Iron Dragon Chapters 18-19
#9 of Iron Dragon
finally a little more action. Because who doesn't like a car chase?
Today Alice was excited, because her car would be back together. She was so excited she forgot to wake Jenny up as she left the bedroom.
"You seem in a rather exceptional mood this morning." Nodrog read the paper as she turned on the coffee pot.
"I am in a good mood." Alice fixed some toast as the coffee pot worked its magic. "You should come down with me this morning. We can ask one of them if they could teach you to drive."
"Why can't you?" Nodrog watched her dance in the kitchen. She was just adorable.
"You need to know how to drive, before I teach you anything. Jim and Kenny are actual trained instructors, I am not." Alice was in a super good mood.
"Might be fun." Nodrog said.
"It would give you a little more freedom. I am surprised Sherman didn't get you some driving training." Alice dug around in the fridge for jam.
"Might have to do with him and Hawkins can both drive." Nodrog had turned his attention back to the paper.
"Could be." Alice poured a cup of coffee and quickly scarfed her toast. She also glanced at a couple articles in the paper. "Let me get my shoes on and we will go."
He gave her ass a little pinch as she bent over to tie one of her shoes. "Should we wake up Jenny?"
"Na." Alice tied her other shoe and opened the door. He followed her out and down to the shop.
They were greeted by the loud buzz of the air compressor. Closest to them was what he guessed was her car two feet up in the air on a lift. The next stall was empty and in the third set a tractor truck. Anything past that was hidden by the big truck. He followed Alice over to Jim and Kenny who were doing something with the tires off the little car.
"Hey big guy, how are you doing?" Kenny asked as they walked over.
"Doin good." Nodrog was a bit curious as to what they were doing.
"Bright and early this morning I see Alice." Jim pulled one of the wheels and tires off the balancing machine.
"Of course, I want to take it for a little spin." Alice noted the new tires did not need much weight to be balanced as Jim and Kenny each rolled two tires over to the car.
"Candy apple red, I like it." Nodrog they put a front tire on each side.
"It's my favorite color. This is my little toy, it's a custom reproduction of a 1997 Lotus Esprit V8 twin turbo. It is one of 2000 total reproductions and 1 of 100 that have been built with all wheel drive. Thanks, to my dad, Jim and Kenny its more of a street legal race car then a factory sports car." Alice ran a hand along the fender line.
"Another words, it's the only thing Alice loves more than Jenny." Kenny teased as he torqued the front wheel on before moving to the back.
"And its fast, even with the all wheel drive it weights the same as the original because of the better and lighter alloys this one is made out of." Jim tightened up the last few lug nuts.
"We were wondering if one of you could teach him how to drive." Alice asked as Jim raised the lift up enough to release the safety locks and lower the car back down to the ground.
"Not a problem, we for a change are all caught up. And one of us should ride with you to make sure the new settings are working right." Kenny pulled the lift arms out from under the car.
"Heads or tails?" Jim asked as he held up a quarter.
"Flip it over so I know if its not your trick quarter." Kenny grinned as Jim grumbled.
"What are they flipping for?" Nodrog asked Alice.
"We are flipping to see who is stuck riding shotgun with little Miss hell on wheels." Kenny said. "Heads"
Jim walked over in front of the car and flipped the coin in the air. They watched the coin bounce once and spin before it flopped over. "Best two out of three?" Jim asked as it flopped heads up.
"No, and just for that I am turning the traction control off." Alice put her hands on her hips.
"See you two later." Kenny chuckled as Alice and Jim got in the car.
The little V8 rumbled to life, Alice backed out of the bay and they were gone in a cloud of tire smoke.
"Is she that bad?" Nodrog asked.
"No quite the opposite. All of the trophies in that case hanging on the wall are hers. She has a sick little habit of doing things to scare the tar out of the person in the passenger seat." Kenny said.
"I see. Those two girls have some odd characteristics." Nodrog counted a total of 18 trophies in the case. Looked like more than half were for first place.
"So I am guessing you have never driven anything." They walked over to the 4x4 shop truck.
"I was sorta napping when these were being invented." Nodrog said.
"Good point, and actually that makes it a little easier." Kenny hoped Nodrog wouldn't be too hard to teach.
"How so?" Nodrog asked.
"Because I don't have to beat any preconceived notions out of your head first." Kenny smiled and laughed. He started with the basics and wondered how Jim was fairing.
"Seems a little stiffer then I had thought. Did we dial in too much preload?" Jim asked as they hummed along the four lane highway that ran around the city.
"I don't think so, maybe we went too far with the valving." Alice was happy to be behind the wheel of her car again.
"Maybe we put too much of a nitrogen charge into the bypasses on the shocks." Jim clicked threw a couple of screens on the laptop he had plugged into the car. "Everything seems to be where it needs to be."
Alice made a few quick lane changes. "We did change out the braces, maybe we need to just dial the preload back a little."
"I had forgot about that. Lets swing by the Joe's shop and get the nos bottle filled and pick up a couple gallons of water meth." Jim disconnected from the car's computer and shut down the computer.
"We can ask Joe about the preload too." Alice zipped the car off the highway.
"For missing four hundred years of advancement you pick this stuff up pretty quick." Kenny said as they wandered around the facility. He would have a hard time telling Nodrog was a novice.
"I have found it has bothered a few people." Nodrog smiled as he down shifted to make a turn.
"Like who?" Kenny asked. As they now headed down a dirt service road.
