Chapter 4: Eagle

“Starting today and continuing for the next month, this is your list of daily duties. You may ask for my advice at any time.”

Thirty minutes of swimming twice a day, once before breakfast and once in the afternoon or evening.

Attend breakfast at 8:00.

Clean up after all meals.

Complete assigned homework

Prepare lunch and dinner. Lunch needs to be served between 12:05 pm and 12:30 pm and dinner between 18:00 pm and 18:30 pm.

Write up a paper on each station in the workshop. You have until June 30^th.

Attend personal instruction when summoned.

Review of the day’s lessons 21:00.

Rewards and punishments of the day at 22:00.

“Do you have any questions?” I asked after handing her the list.

“May I do anything I want in my extra time?”

“You are allowed to order any book from the sites I previously allowed, access my library, lounge by the pool, sleep, attend me while I work or even ask for more classes. If I remember correctly. You want to make an item that could aid Eagle. To accomplish a feat the pace I assigned would take too long if I added more.”

She stared daggers at me, instantly recognizing my trap. “Can I get more KWQ sessions?”

“KWQ and Deep Learning are ideally suited for learning languages, such as math, computer programming and human tongues, such Xhinese, Franco, Russe, Germanic, English and so on. Things like history are a complete waste of resources.”

“Oh. I can learn CAD programming with it, right?”

“Correct. But not until you have the basics of operations for it down first.”

“What about anatomy?”

“In stages, otherwise it is a waste of time and money.”

“Neuroscience and the human musculature?” My student delved.

“You are thinking of an exoskeleton. It’s doable but not in a year or even two.”

“Master, what else will I need for an exoskeleton or powered armor?”

There was no hesitation in her request or acknowledging me as Master that time ... I listed off circuitry design, logic, robotics, power systems...

“An exoskeleton is by far the most difficult of all the early choices of inventions to choose from. Especially one that can aid and protect without being ungodly clumsy and bulky. It’s a laudable goal for a graduation project. For now, it is just too far away for you.” Her thumb drummed on the kitchen table deep in thought.

“What would I need to learn to be able to make a protective armor like the one you wear?” That serious face, I had not seen before in all my surveillance of her over the last three months.

“Power systems VI, Circuitry VI, Logic VI, Calculus VI, Physics VI, Materials VI. Mind you each level corresponds to a full year of study.”

She frowned at the requirements. “Master, what about lessening the power requirements?”

“With Power Systems IV and the rest of the requirements reduced two steps, I suppose a charged item with limited usage is possible. You would also have to design in a quick on and off to preserve power. How effective it will be against a true S ranked villain is debatable for someone like Eagle. But it would definitely give her an edge.”

“Which subjects can I study concurrently?”

“Until you start learning Calculus III, the rest, besides Materials I and Metallurgy I, are useless. You will also need Physics II before advancing any of the others, specifically, Calculus and Physics. Those two disciplines always need to be equal or higher than the rest.”

She opened her notebook and drew a flowchart, adding time and prerequisites. Frowning at the end with the time period falling short with the power systems and the rest. She even included the time needed for assigned chores and meals.

“Little Cat, you are forgetting a few things.”

“What would that be, Master?” she looked up at me but didn’t put down her stylus.

“One. The week of December 25th we will be going on vacation for two weeks. Also, now and then, you will be spending some time outside of the estate with me. Little work will be accomplished at those times.” She tapped her thumb again on the notepad and made some notes.

“Two. Long term projects are rarely on time, especially when designing something completely new ... don’t look at me like that. I did say I will guide you, that doesn’t mean I will show you how or do it for you.

“Three. If I believe you are overworking yourself, I will intervene.”

“That’s not fair,” she complained.

“Instead of having your heart set on something that should normally take two years or more to develop, how about a more realistic project. Besides, from your notes, you are assuming that the testing phase will only have one major and one minor setbacks. A second major will guarantee a missing of the promised deadline.”

She suddenly stood, not even noticing how the linen of my undershirt enticingly outlined her breasts. With the leash lightly swaying, my new student mechanically started clearing the table, her eyes a million miles away.

...

I was starting to get concerned. Cat kept swimming after the egg timer went off. It looked like I would have to make an underwater alarm for her. At fifty minutes she surfaced with a smile on her face. Mine on the other hand, was buried, with the near transparent linen undershirt that hung badly on her petite frame and the thin silvery leash swinging gently. The white material hugged all the curves of the tight sixteen-year-old even revealing her thumb sized darken areas around her tiny nipples which extended a full half inch tenting the fabric even further.

I wrapped the towel around Catherine while she described in detail what she decided to produce. Given the amount of time and difficulty, I admitted it was doable.

“Master, what will I need to study for this?”

