A Mermaid's Tale

A lonely whistling sound came from the kitchen. Ivy got to her feet and soon the scent of herbal tea filled the penthouse. She returned with a tray and a full tea service. Ivy urged them to drink up and that the herbs would help restore the last effects of the cyber-attack.

"When the hell did you learn acupressure and herbal remedies?" Booker asked as he smelled the steam drifting off the top of his cup.

"I cannot say much." She replied. "Just this... the digital realm is not the only place with those qualities. Even that is too much. Drink and then we will get ready to leave."

"You are not going with us." Booker put his foot down. "This is not going to be safe."

"I am not. I promised Iris I would stay safe." Ivy explained. "I am Bahama bound."

"But what about your sister?" He asked.

"Her fate has always been in her own hands." Ivy frowned. "I betrayed her, and I have to live with that. I will make amends by healing others. If she wins through somehow, she will find me. I need some sun, some mindless sex, and the sea."

"Do you think she will escape?" Booker asked and her expression was grim. "I see."

"Not all stories have a happy ending." Ivy said her voice low and distant. "Booker, I know better than to argue with you. Be careful. I can only imagine Iris was warning you about Jason. His physicality matches his mentality now. Do not underestimate him."

"First things first we find out what is inside the pipe." Booker urged. "Here, take this," He said to Ivy as he handed her a folded piece of paper. "It is a joint account I set up for you and Iris. You will not have to work again or rely on your dad."

"Do I want to ask where those funds came from?" Ivy asked.

"I had Surfer reallocate the money Jason transferred into Iris' account to this new one. I suspect if shit went sideways, he would blame it all on her." Booker explained smiling. "Now go on, the gate is primed and keyed for the Bahamas. Start off fresh. Best case I send Iris after you and the two of you mend fences."

"We already have. A long time ago." Ivy replied. "Do not die I have grown quite fond of you."

Oxford Blues.

"You are not going into a dangerous situation without protection." Kusanagi stated as she and the other bodyguards stepped out from the bedroom where they had been listening in. "At least dress for the situation."

"Be right back," Booker said and returned with the ladies to change from his comfy pajamas to armored street clothes. Even the canvas tennis shoes were woven from cutting edge memory cloth. The molecules of the material had a microscopic honeycomb layer between the exterior and interior giving it the ability to spread out kinetic energy away from the point of impact. The reactive armor displaced anything from a bullet to a knife. "I like the hoodie," he commented. "And so soft."

"Did you upgrade your BMI?" Qadira asked.

"Yeah. I did it while you were dressing me. It is her isn't it?" Booker replied as the Asian woman pulled him close.

"Yes, it is, you idiot. She could have killed you." Kusanagi snapped. "That was foolish, and you know it."

"No, it was a successful fact-finding mission. Tell Nick, I do not blame him. I understand why things turned out the way they did." He replied and slipped on the dark blue hoodie with the Numenor logo on it. The bright silver N with the oriental dragon curled around the three lines was a sign of quality the worldwide. He and his bodyguards joined the Commissioner. Ivy was already gone.

"I do not think she had the courage to watch you leave. My car is downstairs." He said as they entered the living room.

"Hey, is it okay if I call you Garrett instead of Commissioner. That is a bit of a mouthful." Booker asked and Garrett laughed. "I will take that as a yes. Great. Let us hope this works."

It was a short drive from Numenor Tower to Oxford University. Sure, the entire building was in actuality all Erotech employees but who wanted to use that name during a ribbon cutting ceremony? Numenor Tower hid the less savory technology being developed within. Booker was anxious and looking out the window often. He explained that he had never been on the campus of what he described as a legendary school of higher learning. Garrett parked as close to the science lab as was possible. He opened the boot and two of the bodyguards offered to carry the heavy piece of lead pipe. Garrett had experience lugging that substantial object around and felt mildly guilty for letting them carry it. The ladies did not seem to mind so he reluctantly let it go. They reached the front doors of the lab complex where an elderly man in coveralls and about his waist an impressive tool belt.

"Follow me," he said without any introduction.

"I am Bob," Booker offered.

"That is nice. You always let your women lug heavy shite around Bob?" The old man asked scratching the side of jaw. "Back in my day that was unacceptable. I guess you got soft hands eh?"

"No, the ladies offered to carry it..." Booker left the rest unsaid fishing for the man's name. He failed as the man remained silent before a chuckle escaped him.

