Looking for a story

[GrowingBull89]

Hi all, trying to find a story from years back, it was about friends, he's a scientist and she (think she's called Kate) is ill in hospital, he gives her a serum and over time she becomes bigger and stronger.

Military end up involved and she fights some incredibly powerful foes.

End up having to live in a special house.

It was quite a long story.

Any help would be appreciated

[GrowingBull89]

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[The First One]

Modifications, I think.

[GrowingBull89]

Cool do you have any idea or remember possibly the author or a place where I could find it?

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 1
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-03-10 08:23:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Super Strength, Origin: Science Transformation


By Happiest in Shadows





Warning this story contains adult content so if you're a minor don't read it or if adult content involving sex, violence or super powerful women offends you don't read it either. This story was written with input from Supernaught whose real name I haven't inquired about.





Rachael had always been fairly weak of body and at times it seemed life went out of its way to give her several annoying reminders. The one she had to deal with nearly every day was the heavy lab coat she had to wear around her work area. The over sized coat didn't appear to give her any trouble but while she didn't seem to have issues with it on the outside she was always grateful that she didn't have to move around a lot. Let the lab techs go fetch the materials.



Of course weighing in at 100lbs there wasn't much to the woman and she seemed to simply vanish within her lab coat at times. The heavy material did a wonderful job of hiding the few curves that she did have. A long sigh escaped Rachael's lips and she leaned back in her seat look through the date on her computer monitor. The company's research project was going rather well though it was a little behind schedule it was more or less on budget. So no one was giving them a hard time at the moment.



Rachael had been working with the team for a few months now. The objective of their research was to develop a new synthetic skin that would allow injuries to heal up even more quickly then previous versions. "Damn people. We humans are a rather rotten bunch."



"And why do you say that?"



Rachael glanced over her shoulder to see the group director, Walter looking over her shoulder. "Because no matter how much people's healing time is reduced they always want something to help them heal faster.

Then they want something to help them to heal even faster because they no longer learn from their mistake since the first injury didn't last them long enough."



Walter shook his head. "Well that is easy for you to say. You're still young so you heal up nice and quick. Now somewhat like me, it takes a little time to heal."



"True, but your generation isn't the main buyers of this stuff unless you're recovering from surgery."



Walter didn't comment but proceeded to lean over Rachael's shoulder a bit. She didn't bother worrying about him peaking at her breast the coat would have made such an action entirely fruitless. Instead he was looking at her computer screen. "You're ahead of your co-workers. Some of these tests shouldn't have been finished for a few more weeks."



"Maybe but that doesn't help speed things a long anymore. None of them are giving the results that we need."



"At least your finding out what we don't mind. Huh." Walter leaned closer to the screen for a moment then snapped his fingers. "Blast it."



"Oh. You can swear in front of me."



Walter rolled his eyes. "No thank you. And you need to be careful of that habit of yours as well. It looked like you had something right here." Walter extended his finger and touched a section of test Rachael had conducted.



"Yeah, to bad it ended up growing inside of the body and blocking the arteries."



Walter straitened back up. "You have already submitted that research data to me haven't you?"



"Yes. I did a few days ago."



Walter gave a nod and started to walk away then stopped as he remembered something. "Rachael, I have heard that you have been skimming the edge of what we can do here and I don't mean pushing us to the next level of quality."



Rachael sighed. She had been known to push the limits of what they could do legally but she had made many very profitable discoveries thanks to these findings and yet to go entirely over the edge so most ignored her habits. "I might have used a little more synthetic materials then what I was supposed to."



"Now Rachael I know most turn a blind eye to how dangerously close you have come to stepping over those boundaries. However, from what I hear you are getting even closer."



"I imagine that you didn't want to see that report just because I was so close to a brake through."



Walter gave a nod. "You're a very intelligent young woman but you have a habit of pushing your boundaries."



"Well I didn't make anything that could be considered a new life form."



Walter shook his head a bit. "Well. I will see what the report says." Reaching out Walter gave Rachael a pat on her shoulder. "Don't worry. You have done real well even while dancing dangerously close to the edge. Even if you were to step over it just a little bit we can over look it."



"So I can take this as a friendly warning?"



"Of course, I just don't want to risk you falling over the edge. You're an asset to the team and to the company."



"Hey, doesn't that mean that you should be covering up my dancing?"



Walter gave a bit of a laugh. "Rachael. You haven't heard what the legal department thinks about you."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and stuck out her tongue. "Thank goodness the directors are interested in money enough to let me get away with a little bit."



Walter gave a slight chuckle. "Yes and thank heavens you are skilled enough to say that."



Rachael gave a shrug. "It is part of loving my work."



"Well. I need to go see how closely you danced."



Rachael gave a nod and watched as Walter walked away. She had to admit to herself that he was one of the few people that she actually liked. He was a good friend and rather helpful. He had actually turned a blind eye to more then what most people may have known and she imagined glossed over a few of her dances that may have gone to far. Looking back to her computer screen she finally let out a long sigh. "This isn't going to work I need to relax a bit."



As Rachael stood up her eyes turned to the safety box. The large storage unit the back of the room held various synthetic DNA patterns and other materials that were just barely legal. These were closely monitored to avoid abuse. Rachael proceeded to the back of the room and placed her hand on the metal. She had access to the chemicals inside as a researcher.

It had been one of the reasons she had pushed so hard to gain her position in such a short period of time. She was only 23 years old.



Lab techs and others employees weren't allowed access to the more dangerous chemicals. Of course despite her access everyone was closely monitored. It was quite the task to remove any of the DNA strands and other materials from the building. That which was taken out was to either be used in research or was to be destroyed. What would she have paid to gain unlimited access to the treasure trove? Rachael gave her head a shake. Considering what she had risked and paid in order to sneak a few of those precious substances out it was clearly quite a lot.



Rachael backed away from the container and decided that she would stop by the brake room and eat a snack before she returned to her work. Perhaps she could also speak with a few people.



"You were wishing that you could play around with the synthetics again weren't you?"



Rachael glanced to her right to find her friend Elaine setting down.

"Hi Elaine, How is your day going?"



"Pretty well, you would really love to have free access to the storage unit wouldn't you?"



"I imagine that you wouldn't believe me if I said I didn't."



Elaine giggled and shook her head. "Not a word of it." Leaning in close Elaine whispered in her friend's ear. "You know I heard that some materials weren't disposed of properly. I bet you could volunteer to help remove them."



