He nodded, looked at me intently like he was weighing me up, and then said, “I trust your instincts. Think it over, and let me just say this—given your background, there might be a way you can truly help us and prove yourself at the same time. And know that you are welcome here, as long as you can vouch for those on your team.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you.”

  He grinned. “Get some rest.”

  With that, Hadrian walked off, back to one of the other groups. I turned to see Cheri closer than I had expected. She grabbed my arm, and a pout spread across her face.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Threed’s sister. It’s horrible, isn’t it?”

  “Plague?” I was about to shrug, but instead said, “Yeah, terrible.”

  Mer had apparently had enough of the bar scene as well, because at that moment, she cleared her throat. When we all looked her way, she said, “I had two sisters. It’s hitting me now, the memory of them. I kept seeing one of them in my mind but didn’t remember who she was until the talk of sisters came up. I think I missed some of the details of what happened on Abaddon, but… not important.”

  “It’s not something we should rehash, anyway,” Erupa said.

  Mer nodded, getting it. “I have to wonder if my sisters are out there looking for me, you know? Or…”

  Sorrow gripped her along with anxiety. She had to be wondering if they were back on Abaddon, left behind to die in the explosion, maybe. I put an arm around her, running my hand up and down on her arm in a comforting gesture.

  “One of these tents was for us, right?” Cheri asked.

  “Tents?” I looked around at the metal structures. “An odd term for whatever these are.”

  “Actually, I asked about that before entering the bar,” Mer interjected, indicating one a couple of rows off. “That one over there, and I already checked it out. It’s not bad.”

  “Feeling sleepy?” I asked Cheri.

  She shrugged. “Like we could use some privacy, anyway.”

  I looked around for signs of Breaker and the others, but they seemed occupied, so I nodded and followed the ladies to our so-called tent. Apparently, they had been at this for a while or had a super who specialized in comfort, because it was equipped with several cots and a few cushioned seats. Not what I had expected.

  “So, where do we fit into all this, exactly?” Mer asked, taking a seat.

  “I know where Ezra could fit,” Cheri said seductively, running her tongue along her lip.

  “By Oram, do you ever turn off?” Tink laughed. “I’m not putting you down, just really want to know.”

  Cheri thought about this for a moment, then shook her head.

  “I hate to admit it, but I might be a bit tired,” I said, lying on one of the cots. It wasn’t extremely comfortable, but I had slept on worse. At Cheri’s look of betrayal, I held up a hand. “Not too tired, I mean, I wouldn’t say no, just… sharing my truth.”

  She laughed, straddling me and starting to undo her top. “Hey, doesn’t mean we can’t cuddle naked.”

  My eyes found Mer, who watched with curiosity. Before, she would have looked away with shyness, but that seemed to have faded. When Cheri was nude and started to remove my clothes, too, I lay there, watching, the others watching too.

  Mer bit her lip as Cheri pulled off my underwear, eyes going wide and hunger taking over. Cheri lowered herself beside me, barely fitting with me on the cot so having to overlap me, her leg covering my crotch.

  Mer came and knelt beside us, eyes on mine. “This team… am I part of it?”

  “Yes,” I replied, the question not casting the slightest shadow of doubt. Since the rest of the women didn’t say anything and their emotions didn’t show any negativity toward my answer, I assumed that they agreed.

  “Thank you.” Her hand moved, hesitated, and then went to Cheri’s leg, where it lingered.

  Cheri moaned, and then laughed. “I think our little friend is looking to bring this to the next level.”

  “Meaning me, or his cock?” Mer asked.

  “Oh, I never refer to his cock as ‘little.’” Cheri sat, nudging my cock with her hand, though it wouldn’t rise fully. Damn, I must really be tired. When she saw this, she took Mer’s hand in her own, then guided it between her legs. “Maybe we let him rest, hmmm?”

  Mer seemed to like this, her finger caressing Cheri, and I started to get hard as I watched.

  “Now he responds,” Cheri said with a chuckle.

