laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Waves lapped up on shore, echoing quietly through the open window as Cymbrecia lounged in the large bathtub. Hot water pruning her tanned skin as a breeze wafted through a white curtain to her left. Paradise.

"That looks comfortable," Kiryk's deeper voice stated and prompted her to glance at him as he walked into the bathroom, then crouched beside her.

"It is," she grinned. "Could use some company though."

Gently, he ran his fingers through her soaked, long hair. "Be time for that later. Actually, I need to ask you a few things first."

"Of course."

He nodded. "Your mom know about this place?"

Brow furrowed. "You kidding? I don't need her or my step-dad showing up here."

"Okay, cool." His eyes caressed her body beneath the water slowly, then returned. "How about your brother?"

Cymbrecia's mood hardened. "What are you so worried about? No one is coming here. Relax."

He grinned. "You serious? Two of your relatives are jedi. Your godmother is a jedi. And we're career criminals. Those two things don't go well together, last I checked."

She leaned into him and kissed him for a long moment. "No one is coming for a visit. Not to this world," she kissed him again. "Trust me. I don't need them in my hair any more than you do."

Kiryk looked into her eyes, not inches apart now, then nodded again. "Good, 'cause I'm not going back. Got it?"

Cymbrecia smiled. "I didn't risk my life and that of my crew for nothing, babe. No one knows where we are right now." Her desires prompted her to lean in again as the familiar report from blasters exploded downstairs. Immediately, she jumped from the tub and ran into the room to dress and grab her own weapon belt as Kiryk ran to the door and yanked it open, then disappeared. Yells echoed from the stairwell as she frantically pulled on her pants, a shirt and then boots. Once done, she sprinted towards the hallway and strapped on her gunbelt, body still soaked and cooling as she ran.
Downstairs, she noticed a pair of booted feet on the floor, laying into the living room. Quickdrawing her pistol, she moved to the continued sound of combat which had moved outside and recognized Sewer's body as she ran passed.

Kiryk intercepted the ship pilot and grabbed her. "Stop. Cymbrecia, stay in here," he pressed, strong arms around her waist and shoulders.

Blue eyes found Galen and Curry hunkered at the landing gear of her ship, firing at someone to her left and in the treeline. Armand and Korentin were still missing however. "What's going on," she asked, trying her best to pull away from him and get to the open doorway.

"Nothing," he continued pulling her from the entry. "Damn, relax woman."

Blue eyes turned and strained to see Kiryk. "Let me go! They're my friends."

"This is over here," Cosmo replied from the kitchen as he moved towards them, rifle in hand. "I'm only letting you live for his sake, otherwise I'd have your ass buried with them. Now shut the f*** up and stay out of the way."

In an instant, she raised her pistol and shot him squarely, even through the tight grip that her boyfriend had on her. As the target fell backwards, Kiryk spun her away from him.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"Let me go!" She leaned forward, trying to pry herself from his grip and found herself falling forward. Now freed, she reached out with both hands and caught herself on a nearby table before hitting the floor as blaster bolts continued flying outside. As she turned, a punch caught her in the jaw and sent sparks flashing in her eyes, then darkness as she hit the floor.

* * *

"Damnit," Kiryk exclaimed to himself as Cymbrecia landed hard on the off-white, tile floor. He sighed, then picked her up and carried his girlfriend to the couch, then laid her down as the shooting outside finally stopped. Straightening, he glanced to the body on the kitchen floor. How was he going to clean this up now?
Not only was Sewer dead, but now also the nephew of his own boss. Shadows elongated in the entryway and he turned to see Aryl walk in. One of the syndicate's many lieutenants, this particular one had the ear of Meron and wasn't known for leniency.

Aryl glanced to his left and noted the body of Cosmo, then cold steel-blue eyes turned to Kiryk as two more of his thugs walked in, rifles couched. "Want to tell me what the hell happened?"

Kiryk sighed. "Must've been a stray shot," he shrugged. "I was upstairs with my girlfriend and we heard you guys arrive. I kept her upstairs like you said, then we came down here and found them," he motioned to Sewer as well.

Nodding skeptically, the tall, strongly built lieutenant in darker clothing then noticed Cymbrecia on the couch. "And what about her?"

"She was getting out of hand, so I had to knock her out. It's not easy watching your friends get smoked."

Aryl turned to him. "Is she going to be a problem?"

He shook his head. "No way. She's under thumb, don't worry about her."

"Better be."

"I got it," he tried to sound convincing.

Aryl sighed and walked over to the one that had called them here and glanced down to Cosmo. "He's not going to be happy about this."

"Just tell him that one of those guys shot him. It's the truth. The large one even got in a fight with him on the way here."

"Oh," steel-blue eyes turned back to him. "Over what?"

Kiryk shook his head. "Just being stupid. Mercs and ex-cons are always doing s**t like that. Can't be under the same roof for too long, apparently."

Motioning to the duo at the door, Aryl walked back towards the entryway as they moved to carry the body out to their awaiting ship. "Come with us, we got work to do. Let her sleep it off."

Kiryk nodded, glanced to the slumbering, raven haired beauty on the couch and hoped that she got over this by the time he saw her again. As he followed the two mercs, he closed the door and left.