Taming Miss Oberon - Part 3
01/11/1999 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

A Psi-Kicks story by GF Willmetts.

Why hadn't the Stable provided a decoy? Then again, in the middle of the carnival season, the last place any of the more powerful Psionics would want to be was in the middle of an emotionally-driven crowd. They become even crazier than the Fey could ever be. Probably another reason why the safe contents were placed in Rio. Crafty buggers! The more he thought about it, McKensie was sure this had the makings of a deadly trap. It would have to be sprung to prove it wasn't effective.

They still had no ready solution to the heat sensors. Kat had confided that she would break in and hide and let them check the safe and make her move afterwards. Even if they didn't open the safe, the heat sensors would be turned off. McKensie thought it a dangerous gamble but in the last few practices, she hadn't been hit by any of the darts. It was a matter of not enough time to come up with anything else she could try.

The air-con bus arrived and porters loaded the roof with luggage. Both of them were travelling light and carried their own suitcases. A tourist trap trip. All passengers moved to a tourist hotel. Kept happy so they'd tell their friends and have more happy tourists the following year. Makes mucho money for the natives. It was also a potential trap if anyone was taking a special interest in their movements. Everyone had to sleep sometime. Anyone knowing the city would be able to keep up with them. At least for a while.

Neither of them had spotted anyone taking any interest in their group. Maybe whoever thought their security was already good enough wasn't bothered. They certainly wouldn't after the heist when they had to leave. It was likely to piss off an angry section of the population. He already had some ideas about that. Kat might be brilliant at what she does, but in a crowded situation even she'd have problems avoiding bullets. He, himself, would be a standing target in comparison. But then, so would the mob after them. The real trick would be out-smarting them than a bloodbath. Another part in the jigsaw to be avoided if possible.

McKensie moved slowly with the queue entering the coach. Kat was supporting his weight to some extent, especially his suitcase, whenever it looked like he was likely to fall. Much of it was aches and pains that refused to go away quickly. The bruises were almost gone and he had rested well on the plane, it was just a question of getting his body working again. Compared to two days ago it was incredible he was walking at all. Kat said a burst of adrenaline would kick-start his body. Truthfully, he could walk reasonably well on his own but found it hard to deny her assistance. With the constant fear that something was likely to go wrong, Kataya Oberon's strength of will helped carry him along. It was miraculous that he could walk upright two days after that beating as it was. Score one for the Oberon Clan food cure and massages.

If Kat ever gave up this job she'd make a great therapist. Would she ever settle down, marry and have children? The Fey seemed to have adopted a lot of the Romany traditions but marriage? With that incredible pheromone? What husband could survive, even if it might be an incredible death. What a way to go! 'Camova got my body but my soul lives on in my wife.'

McKensie shook his head. Such daydreams were dangerous when there was a job to be done. Concentrate on the mental tasks. Let the body take care of itself. He made a note to douse himself in the deodorant at the hotel. Where the Fey was concerned it would be hard to distinguish between animal lust and loving affection. A phone call to the zoo before they left had informed him that the tigresses were on heat. If the Fey followed the same tendency...

Kat had permitted herself to already be sprayed with the neutraliser deodorant before they left the Compound. The scent might last a long time with Baseline humans, but her own pheromone was already breaking through for the third time. She seemed to have a natural antidote to the aerosol. McKensie hoped it wouldn't draw too much attention until they got to the hotel. If it didn't, then she might as well have worn something skimpy compared to the trouser suit. The Brazilians view on blood-lust was far stronger than any British resolute to ignore, no, fight the effect. With the mixed nationals here for the carnival it was an unhealthy combination. Stealing from the safe would be easy compared to keeping all the lusty males from the Fey and her ever-present randifying pheromone.

o O o

They only stayed in their hotel long enough to change and dispense another spray of the deodorant between them. A three-star job in the middle of Rio's carnival season. To his disgust, he discovered they had a double bed. There was also a basket of fruit and flowers decorating the room. Their passports, in the married name of McIntyre, had been deposited with the hotel clerk. The Stable had obtained the booking from MI6 who kept such places in case they had to move into the area fast. Generally, if nothing was happening, some lucky couple would have been given the booking to avoid suspiciously unused rooms. Hopefully, this was also the way the picture would look if any foreign agency looked at them.

