ZRP-2: Chapter Two, Paradise in Hell

=I head to my room, my fury coming back as I open the door, sputtering a stream of German invective=

Hibiki...I swear...

=I sit on the bed, my anger slowly subsiding=

(James)
"Nothing bad....just concerned. I don't like being away from you Hibiki, even if you're going to be in a tank. And I especially don't like you being bait for Slate, or all the things you.....might end up doing to distract him, and get close to him."

(Sam)
"Sure, we just need to see how well the first date goes."

"I'll have him skydiving before my bra is unclipped. Promise."

Eve looked up at Sam.
"Am...I doing ok so far?"

(Sam)
=I stroked her hair=
"You're doing fine."

(James)
"I'm sure but....Hibiki, I know you're no child and I shouldn't worry, but I do. Because now, everytime I think about you, it's not just you anymore, it's you, and our child, that I see at risk when you're in the same room with that man."

Hibiki placed her hands over her stomach.
"I know. I know."

Eve smiled. "Thanks."

(James)
=Wheeling towards her, I leaned down, until my head was in her lap, against her stomach=
"I know you know. And it's why I'm so against this....even if I know why it has to happen."

(Sam)
"No problem Eve."

Hibiki leaned over to kiss James's hair. "I will be fine."

Eve lay there, not wanting to leave the position she was in.

(James)
"Hibiki....just be careful up there, okay? I already lost much of my family. Having my wife, legally married or not, and unborn child at risk feels worse."

(Sam)
=We sat there for a while, and I was unsure of what to do next=

"I will." She promised.


Meanwhile, mira sat up. "What the fuck is going on?"

(James)
=Smiling, I decided to take partial advantage of where I was, and placed a light kiss on her thigh, the fabric of her jeans rough against my lips=

=I sigh, rubbing my brow=

Hibiki rilied me up a bit. Made a bit of a wisecrack, and I lost my cool.

=I take a deep breath=

I just feel a bit immature for letting her get to me like she did.

Mira sighed. "You should keep your cool better."

Hibiki smiled. "Someone wants something. Am I right?"

Eve reached up to touch Sam's cheek softly. "Your cheek is soft."

(Sam)
"Which is odd considering how little moisturizer I use.....in other words none at all."

(James)
"Maybe......maybe not. Just want to be able to say that the only one that can ever do that and live is me I guess."

=I sigh=

I know. And being tired doesn't help either.

=I yawn briefly, feeling the effect of the lack of sleep=

Mira motions Andrew over. "Then come sleep."

Eve giggled. "It still is soft."

Hibiki nodded. "You are."

=I smile and nod=

Thanks...I'll need it for the next couple days.

=I then lay down on the bed, settling into a deep sleep=

(James)
=Grinning, I leaned back so I was up again, giving her a swift kiss on the lips=
"So, we've got some time to prepare. Sorry, you have time to prepare, I just have time to sit around."

(Sam)
"Thanks."
=I held up a hand, holding her finger gently=

"Just keep everyone safe." Hibiki said, returning the kiss.

Eve's finger was small and soft. She wiggled it playfully.

(James)
=The kiss sparked a desire in me to move my hands up and take off her shirt, but I resisted the impulse. All I did instead was return her kiss, as my hand stroked her hair=

(Sam)
=As she wriggled the finger, it tickled inside my grip and I smiled down at her=

She smiled into the kiss, relaxing against James. "Get better soon..."

Eve smiled back.

(James)
"Yeah, I know what I'm missing out on. Chances are that when I do get better, there will be no leaving this room for a few days."

(Sam)
"So, want to head back?"

Well... here you are, back on the road, solo. Are you sure this is a good idea?
Abel walked on the far edge of a paved road. Shotgun slung on his back, pistol strapped to his hip, and a canteen hooked on his belt.
"...Nope"

"You have no idea." Hibiki said.

Eve sighed. "I don't want to leave yet...but if you want to go...We can."

(Sam)
"Nah, I don't mind."

(James)
"Heh, yeah."
=I hugged her, letting my head rest on her shoulder, my face burrowing into the curve of her neck=

Eve relaxed, leavi g her fi ger touching Sam's neck as lay there.

Hibiki wrapped her arms around James, holding him close

(James)
=I realized soon that the position I was now in was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, on account of my current angle. A dull throb from my belly helped nail that point, and while I enjoyed having her hold me like this, I needed to keep my back in order, so I pulled away=
"So, what does it feel like, getting to drive that tank?"

"Like nothing can stop yoy. Few things can, short of a real battle tank." Hibiki said, grinning

(James)
"Damn, shame I can't come along. Hey, maybe we'll get to keep it when we secure this alliance thing?"

(Sam)
=We sat there for a few more minutes, before my legs started to numb. What? Her head was cutting off the blood flow, so I lifted it up=
"Maybe we should go back now?"

"If only." She laughed.

Eve smiled. "Ok."
She got up and held out her hand to Sam. "I'm ready to go back."

