The Miami Broncos Chapter 17: Fear and Loathing in Bamboo Country Written by Francois Guint-Riel (FGR) Life in the nation’s capital had been just perfect to date, underlining the importance of the work that we’d put into our quick implantation. So far, we had been able to take complete control of all matter of classical underground activities in Ottawa, as well as a good proportion of those in southern Quebec, led by the intuition of one of the Urchin’s best minds and quickest wits... me, that it. Well, that’s not completely true, the point of the gang, Rust, a good-hearted lemur with the instinct and professional knowledge that complimented my hunches, was just as responsible as me for the success we’d met. Personally, I loved the work, split between sharing everything I knew about the region and maintaining my gunsmith’s shop in the basement of the hotel that we lived in. One special morning though, things became more exciting then ever, about five months after our arrival. I had been producing very special firearms, custom orders for anyone who placed an order. My little pieces of art could be fitted with a massive gamut of accessories, anything that a well trained trained individual could possibly wish for. To my surprise and overall delight, some orders had even been coming in from overseas, even requests for designs to be put into a more sustained production. One of the clients for a special sub-machine gun design had contacted our Don, good old Don Nereid, and asked to meet me for a presentation on the design, both by curiosity and to get a better idea of the capabilities of my work. I felt absolutely flattered by the offer, and had put together a good presentation that covered all aspects of the design, that of a compact Fabrique Nationale- inspired model that had a special wrist stock that allowed for very precise one-handed manipulation. To be honest, it was one of my betters creations in my opinion, and I was very happy to see that it would have a good home. I gathered and doubled-checked my presentation slides on my laptop before hurrying upstairs to the conference room and setting my things up. The show was only due to start in an hour, but I knew that clients liked to come a bit early, a nasty habit that I had started making some contingencies for in my project time table. I crossed my sweetest friend Boreale, a female cougar of the purest stuffs that the world had ever made, as I was going upstairs, and as usual, she stopped me in my tracks for a hug. -Hey stripes, said the cat, referring to my species, zebra. So you’re on your way for a meeting? -Yep, an overseas contract from China, I replied. How about you? What’s on your schedule? -Oh, I was just taking a break from my financial verification upstairs, she shrugged. I won’t keep you, but don’t think that I won’t pounce on your hide the moment you’re free. -This morning wasn’t enough for you then, I whispered to her. I thought that the trick with the whipped cream can was fun... -Oh it was, grinned the cat as she showed me another can. That’s why I got a refill... -Bad cougaress, I toyed as I gave her a kiss. I’ll make sure you won’t forget, don’t worry. Boreale nodded with her tongue out as she paced back to the elevator to return to her office. I shook my head with a grin as I unlocked the doors of the conference room and closed them behind me before plugging in the tabletop projector and started up the computer. I put out the dossiers that I had printed out for the attendance, just in time for a knock to come at the door. I was a bit surprised, as it was still twenty minutes before the appointed time for the meeting, but I sucked it in and opened up to find myself looking at a male panda in a dark suit, flanked by two red pandas, one male and one female, looking almost identical. I shook their hands and presented myself to them one by one before closing the door behind us, starting with the panda, who I surmised to be Xiang Joa Yao, nicknamed ‘Jay’ in the communications that I had entertained with him. I still didn’t know who he was affiliated with exactly, but the clothes looked very, very expensive, too expensive to be private company reps or governmental employees. I liked to know who was placing orders to filter whom the work went out to, just by ethics, and I was hoping that during the meet, I might be able to have them show their hand. Little did I know that they would take care of that formality right off the start, all three of them lifting a fist in front of them with identical rings baring a familiar symbol. Well, familiar if you worked in the circles I now that it, to be specific. Jay seemed to see that I recognized the design and gave a smile before speaking. -I see that you are acquainted with us, said the panda as they started to look at the dossiers. You know who we are? -You are from the Triads, I replied. -I am the leader of the Gold Dragon, said Jay. Yiang and Wong are my children, and heirs to my legacy. Does this disturb you? -Quite the opposite, I am honored to offer my services to your great and powerful Triad. I’ve heard much about your presence in Korea and Mongolia. -We have our influence, commented the panda with a proud air to him. This weapon is very impressive, Craven. We look forwards to hearing more about it indeed. -Then I will start, if you are comfortable. Interrupt me anytime, please. -Of course, please begin, brethren. I started the slideshow and narration with a calm, composed voice, stopping a few times for questions from the three Chinamen, who seemed taken aback by most of the details I presented. As I finished, I took out a prototype that I had hand made for development, demonstrating its use and assorted unique features, then handed it to them for their inspection. -This is very fine work, said Yiang as she looked at the object. So this comes apart without tools? It seems quite sturdy! -Just press the release on the side of the body and slide it forwards, I instructed. -I see, smiled the red panda as she tried my suggestion. -We are very impressed, Craven. We are very pleased to have made the acquaintance of a fine smith as you. Now, shall we discuss the terms of this transaction? -Of course, I said as I took out a few copies of the contract from my things. The design itself is patented, and would be issued as an exclusive license to you. The preliminary cost would be of five hundred thousand dollars, with an annual licensing fee of forty thousand. Any changes required to the design are exempt of cost, save for alterations to the firing mechanism, due to the complexity and amount of work it implicates. -We would be producing two thousand of these a year, commented Wong. Is there an additional fee per item? -No, there isn’t, the numbers are unlimited. -Compared to the other weapons we produce, this is a miracle, said Jay as he held the UX30-762. Craven, are you available for a consultation? -Consultation? -We would be quite willing to contract you to come and review our present manufacturing methods and designs, if the terms with your organization allow it. -They allow for it, I nodded, depending of the extent of the work. -Your travel expenses and accommodations would be completely taken care of, started Jay, in addition to a payment of half a million dollars. -I am presently unengaged in any major projects, I shrugged. It would be a good time, if it suits your own time. -Buddha sends good luck to us, smiled Yiang. We are returning to Shanghai tonight, Craven. -Then I should make arrangements for this project, I said. -Here are the contracts, said Jay as he signed the papers and put a suitcase on the table, opening it to reveal bricks of American bills and a few small pouches, probably gems, before closing it and sliding it to me. This should cover the design cost and five years of rights, if you wish to verify. -I have faith in your goodness, I corrected as I shook his paw. -Then we will meet you at the airport at seven, stated Wong. We have a private plane waiting for us. I nodded as I handed them a CD collection that contained the design data before they left in a noble, relaxed pace. Nice people, I thought as I put everything away. That red panda Yiang was something too, rather! My eyes unintentionally drifted to the seat that the girl had been occupying as the thoughts passed through my mind, spotting something glittering on the floor. I put down my laptop and took a closer look, realizing that she had dropped a very nice diamond-studded hairpin. I’d give it back to her tonight, I thought as I put it in my wallet. For now, I had to see Nereid and tell him about the contract I had just accepted. Half a million should make him happy, plus this really heavy suitcase I was hauling! I returned everything to my room before leaving in search of the dolphin, almost running into Rust as I walked out my door. -Hey there Rust, I cheered as I gave his shoulder a slap and shake. How’s the day? -Slow and steady, smiled the lemur, giving me a one-armed squeeze. You were in a meeting today? -Yes, with friends from the Chinese Triad, I replied. They offered me a little trip over there to see what they’re up to and given them a few ideas for a big price, I tell you! Oh, and I also have this case full of bills and rocks in my room for a design. -I’ll have a runner pick it up, reassured Rust. A trip, eh? Cool! Nereid’s on a visit to Montreal right now, so I don’t think that you’d be able to get a hold of him today. Heck, I don’t think he minds if you do your job, right? -Damn, half a mil isn’t something you say no to right away! The lemur gave whistle before laughing out and wishing me luck, continuing on to his room with a persistent low chuckle. I could never read the long-tailed point man when he laughed, but I was pretty sure that this time, it was more out of envy then anything else that he expressed just there. I was taking a trip across the world and he was stuck minding the place while out Don was away... yay for me! I packed a week’s worth of clothes my duffle bag, then tossed in my best measurements tools so I would be able to measure out tolerances and the like on the products of Jay’s friends, if which loose, could certainly be a problem worth addressing. With the prospect of a long trip ahead of me, I simply dozed off and rested up for the rest of the day, only leaving for a light snack and a quick visit to Boreale. The catamount was green with envy from the piercing glance she gave me when I told her the news, but then she settled into a grin and shrugged it off as business more then anything else, commenting that I’d be up to my elbows in industrial lubricant and grease before I knew it anyway. -Just be sure to come back here in one piece, okay? -Oh come now, it’s just a little round trip to a new place, I said as I waved off the worry. Want me to bring you back something? -How about one of those little stone lamps? That would look great in our room. -Sure would, and plus it’ll give you another target to throw your panties at, eh? Boreale giggled and gave me a kiss before slapping my butt as I veered off, returning to get my luggage in time to catch a cab to the airport. It wasn’t quite dark yet with some of the long summer days still ahead before the summer solstice, and as I looked out from the boarding area I could see the jet that Jay had mentioned at one of the smaller doors waiting for passengers. Someone stood aside me as I was looking out, and as I turned to see who it was, I almost came nose to nose with a smiling Yiang. -Hey there, I said with a nod of my head while I dipped into my wallet. I think you dropped this when you were at the meeting. -Oh! Thank you so much, I thought I’d lost it! This was a gift from my mother, before she passed. -I’m so sorry, Yiang. -Father takes very good care of us, sighed the red panda. Come, we were waiting for you to go. I tried to wrap my head around the way that the girl had spoken the last reply, but I wasn’t too sure how to interpret it. There was some regret, a bit of sadness and maybe even bitterness, but I didn’t want to have it hanging over my head for the time we were on the plane. As we got on, I looked around to see a nice little living room laid out in the airplane, as well as Jay and Wong playing chess aside the window. -Ah you’re here, Craven. Pilot, you may depart. Come Craven, make yourself at home! Oh, by the way, Yiang lost a hairpin; maybe you saw it? -He did, smiled the girl as she produced the object before returning it to her well-groomed hair. Do you play chess, Craven? I replied to the positive, only to be dragged by the woman to another table where she took out a set and invited me to a game. Jay took a few curious glances at the board while we played, something that I noticed as I was clearing the left side of the playing field as to be able to slip in my towers and trap Yiang’s king. She held fast for a while and took out one of my towers in the process, though I swiftly deployed my queen to compensate and reached the same result. -Very good game, said Yiang as she put down her king. You can tell a lot from how someone plays chess, you know. -I taught my two treasures how to play when they were very young, said Jay. You like to take risks, don’t you, Craven? Do you do it often? -Well, I should think so, though I’ve only suffered a few times when I’ve really regretted my choices. -Then perhaps I should advise you to take a few less for the time that you are with us, commented Jay. You see, we’re in something of a transition after having overtaken a few smaller organizations throughout our holdings and we still have much to look into before we are certain we are safe. The three of us do not leave our residence for the moment, therefore when you will be on the move, I will have good escorts assigned to you to make sure your stay remains pleasant. -I appreciate it, I said with a cock of my head. The flight was very, very long, over twenty hours, with a stop for fuel in Vancouver before crossing the stormy seas. I didn’t really mind, for it gave me time to work on a few other little ideas I had on my laptop, producing a few CAD models all the while. Yiang poked her head over to look at them once in a while, though from her blank stare, I doubted that she could tell much from the calculation spreadsheets and the line-filled pre-rendered models. I took a few minutes here and there to introduce her to the basic concepts behind the design process, at least giving her something back for her curiosity. I blacked out for seven hours, just coming to in time to find myself surrounded by the bright lights of the city of Shanghai, which hypnotized me for a few seconds before I had the reflex to buckle up for the landing. The plane landed without event, and taxied over to a more remote end of the airport for us to disembark. As for any good organization such as my new friends, there were provisions for us to circumvent the regular path of normal passengers, as a jeep was waiting for us on the runway with a clear way to leave the premises. I didn’t ask any questions, knowing full well that getting out of the airport was very important, more important that a few comments about the arrangements. Jay seemed to know that I was holding back my tongue and appeared to appreciate the thought as he hurried down the steps to get into our ride with his two