Chapter 2
Mike stepped out of the closet and noticed that all of his weapons were in a pile on the floor of the closet. He glanced over at the clock on the desk and saw that only fifteen minutes had passed. Cat had told him that would be the case, but it was difficult believe considering that an entire week had passed in Crossroads.
He bent down and picked up his gun belt, badge, wallet, and coins from the floor. It took him a minute to get presentable. Once he was sure that everything was in place, he walked out of the study and into the living room. He looked at Sid recalling the things that Cat had said about him. The very attractive woman in the room had to be his Companion.
Turning to Jim and Bob, he said, "There's nothing here. Get Harry and meet me out at the car. I need to talk to Mr. Jones for a minute."
The other two officers looked at each other with surprised expressions on their faces. Mike was a junior officer on the force and didn't have the authority to tell the two senior officers to leave. Jim asked, "What's up, Mike?"
"I'll explain it later," Mike answered. Wondering what he could say to them that they would believe, he decided that it would be better not saying anything. He rolled back his shirt sleeve to show the scar on his forearm. He had gotten it while on special assignment in Columbia. It seemed that there were some folks that didn't appreciate having their drug crops destroyed. While he rubbed a finger over the scar, he said, "I need to talk to Mr. Jones."
"Sure," Jim said.
Sid had no idea what the scar meant, but he understood that Mike had decided that it was an easy way to get rid of the other officers. Deciding that it would be best to go along with the ruse, he smiled and winked at the two officers. He turned his head to watch Mike with small smile on his face.
Mike waited until the other two officers left the house. Once the door closed, he turned to Sid and said, "Tell me what I just experienced was true."
"I take it you've been to Crossroads," Sid said.
"Yeah."
Cynthia asked, "What does your caretaker look like?"
"She's gorgeous," Mike said walking over to the couch to sit down.
"When will you be going on your adventure?" Sid asked.
"Noon Sunday," Mike answered.
Nodding his head, Sid said, "I'll be here."
"Thanks," Mike said. He looked down at his sapphire ring for a second. He said, "You asked about my ring."
"Yes, I did," Sid answered. He had known as soon as he had seen the ring that Mike was going to end up in Crossroads.
"It was given to my by the first woman that I ever loved two days before she was killed. It is kind of ironic that it would take me to the second woman with whom I've fallen in love," Mike said. Cat was everything that a man could want in a woman. Not only was she smart, she was sexy. He'd never had a woman who was so responsive in bed.
Mike was at his locker changing out of his uniform at the end of shift. Jim called over, "Mike! Are you going to the range Sunday to show the new guy how to shoot?"
"No," Mike answered without looking at Jim. He had forgotten about that.
"No?" Jim asked looking over at Mike surprised by the answer. Mike was always more than happy to show off what a great shot he was with a pistol. They always teased him about being Mr. Bad Ass, but the fact was that Mike was probably the deadliest man he'd ever met.
"I've got plans Sunday," Mike answered as he pulled his shirt off.
"Okay. We're all heading over to the bar for happy hour. Are you going to join us?" Jim said noticing a bruise on Mike's back.
Mike shook his head and said, "No, I'm going over to the dojo tonight."
"Getting back into the martial arts?" Jim asked with a frown. Mike hadn't been the same since the day they answered that call about the woman screaming. It seemed to him that Mike was working out all of the time. The other day, he had discovered that Mike had jogged the ten miles to work rather than drive.
"That's right," Mike said pulling a tee-shirt over his head.
"What's up?" Jim asked.
Mike shook his head. He had sparred with Sid Jones a couple of days earlier and had been handed his ass on a plate. It had been years since anyone had gotten the better of him like that. He answered, "Nothing. I just realized the other day that I was getting out of shape."
"Are you kidding?" Jim asked looking over at Mike. The guy had muscles on top of muscles.
"I've gotten slow," Mike said taking off his trousers.
"You've only been out of the service for a year," Jim said. He didn't know exactly what Mike had done in the service, but he did know that Mike's service records were sealed.
Mike shrugged his shoulders and said, "You know. If you don't use it, you lose it."
Bob came into the changing room and said, "Hey Mike. I was talking to David Lee over in the gym. He was telling me that some guy wiped the floor with you the other day with one of those staffs."
"That's right," Mike replied thinking that he was going to have a long talk with David Lee. Although David Lee was the department's unofficial martial arts trainer, he was basically loud mouthed jerk who shouldn't have been training anyone. David Lee had bought into that whole martial arts is self defense story. Martial arts were the arts of fighting, not defense.
"Who was it?" Bob asked.
"Sid Jones," Mike answered. He pulled on his pants and put his wallet in the back pocket.