It was only mid-morning and with the carnival procession this afternoon, there was a definite need to get out and reconnoitre the area. It wasn't the more recognised tourist February carnival. This was the June carnival, the Festa do Divino Espírito Santo. In the height of the European summer, there was a stronger attraction for European tourists and almost as popular. The Brazilians knew how to party and did it as often as possible these days to bring in foreign money. Despite the humid air, McKensie couldn't help feeling that they were being watched. With the crowds already beginning to move around it would be impossible to work out who or what paranoia was creeping in on him.

If he was a Psionic, he could well believe himself capable of such things. As a Blank it was absurd. He had no such extra talent. No Psionic could detect him was his only advantage. It would have to be human watchers. What was so special about the safe contents to have such a security force on the look out for anyone like themselves? He'd have to speak to Chris Lancier some time. Check on the active Psionics in the world outside of the Stable. It would be paranoid to think the Stable were the only active Psionic unit in the world.

A few streets from the hotel they split up. The Fey would be able to make better time on her own and really needed to go to the business district and check out the building with the safe. Other than discussing any problems, that was really her area of expertise and she wouldn't be moving at street-level. What had she called it? Keri-poggring. House-breaking. As if it could be that simple.

McKensie looked up the roofs and saw a shape leap between them. She had kept a promise to show she had reached the roofs safely. With everyone paying attention to the groundshow, he doubted if anyone else would have spotted her climbing the walls. There was a fair bet that Kat had made herself visible to show she had got up there safely at her own risk. Even from that height, she must have got his eye contact somehow to make that work. She was still evading explaining how that appeared to only work on him. There was still a worry that it could only affect Blanks. It was chipping away their general lack of immunity from Psionic ability. If other Psionics could Share this ability from the Fey then it might reduce the Blanks own role in the Stable. Any member of the Oberon Clan could, if they wished, attack a Blank without them even seeing it coming.

For the moment, his own mission was far simpler and would require less exertion. Find the nearest Cambias exchange. Not really for any currency because they also traded in-country excursions and he already had something in mind for their escape. If only he could be sure that he wasn't being watched...

o O o

Ninety minutes later, McKensie was waiting at a roadside cafe table for the Fey to arrive. People streamed past as the parade was building up. The noise and gaiety of colours and movement wasn't over-whelming here yet. They had chosen a cafe far enough back to have some of the carnival atmosphere but not be swamped by it. A lot of other people obviously thought the same way, judging by how the seats were slowly being filled. An act of civilisation before some serious enjoyment of the afternoon festivities.

The Blank made some effort to concentrate on the newspaper, the Rio Visitor, he'd bought. He checked his watch periodically. Kataya Oberon was late. Half an hour had passed. It quickly became an hour. McKensie had ordered a fruit juice cocktail, a guaraviá, but idled drinking. The cafe staff didn't seem at all bothered by him waiting there, despite the mass of other people eating. Probably thought correctly that he was the dutiful husband waiting for his wife. Presumably he'd have to oblige them by leaving a decent tip, too.

Was Kat in trouble? It seemed nothing was impossible for the Fey back in the Compound. Out in the field that had still to be proven to his own satisfaction. Some work had to be done on ensuring she didn't become over-confident. Being late indicated that she must have problems. He hoped she wasn't trying a daylight burglary. All he had to do was ensure he remained his composure.

In the field, he had to defer to her interpretation of the orders. It was a matter of logic. How could a Blank or Baseline human give orders to what was really a Psionic or super-human? He wasn't really in a position to interpret what she would do under every circumstance. When their noses were right in the shitty work they were ordered to do, the Psionics had to do the work their own way. That was the first order that was drummed into every Blank recruit. One couldn't order a superior being without being a superior being yourself. Acting with restraint was the most the Blank could do in the field.

