Danger Money (3 page)

"Very good. A little messy coming out, but good all the same."

"So you definitely got your target then?" Said Rieselle, it was her job to track the results.

"Yes, one shot. Point blank, in the head, with a slow velocity forty caliber using pre-fragmented anti-personnel rounds." I said dispassionately.

Azelett started to massage my shoulders. Talking about it afterwards never bothered me, but as I loved a good rub as much as anybody, I wasn't about to tell her that.

"Any others?" She asked tallying notes on some coding device of hers.

"Quite a few," I sighed as Azelett hit a sore spot. Boy that felt good! "I first hit a repair/security type to get a weapon. Second was the bodyguard we called Beta."

"They let him bring in that tank?" Interjected Shotoon amazed.

"Yes, I was quite surprised. I didn't have to kill him to make the hit, but I didn't want him on my tail with all that gear. So I popped him next, I was able to drug him first." I wasn't going to tell them how, I never revealed my 'trade' secrets.

"Anyway," I continued, "I got my target third. He had a woman in the room with him and I shot her fourth." Azelett paused for a second then continued again. "If it's any consolation to you, I didn't enjoy it either," I said over my shoulder.

"On the way out I killed, hmm.." I had to think a moment. Just how many sentries was it? "Five sentries on the perimeter. I don't know how long it was before they were discovered, the fire probably confused things."

"What fire?" Said Rieselle.

"Oh, I set one in the room and a few others in the building to help confuse my escape."

"What about the injector?"

"I dropped it in a good spot, I think it might get found."

"Might?" She sounded upset. "What do you mean might? Do you have any idea how important that was? Or how much trouble went into getting it?"

"I was told to make sure it didn't seem planted!" I huffed back at her my ears flattening, "That means leaving it where it will stand a good chance of being damaged or destroyed! Anyway, they've got the best forensics money can buy, they'll find enough of it."

"You hope," she growled at me.

I smiled back until she finally softened. We were occasional lovers and I knew she had a soft spot for me. Women always seem to feel sorry for the dangerous guy who lives in a cage.

"So when are we due back?" I asked.

"Eighteen days till breakout," responded Azelett. "Then another week till we're in system. You'll be taken off at that point."

"Twenty five days then I guess," I smiled. "Not a bad vacation even considering the place."

"Now don't go giving the Captain a heart attack." Warned Rieselle.

"Too late, he already did!" Laughed Azelett.

"Oh I'm not talking about
that
!" She growled, "Jotun here obviously plans a little exploring of the female crew."

I just looked innocently at the ceiling.

"And that's not to happen!"

"Oh? Says who?" I asked innocently.

"Your orders as I recall Jotun."

"Funny, I seem to have lost my copy. And the computer is a total blank."

"Don't push your luck. It'll get you in real trouble if you do!" She warned and turned to Azelett. "Keep him occupied. If you can't or don't want to, try and keep anyone from finding out. If you need any help, call me.
I'm
not afraid to take him to task." She smiled evilly at me with that.

I just smiled back. She could be a
lot
of fun at times.

"Oh you'll behave, won't you Jotun? For me?" Azelett asked huskily in my ear.

"Maybe," I smiled wickedly. "But that Captain is an ass. Making his life 'interesting' would be fun!"

"I can handle him Rieselle," She chuckled. "Don't worry!"

The next eighteen days were enjoyable enough. Azelett did keep me happy and to be honest I enjoyed her company and learning about her. I didn't tell her anything about myself really. She wouldn't believe most of it until she saw it I felt, most people didn't.

I did have two brief liaison's with Rieselle. Even though she and Shotoon were pretty much an item, I don't think he minded. If he did he could have easily gotten them both reassigned, I'm glad he didn't though. I liked them both way too much and we had spent a few wild times together, the three of us.

I did notice two very cute ladies giving me the eye during this time. I had also been keeping a watch on the good Captain as I had plans for both of them.

The first was an older black Leopard who was very aggressive about letting her wants be known. When we were four hours from breakout I hacked the computer and got her schedule changed. When she got back to her room wondering why she was off duty she found me laying on her bed smiling.

We had a very enjoyable time then. I'm pretty sure she knew I was behind it. That I would risk something so dangerous to have her made a big impression, I'm sure. She didn't know that I was immune from the powers of her Captain, and I of course wasn't going to tell. We got together twice more over the next few days, but I was discrete each time.

The other lady was a Gazelle of all things! She was pretty kinky too. Most leaf eaters don't associate with us predator types. Especially ones who’s genetically based ancestors were prey of my ancestors. I think she had a pretty good suspicion of what kind of work I did for the company too.

But the strangest part was that she wanted to be tied up and dominated. She claimed afterwards that the more fear I gave her, the more helpless that she felt, the more excited she became.

So I jumped her in the bathroom on the night before I was to leave and dragged her bound and gagged back to my room. It was strange and a little fun, and she went absolutely wild. I had a hard time getting her to leave when morning came, and an even harder time understanding why she like it so much. It was okay, but I prefer my women more aggressive. Her quivering with fear could only excite me for so long, and the master/slave bit got a little too strange as well, even for me.

But it gave the Captain a fit 'cause I made sure he found out. I was all cleaned up and waiting for my 'ride' back to my base to show when he pounded on my door.

At least he knocked.