"You mean that guy with the screamer?" Bob asked with a laugh. The guy didn't look that tough.
"That's right," Mike answered irritated at the man. He glared at Bob and said, "Cynthia is a friend of mine. Don't talk about her like that."
Jim had locked up Sid's aunt and mother for assault, disturbing the peace, and trespassing. He didn't know too many of the details about the history behind it all, but it didn't bode well when a guy had to get restraining orders against his own relatives. Looking worried, Jim said, "You know that we've gotten a couple of calls to that house in the past."
"Don't worry about him. If anyone is breaking the law, it won't be him," Mike said in a tone of voice that suggested arguing would be a waste of time.
Bob looked at Mike and compared him to what he remembered of Sid. Sid wasn't nearly as muscular as Mike. Confused, he said, "That guy didn't look that tough."
"I have friends that know all about him. There's a lot more there than meets the eye," Mike said. He closed his locker and picked up his gym bag. He looked over at Bob and Jim for a second. They were both watching him with a frown. Knowing that there was nothing he could say that would change their impressions, he said, "I'm off to the dojo."
It was a few minutes before noon Sunday and Mike was pacing around Sid's study. Taking Sid's advice, Mike had changed from his street clothes into a tee-shirt and a pair of exercise shorts. Sid had warned him that he was liable to return from Crossroads wearing nothing but a bathrobe.
Sid was seated in his desk chair looking somewhat amused by the big man's nervousness. He knew the reason why Mike was pacing around like a cat in a cage and it wasn't because he was worried about his adventure. Grinning, he asked, "Worried?"
Mike looked over at the younger man and said, "I can't wait to see Cat."
"I know how you feel," Sid said with a knowing nod of his head. He sighed and said, "I don't know drives me through that gate more: Sally Caretaker or the adventure."
"What is it like on Chaos?" Mike asked.
"I like it there a lot, but it is a dangerous place. You'll be walking around unarmed when you get there. Some of the bad folks will think that makes you weak so you better watch out," Sid said. He was pretty confident that Mike would be able to take care of himself there. His martial arts skills were excellent. Of course, in the artificial world of the dojo there were rules that didn't apply in Chaos. He hoped that his training as a policeman wouldn't prevent him from using the full force necessary to end any confrontations as quickly as necessary.
Mike was well aware of the fact that he would have nothing when he arrived in Chaos the first time. Cat had warned him that he'd have to get armed as soon as possible. He said, "I was thinking I'd try to make a staff."
"Until then, you might want to pick up something that you can use as a club," Sid said. He had made a staff at the first opportunity.
"I can do that," Mike said thinking that it was good advice.
"You're in for one hell of an adventure," Sid said with a grin.
"I hope so," Mike said. He glanced at the clock and saw that there was still a little time before he was to step through the portal. Showing up on a new world with absolutely nothing was intimidating. He wouldn't be able to buy food or weapons. He asked, "What about money?"
"You'll have to work until someone with money attacks you. Don't fool around when it comes to fighting. The winner gets all," Sid said.
"I'd rather work," Mike said.
Sid said, "You might not have a choice about it. Keep your eyes open at all times. The Heroic code says that you don't start a fight, but remaining a Hero requires that you end it. When it comes to fighting, you need to use every advantage that you have. There are no rules or laws. This is nothing dictating what constitutes a fair fight. You can't hold back at all. If the guy's back is turned to you, then that just makes it easier to stab him."
"I'll do that," Mike said.
"You aren't a law enforcement officer on Chaos. You are a warrior. You aren't there to defend yourself. When it comes to a fight, you are in combat for your life," Sid said.
Mike understood exactly what Sid meant. He had been in the situation where fighting had come down to surviving rather than winning. There was a huge difference. He glanced at the clock and said, "It's time."
"Good luck," Sid said.
"Thanks," Mike said as he stepped through the portal in Sid's study. There was a kind of twisting feeling and then he was in the plain white room that he had experienced the first time. Rather than prepare for the unknown, he faced the door anticipating a wonderful reunion with Cat.
It seemed that almost too much time passed before the door swung open. Standing a few paces from the door was Cat. She was wearing a long red gown with huge sleeves that was almost in the style of a Kimono, but the front was open to well below her navel. Her breasts were covered as were her legs. It was an incredibly sexy outfit. Although only a week had gone by, Mike swore that she had gotten even prettier. He stepped forward and said, "Cat."
"My Hero," Cat said moving forward in a graceful flow.
Mike swept Cat up in his arms and kissed her as if they had been separated for months rather than just a week. His passion had the predictable effect on Cat. She nearly came right there in the middle of the room. When he broke off the kiss, he said, "I missed you so much."