"Nice try Bob." He replied eventually as he guided them to a service elevator. "This goes straight down to the lab where Sparky is kept. Are you okay ladies?"

"Fine." They replied.

"Hmm." The old man harumphed. They entered and rode it down to the bottom. The elevator reached the floor and opened. The old man had to manually switch on the lights. The center of the large lab was the Faraday cage. On either side were two tesla coils towering over the cage with their squished looking metal heads. Their guide looked around and clearly frustrated he called out for someone. "Old Black Tom! Where the hell are you?"

"Whoa, dude, you cannot just call someone that?" Booker exclaimed.

"Why the hell not," a new deep cultured voice replied from the shadows. "I have been called that for the last sixty years." The elderly black man stepped out of the dark smiling. "He does not understand."

"Nope," the old white guy chuckled.

"Young kids are so easily hurt these days." Old Black Tom laughed. "You see young man, we got hired on the same day. To differentiate us the faculty and students called us Black Tom and White Tom. We have been friends for too long to get offended now."

"I take it over time you both earned the moniker Old." Garrett said and the two elderly men broke out laughing. Once they recovered the situation was explained to them.

"Let me get this straight," Old White Tom restated what was expected of them. "You want someone without one of those BMI thingies in his head to go into the cage with a hacksaw and open that pipe and see what is inside. Okay. Seeing as I actually wore my damn toolbelt like I was asked I will go in."

"Oh no you don't, you old fool," Old Black Tom snapped. "Your hands shake too much for what I suspect is inside that damn pipe. Hand it over you old fart."

"He is right." Old White Tom replied as he tried and failed to remove his tool belt. Kusanagi walked over, knelt, and delicately unfastened the belt. "If I were forty years younger..."

"If you were forty years younger... you could do this your own damn self." She said and they all laughed. She stood and handed the tool belt to Old Black Tom.

"It is funny," Niamh, the redhead bodyguard, began. "There are stories my mum used to tell me, and the main character was a clever Cait Sidhe named Old Black Tom. He took the shape of a black cat with a broken tail and got into all kinds of mischief before becoming the King of all Cats."

"In here," Old Black Tom said pointing at the open cage. "Be careful."

Niamh and Qadira carried the piece of pipe into the cage and set it down gently. They left and the elderly man entered the cage and closed the door behind him. He told his partner to keep an eye out for leaks. Old White Tom took out a device and watched it intently. Tom took out his hack saw and sat at the foot of the cage and set the serrated blade against the damaged pipe. He began slowly cut through the soft lead housing.

"Go on young lady. Tell us a story." Old Black Tom urged.

"Well. Okay." Niamh replied. "The Queen of Cats was without a lover. The King had died the year before. Her time of mourning was coming to an end. The word had gone out that she would soon take to her bed the greatest of all male cats. There lived in this very city a boastful young cat. His coat was like a patch of midnight that flowed like living darkness. As he told it to all that would listen that he had long been the lover of the Queen. He would regale felines young and old about private details of what pleases the Queen of Cats. He should know he had taught her and made her yowl like no other before him." Niamh's voice was soft and clear, and the acoustics of the high ceiling carried it everywhere. The sawing sound from the cage faded into the background as she continued.

"Cats are by their nature a brazen lot and rumors are to them like the finest of creams. So, it should not surprise you dear listener that word of Black Tom's stories had reached the Queen. She rarely left the city of Bastet in the Old Country, so she sent to London three of her most gifted mages. These magical cats had studied the arcane arts for centuries. Those very arts sustained them through the long years. One quiet night Black Tom and his cohorts had just perched for an evening of caterwauling when the three ancient felines appeared. With barely a sound Tom found himself alone."

She paused for the laughter of her audience.

"Are you Black Tom? The eldest of the magical cats asked. Tom is as clever as distilled moonlight. He replied that he was a black tom but there were so many of that ilk. The eldest hissed soft arcane syllables and smote the ground with his paw. A deafening peal of thunder interrupted Black Tom's elusive banter. He asked a second time. Are you Black Tom? Tom was as wise as he was clever. I am indeed Black Tom he said. Good, the magical cat to the left said, and with a mystical gesture opened a portal. The mages escorted Black Tom through the rift to the city of Bastet. The heat of the day and brilliance of the sun made Tom blink and yelp as the hot sand burned his paws. They went straight to the palace as felines of many breeds lounged and watch Tom's progress."