After a quick mental sketch, “Calculus V, Physics V Circuits IV, Logic II, Power II, Aerodynamics I, and Materials I. Calculus III will take two months. I also require that you learn CNC programming and CAD usage; I know I said it’s a waste but it is the only way you have a chance of succeeding then you can start on advanced Physics and Circuits. Remember Calculus must be the same or higher than rest of your subjects and you can only KWQ two subjects per month.”

“So much? But that will still leave me a full month.”

I laughed. So much??? “Girl, do you even realize that a point burst, focused EMP attack is currently unheard of?”

“Even if I only get an isolated EMP attack centered on the head, that should work right? ... Master?”

“Yes?”

“Are you able to teach me all of this? You said that each level of study is equivalent of a full year of college.”

“Yes.”

Staring at me, Catherine came to a decision. “I want to make an EMP arrowhead for Eagle. Will you please teach me how?”

“Are you sure you understand what you are asking?”

She hesitated before confirming. With a clearing breath, “Yes, Master. I am sure.”

“It’s your choice. I will have to completely remap your studies.” I agreed to her confident, yet pleading request.

“One other little thing.”

“What?” Seeing my odd expression, she paused.

“Twenty-two doses of KWQ is over 2.5 million dollars,” I reminded her.

“Not worried,” she stated confidently. “Master already planned on me using that much and has a plan on covering his losses.”

OOOH ... not that I let it show. “Honestly, I only planned on fifteen doses in the next twelve months. Not twenty-two.”

Frowning, she asked, “Is the 800 thousand an issue for you?”

“No, what I am worried about is burning you out. Stress accumulates.”

“Understood, Master.” That consideration brought my student down from her temporary high. Just a little.

“Do you want to ask Eagle what she thinks?” I asked, hiding my smile.

She froze. I was glad that she hadn’t changed too fast. “Can I? But won’t you get in trouble?”

“Not if you are willing. Just call yourself Pet if she asks. Your voice will be modulated if she wants to speak with you.”

“Dry yourself off and come to my den.” I was already seated when my little eager student entered. I pointed to her spot to the left of me and she knelt down. The shirt was still wet and she shivered while hugging herself. But didn’t complain.

*Click. “Who is this and how did you get this number?” a hard feminine voice answered the other end of the line.

I had the speaker phone activated. I already knew that Eagle wasn’t the friendliest Heroine. “This is Smith. As for how, it wasn’t hard.”

“What do you want, Death Merchant?”

“I have a new student and she would like to make you a new arrow for your arsenal.”

“I don’t deal with scum, goodbye.”

“EMP arrowheads free of charge,” I said before she pressed the red icon.

“I’m listening,” she responded after a brief hesitation.

“My student has a yearend project. If she completes the design in less than a calendar year, I agreed to help her build them free of charge. How does twenty-four arrowheads sound?”

“Who is this student of yours?”

“Say, hi,” I coaxed.

“Hi, Miss Eagle. I am a fan!” I could hear the smiley face inserted in Catherine’s voice.

“She sounds young.”

“Does age really matter? She is doing this of her own free will.”

“Damnit...”

I took that as a yes. “Would you please deliver or mail an arrow to me so we can match the heads and shafts. No hurry. It will at least ten months before she is far enough along to start that part of the Project.”

“Damnit ... you are insidious. If I find out that you corrupted that girl, I will hunt you down and gut you. You black hearted demon.”

“I treat my students very well.” I reassured the suspicious Heroine, placing my hand on my student’s drying head.

“Girl, if he does anything funny. Call me and I will save you from his sorry ass.”

“Thank you, Miss Eagle. Please be safe.”

“You are warned Smith.” *Click.

“She really doesn’t like you, Master.”

“I know.” I calculated for a minute before speaking. “We both have work to do. Don’t forget to put a towel down.” She scampered off in good spirits. My thick, damp undershirt tightly adhering to every nook and cranny of that delectable pert tush with only the slightest widening of the hips from maturity.

The crash later when she thinks of her family will be harsh.

I kept an eye on Catherine, twenty minutes after the call to Eagle, a noticeable slump of the shoulders which proceeded a cascade of collapsing emotions. Inside the library my little Pet curled up into my leather chair and cried.

Grumbling to myself, I went to her and scooped the tiny figure up, ignoring the resistance from her listless struggling and carried the frightened girl to our bedroom. Bending slightly, I curled the sheet and duvet back and placed her in the opening before covering up the still, tightly curled up body.

The trembling brunette peaked out from the covers trying to hide as much as she could, dreading my next action.

“Take off that shirt. I don’t want to sleep on wet sheets later,” I ordered as I left the room closing the door behind me, heading back to my den to work on my latest commission. Catherine’s eyes followed me through the door and down the stairs. I hoped she would be able to rest and come to some sort of emotional equilibrium.

“Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” The Operations Head of Stalwart greeted the retired reclusive genius.

“Yeah, yeah, anything for the bastions of hope and light ... What do you want?” demanded the red hued, hoverchair bound, former Hero.

“We are investigating the disappearance of Christine Larkin.” The Sergeant at her side spoke up and flashed a school picture of the girl in question.

“StarLight: C-ranked junior Heroine, Artifact Heroine, deliberately lowered her eval. Age 16, leader and youngest member of the ‘Lights’. Timid personality, with flashes of brilliance...” he continued narrating a harsh assessment of the girl in question followed by an even harsher one of her teammates.

The crippled former Hero frowned. “Some inconsistencies, one even might be noteworthy. As for your next question. I have no interest in children. Go bother someone else.”

Knowing that they would get nothing else at this time from the bitter old man, Colonel White thanked him, leaving Gallant alone to his toys.

Once inside the sedan, the Colonel asked her aid to contact Lady Strife. The airport was only forty-five minutes away and had a helicopter ready.

*Click. “How may I help Stalwart today, Santos?”

“My boss would like to meet your Lady. Today if possible.”

“Is this about the Dr. Rose abduction?”

“Will you stop reading my email, asshole? At least let me see the ads once in a while.”

“Why? Are you interested in finding a better way of lengthening your penis?” Lady Strife’s second mocked.

“Boss is sitting next to me, so try to be professional for once.”

“This is not a good time to seek out my Lady.” A pause lengthened over the line. “Not a good time at all. Be thankful she is not here.”

“Why you live and work with a ticking bomb boggles the mind. Talk to you later, Deadman.”

“Hope you like your new socks old man.” Click.

Darrin Weathers was worried, very worried. His Lady came back from seeing Master Smith last night and said nothing to anyone, no killing, no maiming, no dismembering, no icy death stares. Just subdued silence and a closed door ... that was a first in his ten years as Lady’s assistant that she revealed a mood such as that.

Very worried.

“It’s not Strife, Colonel. Darrin sounded like something big was going to go down there too. As in Earth shattering big.” He too was worried. Changing socks meant that there would be nothing left but ashes.

“Any response from the other teams yet?”

“All negative on locating the kid, Colonel.”

“That leaves the Smith. Which makes no sense. It doesn’t fit his character at all. If it isn’t him, besides Rose who could it be?”

“Do you want me to place the call”

“Place the call. If we don’t get a lead, I will have to pass this one off to Mayfield and focus on Strife’s newest threat.”

“Tomorrow 11:45 until noon Colonel. Smith specified only you would be allowed inside.”

Fresh from her nap, a shy teen with a brunette stood in my den entrance looking down bashfully. “Thank you.”

“I believe a chicken salad and garlic bread would be good for dinner. See to your studies until then.” I looked up and away from my screen briefly and smiled gently waiting until she turned around before I continued working on my newest student’s updated lesson plan.

“After you rinse off, meet me in the library. Tonight, we will do CAD usage via KWQ. Don’t forget the towels.” Dinner was decent yet plain, but I’ve made worse for myself, too often.

Excitement sparkled in her soft brown eyes. “Yes, Master.”

“Tomorrow, you will do the postponed write up of the first station.”

In the library, I finished up editing the complicated dictionary length book which allowed understanding of the main devices in my basement. After placing two full sized beach towels down on the leather sofa in the space next to me. Cat sat and spent her time inspecting the three sensory reducing devices.

The heavy VR goggles received the most attention with the sterol rubber ring suffering a quick twist or two, before hastily replacing it in the box between us. The KWQ injector remained untouched in its own case.

Cat calmed much easier this time. But the ring gag still gave her the shivers. The Deep Learning of CAD usage took nine minutes longer than the Calculus II session. It was necessary for her to have a chance of accomplishing her goals. The material was broader and more comprehensive.

After waiting for her breathing to even out, I carried Catherine to my bed and worried about the heavy increase of stress over the last couple days. I gently removed the goggles and headphones, followed by unfastening the leather strap securing her mouth open to prevent her tongue getting severed from the repeated auto clenching.

Again, I wondered why that specific reflex happened while the VR imaging was engaged but I dared not attempt to play around with the formula over such a minor side effect. Besides, I wasn’t a chemist nor a biologist. Clarence, the Chemist, refused to look into the matter when I asked.

Pausing before covering the bare flare of her smooth raised hip and the shadow that hid the concave triangle, covering the sleeping girl was both easier and harder than expected. It had been too long. I might need to hop over to Mercy’s for a long night. If I had the chance, which I doubted.

Catherine voluntarily increasing her own work load and training schedule meant that I had to adjust mine.

It would be a late night...

