We set up the surveillance equipment in various places, innocuously of course, and went back to the shuttle. I had debated over staying at a hotel so that we would be close by when the opportunity arose to assault the business, then decided to utilize the hover car option for the quick getaway and the shuttle's built in bunks for sleeping in. Monna was quite happy that we were using her, too.

“You guys rest and I'll keep watch.” Monna said and soft music started to play over the intercom speakers. “Don't worry about anyone approaching without you knowing about it. I've got my sensors running at a hundred and ten percent.”

“Don't burn them out.” I said and laid down on a bunk wearing my nightgown. “Or are you doing the same trick your mom did?”

“She knows so much!” Monna exclaimed. “A lot of it I can't use, since I'm just a cargo shuttle; but, she taught me how to adapt some of it.”

“I'm glad.” I said and yawned. “Wake us in the morning.”

“You got it.” Monna said and reduced the lighting to darken the shuttle's insides. She had already polarized the viewscreen on the cockpit to make it look almost solid while Simone and Jelly had changed for bed. I had changed in the cargo area. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” The three of us responded.

I closed my eyes and used several mental techniques to relax and to stay alert, then went to sleep. After about an hour, my bunk moved slightly and I felt someone climb into it with me. I opened my eyes and wasn't surprised to see Simone as she slid over me and laid down next to the wall, then she cuddled into me.

“I thought you didn't like my nightgown.” I whispered.

“It's horribly funny.” Simone whispered back, then gave me a kiss. “I love you enough to ignore it.” She smiled. “Just this once.”

I shook my head. “Go to sleep.”

Simone gave me another kiss and then fell asleep almost right away.

The morning came and there were no incidents, walk-bys, or even overhead flights. Apparently, overnight was a very quiet time for nearly the entire city. That was essential info to have, especially if we had wanted to sneak in. We would be the only people moving around during the quiet times and that would have gotten us easily caught.

We watched the surveillance footage and waited for the right opportunity, then decided that when the workers all moved and entered the building during the city's shift change, would be the best time to enter the building and begin the assault. We changed into the appropriate clothing to match them and then took the hover car.

Simone landed the hover car at a discrete distance and we easily weaved ourselves into the flow of people. We had timed our movements perfectly, because when we reached the building, we were a part of the last group entering and the doors shut and locked behind us, just like they had at the first place. As soon as they did, both Simone and I activated the cone broadcast options on out belt mechanisms and covered the entire lobby. About thirty people dropped dead a moment later and left us as the only ones standing.

“We've only got ten seconds to get to the security booth.” Simone said and jumped over the security desk instead of going through the detector and I followed her across the lobby and into the side door. The layout was the same as the other business, so we knew exactly where to go. Their planning for making everything familiar for their workers, no matter where they were sent, had done us a favor.

We entered the security booth and I used the 'gun' to kill the two men at the console and stored their bodies. Simone sat down and did some quick typing and put the security footage into a repeating loop of a few seconds. While she worked, I popped off my broadcast emitter for an area effect and quickly plugged it into their intercom system. I was surprised at how ridiculously easy it was, then looked at Simone.

“It's done.” Simone said and I hit the button.

Everyone inside the building died a moment later and none of it was seen on the security footage.

“I'll need a minute to load the previous day's cleared lobby to add it to today's footage.” Simone said. “If we're doing the ghost town thing, you need to clear out the rest of them.”

“I'll loot them as I do.” I said and left the booth to get to work. I had brought extra bags of holding just in case there were more people than we had guessed there would be. It took three hours for me to pilfer everyone and then store their bodies, then I went back and gave the relevant things to Simone.

“Ooo. Nice.” Simone said as I handed her the boss' security key card. “Give me half an hour to break the pin number and...”

“Flip it over.” I said with a grin.

“No!” Simone exclaimed. “He wasn't that stupid, was he?”

I waved at it and she turned it over, then she laughed.

