Chapter 6 edited - final
Tyrell Johnson was a medium-sized man of simple means. He did not aspire to fame, riches perhaps but that was unlikely to happen. He was a small fish in the underworld and that was ok with him. Tyrell ran a small piece of the numbers game, was a part-time loan shark, and part-time pimp. Other than a lack of morals his main vice was gambling. Horses, dogs, sports, politics; you name it and he would bet on it.
Despite his best efforts money was always short for gambling, So when a stranger had approached him a few days ago with an offer, he couldn't resist. He knew he was stepping into dangerous waters, but the amount they offered was too much to turn down.
He had initially balked, not because of morals but this was a step up in crime for him. The people he knew would rough someone up, but murder was different. Cops got serious with murder for hire, but greed overcame any reservations so Tyrell contacted someone who could provide the muscle.
He knew the muscle, had used them in his loan business and occasionally sent them on jobs for his bosses. They also came to the club and occasionally used Tyrell's whore. The club had security cameras on the outside that covered the entrance and parking lot. That's how Sandy found them, faces going into the club, Tyrell meeting with them in the parking lot.
***
While Sandy and Amancia tried to run down the connections between Leslie and the men trying to kill her, Rhys had to consider how the Om had found them and their connection with Leslie. At least one had tried to kill Sandy, and he guessed the two in the front he had taken out were Om assassins' as well. But what about Leslie, was she an Om target or was that something else?
If they knew about Leslie did they know about the terrorist? If so, how did they find out Sandy was using Bob to track him. "I think we have to assume that somehow the Om traced our interest in Nazir," Rhys finally said. "Otherwise there was no reason for them to have been there at the bar."
"That means they know we contacted Leslie," Amancia said looking worried.
"Probably, but Bob doesn't know how they are tracking us."
"At least one of them was trying to kill Leslie," Sandy said. "She was definitely a target. And remember the two in the back that Amancia took out made a call to him as well."
"So we have three trying to kill Leslie, the woman who shot you, and the two out front. I think the ones out front were looking for us."
"Why, were there two separate targets, "Amancia asked?
"I think so, the way the ones out front were looking around as if for other targets. And, well I don't know, they just seemed different."
"We are going to have to be more careful. Bob is going to up the encryption he is using but I think we have to be prepared for more attacks."
"Are we secure here?"
Rhys nodded yes at Amancia. "We should be but let's all be careful and armed at all times from now on." Rhys got up and put on his shoulder holster, then handed one each to the girls. Sandy smiled and then added another one and so did Amancia. "Good," Rhys said, "rifles in the front room, kitchen, and bedroom."
"One other problem though. I don't want anyone getting overconfident. "Sandy, you waited too long to kill the other shooter in the bar. She got a shot off, and yes it couldn't penetrate but what if the Om had given her a better weapon?"
Sandy looked thoughtful.
"Exactly," Rhys said firmly, "you might be dead. You waited to see who she was going to shoot at, you thought about it. Thinking at times like that can get you killed. Just because our bodies can absorb a hit from regular firearms doesn't mean we are invincible."
"Your right," Sandy agreed. "I was overconfident. I was surprised at her, she was not one I had picked out as a potential threat." Sandy looked at Rhys and Amancia, "It won't happen again," she promised.
"Come here," Rhys said, taking her in his arms. Amancia joined them putting her arms around Sandy. "You are too precious to me to lose. The danger will only get worse. We were lucky that time but we can't count on it. We make our own luck by being better, stronger, always aware. Sandy's mind recognized the command.
"Yes, Sir," She answered. Amancia echoed her.
***
Thinking about the Om tracking them pushed Rhys to consider the firepower they had available. The humans they had come up against were all armed conventionally, except for the first time in Miami Beach. Whatever they had used to turn his house to dust was definitely advanced and alien.
Rhys was convinced that despite the improved killing power of their own weapons they could be quickly overcome by numbers or sheer firepower. And the Om had shown at least one advanced weapon, and there had to be more.
There were only three of them, and they had to get more deadly quick, or risk being overwhelmed. Numbers were an issue as well. Rhys needed more soldiers, but it was a time-consuming process. He had hoped to convince Ms. Clarke to accept his charms and thereby co-opt her shooters. That was still the plan, but they would need a different approach.
Rhys had a few ideas since he had been around weapons most of his adult life, but he was not an engineer. An engineer was on his list, someone to design weapons and armor. The Om had shown themselves not to be shy about arming humans with advanced weapons, they needed to be able to match at least the humans.
"I need a weapons engineer," Rhys said finally after gnawing at the problem for a while.
"What the problem," Sandy asked?
"I am not an engineer, and though Bob has all the computing power needed we have reached the limit of our abilities to design weapons." We have the concepts down, but designing and engineering the specs seems to be beyond us."
"Can we use one of the companies we are working on acquiring?"
"No, what I have in mind is much more advanced than current technology. Bob is sure it is possible to build but neither of us is trained for it."
"So, more recruitment," Sandy asked with a sly smile?
"I guess so," Rhys mused, soon if possible.
"What kind of recruitment," she teased, pay someone a lot of money and lock them in the base, or the more fun kind where we have lots of fun with them first?"
"The latter I think," Rhys said with a sigh.
Sandy and Amancia both laughed. "Don't make it sound like such a tough job," Sandy said, "screwing a new woman senseless is something most men would pay lots of money for. Besides, we can feel your interest."
Rhys thought for a moment. "I guess you are right," he admitted, a little embarrassed. "But I have my hands full with you two, then and then there is Leslie."
Sandy and Amancia looked at each other, stopped what they were doing, and walked over to Rhys. They both climbed onto his lap and leaning in they kissed him. It was a three-way kiss and Rhys was surprised at his sudden lust. He was sure the girls could feel it as well as they both smiled as he felt two hands pressing against his growing erection.
"We sort of find it exciting as well Sir," Amancia said, dropping immediately into her sub role. Sandy looked at him, then turned to Amancia. Amancia was naked as usual so there were no clothes in the way. She took Amancia's nipples between her fingers, squeezing gently, then much harder. "oh God Yes" she moaned as she felt the sharp pain that seemed to go straight to her clit. Sandy silenced Amancia with a long wet kiss, their tongues rubbing, probing each other hungrily.
"It's been a couple of hours Rhys, we need you again," Sandy said with barely contained excitement. Rhys felt hands started pulling at his clothes and he opened his mind a little searching for the kernels of emotions he knew would be there. He found them and pushed just a little. The response was immediate. Sandy's desire roared into a blazing fire and she could sense Amancia's doing the same. God she loved this, needed it like nothing else in her life. "Command us please," she all but begged Rhys as she let the heat overwhelm her.
***
While Amancia spent a couple of days immersed in the financial world, Sandy delved into the underworld of the nation's capital. Using Bob she traced the seedier part of the financial system, trying to trace the movements of the killers and possible leads as to who hired them, as well as following the investigation by the CIA and FBI. On the evening of the third day she suddenly looked up and said, "get dressed, I have found a lead, we are going to the Lotus Strip club."
The Lotus was what might be considered a mid-range club, the high rollers in the capital were not going to be found here, but neither were the dregs. This was a place where middle America went to watch girls strip, dance, and get a lap dance. You could also make separate arrangements with the girls and the hotel next door.