(Sam)
=I took her hand, and we walked back to the hotel=

(James)
"Still, would be nice. Unless you want that motorcycle instead?"

Eve walked beside Sam happily.

Hibiki grinned wide. "I want that motorcycle."

(James)
"Will I get to ride with you, or keep driving the car? I mean, I don't mind either way."

(Sam)
=As we walked, a thought occurred to me=
"Hmm, Harry's going to be disappointed. He took to you when he first met you."

"You want Andrew driving?" Hibiki asked.


Eve blushed. "He's less then half my age. He'd have to wait so long..." in truth Eve had been oblivious to most of the caravan members except James and Sam. She had done her part as her cover...
No.
Not true.
Because something told her to.
Right?
Eve's grip tightened. What was the truth?
Did that mean...were these feelings real...or manufactured?

(James)
"Hey, he's a decent enough driver. Besides, means I get to be behind you, holding on for dear life while you pump up the throttle. Tell me that doesn't turn you on."

(Sam)
"I'm sure it will be fine Eve. He'll get over it, he's a tough kid."
=I flashed back to the attacks on the caravan. The death of his father, then his mother, sister, grandfather. He was a tough kid alright, to endure that and still be okay=

"Stop it. You know how bad my hormones are? Don't make me go fuck a stick shift and leave you here to your own devices." Hibiki threatened.

Eve nodded. "They all are..." she sighed. And she was silent.

(James)
=Of all things, that made me laugh=
"Going to cheat on me with a the stick shift now? Just because I can't use my hips doesn't mean that's the only way I could make this work."

=I was bluffing though. There was a time and a place for this and with what she was about to do I figured she needed a clear head=

(Sam)
=We reached the lobby for the hotel, headed for our room. I felt like I needed to talk with James, see what the next move was but hey, I was finishing my date=

"Right. You have spent all this time trying to figure out a way have you?" She said, giving him that one look where she angles her head and raises her eyebrows.

Eve playfully bumped Sam as they walked, grinning.

(James)
"What, all this time without being able to do more than kiss? I've been thinking. Maybe see if I'm the handyman people in the caravan thought I was."
=I waggled my eyebrows at her=

(Sam)
=Reaching the room, I stood outside the door, waiting. It felt almost like a movie for a moment, and I had a feeling I knew what came next. I bent down, and gave Eve a kiss on the cheek=

"Should I be afraid?" Hibimi aamed, deadpan.

Eve blushed happily, returning the kiss. "I had fun on our date." Eve said. "May we go on another?"

(James)
"Eh, maybe. But I guess we'll need to wait for another time, you have a date with a tank I believe."

(Sam)
"Definitely."

"Few hours can't have passed."

Eve's face lit up. She hugged Sam gently. "Where will we go next time?"

(Sam)
"Who knows.....somewhere special, I'm sure."

(James)
=Smiling, I felt very tempted to show her what I had in mind, but still I thought better of it. Yeah, we still had a few hours but at this time of the year twilight would be very soon. Most I did was have a hand travel to the side of her thigh, squeezing gently=
"True, but I'm not so sure if doing anything before this is a good idea."

Eve nodded. "Yeah " she said, opening the door and stepping back for Sam to enter first

Hibiki blushed...just a bit. "You got a few hours to plan. Better be worth it." She said, smiling.

The arch? Did I fall asleep here?

I stand up and look around.

Yeah, it's the arch. Dude, you need to sleep in your room.

I take a couple steps forward with a slight curve to the right. Towards the hotel. I'll get some food and think myself to death.

(James)
"Don't worry, it will be worth it. For now, I say we work more on the plan to take out Slate, before anything else."
=Wheeling away from her, I went to the other side of the room, looking back at her=

"So we send you up as bait, you distract him while Cooper secures the elevator, and then you take out Slate. In the meantime, we deal with his people.....what do you think?"

(Sam)
"Quite the gentle......woman? Yeah maybe not. Thanks Eve."
=Grinning, I walked into the room=

She nodded. "That is the plan." Hibiki confirmed.

Eve giggled a bit, following her inside. She then hugged Sam from behind for a few seconds before letting go and sitting on her bed.

(James)
"Alright, now I guess the question is how do we get Slate to even invite you up? Last I checked you made it clear you think of him as a walking pile of shit."
=I couldn't help but chuckle at that=

(Sam)
=Walking to her bed, I took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently=
"Why don't you get some sleep? I need to check on something real fast, but I'll be right back."

"What man can say no to a woman wanting to...apologize for her mistakes?" Hibiki sighed. "Was gonna play to his pride and stuff."

Eve squeezed back. "See you when I wake up. Promise?"

(Sam)
"Of course."
=I got up and walked out of the room, and I already knew where to go: James=

(James)
"Well okay yeah, but I think we need to take into account the fact that he's been in charge here for two years, so chances are he's smart enough to smell something unless you've got one helluva poker face."

"SWAT Cop who is mastered in martial arts and kendo. There is a reason I could afford to make a motorcycle on a cop's payroll. I took everyone else's." She laughed.

Eve let go and went to sleep.