children behind him. I didn’t talk much as we drove away, taking to the streets without delay until we reached a block of small shops and residences. The facades didn’t seem to be deep enough to explain the entire surface that they occupied, as if there was a hollow yard inside the block. I quickly found out why that was as we entered a pawnshop and crossed through to the back door of the commerce. We seemed to enter another building, with another style of construction and much more lavish decor, hence confirming my doubts that the entire block was actually the main compound of the Triad and had been built inside what would appear to any layman as a block of plain old shops no one would pay attention to. Clever! -This is very well thought, I muttered under my breath. A city inside a city... -We have been here for over twenty years, said Jay, the year that Yiang was born, actually. You see, before that, we could move around and everything, but with young children, I knew we needed a safe place for them to grow up. -So you built this place as a permanent home? It sounds like something right out of a fairytale, to be honest, but a very nice one. -You can see out this window, commented Jay as he pointed to other buildings dispersed in the courtyard. That one is the shop where you will see our products. Right to the left is the barracks of our people, and this right here is where I live with my children. You have a room here as well, as our guest. -I am honored, I said with a half bow. -I must retire to see to some business with Wong, stated Jay. Yiang, perhaps you could show the suite to Craven? -Of course, father, nodded the red panda. Come Craven, you will be on the third level this way. -Quite the palace, I said with a smile. You’re quite fortunate, Yiang. -You could say that at first, shrugged the girl as we reached a pair of double doors she unlocked before passing me the keys. Do you mind if we talk a while? -Of course not, I replied with a start. Do you want me to close the doors? -Please, nodded Yiang as she sat down at the living room table. You see, Craven, this place isn’t a palace. Maybe it looks like a grandiose paradise to you, but for Wong and me it was all we knew for many years. We moved in before we could remember, and were raised here, like if we lived in our little world, far and safe from the rest of the planet. We’re untouchable. Guards treat us like idols, and never engage us in conversation or anything of the sort. -That sounds almost like a prison, I sighed as I reached over to take Yiang’s paw. -A prison I’ve always wanted to escape, nodded the red panda as she put her hand in mine. I cannot, however, maybe even until my father passes, Buddha forgive me. My brother doesn’t know how badly I want to leave, and I doubt he wants to. After all, he will become leader in due time, while I will always be his replacement if ever horror comes to pass. For now, I serve as his sister and... -And..? -If I tell you, you must not repeat it to anyone, cautioned Yiang. Do you swear it? -My life is forfeit if I do, I answered. -I serve as his sister and concubine, finished the girl, looking aside with shame. As I said, we cannot leave, and have no one to talk to, therefore his heart turned to me with time. I do not refuse his affections, for that would certainly remove all hope for me to leave when he takes power. -He blackmails you into bed? That’s horrible, Yiang! That’s immoral past all bounds! -I don’t know what to do anymore, said the girl as she lost her composure. I pray to you, Craven, you may be the only hope I have! -I’m not sure if I can do anything, I replied. I’d need some time to think about how to approach this... -Then you have very little time, said Yiang. You see, this is my room, not yours, and my brother is to come for me any time now. Either you act and perhaps succeed, or you will see me disgraced by my brother and I will never forgive you. -He’ll never listen to me if I talk to him in this situation, I grumbled. I can only see one choice, but I don’t know if you’re ready to pay that price. -Any price but that to live in this Hell for another day. I nodded as I stashed my things in a nearby closet, hiding behind a panel wall, careful the light wouldn’t give me away. Yiang seemed curious what I was planning, but know that anything out of place would tip off her brother, she walked over to the bed and took off her clothes, lying on the bed in wait for her kin. I felt a certain level of disgust amidst the ocean of tension that occupied my gut at the moment. I was about to kill this girl’s brother, and here I was looking at her au naturel waiting for him. My moral conflict got cast side all at once as I heard the door of the apartment open and I saw Wong walk in, shutting and locking them before proceeding to take off the bathrobe be was wearing, revealing very little underneath. Yiang called to him in Chinese, something that couldn’t understand at all, which he replied to and started towards her. Right, this was it, I thought as I crept out of my hiding place and sneaked up behind the brother. Maybe his dick was up, but his guard sure was down, and he never even reacted as I wrapped an arm in front of him and barred his neck with the other, breaking his neck in a jerked movement. Without a sound, Wong fell to the floor lifeless with his sister looking on with a strange smile, holding her covers up to hide herself a bit while I policed Wong’s bathrobes and put them back on him. -Tell me his room also has a window facing in the courtyard, I said to Yiang. -It does. Why? -Housekeeping, I replied as I dragged the body over to the window and opened it. Nobody around, and it’s dark as coal out there, good! I picked Wong up and tossed him out the open window before quickly closing it again, then propped myself up against the wall aside it to let out a long sigh. Yiang left her bed and ran over to hug me tight, then planted a warm kiss on my lips. -Thank you Craven, thank you without relent! You have given me my life again, you have given hope to me that I will live free of this place, you wonderful ray of sunshine! -I’m sorry you suffered so, Yiang. This was awful, simply awful. -I have little to repay you now, but perhaps to savor the love that I can give would show you how the life you have returned to me shines in me. -I don’t want you to feel obliged to do anything, I protested. -Then out of true love, insisted the red-haired girl as she pulled me along. You’re not homosexual, are you? -Heck no! Wait a second, and I’ll prove it quite directly! I threw off everything before taking Yiang against me in a romantic embrace, our bodies locked together and our lips tasting the sweetness of the other’s as we moved in the covers. Wong had apparently been quite ill-equipped to bring joy to anyone from what I’d seen, and massaging Yiang’s clit I could feel that it hadn’t been all that practiced. She hummed with half-open eyes as I felt it, sucking on her nipples with mad appetite, holding my thighs against to have my member drag on her side. She felt as hot as a flame as I caressed her fur and brought her against me, but nothing would compare to the white-hot intensity that came as she took my cock in her soft hand and raising her leg, guided it towards her crotch. I aided as much as I could, thrusting slowly to penetrate her as smoothly as I could, though once I was in position, I opened up like a soul in the heart of the season. As in any other encounter with anything but a mare, there was no way for me to go very deep in her, but I offered as much travel as I could manage without excessive discomfort, quite enough for Yiang to be chirping like a canary throughout the tryst. Though my chest pounded and I felt the wild abandon that anyone suffers when in the act, the entire situation’s complexity was enough of a burden to take away from the endorphin rush. As we parted our bodies, to put it in a decent way, I gave a long sigh that was as much the product of relief that the episode was over with then that of post-coital relaxation. What mattered now was that she stay silent about what had taken place, which I was fairly confident she was hearing her talk about her life, and that I would be able to get Jay to relieve me of any suspicion about the incident. Only time could tell for the second point, though I didn’t plan on giving him any leads that would connect me with it, including staying in Yiang’s room any longer. She seemed to catch onto my train of thought as she stared over at me with a grin, and nodded as if to tell me that it was pretty safe for me to go. -Here’s the key to your room, said the red panda as she handed me a different key then that which opened hers. It’s up the stairs to the left, first on the right of the corridor. -Thanks, I said with a smile. I hope that things work out with this... change. -We’ll see, she replied. What happened here doesn’t leave this room, of course. -That goes without saying, I declared as I headed for the door. I’m sure we’ll rejoin soon, but until then, sleep soundly, panda. -You as well, stallion. I opened the door a crack and took a look around before I slipped out of the vicinity and hurried up the stairs to my apartment, quickly eclipsing myself inside before anyone saw me. Unless there was some kind of surveillance equipment, I’d be able to maintain the story that I was in my room all the time and that I saw something fall past my window. As I was entering and taking stock of the exquisite furniture, I heard some screaming down below, a sign that someone had found Wong. I jogged over to open the window and poked my head out to see what the general reaction was. As I would have predicted, the scene was nothing less then the John Lennon assassination, with over a dozen guards crowded around the body, none of them daring to touch it as if it was some holy relic which only God could encroach on. A few dispersed, probably fetching Jay to tell him the terrible news, though I decided to pull back and stay in the shadows for the moment. To just be staring at the tragedy for minutes on end would only make anyone who spotted me wonder what kind of morbid curiosity I had for the incident, or worst still be the basis of a murder accusation, to be admiring my work in such a cold manner. I put aside my things across from the bed, took a quick shower and then simply fell on it without so much as a sound, trying to find sleep to wipe away the insanity that I’d been throw into. Insanity certainly, but damn Yiang had been a good lay, Christ yeah... I woke up about five hours later at first light, brought around by a knock at the door. I looked myself over to be sure that there wasn’t any evidence of my crime. Seeing none, I opened the door to a Triad guard with a neutral expression, looking as though he was to deliver a message. -Our revered leader Xiang Joa Yao has returned to the ancestors during the night, said the guard. His son was found dead outside, apparently from having fallen many meters, and upon learning such, he took a fatal dose of poison. -Good Lord, I gasped, flushing white. What is now to happen? -Yiang Jao Yao is now our revered leader, stated the guard. She wishes to see you at once in her apartments. -Thank you, I’ll come along. Where exactly is it? -I will lead you, this way. I played lost as I followed the man down the stairs to Yiang’s room, whereupon he left me be to knock and enter as soon as I had heard the red panda’s reply from inside. I stepped inside and closed the door behind me, looking around to see where the girl was, finally sighting her as she walked out of the washroom with nothing but a glistening smile, her tail waving slowly behind her. -So here we are, said Yiang as she stopped and leaned against the wall aside her. -Indeed, I replied, unsure what else to say. I’m incredibly sorry for your losses, Yiang. I know that things weren’t easy with your kin, but this wasn’t the way that I thought things would go. -It’s for the best, shrugged the red panda. After all, at least now I’ll live my life the way that I want, without the burden of being a Triad’s daughter. -So therefore you don’t have any intention of taking your father’s place? Who will? -That doesn’t matter to me anymore, smiled Yiang as she came over and took my hands. My apologies, I know that it sounds quite callous of me, but you have to see things from my perspective to understand fully. I’ll make sure that you get your payment for th work you were to do here though, be sure of that. -I’m not as worried about the contract as I am about the future and stability of your organization now that death has taken its grim toll. You have to understand, Yiang, that if you don’t take the seat or appoint someone to it, then there will almost certainly be a conflict between many members of the Triad which will lead to a huge loss of life, both in their numbers and that of the innocent. -Then you imply that I have to take charge of it, frowned Yiang, but I want to part in it. -In that case simply appoint someone, someone that your father trusted when it came to the direction and leadership. There must be someone that he held as an advisor or something of the sort. -Yes, there was. -Perfect! Then take him as the successor, and I can only hope that he’ll be able to redress this conflict before it begins. -All right, grinned Yiang before she leaned over and kissed me. Craven, I hereby nominate you as leader of the Golden Dragon Triad. May you bring great honour and pride to us all for an eternity to come! -Did I just hear that, I said as my pulse started throbbing harder then ever and my face flushed, and do you mean..? -You were the first person in years that father talked to so familiarly, hence from what you said, you’re the best candidate for his legacy. -Okay then, I grunted with a long moan. I need to make a few phone calls, if you don’t mind… -I have to get dressed, nodded Yiang. I’ll see you soon, revered leader. I stumbled out of the apartment with only one thought, that is to call back home in Ottawa and see what the others in the Urchin Family could counsel me to do. I was very aware that I was in deep trouble, especially considering that the whole thing destabilized because I had killed Wong. History would absolve me, I’m sure, but then again the scope of the incident was enough to be a serious concern. If I didn’t pick up the slack, then an entire Triad was facing doom, me included. I ran to my apartment and picked up the phone, dialling out to Rust who I prayed was there to answer. Thank the stars he was, and hearing his voice on the line brought some kind of magical relief to my unenviable fate. -Hello, is that you, Craven? -You’d better believe it! How’s home? -Quiet as anything, how about you? -Not as good, really not as good. -Damn! It sounds like you’re in some deep doo doo! -Oh, that’s an understatement if there ever was one. See, I left here with the leader of the Gold Dragon Triad and his two children, a daughter and a son. The son’s was heir to his seat, of course. Then, when we were settling in, I caught the son with his sister, basically raping the poor girl under threat of perpetual sequestration, imprisonment even. -Hell! What did you do? -Well, that’s where the rock started rolling downhill. I did away with him and staged the entire thing to look as though he