A hand curled around his neck and brought his face up and he faced a pair of golden eyes. The green was more a blemish than the dominate colour now. Kat gave him a full kiss on the lips before moving around and sitting on the chair next to him. If there were any obvious signs of the exertions she had been through, there was no indication from her clothes. In comparison, McKensie was coated in sweat from the city's high humidity. One thing the deodorant didn't resolve was a perspiration problem. It just blended with whatever odour was being given off. Their first kiss had been inviting and he had responded as if it had been the most natural thing in the world to do.

'Miss me?'

She gestured to a waiter. The senior older man arrived. No doubt interested in seeing what kind of wife the Blank had that would keep him waiting so long.

'Boa tarde. Queria muito a carne da vaca, se faz favor. Mal passado. Ao natural.'

'A carne da vaca unico, senhora?'

'Qual é o problema?'

'Não, sehnora.'

'Queriamos cachaça e caiparaha o marudo, se faz favor.'

'That sounds rather fluent Portuguese?' McKensie asked after the old waiter had left. 'It's better than your English. Why didn't you tell me at the airport? Could have let you handle customs.'

The Fey smiled. 'Portuguese. Brazil dialect. We...travellers. Learn quickly. Didn't want to draw attention being too fluent. Wanted you to handle it there. I'm hungry here. Excessivament faminto. Didn't want you struggle over order. Ordered you drink. Do you want to eat?'

'Please. What do you suggest?'

The Fey signalled the waiter again, 'Queria coiza à portuguese o marudo, se faz favor. Meu marido's estômayo fraco.'

The waiter left them. Kat reached into her pocket and shook out a sun-hat and covered her gingery-orange black streaked hair.

Perhaps not black streaked in that sense, McKensie decided. Certain hair tips were dark and that was what was giving that effect. Was she aware how much more her colouring was changing into that of a tiger, McKensie wondered. Did she really care? Her attitude was devil-may-care. She simply wasn't bothered by the effect she could cause. The Fey was less restrained now then when back in the UK. The freedom to roam above street-level must truly have liberated her. She enjoyed her freedom. He could see that now. Like any tiger, it was the freedom to do as she pleased that was giving her the kick. Would it be enough to keep her other instincts under control. Could such as the Fey be tamed? That would be the key to keeping her happy. Go with the flow and walk with that freedom.

'Thought we Britain's most secret secret, Mac?'

'Why'd you say that?'

'You being watched. I watched them too. Why late.'

'I thought it was me being paranoid. Maybe it's because we're foreign.'

'Start of carnival season. Foreigners rife. Paying attention to you.'

'Maybe we're not tipping enough? Will this cause any more complications?'

'Fhuh! Just be more clever. They think you the agent. Not me.'

'Can we talk here?'

The Fey smiled. 'Too much other noise. Safer here than hotel.'

'What took you so long...'

'Worried, Mac?'

'Yeah! A little. All right, a lot. As you pointed out, we're drawing attention. Don't know why. Maybe Six booking gave us away.'

'Fhuh! Only confirm. Were watched at airport. No one knew hotel then. Other people too. We still watched. Wasn't sure then.'

'But didn't see where you went?'

'More interested in you. Think you James Bond?'

McKensie could barely suppress a grin., 'Maybe I should have worn a tux?'

The Fey showed her teeth briefly. 'Intelligence agency sends too many men.'

'Let them keep that belief. It'll take the heat off you. Still doesn't indicate what they think we're doing or even if they've made any connection.'

The waiter returned with their drinks. MacKensie's drink was a decorated cocktail. The Fey's appeared to be raw spirit. She downed it in one and offered her glass back to the waiter for more. The Blank sipped his and discovered the fruit juice mixed with rum.

'I'd better stick to fruit juice', he told her. 'Another guaraviá please.'

'Outro, se faz favor. Triplicar.'