“He was! Hahahaha!” Simone guffawed and easily used the information to access the main computer banks. “Oh... oh, Hunter.” She said in reverence as the information appeared on the screen. “I want you to make love to me while we copy all of this!”

“Simone...”

“I don't care about your policy of distraction!” Simone said and quickly set up the recorder. “This... this will...” She shook her head and pulled off her skirt and then her underwear. “We're going to be here all day getting everything he had access to. Everything!”

“We can't...”

“It's not a distraction if we're not doing anything else.” Simone said and kissed me, then she opened my pants up to discover that I was ready for her. “Yes, your body understands.” She said and climbed up on me while I stood there, then she eased herself down onto me. “He has access to their... direct accounts... and... and their... recruitment policies.” She panted as she moved. “Oh... oh... it's a treasure trove...”

I didn't move or try to help her at all as she pleased herself.

“He has... orders from... key people for... assassinations.” Simone breathed, then she climbed off, turned around and eased herself back onto me, then used the chair as leverage and moved herself forward and back. “Both... current and... future... OH!”

I watched the information on the screen as she shuddered and dropped her head to the chair.

“Oh, Hunter! We've got them!” Simone said, her voice full of passion. “We have the leverage to force The Order to ignore us!”

My eyes caught one particular assassination order as it slowly scrolled down the screen and my anger rose. I didn't know if Simone had set it up that way or if it was just random chance; but, Emari's name was there with the camp number she had been in, then beside it was 'disposable'.

I grabbed Simone's hips and I took my frustration and anger out on her as I fucked her. Hard. We weren't having sex and I wasn't making love to her. I used her as an object and she knew what I was doing, and she was okay with that. When I was done twenty minutes later, I was filled with regret and let her go, then I stumbled back and leaned against the wall, then I slid down to sit on the floor.

“Hunter.” Simone said and I couldn't look at her. “HUNTER!”

I blinked my eyes and looked up at her. I could see the blossoming bruises on her body where I had been much too rough with her and tears came to my eyes.

“NO!” Simone yelled and slapped me across the face as hard as she could to get my attention, then she straddled my lap and pressed her very sore and bruised crotch to mine. “You needed that.” She said and her hands held onto the sides of my head, so I would keep looking at her. “I love you and I gave you what you needed... what you wanted.”

“Simone, I... I don't...” I tried to express what I felt about what I just did to her.

“You would have wrecked the place if you didn't have me to take your anger out on.” Simone said.

“You... you knew I...”

“I suspected it would hurt you to see what her actual status would be.” Simone said. “I'm just glad that all you did was give our future children headaches.”

I heard what she didn't say about actually hitting her. “I would never...”

“I know, Hunter.” Simone leaned in and kissed me. “You know, it felt really wonderful while it was happening.” She caressed my face on both sides. “You completely let yourself go and gave me everything you had. Your anger, your frustration, your disappointment, and your body.” She gave me another kiss for several moments. “You gave me it all.”

I closed my eyes and used several mental techniques to calm down. “Simone, I...” I started to say I was sorry and she gave me another kiss to stop me. “I can't heal you until we leave here.”

“I brought a med-kit with me.” Simone said and looked down at where our crotches touched. “I don't think there is a medical gel pack that can fit between my legs as well as you do.”

I let out a long sigh. “Simone...”

“Hunter, I told you a long time ago that I would do anything to be with you.” Simone said. “Distracting you with some angry sex is the least I can do for you.”

“Good lord, Simone.” I said, barely above a whisper.

“I love you.” Simone said and leaned forward to press her forehead to mine. “Even when you're being an asshole and can't control yourself, I love you.” She said and I could feel her flowing through my mind and I didn't stop her. “I know you love me, too.”

“Of course I do.” I said as I gazed into her eyes. “Why else would I feel bad about what I just did?”

Simone chuckled. “Well, let me just...” She shifted herself a little and then let out a gasp as she sat down onto my lap properly. “...feel it again.”

