3rd World Products, Book 16 (36 page)

Tanya jumped back in a panic and landed in aiming position to spray me before she realized she wasn’t hurt. I slapped my own leg with the saber and she gradually relaxed. Her pulse was pounding and her eyes were still wide, but at least she lowered the pepper spray.
 

“You idiot,” she said, “I almost sprayed you.”
 

“Remember p-fields? Mine was on.”
 

She tentatively reached for the green-glowing saber and touched the blade, then wrapped her hand around it.
 

“It isn’t sharp anywhere. How did it cut that camera?”
 

“It focuses energy. Thinner is hotter. Well, not hot temperature-wise, but it’ll cut most everything.”
 

Looking back at the fence, she said, “Somebody’s going to be pissed off about all that.”
 

I shrugged. “Those who matter won’t mind. Those who mind won’t matter, but maybe they’ll
get the message.”
 

Back at the table, she swilled some of her drink and said, “Let’s take a few minutes, Ed. Performing for a goddamned stranger broke my mood.”
 

Looking as hopeful as possible, I asked, “But we can fix it, right? I kind of wanted a bit more of you, ma’am.”
 

She chuckled at my expression and nodded. “Yeah, I think we can fix it. I just need a few minutes.”
 

The few minutes turned into half an hour and a fresh drink for each of us. We talked about a lot of things, but not our altercation on the flitter. She wouldn’t go near that topic, so neither did I. Let it die in peace.
 

Then I heard small noises out back again and saw faint spots of light through the board fence. Someone poked a head up and I waved, which made Tanya move to where she could also look outside. By then the face was gone, but the lights still shone through the fence slats.
 

Tanya growled, “Do we need to go out there again?”
 

“Nah. Let’s let them haul their peeper out and see what happens next, if anything.”
 

“If anything? Of course they’ll do something.”
 

“Maybe not. He got caught peeking through a back door. Getting caught is embarrassing to surveillance types.”
 

Ah, but not embarrassing enough, apparently. The door bell rang and I sent a probe. Two angry men in suits. Rimmer and Bank of the NIA. Tanya let me get the door.
 

Looking at Rimmer, I asked, “Yes, Mr. Rimmer?”
 

Momentarily off balance, he snapped, “That’s
Agent
Rimmer,” and showed me his ID anyway.
 

As the other guy brought his ID up, I said, “And Mr. Bank.” Looking at Rimmer, I said, “It’s kind of late, isn’t it?”
 

He growled, “Not for placing you under arrest for destruction of government property.”
 

“Better call it in first. Where’s Elgin?”
 

“That’s none of your concern. Get dressed.”
 

“How far do you really want to take this, Rimmer?”
 

“As far as I have to. I’ve had enough of you.”
 

“Ditto.” With that, I stunned him, then looked at Bank and said, “Call it in. Twenty bucks says you’ll be told to forget the arrest and keep watching us.”
 

When he didn’t move immediately and seemed inclined to argue, I stunned his left leg. It collapsed and he toppled to the grass beyond the small porch.
 

“Do it now,” I said, “While I’m right here to hear what you tell them. If it’s anything but the absolute truth, you won’t wake up again for quite a while, Bank.”
 

“You can’t threaten me.”
 

“Really? I just stunned your leg. And your partner. And the guy at the fence. Get smart or get zapped.”
 

With a show of defiant compliance, he called somebody and was told to stand by. Bank stared at the phone as he almost yelled, “Didn’t you
hear
me?! He
stunned
us!”
 

The woman on the other end calmly said, “If you’re bleeding or broken, say so. If not, stand by. Quietly.”
 

Behind me in the doorway, Tanya heard that and chuckled softly. Bank glared at us, but remained silent. We heard the sounds of a call transfer and Elgin came on.
 

She said, “Bank, continue surveillance. That’s all.”
 

He stared at his phone in disbelief and said, “But…” and that’s as far as he got.
 

