Chapter 8: Slaves to the man

Shadow waved Hunter and Mirage toward the chairs that sat in front of his desk. Mirage sat, glancing over and meeting Hunter's eyes. He shrugged and then his gaze went to Shadow as the director of ASP sank down in the chair behind the desk.

"Have either of you ever seen one of the shells acting like that?"

Mirage shuddered. "No. I hate the damn things anyway."

"I can understand that. I just need to know if we're going to have a problem with a new strain of Vampire poison."

"Well, boss, I think we're going to need to dissect the shell."

Shadow glanced at Hunter before he turned to look at Mira. "You know where we can find this Vampire?"

"I do," Mira answered. "I just need a team for backup and we should be able to round up the whole crew."

"I need this Vampire alive," Shadow said, his eyes meeting Hunter's. "I will let you go after him and Myler Baer-Braxton. You are in charge, Hunter. Grab Kit and her team and the six of you will take them down."

"But..." Mira felt a spurt of rage and she turned to look at Hunter. Her mouth hung open and she glared at him.

"That's my decision, Mirage. If you're not happy with them..."

She rose, glaring at Hunter even as she walked out of Shadow's office. "I'm changing," she snapped at Hunter. "I'll meet you in the SUV."

"Mira..." He shut up when she turned around and glowerd at him. "I'll see you in the SUV."

Mirage walked out without waiting for him to say anything else. She slammed her hand on the button of the elevator and then glanced around, feeling the eyes of other agents as they stared at her. With a low curse, she pushed open the door to the stairs, slowing as she enjoyed the quiet. She was almost down to the level of the locker room when she saw him standing by the door with his arms crossed on his chest.

"Are you ready to discuss this?"

Mira snarled her foul mood irrational. She'd got what she wanted, even if she did have to work with another team to get it. So why was she so pissy? She didn't know and better yet, she really didn't fucking care. "Discuss what?" she snapped.

Hunter grabbed her arm when she tried to walk by him. When he found his face pressed against the wall, his arm twisted behind his back, it was his turn to curse. "Let me go," he snapped.

"Then don't fucking touch me. I haven't invited you to touch me, so just don't do it!" She let him go, adding a push to put some space between them. "What the fuck do you want?"

"To have a conversation where you aren't going to try to snap my head off!" The words were growled, his eyes almost glittering in the bright light of the stairs.

"So talk."

Hunter just stared at her, seeing the irritation in the icy blue of her eyes. She was antsy, pacing back and forth on the landing just outside of the gym floor. "Why is this pissing you off?"

Mirage glared at him. He could be so freaking annoying. He had to talk about feelings. The worst thing about it was she really didn't know why she was being so pissy. "Maybe because I don't feel like being mauled like I was some two bit hooker," she snapped.

She could see the anger as it flashed in his eyes, turning them to gold. He pushed his hand into his hair, and she could see that she'd gotten to him. "Two bit hooker? Dammit Mira, I've done no such thing."

"Maybe in your eyes."

Hunter glared at her and she could see that he was now angry. He reached out, grabbing her arm and yanking her along behind him as he headed down another three flights of stairs. He didn't say a word, just held her arm, his fingers like steely bracelets, and forced her to follow him.

When he finally opened the door off the stairs, she could see he'd brought her down to the crypts, the rooms that were used for those beings that couldn't be out during the day. He didn't say a word to her before he pulled her into one of the rooms, shutting the door and locking it.

"We are going to talk about this," he growled, releasing her as if she had some kind of contamination.

"Maybe I don't want to talk to you," she snapped back at him. Mira stared up and into his eyes for a single long moment. Then she turned, ignoring his voice, calling her name and going toward the door.

"Mirage!" His voice was loud and she sighed loudly.

"What?!"

"What in the hell is your problem?!" He took two huge steps, reaching her quickly and grabbing her arm again.

"You, Hunter. You are my fucking problem." She jerked her arm out of his grasp. "I hate it down here. I hate you down here!" She walked quickly back toward the door, her eyes narrowing when he came at her one more time. "Can't you just leave me alone?"

He glared at her, watching as she turned the lock on the door, flinging it open and walking out into the hallway. He followed her out.

"I'll keep my hands off of you, Mira. But we will have this out, if not here then later. Understood?"

"Fuck you, Hunter." She stormed into the elevator and hit the button to close the door, smiling sweetly as it closed in his face. She gave him a little wiggle of her fingers and then relaxed as the elevator started on its way back up.

