[adamu]

Alyce fixes him a good breakfast then joins him in cleaning up after as she dries the dishes that he washes.  She smiles as he talks about the various cultural activities that are not available and turns to face him.  She removes the dish from his hands that he is cleaning and puts it back in the sink, takes his head in her hands and kisses him with as much passion as she can.  She is panting when she lifts her lips from his and touches her forehead to his as she says, "Al, you know how to say the nicest things to a girl."
 
She puts the dish back in his hands and goes back to drying.  "I really have nothing to do after seeing Gem off with the EVO rep.  I was thinking maybe some more reading?  Oh wait, message from Yao coming in.  Hmmm, he says they should be on site here at about 1900, give or take.  He would like you to set things up for remaining here tomorrow to go over the load out with you and leave early the morning after for Chi Pat.  He is adding two men to the roster as additional guards due to the increased threat.  And like that he is gone."  She looks around at the cots.  "Do we have enough beds?  Or boats?"

[adamu]

Al didn't mind the kiss, but could not for the life of him figure out what he'd said that made her so happy. Whatever - he'd long since realized that her sharp professionalism gave way to the usual logic-vacuum to which her gender was predisposed the moment she was off the job.

With the clinic first on their agenda he grabbed has shotgun and was ready to go, muttering "Yeah, readin' sounds real nice," but distracted by the content of Yao's message. Halfway to the clinic he could contain himself no longer and ranted the rest of the way how Yao was going to get them all killed the way he was dragging his feet. Arriving at the clinic he said, "Yeah, we got enough beds an' boats...if you an' me is already in Chi Pat."

[Mercy Merchant]

The pair get many stares as they walk up the street to the clinic, none of it unfriendly.  Several people approach to thank Al for saving the village from the marauding bandits.  Alyce gives a snort as they approach the building.  "Al, Sasha has just let me see the two new guys.  They are Trolls.  They look like mountains on legs.  Holy drek.  One of them just lifted some sort of multi barreled mini-gun from his shoulder and the other has a fragging autocannon about as big as Gem in one hand.  They just shooed a couple of Wuxing blokes away as they packed the weapons in one of the trucks, so it looks like they don't trust strangers near their weapons.  Got to respect that.  Now they are going for ammo and..............Al, they have a Mule of their own; and it looks way more dangerous than mine does, even has some sort of machine gun mounted on it.  These guys are not some run-of-the-mill thugs for hire; they mean business and are packing a punch.  Wait."  Al can almost see the pages turning in her head as she sifts through years of accumulated information.  "Gaxin.  That is their name.  Milo and Xander Gaxin.  Checking their public CV now.  Platinum Grade mercs with lots of experience and a price tag to match.  Most of it in arid locations.  Hmm, some time in the same place you were in.  Did you ever hear of these guys?  I have heard of them, but never worked in a crew with or against them.  They only have two prior jungle trips on the CV, so they may be a bit out of their element.  Maybe not too much though, they just came out of Thailand, so are a bit used to the climate here.  We may need another boat just for their Mule and ammo."

She is still in thought as they enter the clinic and go see the patients.  Sangha is healing rapidly.  He will have a scar from the strange burn, but it will be much less than it would have been without Alyce's prompt treatment.  The doctor says he will be kicking him out in two, maybe three days.  He leaves them alone with the boatman and goes to get Gem.  The nurse in the room snorts loudly.  "He could be leaving tomorrow, but the doc likes the food Sangha's wife brings.  And I cannot complain about it either."  Sangha loudly extolls the skill and bravery of Al and Alyce and swears to name his next two children after them.

Gem comes running in and stops shyly in front of Al.  "Thank you, Mister Al, for saving my life."  Alyce takes her hand and goes to sit on a bench with her and talks quietly to the girl; explaining what is to happen to her and reassuring her that she will do all she can to find Gem's family.  At that moment all inside hear the blare of a horn and a woman's voice shouting, "Krait!  You in there?  Get your soggy ass out here!"