The old waiter left in amazement. A heavy female drinker. A tee-total male. The world was really upside down.

'How did it work out? Was it as expected?'

'Busy busy. Watched guard routines. All over roof. Thorough. Maybe easier late night. Shouldn't stay when have contents. Be upset. You go home, Mac. Do alone.'

'We're supposed to be a team, Kat. I've got an escape route planned. As I said, it's safer as couple.'

The waiter returned with another larger drink for the Fey, his fruit juice and their meals. Kat drank the liquor straight down and asked for the bottle this time, before tackling her meat dinner. She had a piece of meat in her hand and up to her mouth as McKensie tapped the fork and indicated the variety of other diners' expressions ranging from shock to puzzled interest at her actions.

'Rum and raw meat is going to draw some attention as it is. Tourists use forks and you'll bloody a napkin.'

'Fhuh! Spoilsport! Should find place with good floors!' but the next piece of meat she picked up was with the fork.

'Bit early to hit the bottle, isn't it?'

'Second problem. Camova. Feel horny, Mac. Drink probably help lessen desire.'

'It might also might make you less than efficient, too.'

'Drink any man under table. We eat. See carnival like tourists for while. Rest then? Be all right.'

'You're in charge.'

'Forgot.' The Fey gave a meaningful smile. 'You obey my orders now, Mac.'

o O o

There were two events that might have spoilt the rest of the day in McKensie's opinion. Oddly enough, it wasn't the Fey's ability to drink liquor, even after her second bottle. If anything, it appeared she had hollow legs as it had no obvious effect on her movements or speech. He made a note never to try to compete with her in a drinking contest. The taste of that first rum cocktail was enough for him and he had stuck to fruit juice. Whether it would dampen her sexual appetite, as she claimed, had to be proven.

They quickly blended in with the crowds watching the carnival parade but rarely stayed in one place too long. The Brazilians had a way with spectacle and if it hadn't been for the assignment, it would have been pleasurable to stand and just watch. In the brief periods while they watched the procession, the Fey was enthralled and occasionally screamed something in Portuguese that got smiles from some of the procession members. Half the time she was joining in with the street dancers as they passed. Hardly a way to remain inconspicuous, McKensie pondered, but once encouraged, the tourists got in the swing of things as well before the Fey rejoined him and they were away. Kat appeared relaxed and happier than ever she had been at the Compound or even out on those pub crawls. Tigers might not be the most social of animals but it didn't mean the Fey wanted to be locked up in a box or cage.

Kataya Oberon was obviously enjoying herself despite the possible danger they were in. Maybe she had every right to be. The exercises clearly showed she was capable of dodging bullets. Maybe it was his own limitations that were the liability? It would be a lot easier if he just joined in with her enjoyment than be a stolid stick in the mud.

From excitement to business, she nudged his arm and they disappeared back into the crowds. The Fey sought out any convenient alley that allowed them to double-back. It gave them both an easy view of their tails before they moved on. He was in on her game now. They were stalking the watchers as much as they were stalking them. The only difference was the watchers didn't know. When they lost sight of them, it was obvious from the way they looked around they were doing a job of looking for them. There were at least three of them that kept re-appearing. It was the fact that they weren't paying attention to the procession that first gave them away. They were always looking into the crowds. They hadn't formed a confining triangle but watched all their exits so they could follow easily. In comparison, the Fey and himself appeared as earnest tourists.

'They could be part of Brazil's secret service', McKensie suggested at one point as they wandered away from the main carnival parade. 'Secret services have a tendency to watch for any of their opposite number. Maybe we should just disappear...'

'Better keep where we see them. Could find out who?' the Fey offered.

'And risk a blood bath? They aren't part of our brief.'

'Must stop thinking me a violent person, Mac. Ah..!'

The Fey reached down and plucked a hand leaving the Blank's coat with his wallet. The hand belonged to a small child. Probably not even in his teens. She smiled and flicked a fang with a finger.