had taken a dive out his bedroom window. It worked, but a little too well. -Too well? -His father committed suicide, I continued, leaving his daughter as the only soul in position to take his place, though she wants nothing to do with the Triad. -Holy shit! Oh shit! What then? -Well, I just met her and she named me, poor little old me, as the new ‘revered leader’ as they call it here. Rust, I’m in trouble here, bad. -Okay, you just sit tight and I’ll see if I can get my tail over there pronto. -I’m sorry to impose, Rust, but I’m really short on solutions here. -Hey, we have something between us that honour keeps strong and fast. Give me a few hours, and I’ll give you a call back. Ciao! I put the receiver down with a great release, but I still had to find something to get my mind off things. Well, I’d come here for a reason, and I might as well get going on reviewing the Triad’s assembly lines… on second thought, my assembly lines now. Unknown to me was the fact that Yiang had started spreading the word about my new title, and as soon as I had walked out of my apartment, a three-man honour guard came galloping to form on me, looking quite stern and serious about their work. I could see that there was a certain discomfort between them though, as if the sudden change in leadership was in some manner their fault. It was, certainly, seeing as how they had left Wong unguarded long enough for me to do him in and then stand in silence as Jay passed from his own hand. To lose a third soul under their protection so quickly would certainly be a blow… The stockade that served as the clan’s factory was pretty primitive, unfortunately, looking more like a grubby fabricator’s metal shop then a real cutting-edge machine shop. Some of the equipment was more then twice as old as that which I had back in Ottawa, even if I’d bought most of it from a cut-cost used retailer. The workers were pretty good though, and seemed to know how to get the most out of their tools. The surprise on their faces from seeing me and my new friends walking in was noticeable as an eclipse, and they quickly reorganized to look as though they were truly toiling hard with all their energy. Their products interested me more then their appearances though, and I took the time to gather a few plans with samples of the manufactured parts to see how they were handled. There was a certain irregularity in the quality of the parts, that’s for certain, and quite a mean deviation from the tolerated dimensions shown. Some holes had been reamed twice, sometimes three times before having been put aside, showing that the workers were trying quite hard to satisfy the requirements. Hence, the problem was not their handiwork, as I’m sure that Jay would have expected me to say, but the very materials and tools that they were given. Even the steel that the parts were made of wasn’t that specified, seeing as though my Brinnel tester was giving me less then reassuring numbers; Wrong metal, wrong thermal expansion and the list of potential problems kept going. I noted every last detail of the debauched production facility and retuned to my room in a hurry, trying to make my intentions clear to my escorts, one of which spoke English fluently enough to cut through my French-Canadian accent without too much trouble. While I was at it, I had a bottle of imported Sake sent up for me to enjoy while I typed my report on the weapons, including a list of recommendations that looked an awful lot like a shopping list for an entirely new machine shop. Well, in a way it was, seeing as how I was recommending eighty-sixing everything but the building itself and getting wares that were more recent then the Korean War. As soon as I would be able to get to the Triad’s coffers, I’d get the whole thing underway. If the guns were better quality, maybe we could even send a few less out, being more effective and probably not jamming from some ill-made part seizing up and snapping like a stale biscuit. I got a call from Rust from the plane he was on, eager to know if civil war had broken out around me yet, my response about having checked out the factory and planning its renewal somewhere between entertaining and totally flustering for the lemur. -So you know what was their problem, then? -Oh, all kinds of things, but it should be fine once the workers get better stuff to work with. The price tag’s not that bad, really. -Good. And how many attempts on your life as of now? -None, if you don’t count the fact that the Sake that I got here tastes like mouthwash. -Craven? -Yes? -You’re insane. -I know. -As long as you know, that’s what counts. Keep the door open, eh? I laughed as the lemur trailed off in chuckles and hung up, returning to my laptop for a few hours before falling asleep for even more. I woke up in time to send a car to pick up Rust at the airport with a sign written ‘SS’, which only Rust and I knew as being the abbreviation of my nickname, ‘Striped Slut’, stemming from the fact I’d had my round of fun with a good portion of the Ulrich Family. When people came down to see me in the shop to talk, they could often expect to leave with a good sidearm, a glazed, happy look and cowboy walk, whoever they were. I clattered away at the keyboard until I heard voices outside my door, one I knew was Rust’s. I ran over and opened to him, and saw the lemur with two suitcases in his hands with a smirk. -Special delivery, said the ringtail. I’m not interrupting anything, am I? -Only the last trumpet of the apocalypse, I replied with a laugh. Come on in, bro! I take it that you spotted my driver? -The Striped Slut express? Hard to miss when you know what to look for. So, what do you think we’re supposed to do now? -I thought that you’d have some ideas, I shrugged. First I guess would be to know what the net assets of the Triad are and make sure that everything’s stable long enough for the next step to be taken. -I suppose that’s as good as anything, sighed Rust as he took down the rest of my sake decanter. That means we need to put together a little group of experts here, people we know that we can trust, because I don’t think that they’d take having their new leader run around asking questions that only he should have the answers to, normally. -Right, I pondered. Well, from what I can put together, Yiang would be our best choice to at least tell us whom her father talked to, albeit that chances are only Wong knew the whole list. I’ll call her up, if you don’t mind. I took the phone and convinced the red panda to come down for a spell, which she didn’t seem to object to all that much, happy to see the burden of responsibility for the Triad vanish from her shoulders. A few minutes later, she came down to meet us in a very close-fitting black dress with open sleeves. -Father never let me wear this kind of dress, she said with a grin as she gave a quick spin for us. What do you think? Does it look good on me? -Rather, I nodded. Yiang, we’re trying to see where to go with the Triad. Do you know who your father usually spoke to, who he dealt with for business? -He kept a journal in his room, said the red panda. Everything he did he wrote down so Wong would be able to take over and know everything he could need, in addition to bringing him along as well. -In that case its fine, I sighed as I slumped down in my seat. We’ll get our hands on that tome, and we’ll start from there. So what’s on your agenda, Yiang? -Well, I was thinking of going downtown for a bit of fun, said the girl, then maybe try out a few clubs in the evening. Would you two like to come? -I don’t have any objection, said Rust. Craven? -Takers as well, I smiled. When did you think about going? -Maybe around six? Would that be okay? -That’ll give us plenty of time, I waved. Great! Let’s get that journal and see what we have to work with. Do you want to stick around with us, panda? -Why not? It’ll be different to see how you deal with things compared to before. The three of us sacked Jay’s room in search of the book that Yiang had described for over an hour, finally finding it hidden under the floorboards under his desk, encased in a hidden compartment, thanks to Rust’s creative mind. We ran back to my apartments with it and started looking through it, realizing how much of a gold mine we’d stuck. There was a running inventory of the assets of the Triad, as well as contact names at the different locations that they did business or had influence, something that we’d need to be able to get regular reports in due time, plus a wide gamut of other useful facts. The latest entries were mostly about the takeover that Jay had orchestrated, a massive coup that had taken under two other clans, much smaller, maybe a hundred members strong each, but still quite a gruelling conflict as compared to the skirmishes that the Families usually had to look into. I wasn’t at all surprised to read that the deal wasn’t quite over yet, with a few ranking faces from the two still out there, though contracts had been put out for their elimination, which meant that it was only a matter of time until they were no longer of this world. Until then though, Rust offered a few words of caution, mostly that could still be able to put together a replacement crew for those that the Gold Dragon had taken out. I nodded and considered putting a second more general contract out to hurry things along and offer a bonus to those that had been hired to do the work if they were quick about it. I put most of the information from the volume in my laptop in spreadsheets and word processing documents, which I could keep track of more securely then an old book. The Triad was rich, that was for certain, though I found most of the business that they were involved in rather tasteless. A good part of the steadier influx of money came from whorehouses and very major drug operations, which I agreed with my lemur was too high-risk to continue without relent. -I’m sure that someone has started taking notice, said Rust as he looked at the drug op. My God, this is a lot of stuff, far too much! They must be dumping parts of it to be producing this quantity. -Dropping it on the streets, I seconded. I wouldn’t be shocked; it’s quite possible. If we cut down on these production facilities and sell their properties, we might be able to shift them into real estate instead. The staff could probably be recycled as well, so we don’t have to worry about hiring more heads. -And you were saying that you didn’t have much of an idea what to do as leader of this bunch? Come now Craven, you’re a natural, laughed Rust as he gave me a hug. -Hey, I’m just trying here, I replied, grabbing the ringtail and shaking his shoulders. Now, let’s get on the horn and have some of these people start preparing regular reports to send us, say once a week? That should give us enough of an updated picture to direct this three-ring circus, and they’ll include financial statuses as well, just to get two birds with one stone. I’ll hold off on the closures for now, just to let the dust settle from the transition first. -Good stripe, nodded Rust. -Like I said, I try. We spent another good hour on the phone with the assorted made men of the Triad charged in the six-dozen fronts and other businesses that belonged to the GD, as I’d started to call the organization. They had all been made aware of the change in direction, but from the start of our conversations, they seemed to find it easier to deal with me then Jay. The old man had been a tycoon, a real money-grubber that had poked his muzzled into everyone’s specialty with the confidence and arrogance that he was an expert at everything, which had made life very unpleasant for everyone. Anytime that they had challenged his supreme knowledge, they’d basically been told their head would roll like a bowling ball if they didn’t keep their comments to themselves. To have me tell them that they would be running their shows as direct franchises of the Triad made their days, and they swore upon their lives that they would do nothing but honour the trust that I placed in them. Of course, they knew far well that the end result of a foolish act such as stealing from the GD would be the same as what Jay had promised them, but for it to be more discretely implied then coldly stated certainly went a long way to establish good ties. I was also finally able to get a clear sound off about the groups that had been eliminated and taken over, all of them in Mongolia, of all places. The source wasn’t able to tell me exactly why the move had been made, nor did we find any reference to it in the journals of the ex-revered leader, but Rust had his ideas about the reason why it would have been on interest. -I could see why there would be interest in the region, commented the lemur. With the whole Chechen rebellion in the last few years, there would be a lot of money to be made in arms sales. -Seeing how Jay was very adamant about getting a new design from me and having his factory running at full steam, he was obviously aiming for the very angle. I have mixed feelings about that though, those fellows being terrorists after all. -Quite messy, nodded Rust. Then again, he wouldn’t have made these moves if he weren’t certain about having customers. -You’re saying that he would have had contact with them? That would mean that choices were made before us that we need to correct. -Correct the decision of doing business with known rebels? I fail to see how that could be done without reprisals, unless they were to fall to the government. -Why not? Obviously the governmental forces aren’t always at the level, but there must certainly be an alternative. -By that you mean their organized internal group, the Russian Mafia? Lord, I didn’t think that we’d ever be dealing with them! I don’t know the first thing about them, unfortunately. They must have some contacts somewhere though... I’ll try a few calls. I turned to cuddle with Yiang while Rust did his thing, ending up in rather a bad way as the red panda wrestled me onto my stomach, my face pressed into the sofa cushions as she held my hands and nuzzled my back. I managed to get a hold of her tail with my feet and gave it a few pulls until she broke her hold to grab my nearest foot. Right then and there, I wiggled free and turned to hug her against me. My ringtail came back from his quick foray with a grin, shaking his head as he saw our general state. -I ought to strap both of you down for your own safety, grinned Rust. -So, any good news, I grunted as Yiang took me in a playful headlock, or more of the same? -Good news aplenty, replied the lemur. Actually, one of the families in the Mediterranean, Malta, to be precise, has an ongoing business relation with them, the negotiations for which actually saw the Prince of the Mafia pay them a visit. They’re on good terms, and where quite happy to offer on contact phone number. They called ahead too to inform them that we’d probably be calling. -All right now, I sighed as I rolled out of Yiang’s grip and took the phone. You’ve got the number? -Right here, said the ringtail as he passed me the combination. You’ll either get the Prince, Vladislav Ivanovich Treshka, or his second, Vanessa. Step lightly, though... -What have I been doing for the last while, I smirked as I dialled the number, waiting for an answer. -Greetings, said the female voice