Alyce pauses and looks up to face the door.  "No.  They would not have sent her."  She rises and takes Gem's hand.  "Come on dear.  Al, please."

Leaving the building, they see a very dirty expensive armored off-road vehicle parked in front of the clinic.  A tall human man is standing near the passenger side, removing a pair of sunglasses and putting them in a shirt pocket.  He stands just shy of six feet and probably weighs in at about 175 pounds, not much of it fat.  He is wearing worn combat pants and a sporting shirt.  His quite obvious double shoulder harness is positioned for a straight pull draw and contains a large caliber pistol on each side.  The woman standing on the driver's side and honking the horn is so far different as to put the man in a shadow.  She is easily among the top ten most gorgeous women Al has ever seen.  Her lavender hair is cut into a short bob and frames her Elven face and her form is perfect for her five foot, five inch frame.  She walks toward the clinic as Alyce and Gem emerge with Al, walking with a sensuous grace that Alyce will never have and projecting a presence that few will forget.  Her smile reaches her eyes but Al notices small things that set him into alert mode.  Her sexy walk draws attention, but to Al it is the movement of a panther on the prowl or a coiled snake.  Her face is generally toward Alyce, but it moves slightly from side to side and the eyes never focus in one place for more than a few seconds.  Her clothes are chic but common-sense wear; her sleeveless shirt exposing arms that have the same sort of scroll tattoos that Alyce has on her upper arms.

The woman holds her arms out wide and says, "Alyce, love, you look great.  I thought you were in Paris with the symphony."

Alyce moves into the embrace and hugs the woman back.  "I was, Rhea, but they called me out for this all expenses paid holiday in Cambodia.  I am so glad they sent you, but it was not necessary."

"I was in Singapore on the tail end of an after-mission holiday, and you know how boring that can get.  Anyway, when Teddy sent the message I gladly got up off the rather dull banker I was shagging and came straight away."  She breaks from the embrace and looks at Al and Gem.  "I was told I was to expect a young woman to take back to London, so this must be Gemima.  But no one said anything about the hunk."  She steps forward with a graceful step and holds out a hand.  "Pleased to meet you.  I am Rhea.  Do not mind Alyce; she rarely introduces men to me any more.  Something to do with a fun night in Rio years ago that ended with more fun for me than for her.  Long story.  Long ago.  Best friends now, right, Love?"

Alyce moves up alongside the woman and runs a hand down her flank.  She laughs, "Yes, best friends.  Turns out the bloke was carrying a really nasty STD and, well........."

Rhea laughs out loud.  "Yes.  Right nasty blighter, he was.  Several painful shots to get rid of that.  Ruined my social life for three months.  I still say you knew and only pretended to be unaware."

The man has left the side of the car and approaches the group with an attaché case in his right hand.  He nods and says, "Good morning, ladies, sir.  I am Pao Tai, senior manager of Sontag Shipping, an EVO subsidiary out of Phnom Penh.  I have all the paperwork necessary to send one Gemima "Gem" Lysander home to London, England.  Two First Class airline tickets on Royal Singapore Airways departing in two days.  Hotel accommodations for Miss Lysander and Miss Rhea Kyn.  Passport for Miss Lysander."  He looks over at Rhea.  I trust Miss Kyn has her papers in order."

Rhea looks at the man and smiles, "That is the first funny thing you have said since we got in the auto.  Might be hope for you yet."

Alyce nods to Pao Tai, "Thank you so much for helping me.  I know it must have pushed you to get all of this ready in such a short time."

The man smiles and nods as he heads back for the vehicle.  "Apparently, you are important to someone, Miss.  It was really no trouble.  I will be waiting in the auto, Miss Kyn."

Rhea frowns at Alyce and Al. "I miss you already dear.  Come see me some time.  Teddy knows where I am.  Most of the time.  And you come see me any time as well, Al.  I rather imagine that there is a lot of story to you and I could stand hearing it.  Don't let Alyce ruin you for everyone else as that would be a tragedy.  And I am sure that you already know it, but just in case you don't; you are standing near one of the finest field surgeons I have ever had the pleasure to work with.  If you are interested, get her a fourth vodka some time.  Whiskey works, too."  She looks down at Gem and motions with her head to the vehicle.  "Say your tatas kid and hurry up.  I want to see if I can get back faster than I got here."