"Jenny was rather upset that I beat her at a football game." Nodrog did not see the thrill Alice did in driving, thought it was better than horse and buggy.
"Her and Alice can be a little competitive sometimes." Kenny said.
"I have noticed that." Nodrog turned left when Kenny told him too.
"A sound piece of advice, let them win. So how is living with those two?" Kenny asked as they bounced through a mud hole.
"It's, interesting. Never a dull moment." Nodrog smiled, it had taken some getting used to. The cultural difference wasn't the only thing that was different.
"I bet." They talked a good portion of the morning away as they drove around. The facility was large enough it had two traffic lights, and dozens of stop signs.
Alice and Jim got out of the car and walked into the performance shop. Jim had pulled the bottle out and brought it in with them. Alice liked the guys that worked here, but some of the people that hung out here, she didn't care for. The only reason they left her alone was because she had kicked enough ass on the track they knew better. She and Jim had also kicked a little ass off the track just because some people didn't get it. One of her rivals worked here, and they had been good friends for years.
"Its my favorite little hellion on wheels and her grease monkey. What can I do for you two." Joe was a heavy set rotti anthro with a slight Mexican accent.
"She's only your favorite because she has tits." A guy at the counter said.
Joe smacked him upside the head with a rolled up parts catalog. "She's my favorite because she pays cash and doesn't waste my time."
"And she knows more about cars than you do." Jim set the bottle on the counter. "Need this refilled and a case of water methanol."
"Right on Jim. Tim grab me a case of meth." Joe yelled at the back and set the bottle on a scale to weight it as he filled it up. "Anything else for you two?"
Alice explained what the car was doing and the jackass at the counter just starred slack jawed. Joe asked a couple of questions and Alice answered them.
"Hey kid, you're making a mess on the floor. Quit droolin all ready." Jim gave the kid a hard couple of taps on the bill of his cap he had on sideways.
"Told you she knew more than you. I would leave the preload alone and change the angle they sit at. Lean the top in a little bit and that should get you right where you want." Joe finished weighting the full bottle after waiting for the pressure to stay constant.
"Hadn't thought about that. Glad we came down and asked." Jim said.
"If you're tunin for that rally again, I would lay them over a little more." Joe said.
"We are, I got an invite for this year. So no fighting for a spot." Alice said.
Joe leaned over the counter and gave her a fist bump. "I knew you could kick it. Good job. Wes and I are getting his car ready so we will see you out there. Actually, with my vender access I got room if you want to pit with us." Joe said. He couldn't drive, but he knew how to make anything with an engine run like a bat out of hell. Part of Over Built's one thousand two hundred horse power was thanks to Joe.
"That would be a good time Joe, we will take you up on that." Jim said as Alice pulled out a wad of cash to pay for the nos and the water meth.
"With you and Wes in my pit, people will know how serious I am. Plus I can give you a hand tunin her car if it needs it. See cash in my hand before I even handed them her own tank back." Joe grumbled egging the kid on further.
"Thanks Joe, I will get a hold of you later to find out when you are going to head out for the race." Jim picked up the case.
"Sure thing Jim. See you both later." Joe said.
"Thanks Joe." Alice picked up the ten pound bottle.
"Any time Alice." Joe waved and was stoked to have her under his banner for the race. People knew who she was and where she got her parts from already, this would give him a little more publicity.
Jim reattached the nos bottle behind the passenger seat. As Alice poured three gallons of the water meth into the reservoir behind her seat. She set the other three on the little amount of open floor behind the seats.
"Lets head back and get those coil overs adjusted and we can call it a day." Jim buckled in.
"Sounds good. And now we don't even need to pay for a pit area." Alice started the car and headed out of the parking lot.
"That was damn nice of Joe to offer us a spot. So how do you think Kenny and Nodrog are fairing?" Jim asked as they sped down the road.
"Given how fast he has adjusted to everything else, they are probably done." Alice said.
"Good point." Jim said as Alice ran the car up the on ramp a little on the enthusiastic side.He had gotten used to it after helping her out for so long.
Nodrog and Kenny were back in the shop, waiting for them. Alice pulled the car back between the lift posts and they got out. Jim took two of the gallons and Alice grabbed the third.
"Well how does it handle?" Kenny said as they set the jugs on the workbench.
"Little stiff. Joe suggested we adjust the way the coil overs are mounted and we should be close." Jim pushed the lift arms back under the car.
"Easy fix." Kenny said as Alice positioned the other two lift arms.
"So how did he do?" Alice asked while Jim raised the car up.
"Did real good. A little more wheel time and we can get him licensed." Kenny said over the noise from the impact gun Jim was using.
"I figured he would." Alice said.
After an hour they had remounted the coil overs and gotten the wheels back on the car. Nodrog watched as the three made short work of the adjustments. With the car back on the ground they turned off equipment and lights and headed back to their apartments.
Alice jumped up into his arms the second the door latched behind them. "I knew you had other talents." Alice kissed him as he squeezed her butt.
"I see how it is you both leave me alone and start making out as soon as you come back." Jenny said in mock anger. They each sat down on either side of her and both kissed her at the same time.
"I bet we can make it up to you." Nodrog lightly nipped at her neck.
"I am sure we can." Alice whispered in her ear.
Jenny giggled as they teased her.
"Or we could tickle you again." Alice said.
"Anything but that." Jenny cried as they both did just that. And was grateful for the phone interruption. Alice had got up to answer it.
