Blood Sisters

The Dead Man's crew settled into a routine, he came up with a plan, they executed the plan. Most of their heists involved stealing various technologies and advanced materials from military installations, companies such as M-Tech; and experimental data and next-generation computer equipment from various university engineering departments.

Somehow, The Dead Man was converting all of this into large amounts of cash, very large amounts of cash, very fast. He always went alone somewhere to make those deals. Michaela didn't care and The Silhouette didn't ask any questions about it. She was enjoying her new lover almost as much as she was enjoying her share of the take. Every now and then there was a confrontation with Michaela, who grew increasingly impatient, but for the most part things held together.

At first, they had stayed at the hunting lodge, moving through shadow to their job sites (the first thing Davos stole was some oxygen tanks). Victor's plans were brilliant. Getting past security was ridiculously easy. Between their ability to move trans-dimensionally, Victors computer genius to bypass electronic security, Michaela's ability to assume a blood-form and her eagerness to 'disable' any guards; all of their heists had gone without a hitch. After a while, the lodge could not contain all the boxes and crates they were obtaining. Victor told them that the crew had to move to a location where he could get some equipment shipped in. Shortly thereafter, he flew to the lodge in a large helicopter, and the Terrible Trio moved their operation to an old abandoned car dealership with a large empty service garage nearer to the city.

They had seen the video footage of the battle between the Special Marshals, some unknown young mutant and Jenny Goldstar, which some lucky bystander must have made a small fortune on selling to the media from his phone. The Dead Man was quick to comment that whatever brought such a circumstance about was likely to explain why D-Day's team, so far as they could tell, had not even come close to getting their hands on them. Of course, he was also quick to comment that the way he spread their jobs around and switched their techniques each time also kept the wolves at bay.

Then after a while the heists stopped. The money stopped coming in. Victor spent less and less time in bed with Candelaria and more time in the closed up laboratory he made for himself in the empty service garage. The Silhouette could hear sounds of machine tools and see bright flashes of light from under the door. But did not know what her Muerte was up to. She watched him become more and more frustrated and Michaela becoming more and more impatient as the idle time droned on.

Finally, Silhouette stayed up into the early morning until Victor came into her bed. He was tense as he had been for too long now. She rested her lithe gray body upon his back and her head on his shoulder when he sat down on the edge of the mattress. “Cariño” she said, caressing him. She could feel him tense up beneath her fingers, and he gripped the edge of her bed. The Silhouette knew he did not want to talk about anything, that he was frustrated and likely exhausted. She spoke low to him in Spanish “I can feel that your angry Victor, I know it is not me, nor anything that I've done, or not done” she could feel that she was on egg-shells, but she pressed on. Silhouette had grown fond of Victor, and wanted to understand. His mood was upsetting her, and she wanted to either get things back on track, or move on with her big heap of cash without him. Victor turned toward her and started to say something, his face looking annoyed and sharp. Candelaria put a slender finger on his lips, moving close to him. “I don't know what has you so wound up so tight, but we need to unwind it. You are my lover, but this is my bed. You are welcome here if you want to be here, but not like this. If you want to keep whatever is bothering you to yourself, I will respect that, however you'll sleep by yourself as well.”

Angry, Victor rose to his feet “Fine” he spat, and took three steps towards the door. Candelaria did not move, she just held her head up and waited, letting him have his fit. He stood there clenching his fists and pacing a few steps back and forth for over a minute before he gave a resigned sigh. Still tense, he turned back to his dark lady and said “I have blueprints of the dimensional machines Dr. Daed... that William Deeds built years ago. I've seen some of them in action. I am certain that he did not know how what he built worked, but still he drafted the plans for them.” Victor went back to the edge of Silhouette's bed and laid a hand on her exposed thigh. “Deeds had several laboratories that he used. I know where most of them were. They are all empty now, I've checked them. Nothing but dust and cobwebs”.Candelaria nodded her head, running her hand over his chest, silently urging him to go on. “I have been putting off what will have to be done because of the danger; if we do it we will be exposed, and there is a chance of capture”. He looked into her moonlight eyes. “I would spare you that if I could”. She smiled and kissed him softly with her pitch black lips. “What is this dangerous thing, Victor?” she asked quietly. He took a breath and replied reluctantly.“There is a place called 'Hearts Desire'. It is named after one of the founding members of one of the first New Human groups; The All Stars. They were organized on the 4th of July, 1944 during the height of World War II. The All Stars were led by 'The All American' who was a bullet-proof US Army Lieutenant, the original 'D-Day', Francis Flemming, in one of the first armored suits. Dr. Daedalus, a... field scientist of sorts, and Heart's Desire, who was a pin up girl with the power of suggestion, among other talents. It was thought no one could harm her. However, they were wrong. Everyone was a little bit in love with Heart's Desire. Her real name was Millie...” A pained look flashed across Victors face. “When she was murdered in 1952, it was the end of the All Stars.”

Candelaria nodded, looking somewhat confused “What does this have to do with...”. Victor raised a hand. “In her honor, the All American, who is a wealthy man named Chris Knight, created the resort of 'Hearts Desire'. Put simply, it is where old heroes go to die. I.. or we need to go there, I need to speak with William Deeds and find out where his last hidden laboratory is... and there is some other unfinished business I have with him as well.” The Silhouette felt a chill in the room from those last few words, but brushed it off. She said “So, even retired, these old heroes could be threat to us.” Victor nodded slowly and without realizing it spoke in English “and the security, which is very good. But yes, some of the heroes there were fairly powerful in their day, and some likely still are. It is where we need to go for my plan to proceed. I have not been able to replicate the function of Daedalus' machines, even though I have built them to the same specifications, and with more modern materials. They just don't work.”

She pulled him down beside her, filling in the spaces of his body with her naked soft curves. She kissed him and caressed him, feeling his sex harden against her. Victor sighed into her mouth and lost himself in her smoky smell. The shadows closed around them and Candelaria wrapped her legs tightly around her lover, pulling him in close to her. She reached between her legs and clasped his now rock hard penis “This machine seems to be working just fine” she spoke into his hot breath. He moaned as she guided him into her, then the wolf inside Victor took over and he ravaged his woman into a frenzy till they both were spent. He finally slept well, cradled in the arms of the shadow that loved him.