Alyce shakes her head and gives Rhea an embrace before bending over to look Gem in the eye.  "You are in just about the best hands I could have asked for.  People will meet you in London and get you set up at my home.  I will see you when I get back and I promise to find your family."

Gem gives her a hug and holds out a somewhat trembling hand to Al.  "So long Mister Al."  She heads off to the auto and it roars away from the village.

[adamu]

Al had not said a word during the entire meeting, intensely ill at ease in the presence of the child. In the end, when she held out her hand, his first instinct was to offer her a cigarette, but he caught himself in time and gave the briefest of shakes. More like the touch of boxers' gloves.

Now that they were gone, he was supremely relieved.

"So whaddaya say? I arrange another boat - a big boat - fer Tweedle Dee an' Dum, git the locals started on a coupla triple-large cots fer the barracks, an' we's on the water north in an hour. Can't see takin' a group this size inta hostile territory without a little recon, especially since the bad guys gon' have so damned much lead time."

He didn't mention his true concern. The trogs were a smart play, but all the ordnance in the world wasn't going to help against psycho-shaman with the book, wouldn't stop him doing to them whatever he'd done to enslave the Pearics. Just meant when the smoke cleared a lot more local families were going to be fatherless. Just like Gem.

Couldn't fault Yao - hiring a reliable Satanist on short notice was like finding Sukie Redflower drunk in a bar minutes after she'd been dumped by her latest boy toy.

He just hoped their magic word - and the voodoo gods - would be juice enough.

[Mercy Merchant]

Alyce is moving with Al in the direction of the river docks.  "We are planning on coming back, right?  I have a lot of gear on those trucks I need to check on and sort out properly before they get loaded on the boats.  I can see a couple of hours out and then back, though.  What do you hope to see out there?  Or hope not to see?"

[adamu]

"Well, what I hope not ta see is Herr Witch Doktor diggin' in up there, waitin' ta have us fer breakfast once we steps on his mountain. He knows we's comin', and the more men he loses the more dangerous he knows we are. Havin' sent two groups out ta git us, I doubt he's gon' go back to bizniss as usual - whatever that is fer a painted mystic freak devil-worshipper. Nope - he gon' be usin' ever' damned day we's so generously givin' 'im preparin' ta make our lives a livin' hell. So while y'all are lollygaggin' down here with more kit than you'll ever be able ta git up there, reckoned I'd use the time findin' out what sorta surprises he's cookin' up. Try not ta let us git totally ass-fucked in the first ambush."

He shrugged.

"But it ain't an out-an'-back-before-dark kinda thing, an' I ain't leavin' ya here alone. So, hey, bossman wants Al ta sit an' chill inna vill fer an extra day, I ain't gon' argue."

Down at the docks, Al didn't bother with any more light skiffs - he secured them the sturdiest fishing boat he could find. It wasn't cheap, but he wasn't the one who'd hired a two-man artillery battery.

They called the hotel in Chi Pat to extend their reservations another day - renting the whole place for a night was probably about what a mid-level Wuxing exec spent on one business lunch in Hong Kong, so why not.

Finally, the trickiest thing was getting some local guys to throw together two troll-worthy cots by nightfall. Again, however, pennies to Wuxing was a week's food on the table for the villagers, and it didn't turn out to be a problem. Sure, the footprint they were making here had Al feeling like a big radioactive treasure-hunter sign was on his back, but he figured Senor was already watching anyway.

Hell, if they dilly-dallied long enough, maybe the Azzie would get impatient and give up on his follow-and-poach tactic, head up on his own, play pathfinder for them...if only. Al suspected this Senor fellow was a damned sight smarter than Yao and Ling.

Minor errands done, Al said, "So anything left but wait? I do recall you said somethin' 'bout a bit more readin', an' Al always can use more culture."

