35. Cartoon Heroes

I was in the middle of a phone call to eastern India when someone knocked on my door again.

I said in an irritated voice, "Come in, what is it?"

The door opened, and I continued to speak about a gig with the local operations manager. There was a nasty facility that produced super bugs potentially harmful to humans, and he was not sure if we were involved. I was trying to come up with a plan to inform and possibly take action. As I thought about the situation, I lifted my gaze when the smell of passionfruit wafted up to my nose.

Number one came and sat opposite me, listening as I asked a few more questions and wrote down what I needed to know. I realized it was up to the council—meaning me, Wulfe, Alaric, Dexter, Higgins, Murdock, Magnum, Dresden, Constantine, Jarod, and Miss Parker—to decide. I was trying to remember if Nice Sarks still had excellent facilities in India. They could be one option, but I wasn't sure yet. I ended the call.

Number one said, "Not a good place to have that sort of facility. It should be a priority and done with ensure utmost medical security so those bugs do not spread."

I grunted and said tersely, "What do you want?"

He looked at the cribs; the twins were still sleeping.

I said, "Yeah, they are yours, but there's no need to trouble yourself with them. I can handle them."

My voice and demeanor were not nice, as I was busy as hell and I had no time to entertain this individual. I was now The flea, not Mimi, and flea does not like to be bothered by anything irrelevant. My people know it way too well.

Damon looked at me and said, "Mariella told me about corruption at those places. Do you have something to convince me with more than just a few pictures?"

I looked at him and said, "You are a civilian. I'm not sharing this information with you. You need to go through our acceptance process, and then we can discuss it further. But we are not going to take action, at least not yet. I'm busy."

He remarked, "You are, and you could use some help too."

To which I rolled my eyes and said, "Now, cut to the chase. If you want in, truly in, then you need to say it and go through this process. It takes something from a little over two weeks to a month, depending on your performance."

His gaze landed on the mark on my neck where number four had tagged me.

He said softly, "You know, baby, you belong to me. That tag will go away soon enough. I will make you part of the pack, and then we will have a wedding and a vampire wedding as well."

I said tersely, "I belong to no one. You should start to learn that being in a relationship is not about owning, but about being mutual. Besides, I am crazy busy as so many missions are about to happen, so I have no time for social calls. It is up to you to believe what Mariella showed you, but your little buddy is actually a guy called Ben Voss. You can check him out."

He was silent for a while and then said, "Yeah, I want in. Set me and number two up."

I sent a message to Jarod, who said it was my turn. Not again. Fine. I could take care of this right here and right now.

I said to him, "Fine, let's do this right now and right here. You want some coffee?" 

He nodded. I took my phone, my work phone, and sent a message to Mariella that she could send number two to my office and bring a few thermoses of coffee. I will do the initial interview here. Soon my door opened and number two walked in. He went straight to cribs, and number one stood up too, and went to see little ones.

A little while later, Mariella brought a cart full of food and five thermoses full of coffee.

She said, "Jarod said that I should see one of this sort of interview. So I know what and how to do this when I am ready." 

I nodded. Damons stroked my babies, causing them to wake up and start to fuss. Both of them picked one up and shushed them. I noticed my babies' eyes gleaming happily violet as these living magic batteries had just picked them up.

Mariella said, as she had looked at them, "They are siphons and they are more than happy to get some oomph out of you two, so just for you to know."

Soon, the babies were put back in their cribs. Both of Damon came to sit on my sofa while I remained in my seat. We had some coffee and sandwiches. For me, there was a big pile of meat.

Number two said, "You should eat much more, Skeleton, but fret not, we will be here soon. I will take care of you, as always."

I asked them, "Why do you want to be part of the fleas?"

I let my pretender side out, and Mariella did the same. I could feel it, but these two had not yet tapped into that part.

Number one said, "I belong here. This is where I should have been, by your side, as your mate, as your husband. You need me; this operation needs more, much more than just you."

Mariella said, "So you are doing this out of love, but is it your true motivation? Speak up. Why?"

Damon looked at her sharply and said, "It feels right, so damn right. I am a savior too, a healer, and somehow the mere knowledge that I have been used as a pawn to torture the innocent makes me feel so damn dirty. This is the way."

Mariella looked at number two and said, "And you? Why do you want to be part of this?"

Number two said, "Because I have always been jealous of Mimi being the leader of this. It was supposed to be me and her, but it never worked out. I have a chance now, and I take it. You, my darling, are an inspiration. You showed us that change is possible. You are truly Mimi number two."

Mariella smiled and said, "My name is Princess, actually; it suits, right?"

Number one said, "I have not yet thought of a name for myself."

I remarked dryly, "If you want Magnum to name you, it will probably be sloppy, but that might already be reserved for nine or ten. Oh, I want to hear a little of what you like when Magnum works you over properly."

Number two said, "I can fight; it's not hard. Magnum is human, so don't think, baby, that your precious Magnum is any resistance to us."

I just smiled. Their arrogance was right on point, but it was about to shake off.

I said, "Of course. You will have a week or show with Murdock so he can see your shooting skills and let's say that he likes to rip me a new one as well, so he gives no mercy. Then it is time to meet Jarod and talk with him, and this time there is no me to be flanked, so you have to talk with him. He can teach you all things pretender if you behave. As you see. Mariella has been with Jarod, he has taught her some and she is a pretender, uses her power as it should." 

Number one said, "Fine, I can talk with Jarod, but baby, I am an old strong telepath, so he might not get much out of me."

Mariella said, "Damon, please, keep up that attitude and you will learn quite bitter lessons of humility. Even I can read you. I know what to seek, so you are like an open book."

Number two looked at her and said, "Oh please darlin' enlighten us." 