  “Maybe he’ll like this even more, then,” Mer said and pulled Cheri over me, had her sit at the edge of the cot, and then buried her face between the woman’s legs. She was right. It was hot as hell.

  A knock came at the door, then, and a second later Letha poked her head in.

  “Oh…” Letha said, but didn’t look away. The ladies didn’t stop, but Erupa came over to me and sat so that, I imagined, her head blocked the view of my cock.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  She met my gaze, then chuckled. “You all waste no time, huh?”

  “I’ve heard you aren’t exactly innocent.”

  “Not in the slightest.” She took a breath, then entered, making this even more awkward. “I wanted to say thanks again, you know, for everything back there.”

  “This is sort of a team-only event,” Tink said still standing, leaning against a wall. “In case there was any question about that.”

  “Oh, I’m not here to join in. Simply… I don’t know, it’s weird here, all these supers—and then there’s me. Right? It’s overwhelming.”

  “We’re supers, too,” I pointed out, glancing around for my clothes but not seeing where Cheri had tossed them.

  “Yeah, but you’re different. I’ve known you longer—slightly. Anyway…” She turned to watch as Cheri started moaning, gripping Mer’s hair and taking control. “Right. I better go—think my team’s going to have seconds.”

  I laughed. “That was all? Letha, you’re as badass as any of these supers. Don’t forget that.”

  She paused in the door, said, “Thanks,” and then went on her way.

  “No boundaries, huh?” Erupa said, laughing, and then turned to see that I was still erect. She eyed the two ladies, then Tink, and said, “On the topic of seconds,” before bowing down and taking me in her mouth.

  I closed my eyes, letting it happen and enjoying the moment. At some point I was aware of Tink joining in, and maybe one of them was riding me. I think I climaxed and was pretty sure they both did, but honestly, sleep was taking me as it hadn’t in a long time.

  There was kissing, some dreams, and then I was up, staring at all of the ladies as they sat around me, trying not to laugh.

  “What?” I said. “What is it?”

  Cheri put a hand to her mouth, then laughed. “You were talking in your sleep.”

  “Oh?”

  “Something about licking it up, slurping up our pussy juice.”

  “Bullshit.” I sat up, realizing I was likely blushing. “I didn’t.”

  Erupa nodded. “You did, and it was hot. You should try talking dirty like that more when you’re awake.”

  I laughed, finally spotting my clothes and grabbing them. “We’ll see.”

  Cheri perked up, eyes going to the door. “They’re back.” As if that was enough, she sat and started fastening her top to hide her beautiful breasts, much to my chagrin.

  “Who?” I asked, dressing. “What?”

  “Breaker and Drew and their teams. They were fighting the enemy, and now they’re back.”

  “Shit, while we were sitting on our thumbs?” I laughed. “Now I feel like a dick.”

  “No, Lilly says it was a training exercise of sorts, anyway.” Cheri picked up her sword, kissed the bear, and sheathed the blade. The action earned a confused look from Mer, but she would figure us out eventually, I imagined.

  The rest of us dressed and headed out, and soon encountered the others standing in a semi-circle and discussing plans.

  Letha nodded our way, and there was the man who, from his looks, I knew had to be Drew. He had a slight resemblance to Breaker but was clearly the jock of the two. Taller, buffer, his head cleanly shaved, the man looked every bit the Marine, every bit of what I imagined he would look like.

  Breaker was saying, “I suppose you’re going to point us in the right direction?”

  “If there is a right direction,” Hadrian replied, then turned to me as if waiting to see what I had figured out.

  “Actually…” I faced him, looking over the brothers, as well as Trunk, Letha and their teams. “We’ve been talking. Maybe we can’t face the Nihilists so well, but they have others coming with them, and not only for Earth.”

  “Not only that,” Erupa said, “but the super back there was talking with Hadrian before our arrival, and they agreed there’s a need to have someone infiltrate Ranger’s networks. Find out who was working with him, for him… all of that.”