at the other end, who calls? -This is Craven Froids, of the Golden Dragon Triad. I take it that I have the honour of talking to Vanessa of the Russian Mafia? -Indeed, that it the case, but the honour is ours as well to hear from you, Craven. Prince Treshka is indisposed at the moment, but we carry the same crown here. I understand that you wished to talk to us about some urgent matter? -A matter that has been of consequence in your country for some time, and threatens to spread its cancer still. I speak of the Chechen revolution, to coin a phrase. -Their foolishness is a black mark on our proud and beautiful country, seconded Vanessa. You have some information about them? -I have reason to believe that my predecessor, too concerned with money to see his honour steer him true, made a deal with them for the sales of weapons through Mongolia. -You have no such inclination, of course? -I do not, not the least. Instead, I offer a joint effort between us to intervene once I obtain the identity and location of these individuals. They will obviously contact me when their goods are not delivered, and at that time we would be able to rid great Mother Russia of this plague. -We may be able to contribute considerably to this idea, if you are committed to it. Many of our good countrymen have given their lives for a lasting peace with those barbarians, and to see their sacrifices vindicated would be to bring justice to them at last. When you have further information, we could form a more definite plan of action, I’m sure. -Then I look forwards to that time, I stated. May I contact you at this number when such will happen? -But of course! I look forwards to talking again, Craven. Das vedanya! (Shift to Vanessa) I hung up the phone and slumped on my hand as I looked across the room, wondering what else the world would throw at me today. Things had been quite intense since we’d basically regained control of our destiny without the police’s interference, thanks to a fortunate visit from our friends in Malta. We re-established our commerce networks and many of our front had been changed to make certain that they didn’t have up to date information on us, just in case that they decided to turn around once. I had taken further precautions as well, calling on a few of our people to keep an eye on the investigator that had been responsible for the troubled times we’d undergone, but it was plain that his motives for such a harsh crackdown had been the kidnapping of his sister, nothing else, and the chances he would unearth the war axe was quite slim, not to say that none of his coworkers wouldn’t, hence our precautions. Vlad had done his part of the work, and so did I, and to be frank, we needed a break, something to get our frustrations out against a worthy target. These Chechen rebels would be just what we needed, and could even serve as further leverage in our relations with the authorities, should the need arise. As my eyes drifted to the door, it opened to reveal no other soul then my beautiful bear, looking just as tired as me, though I knew what was on his mind. -Hello, sweetest Vanessa, said Vlad as he came over and gave my back a long caress. You look haggard of this work, minksha. -I love it too much to be tired of it, but it does whatever it can to make me tired, I smiled as I reached under his shirt and ran my hand through his fur. All is well downtown? -Just perfect, thanks to us, said the bear as he held my hand against him. That feels very nice, minksha... -As well is should, I grinned as I got up and batted him with my tail. Come here, soft polarshka. I got a pace ahead of Vlad as I walked to the door leading to our room, though he didn’t trail far behind me at all. I spun on my axis as I jumped on the bed, landing flat on my back with a wide smile of sharp little teeth. I wasn’t very strong, that I’d always known as being a trait of my species, but on the other hand, ferrets, minks and others of my kind were extremely agile, nimble as gymnasts. I loved how Vlad and I were so different that way; one of the gentlest and supplest creatures with one of the strongest, most massive that walk the land. These times, when we made love, were when these differences were the most obvious, but perhaps the most enjoyable. I took off my blouse and black jeans before my bear had time to throw aside his shirt, but I waited until he’d freed himself of his pants before bracing for him to hop over me. Vlad slumped down, straddling my fine figure to slowly lower himself and rub himself against me. I loved when he did that, just because I could feel a massive cover of warmth that no sun can provide, and most of all, it made me hunger for him with a savage passion. With a single hand, he reached behind me to undo my bra and take it off my shoulders then ran it over my breasts before I felt his firm grip reach around me and pull me against his shoulder. Vlad had a little trick he did sometimes, his own jest at our different sizes, where he basically opened his maw and fit my entire shoulder in it, nibbling on me gently. I found it funny as anything, and I let him do it while I used my feet to pull off his underwear. He let me down on the mattress as he stroked his all too respectable member, more then anyone could imagine a little mink like me could handle. Still, I’d masturbated so much during my adolescence that I had been able to take him from day one, a great and quite pleasant surprise to Vlad the first time we’d slept together. As he measured himself ready for love and I’d pleasured him for a few minutes, sucking on his balls and running my soft fur on it, the bear pulled off my panties and felt my crotch with his paw. He smiled as I reached down and without a hint of hesitation, put half my fist into my clit, then turned around and held it open for him to penetrate me. Our favourite position was the wheelbarrow, simply because it made us both feel how huge he was, and Vlad didn’t shy from our habits as I felt his warm penis slide into me then his hand softly support my sides for me to wrap my legs around his waist before he started fucking me. As soon as I’d closed my feet against him, he started to slip in and out, his thick head touching every last inch of my vagina as I felt my heart race, calling out twice when I couldn’t hold my voice anymore. Vlad panted and gave low groans with a grin frozen on his face, holding me a bit more firmly as he really picked up the rhythm. I had two more orgasms before I felt him cum in me and release a low sigh as he always did when he cast his load. I always loved when the organic warmth of the bear’s cum settled inside me, but I also knew that it was always more then my body was really meant to handle, and I took a handkerchief from the bedside table and put in under my clit as he slowly pulled out his softening member and some of his load dropped into the fabric before I could stress my clit close again. Throwing the spend cloth into a nearby garbage, I turned around to have Vlad hold me longer, through I saw a spark in his eyes that I knew meant he had a bit more energy him still. -Oh, that wasn’t quite enough for you, was it? -That all depends, shrugged the bear as he ran his cock on me. Do you want to play with it a while? -Oh come now, you know better then to ask about that! I reached down and took Vlad’s dick again and started masturbating him, giving it long, soft strokes as it regained its hardness. I became much more aggressive as it took form, pumping his sheath steadily until I could feel him build up another ejaculation and made him cum on my breasts. -There, I sighed as his white fluid erupted on my chest, all over your wife’s little tits. Your big penis did what it wanted to with me. -God, Vanessa, moaned Vlad as he pushed the last of it out and fell on the bed aside me. I don’t deserve you. -You’re right, but then I don’t deserve either, so we’re nice and even, I giggled as I got up and paced to the adjoining washroom to clean off, arching over the porcelain to open myself a bit more and evacuate a bit more of Vlad’s cum. By the way, we got that call from China. -Later, smirked the bear as he pulled me against him the moment I was close enough. Sweet minksha... -Soft bearshka... Two hours later we had regained enough of our minds to return to work, as managing the Mafia was work, after all, hard work. I showed him what the Golden Dragon had offered us, and he seemed just as happy to join the intervention as I had thought. As he went through a preliminary plan, I thought of how lucky he was, after all. A nice woman to share pleasure, big guns to play with, that polar had everything a man could want, really! Still, he was under the same pressure as me, and I knew how much we needed the release after dealing with business. The first thought he voiced was that he’d like to call his nephew, who was a commander in the army and had managed to give us a hand once in a while, though that always depended if he was able to get a posting in the region. -I’ll call my nephew, said Vlad as he turned to the phone and fumbled through a pile of papers in the top drawer of his desk. I think he might be able to get assigned over near the border. I had his number here, I think... -Dear uncle, said the voice on the phone’s audio as soon as the polar bear had entered the long dial, I am so pleased to hear from you! How are things in Moscow? -Good, nephew Pavlov! And you, how is your post? -Very boring, laughed the voice. We started playing hockey to kill time, and up to now we have five teams. -Nephew, I may have something to relieve you of this boredom. You see, I have the firm intention to act against the Chechen rebels in their own land, with the aid of some associates in China, who will assist us from the south. Though we are well equipped, I thought that you might be interested to participate in this action, as you are perhaps better prepared still for this type of work. -We are indeed! Yes, there was much talk in our command about perhaps moving into that region to at least provide some containment of the violence that is so routinely seen there. When did you think you would enter this fray? -As soon as possible, for we will soon have information about the location of the leaders of the movement as well as their identities. -Beyond belief! We have no such information, but I know that if anyone would be able to gain it, it would be you and your friends, da? Well then, I will immediately start manoeuvres to post ourselves in position to strike out at any target in the region. I will call you back as soon as we are ready, good uncle. -I wish you safety first of all, Pavlov. Be careful, and be safe. -I will, of course. We will talk again quite soon, uncle Vladimir. -And there we go, I smiled as he hung up. Now, until we hear from Craven, we might be able to look into something to wear while we’re in the warmer East? -Shopping for clothes with you is always interesting, Vlad grinned. After you, my heart... (Shift to Craven) I had the insight to prepare some major supplies before the faithful morning, three days after we’d called our new colleagues in Russia, when I finally received the perfectly anonymous phone call from the would-be Chechen arms buyers. I picked up with the nonchalance that I had been entertaining to stay sane albeit I was no more comfortable with the whole situation then when my beautiful red panda had told me that I was it. However, I quickly had to change my attitude as I heard the overture that the voice on the other end gave. -I take it that this is Mister Yao? -This is his successor, I replied. You can call me Craven. Who is this? -We signed a contract with you for a quantity of quality arms you told us were a new design you were going to purchase somewhere. That details aside, we have not yet heard back from you since then, and we are quite interested to know why you still have our money, and we have nothing to show for it? -I cannot understand why that could be! I sent out the shipment two days ago. All I could see is that they are somewhere between us at the moment. I have this noted down as a drop a hundred kilometres from Aksa, is this correct? -Aknorvok, not Aksa, replied the voice. That might be the problem then? -I’ll have it redirected right away, I assured. You will have your arms by tomorrow, be certain. -Good. Sarev Berev does not like surprises when his people’s safety is in danger. Farewell. I didn’t waste a second before calling Vlad and telling him of the conversation that I had just entertained, and the bear sounded just besides himself in excitement and anticipation. He told me that his nephew was in the area already, his superiors having accepted his offer of scouting the unstable region for the armed forces with no protest at all. Vlad wouldn’t be there, but if I wanted help, the good lad by the name of Pavlov would be ready to move in and give us a hand. I wasn’t too sure how we’d move in though, just because well, war theatres just weren’t my forte at the moment, nor are they to this day. Engineers that design guns in workshops set up in a high-class hotel’s basement aren’t the same engineers that go out and disarm mines, to be certain. Rust had a few ideas, which seemed quite doable for the most part. -All we have to do is to get confirmation that your buddy over there, the one waiting for his weapons, is really where we think he is. If he’s there, all we have to do is to tell Pavlov to set up artillery positions someone nearby and shell his hideout to ashes. -That sounds like a good plan, albeit that there are a few conditions to consider before we actually call in the strike. -Like? -Well, if it’s fortified, if there are innocents around, that sort of thing. -Oh, I don’t think that he’d be one to hide behind human shields. Every time I remember seeing reports on the television about confrontations in that neck of the woods, it’s been abandoned or gutted ruins being taken over, nothing else. -Right, because why would a nationalist who fights for his people, or at least says he does, would use them as cover? I see you point, but still, we’ll have to make sure. -So that means we’re off again, shrugged Rust as a smile crept on his face. Good, I was getting really bored here! Nereid can keep his chair - I can’t stand the immobility! -You’re a crazy lemur on the move, I joked as we walked out of the office to start packing. Oh, I’ll go tell Yiang before we go, eh? Rust slapped my shoulder as he took off to handle our bags while I headed upstairs to knock on the red panda’s door, who replied just as quickly, opening to let me in with a sly grin. -Hello stranger, said the girl as she closed up behind me. You can’t imagine how good it feels to just go out and have fun, Craven! This is the first time I’ve been here in the last twenty hours! -I best you’ve got a lot to time to make up for, I chuckled as I gave her a soft hug, stroking her hair and back as she settled on my shoulder and closed her eyes. -And a lot of love to give to those who are responsible for being able to do it, she replied, pecking me on the cheek. So you just popped in to stroke the panda? -First and foremost, I chuckled before giving her a long kiss, that and to tell the panda that we have to take a little trip to go take care of business up north on the Mongolian border. -Really now? Well in