"Would I have to bring my own cleaning supplies?"



"Yes and don't bring the cheap stuff either."



Rachael let out a sigh. She really wanted this but she had to ask a few questions first. "How big or dirty of a mess did they make?"



"Well it isn't big but it is very dirty."



Rachael straitened up as Elaine backed away and reached into her jacket pocket. Pulling out a small hand held computer she took a few moments to log into her bank account and take a look at her financial status. A shudder ran up her spine. "If I helped would have to clean it all up?"



"Yeah they need to get it cleaned up quick."



"Okay. Where was the mess made?"



"I am not certain. Just stop by the guard station in building A-2 during regular hours. I am certain they can tell you where they need the extra hands."



"I will be sure to be there. Thanks for the information."



"No problem. I guess money is getting tight for you though."



"Yeah my home project is beginning to cost me."



"Have you tried to conduct any of the tame stuff while at the labs? I mean I am certain they wouldn't mind if a bit of the less valuable stuff went missing."



"I already do that. No one seems to mind so long as I keep being productive and don't focus too much on my own work."



"Do you need some help making some extra money?"



"It would be helpful but I don't know what I can do."



Elaine grew silent for a moment. "Have you considered asking for a raise?"



"With my habit of borrowing company equipment and my little side projects? I think that would be pushing my luck."



"Yeah I suppose that it might be. Well you could just slack off your side projects and work on getting a few bills taken care of."



Rachael gave Elaine a rather annoyed look but relented. "You're right. Of course I would rather think of a way to continue my side projects and pay my bills."



"Wouldn't we all?"



"True. That is very true."



"Well they're a few options for someone of your skill level. Of course quite a few of them aren't precisely legal."



"I am already further into the not precisely legal world then I would rather be."



The grin on Elaine's face told Rachael that she had a different view point. "It isn't such a bad place to be you know."



A giggle escaped from Rachael. "Of course you can say that you are already past the most dangerous stage."



Elaine patted Rachael on the shoulder. "Well I can't force you into anything and it is your choice. This isn't really the place to talk about such things anyway."



"Would you like to come by my place for dinner tonight?"



"I thought you would be too rapped up in your work for such things."



"It won't take me very long. Dirty spills actually take less time then large ones."



"Okay I will drop by and we can talk some more. Well listen I need to get back to my station before I am missed."



"Is material disposal a busy job?"



"It can be. It tends to take its spells."



"I bet I keep you busy at times."



"Yes. Yes you do especially when they grant you permission to use the more controversial materials."



"I only use a little."



"That isn't the reason it takes so long. It is the paper work. We have to record the exact amount used and were it all went. It takes quite a bit of time."



"Sorry about that."



Elaine waved her hand. "It isn't like you're the soul contributor. Anyway, I really need to get going."



"Take care."



"You two and don't forget you said you would help clean up the mess."



"I won't." Rachael watched as her friend left the room then took another look at her financial standings. She had been slipping more and more into the red over the last year or two thanks to the greater expense of her own research. She had made several breakthroughs over the last year which had encouraged her to step up her research even more. However, she had needed more specialized equipment to do this and even more materials. "How do I make some extra money?" Rachael stood up a few moments after no one provided the answer and made her way back to her computer station.



"Hi. I heard that you had a bit of a mess you could use a hand cleaning up. I suppose cleaning up chemicals spills is a bit difficult."



The security officer looked towards Rachael for a moment. He didn't need any more information then to see her face she had done business with him before. "Yeah, it is pretty messy stuff."



Rachael had never been skilled at slipping someone an unseen object and was grateful that this didn't require her to. She just held out the card for the officer to take. A quick slip into his wrist mounted computer to insure that the credits were there and he held out a tiny object no thicker then a pin and only half as long. Rachael glanced at the side to see what it was supposed to contain. "How long until the contents expires?"



"A week if you just left it in there. I have noticed you never clean up the same spill twice."



Rachael gave a nod. "It avoids confusion. Take care."



"You to and thanks for the help."



"You're welcome."



"Oh before you leave. If there is ever a spill that you need some help cleaning up let me know."



"I will keep that in mind." Rachael started to turn around. She did in fact have some materials that she could part with but she changed her mind. What she had just done could get her in enough trouble. She wasn't quite desperate enough for money to take it further just yet.



Walter let out a sigh as he carefully reviewed Rachael's report. She had indeed crossed the line. It wasn't anything that would cost her job or get her sent to prison at least not at the moment. Had there been any significant scares at the moment she could have got caught up in it. Still, he would have to speak to her about her research habits. The substance she created was for the most part based on natural genetic patterns, however certain factors were not.



Leaning forward Walter closed his eyes. He couldn't quote the act word for word but he knew what it amounted to. No genetic engineering was permitted to use entirely synthetic materials except those that had been legalized by law. These had to be ruled safe and even then they were closely monitored and were limited in their use. Even when it came to those strains of genetic material one could not create something purely from them.



Those strands appearing naturally were for the most part free range at least but that limited what could be done. Straitening up Walter left his little office and made his way down to the main lab, Rachael would most likely be there.



Rachael glanced up in time to see Walter coming. She didn't have to worry about him seeing the materials she had secured earlier in her work day. They were currently tucked away. "Hi. What brings you back down here so soon?"



"Rachael we need to talk about you going over the line."



"Huh? Didn't we do that earlier?"



"Yes we did but that was before I knew how far you had gone."



"But only 18% of the strand was synthetic."



"Rachael you know as well as everyone else here that is far too much. If you keep this up I am going to have to limit your access to the special case synthetic materials."



Rachael wasn't exactly certain how she was supposed to respond to this news. She wasn't going to try and lie her way out of it. "Are going to have to? Does that mean that you aren't going to do it this time?"



"Not this time but I am putting you on warning. I know you like to use the synthetic material to see what you can do then back track to natural materials and see if you can gain similar results. I know that this method has worked very well for you in the past and I don't mind if you continue using it. However, you can not use that many synthetics in a single strand. Do you understand me?"



"Yes sir." Rachael didn't feel any anger towards Walter despite the warning. She had known at the time that she was pushing the limits. Actually she had been well aware that she was over those limits legally but she had been too curious about the results.



Walter took a moment to look to look around the lab. He didn't want to end things on a sour note with Rachael she was a very productive worker after all she just took risk that she wasn't allowed to take. "I hear that you have been working on your own project on the sides. Care to tell me about it?"