I grabbed her hips and then very gently moved her up and down. She started panting right away and stared back at me.

“F-faster.” Simone whispered.

“No.” I said and kept the same pace. “I took advantage of your compliance last time. This time I'm staying in complete control.”

Simone shivered at my words and didn't try to push me at all as we had sex again. It took us a while to finish, which was good, because when we were done and I had expertly applied the proper medical gel packs to Simone's bruises, it had given the recording equipment time to get everything. We packed everything up and removed all traces of us being there, set the looped footage to end after we left, routed any incoming calls to prerecorded 'we are out of the office' messages, then we went to the front door and waited for the shift change at the power regulation plant.

When the streets started to fill with people, we left the building and walked all the way back to the hover car, then flew it back to the shuttle. I was tempted to retrieve our hidden surveillance devices, then decided that we could leave them and see how long it actually took for someone to physically show up.

“Hey, you two.” Jelly said with a smile as we parked the hover car into the hold. “How did it go?”

I opened my mouth to apologize for breaking my policy and Simone covered my mouth.

“It went exactly according to plan.” Simone said. “We even acquired new data that's going to help us immensely with taking the rest of the places down.”

“That's great!” Jelly said and the three of us went to the cockpit. “I've booked a quick visit at a tourist group partway across the planet.”

“Oh, nice.” Simone said as Jelly brought the information up on her console, then she frowned. “There's no way we're climbing that thing.”

I looked over her shoulder at the half-mile high spiral staircase around a mountain peak. “Are you sure?” I asked. “It looks kind of fun.”

“The people living in the town at the top have an elevator.” Simone said. “The staircase is for tourists.”

“Which is what we are.” I said, and she sighed.

“Okay, fine. I'll go.” Simone said. “But, you're carrying me.”

Jelly chuckled. “You poor baby!”

“I'm not made for climbing things like that.” Simone said.

“I think she meant me, because I'm stupid enough to actually carry you.” I said and they both laughed.

We landed nearby in the designated area, joined up with the tourist group, then spent the rest of the day climbing up to the top of the staircase. When we arrived at the top, we were greeted with fanfare, yells and hugs, then we were given a little necklace with a pendant that said we had made the climb.

“Simone shouldn't get one.” Jelly said with a grin. “Hunter carried her.”

“I still made the journey and got to the top.” Simone said and held a hand over the pendant, as if someone was going to take it from her.

“Come! Come!” A woman, who might even be the mayor, said to the group we were in. “You have a nice stay in our best hotel to enjoy.”

“It's their only hotel.” Simone whispered and Jelly snorted a laugh.

We went with everyone and it was a nice hotel. We only needed one room, despite my protest, and we all changed for bed. Simone wore a slinky negligee and Jelly wore a t-shirt and a pair of what looked like bikini bottoms.

“Make sure you keep your hands to yourself.” Jelly warned me.

“You do realize that Simone can grope you as well, right?” I asked.

“Yes, but she would be playing and that's okay.” Jelly said and climbed into bed.

“Ooo.” Simone said and climbed in after her, then Jelly let out a little squeal.

“Hey!” Jelly turned around and frowned. “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

Simone lifted her wet finger to her mouth and licked it. “You said playing with you is okay.”

“I... I didn't mean...” Jelly's face flushed red. “You... can keep your hands to yourself, too.”

“Aww.” Simone said, then used her other hand to cup the side of Jelly's face. “If you change your mind, you know where I am.” She leaned forward and gave her a chaste kiss. “Right beside you.”

“Now who is the one not reading the mood?” I asked and climbed into bed behind Simone.

“All right, I'll be good...” Simone said and turned around to face me, then before I could react, she stuck her still wet finger in my mouth and rubbed it on my tongue. “...from now on.”

Jelly saw what she did and caught her breath, then her face burned bright red and she turned around and pulled the blanket up to her neck.

“Simone...” I started to say after she took her finger out of my mouth.