'Cristo! Artavello, o bori rawniskie matchka.'

McKensie was still sorting out his Romany, but it sounded like the thief had called Kat a 'witch cat'. There was rather appropriate. The pickpocket was obviously surprised more at the Fey's gesture than being caught with his fingers in the Blank's pocket.

She bent down and began a conversation in Portuguese between herself and the young pickpocket who handed her his wallet. There was a lot of fast talk with the pickpocket gesturing directions before the Fey handed over one of Mac's traveller's cheques. She got up and the boy was away.

'What was that all about?' he asked her as she gave him his wallet. 'It didn't sound like you were telling him off for stealing my wallet.'

'Most kids here have kaulo ratti - gypsy blood. Thieving big industry. Part of education. They know their legends. Romany respect the Clan. He gets us wallets.'

'And the directions were where to meet us later?'

'Fhuh! He find us. No worry. Get you sunblock if asked.'

The Fey searched her pocket and placed a pair of dark glasses on. 'There, Mac. Now I secret agent too.'

As if there weren't enough complications already, McKensie pondered. Not enough that they were being tailed but the Fey was getting a kid pickpocket to steal from them. Putting the kid in danger. If they were caught with the wallets, they'd be in jail themselves for sure. Receiving was as big a crime here as in Britain. Correct that. Jail would only be for him. He doubted any jail could imprison the Fey.

Shortly, the pickpocket caught up with them again and handed McKensie his sunblock cream, spoke briefly to Kat and left. The Fey touched his coat pocket. The three wallets were now in his possession.

'You didn't tip him this time.'

The Fey smiled. 'Your cheque more than enough. More than he thought get. He sign it off impression from previous cheque you wrote. Told him keep money from wallets. He now very wealthy. Happy to meet a legend.'

'And I'm accessory to robbery. How is this going to look in my report?'

Kat kissed him on the cheek, 'Do you report everything, Mac?'

McKensie blushed slightly, 'Well....I...'

'Good! Solved then. We go shopping.'

The tour through the shops turned into an excuse for the Fey to handle his tourist guide book. It masked her going through the contents of the wallets as they appeared to move through the shopping malls with a vengeance. Certainly faster than the watchers who were keeping their distance in the street markets.

Kataya Oberon was disappointed that they didn't reveal very much.

'If they were police officers, those wallets would have had their warrant cards. They'd hardly carry anything stronger than a Government ID. Maybe they had them in other pockets. There's a lot of thieves about.'

'Fhuh! Chore chal say they not gav-engro...not police. Not local military. Spoke foreign on radios.'

'Wonderful. They're really watching us with more in the wings.'

'Right about not losing them.' The Fey looked into eyes. 'Only Chores or spies anything to hide. How can honeymoon couple be suspicious?'

McKensie shrugged. 'I guess. Maybe we just ought to keep acting like tourists.'

Kat smiled. 'Like that. You too tense, Mac. Bruises still hurt?'

'Must be the exercise or distraction. I've hardly felt anything in the past few hours.'

'Good! Still feel camova.'

And that could really spoil his day, McKensie decided.

o O o

The sheets moved and McKensie was aware that Kataya was snuggling up to him and unbuttoning his pyjamas. Despite the heat and humidity, he had decided that wearing pyjamas wouldn't make him look sexually receptive. It worked back at the Compound after all. She was naked and rubbing her body slowly against his. Under the circumstances, McKensie's body was reacting without any conscious control. The passion of a hot woman eager to have sex was something no normal male could resist. The deodorant might be dampening her pheromone but this appeared to be natural lust. What she called in Romany, camova.

'Look, if you want the bed, I'll leave you to it,' he offered. They had agreed to share the bed on the understanding that they would each stay on their own side.

'I want the bed and you. Can't wait longer. No cold showers this time, Mac. No alcohol. No special deodorant. On heat. I want a man. I need a man. I want you. Choomande.'