that case, I’ll go get ready too! I don’t want you to go risk your neck alone when I’m sort of responsible for your position. Craven, I really wanted to say that I’m sorry for having put you on the spot. I mean I was just so eager to go and live life to the fullest that I was very selfish. Please say it’s okay? -I suppose it is in a way, I sighed as I put my chin over her back, but you know that I wasn’t intended to succeed your father just as well as me, don’t you? -I know, smiled Yiang, turning to look at me in the eyes, but just hang on to it for a while, won’t you? I’d really like to enjoy this insanity while I can before jumping in. I nodded and held her closer before I gave her some help filling a duffel bag with clothes and the like, stopping for a moment as I put a few pairs of her underwear in the sack. I aimed with great precision before tossing one at her, landing right over her eyes. She chirped and reached to grab what had hit her, then looked at the garment before frowning at me and tossing it back. -Underwear fight, eh? Well, she grinned as she pulled down her pants and panties, taking a firm hold of the latter before shooting them at me, these ones smell too! -Right, I giggled as I caught the silks and sniffed them, they smell good to me. -So this smells good to you, called Yiang as she hopped back on her bed and opened her legs, running a finger over her crotch. Really now! -Heck yeah, I said as I skipped over to land my muzzle right on her clit and masturbated her. Yum, yum, I like panda pussy... The poor thing couldn’t get up as I held her legs back and pleasured her, chirping and squeaking away until my tongue was numb. I eased my grip just enough for her to escape it and roll over with a mean grin, stating that if I wanted a big surprise I should get ready for it. I bounced my eyebrows as I lowered my pants and sat on the mattress, giving Yiang enough room as she crouched and started sucking me off. I put my head back and smiled as the beautiful creature did her best, certainly equal to the session I’d offered her, but as I was shooting off, a knock came at the door and Rust stepped inside with the original intention to tell us that everything was ready, though it came out as a jumble before he saw Yiang turn her head away from my throbbing cock and open her mouth to show the load she had in it with a ‘ahh’, giving the lemur exactly the motivation he needed to give us a few more minutes. -That was mean, I said as she turned back to me. -What, she mouthed, showing him this? Here, have some. -Wow, I squealed as the girl hopped on me and kissed me, sharing the salty bland taste of my load. -There, she growled as she licked her lips and swallowed. Now you know what I have to taste when I give you a good blow, eh? -Trust me, I know perfectly, I chuckled as I craned my neck and licked my prepuce. Before I had anyone to do it... -Oh that’s something, laughed the red panda. Come one, let’s see how poor Rust is doing. -Pretty good, I think, because from what I heard, walking in on people is a tradition with him... An hour later, we were back in the Dragon’s private jet, though there was a strange feeling between the three of us as we looked over to the table that only a few days ago had hosted Yiang’s lot kin, now both in the family mausoleum from what I’d understood from the guards, though none of us as checked on that as of yet. After all, it was neither Rust one my business, and if Yiang hadn’t the heart to see for herself either, it was her choice alone to make. For now, I was sure that this intervention would take everyone’s mind off things and as proof, our conversation stuck to the subject, full of bravado as we called how unlucky our targets were to have as formidable an opposition as us ready to dispatch them. Our first destination was a private airstrip in Mongolia, twenty kilometres from anything save for the Russian-Mongolian border, where three transports from Pavlov’s forces were waiting to take us across into the fray. The convoy leader gave us a salute as we walked down the fold-out stairs to the tarmac. Two of his men came over to give us a hand to toss our luggage into a nearby truck, leaving us free of them for now. We embarked with the command staff, who were quite happy to give us a once-over of the surrounding area, taking out a map to show us certain points of interest, underling that the path we were taking was the only safe way into the region in a very comprehensible broken English, littered with Russian words were the men couldn’t find the proper translation for some term, somehow confident that we understood full well either way. -No one to help us for minimum one hour, said the captain of the squad. Patrols across to North, near main rocket batteries. -So they’re ready to fire? -We tell them where is target and they move. They are slow, so need time to go, maybe half an hour. We have to leave when they fire, stay far from the area. -They’re very powerful, in that case. -Dangerous, fire very fast, insisted the commander, but luck in needed to hit very well. I grinned and shared a laugh with the staff at the comedic comment, understanding what he meant. I had to admit, I was glad that we had an official reason to run like sissies out of there when things got crazy though, sheesh! The trucks didn’t even slow down as we came up on the border crossing, only giving a few joyous cries and salutes to the men as we sped by, hence it was a reasonable assumption that arrangements had been made previous to our arrival to make this possible. Two full hours later, we were right in the heart of the Chechen-controlled region, where we were officially in the middle of a deathtrap if we screwed anything up. We stopped the vehicles and got on foot to journey the last few miles to the would-be rendezvous point for the Golden Dragon’s weapons transaction. The terrain was great to hide in, with a bunch of irregular rocky outcroppings all over the place, though the spot that the commander and I had agreed on to spy on Aknorvok was a dreamscape, where we were totally invisible to the naked eye as we settled in. I had ordered three high-fidelity, digitally-enhanced binoculars back in Shanghai, and as soon as the guards in our group had formed a nice protective cordon, I took them out and passed them to Rust and Yiang, sharing my pair with the group’s command. From the intense military traffic in the village, there was no question that it was either a weapons depot for the local forces, or a high-security compound for the leadership of the rebels. There were dozens of vehicles passing through a series of checkpoints through the town, as well a bunch of fenced-off buildings which could be the residence of Sarev Berev and his fellow freedom fighters, not that I considered them that after their actions against poor Mother Russian in the last few years. I pointed them out to the commanders, who agreed that they were the most likely locations for the leaders, cursing under their breaths that they hadn’t been able to find such an obvious location in their hunts. A burst transmission was sent out to the rocket batteries as we took worthy shelter and held fast, waiting impatiently for the buildings to be razed so we could pull out. It look less time then we’d anticipated for a few long missiles to make their appearance in the sky, raining down one after the other on the village, most of them hitting the target buildings while the others just wrecked generalized Hell on the surrounding area, adding to the total pandemonium that filled the rebels. The projectiles had started to slow down when we saw a column of soldiers in Russian uniforms appear nearby, waving at us and getting a reply from the convoy’s people. -Who are they, I asked the commander as the two groups reunited, were they waiting? -They are the patrols that guarded the batteries, said the commander. The batteries do this by themselves, and could not be fast enough to leave. -Oh, so they’ll just shoot themselves empty? -Da, but they have something else too. -What? -Give me binoculars. Yes, they have been found. Rosva, fire! One of the patrolmen took out a remote detonator and flicked the switch, triggering a massive blast that took apart the hill where the batteries had been set up. I looked at their remains for a moment before I looked over to the village, which had been torn apart by the rockets and a series of detonations I suppose would have been caused by munitions supplies sympathetically exploding as they flashed. Before we really celebrated the victory, our force returned to the trucks and made a break for the Mongolian border, all voices sounding out in cheer as we left. -We will wait and see how they react, then we come in and crush these swine, said the commander with a glint in his eyes. -But they’ll never surrender, commented Rust, they’re fanatics. -We do not care. All we care is that they cannot attack us for long time at least, and if they do, we know how they fight. -True, nodded the lemur. Craven, mind if I borrow a shoulder? -Nope, I said as the ringtail leaned against me and closed his eyes, dozing off with the drone of the truck’s engine until we had returned to the jet, letting the convoy head around back home the long way while we flew to the army’s temporary base to the northeast. A long stretch of road had been taken over by the army as a makeshift airstrip, where we could see a pair of transport planes already on the ground, responsible for much of the heavy lifting that had been needed to get everyone in place for the operation so quickly. There were no barracks as of yet to bee seen, but a few rows of tents were being installed to serve as such, along the usual ‘streets’ that military forces used to organize their troops when they were on the field. The pilot eased the jet down on the ground before taxing aside one of the transports, parking it in time for us to get off and meet a small group, two polar bears and a mink, with their bodyguards. -You are Craven, said the taller bear, yes? And you are Rust and Yiang? -We are, I replied as I shook the Prince’s paw. You are Prince Vladimir Treshka and Vanessa? -Just as true, nodded the mink as she greeted us. This is Pavlov Treshka, the Prince’s nephew and high commander of this army. -Well met, comrade, called the solider and he saluted me. Your help in ridding us of these rebels is immeasurable. With the village was razed, we have observed very chaotic movements in the region already, as if the snake’s body is now writhing in its death throes with a severed head. -Then you are already conducting further operations? -We must maximize the impact of this strike, nodded Pavlov. A number of smaller camps have been eliminated and many transports have been intercepted in the last few hours, enough for us to decide what major objectives we will aim for. Come, we have a tent ready for us over here. -The resistance isn’t too bad then, asked Rust, or are you encountering any at all? -As I say, they are no longer coherent. Even their defence seems to be separated from unit to unit, with very little help being exchanged between them. -Looks like they’ve fractured into smaller, independent cells then, I commented. -Our analysis as well. Before they have time to reorganize into a stronger force, we must break them apart further still. The bears led the way into the medium-sized tent that served as a tactical analysis station for the moment, with a large number of maps rolled out on pieces of pressed wood boards and a few radio operators plying their trade in a part of the structure, trading communications and marking the maps as the situation evolved. Pavlov explained the code that they were using, wherein red crosses represented active rebel positions, back ones positions that had been taken over or levelled, and a few different colours were used to identify roads of import. -We plan to be here by week’s end, said the bear as he traced a mark on the map. We’ll push on to this road, maybe a few days later and then we’ll form a security cordon to secure our holdings before laying siege to the remaining region. With luck, there’ll be a ceasefire negotiation at that time and this action will come to an end. -Everything considered, I asked as I looked at the layout, is there anything else we can do? -I don’t believe so, shrugged Pavlov. All that remains is military work, not really anything that I think you have any stake in. Perhaps keeping an ear to the ground and stay informed as to the state of things however you normally do it? Until then, you have the hospitality of this camp at your disposal. Also, I apologize for this, but I unfortunately must stay here and coordinate our efforts for some time. -That’s fine, good nephew, stated Vladimir as he gave his kin a slap on the back. After a few words over the map of the area and some wit as to how the operation was going to be remembered as the strangest cooperative effort between Russia and China, the five of us left the tent to head for another smaller structure that one of the soldiers had designated as being our abode for as long as we needed it, though was just as quick to apologize for the fact that there was only room enough such that we would be double-bunking. I replied right off the handle that it perfectly fine and led us into it. For a military tent, it was very nice to be honest, with a small propane space heater set up in one of the corners to keep us comfortable at night and a good assortment of foldout furniture for our comfort. I didn’t feel any resentment at all and voiced it as soon as Vlad intervened to explain that it wasn’t to be expected that the armed forces be surrendering too much to build us a palace in the wilderness. The bear nodded with a grin as he wrapped an arm around Vanessa and turned in for a nap with her, leaving the rest of us free to roam the camp to find some means of entertainment until we had a reason to leave. Rust located a rest tent that had a good view on the entrance of the encampment, promising a nice show while we hunkered down and took it easy. -They sure have a lot of courage to go out there, said Yiang as two trucks packed with salty warriors took off through the gate. -Hey, they’ve been in this damn struggle for a long time, reminded Rust. If this ends right here and now, I don’t think that they’re going to mind a few hard moments. -On the other hand, I’m pretty certain that the rebels are taking the worst of it, I added. Have you seen any emergency traffic, I mean hospital vehicles going in or out? I think I only spotted a single one. -Pretty much the same count I have, smirked the red panda. Hey look, there’s another column coming back. Looks like they’ve been collecting souvenirs too! -The money for this party has to come from somewhere, I laughed as the loaders shot by, and it might as well be from those who are responsible for it in the first place. -What are they calling, squinted Rust as he tried to focus on the shouted conversation, can you tell? -Something in Rushki, I shrugged. Oh damn, look down the road there, that doesn’t look like our guys, does it? -Pass me the binoculars, called the lemur as he took the tool from my hands and look through them. Oh man, those sure aren’t friendlies! Alarm! Arm yourselves! The three of us ran out of the tent and yelled at anyone we saw