"Well that stinks." Alice sighed as she hung the phone up.
"What?" Jenny asked.
"He needs to get on a plane, they changed the plan again." Alice actually pouted about it.
"Figures, anything else?" Jenny said as he got up.
"Nope, top secret bla bla bla." Alice made a talking motion with her hand.
"We knew this was part of the deal." Jenny said as he walked out with a bag he had left packed.
They both walked with him down to wait for the little cart to swing over and pick him up. They said good bye and then slowly headed back up stairs.
Sherman and Hawkins greeted him as soon as he stepped on the plane. They had all of his gear with them.
"Sorry about the last minute notice." Sherman said as Nodrog changed out of his civilian clothes and into the ash gray camo.
"It happens, I pretty much expect it I have been doing this for so long." Nodrog said.
"That doesn't make it easier. So we are dropping into the Bone Jungle to see about some disappearances." Sherman said.
Nodrog zipped up his shirt sides and stepped out from behind a curtain. "How many?"
"Almost a whole town. Just gone." Hawkins said.
"The area has been plagued with smugglers and bandits for almost forever. Kind of a scum bag hunt." Sherman said flatly.
"Should be a cake walk." Hawkins said.
"I will believe that when we are done." Nodrog checked his weapons carefully.
"We checked them out before we left." Sherman said
"Doesn't matter, old habits, and most of mine are a great deal older then the two of you." Nodrog checked the pistol before he put it in the holster.
"Fair enough, I suppose that kind of thinking does prove you are a soldier." Sherman sat down to double check his own equipment.
Hawkins rechecked his gear. They talked little as the small cargo plane hummed along.
Alice and Jenny sat on the couch and watched TV. Alice had set up a little trap as Jenny showered. She didn't know if it would work, but she had to try at least once. Alice secretly cheered as Jenny came out with just a bathrobe on.
Jenny giggled as Alice tried to tickle her again, they played around a little and Alice had managed to get on top of her. In fact Alice managed to pin her arms above her head with her knees.
"Okay you got me now what?" Jenny giggled.
"Just this." Alice smiled and Jenny quit giggling as she clicked the handcuffs around Jenny's wrists.
"Why you sneaky little mouse." Jenny smiled and tried to move once Alice got off of her enough to untie her robe. Jenny quickly realized she couldn't move very far.
"No the sneaky part was tying them to the foot of the couch with rope." Alice slowly ran her tongue down Jenny's chest and belly.
"Oh, that is naughty." Jenny sighed as Alice rubbed her feet.
Alice couldn't be mean, but she could be a tease. She poured some lotion in her hands and started erotically messaging Jenny all over. Alice took her time and worked almost everywhere on Jenny's body.
Jenny loved the wonderful treatment Alice was giving her. The fact Alice was touching everywhere but a few certain spots was doing a good job of getting her close but only from being teased. "Hey, where are you going?"
"Just to the bedroom." Alice pulled her shirt off as she walked away. She finished getting out of her clothes and found the lube and the toy. She didn't hurry back out.
Jenny fidgeted on the couch as she waited for Alice to come back out. Now she understood part of Alice's fear, because time seemed to drag on. Alice finally came back out and rather sensually climbed over the couch arm and between Jenny's legs. Jenny moaned as Alice went straight for her. No teasing now, as Alice kissed, licked, nibbled and did everything else that Jenny loved. Everything seemed more intense just from her hands being bound. Jenny moaned loudly as she climaxed.
Alice now kissed her way up from between Jenny's legs between her breasts and along her neck. "How does it feel to be helpless?' Alice whispered in her ear, then kissed her and rubbed the head of the toy against her.
Jenny couldn't speak, but what Alice was doing she would never have imagined. She moaned as the toy slowly vibrated to life between her legs. Jenny tried to rub against it, but Alice only pulled it away. This was quickly becoming a side of Alice she had never seen before. Alice and the toy pulled away from her and she watched Alice poured lube on the toy and jerk it off in front of her.
Alice spread Jenny's legs and placed the head of the toy just between her lips. She clicked the speed up on it and very slowly pushed the toy into her. They both moaned as the toy slid inside Jenny. Alice pushed all of it in, before with the same slow pace pulled it out.
Jenny moaned from the slow yet sweet torture. Alice didn't keep the slow pace for long. Jenny moaned as Alice quickened her pace. The warmth of the lube greatly added to her enjoyment.
As Jenny moaned from her second Alice still had not gotten close. All she had gotten was frustrated and tired. She turned the toy up to high and got Jenny to cum again, but she was still short.
Jenny lay panting as Alice pulled the toy out and turned it off. She was very grateful for getting the cuffs off. As she sat up she could see a little frustration on Alice's face. Alice stood up and pulled the toy off and set it down on the coffee table. Jenny certainly could not allow Alice to go without.
Down south after a couple hours of flight; Nodrog, Sherman and the rest of them were in a lot of trouble. Something had gotten a missile off and the little plane was going down. Tina and the Cindy had just gotten out of their seats and ran back to the cargo hold. "Open the gate, we are going down!" Tina yelled while she and Cindy put on their own chutes.
Sherman hit the emergency open and the five bailed out just before the plane exploded. Nodrog took the quick way down, being metal he would show up on whose ever radar had found the plane.
"Well that's not a good way to start an op." Sherman watched as the pilots made their way over to him and Nodrog.