Kataya gave up unbuttoning his pyjama shirt and tore the buttons off. Deft hands split and threw the shirt away and repeated the experience to the pyjama trousers. Fingernails shredded the seams with little effort.

'Do I have to do everything myself?' she asked.

They had finished the day with another meal before returning to the hotel. Their three watchers in tow were left in the lobby. They didn't follow them into the lift. That would have been too obvious. These were cautious watchers. A passionate kiss while they waited would assure anyone watching, in the busy lobby, that there was only one thing on the honeymoon couple's minds...And it wasn't the carnival! Unlike the first occasion at the cafe, McKensie couldn't but get involved with the kissing.

They were joined by a few people in the lift, giving little choice but to continue the pretence, if it could be called that, all the way up to their floor and room.

'You should do that more often, Mac. Fun day. Better than Caruthers would arrange things.' The Fey professed in their room as they starred at each other after a short interval in silence, her arms still wrapped around McKensie's neck. The outside noise of the carnival could still be heard over the low hum of the air-conditioner. 'We make love now? Good camova.'

'You promised me you'd rest. How long before you want to do that safe?'

Kat screwed her eyes up thinking, 'Couple hours. Plenty time for camova.'

'And for rest.' McKensie disengaged her arms from his neck, kissed her cheek and turned the light on. 'You might be full of beans...full of energy, Kat, but this Baseline human Blank is knackered. I'm still getting over that beating, remember? That adrenaline-surge is working but I need rest.'

The Fey ran her fingers down his back and then his front. It was more of a professional examination than an attempt at foreplay. She then guided him more into the centre of the room and directly under the room's main light and studied his eyes.

'Tired yes. Healthier than two days ago. Camova do good. Get blood moving more', she whispered huskily before adding in his ear, 'Get my blood moving more.'

'Right. And after you get back, we've got to leave. I've got to rest. So should you.'

'And later?'

'We'll be back at the Compound and I'll probably be reassigned.'

'Fhuh! Evoke my Psionic rights. Demand you stay.'

'It has to be mutually agreed.'

'Don't want to stay, Mac? Am that bad?'

'Just impossible.'

'Perhaps should be more difficult...!'

'Rest. We'll talk about this later.'

Now here he was being unceremoniously aroused and being screwed by the Fey who was now on top of him, moving up and down with an easy vigour. There was no feeling of control over his actions. The reminder from the tiger book that tigresses go on heat and mate up to two hundred times in two days beating a pulse inside his head. The tiger, not the tigress, usually took the initiative but she was a Fey and it was obvious who was calling the shots. He's have to stick with it if she wasn't to prowl the streets for more mates later. With a place like Rio, there would hardly be a shortage of volunteers. If she went on a drinking binge...

Just have to make sure I don't come to quickly, McKensie decided. Distraction. Don't lose any self-control I've got left. What was that old army joke? Colonel inspecting a platoon of women. He asks one particularly attractive woman if she was capable of killing a man. The reply? 'Eventually, sir!' What if she was a tiger or Fey on heat? Could he survive?

Everything has to go eventually, including the Blank's self-control. Finally spent, Kataya Oberon eased herself down and cuddled by his chest and kissed him on the cheek. The fine hairs from her body made sensual passes with his body as she caressed him. What would have happened if he'd been reacting to her pheromone? He hadn't smelt it for hours. Would it have acted as an aphrodisiac? Would he have been tormented for sex that he would have been begging her for it?

'You're going to have to wait a little before you can try that again,' he confessed. 'I'm not even sure if I could keep up with your mating spells.'

'Mating spells?' she asked, running her fingers down his ribs. 'You talk oddly at times, Mac.'

'The two day rut tigresses go through. Eight times in half an hour the tiger book said.'

'Oh that!' She was dismissive of the problem again. Her phermone would have given her no problem in attracting a suitable number of men to cover her heat. Assuming that was what she really wanted.

McKensie turned and looked into the Fey's eyes. Her eyes reflected golden-white in the near dark. 'What do you mean? Oh that! How else do you normally keep these desires under control?'