that all Hell was about to break loose at the gate, the vast majority of them running to get in position to repel the attacking force. Not wanting to miss out on the action, we procured ourselves a trio of AKs and a few clips from a nearby tent before setting ourselves up with a clear line of sight down the road. The rebels had set an old transport truck at the head of their front and without a doubt it was charged with breaking the gate to allow the rest to head inside unobstructed. We held fire until somebody tossed a few grenades at the vehicle and luck hit flipping it on its side, spilling out the attackers inside. The moment they became visible, the Russians opened up and the base came live with weapons fire. It was out firm intention to participate actively as well, hence Rust and I offered a few very fruitful bursts to the rebels, dropping ten of them from the front and wounding a few more further away. Yiang had a very frightening grin on her face as she fired, chirping intermittently between firing as if she was really enjoying the adrenaline flowing through her, her teeth born and clenched while her white-patched eyes narrowed to lines. Running from cover to cover, the Chechens kept up the offensive for over forty minutes, but their run was officially broken when five soldiers appeared with rocket launchers and sent their ordinance into the more concentrated groups of attackers, therefore ending any chance they had of causing significant damage to us. At that moment, any remaining forces started to flee, though their respite was short lived with five trucks and a scatter of armed vehicles rushing out to hunt them down forthwith. The three of us sat up and leaned against each other as we ejected our spent magazines and started giggling and hooting. -Holy shit, cried Rust, that was plain old nuts! How did they manage to get so close to us? I hope that they didn’t hit any patrols on their way here. -There’s only one way to know, I said as we shouldered our borrowed guns and stuffed the rest of our ammo in our pockets. To the command centre, James! -Yeah, because this part isn’t the funniest as the rest, grunted Yiang as we glanced at the cleanup detachment starting to collect the fallen rebels and remove their wrecked equipment from the road. I have to admit I was sort of besides myself back there... -You get in another mode when crap hits the fan like that, sighed Rust. Not too shaken up, Craven? -I dream of a snail walking on a razor’s edge, I muttered as I opened up my eyes and let my jaw move loosely. The lemur laughed at the quote until we entered the command tent, where Pavlov was already staring at the map, drawing a few more black crosses on it with a calm air to him. He looked up at us before tapping the map with a claw and nodding. -They know, said the bear. They know they’re doomed, so they’re trying to push us back. It didn’t work though, and it seriously backfired. -So you’re still in communications with all the patrols? -All but one of them, replied Pavlov, a recon team. I know that we had contact with them until about here, but that would have been on the rebel’s incoming route. I don’t like to say it, but I’m not sure about their fate. -But you sent someone to check it out? -Not yet, no. We have to scour the area and make sure they’re cleaned before we can do that. -We could take a ride, offered Yiang, if you have something with wheels to spare. -Fine with me, but watch your backs. Brashoff! Medical truck! Follow this good man, and he’ll show you to a good engine. -Thanks, waved Rust. -Thanks back! I heard you were at the gates during the attack, and I have to say you honour your people! We shared a laugh before jogging to the field hospital and jumping into an ambulance, myself taking the wheel while Rust took the passenger seat with two rifles and Yiang crouched behind me. I’d always had the privilege of driving automatic, but I didn’t get too lost with the more dexterity-extensive transmission, barrelling out of the camp to the hill where the recon team had been lost. We crossed a few other Russians who stopped or rolled along us to check us out, waving and calling out greetings to us before getting peace and rock and roll signs back from us with crazy laughs. It took about an hour to get to the hill, though we never encountered anything on our way, save for an advanced position that the rebels hadn’t had time to set up properly which we called another team to take care of, just catching the start of their crushing intervention as we avoided their location. Rust was the one to spot the two jeeps that had formed the unit we were to rescue, but one was still burning and the other was stuck in a foxhole, offering little hope at first to find survivors. Nonetheless, I rolled up and parked about twenty metres from the debris before we got out and started doing a sweep. We called out our intentions in English, but we weren’t sure if the victims would understand at all. If anything, at least it told them someone was there, and no enemy fighter would be stupid enough to go around yelling like we were doing so perhaps we were conveying our thoughts with some matter of efficiency. At long last, a pair of hands waved from the foxhole, and we ran up to it to see five Russian soldiers lying in the hole, baring a number of injuries from both shrapnel as well as a few bullet wounds. Rust and Yiang started to apply first aid to them while I fetched the truck, working it as fast as I possibly could to get in some position where we could load the poor folk into it. I almost back it into the foxhole before I jumped out and joined my friends in their effort, taking care of the two more seriously wounded souls, having taken more off-trail and industrial first aid courses then anyone I’d ever met. Bullet wounds were always worst then they looked but weren’t anything that I could do anything about on site. They were all through-and-though save for one, which I managed to locate and warning the soldier of the upcoming pain, made a small incision and extracted, handing it to him with a compassionate smile. The language barrier between us was absolutely impossible to overcome, therefore the only communication we were able to make with the wounded was through sign language and visual cues, though to be honest, we did a pretty good job at informing them of what we needed them to do as we packed them up for rescue. Only one of the victims had a more or less controlled injury by the time that we loaded them onboard the ambulance, as Yiang had been unable to fully stop a bullet graze that had cut the scalp of her patient. The moment Rust had taken his jump seat and Yiang had secured the last rescue solidly enough, I started our run back to the camp, really opening up the engine at high gear. Compared to the time it had taken for us to get to the hill, I chopped off a good twenty minutes, only really taking it easy once we had passed the gate and veered for the mobile hospital. I had radioed in while we had been on our way therefore there were already a few orderlies waiting for us, wasting no time in unloading our wounded and bringing them in for treatment. We gave them a hand and as best we could, described the injuries that we had treated, giving the medics something to start from as they got down to business. Without anything better to do, we stuck around for news outside the operating tent, once in a while getting some encouraging words from the doctors until the head surgeon came out and proudly announced that they had sent the five to the hospital tents to recover and that they should be just fine. -All right, I sighed as I exchanged high-fives with Yiang and Rust. -We so frigging rule, chuckled the lemur. Hell, I’m ready to turn in personally. How about a little detour by Pavlov’s then bed? -Seconded, called Yiang. -Tierce, I continued. At a slow, relaxed pace, we made our way to the command tent, entering for the nth time to see Pavlov humming some hymn as he looked at the latest. From what I gathered, the rebels had been totally routed, and were taking off for the Mongolian border, though a new colour had appeared along the latter. -What’s the gold for? -The People’s Army, smiled the polar bear. The Mongolian government requested their help to stop the fleeing forces from passing their frontiers, and the PRC was all too happy to deploy four shock divisions to do so. They must have been expecting it to move so fast though! -Yeah, I mean we were gone what, three hours and then some? -Going on four and a half, corrected Pavlov, but still that’s pretty quick. I heard that you found the recon? -Safe and sound in the hospital, said Rust. They’re a bit beat up maybe, but they’ll make a full recovery for certain. -Magnificent, called Pavlov as he turned and took a box from aside the table. Here, I have something to you. I wired my superiors and explained how three Chinese businessmen that had found themselves stranded in our camp during a rebel attack aided in its defence, and they agreed that much was owed to you for your honourable actions. -Medals, startled Yiang, well! -I hereby decorate you with the Steel Star, for distinguished actions by civilians during a conflict. Mother Russia is proud of you all, stated the bear as he pinned the decorations on us and gave us a tight hug each. Now, you cannot convince me that you are still spry with all this accomplished! -We can’t even convince ourselves, I replied. By your leave, we were thinking about turning in. -Then I wish you sweet dreams and a good sleep, saluted Pavlov. You’ll still find me here later, if you wish to. We returned the salute and marched out of the tent with happy grins, a few soldiers stopping to give us salutes or just glance at our medals until we eclipsed ourselves in our temporary quarters. Vlad and Vanessa had also been out and about from the dirt on their boots, but they had already taken to bed and were both huddled up in bed, the mink sprawled over the bear, liquid as oil, snoring almost as loudly as her husband. We held back our comments as we pushed together our beds and taking off our extra clothes and items, slipped into the sheets to squeeze together for warmth and comfort, myself sandwiched between Yiang to my front and Rust behind me. By the time we woke up, night had actually come and gone, but the sun hadn’t climbed too long in the sky. I gave a casual glance over to Vlad and Vanessa, who were just coming around as well, though I heard a squeak from the mink as she spotted us, which was the only cue I needed to know that the couple hadn’t expected for us to come to the tent for the night, and had gotten... more comfortable then they should have though, and the bed sheets had somehow migrated off them during the night, hehe. What a show, I thought before I commented to my two significant nutcases that we could offer up a favour for the Russians and hurry out of the tent to leave them time to get ready for a sortie. Suiting up, we waited outside, waving and saluting passers by, a number of which apparently already knew us somehow, probably by some news about our action at the gates or the rescue gig, though the end effect was that we were on everyone’s good side for the present. After a few minutes of basking in our happiness and peaceful bliss, the Prince and princess came out of our tent with some absolutely hilarious embarrassed smiles from their awakening. We didn’t bring it up though, not even so much as a joke, saving them from reliving the episode as we walked to the command tent, where as he’d promised, Pavlov was already peering over the map with a satisfied air to him, with still more black crosses having appeared where red ones had previously been further down to the south, leaving less and less of them to be seen. -Not bad, I commented as I pointed to the new marks. Night raids? -A few of them, replied the polar bear. I think that timeline that I spoke of yesterday will be shortened, very much so. -Good to hear, declared Vlad. Craven, I was thinking of returning to Moscow tonight. You’re quite welcome to come if you wish to. -We’d be honoured to have you, seconded Vanessa. In addition, those weapons you manufacture are of huge interest to us, if you would be interested in discussing them. -Don’t you already have a source for such, if I may pry? -Well, most of what we have access to are grey market items from military surpluses and the like, which are normally in a bad way or need quite a bit of care to bring back to a state where they can be considered usable, explained Vanessa. To save us some trouble, we wouldn’t mind changing suppliers if you can work something out with us. -There’s not a doubt in my mind that I’d be able to do so, I replied. Rust, did you hear any news from Nereid regarding your prolonged absence? -Just that he loves for us to be getting out and about like this, smiled the lemur. He thinks it’s a nice change from being holed up in Tijuana, for sure. I don’t think he’d say anything if we made a little detour across the continent! -Then it’s settled, grinned the bear. You have a jet, but we came here with Pavlov, hence it would then be quite good of you if you might allow for some extra baggage, if you understand? -Come now! We’re brothers in arms, I called, we’re one and the same. I’ll tell the pilot that we’re aiming for five o’clock, and to get the plane refuelled. -You can use whatever you need from our stocks, offered Pavlov, feel free. Rust and I called up the plane and gave our instructions, which were undertaken without a second’s delay by the dutiful crewmen with the utmost in cooperation from the military. After all, the amount of fuel we needed was insignificant compared to that consumed by the heavy lifters, and they had brought along a lot more then they’d needed with the whole operation’s duration having been cut down. In the meantime, the four of us joined a few soldiers in one of the mess tents for a long and quite enjoyable luncheon, trading wit across the board. Vlad was a lot more open with his puns then any of us, but he seemed to be used to the blushing faces as he let a few quite impressive and rather colourful lines fly. I didn’t shy up as I heard them, returning a few darts that even made poor Vanessa, who had done everything she could to stay more or less neutral, crack up and start laughing hysterically, her squeaking notes only stopping as she leaned against Vlad and started wheezing from cramps. -You’re mad, said the mink as she wiped a few tears from her cheeks. What would your mother say if she heard that sort of thing? -She’d probably react like you just did, I shrugged with a grin. I hope I didn’t go too far? -I go even further sometimes, said the polar bear, don’t worry. I think the sheer volume of our humour is responsible for my poor minksha’s icy composure to fall apart. -I’m not icy, smirked Vanessa, I’m just calm, unless something calls for me to be otherwise. I missed the part about the penguin though... what did he do with the snowball? We hardly noticed the time as the co-pilot from out plane came to advise us that everything was ready for us to go, the last signal we had been waiting for to go to our quarters and pack things up. While we were picking up, I almost broke apart just as badly as the mink as I fished out what appeared to be a pair of her underwear over