“Goodnight.” Simone said gave me the same chaste kiss she gave Jelly, then closed her eyes.

I let out a sigh and closed my eyes as well. The night passed and we got up the next morning, and none of us mentioned the night before. We met up with the tour group and ate breakfast, then we were led to the large elevator and rode it down to the base of the mountain. We went back to the cargo shuttle and climbed aboard.

“Strap in. Monna and I will have us back up on the ship in no time.” Jelly said.

I reached a hand out to place it on Jelly's shoulder. She turned her head to give me a knowing look and opened her mouth to ask me a question, then she turned back to the console to finish the flight preparation.

“I already warned Monna that leaving atmosphere isn't anywhere near as exciting as entering it.” Jelly said. “There shouldn't be so many moaning sounds coming from her on the way out. Maybe.”

Simone laughed and pat the console. “It's okay, Monna. Sometimes a nice slow insertion and exit is just what you need after a hard one.”

“I won't get my hopes up.” Monna said, and yet we all heard that she did hope she would enjoy it.

“Jelly, take us up.” I said and the shuttle lifted up slowly, flew forward to join the surrounding sparse traffic of the other tourists leaving, then reached a point just outside the no orbital flights zone and added power to Monna's engines.

“I've already been cleared for my flight path to orbit.” Jelly said and followed the set course. The winds buffeted us quite a lot and Monna did her best to not let her enjoyment show. It took us nearly twenty minutes to get back up to orbit and Jelly landed us in the shuttle bay on Adona.

“Welcome back.” Adona said. “Monna, you did great.”

“It was fun!” Monna said. “Even the slow exit was something I've never felt before!”

“We've got a lot more stops along the way, so you're going to be an expert in orbital insertions by the time we're done.” Jelly said and pat her console. “Right now, I'm going to give you a good checking over and see if we stressed anything.”

“Sounds good.” Monna said. “I think there's a bit of grime built up on one of the air intakes on my thrusters.”

“I'll check them first.” Jelly said and we all left the cargo shuttle.

“Thanks for the ride, Monna.” I said and pat her hull.

“I'm sure it's going to feel just as good each time, so you can ride me as many times as you want, Grandpa!” Monna said happily.

Simone covered her mouth and grabbed my arm, then we went through the hatch at the back of the bay and jogged over to the stairs. When she thought we were far enough away, she burst out laughing.

“We should... tell her more... appropriate ways of saying that!” Simone said between laughs.

“You all enjoy her saying things like that, so it's okay.” I said and put my arm around her as we went up the stairs. “I kind of suspect that if we did try to tell her to change how she says things, it would only confuse her or cause her to second guess everything she says and not just those ambiguous statements.”

“I guess you're right.” Simone said then smiled as she ducked away from me. “Here comes your wife.”

“HUNTER!” Hailey yelled as she ran down the hallway towards us and then she jumped.

I easily caught her and she gave me a kiss. “Hi, Hailey.”

“Did you miss me?” Hailey asked.

“I miss you every time I'm away from you.” I said and gave her another kiss. “What did you do yesterday?”

“Oh! Beatrice let me run covert targeting drills on the nearby ships, satellites, and cargo containers!”

“She did, did she?” I asked and we walked towards the cockpit.

“She said I needed more experience with detecting the changes in the targets, so if a fight ever does break out, I won't be wasting shots.” Hailey said.

“I think I need some practice with that as well.” Simone said with a smile.

“It's pretty hard doing it without alerting the other ships and the guard patrols.” Beatrice said. “Hailey did it properly on her very first try.”

“Way to go, Hailey.” Simone said and held a hand up to her.

Hailey slapped it in a high five. “Thanks!”

“I think we're done here.” I said and looked at the console. “Beatrice, take us out and head for the Lagrange point.”

“Course is already laid in.” Beatrice said with a smile.

“Jump coordinates?” I asked.

“We had them yesterday.”

I nodded, and she took us out of orbit while Hailey described in detail what she did and how she did it.