Rachael started to decline but she resolved that she could give away some information. "Well you know that I am a border line."



Walter glanced at her. "Border line? Oh you mean your muscle strength."



"Yeah, my muscle strength and potential was low enough to almost allow me to receive some enhancements but not enough."



"Rachael you know that engineering someone to be stronger requires certain conditions to be met. Even if you had the equipment you can't just alter yourself."



"I know. But I have been exploring and I am hoping that I can find a way to improve my condition a bit without breaking any laws."



"So what is your idea?"



"I just want to find a way to encourage my body to strengthen itself that won't require genetic alterations and is more permanent than what is already on the market."



"So a steroid with no negative side effects and doesn't wear off?"



"That is one way of putting it."



Walter gave Rachael a few pats on the shoulder. "If you succeed at that you would be one rich lady you know that."



Rachael gave a slight laugh. "That is one benefit I often find myself day dreaming about."



"Perhaps I could authorize you to use the lab more after work hours."



Rachael shook her head. "No thanks you have done enough."



"Okay but remember the offer still stands."



Rachael watched as Walter walked off, she had given him some of the truth but not all of it. Fortunately even Walter didn't know that Rachael had been getting her hands on synthetic materials to use at her home experiments. Elaine and a few of those that sold the materials knew about it but they didn't seem to care why she wanted the samples. Rachael had no intention of simply improving her condition.



She wasn't aiming for anything less then entirely redesigning her genetic make up. That posed some problems of course as she couldn't risk conducting the test at her place of work at least none of the major test. She had to obtain the equipment and materials then conduct the experiments at home. Fortunately Elaine and others helped in both accounts though this also tended to cost her a significant amount of money.



Rachael was focused on her computer screen. So focused that she didn't notice a present walking up behind her until she smelt a rather pleasant sent. Looking to her right she noticed a pair of hands holding a white carry out trey. "I thought you might be hungry. You have a habit of forgetting to take your lunch brake."



"Thanks Thomas." Rachael couldn't help but smile as she looked up at her co-worker. Well that wasn't exactly right as while Thomas did work in the same building and lab as her he was actually subordinate to her.

Thomas was a lab technician who did the grunt work for the researchers including Rachael.



Thomas set the trey down and took a seat next to Rachael. "You know mathematics alone can't prove that something is going to work. Would you like me to test a few of those for you?"



"No thanks I already tested them. Now I am just trying to figure out why they didn't work properly."



Thomas gave a nod. "Well let me know if there is something you need to test."



"You could talk to me for a while."



"I would be happy to."



"So what meaningless test did those other idiots have you run today just to waste material, waste your time and make them feel better about their fruitless efforts?"



Thomas gave a chuckle. "Well that is an awfully negative way to look at it. Not everyone can be a prodigy after all. Also, I am not certain that you can waste a lab techs time. We are told to conduct a test and we conduct them.



Rachael gave a slight snort. "You have more use then the majority of my colleges. At least you don't waste any of the materials just to test something that you should known won't work."



Thomas could never truly figure Rachael out. He had seen her getting along with Walter and Elaine other wise she was rather quiet. He had chosen to get to know her a few weeks after starting when he realized that she had yet to ask him to do any experiments or collect any data.

She seemed to prefer to do it all by herself. He also knew of her habit of pushing the boundaries to achieve results and this tended to make her co-workers both nervous and jealous. "Well anyway. My day is going pretty well."



"What do I owe you for the chicken?" Rachael didn't have to open the container to see what Thomas had brought her. She could tell by the smell and he knew what she liked.



"Don't worry about it. I figure it is the least I can do since you don't add to my work load even though you easily could."



A rather warm smile spread across Rachael's face. "Thanks."



Thomas could still remember when he was first trying to learn about Rachael and how cold she had seemed to everyone except Elaine and anyone else who couldn't benefit her. He was more then likely the only subordinate whom she was nice to. He had learned out why when he had finally managed to get close to her. Rachael had been affected by the plague. She was one of the few survivors.



The plague was the name commonly given to an attempt to improve humans with genetic strands that were entirely man made. No basis in nature what so ever. It had been meant to enhance the mind however before it could be fully tested a miss hap had caused it to be released. The plague served to enhance the mind but it served to degrade the body. In many cases it degraded the body too far and the people didn't live long after that. It is hard to live when your heart isn't even strong enough to pump blood through your veins.



It had a less extreme effect upon Rachael. She didn't die but it did leave her and a great many people very weak. This is what had lead to the laws against synthetic materials. Steps had been taken to correct this miss hap in that a good deal of those affected had been given genetic enhancements in order to allow them to function. However, Rachael's case hadn't been extreme enough.



It made her temperamental especially when it came to her strength. Perhaps, that was why she never asked for anyone's help in the lab and preferred to conduct her experiments by herself. "Rachael I was wondering. Would you like to go out to dinner some time?"



Rachael picked up the plastic fork from the container. She didn't bother griping that Thomas had already begun to tear it open. Granted her body wasn't so weak that she couldn't tear open a flimsy little plastic container. However, the moment of exertion just before she tore it open was rather embarrassing. "I wish they would make these coats lighter."



Thomas glanced at his bulky lab coat for a moment. "At least they have a lot of storage space."



"That is true."



"I wouldn't mind being treated to dinner some time. I just need to check when I would be free."



"You work takes up quite a bit of your time?"



"Yeah, the projects I conduct at home don't help either. Just let me see when I can leave it up to the machines to conduct the experiments."



Thomas gave a nod. He knew that Rachael was looking for a way to improve her condition without doing anything illegal. He also knew that if she happened to find a way she would be able to make quite a bit of money since she would have effectively found a loop whole. He didn't really know what everything on Rachael's computer screen meant but he decided to simply watch her work.



*****



Rachael sighed as she pulled into her drive way. She had a rather nice home; she had inherited it from her parents. The plague hadn't killed her but it had cut her parents life span by a great deal. They weren't around anymore. Pulling into the garage Rachael glanced around the room for a few moments. She always liked to make sure nothing looked out of place before she climbed out of her vehicle.



When ones strength is roughly two thirds of what it should be they have to be careful. After making certain that she was the only one there Rachael finally climbed out of her vehicle. She had to be grateful that she wasn't born a few years ago with the same condition. She didn't have a large stack of papers from work just a little hand held computer that she had to pack around.