"Let's get to the bedroom so that I can show you how much I missed you," Cat said thankful that he was holding her. Her knees were so weak that she didn't think she would be able to stand on her own.
Mike picked her up and carried her off to the bedroom. He was oblivious to the changes that she had made to the apartment. He only had eyes for the beauty in his arms. The dress had opened exposing a breast to view. He shifted her so that he could kiss the hard nipple that jutted up from her pink areole. She moaned as an orgasm washed over her. They hadn't even made it to the bedroom and her hero had already made her come.
In a voice that conveyed the urgency he felt, he said, "You are so beautiful."
"My Hero," she sighed. It was hard for her to believe that any man could desire a woman that much.
Mike laid her on the bed and nearly tore his shirt off trying to get undressed. Cat reached over and pulled his exercise shorts down. As always, the sight of his erection brought of a wave of excitement over her. She would have kissed it and worshiped it except that years of dealing with Cassandra males kept her back.
Mike climbed on the bed and held her. His kisses started frantic, but slowed down once he started exploring her body. The more he explored, the more interested in exploring her he became. The effect on Cat was very different. The more he explored, the more excited she became. What had started out as little orgasms pounding through her like a slowly beaten drum slowly increased in tempo until it reached a crescendo when he kissed her between the legs. Overwhelmed, she locked her legs around his head, squeezed tight, and then lost consciousness.
Mike managed to survive having his head squeezed between her strong thighs. He pulled up and looked down at her unconscious body with a smile. Never in his life had he encountered a woman who gave herself over to the act of sex with such totality of her being. There was nothing held back. In a soft voice, he said, "I haven't even begun to worship your body."
The sight of her hard erect nipple called to him. He bent down and kissed it. Cat was just regaining consciousness and immediately started to come again. Not having any complaints about the situation, she grabbed his head and held it to her breast. She moaned, "This is heaven."
Much to her delight, Cat stayed in heaven for another four hours.
It was a day before Cat and Mike recovered enough to begin preparing for his adventure to Chaos. Cat pointed to the map and said, "There is a Damsel being held in a cave located right here. Three young men saw her in town one day and decided that they wanted her. They kidnapped her and took her off to the cave. They take turns visiting her."
"That's horrible," Mike said.
"She's not in any immediate danger, but the young men tend to get a little abusive when she resists their attentions," Cat said.
Growling, Mike asked, "They're hitting her?"
"Yes," Cat answered. The low growl Mike emitted sent shivers of excitement through her body.
"They aren't ever going to hit another woman by the time I'm done with them," Mike said. His stepfather had beaten his mother until the day that Mike was big enough and strong enough to stop him. At thirteen, Mike had stopped him with a baseball bat. He hadn't killed the man, but there were enough broken bones that it had been years before his stepfather could raise a fist against a woman.
Cat looked over at Mike impressed by his outrage at the treatment of the Damsel. She said, "She's located on the edge of King Sid's domain. The three guys were never slaves or part of the slavers, but they have been influenced by the slaver mindset. As far as they are concerned, she is their property."
"I don't care much for the idea of slavery," Mike said. Cat had told him about the slave war on Chaos and the role that Sid Jones had played in it. The consequences of the era of slavery were still being felt across all of Chaos.
Cat said, "I suggest that you rescue her when they aren't around. She's left chained up when they aren't there. They are gone most of the day and most of the night. They generally spend the evenings at the cave taking turns with her."
"That's not going to stop them from doing that to the next woman they want," Mike said shaking his head.
Worried that he was going to try and deal with all three bad guys at once, Cat said, "I know that, but you are going to Chaos with nothing. You'll have no money or weapons. Play it safe and just grab her and run."
"I'll manage," Mike said.
With tears forming in her eyes, Cat said, "Don't take any chances that you don't have to take. You're my Hero and I don't want you to get killed. I wouldn't want to live if you got killed."
"I won't get killed," Mike said rather surprised by the sudden appearance of tears.
"Please, don't do anything rash," Cat said.
"Okay," Mike said. It bothered him that the three bad guys were going to get away with kidnapping, raping, and beating a woman.
"Promise," Cat said.
"I promise," Mike replied.
"Good," Cat said. She pointed to the map and said, "Once you've grabbed her, you'll have to take her to a town with a bank. I suggest that you head to this town over here. It will take you about five days to get there."
"Why there?" Mike asked looking over the map. It looked to him like there were two towns that were actually closer.
"It is in a direction away from where the three guys live. You'll have an advantage and should be able to get a day's head start on them if you time it right," Cat answered.