She poked him in the side. Not in a painful but humorous way. 'Saw me drinking. Drink alcohol enough reduces desire. Is all.'

'And your men friends?'

'Fhuh! Told you. Drink them under table. Take them home. Chee pele. No balls for anything else. Told you that already.'

'And tonight? You've drunk at least two bottles of rum or whatever they call it in Rio.'

'Cachaça is called. Not enough, pireni. Not enough. Also have to work. Wouldn't want less than efficient at the safe. Your orders, remember. Wanted camova. You there to provide.'

'Is this what caused your problem with Maxine? She wouldn't allow you time to release camova? That or your drinking or wild social life?'

Kat kissed him full on the lips before licking his ear. McKensie felt a growl, or rather a cat-like purr, vibrating rather pleasantly across his chest. Her breasts rubbing across his chest. Her other arm was working at his groin and McKensie realised it would be sometime before he could continue the conversation again.

One thing though, he was through lying down on the job. Without any resistance from the Fey, he rolled them over and he was on top. He was through being the passive partner. If she wanted a lover, then he was through being a 'passive' partner. Kataya was pleased with this sudden reaction to her needs. He still needed self-control to last the distance. Maybe he should go over their escape route in his head...

'If Maxine Caruthers was here...what would she have ordered?' he asked much later. 'Not this. I mean this afternoon.'

'Caruthers no fun. First assignment all right. Didn't like way men looked at me. Said made me conspicuous. Said should stay in hotel.'

McKensie twirled Kat's wavy short hair in his hands. The lights of the city through the window blind made her orange hair acquire a luminescence of its own. The base of her neck was warm and pleasing to his touch.

'The second assignment happened shortly afterwards. Little time to prepare?'

'Caruthers thought within ability. No need to check out. Airport to hotel. Stay inside until ready to move.'

'That couldn't have been any fun for you. I take it that didn't stop you going out?'

The Fey smiled, her fangs seemed more prominent in the poor light. 'When high hotel room stop going out?'

'Did she find out?'

'Quiet matchka. Left when she slept. Came back. Found her waiting. Bostaris gorgio bugged room with passive bug!'

'And...?'

'Told her reconnaissance. Believed me.'

'You did a reconnaissance today though.'

'Fhuh! This safe tougher. Building well guarded. Not total fool, Mac.'

'Third assignment then. Did she find out then?'

'Found bug. Tremor detector at window opening. Used corridor window instead. Joined holiday party in bar when came back. Caruthers saw when out collecting fax. Didn't say word. Next night did job and returned to Compound.'

'And that was the reason....the cause of....that scratch you gave her.'

'Fhuh! Out in field, Fey in charge.'

'...Capable of changing instructions providing there is no compromise to the assignment. Standing orders.'

'I do good things for Stable, Mac.'

'So what was the reason?'

'Hom te jav.'

'What...?'

'I have to go.'

Kat gave McKensie a hearty french kiss before rolling off the bed. In the poor light she wiped herself down with a towel before dressing in a dark tee-shirt, dark sleeveless shirt and denim shorts. No shoes or underwear.

'Not conspicuous, Mac?'

'Thought you were going to mask your body temperature?'

'Hot camova. Hotter body. Released tension. Have plan.'

'You'll be normal before you get there.'

The Fey smiled and upturned her bag on the floor and picked out a couple fire-lighters she had bought in the afternoon. She shook it at him before slipping it into her shorts back-pocket.

'Secret weapon. Make things hot for them.'

McKensie shook his head in disbelief. How would it read in his report. Kataya Oberon took me to bed for a hearty shag before going to attack an impossible safe with an ordinary fire-lighter.

Kat lent over him and gently touched his groin and kissed him once more. 'Paracrow tute. We go when I return.'

'Take care, Kat.' What else could he say? Do the Fey believe in luck or was that a Romany tradition?

'Love you,' she called. The Fey opened the window, turned and was gone. All without the aid of a rope from twenty stories up.