"Enter," I said calmly waiting for the fireworks.

"You've gone too far Mister!" He said loudly as he stepped into the room. "Rape is a serious offense on this ship!"

"Rape?" I inquired casually glancing up at him from the chair. "Who's saying anything about rape?"

"That crewmember you dragged bound and gagged into your quarters last night!" He exclaimed hotly. "That's a capital offense here in space!"

"Funny, I didn't know bondage was illegal," I replied smiling. "Captain, I can see you don't know very much about sex. True what happened here last night was a little perverted, well maybe a lot, but she agreed. Nothing illegal about that!" I chuckled.

I really like the way Human faces can change colors. They're so expressive! Whiter shade for fear, a clammy ruddy for disgust, and right now a truly remarkable red of anger. It was really quite fun to watch. I wondered if I could get him to turn green? I'd never really seen it, only read about it.

"And I thought I told you not to fraternize with any females onboard my ship!" He was gaining volume now. "I was willing to overlook your behavior among your own people, but not among my crew! That is a direct challenge to my authority! I'll have you broken for this!"

About this time Azelett showed up outside the door looking worried. A moment later Rieselle showed up looking mad, and Shotoon who was obviously trying very hard not to go into a fit of laughter. He always seemed to appreciate my antics.

"Oh really now Captain," I smiled and took out a file and started to work on my claws. "Do you really think the company is going to take the side of a sexually repressed highly frustrated old man, who suffers from feelings of inferiority?"

"You can't talk to me like that, you unnatural, test tube spawned, perverted bastard. I'm Human! I'm your master!"

He not only was red, he was starting to foam a little now as well.

"You obviously didn't read the equal pay statues or the recently passed Created Species Act." I smiled showing all my teeth. "Tell us the truth though. Doesn't it bother you that your wife sleeps with one of us animals when you aren't at home?"

Shotoon lost control at that point and started laughing hysterically. Rieselle clipped him one, and Azelett just looked scared and lost. I can be a real shit sometimes, usually right before going back to the palace.

"You filthy, lying, piece of trash! I'll skin you myself and nail your filthy pelt to my cabin door!" He hit the intercom on the wall, "Security! I want an armed detachment here right away!"

They came, made me spread eagle, chained my legs and arms up, and carried me down to the brig. Once there I was manacled to the bars at the Captain's insistence. He was holding my knife the whole time, babbling about the best way to skin a cat. The security guards were getting more and more nervous as this went on. Azelett was looking more and more desperate. And every time the Captain looked at me I had this huge shit-eating grin. Which is no mean feat when you consider that as an animan morph I have a Leopard's head. But then practice makes perfect.

I think that bugged him the most. I must have hit on his private fears with that last remark and now he wanted to scare me. I of course wasn't afraid, if he started skinning me he'd lose everything. They'd stop him before he could do anything anyway.

"You know, I never have skinned anything before." He smiled at me, "I hope you like it!"

And then the bastard actually started cutting me open!

It hurt like a bitch, as he started to cut from just below my neck to above my crotch, right down the centerline using only the tip of the blade. I looked at Rieselle and she had a hand on Shotoon's chest holding him back. No help there. Azelett was starting to gag, and the two security officers were getting antsy.

I just kept smiling, I wasn't having fun anymore, in fact it hurt like hell, but I wasn't going to give in now. And I sure wasn't going to let anybody see me squirm or beg.

"Oh you like that huh?" said the Captain. He was starting to get a little messy from my blood. And I didn't think he was all there anymore. "Let's see how you like this." He smiled back.

The guards started forward then, but Rieselle stopped them! I gave her a glance, but couldn't figure out what she was up to.

He started peeling back the skin next, starting up by my neck. I can't begin to describe the pain. I could barely keep from crying out, it was so bad. But I didn't want to give the Captain or even Rieselle the pleasure. The Captain was up to his arms in my blood, and I could see it starting to pool on the floor. I was hanging from the bars at this point, the restraints on my wrists being all that was supporting me. Azelett was busy being sick in the corner. He had more than six inches peeled back when my ride showed up.

"What in the name of God are you doing!" shouted Holt. He was Human and one of my 'Handlers'. What he was doing here was a little strange, usually he never got off the shuttle. But I guess they told him I was locked up and he thought he'd check it out himself.

I know one thing, it was the first time in my life I was actually happy to see my ride home show up.

"What?" The Captain seemed surprised. "I'm disciplining this animal!" He said. "I found him guilty of mutiny and this is his sentence!"

He was waving the knife around in front of my face during all this, and was no longer watching me. So when he got really close, I bit him.

"What the?" He looked at me shocked and stunned. I started to growl. He reached up then with his free hand to grab the knife.

So I crushed his wrist, driving my fangs deep into the bones. He dropped the knife and screamed. I wasn't feeling too well myself, as I held on and started trying to free my left arm. They must have grabbed him shortly after that, 'cause he only hit me a few times. I was having trouble seeing, from both lack of blood, and from that which was splattered in my eyes from his struggles.

Somebody started trying to pry my mouth open then, but I wasn't having any of it. I tried jerking my head around but smashed it instead into the bars behind me. They tried again, but I wasn't letting go of that wrist. Somebody plugged up my nose next and I was starting to have trouble breathing. But I wasn't letting go of that wrist dammit! I guess that it was shortly after that I passed out.