[Mercy Merchant]

Alyce accompanies Al on all of his errands, again impressed by the efficiency of the man.  Alyce sets Igor to patrolling the village, Pyotr to flying above her and leaves Misha to watch the barracks, continuously monitoring all three and occasionally checking in on Sasha, who is with the convoy.  She generally leaves Al alone to do his work, but does give him updates on the progress of the rest of the expedition.  Once done, they return to the barracks to wait for Ling and the others to arrive.  Still using the small private room, Alyce undresses for Al and takes her book from the pack and begins reading.

[adamu]

Al wasn't entirely sure how much longer he could hang around with a naked Alyce and keep his wits about him. He knew he should get her clothes back on her if he hoped to make any sort of rational decision about her, but he just didn't have it in him to cover up the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. And besides, he figured this was probably the very last time for some while anyway.

Which made him want to tell her to get dressed just so he could watch her undress again. And then again. Maybe four or five times.

Instead he concentrated on the reading. He wasn't sure he thought much of the story, but he loved the language of it enough that the plot was secondary.

And he whittled. The chunk of wood that once had filled a pocket could no longer cover the palm of one hand, and though it was a rough job it would do. He set it down, took out a few other small items, laid them out carefully, and then started tying them to the leather thongs he'd picked up in Chi Pat.

"Ya know," he said, looking at her as flagrantly as always, "these here eyes, reckon they can record anything I can see..."

So much for encouraging cool-headed rationality.

But maybe that's what he was avoiding.

Maybe he was afraid of the decision a cool head would come to.

[Mercy Merchant]

Alyce stops reading and puts the marker at the page before putting the book down on the table.  Standing she moves to within  a foot of Al and says, "Al, I hope that you record every inch of me and that you want to play it back in your mind over and over again when we are not together like this.  It is likely that this might be your last opportunity for a few weeks, so it there any bit of me that you might have missed that you want to record?  While you are doing that, you can tell me what it is that you have been carving."

[adamu]

Al thanked his voodoo protectors that his hands were full of leather and bone. He spent a little effort making sure they didn't shake.

"Well, fact o' the matter is, I ain't done recorded nothin'. Din't hardly seem gentlemanly without sayin' somethin' first. But as fer this," he held up one hand and let the leather dangle. Put his left hand around her hips to bring her down onto his knee, letting his work hang where he guessed she could perceive it best, or else handle it herself. Affixed at two points on its length were first a human tooth and second the piece of wood he'd been working on, now a slightly curved cylinder barely three centimeters long and less than one across. It might have been a rough phallus, but with some random irregularities. "Reckon this here's my fetishes. Or else the beginnin' o' same. Last ones they took inna prison. Help me channel my juice. No doubt we'll be needin' all we can git sooner'n we like."

[Mercy Merchant]

Alyce's skin is on fire as Al takes her around the waist and pulls her down to his knee.  It seems as if his arm belongs around her and once again she wonders what it is about him that keeps him from making the decision.  Perhaps he is just into looking at her, but no, his kisses say that he is very interested.  Perhaps there is a woman somewhere else, but he has not mentioned one even once.  Perhaps..................well, she can perhaps herself all day and not get anywhere.  She will just have to be patient and let him work things out in his own time.  For now.

She asks to touch the fetishes and he allows her to.  And something clicks as she runs her deft fingers over the tooth and piece of wood.  "Voodoo.  Al, I was on an S-K funded expedition to Jamaica a few years back and met some people there that believed in Voodoo.  You said some words when we were attacked and now this.  Do you believe, Al?  And by juices, do you mean mojo?  Magic?  That would explain your very quick reflexes and some other things I have noted.  I do not understand any of it, but I have seen too much magic in my time to not believe it exists.  I have way too much metal in me to channel any juices, but do you think that you could carve me something to help protect me from the shaman out there?"

