I was sure he was dead. I couldn’t leave him. How could I? He was my brother. I left Lady Eva behind cover and made my way back to Disco. I had wrapped her head from the falling pipe that had struck her as we escaped the basement. The tremors were quieting from the overheated reactor when I got back to the sublevel to look for Disco. The steam and heat made it hard to see I shouted for him over and over. I never heard him. I knew he went towards the reactor. I searched through the piles of pipes and debris calling for him. Pleading for him to say something, anything then I saw a flash of white from a pant leg. Screaming his name I ran to Disco and with strength even I didn’t know I had I threw the fallen grate off of his limp body. Nearly in tears I checked him and he still had a pulse but his breathing was shallow. I hurriedly lifted him over my shoulders and made it back to Lady Eva. Putting them both over my shoulders I barely remember the fast paced flight back to the Pet-Retreat and helping Cockbeater get Lady Eva and Disco into the medical bay.
I stood there fidgeting as Cockbeater looked them over and telling me Lady Eva would be fine, just a knock on the head. Disco was in bad shape from heat exhaustion and broken ribs from the grate that had fallen on him. I couldn’t take my eyes off my brother laying there on the white table with IV’s in him and a respirator over his face. Cockbeater was doing all he could and gave me a thumbs up after stabilizing Disco. That’s when I slumped to the floor and cried like a baby.
“Panzer…” Lady T’s soft voice whispered to me.
“Yes Mistress?” I said through tears.
“He will be alright you must be strong now for him and me.”
Her voice was trembling and I had never heard that before. It brought be back from my own grief to support my Mistress and the rest of my family.
“Yes Mistress I will be.”
“Good boy,” she breathed deeply as if a weight was taken from her.
“What do I do now Mistress? Garlak and his brother took several crates of rockets from the D.B.S. building and I’m pretty sure his drug is loaded in them.”
“Then we now know how he plans to deliver his agent to the people of Dominion. He will need a place to launch them. Do you know what kind of rockets?”
“Mistress I was a little hurried so know I don’t know what kind exactly. From the glance I did get it appeared to be a medium range rocket. “
Lady Eva stirred from her cot in the medical bay and groaned. Cockbeater went to her and told her to lie down to relax she was safe. She looked at him then me and nodded softly to me. I waved and bowed softly. The image of Lady T that had been hovering near me from the holo-projector turned and regarded Lady Evangeline.
“Please do as Cockbeater asks you Lady Evangeline you’ve had a nasty bump on the head when my boys rescued you.” Lady T said.
“Thank you Lady T.” Lady Evangeline responded.
Cockbeater looked a little surprised as did I that Lady Eva seemed to know who Lady T was.
“Before you rest I must ask you Lady Evangeline if you know what kind of rockets that Garlak took from the sublevel of the D.B.S. building. “ Lady T purred teasingly almost as she spoke.
“Rockets?”
Lady Eva shook her head as if to clear it then her eyes went wide and she gasped. Which brought me to my feet and listened intently, without Disco around I had to focus. Glancing at my brother I resolved then and there that someone would pay for what they did to him.
“Oh God my lab.” Lady Eva cried. “The xr33 experimental rockets, that’s what he wanted from me when the bastard forced that drug on me.”
“What does the xr33 do?” Cockbeater said beating me to the punch for the question of the day.
“They… they aren’t suppose to be military used. I designed them to speed up crop production. For spreading fertilizer or seed themselves. It’s a non explosive rocket that does have a small charge that explodes at a pre set level to spread its payload over a wide even area.”
“What is the range of the xr33?” I asked.
“About three miles with current fuel capacity.”
Looking at Cockbeater I asked the other question of the day. “Is that an effective deliver system for his drug Cockbeater?”
“Yes it would, but the drug is more effective if ingested or breathed in which might explain the airborne quality to the rockets he plans on using. Skin contact will have a slight effect but doesn’t seem to induce the full on control I think he would want.”
“So we tell everyone in Dominion to wear breathing masks for the next few days.” I said “Till we find him and eliminate the rockets and drug.”
“I doubt it Panzer. I have a feeling that even if Garlak used the rockets over the city that it might be covering up what he might really be aiming at.”
“And what might that be Cockbeater.” It dawned on me just as he said it.
“The collective farmlands to the east, supply the City with about forty-five percent of its food supply. That seems like we only have to worry about less than half the city the problem is the food they supply isn’t just things like potatoes and vegetables. They also provide things like corn and grain that gets produced into several things other than food. If he infects the crop even if we prevented anyone from eating it we would have to destroy the entire crop and that could make things very bad in the city anyway.”
“That’s about fifty miles of farmland Cockbeater!”
“I know I know I will get the satellites on it right away.” Cockbeater left the room to his monitors to begin the search.
“Mistress with permission I will begin to search the area as well.”
“No Panzer you must leave that to Cockbeater. With his equipment he can search faster that you can. You are needed here so you can respond quickly to what he finds.”
“But Mistress!” I started.
“Panzer! You will obey me boy. You are still not big enough I can’t put you over my knee.” She hissed at me.