"No shit, it's a long walk home." Tina pulled her sidearm out to check it.
"We should probably abort and see about getting a pick up." Hawkins said as he walked over to them.
"There is a small problem with that." Sherman held up the totaled radio.
"Then we carry on and borrow a radio from someone else." Nodrog pulled the load lever on the machine gun. Plans rarely lasted when doing any kind of work like this, just reassess the situation and move on.
"What about us?" Cindy asked.
"You two stay close behind me. At least if the lead starts flying you will all ready be in cover." Nodrog said flatly.
"How bullet proof are you?" Tina asked.
"Lets hope we don't find out. Hawkins scout ahead of us. We will borrow a radio." Sherman said and they headed out for the town.
Chapter
"Ghost town." Hawkins said as they walked up to him.
"Not a good sign, guess we will hold up here. Who's got first watch?" Sherman said as they took to a roof top.
"I got watch. Don't sleep anyways." Nodrog said.
"Wake me up in three hours, no matter what." Sherman checked the time.
Nodrog looked at his watch. "All right."
He sat so he could see most of the town. It wasn't too hot being the middle of the night. After two hours he was sure the others were asleep so he called out to see if others were out there. He was greeted with a little blue glow off along the tree line.
Nodrog held out his hand as the little nymph gently landed in his hand. The blue glow came from her wings, her hair a dark blue. She was beautiful and to keep the conversation private he spoke quietly. "Long time no see Ellie."
"Too long Nodrog. What brings you here?" Ellie sat in his hand.
"The same thing that always brings me places." Nodrog said.
"You poor soul, always fighting." Ellie said sadly.
"Can you tell me where they are?" Nodrog asked.
"The villagers were ran off or killed by well organized soldiers. You might be in trouble Nodrog." Ellie said.
"Judging from how the night started I believe you." Nodrog looked over the town a little more carefully.
"I am not worried about you, but your soft friends are a concern." Ellie said.
"Anything else?" Nodrog asked.
"No, we try to stay hidden. The forest has lost a lot of magic so we have been conserving ours." Ellie said softly.
"Take some of mine. I have more than enough." Nodrog said.
"That would help at least then I could summon Nightrunner or the Hunters." Ellie stood back up.
Nodrog opened his mouth and slowly exhaled a white mist, that Ellie absorbed through her wings. Causing the nymph to glow even brighter.
"Um what did you two just do?" Sherman asked quietly as he sat down next to him. "I said three hours."
"You still got ten minutes. Allow me to introduce you to Ellie. Ellie this is Sherman." Nodrog said.
Sherman watched as the four inch tall nude woman bowed. "Pleased to meet you."
"As am I to meet you. Nodrog gave me some of his magic." Ellie said.
"She knows the towns people were ran off or killed. We might be in trouble Sherman." Nodrog said.
"You are, they were not normal bandits." Ellie said.
"This is really going from bad to worse." Sherman said.
"Ellie you better head back. Summon Nightrunner and all of you leave. Take care." Nodrog said.
Ellie took to the air and kissed his snout. "You take care Iron Dragon. Thank you for the extra magic." Ellie bowed and quickly headed back to the trees.
"So you know an elf that travels by shadows and tiny flying naked women, I suppose you know Lochness and big foot." Sherman said curtly and surveyed the town.
"Yes, and their names are actually Nina and Frank." Nodrog said flatly.
Sherman gave him a cold stare before he chuckled. "Okay then. We give them another hour and we start looking for a radio."
"There are two buildings I make out with antenna that might support enough power to get word out." Nodrog said and Sherman quickly found them.
"Hawkins and I will head to the southern one, you take the girls to the northern one." Sherman said.
"Want me to give a signal if they think it will work?" Nodrog asked.
"Na just have them crank it up and see if they can get anyone to hear them. Then be ready to defend the building you are in." Sherman said.
"Draw them out with the broad cast, its better then searching room by room." Nodrog said.
"Hell I figure we will find them guarding the radios." Sherman said.
"Fair enough. Do we go wide or up the center to that second building then split?" Nodrog said in the growing light.
"Scratch that, the north building has a HAM radio. I can tell from the antenna on the tower with a little better light. We will all head to that one." Sherman crept over to wake the other three.
They hustled over to the building and Nodrog leaned out to take a peak around the corner. After two steps a loud hum kicked on and he couldn't move. Anything metal was violently pulled to the ground. Nodrog swore in draconic and struggled to remain standing.
Sherman turned to see what had happened and was stabbed in the back. He howled in anger and spun around catching no one. He reached up and pulled the knife out of his back Hawkins and Tina were gone.
Nodrog looked in the window of the small building a quickly flashing light catching his eye. "Behind me quick!"
Sherman pulled Cindy with him and they huddled behind Nodrog as the world exploded. Fuck this day Sherman thought, and hoped he felt concrete and steel not the dragon's guts pelting him. Back at home things were not going to be much better.
"Alice, I think we are being followed." Jenny and Alice paused in front of a store window.
"The creepy bald guy with the two not bald creepy guys?" Alice asked as she looked in the reflections of the glass.
"Those would be the guys. We are almost back to the car." Jenny glanced in the little red car's direction.
Alice and Jenny talked as they made their way back to Alice's car. Alice reached in her pocket and clicked the unlock button. She tapped Jenny on the shoulder and they both quickly ran the few steps to the car. Safe inside they locked the doors and belted in.