Rachael's home reflected her desire for security. The walls were nice and sturdy the doors had been replaced after her parents' deaths with rather solid security doors. She couldn't stand the idea of a massive glass panel in her door even if they were safety glass. The windows had also been barred up.



Even the door built into the garage was another security door. Rachael let out a sigh as she entered into her home. She only felt secure when she had the door shut behind her. Now she needed to decide on just what to do. She had invited Elaine over so she might want to start dinner.

Rachael reached into her pocket and found the tiny container.



Of course she also needed to get her illegal contraband secured away and growing. The reason Rachael had never had to buy more of the materials was because unlike most she grew her own. Her work helped a great deal in this as did Elaine as she was able to secure certain machines needed for the task and she had the know how. Rachael resolved that storing away the sample was more important then starting dinner at that exact moment.



Rachael kept her home nice and tidy, a habit that she was told got from her mother. The house was an odd mixture of old fashioned details and the most modern. Rachael's parents had liked the old look and even had the floor made of a wood look alike amongst other things. Rachael's tastes were more modern so as the material would wear out she would have it replaced with more up to date materials. The result was an odd mixture of old and new.



Rachael came to her basement door where she placed her hand on a security pad and entered a code. She knew it would seem a little strange to most but she always told them that since the basement was the most secure part of her house. She kept it there in case someone ever broke in and she needed another layer of safety. Rachael leaned against the door to help push it open.



Walking down the steps the house was entirely up to date now thanks to the equipment Rachael had been storing away and working with. As she made her way down the stairs Rachael took a quick glance at her voltmeter. Unsurprisingly she was in the negative again. This was a common happening for her so much so that people had come to expect it from her. Nearly every home was built with solar panels upon the roof and most of them produced excess energy which was feed back into the power grid. This earned them a small but pleasant check every week for the energy their home supplied those who used more then they produced received a bill. Rachael always received a bill.



With a slight shrug she continued down stairs into her lab. The machines weren't as up to date as those at her place of work and those that were had actually gone missing from her place of work. These times were very expensive for Rachael and far between as well. The only time she could convince even Elaine to sell her some of the company's machines was when they had to move a great many things around. It was rather expensive to convince them to take the risk even then of course it was far cheaper then having to buy it legitimately and Rachael didn't have to worry about investigations.



Rachael made her way to the far wall and entered another pass code into a container similar to the one at work though it was much smaller. Reaching in Rachael took out a few spare dishes and then set down at her desk. Slipping on a mask and goggles for safeties sake Rachael began to remove the precious sample from its container. At the moment she only had enough to run a few test at most. She needed to make at least ten times as much if she was going to avoid having to purchase another sample.



It only took her a few minutes and Rachael had placed the now growing sample into the proper section of the containment unit and locked up her lab. As Rachael shut the door she let out a sigh. Why was she taking this much of a risk? She could have adjusted her genetic pattern long ago. Regained the strength that had been taken from her and then some but Rachael hadn't. It was as if she couldn't settle for the strength that current enhancements would allow for. As always the mental debate ended with a sigh. She would continue her research and she knew it. She had made progress after all and developed a few unique synthetics. She was currently testing one of them that held promise. Rachael stepped away from the door and made her way down the hall to her kitchen. She wasn't the type to eat out and she did want to speak with Elaine in private.



*****



"Elaine I have been thinking about what you mentioned earlier today. I was wondering if I could apply my skills with some engineering and maybe do some enhancing."



Elaine looked at Rachael for a moment. "You do realize that enhancing is just short of selling the synthetics. You can get in a lot of trouble for stepping over that gap."



"I know but I need the money if I am going to continue my research as I have been. Surely you know some people that could use someone with my skills."



"I wouldn't have mentioned it if I didn't." Elaine grew quiet for a moment. "I could throw some of the safer jobs your way though those aren't the more lucrative ones."



"You mean they are safe jobs in this?"



Elaine giggled a bit. "Sports stars that want a little extra edge and quite a few that aren't sports stars. Old men and women who want a few more years added onto their lives."



"Ah." Rachael knew she shouldn't ask but she couldn't help herself.

"There is a faction at our place of work that don't care for the species preservation act isn't there."



"There is a small group even in the higher offices. You want to know more about me don't you?"



"Well yes but don't tell me."



Elaine gave an amused giggle. "That is a good decision. At times I wish I knew less then what I do."



"You've intentionally kept me in the dark haven't you?"



"Yes but we both already knew that. You're personnel research I am not certain what it is but it is a little warm even for me to want to know too much about. Anyway, I know of a few people who would like to be enhanced. I could set up a meeting though unlike your purchase I get a cut."



"That is okay. How much of a cut though?"



"In this case I want thirty percent."



Rachael gave a nod. "I thought it would at least be fifty percent."



Elaine shook her head. "No I tend to be happy with thirty percent. After all I am just setting up the where, whom and telling you the what."



"So do you have anything for me now?"



"Yeah but I need to take care of some things first I will be in touch.

You're a pretty good cook you know."



Rachael gave a nod. "Yeah I know. You told me last time."



"I guess you get a lot of practice."



"Yeah, I make myself cook dinner and breakfast in order to get out of my lab for a little while everyday."



*****



Rachael felt more then a little strange as she pulled into the drive way. The massive three story mansion loomed out of the surroundings and her little car looked entirely out of place. "So this is the place? Well they let me in through the front gate so I suppose it has to be." Rachael glanced down at the suitcase next to her and gave it a slight pat.



It took a few more minutes of driving but at least she parked her vehicle and climbed out. Walking around to the other side she gave the case a slight jerk and let it slide out. She was grateful for the wheels on the bottom as she pulled it across the driveway towards the home. Making her way up a ramp she imaged that whoever lived here had it put in during their current years.



A few minutes after getting the door and ringing the bell it at last opened. A rather large man stood in the doorway in what seemed to be a rather expensive tuxedo. Bodyguard and butler all rolled into one was Rachael's first impression. "Hello I am Rachael Marks I am here to meet with a client."



"We have been expecting you Miss Marks" The man proceeded to step aside and usher Rachael in. Once inside and the doors were shut he lifted the suit case from her hands. "Pardon me for a moment but I must check the contents."



"That isn't a problem." Rachael proceeded to reach out and enter the code for the lock. A slight hiss and the case popped open ever so slightly.

Rachael was fairly confident that the man didn't have any real idea what he was looking for. He was just making sure that it appeared everything was okay.



"Everything appears to be in order." The man shut the suitcase but didn't hand it back to Rachael. "This way please."