Elgin snapped, “Bank, if I have to go anywhere to straighten anything out tonight,
you and Rimmer
will be my first targets tomorrow morning. You will
not
like the results. Do you understand, Agent Bank?”
 

Bank folded. “Understood, ma’am.”
 

“Good. And goodnight.”
 

She hung up and Bank looked as if he wanted to smash his phone on the concrete.
 

When I said, “Bank,” he glared up at me. I said, “Take it easy. It isn’t about you, Rimmer, or the peeping tom out back. It isn’t really about me or her. It’s
politics
, dude, and they don’t want a cheap-assed bust about a camera. We’re all being used. Both sides want a court case against the anti-medical field laws. They want to create a big issue for an election year. I
should
let you arrest us because time we spend in custody would amount to an alibi, but I would prefer some alone time with this lady. I
know
that sounds selfish as hell of me, but…
lordy, just look at her, man!
Would
you
be stupid enough to give up even a minute of her?”
 

I knew that last line would make him look up at her. He did, and his pupils widened slightly. Backlit in the doorway with the lesser light of the porch illuminating her front, grinning Tanya looked tall and wonderful and kind of glowy at the edges of her almost-silhouette. She’d have made a great picture if the camera had been working.
 

Glancing at Bank’s leg, I pointed at it and then at Rimmer, who immediately stirred and began to waken. Bank moved his leg with obvious relief. I left them to sort things out.
 

Turning to Tanya, I said, “Come with me, milady. I have something of great importance to show you.”
 

She chortled, then self-consciously put a hand over her mouth and snickered as she closed the door behind us.
 

As we returned to the table, she chucklingly echoed, “
Lordy, just look at her, man!
”
 

Sipping my drink, I said, “I was absolutely serious.”
 

She laughed, “Oh, come on,” and sipped her bourbon.
 

Putting up a screen, I fished her name for pix of her teen modeling days. She’d been all face. No boobs, no figure; just the type of uninspiring bone rack pansy rag sellers prefer.
 

“Now here’s you in college.”
 

Several pix of her from meetings and associations and a swim team showed her filling out her blouses better. In the swim pose, she had phenomenally gorgeous legs.
 

Putting a finger by that photo, I said, “Wow, look at those legs! No change, ma’am. You looked magically delicious.”
 

Blushing slightly and laughing, she said, “Now you’re using cereal slogans.”
 

“Apologies where required. What I’m getting at is something you seem unable to see, or at least not well. I wasn’t kidding in the least when I said your mom looked like Batgirl way back when. Could have been her sister. And you look so much like her… just a minute.”
 

I pulled up a picture of Yvonne Craig and one of Tanya. Both faced left, so I switched Tanya’s pic to face Craig’s.
 

Sipping my drink, I said, “While Juliet Prowse and Elke Sommer were working in the States, your mom might have been the most beautiful woman in Germany.”
 

Tanya’s rolling eyes settled on me with a droll expression.
 

I chuckled, “Well, okay, we’ll just say
one
of the most beautiful women in Germany. Can I get by with that?”
 

Looking at Marie’s picture again, Tanya nodded and replied softly, “Yes. I’d agree with that.”
 

“And now you see what I’m talking about. You’re every bit as hot as she was. I think that’s why you hold my attention so well without even having to try.”
 

Giving me a direct look, Tanya asked, “Are you
sure
you aren’t thinking of her when you’re with me?”
 

Pretending vast shock, I hurriedly said, “Oh,
no
, milady. That would be… well… I don’t know what it would be, but I’m shocked and offended and stuff. When I’m with you I’m
only
thinking of Yvonne Craig! Not your mom, I promise!”
 

With a mock glare, she stated, “But not so ‘shocked and offended’ that you can’t get it up,” and looked at my lap.
 

Noting the swelling in my jeans, I admitted, “Apparently not. You seem to be extremely attractive to me.”
 