"Got it." Old Black Tom called out from the cage. "Sorry to interrupt. Any readings?"

"Nope. Go on." Old White Tom replied. The other Tom lifted the sealed end of the pipe and a small box slid out and hit the bottom of the cage. Tom held up the box and on the backside of it the Numenor logo. "Interesting."

"Surfer?" Booker asked as she manifested and shook her head.

"I have never seen it's like." She said. A short pause. "Master Nick warns you to be careful. Oh, and he has never seen it either."

"Go on girlie," Old Black Tom crossed his legs and began looking at his tools and the type of screw heads holding the device together.

"Okay. Where was I? Oh right. Black Tom strode into the palace of the Queen of Cats as if he owned it. The mages delivered him to the seneschal, and he brought Tom into the throne room. The Queen was sprawled on her pillowed throne. The only other feline in the room was a brute of a Siberian tiger. The Queen opened one eye to take in the measure of Black Tom. The sapphire color ensnared Tom with little effort. The Queen made a lewd noise and rewarded her two consorts by rising and sitting before them. The tiger touched his forehead to the hard stone floor. Tom stood, bowed from the waist, and winked at the Queen of Cats. You are a bold one, the Queen purred. You have been bragging about being my lover. Nay, that is wrong, my most gifted of lovers ever. How say you Lord Khan? The tiger rose to its full height and stared down at Black Tom and laughed. He is puny my Queen, how could he possibly satisfy you? Tom looked from the tiger to the Queen, who was only a little bigger than he was. He cocked his head to the side and uttered these very words. Oi, how could he and you... I mean... dear gods."

The others roared in laughter as Old Black Tom found a tool that would unscrew and open the device. He went to work, and Niamh continued.

"Behave roared the Queen as she altered her size to match that of the tiger. Oh, well, that is different. Tom declared while the tiger eyed him angrily. I do not blame you, Tom snickered, she frightens you. I can see it in your eyes. Most males find strong females daunting. She is not Queen for nothing. I will not blame you if you withdraw your offer. The Queen hid her smile well, but the tiger raised his lethal claw its blades poised to slay the newcomer. A soft cough from the Queen ended the conflict and forced the larger feline to lower his head in shame. The Queen explained to Tom what it meant to be her consort. A gift worthy of the Queen must be delivered by the last day of her mourning. The tiger had a year to plot and plan while Tom had a mere three weeks. The two were dismissed and Tom found himself unable to fail in the contest. Tom was a prideful cat. Tom was a clever cat. Tom was an observant cat. Two days of watching the court and its ways and his solution was conceived. He dared the tower of sorcery at the edge of the eternal city. Tom climbed the spiral steps to the top and spoke with the council of mages. He needed their help to fashion his royal gift. The magical cats would aid Tom when they heard his concept."

"Done!" Old Black Tom exclaimed. "Well, will you look at this." The old man separated the two halves of the thin rectangular box. "Anything?"

"Nope. The cage is working." Old White Tom said with a smile. "It looks like a puppet box."

"It is, it is a puppet box." Old Black Tom said in awe. "I thought these things were illegal."

"They were outlawed years ago. They went out the same time they made mind mapping illegal." Surfer said. "Those parts look relatively new."

"Is that what allowed the thieves to rob Pendergrass' home?" Garrett asked.

"It is indeed. Not this unit but one like it. The crystal here," Old Black Tom said pointing. "That houses your rogue. She is alive in there. This bit here is a universal recharger. It takes ambient energy out of the air to maintain the power supply." He explained the rest of the hardware inside the small thin device. "Do not fret. I prepared just in case." He said as he took out a black metal cylinder from his back pocket. He unscrewed one end, plucked the crystal from its housing, and with a loud click he pressed the business end into the cylinder. He screwed the end back on, pressed a switch on the side, and let out a sigh of relief. "She is safe now."

"Why do you keep calling it her?" Garrett asked and saw the exchange between Tom and Booker. "Booker?" But the younger man shook his head. "As long as she is trapped."

"I don't envy you young man," Old White Tom declared. "It is time for tea."

"Oi, wait up for me!" Old Black Tom cried out. "Here. Catch." He tossed the metal stick end over end at Booker who caught it easily. The two elderly men walked into the shadows and were lost from sight.