Rachael was grateful he was carrying her suitcase as they came to a stair case and began to walk up. "Your employer does realize that with the level of modification requested there is no chance they would pass a DNA screening."



"That is one of the advantages of having no need to work. You don't have to concern yourself with such things. Without this treatment she will be dead in a year or two anyway."



"That makes since. Could you tell me who I am going to be working by any chance?"



"You didn't look at the gate? This must be your first time."



"Has your employer been enhanced before?"



"No but she has had some guest that aren't favored by the general population. Are you aware of Amanda Heart?"



Rachael froze up for a moment. "The woman that bailed In Con out a few years ago is who I am going to be working on?"



"And owns 37% of the company's stock to date."



Rachael froze up for a moment. "I am going to be working on my boss?"



"Well yes. Elaine mentioned that there were people on the bored of directors that did not care for the species preservation act did she not?"



"She did but, wow. I am surprised that she didn't get someone more qualified then me."



"I tried to talk her out of it and get a more senior researcher to conduct the procedure actually. However, she insisted it be you after looking through your un-doctored reports. Apparently you have more experience with this kind of procedure then anyone else thanks to your habit of. How did Walter put it? Dancing around the line and some times across?"



"Walter knows about this?"



"Are you going to ask him about it?"



Rachael first thought was to say yes but she quickly changed her mind. "I am not going to speak about this to anyone."



"Then does his knowledge matter?"



"No."



"Good."



Rachael let out a sigh, it wasn't exactly the type of response she wanted but she was going to have to live with it. She was doing something that could get her locked away for quite some time after all. There was no reason to push her luck by asking about things she doesn't need to know.

She had already learned something that she didn't expect to find out.



"Here we are." Rachael stopped as the butler finally stopped and opened a pair of heavy doors. Glancing around his side she was fairly surprised by just how lavish the room was. Though the rather large machine near the bed took something away from this, it was still an impressive sight.

Of course the entire structure was a testament to the wealth of its owner.



Rachael waited outside as the man walked in and whispered to a rather old look figure in the bed. He then set Rachael's suit case down and signaled for her to come in. "Hell dear."



"Hello Miss Heart."



"So Elaine tells me that you are looking for some extra money and would be willing to conduct a little procedure for me. I am sure Elaine told you what I wanted."



"Yes you want a full enhancement. After all the current life extension programs could only add some twenty or so years."



"Do you think there is anything wrong with wanting to live longer?"



"Not at all."



"I spoke to Elaine about it to some extent. She said this procedure could offer me some sixty years of good health. How long do you believe this procedure will offer me?"



Rachael rubbed the back of her neck for a moment. "More then sixty years that is about certain. This is a full enhancement. You won't be as healthy as you were when you turned twenty. You should be far more healthy then that."



"Well then it is certainly worth the investment."



Rachael gave a nod. "May I proceed?"



"Just one more question. Is this the best enhancement that you are capable of performing? Elaine mentioned that the chances of me being enhanced again were quite low. Since the research and methods tend to only apply to basic human genetics and to do more would be dangerous."



"Well with some research and money you could be enhanced against. At least more likely however baring such situations yes this will be the first and last time. Of course with at least 60 more years to live, there may be changes."



"So is this the best you can perform?" Rachael grew silent unsure of just how to answer the question. Fortunately Amanda decided to clear things up. "Let me put that a different way. Is this the best balance between the risk and the enhancement?"



"Yes it would be. May I ask you a question?"



"Yes you may, though that doesn't mean I have to answer."



"Considering how wealthy you are. I just thought you would have a team working on this."



"Would a team improve the quality of the enhancement?"



"Well no."



"I like to keep these things as quiet as possible and I trust Elaine's judgment. Of course I would be lying if I said the only reason I hired you was because of your skills though that was a major factor."



"Would you tell me the other reason?"



"Because, with the research you have been conducting I find it very doubtful you would ever go to the police."



Rachael gave a slight laugh. "That is true."



"So, how about we get started?"



Rachael gave a nod and proceeded over to her suit case. Opening it back up she began to carefully remove a syringe and several vials. "You are going to feel sick for a few weeks or even months after the treatment.

You need to be certain to eat as your body is going to be rebuilding itself. It will be the worse during the first week and lighten up after that."



"Would you mind telling me exactly what is going to happen?"



"Well the first injection I am going to give you is going to relax your immune system a bit. The second is actually the enhancement. It contains a virus that has had its DNA modified. Normally a virus would inject your cells with its DNA. This would then program them to make more of the virus. In this case though it won't make more of the virus but instead will redesign them into your new cells.



The third injection is actually some minerals that your body is going to need the most just incase you haven't been eating like you should or feel to sick. I have the idea amount of virus however even that won't be enough to get every cell in your body. That is why you will feel sick for a fairly long time. Your body is going to have to work for a while to replace the old cells with the new and improved."



Amanda gave a nod. "It sounds simple enough."



Rachael set the syringe down as well as the vials. She then removed a few small devices from her suitcase. "Now before I begin you already went to your doctor and made sure you were in as good health as possible? Like I said the first shot is really going to weaken your immune system for a time."



"Yes I already saw to that."



"Okay. I am going to hook a med scanner up to you just to be on the safe side."



"What do you think that is? Well part of it?" Amanda indicated the large machine near by.



"Oh. Sorry I guess I wasn't thinking at the moment." Rachael made her way to the opposite side of the bed and took a glance at the readouts for the machine. "To be honest I thought it was life support and didn't give it a second look."



"I understand it is rather clunky looking."



Rachael gave a nod and took a few minutes to note the readings on her client's health. "Okay everything is in order." Walking back to the opposite side Rachael took back up her syringe and proceeded to give Amanda the injections.



"So when will I begin to feel something?"



"You should begin to feel some changes in the three hours but they won't be pleasant. I brought some pain killers if it becomes too unpleasant though it is safest if I avoid using them."



Amanda closed her eyes for a moment. "I have been planning this for five years you know."



"That is a good idea. Lack of preparation has gotten others caught in the past. What steps have you taken?"

"When was the last time you saw me around the labs or offices?"



"I don't think I remember ever seeing you there."



"Yes. You wouldn't since it was near the time that you began work for us that I began to seclude myself. You were just a lab tech at the time working on your degree if I recall correctly."



"Yeah it was a job class."



"I notice you haven't asked if I have a room prepared for you."



"Sorry, I didn't know if it was appropriate."



