will resolve the physical front. Stick to the plan. Good day gentlemen.” Mr. Golden said. He then turned and got in his ride and drove off.
“Fucking hell dude. Are you still drunk? We don’t need this shit right now family. I had to call in Mr. Golden away from his work to come with this plan because we’ve been holding our dicks without clue of what to do.”
“I got it undercontrol.” I said and then noticed them in crowd of people advancing toward us. “Hot zone! None friendly. Corpo. Looks like the ones that raided the president Sergio’s apartment from the footage.” I said leaning against the car.
Omarion nodded and took a position to my blind side. “Yeah. They must have been waiting for Mr. Golden to leave. Head south to the Nomad central Park area. Roll out on three, two-“
I heard a cruiser above coming toward us. I knew that cruiser. “President Sergio showed up in style. One!” I took off running as Omarion followed.
I took out the tracker to check the location of the car. It was on the move now and headed away from Sergio corporate apartment. “They took it.” I said as Omarion grabbed my shoulder and pulled me out of traffic.
“Holy shit. She’s moving fast. Put the speed on bro.”
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
The room was empty when I got in for the morning. It was time for the meeting but was the only one here. I got out my detapad to ask Daisy what the hell was going on. I looked at the wall screen come to life. It flashed digital images of my assistants at their seats working.
They all jumped as I walked over looking over at what they were working on. I saw the screens flashing with market charts and data read outs for the day. “So how is the portfolio doing? Poorly I would guess. Carmon. What are we looking at?”
Carmon Indigo stared at me. “The portfolio is in the shit house for the moment and several of our employees have jumped ship to our competition but that’s not the major situation. We’ve just hit pay dirt. We got two sub-contractors snagged three high profile assets.”
I frowned. “Bring up a profile of one the assets and resalable value.” I asked and looked toward the wall.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt
I stared at the cruiser in shock. “Carmon is this-“
“Yes. It’s confirmed. It’s the original model and has the artifacts of the founders of the dream realm. All confirmed and we have offers coming in from private collectors. King Eddie Williams is the top pic.”
“It’s worth in the billions. Alright. Shit. First, who the fuck found this thing and did they acquire it through legal means that won’t get us fucked with Authority and the corporate tax gang for not cutting them a piece in the action? Bring up their ID images and intelligence on how they-“
“-No pictures on file just Letters. L.A. and O. A. and audio message.”
“Shit! Play message!”
“Carmon baby. We got a contracted bill of sale coming to you and a location of where we’re keeping the goods. You know the place Authority Square of 5th Street. We’ll be awaiting the pick up. Come on down and be quick about it baby. My brother got company business to finish up. Later.”
I sighed. “Alright. meeting is over. Carmon send a max prize we can get for the car to his majesty Williams. I need whatever people got left on payroll not hunting down contracts to meet me at the location. Meetings over for now. Call me back when you get answer on the price. I got a few words to have with this cowboy and his mysterious brother.”
I got already feel my detapad buzzing in my pocket as I left room and headed upstairs to where my cruiser was parked on the room of my apartment building. I put on my vizor and hit the receive button on the side. Dad’s image was frowning at me.
“Baby girl what in the hell are you doing? Your not a nomad anymore. Your a Corpo. Leave that shit to-“
“Fuck that shit. You hired them to find the people that jammed you up, didn’t you? I should have known it. I’m not letting them ace me out of the kill and I’m not Corpo. I want to rich and damn sure ain’t trying to sit back and wait while those clowns you hired have all the fun. I’m still a warrior Dad. The same as you.”
“Fucking hell! You ain’t mated yet and keep acting the way your doing the Nomads are going to come hunting you up to shackle you to some asshole I don’t know to get a hold on you. Nomad culture is basic down and dirty what the fuck it is. I told you going fully Corpo is your best-
“-and I told you I ain’t no Corpo. I’m get mated soon enough either to one of those cowboys you hired or to Mr. mystery man you keeping in your back pocket. I’ll leave you to decide. Later.” I said turning off communication. I raced upstairs to the roof.
3D illustration of neon gas station and retro car. Fog rain and night. Colour reflections on asphalt