"Alice, creepy bald guy just pulled a gun." Jenny watched in the side mirror.
Alice fired the car up grabbed first and they were gone. While they left the creepy guys behind three black sedans ran a red light and one tapped their back bumper.
"Alice get us the hell out of here!" Jenny yelled as the car bumped them again.
Alice reached up and armed both the nos, the water meth systems and switched the traction control to Drift. She braked hard with her heal while toeing the throttle to match engine revs to the lower gear she shifted down too. Alice cranked the wheel hard to the right side stepped the clutch and mashed the throttle to the floor.
Jenny tightened the belts of the five point harness as they slid around the corner tires howling in protest. Alice swerved in and out of traffic as the three cars gave chase. While most girls were playing with dolls Alice was racing go carts, her father was a race car driver and her uncle was a stunt car drive. Alice could power slide a car before she had kissed a boy.
Alice up shifted to 3rd narrowly missing a black van that tried to cut them off. She pitched the car sideways through an intersection and lost the van in the sharp left hander. The car phone rang as she grabbed 4th. "I'm a little busy, could you get that Jenny." Alice spoke with unnerving calm as she kicked the back end out a little racing up the clover leaf high way entrance.
Jenny keyed the phone symbol on the car display unit. "Hi Kathrin, what's up?"
"We have a problem, Franks crew just got ambushed and the plane Nodrog was on got blown out of the sky." Kathrin said flatly.
"Oh... You can add Alice and I getting shot at and chased to the list." Jenny said rather calmly. Which she was not calm, not in the slightest.
"What?" Kathrin yelled. She yelled at someone off camera. Kathrin looked up at the map as the tech traced the GPS in Alice's car. They were screaming down the highway at now triple digit speeds. "I don't care how, just get your little asses back here now."
Alice pitched the car around a tractor trailer truck. "At least we are not the only ones having a bad day." Jenny screamed as Alice dove the car under an I beam that was suspended on a truck dolly and off the highway. "Well we lost one of them." Alice said calmly as two of the cars followed them down the exit ramp.
"Except the van found us again." Jenny watched as the dark van bounced over a side walk to give chase. They both ducked and screamed as a gunshot shattered the back window. Shooting at them wasn't fair, course from Kathrin's comment, they weren't the only ones getting shot at.
"Are you dead?" Nodrog asked as the dust started settling.
"Nope, are you?" Sherman asked as his ears rang.
"Nope. Is Cindy okay?" Nodrog pulled something metal out of his chest.
"I think I'm okay. How did you not get vaporized in that?" Cindy said and coughed.
"Cause apparently I am bomb proof. Now would one of you figure out why I can't move." Nodrog said.
"You can't move because you are standing on a very powerful electromagnet." Someone said as a group approached them.
Sherman moved Cindy between them as a number of weapons were cocked. Tina stood in front of him with her side arm pointed at his head. "Somehow I am not surprised."
Hawkins and the man that spoke were standing in front of Nodrog. The man with Hawkins was short and heavy; he had a bad comb over and looked like just walking was more exercise then he was used to. "You two were right, he was worth the expense of this little trip."
"Now you wondered why I checked my equipment again." Nodrog said coldly to Hawkins.
"Fat lot of good it did you." Hawkins said.
"Enough, I am very pleased with how you and Tina handled this little project. We have almost finished off Franks team and those two little lab girls should be rounded up shortly." The man said.
"What kind of sick monster are you?" Cindy asked.
"I highly doubt you have managed to do either of those two." Sherman said.
"We managed to catch the three of you with little effort." Tina said.
It was not the first time, someone had turned on him to try and better themselves. He mostly ignored the dialog between them. Of course this was the first time someone had managed to catch him. Nodrog couldn't help but laugh. "Monster, none of you know the meaning of the word."
"Have you gone mad, we won." The man said. But they all took a few steps back as the dragon continued his hysterical laughter. "Turn up the magnets power."
"It is up as high as it goes." Someone in the back ground said.
"Then why is he still standing?" The man yelled.
"Because I am a real monster." Nodrog spoke several words in his harsh language.
The machine started smoking and those to the rear screamed out as they were cut down were they stood. As panic started spreading Nodrog took a step forward electricity arching off of him. Sherman used the brief window and pulled Cindy with him to find cover as they started shooting at the dragon.
"It has been a long time since I have dealt with complete fools like you." Nodrog lunged as the electromagnet violently failed.
With a speed Hawkins had never seen Nodrog reached out and grabbed him by the skull.
"And this is how real monsters do battle!" Nodrog roared, opening his mouth wide to suck the very life out of the traitor.
They watched in horror as Hawkins quickly aged and then turned to a dried out corpus in the dragon's hand. Nodrog spoke again and then started slaughtering those that had ambushed them. With Cindy in cover, Sherman joined him in decimating their enemy. Cindy remained in cover and sat nervously as the super soldier and metal dragon slaughtered everyone.
Alice couldn't lose the cars chasing them, but they were not gaining on her as she pitched the car around another corner. She wanted a good long strait to get the little car back over what she thought was the top speed limit on the cars behind them. Even most police spec cars could only pull 130, her little rocket could climb over 180 mph. That plan went south as the whine of a super charged big block Corvette bumped up next to them with the guttural roar of the mammoth ten cylinder in the Viper that pulled up on the other side.
"Alice are we in trouble?" Jenny asked.