The Blank raced to the window. It was only capable of being opened up quarter way and she had squeezed out. Probably a setting by the management to prevent anyone accidentally falling out. The Fey...Kat, had taken it in her stride without even bothering to look first. She hadn't stopped to wave. Unable to see her in Rio's carnival lights, McKensie decided it would be wiser to be ready for them both to leave. After all, the minute she had stepped out of the window, Kataya Oberon was now in total control of the assignment. As her Blank, all he could do now was wait. From a Blank's perspective, probably the worst part of his job. No, the second worse. According to the mating habits of tigers, they would now sixty-nine and lick each other's genitals. A lucky break, for now, he thought. He wasn't sure if under the present conditions he'd be up to the task.

o O o

The Fey looked across at the building from her previous vantage point. Rio's business sector was some way from the otherwise party atmosphere of its carnival. All the buildings she had jumped across had their own security arrangements but nothing that affected her using them at this height. As she was now over two hundred stories up it made little difference, none of them considered this a possible entry point. It would need a helicopter that would be rather conspicuous and noisy.

A couple of the buildings further back as heli-pads available for their executive use but were also deserted this time of night. Most of the buildings were lit up but that didn't bother the Fey as she didn't stray near their windows. What bothered her was that her target building had armed security guards on the roof. The same number of men but probably a different shift than late-morning. They were making it an obvious target that there was something precious to protect, assuming anyone else could watch from a similar vantage point to herself.

Cautiously she looked around but she was a lone watcher. It was unlikely that any of member of her Clan had been hired to get into this building without her hearing about it. Whoever had ordered security was looking for someone like herself. Did they really know what to expect? Was it a token gesture? Was someone aware of the Oberon Clan's potential? In the end, the Fey shrugged her shoulders. It didn't matter to her. Her Clan were above such matters.

With a running leap, the Fey launched herself off the roof. Baseline humans tended to think only in terms of what they were capable of doing. They had their Guinness Book of Records smugly pleased indicating the limits they had achieved. The Oberon Clan took everything in its stride. Their limits had yet to be learnt.

In mid-air, Kat used the fall of gravity and spun in a series of somersaults. A Baseline would have thought it easier to aim for the opposite roof. Her real objective was only to reach the wall itself. Then again, a Baseline would probably have fallen straight down to ensure a strawberry stain on the tarmac far below. In a controlled fall that only lost her seventy-five stories, the Fey caught hold of the building's wall. Her feline tensile-strength then made short work of the climb back up to the roof.

The extended masonry blocks were there to prevent people, like the guards, taking their own nose-dives to the tarmac, let alone prevent anyone crazy enough to get out of one of the upper floors onto the roof. It was also used as a support for the window-cleaning gang. Effortlessly, the Fey worked her way around the building ledges to the cables and used them to get eye-level to the roof. Had the guards looked in her direction, all they'd have seen were a pair of golden eye reflections watching them. There was no distracting lights up here lest it blinded them to night. Their guns were no joke. Sub-machines primed for action. It was a well-armed gesture.

If this were some macho Baseline film, she'd come over the top and attack. Dodge the bullets and kill the guards before getting inside. Kat always thought this was a rather comical way to behave. All that noise would attract even more attention and it was a wonder that the actors got out alive. Then again, they depended on the script-writers to ensure the opposition acted with enough stupidity to die against such onslaught. In extreme circumstances, the Fey was sure that she could walk away from any such action on the roof alive but it would not achieve her objective of getting into that safe with the minimum of fuss.

With gymnastic ease, she swung herself up over the cable and rolled quietly into the window-cleaners trolley, grabbing one of its chains to reduce it rocking. The few hours of watching had made sure that the guards had got use to the trolley making some noise to practically ignore any activity it would normally make in the breezes so high. The chilly air would keep them alert at this time of night but they were also likely to be bored. Using every shadow, the Fey worked her way past each guard to the elevator assemble room. Their attention was focused looking out into the night not what was happening behind their backs.