It was almost too easy to make it to the locker room this time. Going inside, she sank down on the bench in front of her locker and sighed heavily. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn't it have been someone else that could touch her? She reached out, quickly unlocking her locker and tugging out her white leather.

She stripped, dropping his shirt on the bottom of her locker. Pulling on the tight white pants, she quickly did them up and then pulled on the short white vest, zipping it up. She reached out for the thick white belt that held her holster and the hook that she put her set of keys on. Sliding it around her hips, she buckled it tight and then stood, closing her locker.

The door to the locker room opened and she looked up, watching as Lelia walked into the room, spotting her and heading her way. "Hunt's looking for you," she said quickly. "What the hell happened to you?"

Lee pointed at the welts on her arms, welts left by Hunt's fingers. "A disagreement," Mira said. "Are we ready to go?"

"Just waiting for you."

They walked out of the locker room together, Mira tucking Shadow's blaster into her holster. They went out to the parking lot and split up, Mira going to the SUV that stood, engine running, Hunter in the driver's seat. She slid in, fastening her seat belt as Hunter tore out of the parking lot, almost sending her crashing into the passenger door.

"I'd rather not die in the truck," she said caustically.

"I'd rather not be court-martialed for killing you," he growled. He took the curving ramp almost too fast, the SUV coming up on two wheels before it slammed down again. Then they were in traffic, Hunter driving along the side streets, heading out of town.

Mira gave him directions, her eyes roaming over the darkened windows of the bar. She could hear the sound of the band, the blues with a smoky, mellow sound.

"Are they even open?"

Mira glanced at Drake. He was in full Tinman mode, everything about his shining with a steely glint. Lee's eyes were glittering and she was tripping on a ley-line, letting the black magic flow through her body, making her strong.

Blues? Mage asked in her mind.

"I happen to like the Blues," she snapped. Mira shrugged, then she headed toward the front doors, ignoring Hunter when he tried to call her back. She opened the door to the bar, seeing the same bartender that had been there the night before. He glance up at her and then reached down, flipping open a lid off a bottle and setting it down on the bar for her.

She pulled out a fifty dollar bill, sliding it across the bar to him. "Keep it," she said, lifting the beer to her lips. "I need some information."

"What kind?" he answered, his eyes moving over her with caution.

"Myler Baer-Braxton, the scumbag from last night, where can I find him?"

The barman took a deep breath, picking up his rag and washing a few of the glasses that were in the sink. "We sell alcohol here, Miss, not information."

Mira pulled out another fifty. "Just give me the address," she said, waving the money in front of his face.

"I don't know it," he said, watching as she pulled another fifty out of a pocket in her leather, stacking them neatly in front of her. "Do you know what you're asking me to do?"

"I'm only asking for a number and a road," she said. "When's the last time you got this kind of money for a tip?"

He sighed heavily. "265 Old Mill Road. The drive is long and they have a ton of out buildings. I can't tell you where they're going to be."

Mira slid the money across the bar, picking up the bottle and draining half of it. She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "Thanks."

"You and your ASP buddies can come out and work my murder tomorrow night," he grumped, glowering at her.

She shook her head and then slid off the stool, leaving the bar with the same feline pace that she'd come in with. Going back out to the SUV, she gave Hunter the address.

"Before we go anywhere," he growled, "you're going to learn how to listen to me, Mira. I'm not jeopardizing the job or the team because you have some idea of vengeance. If you can't listen to my orders, then I'm leaving you here until we get this vampire back to ASP."

"You wouldn't even know where to go if it wasn't for me."

Hunter stared her down, watching in satisfaction as she dropped her eyes. "Say the word, Mira, say it or stay here."

"I'll fucking listen," she snapped.

"And obey..." he added.

"Fine, but don't expect me to honor or respect you." She turned away from his eyes, gazing out the window as she tried to swallow her anger. It wasn't working very well, not very well at all.

By the time they'd gotten to the Old Mill Road, she had steam coming out of her ears. She pulled Shadow's blaster, checking the load and smiling grimly in the green light. "Baer-Braxton is mine."

"We don't even know what we're going to find there, Mira. Just cool your jets."

"The man is a misogynistic jerk. He's mine."

Hunter sighed, wanting to reach out and grab her, maybe tear those white pants off of her round ass and then redden it until she couldn't sit without squirming. Then maybe he'd arrange her over him and fuck her until her screams of pleasure were louder than her screams of pain had been. "Why can't you be easy, Mira? Why do you always have to do things the hard way?"