“Yes Mistress” I sighed but sat down. “I hope you feel alright Lady Eva.”
“Yes thank you Panzer. I just need to rest.” She looked over at Disco and sadness crossed her face. “He saved me too didn’t he?”
“Yes Lady Evangeline, that’s my brother Disco.”
“Will he be alright?”
“Cockbeater says he will. I just shouldn’t have left him.”
“Panzer, Disco did what he had to do, as you did. You did the right thing and got Lady Evangeline out of harm’s way.” Lady T purred at me.
“Yes Mistress, thank you Mistress.”
I got up and left, excusing myself as Lady Eva lay down to rest and Lady T gave me permission to go. Walking into the bay I did my best to take my mind off of Disco, the crops, Garlak and how bad I wanted to get my hands around his neck at that moment. I began to occupy myself with reloading The Lady and checking the equipment on her to keep my mind off things.
It had been about two hours since I had left the infirmary. Cockbeater was scanning mile after mile of farmland hoping to spot anything out of place for me to go check out. Lady T had spoken to me now and then telling me Disco was doing alright. I always thanked her and appreciated when she checked in on me. I wanted to know how he was doing. But I couldn’t bring myself to go back and see him on that white table with the things coming out of his arms and the machine supplying him with oxygen.
Lady T has just given me another update and her image had just flickered out from The Lady’s console when I reached under the seat to get the rag I had dropped while cleaning The Lady. Something glinted at me and picking it up it was Disco’s communication medallion. If must have fallen off when I was taking him out to get him to the infirmary. Thinking he would like to have it when he woke up I wrapped it around my hand and slid out of The Lady into the bay. Steeling myself for having to see him again in that terrible condition I began to head to the door that would take me inside.
I stopped about half way there. Was that static? I looked around and listened. Taking another step I heard it again. Yes it was static and it was coming from the medallion. Was Cockbeater forgetting Disco was unconscious in the infirmary? Or did he suspect I had it and was trying to reach me. But why, he saw me go into the bay he could just use the intercom or the communications inside The Lady to contact me. Gently I took the medallion and pushed the transmit button.
“This is Panzer; Reception garbled just picking up static. Retransmit.”
There was a burst of static then a click. I waited not knowing what was going on. Then a voice that sounded familiar but I couldn’t place it spoke.
“Luxembourg Road, Pay phone outside of Leather n Lace Cinema. 8pm”
“What?” I said back. “Who is this?”
“Luxembourg Road, Pay phone outside of Leather n Lace Cinema. 8pm. don’t be late”
There was another click and burst of static and I stood there dumbfounded. What was going on and how did they isolate the communication signal. I looked at the clock it was 7:42pm already. I might get in trouble but I had to take the chance. I ran to my bike that I kept in the bay and hopped on. Roaring to life I hit the gas and had to duck under the rising bay door as I shot out onto the streets.
“Panzer where are you going?” Cockbeater asked me in my helmet.
“Can’t say at the moment no time, you need to change the communication codes I think someone was able to hack them.”
“Uhh well okay but what the hell do I tell Mistress?”
“Tell her I will accept whatever punishment she might give me but I have to do this! Panzer out.”
I flew through traffic and red lights. Thank goodness I was lucky and a Fem Dom Cop didn’t see me or I would have a heck of a time trying to explain that the voice from the pretty little medallion told me to be at the Leather n Lace Cinema at 8pm. I’m sure the first thought would be pervert, then deciding if they should cuff me or if I would just like that too much. Laughing to myself I thought probably the latter.
I nearly took out the dang phone booth when I roared up on it. Barely stopping an inch from it, the phone inside was already ringing. Jumping off and grabbing it hurriedly I shouted into the receiver.
“I’m here! I’m here! This is Panzer.” I shouted.
“Good, I know what you’re looking for and I know where to find it.”
“What exactly am I looking for?”
“Rockets”
I paused and looked around not seeing anything out of place I took a deep breath. “Who are you?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
“What is this going to cost me?”
“Nothing”
“So why are you helping me?”
“Simple I don’t believe in it anymore.”
“What?”
“I suggest you have a look at 2314 Maple Leaf Rd. There is a rather interesting hill on that property. Make sure you look under rocks.”
“Rocks… what?”
There was a click and the phone was silent. I looked around again trying to see anyone that might look out of place but I knew I didn’t have time. I had to get back to the Pet-Retreat and get Cockbeater to look at 2314 Maple Leaf Rd. I leapt back on the bike and roared back to the Pet-Retreat even faster than when I hurried to get the call.
The darken figure in the alley watched as Panzer boy got back on his bike and roared back down the street. The trench coat and hat made him blend in well with the alley and the town’s people far better than his normal attire. Granted he wasn’t a fool. Dangling at his side was the blade he carried and the baldric that held it was snug against his shoulder under the coat. After a few moments he looked about at the people walking along the street and turned to walk into the darkness of the city with his hands clasped behind him. Turning along the next road he passed under a street lamp and before getting into the black sedan that was waiting for him. He only had one thought as he settled inside.
“Forgive me brother, but you shouldn’t have tried to kill her.”
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