"I think so, 4 door sedans are one thing... Tuned super cars are another." Alice said as the three cars screamed down the un crowded road. They would never out run the bigger horse power cars.
"What are we gona do?" Jenny asked as the two cars tried to bump them off the road.
"We call Joe." Alice pushed a few buttons on the head unit.
"Hey Alice, you know you are on the news." Joe said over the phone. "I thought you were done playing."
"That's the problem Joe, I ain't playing and they have guns." Alice continued to speak as if she were at church on Sunday, not cranking the wheel hard to the right at well over the posted speed limit.
"Give me you GPS code." Joe said and yelled back to Tim and Wes.
"Here you go." Alice forwarded him the info.
"Head back this way. Tim and Wes will give you a hand." Joe said.
"Thanks Joe." Alice kicked the car sideways and headed to his shop.
"So the plan is?" Jenny asked.
"Tim and Wes are going to come play with us." Alice smiled as she swerved through traffic. Alice picked up the little radio head set; put it on and turned the radio on.
"Hello Alice, mind if we cut in?" Wes asked as his metallic silver Austin Martin DB9 appeared in her side mirror.
"I don't mind cause they aren't playing nice." Alice said.
"We can't have someone picking on our little Alice." Tim pulled out in front of them in his super charged plum crazy colored Challenger.
Alice smiled as the two boys cut the other cars off and stuck to her like glue. At least Tim's car had the weight and the thicker sheet metal to play bumper cars with. With the aid of Tim's muscle car and Wes's hyper car they managed to keep the other cars from banging up Alice's car any more. The now six car chase screamed down the two lane road back to the safety of the Company grounds.
"Looks like they know we are coming." Jenny said as two troop carriers sped over to the gate.
"That's good. Wes, Tim get in behind me they will open the gate for us." Alice said.
The two braked hard and tucked in behind Alice just in time as the three cars roared past the gate, with the three cars close behind them. The last minute fake didn't give the chase cars time to stop and they were now on company turf. With guns trained on them they had no were to go.
Wes and Tim walked up to Alice and Jenny. "The cars a little scratched up but are you two all right?" Wes asked.
"Little shaken, but we are all right." Jenny was thrilled the high speed antics were done. Her heart was ready to beat its way out of her chest. Alice looked fine, minus the fact she was clearly mad about her car.
"Thanks for the help guys." Alice said as Wes mussed her hair.
"Lets go see what kind of nut job stalker was after you two." Tim said and they walked over to the five men and one woman that had been chasing them.
Security had cuffed the people chasing them. "Quick question. Which one of you is in charge?" Alice asked. They all pointed at the women. Alice walked up to her and kicked the woman as hard as she could in the cunt. The woman doubled over and fell to her knees as everyone winched in pain. "That's for scratching my paint bitch!" Alice yelled and stormed off, it was a little out of character for her, but the Lotus was her baby.
After the gunfire and screaming had stopped, Cindy left the safety of her hiding spot and found a small chopper hidden behind a building and called them over.
"Can you fly it?" Sherman asked as he and Nodrog walked over.
"Good enough to get us out of here. Frank's team is out here still." Cindy said.
"Works for me, lets find them. And hope they are doing better." Sherman said as he and Nodrog climbed into the back while Cindy got in and started the chopper.
They put on helmets as the rotors started spinning up. Cindy ran through a short check list and clicked the radio over to the standard frequency the science teams used. "Cindy to Frank please tell me you are still out there."
"Some of us are... Get... ...lp cords.. are..." Frank's transmission was garbled pretty bad.
Cindy got the chopper up above the trees and headed in what she thought was the direction they were in. "Pop some smoke Frank, give me something to use."
They crept along just above the trees, Nodrog spotted it first. "Cindy its off to our right."
"Got it. Frank hang tight the Nightmare Calvary is on the way." Cindy pitched the little chopper in the smokes direction and speed up.
"..he wh.. Just f...g get... here." Came Frank's broken reply.
"Nightmare Calvary, I like it." Sherman reloaded his rifle.
"Does have a nice little ring to it." Nodrog checked his ammunition as they buzzed the tree tops.
"Cindy do you have any weapons?" Sherman asked.
"I got a small caliber fixed arc vulcan." Cindy said.
"If you can see anything that isn't ours, let them have it. We will bail out behind and flank them. Don't get your ass shot off." Sherman and Nodrog leaned out to scan the forest floor. The ten minute flight seemed to take forever.
Cindy triggered the cannon and quickly leveled off so they could jump. "See you on the ground boys." Cindy held the chopper steady as nearly 1200 pounds disappeared from it. She headed off to land behind the camp, and took a stray rifle round in her thigh.
Nodrog all ready was making short work of those he engaged. But then he didn't have to take cover as rounds bounced off or did little harm. Sherman had to take some cover as the two raised hell.
Frank ran over to the little chopper as it set down a little on the hard side. "You all right?"
"Took a round in my leg, I have been better." Cindy said as he helped her limp over to a truck.
"So what the hell kind of help did you bring?" Frank asked as the battle had now taken a much different flow. He could hear the screams of whoever was out there along with what sounded like a pissed off flame thrower.
"A metal monster and a super soldier." Cindy said as he dug out the bullet.
"Our radio truck took a couple rounds, if we ever get a break we need to get it fixed." They both looked at each other as the world became rather quiet.
He finished patching up her leg and they walked out to see what was going on. "How long have you had to hold them off?" Cindy asked.