"Whew for a moment I thought you planned on leaving after giving the injections." Amanda smiled but Rachael had a feeling she wouldn't be leaving even if she tried.



"No. I need to observe you for at least a few days."



"I'll have you shown around the house later or would you prefer now?"



"Later is fine." Rachael stood up and walked over to the monitors. "I would like to see what changes happen, after all your body is going to undergo some extreme changes very soon."



"Did you like the equipment I had passed your way?"



"What equipment?"



"Why the equipment Elaine sold to you."



"You mean you knew about that as well?"



"Yes and I encouraged it. Like I said I planned this for a while. I know you are wondering about the price though."



"Well yeah."



"Would you have taken the equipment if it had been cheap?"



Rachael only had to think about the question for a moment. "I would have denied even wanting it."



"Exactly, Elaine has been helping me in my search for quite some time now."



"Does this mean I will get a slight discount from now on?"



"We will see. I have to ask though, just what are you trying to achieve? After all you are perfectly capable of enhancing yourself so what are you trying to do through your research?"



"I can't bring myself to settle for a one shot deal. If I am going to enhance myself I want something more."



Amanda gave a nod. "I see."



*****



Rachael smiled as she set in her basement. It had been some three weeks since she had given Amanda her enhancement. Rachael had to stay at her home for three days to insure the procedure was going to go safely and had left. Since then Rachael had been making much more progress on her work not because of the money itself but because she was able to acquire equipment far more easily and more often.



This had helped a great deal in her research though she wasn't ready to enhance herself at the moment. She wouldn't be ready to enhance herself for quite some time, at least a few years. "Well the equipment is nice." Rachael glanced at one of the machines then let out a sigh.

Leaning forward a bit, she gave her new microscope a pat. "Though I don't know how much it actually helps."



Rachael turned away from the machine itself and towards her computer display where the image was transferred to. What she watched on the screen was the main result of her work interacting with a few of her cells. It had to be her cells as those were the ones it was designed to work with. This at times had caused problems as Rachael had grown tired of pricking herself constantly. She had gotten over it though as she realized that to achieve the results she truly desired she couldn't make a general treatment.



A sigh escaped Rachael's lips. "Why won't you work? I have been working on you for several years now and you should work. What am I missing?" Rachael didn't expect an answer back from the chemical compound as she hoped it would begin to work its magic on the cells. "All the others have worked with my cells."



Rachael glanced towards the wall opposite her for a few moments. Several DNA patterns had been tucked away many of which used a great deal of synthetic strands. However, the one she was currently observing was entirely synthetic, not only that but it had been custom designed for her cells and her cells alone. She had no idea how it would react with the cells of others. However, there was one glaring problem that she had yet to over come.



While the virus had no trouble transferring the DNA strands to the cells and it moved into them well enough. There had yet to be any major changes in the cells themselves or how the function though the DNA was successfully replaced and altered. A beeping took Rachael's attention away from her screen. Checking her watch she let out a sight and began to shut down her work stations. It would be time for work soon, despite having Amanda's un-official aid she still had to come to work and perform.



*****



Thomas glanced over his should as he heard the lab doors opening. A smile lit up his face as he noted Rachael walking into the room. She looked a little tired but that wasn't overly uncommon he knew she would at times end up staying up late. She could still function despite this tiredness so no one ever said anything to her.



Rachael looked around for a few moments. Her eyes seemed to move over the majority of the works with indifference until they locked onto Thomas.

Walking over to his work station she pulled up one of the seats next to him. "So what are you working on?"



"Oh, just testing a few of the compounds." Thomas held up the small dish containing a mixture of nutrients, blood and the healing hormone.

Several were already laid out.



"Let me see the patterns."



Thomas didn't hesitate to bring up the file on his computer. He then handed Rachael the small head band which would allow her to actually look through the DNA patterns within her life time. "There you go."



"Won't work. Won't work. Won't work. Won't work." Rachael didn't even think to lower her voice having no concern for whoever may hear her even if the developed happened to be in the room. "Now that is just a waste of materials right there. I can see why they might think that would work.

That isn't an improvement over what we already have." At last Rachael removed the head piece.



"To bad I can't just take your word for it and take an early brake."



Rachael gave a slight laugh and stood up. "Well I am going to get to work on my own findings."



"Perhaps you would be willing to share what you have found if you are going to set their and comment how faulty my findings are."



"Hello Steven. So that bit of crap is your research? I guess wisdom doesn't always come with age."



Steven glared down at the far smaller and weaker woman. The thirty four year old and developed a dislike for Rachael over the few years that she had been working for the company. Her arrogance when it came to engineering was almost unbearable at times and the way she didn't hesitate to offer her opinion on others works. "Well then I suppose you are right on the verge of a brake through. Of course perhaps the reason you can't show your work to your co-workers is because it would get you arrested."



"Who knows? It just may." Rachael couldn't help but grin. "Well I need to get back to work and see if I can finish up this research project." Rachael had a large grin on her face as she began to walk past Steven it wasn't like he would do anything to her hear. She was thus a bit surprised when she was stopped.



Steven had dealt with Rachael's lip long enough and she tended to end up walking away. What aggravated him the most was not just her age but even when he seemed to win an argument it was as if she didn't care in the least. If his experiments didn't turn out she would just have even more reason to gloat. While his rational mind told him that he could lose his job over it he couldn't help but reach out and grasp her arm to prevent her from walking away.



Rachael was rather surprised when she felt the hand clamp down on her slender arm. A look of true hatred crossed her face as she felt the hand preventing her from walking away. "Let go of me unless you want me to contact the legal department."



"Now you listen here. I am tired of putting up with your mouth." Steven's tone was more then a little condescending, as if he was talking down to a child. He didn't get to finish his lecture though.



"She said let her go." Thomas had stood up from his work station the moment he saw Steven take hold of Rachael. Balling his hands into fist he wasn't normally the type to strike his elders however if he didn't let go of Rachael he was prepared to.



Rachael was grateful that she had Thomas backing her though she wasn't willing to back down from Steven neither would she have been even if he wasn't there. "You do realize that this could be considered assault."



"Don't give me.." Steven didn't get to finish as he felt something rather solid collide with the side of his face. The force of the impact was enough to make him release Rachael's arm and send him to the ground.



Rachael was a bit surprised and glanced over towards Thomas. "Well you can hit pretty hard can't you?"



"I was a military engineer it is how I paid for college. I still have some residue from basic."