Pulse. “My office.”

Closing the door behind him, Darrin Weathers sat erect with is trusted tablet and stylus in hand. “Lady, your desire?”

“Starting tomorrow, complete a thorough review of all managers and higher,” the unusually placid, dominating President and CEO of Strife International, ordered her only truly trusted servant.

“Your goal, My Lady?”

“In the next six months, I will cast aside anyone substandard or lacking in loyalty,” she stated as if dismissing hundreds of managers or higher was inconsequential.

“Understood, Lady.”

“We have three years before a new piece enters the game.”

“Provisional rank, Lady?” I knew it, he thought. A calamity approaches.

“Crystal Queen.”

“...”... “...” Since its inception twelve years ago, the board had only had one other queen until she promoted herself to king. It was his Lady. One appearing suddenly would ... No other king was even active on the board, the rest pretended to, but failed to accomplish anything ... was there a hidden one that not even Lady acknowledged or was she too hiding him?

“My Lady, please explain so I may assist as best I am able.” Darrin sweated out.

Lady Strife swiveled her chair and gazed at a nineteen-tier virtual blueprint that no one who entered failed to look upon with a lack of understanding. That sole Device was the core of her communication empire.

“Master took in a student two days ago. Someone that the world overlooked. Even me.” A hint of genuine remorse escaped her lips for the first time in years.

Darrin knew to his bones and marrow that Master Smith was always off limits. Now he knew why. It was his Lady’s Teacher. Someone that could command and teach his Lady was bringing up another ... all the foreboding chills that the thirty-seven-year-old man previously encountered in his life paled by an order of magnitude compared to this latest one.

“Lady, Stalwart called and inquired about a rookie Heroine that went missing. I told Santos, that I had no knowledge of the girl.”

“That’s fine. It isn’t a secret he plans on keeping long.” After a short pause to collect her thoughts, she continued, “leave the child and Master Smith to me.”

“Lady, should I promote the Crystal King’s Rook?” It was a question that he had asked before.

“No, he will not act directly, Master Smith never does. Make a new entry piece, Crystal Bishop for now.”

BISHOP. “Understood, Lady.” He kept his inflection to himself.

“Dismissed.”

After standing. “My Lady. Are you going to be alright?” Darrin Weathers was unable to restrain the worry in his voice.

“Mr. Weathers...” the threat was implicit in her tone.

“At your Service, Lady.” He stood straight and would willingly except any punishment. His Lady and friend had done too much for him to worry about trivialities.

“I’ll be fine, thank you for your concern. Good night.” He bowed and left not even sweating about the knife edge he stood precariously upon just then.

And he once used to wonder why Santos called him Deadman...

I entered the bed hours later than usual, slipping under the covers trying not to disturb Catherine’s rest. Unsuccessfully.

My charge rolled over squinting. Freezing upon realization of where she was then panicked while trying to escape and fell out of bed dragging most of the top sheet and all of the duvet with her, crashing shoulder first to the ground.

Leaning on an elbow, I looked at the cocooned girl struggle laughing heartily. Laying back down I chuckled for some time while my Pet unwrapped herself in my down comforter and scooted to her bed. I didn’t even hold back when her knee trapped her leash causing a head plant on my rug just short of her bed in the center of the room.

“Jerk.” ‘not funny’ A hidden meaning embedded in her insult of me floated across the bedroom with little heat.

My satisfied smile removed years from my life. “Sleep well, Pet.” She even kept my covers.

“Jerk!” ‘I hope you have nightmares’

...

I woke Catherine was already in the pool. Good for her. I prepared breakfast while reading the news online. My diligent new student even sat down at the dining room table seconds before I did, freshly rinsed from her morning swim with a folded towel under her, wearing a semi sheer peach camisole outfit with an ivory bra and panties set under the tap pants.

“Good morning, Pet,” I didn’t even try to keep the smile from my eyes.

Try as she might, the blush couldn’t be hidden with her head down. She did her beat at ignoring me while eating her cereal.

“We are getting an official visitor today.”

Remembering the last one she sharply looked at me, pausing in mid-bite. “Who, Master?”

“Some Colonel from Stalwart.”

She paled. “Colonel White? What are you going to do?”

“Are you worried for me?” I grinned at her discomfort.

“You were mean last night.”

“What did I do that was wrong?”

Knowing it was not an argument she could win at that time, “What are you going to say to Colonel White?”

“I was thinking of just letting you talk to her,” I deadpanned.

“Eagle was right about you, you are insidious.”

“Thank you, Pet.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Then how do you want me to deal with her? I can bring out a shiny new death ray?” I countered while taking a short bite of bacon.

She tapped her thumb once, twice, three times. “Can I use the phone?”

“After the dishes are done.” I expected that response.