[adamu]

"Hell yes it's voodoo...well, santeria ta be more percise...turns out the voodoo gods...seems they's quite some few of 'em...turns out they done took a shine ta Al, an' they been lookin' out fer me real good goin' on twenny years now. They like me ta give 'em they due, though, so they taught me ta make these here gew gaws. But them nor I got nothin' ta do with no damned mojo, magic, or whatever other mumbojumbo they's wrappin' the devil's work up in these days. Nosirree, ain't got no truck with Satan, an' that's all she wrote on that topic. But a pertection charm, somethin' ta ward off said forces o' darkness an' base idolatry, that might not be a bad idear for ya."

[Mercy Merchant]

Alyce hears the vehemence in Al's voice and decides to drop any mention of magic that she has noticed.  "I think that anything that might help ward me from the shaman's mojo is a good thing."  She leans so the side of his head and places her lips against his ear, whispering, "You have my permission to record anything about me that you want, Al Guthrie.  You can carry my image in your mind and look at me whenever you like.  And you can start by recording this."  Alyce shifts her body and brings her head around so that her lips touch his and kisses him, letting him know that she is very interested in him.  Then she stands in front of him, turning around slowly so he can view her entire body.  She bends and twists in several poses so that there is no part of her outer skin that he does not see.  Then she walks back over to the bed and sits on it.  "Sasha tells me that we have about two hours to kill before the team arrives.  That leaves us about an hour before we need to bet ready to meet them.  Is there anything that has come up that you want to discuss or make use of in that time?"

[adamu]

"Heh heh, oh, somethin' come up all right...but an' hour ain't near 'nuff time ta make use of it."

Al made light of the situation, but the thought of losing his monopoly on her in a matter of minutes pinched a nerve. She was a drug, and he was deathly afraid of becoming addicted.

The show she'd just put on had him literally straining at the fabric of his fatigues. Still, even as she'd begun he'd decided not to record any of it. Capturing a sight like that digitally had seemed like forcing a bird to sing or trying to make a cherry blossom bloom year-round. Like holding a chocolate in your mouth forever. Some things belonged only in their moment.

And some things you ended at your own pace, in your own way. He wanted to sit here with her until they both gathered dust - but that was another desire he was painfully wary of. No, he wasn't going to have their time marred by some final countdown to a reality imposed, a few last moments eked out in desperation.

He stood up, put a finger under her chin and raised her to her feet as well. Brushed the strands of hair that escaped her ponytail out of the way, tucking them behind her ears. Ran his fingertips down her shoulders, then along the lines of the unholy criminal oaths etched into her arms. Around to her back, which brought her closer, the abundant swell of her chest pressing against him, and finally he gripped the round flesh of her ass in one hand and the back of her neck in the other and kissed her hard and deep, the full length of him bonded to her.

Only a few seconds.

"That's fer bein' such a sport all the time. Now ya want a charm, I gotta go find the right stuff. Ya git dressed quick you can come along."

[adamu]

Despite Al's words, his touch is magic itself, making her flesh sing and her body cry out for more.  Her heightened sense of touch can feel every bit of his slow movement down her body and electric impulses enhance the feeling.  She gasps when he grabs her ass and her mouth eagerly accepts his.  At this touch, the thin fabric of Al's fatigues cannot hide his own desire for her and she moves a hip to press harder into his growing need.  The kiss may have lasted only a few seconds, but it could have been a lifetime.  But even a lifetime would not be long enough to completely tell him how much she had fallen for him, so she let her body do the best it could in the few seconds it had.  She is panting heavily when he breaks away, and has to sit on the bed to avoid stumbling weakly to the ground.  A couple of days ago, even up to just before the kiss, she would have been confused by his words.  But after the kiss, she knows that he is into her and wants her but for some reason of his own, he is not ready to claim her.  She will just have to let him make up his mind in his own time.  She had wanted him before the kiss; now she needs him, and she realizes with a calm certainty that she would give up all of her current life to go anywhere he goes just to stay near him.
 
That realization brings a certain peace to her and she smiles as she stands and begins to get dressed.  It takes her mere moments to put everything on then she takes the arm not carrying the shotgun and leaves the barracks with him.