"Are you saying that they'll chase us?" Mike asked.
"Definitely. She's the most valuable possession they own. They are going to do everything in their power to get her back," Cat answered.
"So we're going to be traveling through wooded country with three guys chasing us," Mike said.
"That's right," Cat said. She looked over at him and said, "With a day's head start, you should be able to reach the bank before they catch up to you."
"Right," Mike said tracing the route they would have to take with a finger. It looked like it was pretty rough territory. He said, "We're going to have to hunt for food as we travel. That's going to slow us down."
"Well, I was going to suggest that you work at the stables in the town where you'll start your adventure. This area is on the edge of Sid's kingdom. There's a lot of trade moving through that area. They are always short handed at the stables. If you work for a week, you will earn enough to buy a week's worth of supplies," Cat said.
"Okay," Mike said thinking that each day of delay was another day of misery for the Damsel.
"It will also give you a chance to make some kind of weapon," Cat said.
"Okay," Mike said.
Cat said, "Keep a low profile while you're there."
"Sure," Mike said nodding his head absently.
Realizing that he was just trying to placate her, Cat said, "Mike, there is something that you have to understand. The average hero survives less than eight adventures. The first adventure is the most dangerous. The hero has absolutely nothing and knows very little about the customs of Chaos."
"Eight adventures?" Mike asked surprised by the statistic.
"Yes, eight adventures. Only a dozen or so heroes last more than twenty adventures. Chaos is very dangerous. Despite his accomplishments, you have to remember that Sid Jones has only been on four adventures. He was nearly killed during his second adventure. It was a trivial wound, but the blade had been poisoned. He was lucky to escape with his life," Cat said.
"Oh," Mike said. Sid had warned him that Chaos was a dangerous place, but he hadn't mentioned his close call with death.
"Don't take any risks that you can avoid. There will be more than enough dangers there to test you," Cat said. She was afraid that he'd underestimate the dangers and get killed. It was the greatest fear of a Caretaker to have one opportunity to care for a Hero and lose it early because he took unnecessary risks.
"Okay," Mike said. He looked down at the map and traced out the route he would probably have to take. There were a few farmsteads along the route. He asked, "Can I get any help from others?"
"That area has been settled by a lot of people who were once slaves. They don't trust anyone. You'll find that they will be very unlikely to help you. Odds are good that they wouldn't even let you sleep in their barns," Cat answered.
"Sounds friendly," Mike said shaking his head.
"The slave war had some very bad consequences," Cat said. She said, "Almost everyone you meet there will have survived slavery or fought in the slave war. You're going to have to assume that everyone you encounter there is a veteran and knows how to fight."
"It gets better and better," Mike said with a frown.
"The better armed they are, the more dangerous they are. Don't even try to go up against someone with a sword until you have the weapons and training that will give you a fighting chance," Cat said with a worried frown.
Mike said, "I guess I better get ready to go."
Cat shook her head and said, "Not for another week. You've got to learn some of the customs of Chaos before you go. You need to know about the currency. The last thing you want is to insult someone without even knowing what you did."
"I can see the value in that," Mike said.
Cat smiled and said, "Besides, that gives us some more time to get to know each other better."
Grinning, Mike said, "I can really see the value in that."
Mike looked down at Cat taking in the expression on her face. She had just removed his robe and was staring at his cock. In a soft voice, he said, "You can touch it."
She licked her lips as her eyes took in his member. In her opinion, it was the most perfect cock in existence. She wanted to touch it, but her experience with males from Cassandra told her that touching it would cause it to spurt and then wilt. She looked up at him and said, "It is truly magnificent."
Words like that were very good for the ego. He had never had a woman look at his cock with such intensity. It was like she was worshiping it. Mike smiled and said, "You can touch it. It won't break."
Her hand trembled as she reached out to touch it. Deciding that she could live with it wilting, she wrapped her small hand around the shaft. Surprised when nothing happened, she looked up at him and asked, "Aren't you going to spurt?"
"Not yet," Mike answered surprised by the question.
"Really?" she asked with wide eyes.
"Really," he answered. He said, "I'll warn you when I'm ready to come."
She turned her attention to his cock. Running her hands along the length of it, she was amazed that it remained hard. In fact, it seemed to get harder the more she touched it. In her excitement, it was getting hard to breath. Her nipples were so hard that it hurt. She said, "This is a miracle."
"You can do that all day," Mike said enjoying the light tickling sensation her hand was producing.
She looked up at him and asked, "Can I kiss it?"
"Yes," Mike said falling in love with the look on her face. He was surprised when she had an orgasm just by kissing his cock. This was definitely going to be an interesting afternoon.