"What is a puppet box?" Garrett asked Booker as they made their way for the elevator.

"It was a concept piece. Nick thought it up in the occasion an A.I. went rogue. The box contains a heavily trained A.I. that would attack and subdue the rogue. I do not know how anyone got ahold of the plans or how those two even know about it. Though the concept has been around since A.I. was revealed. The reason why it was never created was because the mind inside the crystal needed to be a hybrid. It would require the speed and knowledge of an A.I. along with the cunning and out of the box thinking of a human being. Every simulation ended in disaster. A schism formed in the hybrid and they became unstable."

"What about the lawmakers? Couldn't one or more of them leaked it?" Garrett asked.

"I suppose someone jealous of what Nick has created might want to damage it." Booker pondered. "So, what is the plan?"

"We cannot just walk in the front door." Garrett stated. "Pendergrass, in his diary, hinted there might be a tunnel in the basement of the Zoo."

"I have been studying the Zoo." Surfer said. "I assumed you might want alternatives and facts I have uncovered. The most alarming thing I have found is that the Zoo has its own A.I. while the surrounding neighborhoods share a different one. Second, I have confirmed that Jason Rainwater is a secret partner. Third, there is in fact a tunnel system dating back to the second world war. I have marked a potential route. I am withdrawing. If there is a rogue A.I. I will be better suited elsewhere. Lastly, before I leave, Master Nick has downloaded a defense program to your BMI's. He told me this was developed in a truly short time. Use it at your discretion. Activation code is 'get her'. Farewell and good luck everyone."

She vanished and Garrett and Booker looked at each other. "Let's fuck some shit up." Garrett exclaimed and Booker howled in laughter.

"I knew it. I fucking knew it." Booker laughed. "Let's go ladies."

Rampage at the Zoo.

"We are here boss lady," Leo called out.

"In my office," Mags replied.

"Come on then," Minos said wearily. "Must be important to get us up at this ungodly hour."

"You don't think she is pissed that we tagged team that wee white mouse girl." Leo laughed.

"She squealed a lot didn't she." Minos chuckled. "Especially when I... oh hey boss lady."

"I knew it was you two." Mags snapped. "You did a right number on Elrica, didn't ya."

"Aye, but she was begging for it," Leo declared. "Well, that was until he went and stuck his John Thomas up her wee arse."

"I had to give her three days off with pay so she didn't go and bring the law in. We do not need that kind of attention. No more threesomes with you two, got it?"

"Yes, boss lady," Minos said staring at his feet. "Is that all?"

"No, that isn't bloody all!" She snapped. "I need my two best head crackers to keep an eye out. I will pay you good and once this bit is done you can get some rest until tomorrow night."

"Who are you expecting?" Leo asked.

"Some fop in a top hat and walking stick." She replied. "Try not to kill him unless he gives you good reason. We are running out of time with Ariel." Mags paused. "If anyone asks you, she broke her contract and left. Got it?"

"We got it boss lady," Minos replied. "Uh oh, Jason is here and man he looks pissed."

"Out...now," Mags snapped. "You are right. This is bad."

Jason Rainwater struck the front door with enough force to snap the door stop and tear it from its anchor. Leo and Minos fled the office and slipped into the stage area. Nine Tails, the Fox Demon, was playing a haunting tune on a Japanese flute while Omaha worked on a new dance routine. Leo was entranced by the movement of the cat girl while Minos swayed with the music and smiled as he was lost in the song.

"Hey Leo," Minos whispered so he did not disturb Nine Tails.

"What?"

"Does she know that Ares has been pounding Ariel on a regular basis?" Leo asked.

"I don't know. Not my problem. I watch and I crush. Anything else falls under not my problem." Minos stated quite clearly.

"You aren't as stupid as you act." Leo grinned. "Good for you."

"Hey." A soft airy voice called from the doorway.

"Oh, it is you." Minos grumbled at Elrica the White Mouse. "I am not happy with you right now."

"I am sorry." Elrica squeaked softly. "But I told you before I started sucking you two off that I did not do anal. You broke your promise first you big lug."

"She is right," Leo sided with her. "You gotta respect when a woman says no."

"I like you, both of you, but we can't hook up if you are going to go and bust my ass like that." She said with hands on her slender hips.

"I will try but damn it Lacey," he said using her name from a former life. "You have the most amazing ass around here. I cannot help myself. You drive me crazy."