"How dare you." The indignation in Steven's voice was almost palpable, Rachael silenced him though.



"Thank goodness Thomas was here to protect me. Look at what you did to my arm." Rachael proceeded to remove her lab coat revealing the heavy bruising that was now appearing on her arm.



"What I barely touched you."



"I was infected you jackass."



Steven actually turned pale as he realized what weight Rachael's words carried. Not only had he grabbed a much smaller and rather slender woman but she even weaker then what her frame would imply. Despite the sizable bruise he felt forming on his face he knew that he would be in far more trouble then Thomas would be if the incident was reported.



Rachael waited for a few moments smirked and gave a slight shrug. "Thanks for the help Thomas. Would you mind accompanying me down to the legal department?"



"I would be happy to."



*****



"Well congratulations Walter. The way the flesh is knitting with the synthetic is quite impressive."



"Yes. It can actually help someone recover 70% faster then anything currently on the market though I owe you a great deal of the credit."



"So you found the flaw in my compound?"



"I can't say that it was really a flaw. You were missing a kill command so the tissue didn't know when to stop growing."



Thomas, Walter and Rachael all three watched the monitor as the video record of the cells working with the synthetic skin was shown. Thomas's presence was thanks to Rachael. "Well blast it. I am surprised at myself for forgetting something so simple. When are you going to show the rest of the team?"



"Soon enough, I just felt that you deserved a special sneak peak."



"I appreciate it. Mm I guess that means that after some testing and the safety of the synthetic are confirmed we will be finished ahead of schedule."



"Yes. Though don't worry about having to start a new project right away. I plan on trying for some vacation time."



"That is fine. Though be certain that whatever my next project is that I don't get put on it with Steven."



"I will be sure to keep that in mind." Walter glanced at Thomas who had kept quiet up until now. "Would you mind working with Rachael again?"



"I would be happy to assist her."



"What about you Rachael? He seems to be one of the few people you work well with."



"Sure."



Walter gave a nod. "Rachael I was wondering. Why didn't you press charges against Steven you could have had him fired?"



"But then I couldn't watch him have to demean himself in his new position."



Walter gave a slight laugh. "Be careful, revenge can come back to haunt you."



*****



Steven was positively fuming as he set in the police station. He had once feared that he would be the party being arrested after taking hold of Rachael. Now though he was ready to pay her back. "That is right detective. She has violated the species preservation act numerous times."



"That is trouble some but I have to ask you first. How far are you willing to go with us on this? While your report is troubling we can't just go into a company as big as InCon without evidence. You will have to bring us something more concrete."



Steven groaned slightly while at a time this would have been easy. Since his little incident with Rachael things had got tougher for him. Not only had he been shifted to less important projects that paid less but he had also lost several levels of security clearance. "I am willing to help in whatever way I can."



Ellis gave a nod. "I can't ask you to take anything and I must insist that you don't. However, any proof that you could bring which would enable us to get a search warrant would be greatly appreciated."



"I am certain that I can provide some solid proof. I just need to get hold of some of the original lab reports."



"I wish that I could be of more help but with only one person's testimony. I wouldn't be able to acquire a warrant."



*****



Bang, bang, bang. Rachael's head repeatedly impacted with her desk though only hard enough to cause a little pain. After all she was the one bumping her head against it. At least she settled down with her forehead pressed against the solid surface. "Why? Why won't you work?"



Rachael glanced towards the screen. She had made some modifications to the synthetic DNA strand she had been working on several of which she had been unable to do thanks to the quality of her equipment. Yes the synthetic still refused to do anything other then modify the cells. Once that was done they would continue to function normally until they died. It was almost maddening that it didn't seem to have any result at all.



The lack of any happening was also what intrigued Rachael the most about her creation. How was it possible that it wouldn't have an affect? This question was most likely the reason she had stuck with the synthetic for such a very long time. It took some time but eventually the sound of her phone ringing got her attention. Rachael quickly punched a few commands into her computer turning on her microphone and speakers.

"Hello?"



"Rachael this is Elaine. We are under investigation." The click of the phone being hung up was heard before Rachael could even respond.



"What?" Rachael set up suddenly a look of utter shock on her face. She then moved to try and locate Elaine's number but found that it had been made from a public phone. What was going on here? Rachael gave her head a slight shake. The company was under investigation that was what was going on, but why had Elaine called from a public telephone and why was the message so brief?



Rachael felt a sinking feeling starting in her gut as she took what this could mean into consideration. Elaine wouldn't have called unless she was concerned but how concerned was she? Should she call her and find out exactly what was going on? Should she even come into the office the next day or should she be packing up her belongings and getting out of town? Was she already implicated? Was Elaine implicated? She needed to speak with her.



Rachael quickly located Amanda's cell number and dialed in. She felt a wave of relief when she got an answer. Once she heard Elaine's voice on the phone though she didn't know what to say. What if the line was bugged? "Hi Elaine, how are you doing?"



"Hey I am doing alright. I got a day off while the police are snooping around the office so I figured I would take a bit of a drive."



"The police are snooping around the office? Do you know why?"



"Apparently the amount of equipment that has gone missing has them concerned."



Rachael bit her lower lip for a moment uncertain if she should press the issue. "So they believe that someone has been taking some equipment?"



"Yeah, all well at least it should be a safer place to work once it is all over. I know I wouldn't want to be caught with any of the equipment though."



"True. So should I bother coming into work tomorrow?"



"Did you finish your project early?"



"Yeah."



"I recommend taking some vacation time. You could use the rest."



"Well thanks for the information. Take care."



"You take care to."



Rachael waited a few moments after Elaine had hung up and then told her computer to shut down the line. She could feel a weight forming in her stomach and in her throat. Slumping into her seat she didn't know what to do.



*****



"Cheers." Rachael set opposite a full length mirror a rather large and expensive stake set in front of her. She wouldn't have normally spent so much but today was going to be a special day. She had gathered from her conversation from Elaine that she needed to dispose of the equipment she had purchased. However, this meant she wouldn't be able to insure the safety of her creation. It had occurred to her to keep a back up file on how the synthetic was made but Rachael wasn't willing to take the risk of it being found.



Even if it wasn't found if she was implicated she may not be able to make another batch within her life time. So she had made a decision. Today she would inject herself with the synthetic and begin the process of disposing of her equipment. She wasn't certain if it would work however at the moment she didn't feel as if she had very many choices.