near our common bed, complimenting her on the range she could hit. Vanessa looked over to Vlad before taking them from me, slipping them over her tail, then with a quick swipe of her member, projected them across the room to hit the wall behind me, getting a round of applause from the attendance in reply. Digressing, we managed to regain some level of self-control and decorum before pulling out luggage across the base to our bird and boarding, waving to Pavlov and his close guard who had gathered near the runway to see us off. The seats seemed a lot less empty and the phantoms of the lost kin seemed to vanish as the Russians took over their former places, themselves taking out the chess board and playing a quite skilled match. Both Yiang and I couldn’t help but challenge them to a game ourselves, Yiang getting Vlad’s reply and me, Vanessa’s. The mink started off cold and calculating, making a very good opening that restricted my options somewhat, thought I managed to work around it reasonably well. I could read in her eyes that she didn’t like for me to be winning, and slowly changed her tactic, turning into a total vamp, playing with her tail or readjusting her clothes to get my attention away from the board. I didn’t bite though, and pinched her king with a four-piece threat she couldn’t escape, whatever she tried, with Vlad looking over my shoulder, himself having beaten Yiang already. The mink stood up and paced over, then looked at me top to bottom with her head shaking. -What would it have taken, she asked with a smile, what would it have taken for me to do to get your cursed eyes off the board? -More then Vlad would have allowed, I replied with a laugh, isn’t that right, Vlad? -I have no control over my minshka when she’d on a mission, giggled the polar bear. -I want a rematch, stated Vanessa with a toothy grin. Game? -Fine by me! -Rust, do you to try, asked Vlad as Yiang switched places with the lemur. -What the heck, I’m a fan of self-humiliation. The second match started off quite the same way as the first, though of course we moved our pieces with better knowledge of the expected response. Well, even that failed at a certain point, when the mink got to her paws and threw off her shirt and pants, sitting back down casually to continue the game, this time totally breaking my psych as I did some of the least intelligent moves that I could ever remember pulling. Just when I started getting back on track, Vanessa loosened and flicked off one of her bra’s shoulder straps and liquidly exclaimed ‘oops!’, hence sealing my doom. -That wasn’t fair, I grunted as I put down my king. How am I supposed to concentrate when you’re in that sort of a state? -You’re not, chuckled the mink as she pulled her strap back in place and hopped back in her clothes. Did it work over there too, polarska? -Indeed, bellowed Vlad as I noticed that he had used the same tactic against Rust, sitting with his pants down and his boxers on crooked as an aching lemur with an uncanny bone sat opposite with his pieces away. Rust, are you really of such an inclination? -Not totally, whimpered the ringtail, but just enough to lose this one. Good game! I went over and gave Rust a butt-slap hug before leaving him with Yiang and invite the Russians to see some of my work to see what sort of ideas they were interested in. As the presentation went on, I understood that they were looking three items, basically something like an AK but better then an AK, which wasn’t that hard to give them, then two sorts of sub machineguns, one more compact in the Uzi family and the other something more interesting but that could handle any sort of crap that was put in its clip. Luckily, I had all three already, including the last which had been what I had been working on when I was on the plane to Shanghai. I was all too willing to cut them a pretty generous deal, and basically gave them a licence for unlimited production for all of them to the tune of two million dollars, flat. Vladimir was all too happy to shake my hand and grip me in a laughing hug as I declared my offer, asking to sign right away for the deal without a hint of hesitation. The only catch was the fact that they needed to set up a decent production line to be able to produce these babies, which they didn’t have at the time either. -We really haven’t been that comfortable since only a few months ago, explained Vanessa. Now I don’t see a problem with getting a proper lab underground to make these guns. -In that case, I could supply you with a list of machines and products that you’d need, plus suggested layouts, I said as I pulled out a few files with the information. You have the prices and everything in there too, by the way. -Not as bad as I would have thought, grunted Vlad. Now all that remains is to find someone to take charge of it and train others to use the machinery. I have someone in mind, but I’d like your opinion if you’d be willing to meet her. -What’s her background, I asked as I slumped down a bit in the seat, machinist? -Well, she takes care of a small motor garage that we have to repair our vehicles, and makes a few parts for them when she needs to. -Nice, I nodded, seeing a few of those will tell me all I need to know, really. I guess we could swing by there when we arrive? -It’s on the way to our residence, shrugged Vlad, so certainly, if you’re so excited about it. -There’s something to the smell of SAE 30-10 in the morning, I grinned. -SAE 30-10? What is that? -Oh, sorry DIN 42, common engine oil, I corrected. Sorry, I’m stuck back in North American engineering standards. -Craven, laughed Craven, you’re a mech nerd. -So I am, I smiled, and I’ve got the ring to prove it. A beautiful limousine was waiting for us as we landed at a private strip outside the city, far enough not to attract too much attention in harder times, as Vladimir underlined. Yiang was the first to pounce inside, testing the weathered leather seats with a hand before pulling me in aside her and calling for rust to come squish me as well. The ride was pretty decent for the situation, and most of all nice and warm, even a bit hotter then the plane had been. The Prince called an order to the driver, who responded with a nod and a sign of the hand, probably telling him to go to the motor pit instead of our intended destination. As it would be I had guessed correctly, and a few blocks into the downtown’s streets, we turned into a grubby-looking warehouse that had certainly seen better days during the communist years, and from its age could even have seen its very formation. The inside wasn’t much different, and as we got out, the thick smell of solvents and oils invaded our nostrils, though unlike Yiang and Rust, I huffed it in with a grin. Two guards from the establishment came to meet us, saluting their leader with respect before offering their assistance in whatever capacity he required of them. As soon as he had replied to their offer, they showed us through the main garage bay from the parking we’d turned into, where I saw a trio of Ladas getting some bodywork done as well as a Laverda in one of the corners of the shop, not apparently in need of any work but quite comfortably installed in a homemade gantry of hollow structural bars. Further down in that direction, the guards opened a door to let us enter what would have amounted to a welding shop, in the same state as the one I’d visited back at the Golden Dragon. A tall female black panther was hunched over the workbench, grinding something with the greatest care in the world, stopping intermittently to check the state of her piece. Vlad was about to call to her when I shook my head, motioning to wait until she was done her work of art instead, which he agreed to. Five or six minutes later, the cat put down her tools and picked up the metal construct to get a better look at it with the floodlight behind us, though as she turned, she startled back for a second, then got herself together as she saw Vanessa and Vlad. -Good afternoon, Prince Treshka, said the panther. Is the limousine to your liking? -It is, Basharenska, said the polar bear. Basharenska, I believe that Craven Froid and his friends here might have something to talk to you about, however. -Hello, I said as I held my hand out to the panther, I’m Craven, and this is Yiang and Rust. -Glad to meet you... think fast, called the panther as she tried to get my arm in a lock which I slipped out of. Oh, you’re good! Name’s Basharenska Kavvy, but you can call me Bash. No ones else wants to but you’re welcome to. -Can I see that part you were working on, Bash? -Sure, grinned the panther as she handed the piece to me. It’s a new shortened clutch lever for my bike, with some ventilation. -Nice, I said as I inspected the item. You’ll have some heavy stress concentration here, though. What was this aluminium? -Tool grade, it’ll stand up to my kicks, said Bash as she tried to give me a quick sidekick that I caught and released. Damn! -I bet it will, I chuckled as I tossed the item back to her and took out my laptop. Bash, if I was to ask you to make me this part in Q10 steel, could you do it? -Wow, that’s complicated little thing, grunted the cat as she looked at the picture which was actually that of a new operating rod model I’d been working on. I figure I could, but with what I was here it would take a bit of time. -Bet you couldn’t, I smirked. -Bet what? What do I get? -A new gunsmith’s shop to work in, I replied. -Guns, giggled Bash, my second love after bikes. Fine, but I only have ANSI 6061 here. Vlad and Vanessa sneaked out the rest of the group to go to our temporary home, leaving the guards with me to show me there once I was done. They were right to, because it took twenty minutes of delicate work for Bash to finally throw me my rod, which I measured out with my own callipers while she leaned against the wall aside me as if challenging me to find something wrong with it. My exterior calliper scratched in protest as I ran it over the last part of the shaft, which made me raise my head and look over to her with a shrug. -Well, it looks like this is fifty microns to thick, I commented. Sorry, Bash. -You’d call this on fifty microns, growled the cat, really? You’d leave me with these stone-age flint cutters for fifty microns? -With gunsmithing, the tolerances are tight, I cautioned. Nah, I won’t call it, you win. -So, smiled Bash with a glitter in her eye, when do I get my new toys? -I’ll tell Vladimir that you’re the perfect candidate to run the shop, then I guess it wouldn’t be too long, I replied. You’re in that much of a hurry? -Well, keep under your stripes, but I wanted to machine myself a new block sometime, whispered the panther. Lightweight aluminium alloy, with undercut pistons, if you can picture that sort of a beauty. Speaking of which... hey Bang! -Hey kid, called a grey mink that had appeared in the room as she came over and gave Bash a hug before planting a wet kiss on the cat’s muzzle. You weren’t cruising the zebra, were you, you dirty bitch? -Just talking bikes, laughed the panther as she gave the mink a shake. Craven, this is Banglia Naverk, my partner. -My pleasure, I said as I shook the new arrival’s paw. You look an awful lot like Vanessa Treshka, if you don’t mind the comment. -I’m her little sister, smiled the mink. I’m just the same as her, except that I clean this kitty’s carpet instead of banging a bear in bed. -Please excuse Bang, she’s a slut, laughed Bash. -I sure am, chuckled the mink, lifting her shirt to flash her small tits to the attendance for a second. So, how’s the Laverda? -About to get a new block thanks to this guy, said Bash. I’m going to run a gunsmith line, it seems. -You’ll be producing special models of my design, I added, showing the plans to the two she-boys. They’re rather simple, but they have to be made to specifications without too much deviation or the fatigue will kill them in no time. -Holy baby, said Bash as she looked at the rifle with her tongue hanging out and her nipples poking out, that’s a sweet piece of steel! -Gun fetish, I joked as she adjusted her top. -I get this way when I see a nice piece, said Bash. Bang, you think you have some time for a break? -Sure do, winked the mink. I forgot the shaker though, sorry. -That’s all right, shrugged the panther. Craven, mind being our dick? -Sorry? -Well, we’re two horny lesbians here, and the little princess here forgot our dildo, so would you mind if we used your cock instead? -If I can be of any assistance, certainly, I said, trying to hold back a gaping testosterone-packed face. The two spirited us back through the shop to the basement of the building, then into a storeroom that had been arranged into a break room, though the general disposition of the beds told me that it was probably a girls-only club most of the time. I knew what they wanted from me, having played this part in at least one other relation between Boreale and Ring in Ottawa, and I stood by in my birthday suit as they stripped and started making out sweet, beautiful love. I was ready when Bash had started fingering Bang, and the moment she was going to tell me to get in place to play substitute strap-on, I had already rolled on a rubber and thrust into the mink, getting a muted gasp from the girl as I slipped in and out of her small clit. The panther gave a few comments of ‘you like that, eh?’ and ‘harder, I know you’re loving this’, guiding my earnest efforts, though I was took care to make sure I was able to serve as long as possible, not knowing how long they usually went at it. Ten minutes later, Bang couldn’t hold her peaks anymore and Bash slung her tail to side before slapping her ass, telling me to give it to her. I simply gave a hum of understanding and penetrated her, getting a similar response from the cat as from the mink. She held herself in a crouch as I exercised in her, her breasts and hair swinging freely until she called out for me to rape the shit out of her. -Craven, stop teasing me, she cried in a yowl, fuck me baby! Take my tits and hit me like a nail! -Right on, I giggled as I reached under her and took her breasts against her and picked up the pace. Here you go, kitty, right here... -Oh shiiiiit, moaned Bash. Bang, you got to get a zebra cock vibrator, girl! -I know, whispered the mink, still recovering herself. -Oh baby, you do me all night long, yeaaaah. Zeb, get that stupid condom off and ream my ass, ordered the panther. My eyes lit up as I pulled out of her and threw my rubber in a nearby can, then massaged her asshole until it was loose enough I could get in it. Bash’s maw hung open and her eyes rolled back as I held her hands and got in five inches, finally screwing her until I came and fell back. Before I could really steady myself, Bash had jumped on me and holding my shoulders against the ground, remounted me and bounced on me as far as she could tolerate with a crazy laugh until I shot off again. Leaving the cat to catch her breath and calm down, Bang crawled over and put my head on her lap before gently suckling me, stroking my face while I sucked almost her entire breast in my mouth. The following hour I still don’t remember everything about, but I think something happened with the mink and a bottle of lubricant Bash pulled out of her pocket... I told you, striped slut... It was pitch black out