"Since early this morning, what are you doing out here?" Frank asked.
"We had a two traitors, Hawkins and Tina tried to hand us over." They stood behind a well shot up jeep truck.
"No shit? So that was your plane that went up in flames last night." Frank said as two people picked their way over to them.
"Yup, looks like they finished what you started." Cindy said as Nodrog and Sherman stepped out of the shadows and into the light. She nearly threw up when she realized the dragon had eaten some of them. She knew he didn't bleed so all of the blood on his arms and mouth were from the soldiers he had killed.
"What the hell are they?" Frank said as the two walked closer.
"I told you, Nightmare Calvary." Cindy said. You could see where the rounds had hit him, even some dents and gouges. Sherman looked like he had taken a few shots as well, but they were both still standing and moving. It sent a chill up her spine.
"I think that's a little bit of an understatement." Frank said as the pair stopped in front of him.
"Frank, let me introduce you to Lieut. Sherman the super soldier and the iron dragon Nodrog." Cindy said.
"So I have to thank Kathrin and The General when I get back. Thanks for pullin our asses out of the fire." Frank said.
"Thanks for still being here so we could. Does your radio work?" Sherman asked.
"It will in a little while. John, take these two and show them where they can get cleaned up and looked at. The rest of you check on the wounded and put out any fires." Frank said sternly.
One of the medical trained staff checked on Sherman as John kicked on the pressure washer to hose Nodrog off. Not that either of them needed medical attention. Cleaned up they checked on Frank and the kid fixing the communication equipment.
"That should do it Frank." The kid said and sat in a chair to power it up.
"Dial up home so we can get the hell out of here." Frank said.
With Alice and Jenny safely back on the grounds, Kathrin and Jade waited in the large communication center to hear word from one of the other two parties. They both were glad to see Frank's face on the communication screen. "Thank god you're all right Frank." Jade said.
"More like thank our two resident monsters. Damn lucky those two showed up when they did." Frank said.
"How bad is it Frank?" Jade asked.
"It's bad, I got five dead, two close to it and four injured. Lot of damaged equipment." Frank said.
"Pack up your people and head out to the airfield to get picked up. Leave the rest, I all ready have transport and a recovery team in route." Jade said.
"Will do. Jade, I want some answers." Frank said.
"So do I. Just get out of there first." Jade said.
"We will." Frank said and ended the transmission.
Jade and Kathrin headed down to see if their lawyers had gotten anything out of the six that had tried to kidnap Alice and Jenny.
Frank rounded up the living and the dead and loaded up two trucks and a few small jeeps and headed out to get picked up.
Alice and Jenny sat on a work bench while Jim and Kenny looked over her car. Wes and Tim were waiting for Joe to come with a truck and pick them up.
"Just cosmetic damage. Nothing a little body work can't fix. I am just glad the two of you are safe." Jim said.
"That's all that matters." Tim said as he and Wes walked over to them.
"Joe's on his way with the car hauler. He says to load your car up, Katie will get the body fixed and painted." Wes put a hand on Alice's shoulder. "I'm glad you are both okay, sheet metal can always be fixed."
"Thanks for helping me out of a jam." Alice said.
"You and Tim are my only competition. I have to keep the two of you around." Wes said and laughed. The sound of air brakes brought them outside.
Joe climbed out of the semi truck and walked over to the group standing with the three banged up cars. "You four all right?" Joe asked.
"Yup, cars took all of it." Tim said.
"Cars can be fixed. Lets get'em loaded." Joe walked over to Alice. He picked her up and gave her a bear hug. "Don't worry about the wheels, I will get it back to you as quick as I can."
"I know you will. Thanks Joe." Alice said as the big guy set her back down.
They loaded up the cars and the three guys climbed into the rig and headed out. Kenny answered the shop phone. It was a rather short conversation.
"That was Kathrin, Frank finally made contact." Kenny said an leaned up against the counter.
"What's the word on them?" Jim asked.
"The only reason there is a word is Nodrog and Sherman dropped in and slaughtered the forces that had attacked them. Still he is coming home five people short." Kenny said.
"Oh god." Jenny said.
"So we escape kidnapping, Frank's crew barely makes it out alive and Sherman's force gets blown out of the sky. Sounds like a set up." Alice crossed her arms.
"For it to have all gone down in a day, that's putting it mildly. You both lucked out taking your car instead of the public transit system. Frank is damn lucky Sherman and Nodrog are a two man wrecking crew." Jim said.
"I take it they are all on their way here." Jenny said.
"Yup, sure The General will be as well. Shit is going to hit the fan. Tina and Hawkins tried to hand Sherman and Nodrog over to someone." Kenny said.
"So why hit Frank and try to take the girls?" Jim asked.
"Maybe they thought Frank found Nodrog." Alice said.
"Lets worry about it later. You two had a rough day, head up to your apartment." Kenny said and they walked out of the shop.
"See you guys later." Jenny and Alice walked to the elevators. She was glad to be home after the day. Jenny grabbed Alice's hand; pulled her back and kissed her passionately. "That's for being my hero."
Alice kissed her back. "That's for loving me." Alice said as they stood holding each other close. They both plopped down on the couch and waited for him to come back home.
It was a long quiet flight home. Sherman and Nodrog sat in silence while everyone finally had a chance to get some sleep. Cindy came over and sat with them.
"I never thanked you guys for saving my ass." Cindy said softly.
"We owe you thanks for flying us out of there." Nodrog said.