Chapter Twenty-three
 

Monday morning Tanya’s bedside alarm startled me awake, but it was a sound my brain seemed to remember from back when I had an alarm much like it. I didn’t have that jangling-all-over, dropped-into-the-bed sensation. I couldn’t see the clock face, but time doesn’t matter much in my world anyway.
 

Tanya rolled over, realized she wasn’t alone, and scrambled out of bed to wobblingly cross the hall as she yelped, “Don’t look at me! I’m a wreck!”
 

I hadn’t thought so. I’d seen her face almost nose-to-nose and watched her gorgeous bod hurry across the room. The only thing that could use some work would be her hair. Sleeping was never kind to hair.
 

The clock read seven thirty plus a bit. She’d talked about setting the alarm for eight, then hadn’t done it. Oh, well. I sat up, ran a warming tendril through my overnight coffee, and shuddered as I sipped it. Getting to my feet, I grabbed my pack and headed for the kitchen to put some regular coffee on.
 

At the bathroom door, I said, “I’ll make coffee, but I’ll need a minute in the bathroom real soon.”
 

Tanya called back, “Okay!”
 

On the way to the kitchen, a spot of light flashed on the wall and table from the doorway. I quickly sent a probe and saw the source; a bird pecked at something shiny in the back yard. It looked like aluminum foil, but was shiny on both sides. Looking closer, I saw it was a mirror-like one-inch Mylar disk with a hole in the top. Maybe someone lost a huge sequin? No, it had a number on it; 4498. A tag of some sort. The probe annoyed the bird, who flew away with the tag.
 

Something metal clattered in the bathroom while I was assembling a pot of coffee. Something that wasn’t metal rattled loudly as I made myself a fresh mug of instant. Just as I considered making myself a field potty, Tanya came out of the bathroom. I grabbed my pack and headed that way.
 

Passing her, I turned and said, “Hey,” and she stopped to look back. I said, “When you got out of bed you were
hot
, sweetie. Make me prove it if you don’t believe me.”
 

Tanya grinned and said, “Maybe I will,” then continued to the coffee pot.
 

A few minutes later, drained and combed and with freshly brushed teeth, I returned to the kitchen and wordlessly pinned Tanya to the sink counter as I kissed her.
 

My dick rose firmly between us and she reached for it as she whispered, “Gawd, I wish we had more time.”
 

“Boards. No traffic. Let’s do it.”
 

Looking indecisive for only a second, she thrust her arms out, spread her legs a bit, tilted her head back, and rather over-dramatically said, “I am yours, sir! Take me!”
 

I saluted, smartly said, “Yes, ma’am!” and stepped forward to ease myself into her as we embraced and kissed.
 

As we rocked back and forth gently against the counter, she said, “You’re fun, Ed. And you make me feel special.”
 

“You
are
special, Tanya.”
 

Looking down, she giggled, “Well, of
course
you’d say that with your dick in me.”
 

Nodding solemnly, I said, “Indeed I would, ma’am. That’s a given. But I’ll have you know you’re special all the time. You just don’t know how to see it.”
 

“I don’t, huh?”
 

“Nope. You don’t see you the way I see you. That lovely face, that hot little bod with the gorgeous legs, the hair I fiddled with while you talked last night… remember that?”
 

Tanya blushed slightly, then nodded. “I remember.”
 

“Did I seem at all unappreciative of you?”
 

She grinned. “No. I can honestly say you didn’t.”
 

“And did I happen to have my dick in you then, ma’am?”
 

She chuckled, “Well, no, but we’d already finished.”
 

“That we had. And yet, even though I’d come like a fire hose and gone down, I
never
lost
interest in your finer points. Trust me just a little here, ma’am. You’re
very
special.”
 

Tanya laughed and lifted her legs to wrap them around me, but the counter edge dug into her butt. I hitched her up onto the counter and the angle seemed to tweak something inside her that made her groan in surprise.