  I looked forward to this. “I’m going to infiltrate my old bounty hunter system, try to find out who they’re putting marks on, and work backwards. In the process, we can try to track the others down. Begin to eradicate their forces, as much as we’re able.”

  “It’s not a bad idea,” Lamb said.

  Hadrian nodded, and glanced over at Drew. “What do you say, Elder?”

  Drew blinked, apparently still not used to being addressed like this, but nodded. “I believe that’s smart. You all can help avoid slaughter from all sides, where possible.”

  “It’s agreed, then.” Hadrian turned to address us all. “Breaker and his team will go in search of the Shadow Mystic, find her as expediently as possible, and return to Earth to cut off the snake at the head. Meanwhile, the other teams will help lead the assault against the Nihilists here and elsewhere in the Oram system and beyond, exiling them once again from our galaxy.”

  “Except for me and mine,” Letha chimed in. “I have my own mission.”

  “Is that so?”

  “We just learned my sister betrayed me and took over one of the most militarized families in the Earth Elites system.” Letha stood tall, glaring as if daring him to try to stop her. It was something, considering she was a human without any powers and he was, well, Hadrian.

  “So, you’d take her out, and then what?” he asked.

  It surprised me how calm she was, how her aura spoke of revenge and action, but in a very methodical, professional approach. Threed, however, was still emotionally grappling with the news of her sister, eyes darting over to Breaker and giving out all sorts of confused signals.

  “Considering what I now know,” Letha said, elaborating on her plan, “form an alliance with the Citadel, help repel Muerta and this invasion if that’s still an issue, and use my new influence to get the Earthers smarter about all this.”

  “Very well,” Hadrian replied.

  “We’re all basically going our separate ways?” Shimmer asked.

  “Looks that way,” Breaker answered. “Hopefully to meet up again before too long.”

  “I’ll count on it,” Drew replied, the brothers shaking hands, then pulling each other in for a hug. “Don’t take too long or I’ll think you don’t want to see me.”

  “Hey, hurry up and save the supers’ worlds, and then you can come help,” Breaker countered with a wink.

  “It’s a race, then.”

  We all laughed, excited to see these powerhouses in action.

  “The rest of you, say your goodbyes and wish each other luck.” Hadrian turned, heading back for the tent we’d traveled through earlier. “When you’re ready, I’ll escort the teams back to the Citadel to be on your separate ways.”

  I nodded, then caught up with Letha as she was laughing at something one of her men had said.

  “Hey,” she said, clasping me on the shoulder. “Going for more adventure, apparently.”

  “You’re going to figure out your family stuff, I have no doubt.”

  “Yeah, well,” she shrugged, “I fucking better, or I’m going to be pissed. I didn’t go through Planet Kill, and everything since, only to fail now.”

  I laughed. “No, I wouldn’t think you did.”

  “Kick ass out there, Ezra.”

  “You, too.”

  I had heard them discussing the Shadow Mystic and the need to find her, and asked Cheri what Lilly could tell us about the situation. Cheri had come back with some story of a war fought long ago, a woman trapped in a barrier of time or some nonsense, and then insisted that we would find out more soon enough.

  Seeing that Breaker was available, I stepped over to him next and cleared my throat. “Guess we’ll see you down there then, huh? After you find the Shadow Mystic, maybe.”

  “Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long,” Breaker replied.

  “Think so? If Hadrian knows how to find this lady, why hasn’t he done so before? Ever think of that?”

  Breaker glanced back to the metal dome Hadrian had gone into. “Something I’ll have to ask very soon,” he replied and walked off to join Letha and Trunk where they stood talking to each other.

  I hadn’t even really spoken to Drew, so I didn’t look for him. Instead, I looked back at Hadrian, who was now approaching me. At one point, my thought had been that we would help fight off the invasion of Earth and their forces, but then we had changed that to going after the old Ranger contacts. The plan changed yet again when he said, “I have other plans for you.”

  “Other plans?” “What we discussed, but sooner. Real soon.” He nodded to Erupa as she joined us, and said, “You all, hang tight on the Citadel. We’re questioning Killart and have some very good answers, which I should be able to check over with a contact I have on Theramuse. The rest shouldn’t take long to get out of him, and then we’ll send you on your mission.”