"I never saw it coming. I failed you both." Sherman said with anger in his voice.
"No one saw it coming. Don't beat yourself up over it." Cindy said and put her hand on his.
"She is right Sherman, as many times as it has happened to me, I never see it coming. Nothing you could have done to change it." Nodrog said.
"The question is why did they do it?" Cindy asked.
"The reason hasn't changed in a thousand years. In the end it always comes back to greed." Nodrog said.
"It makes sense, the two of us have the highest level of regeneration that I am aware of. Someone just offered those two enough money to try something. Neither of them could have pulled it off without some help." Sherman said.
"Most people don't need more reason then money." Nodrog said.
"If that is the case then what have you done for money?" Cindy asked.
"You don't want to know." Nodrog turned to look out the window as the plane banked to the right.
"That bad?" Sherman asked.
"Worse." Nodrog said.
That answer alone told more than any other would have Cindy thought. After seeing part of what he was capable of doing, she believed in monsters again.
Nodrog, Sherman and Cindy reported what had happened to them. There was not much to tell, they got stabbed in the back and hung out to dry. The General and Jade were both very happy they managed to keep it together and help Frank's team out of their jam. Things could have gone much worse.
Nodrog gently closed the door behind him. Alice and Jenny were both sound asleep on the couch. It was nearly morning so he simply left them were they lay. Which was in each others arms. Nodrog stripped and changed, no need for a bath after getting a shower from the high pressure washer. He carefully set down at the other end of the couch and picked up a book. They looked to cute to wake up.
They both woke up about the same time, neither had even changed out of the clothes they had been wearing. They both stripped and took a quick shower, before getting dressed and eating breakfast. They all headed to Jade's office to meet with her, Kathrin and The General.
"This won't take long. Sit down." Jade said and the three had a seat next to Sherman, Frank and Cindy.
"Until we know what's going on, none of you are to leave the facility. Period. I have been informed the team gathering up the last of your equipment is all most done. This is now a second expedition that has suffered some loss. I know it's hard, all field teams have been recalled." The General said.
"Hiding won't solve anything." Frank said flatly.
"No, it won't, and it won't bring anyone back. We need to regroup, and that is what we are going to do." Jade said.
"So those shits that tried to kidnap us didn't say anything?" Alice asked.
"Not a word. They might be a dead end." The General said.
"Maybe not, let me have a little talk with them." Nodrog chuckled.
"Somehow I doubt your methods would be legal." Jade said.
"I said, talk. I won't lay a finger on them. You are even welcome to watch to make sure." Nodrog smiled, there were ways of making people talk without touching them.
"I agree, let him try at least." Sherman wanted answers and they sort of killed everyone in anger the other day.
"If you promise you will not touch or harm them." Jade said.
"I promise." Nodrog said.
They put all six in a large interrogation room and after the group settled down Nodrog walked in and closed the door.
"We ain't saying nothing, no matter how badass you think you are." One of them said.
Nodrog smiled and stood in front of the one way mirror. They freaked out from the lack of any reflection in it. "I don't have to think anything, because I am not really here."
"What's going on? He hasn't said anything and they are freaking out." Jade said.
"Ma'am, the cameras and microphones are not picking him up." A tech said.
"What kind of trick is this? God damn it say something!" The woman yelled.
Nodrog remained motionless, and smiled cruelly.
"Hey man, its really cold in here." A dark haired man said and was shivering.
"What's wrong with you? It's hotter then hell in here." The bald man said, he was sweating.
Two others cover their ears and started babbling at voice no one heard. Jade, Sherman, The General, Frank, Cindy, Alice and Jenny watched as all six had very different reactions to nothing. The woman was clearly frightened by something, yet Nodrog was not doing anything.
"Get out of my head!" The woman yelled.
"I'm not in your head. I told you I am not even really here. It must be the guilt eating you from the inside out." Nodrog licked his lips. "Speaking of eating, I bet you taste exceptional."
"Make it stop. I will tell you everything. Just fucking make it stop!" The bald man screamed sweat dripping off of him.
Instantly they calmed down as whatever it was stopped. "Ma'am, everything is working now." The tech said as all six started confessing.
"What did he do?" Jenny asked.
"Scare the hell out of them, it is what monsters do." Sherman said.
"Well at least we got enough to press charges against our rival corporation. Hell they even knew about the stuff in the Bone Jungle." The General said.
Nodrog smiled and left the six in the interrogation room. Jade glared at him as he came out. "See, I didn't touch them." Nodrog smiled as she was clearly a little shaken.
"I would say good work, but I don't know what you did. And I don't want too. We got enough to take legal action." The General said. And followed Jade down the hall.
The rest of them came out into the hall and joined him. "It doesn't bring them back, but it may at least bring them justice." Jenny put her arm around a rather old looking Frank.
"Thanks, for everything you have done Nodrog." Frank said.
"It's the very least I can do." Nodrog said. Frank and Kathrin headed off.
Cindy, Sherman, Nodrog, Alice and Jenny walked over to the elevator. They all headed off to the cafeteria for lunch.
"What did you do?" Alice asked before they walked into the cafeteria.
He turned and looked at them. Though his mouth never moved they all heard him clearly say "Nothing" and laugh. His expression never changed as he turned to open the door for them.
Lunch was a little more light hearted. Jim and Kenny even joined them at the large table. Alice smiled and joked with them all, but inside she was frightened.