Chapter 4: Set loose the dogs

We were walking hand in hand at an older outdoor type mall walking around when we came upon the pet store. I tried to explain that the puppies and kittens were babies and would grow into a responsibility. When she asked if I had a dog or cat when I was growing up my argument was lost. She had fallen in love with a fawn colored Great Dane, and we had a new baby in the house.

I don’t remember ever having a puppy before, a dog yes but not a puppy. Samuel the puppy, named after the Hero who brought me to her, needed to be let out two times a night. Of course when he whimpered Beth decided it would be better if he slept with us. I informed her that the floor was close enough, and that she would appreciate that fact after he was grown.

I went about researching the best way to legally produce a birth certificate for Beth. Since she has such exquisite features and the record keeping in the former Soviet Union was a bit suspect in some of the satellite countries, we would use that. Her being a mail-order bride with a birth certificate that a friend of a friend could arrange for me would take care of the requirement for now. Lawyers do work with those on the other side of the legal system.

She could not travel outside of the United States while we worked on a green card for her. But I was not really worried about that for now. Enough money changed hands in a few places and a couple of pictures of Beth, and she was a legal traveler from Albania.

We discussed getting married when the passport and birth certificate were in our possession. It wasn’t like we were going to have a large wedding with all kinds of family, but I didn’t want something that was as tacky as a drive through wedding in Vegas either.

We decided to get married out by the lakes near our house. It was a very pretty place, and we were fine with it just being us and a couple of people the Justice of the Peace knew who could witness it for us. I don’t think the ceremony meant a great deal to Beth. The reality of being married to her Hero was so much more important in the grand scheme of things.

We locked up the house and everything that was important in it and took off in the car for a drive. I thought that wandering the United States for a honeymoon would be a good thing. Our celebration of love and the power of lust was what we did. Amongst the eating out and the sightseeing that is. Taking a puppy on your honeymoon is not exactly a romantic experience, but he went.

Beth put her hand on mine one morning and calmly said, “Jasmine is waiting and there is a Damsel who needs you to rescue her.”

I had not wanted to stop this but the reality of what needed to be done on Crossroads and Chaos was always there in the back of our minds. She had me drive the direct route home. During her time as the co-pilot she had become quite astute with the interstate system.

We had left a note for the food delivery people that we didn’t need any groceries delivered while we were gone so we picked up some fresh things before we returned. We made love until my biology was worn out again and showered together. She got me dressed and I opened the safe and put the ring on. I walked into the portal and called out to Jasmine.

She was a naked woman on a mission and jumped up and wrapping her legs behind my back. She looked at me with a critical eye as I held her and ordered me a restorative. It was after the fifth restorative that we settled down to hold each other.

“What got into you, my Hero?”

“It was what got into you, my Caretaker, I think. But I have been storing the anger I have for those who did not tell me the entire truth.”

“What did you learn?”

That was a funny question for her to ask. “What do you mean, what did I learn?”

“I have read all of your missions. You were spoon fed and had your hand held.”

“I sure the hell wasn’t handheld and spoon fed on the last one.”

“And you almost died except for the help of a Damsel and a boy.”

“And your point is?”

“You are just too damn nice to be doing this. Better you stayed on Earth and lived with Beth than continue to be a Hero.”

“Who the hell put you up to saying that?”

“I don’t need anyone to tell me what to say. Look at the facts, isn’t that what lawyers on Earth do?”

As I thought back, she was right, when it came down to it, only after he had ensured my death did I really kill. I was looking for the easy way not to have to kill. On Chaos that was certain death. Kill or be killed was a way of life; if you let them live, they would talk about you and others would kill you. All of that didn’t just occur to me in a flash. I sat and for a better word brooded about it for a day.

Jasmine had enough of that and said. “What are you going to do about you?”

“It is me, isn’t it?”

“You have set yourself up using the rules you believe work on Earth on Chaos.”

“I want to be a Hero. Does that mean I have to kill everyone?”

“You have to kill those that need killing.”

“You watched me the entire time didn’t you?”

“You know that I did.”

“Who do you think I should have killed?”

“The ones that lied to you,” she said.

“I think all of them lied to me at some point.”

“They wouldn’t have if you had killed the ones that did in the first place.”

“How would they have known?”

“You were traveling, they were traveling. They gossip at the taverns and the inns. You could have lost your Damsel because you didn’t do what was needed.”

“I thought you were to be my Caretaker.”

“I am being your Caretaker. You and Beth chose me; she knew of where I lived and the women that are there. You said that you wanted someone to complement Beth. I am more than just a training partner for you.”

I rushed her and took her then. I was the Hero and she was my Caretaker and damn desirable. She clawed my back and struggled with me as we pounded our bodies together. It was a mad rolling all over the floor coupling. I ached by the time we were done enough that she and I each took a turn in the chamber.

“Did you not tell me everything about Jon Tumble?”

“I told you all I knew from the report.”

“How did they miss that he was mentally unbalanced?” I asked.

“Why did you assume he wasn’t will be the reply if I ask that question?”

“Beth thinks...”

Jasmine cut me off. “Yes, a conspiracy, it’s the favorite sport in the cities. I know all about it. It happened; you lived, get over it and move on.”

“No more Mister Nice Guy with anyone, then.”

“Only with me.” She gave me that look, one very similar to Beth’s.

“I’ll think about it.” I grabbed her and carried her to the bedroom. We made love for hours and slept in each other’s arms.

We awoke and went to the shower together. It was a pleasant time, and then we sat down for breakfast.

“What else am I missing?”

“You’re not building any friendships.”

“What do you mean? I know a lot of people who I consider friends.”

“You know them and they are really your friends on account of their love of Samuel.”

She was not pulling any punches. “You’re right, I don’t know how to change that with the short time I have on Chaos, either searching for the Damsel or bringing her back.”

“Who is in control of when you come back?”

“I am.”

“Then why are you not taking the time to build what you need once she is safe?”

“I thought that bringing her back was the most important thing.”

“Oh, it is to her, but you’re the Hero and if you are not getting done what you need.”

I cut her off. “Okay, I get it. I’m being too nice to her also.”

“You have to either get tougher, or you’re going to die. Do what you need to do; she will wait, she might complain, but she is not going to leave before she gets her reward.”

“Okay.”

“What are you thinking about doing?”

“Who me?”

“I know good and well you’re thinking about doing something. What rule do you think you can bend now?”

“Will you keep it a secret from all the others if I tell you?”

“Damn, you’re at it again! This has worked for hundreds of your years, and you’re screwing around with it.”

“Just hear me out. You can research it all you want while I am gone.”