  “Can’t fucking wait,” Cheri said as she joined us, too.

  “It’s going to be fun.” Hadrian winked at her—a weird sight with his one eye—and then moved back to finish briefing another group I wasn’t familiar with.

  I turned to Erupa and Cheri, feeling a bit jittery at the mention of Theramuse. Too much baggage came with that planet.

  “Whatever it is, must be important,” Erupa said. “Otherwise, he’d send us off to fight now and figure this stuff out later.”

  Cheri nodded eagerly. “Fucking awesome.”

  “Fucking awesome,” I agreed, eager to learn what was coming next.

  Part II

  13

  All that followed the destruction of Abaddon led to this moment, the one where I would take my first mission on behalf of the Citadel.

  We had connected with Breaker and his crew after Abaddon, met back up with Letha, and managed to help take down a space station of privatized military Orion Corp. badasses before finally making our way to the Citadel. All of the fighters who had gone through this with us had been amazing—Breaker, Charm, and the rest—and I couldn’t believe I was among them.

  Me! A superpowered bounty hunter who had ended up on the wrong side of the fight, only to be brought over when I partnered with my team. Maybe embracing the insanity is the only way to really defeat the crazy? We were the Psychobitches after all, as Cheri loved to say. Her little endearing term for the team, considering the fact that when all this kicked off I had been delivering them to what was basically an insane asylum… now destroyed.

  Soon after Breaker and the others went off to fight on Earth to fend off an invasion, Hadrian took me to a spot inside one of the domed, metallic rooms of the Citadel. There had been a time when I thought this Citadel and the supers who resided here were on the wrong side of the law. My ladies had turned me around on that as we had run for our lives on Abaddon, and then stopped running to instead take down the whole damn place.

  And now I was here, standing with this legendary super, a man who could change his form at will but stood before me as an old man with one eye gone and scarred over. The man who had been around since before even the time of the Syndicate, they said. His gold cape fell down his back, over his red armor. It gave him a very regal look, one that worked to contrast the humble, trusting expression on his face.

  “Killart has given us some valuable intel,” Hadrian started. “While the destination is the same, the nature of your going to Theramuse has changed. It will be a very special mission, indeed.”

  “I’m happy to serve.”

  “This… it’s asking a lot of you.”

  I cocked my head, curious. “You can count on me.”

  “I believe you.” He gestured to the walls of the domed building, where light climbed up and then formed a three-dimensional image above us. A planetary system was displayed, a star, then zooming past to home in on a planet of purple and green, dotted here and there with blue and spots of brown. I recognized it instantly. Not that I had ever been there, but it was legendary among my kind. Or, my former kind—the bounty hunters. Many of those recruited by the Gold Reapers had come from the planet, including Maji.

  “Theramuse,” I said, the name of the planet heavy on my tongue. “What could you possibly have in mind for that place?”

  “You might be familiar with the legend of the Cult of Hermite that resides on Theramuse. Yes?”

  “Legend, rumor… sure.”

  “It’s all coming together. That opportunity you spoke of to infiltrate the crew that ran with Ranger, those still loyal to the enemy…” He paused, looking to see if I was following, then added, “This could be the largest bounty hunter job of our lifetime, and the best opportunity for you to make your move.”

  “Move for what?”

  “The Gold Reapers are pulling together, preparing to make a move against one of their own, although Killart hasn’t been able to tell us who. He believes that, with Orion Corp. now mostly out of the way, the Gold Reapers will fill the gap unless you can stop them.”

  “Me? How?”

  “Get in there under the guise that you and your team are bounty hunters looking to side with the Reapers, like all the others. Find our ally, but more than that…” He looked troubled, then leaned in. “There’s more to this than shows on the surface. I’ve visited the Seer, and spent some time mulling over the possible futures. It would seem the problems we face are not as two-sided as we had hoped, and that the Nihilists and their kind are hardly our only enemy.”