(eng) Niall Teasdale - Ultrahumans 03 by Hunting Mink

Author:Hunting Mink [Mink, Hunting]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Part Five: Blood, Fire, and Darkness

San Francisco, CA, 12th October, 2014.

‘Neither of you two have regular jobs, right?’ Bianca asked as Cygnus and June came down from their room.

‘I’m unemployed,’ Cygnus said, ‘and June’s work is somewhat irregular. Why?’

‘I was just wondering whether I should make arrangements to attend your funerals when you bang each other to death. There’s coffee.’

‘Hey, we were asleep before three,’ June replied. ‘And we’re young and fit. And we’re still really at the “at it like bunnies” stage.’ She watched Cygnus heading for the kitchen, her eyes on her girlfriend’s swaying behind.

‘I suppose I can’t talk. Damian and I can’t get through a date without ending up horizontal. Oh, except for the one time we were standing up.’

There was giggling which was still going when Cygnus returned to hand June a mug of coffee. ‘What time is it anyway?’ Cygnus asked.

‘A little after eleven,’ Bianca replied. She checked her phone. ‘Almost half past. You should probably eat something.’

‘We’ll survive until lunch.’

‘Well, you know where the kitchen is. I checked up with Hugh. He’s happy to wait until tomorrow for your debriefing.’ She raised an eyebrow at the resulting giggles. ‘What’s funny?’

‘He’s got this big cosmic energy scanner,’ Cygnus replied. ‘You stand in it. It’s a whole room. It’s very sensitive, so he has you strip naked before going in.’

‘And he does this,’ June added, ‘without the slightest hint of being interested in having a naked woman to look at.’

‘So “debriefing” with Hugh takes on a whole new meaning.’

‘He’s rather attached to his wife,’ Bianca said.

‘Oh, Alice keeps him from going entirely insane, I think. And she makes sure his socks match. She’s–’

Cygnus stopped as the house phone buzzed. Bianca gave a grunt of displeasure and hit the intercom button. ‘Yes?’

‘Bianca, dear, it’s Liberty. Are you busy?’

Bianca took her finger off the button. ‘Crap. I know what this is about. I’ll take her outside if she starts.’ She hit the door button before anyone could ask what she was talking about.

A woman appeared from the porch. In her early thirties, Libby Fullerton was not tall, possessed of a moderately full but shapely figure and fairly long legs. She was pale with slightly dark, honey-blonde hair and blue eyes. At eleven thirty in the morning, she was dressed in a red, designer peplum dress and high-heeled pumps, and was in full make-up.

‘Oh! You have guests,’ Libby said. The surprise did not come over as genuine. The fact that Mark trailed in behind her did not help her credibility.

‘Libby Fullerton,’ Bianca said, ‘this is June Summerfield and Cygnus, from New Millennium City.’

‘Oh, well, I’ve seen Cygnus on ACPN, of course.’ Libby’s smile looked strained. ‘Bianca, I need to talk to you about–’

‘We’ll go out on the deck,’ Bianca said. ‘I’m sure Mark will be happy to stay here for a few minutes. Won’t you, Mark?’

‘Yes, Aunt Bianca,’ Mark said in a rather small voice.

‘He’ll be quite safe. Cygnus could crush a tank if she had to.’

Libby hesitated. ‘Uh, yes.

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