Mariella said, "Number one seems bored and not taking this seriously. He believes this is just a formality and is feeling superior in this situation. Just like you, both of you most likely want to take revenge on those who fooled you."

I nodded and said, "Well said, Mariella knows her stuff. One doesn't have to be a mind reader but a pretender to understand you two. You might not want to be involved after a few encounters with Magnum or Murdock."

We enjoyed more coffee and had fun discussing different scenarios with these two. When they were unaware of our protocols, their ideas didn't really work out. I messaged Magnum that these two were available. To my surprise, he replied he was coming over and might start working with them soon. He mentioned he would be in my office soon enough.

I said, "Magnum is free and coming over, so if you two are free, he might work with you again."

Both of them just grunted. I focused on my email again, waiting for Magnum. I was surprised when my office door opened, and both Magnum and Wulfe stepped in, along with Alaric.

Wulfe glanced at my notes on the India facility and said, "No need for council, this is a must-do. Ric, check this out, it's in India. Unicorn was considering involving good sarks, but those bugs might be too dangerous to save."

Alaric took my notebook and laptop with my open email, looking irritated at the number of messages I had.

He said, "Don't worry, I will take care of these messages. And babies as well."

Magnum looked at me sharply and said, "Hummingbird, it's time to unload you."

I sighed, feeling irritated and not in the mood. My rage was about to boil over, and I didn't want to vent.

Wulfe said to me, "This is a must, Unicorn. You come with your own feet, or else I'll use my magic, but this is happening."

His voice was sharp enough to make Damons look at him.

I ran my hand through my hair, stood up, and said, "Fine, I'm fine. There's no need for that, but soon you'll see it."

Magnum said to Mariella, "You too, princess. This is a must. You should see this. Boys, follow me."

He referred to Salvatores as "boys," which made me smirk.

We went to the gym, which was in the basement and equipped with various machines to measure strength and accuracy.

Magnum told the Damons, "There's a dressing room. Go change and come back. I'll unload Hummingbird first, so you can also see this."

I did not bother to change, but Magnum threw me a bag, my gym attire, so I and Mariella went to change into suitable clothes. Mariella was quiet. She really did not know what this was all about. I walked to the mat. Wulfe and Magnum both were ready.

Magnum said to me, "Fine, come on hummingbird, show me, you have now audience, show me just how good you are, how fast and accurate."

I attacked. He did not use zip ties, but just tasers, kicks, hits, and taunts. My mood got sourer. I could see salvatores looking at us. Mariella too. I was trying to keep my mind focused, but this one knew how to piss me off. Where to hit, so I got mad and really well. Then he up the ante, took Wulfe in this too. He knew too my soft spots and hit sharp hits with his magic. It was not easy to fight against these two. I had to use my rage. Focus, on it, and use it to fuel my hits, keeping my focus fully on it. Trying not to listen as both of them taunted me. Worked me over. It took a few hours at least and then Wulfe just hit me one good hit and I was out like a light. 

Damon looked quite amazed as Magnum and Wulfe really worked Mimi over. She was furious pretty soon, but these two knew where to hit, and how much to piss her off, just in the right way for her to start using her rage, focus herself, and unload her rage. After a little over four hours, Wulfe hit her once, and she fell boneless heap onto the ground, fully limp and out cold. Wulfe just lifted her up. She was unconscious and Wulfe carried her to another room. Damon was now a little less sure about his superiority, but he was more than ready to show Magnum.

Mariella said, "So, wow, they truly worked her over. Will she be fine? That hit was strong. It knocked her out cold."

Number two grunted. Magnum looked at them and said. "Come on boys, let's play, me and Wulfe versus you two. Let's see what happens."

Salvatores walked up to the mat. Magnum hit fast, same time Wulfe hit them with magic. Making their movements slower, Damon focused on getting rid of this curse, and Magnum hit him straight in the sternum, causing him to fall back. Number two tried to kick Wulfe, only to get a sharp hit from Magnum's taser to his back. 

It did not take long for Magnum and Wulfe to work these two over to the point that they were their rage fully out, sloppy as hell, and soon always onto the ground. Magnum was sneering at them, taunting them about just how sloppy they were. Mariella saw it too. But she said nothing. It was an excellent lesson for these two and start if they would want to take this challenge.

Wulfe was damn fast and accurate with his magic. It was almost looking like he was just lazily conjuring some spell and hitting Salvatores with it. Those two fought for three hours and then Magnum walked to sit. Wulfe too.

He said, "You two boys are sloppy as possible and so damn easy marks, but you two have a lot of unloading to do, so if you have it, what it takes? I can continue to work you over. I bet you feel the difference in yourselves."

Number one stood up, rubbed his ribs, grunted, and said, "Yeah, I feel this in my body alright. You are one nasty bastard."

Magnum smirked and said, "One must try its best. I have unloaded hummingbird for decades so I know what I am doing. You don't, and as you saw, she does not want to unload when she is about to burst. So it is up to me to sense it. Unload her." 

Magnum looked at Mariella and said, "Well princess, let's play, come on, time to show what you can do. I am not unloading you, but you have to perform."

Mariella walked up to the mat. Magnum showed the move, there was the result, how hard he hit, and Mariella had to do the same. She hit now almost as fast and as strongly as Magnum. Damons were looking at that. Then they came too. Tried to hit, and kick, but did not get it done as they should, not before Magnum taught them.

Wulfe had gone somewhere at some point and Damon just thought by passing that he might have gone to check on Mimi. He now needed to do better. To show this goddamn Magnum that he was as good as or better than him. And he swore to himself that one day he would be the one unloading Mimi on the gym. Because that had looked like actually quite a fun thing to do. Plus, he could suck her rage same time. Have a good meal too. He had gotten the feast when she had fought against those two. With her rage burst open, but then she got it under control and used it.