when we resurfaced from the basement, but the guards that were to show me to my temporary abode had since vanished. I was sort of disappointed, but the two girls insisted that they were turning in for the day and would be really, really, really happy to put me up for the night. The trick was that the only vehicles still at the garage at this point were bikes, and I’d have to ride one solo to ‘deserve it’. I didn’t back down for a second, boasting that I could keep up just fine anywhere they went, getting playful smiles in return. Bash showed me another hog that the pair had been working on in the back of the garage, in need of a paint job but nonetheless a pretty decent ride, reminiscent of the Toyota frame that had been at its origin before they’d gotten their hands on it and started upgrading it to their heart’s delight. As soon as I’d strapped on the helmet they leant me, we rolled out of the building onto the streets, revving up the engines like real badass bikers, though I had to admit that being one of my first times on a motorcycle, I wasn’t too reassured with the moves I pulled off with them. Still, I kept my cool and rolled along right behind Bang in our formation, getting a few thumbs up from the mink while we crossed the city to reach the Mafia’s abode. The place was pretty huge, with the looks of one of the many housing developments built by the Party during the heydays of the USSR, but with recent additions and solid bars on all the first and second story windows and a good handful of pretty tough guards scattered around it with their sights scanning their area for any threat to their people. Bash and Bang made a peace sign to them as we wheeled it into the yard behind the residence, finally dismounting to park the bikes in a locked shed leaning against the brick wall of its parent building. Bash unlocked the back door and held it open for us as we entered the main lobby from a side corridor, then led us up to the second floor, where the pair had their apartment. It wasn’t that much to look at, a telling sign that it was only because Bang was a relative of Vanessa that they had a place to stay in the capital on their thin salary, but I didn’t make a peep on that front, instead walking over to the window to get a look outside. -It’s a nice view, I said as I peered at the avenues beyond. -This is one of the better rooms here, nodded Bash as she tossed off her coat and shirt, picking one up from the back of the sofa and putting it on. Vanessa and Vlad have the unit right above us, if you were getting the idea to turn the stereo up in the middle of the night. -Don’t worry, waved Bang, sis sleeps like a brick and wouldn’t even move a finger if an elephant crashed through her room. -I know, I commented, my friends and me shared a tent with them for a few nights over in Chechen territory. That’s where we just came back from, by the way. That mink slept right through one of the fiercest firefights of the conflict, if you can believe that. -Oh, I can, laughed Bang. -Add to that the fact she and Vlad had done something to make them tired before and hadn’t quite bothered to clean up their stuff, and the whole thing was pretty damn funny, I chuckled. -They’re impossible, replied the panther. Honestly, I think us two are prudes compared to them. Speaking of intimacy, I’m afraid that unless you want to have neighbors for the night, all we have to offer is the couch, and it’s pretty beat up. -It’ll be fine, I don’t want to intrude, I said as I tested the chesterfield. -If that’s the only reason, then you’re welcome to snuggle with us grease monkeys, protested the mink. Hell, for the amazing time you gave us, we’d have you move in for God’s sake! -I do what I can, I muttered with a blush. Okay then, just tell me where I can park my stripes and I’ll try not to be a burden. -Bang? -Yeah? -Let’s jump him. -You got it, smirked the mink. The two lesbians shoved me down on the sofa, the panther pinning me down while her partner took off my shirt and pants, then together dragged me to the adjoining bedroom and threw me on the futon before getting in too, Bang squeezing between Bash and me with a contempt smile. I reached over and caressed Bash’s side as she gave a long purr, wrapping a leg around her mink and the other across to me, prompting me to stretch out one of my own hooves over Bang, who put an arm over the legs and held them against her like a comfort cushion. Before I knew it, the last images of the two chicks nuzzling rippled out into the darkness and I fell fast asleep. By the time I saw daylight again, my bedfellows had already gotten up and taken their showers, and as I stood up, I saw Bash in her underwear, inviting me to go ahead and do so too if I wanted to. One of my personal policies was that I only really took a soaking every two days, just an old habit that I’d picked up too long ago to remember but kept with me since. I didn’t adhere to it this time though, and I rushed to take a quick scrubbing before I hopped back into my clothes, ready to follow the pair to breakfast in the communal dining hall on the first floor. As I walked in, I saw Rust and Yiang already tucking into a good meal, the lemur waving to me to come over with the girls and join in. -Vlad and Vanessa are out and about, said Yiang. The bear came by to tell us about it when were just coming down. So you and your friends straightened out the shop end of the production line? -Quite so, I nodded. This is Bash, and this is Bang, Vanessa’s younger sibling. -Well, your professions differ but your looks don’t all that much, said Rust as he shook the mink’s paw. Also, Craven, Vladimir asked a favor about the shop. -Ah, I grunted as attendants came and gave the three of us a plate just like the others, what was it? -He was hoping that you might be able to take care of setting it up, actually. You just get what you need, and will reimburse you for everything, down to the last ruble. -In that case I wouldn’t want to keep these good ladies waiting, I said with a smile as I patted Bash’s shoulder. -I wanted to meet with Vlad’s smugglers, said Yiang. If the way through Mongolia is clear again, then it could be worth it to see if we could send contraband through it, which would really open up our routes. -That’s the Yiang that’ll take this Triad to the next level, I said with a grin. In that case, I’ll leave you and Rust to that, and I’ll take care of the shop. Did Vlad actually tell you what building would be home to the operation? -Near the garage that we were at yesterday, replied the ringtail. He said that you could take the warehouse aside it and turn it into whatever you want because he isn’t going to use it for parking anymore. -I know the one he means, assured Bang. How cool is this! Bash, do you have anything on the sheets today? -Nothing, said the panther. I took care of the last repairs I had to yesterday morning. You? -Same thing. I was just thinking we might stick with the zebra and influence his judgment a bit. You know, a new gantry installation, that sort of thing... -There are a lot of tools in common between your hobby and gunsmithery, I shrugged with a grin. Plus, we have tot consider the fact that you might need to work on larger pieces that just small arms in time. You might as well have the equipment to deal with those too. -Cool, giggled Bang, slumping over my shoulder. Socket wrench set, pneumatic puller..? As soon as we hard returned on bikes to the garage, we set down to draw out the installation for the production line, our Gantt diagram showing that the two could fully staff the place with only two others working specific shifts in the process for assembly. I cut the man-hours by ordering two CNC machines, one for polymers and the second for metals and finding adequate commercially available firing mechanisms that my designs could be adapted to use, saving quite some time even if it did make me flinch a bit. As an extra, I set up a wet lab for explosives with ten-inch reinforced concrete walls as well as an assembly bench for small warheads and full-sized rockets, doubling up as an over engineered gantry for Bash’s bike work that made her drool over my keyboard as she shoulder read my plan. I made the orders, backed by my huge accounts with the Golden Dragon, everything due to arrive within the week, giving us time to have the machine bases poured and the structural work to be completed if the site was run on a tight shift. To really make sure everything was going to fall into place, I would need to be there until the last bolt was driven in, nothing that bothered me too much personally, though it would mean that Rust and I would have been missing for two full weeks from home. With Nereid’s grace though, I did exactly that, respectfully bunking with Rust and Yiang, leaving Bang and Bash their privacy. The project was an outright success, the Prince’s jaw hitting the ground as he entered the shop the first time, and bouncing a few times as I showed him for how cheap I had gotten the whole thing done, though we’d been so careful as to put a tarp over the rocket bench, where Bash had accidentally left her bike just before Vlad’s visit. Thankfully, the stunning effect was so perfect that he didn’t even notice it, and instead got a suitcase delivered to us with uncut conflict diamonds to pay for it, sealing and effectively ending my little contract with him. We hadn’t stayed locked up in the shop either, mind you, and the five of us had gone out every night of the week, touring Moscow’s beautiful old heart and an unimaginable number of clubs and bars Bash and Bang knew. Still, it would be good to get some rest, because I felt totally devoid of energy at that point, and I could read the same from Yiang and Rust. After boding our new friends farewell and promising to come back to see them soon, we took the jet back to Shanghai, where we were to find ourselves facing a surprise that we couldn’t possibly have foreseen in our wildest dreams. As soon as we had landed and boarded the car I’d had sent for us, the driver told Yiang that there was someone who wished to see us at the homestead, though he was apparently bound by this person not to tell us who it was for the time being. Even when I insisted with energy that as their leader, nothing of this sort was to be kept from me, he didn’t move and stayed true to his word. I was quite concerned, justly so, as if my own people didn’t want to give me vital information like this, what was I to do? Rust frowned in common concern with me, but whispered that if things got out of hand, we would go to the embassy and get the Hell back out of there. There was nothing to cause any further alarm for the rest of the drive, nor when we left the ride to walk through one of the fronts to the main building, only serving to make me even more suspicious. As we walked into the conference room the fourth floor, I think I almost fainted, though in Yiang’s case, the reaction was almost that to total terror. Sitting at the end of the table was no one else then Jay, alive and well from the looks of him, waving for us to have a seat. -Please, sit down my dearest friends and kin, said the panda. I’m sorry for this surprise, but there is a reason for the way this had to be. -I’m curious to know what that might be, I replied as I pulled my chair in. What kind of sadistic game did you play with us, Jay? -It wasn’t a game, nothing like that, corrected the panda, looking aside with a heavy sadness in his face. You understand, when I learned what had happened to Wong, I decided that it would be wise to fall back and see if I could understand what had happened and what was responsible for his wish to die. I didn’t think that I would need this much time to do so, but I was also curious to see how you would react, Yiang my daughter. To name Craven as my heir I wouldn’t have expected, I have to admit. -It was only to give her time to recover from her grief, I stated. She was to take the chair the moment we returned. -You don’t have to defend your actions, said Jay, they speak for you. You are a caring, wonderful soul, Craven, as I knew you to be. Yiang I hoped would be as solid as a leader would need to be in such a troubled transition, but then that I knew wouldn’t be the case quite so directly, though I admire how wonderfully all these individual strengths combined to give this delightful conclusion. The only detail that bothers me before I officially announce my abdication to you, Yiang, is that I still cannot understand Wong’s death. It is my failing and of that I am certain, but I turn to you to help me shed light on this tragedy. -Jay, I may be able to tell you exactly what were the circumstances that brought about the death of your son, though you may not like it. -Please tell me, Craven. -You son abused of the trust that you had in him in a way that transcends dishonor and enters the realm of pure savagery, visceral evil... -He raped me, father, said Yiang, routinely and painfully. Craven defended my honor and did what I couldn’t, but tried to save our name by staging things as to make it appear his sole responsibility. -By the sun and sky! I would never have thought, called the panda, his eyes wide open with one of the better thousand-yard-stares that I’d seen in a while. I would have banished him the second that I would have found out, if only I had known! -Then he would have returned to seek vengeance, said Rust, knowing this sort of situation. -I’m afraid you’re right, sighed Jay, and that you were totally justified. I must thank you, good brother zebra, for having shielded the truth from light and saved us from complete dishonor. Know that this remains a secret between us, and that I find myself indebted to you for your actions. Yiang, I formally name you revered leader of the Golden Dragon, my beautiful daughter. I will remain by your side, but only as a counsel whenever you need it, and as your loving father. -I accept, and thank you, said Yiang as she walked over and gave her father a long hug. We will see our people into another bright era of glory with bold courage and determination. I took a step back with Rust as we let the two recover from their reunion, eventually slipping out of the room to pack up everything to get ready to return to our real home. The lemur looked over at me while we were finishing up, and gave a comment that stirred some thought in me, for certain. -You know Craven, after this, I almost wonder if you wouldn’t be the best choice for Nereid succession when he leaves his seat. -You’re his point though, I replied, so you’re his second in command. That’s your reward to take and no one else’s. -I’m not sure I want to take it, grunted the ringtail. You see, seeing Jay and Yiang made me think of Ring and me. -I can see the similarities, certainly. -I see plenty of them, including how our relationship has been through a lot, you know... -Including ‘that’, I know. -Well, then you understand that I’d rather have those years to be a good father to her then a Don. You’re younger then me Craven, and you’re much more of a leader then me too. I’m serious, stated Rust, taking my arm, I’ll talk to Nereid about it when we get back. -If you feel that strongly about it, then I’m ready to stand by you. -Don Craven, grinned Rust as he half-bowed. -Don Striped Slut, I laughed, that’s right. -Oh dear...