Setting her wine glass down Rachael stuck out her tongue for a moment Rachael took up her fork and knife and cut off some of her stake. She didn't usually drink so she had never developed the taste for it however at the moment she needed all the nerve she could gather even if some of it came from a bottle. "One more good meal and you gamble your life." Rachael spoke to her reflection suddenly feeling very desperate for some company but she would have to make due with her reflection for now.



As Rachael ate she found her mind drifting to the equipment in the basement as well as the synthetic she had been developing. She had made some more progress with the synthetic thanks to the new equipment at least she had superficially. She had yet to have the synthetic cause any noticeable changes within the cells which still had her perplexed.

Perhaps it would be better to try something that she at least knew would work.



While the stress had caused her to feel as if a weight was in her stomach and throat Rachael felt a pulse strait from her heart when she considered the option of trying one of the other compounds. It was as if the idea struck at the very core of her being and revolted her. She simply couldn't allow herself to us something that she knew was limited no matter how much of an improvement it would give. She had spent quite a few years of her life working on something that wouldn't have such limitations and even though she was young. It was too many years and too much effort for her to try for anything less.



She would use the synthetic strand that she had developed herself there was no other choice in the matter. Looking down at her food Rachael realized she hadn't even began to eat yet. Soon she focused entirely on eating resolving that she would do her best to enjoy what may very well end up being her last meal.



Rachael held the thin syringe in her hand. It hand taken her a few hours but she had managed to load up all the equipment she had gathered over the years. "I didn't realize I actually had so little." The words seemed to flow from her mouth as Rachael glanced at the back seat of her vehicle.

Perhaps having to gather things up over three years had made it seem like she had more then what she truly did.



Now the only thing she actually needed to do was take the finale step and inject herself with the virus that would inject the synthetic strand into her cells and hope for the best. It had occurred to her to wait until she had disposed of the materials in case something went wrong but she just couldn't stop herself. If she was going to get rid of everything it would happen all at once. Just before climbing into her car Rachael pressed the syringe to her arm, felt the needle push through her flesh and the virus enter her blood stream.



Tossing the now empty syringe into her back seat Rachael climbed into her car and started it up. Pressed her remote garage door opened and was on her way. She knew that it would take a few hours to begin feeling the effects of the synthetic moving inside of her though. That would give her enough time to dispose of the equipment and make her way back home. It was 2 o'clock at night when she finally left.



*****



Rachael glanced at the back seat of her car at the various instruments that were in the back seat. She had been so happy when she managed to get them but now she was going to dispose of them. She couldn't risk them being found at her home after all. Rachael reached up and placed her hand against the spot where she had given herself the injection. She would have to hurry and get rid of the machines quickly before the alterations going on inside of her body began to affect her.



It had occurred to Rachael that she could try to sell the machines but she realized this would be a futile effort considering the search. It wasn't likely that anyone would be willing to buy the items and she didn't have any real contacts that could move it not with Elaine trying to clean herself up as well. At least she knew that it would be a bad idea to take the items to the junk yard though this left her with very few options.



Rachael had carefully cleaned the machines and their hard drives to insure that nothing linked her to them could be found. She had also disposed of the strands that she had purchased and grown herself. The only strand that she was keeping would be the one that was currently making its way throughout her body. Of course there could be something that she was forgetting so she had resolved to hide them away as best as she possibly could.



"Hide them as well as I can." While Rachael had dealings in the office she had never planned for a situation where she would have to dispose of her machines. In truth she would have liked to melt them down but she didn't know anyone that would be able to do that for her. She also knew of very few hiding places that would actually be effective the best thing she had come up with is she would drop them in a lake.



"Am I over reacting?" Rachael mused to herself. Her mind drifted back to the comment of Elaine's about not wanting to be found with the machines. Rachael wasn't entirely certain how deep that statement had been meant but believed it meant she should dispose of the machinery now.



At last Rachael pulled over onto the side of a bridge. Looking over the edge she groaned for a moment. She didn't truly like the idea of dropping anything off this spot since it seemed a likely place to search. However, Rachael didn't have a boat or time to figure out how to get further out over the water. Climbing out of her car she walked over to the passenger side and opened the back door. She then began the painful and rather difficult process of hefting the equipment over the side of the bridge and into the water below. "At least it is a nice night."



Her eyes turned upward to the moonless night sky it was good and dark so it seemed less likely anyone would see her in the act. It was also pleasantly warm and quiet. The only sound she heard was the occasional car and the sound of the heavy bits of equipment hitting the water. Well heavy to Rachael. Perhaps in a few weeks it wouldn't seem so heavy to her?



As Rachael worked she found that the equipment was becoming heavier. Was fatigue setting in? She knew that it couldn't be the equipment she had started by tossing the heavier items over the side first so she knew it couldn't be the weight of the equipment. More then likely fatigue was a factor she tired so easily but Rachael new that might not be the only reason. She gave her watch a quick glanced and cringed.



It had taken her longer to drive to the bridge and begin to unload the equipment then she realized. It had been over an hour since she had given herself the injection and her body was reacting to the virus. More then likely it wasn't the virus altering her cells that she noticed at the moment. Rather it was her immune system thinking she had an illness. "I would have brought some fever medicine."



Rachael realized that she couldn't stop now fortunately she managed to finish throwing the last of the items over the side of the bridge. When she got home it was nearly five o'clock. Soon she would be under the effects of the synthetic strand. Walking into the kitchen she fetched a rather large jug of water complete with a rather long straw a few snacks and set down in the living room. Reclining in her seat she was grateful that getting rid of the machinery had tired her out since it allowed her to fall asleep quickly.



*****



The sun light was not welcome. Not welcome in the least. As Rachael opened her eyes she was grateful that her curtains were made from rather heavy material. What she noticed a few moments after the sun light was that she felt horrible. That was to be expected though considering what was going on inside of her body. She felt like she was running a fever and she felt very weak.



Carefully Rachael tried to raise herself from the couch. Her hands pressed against the material, her muscles strained and she didn't budge an inch. "What?" Rachael's voice showed her weakness. Looking down she couldn't help but wonder what was going on and began to try and set up using her legs and arms at the same time. She was able to rise up slightly however it was only for a few moments. Her muscles gave out and she slumped back into her seat.



Rachael could feel her fear clutching at her yet she was able to keep it under control. She was used to being weak. Granted she wasn't used to being this weak but she at least had some experience with the feeling. "Why can't I stand up?" She felt sick but she didn't feel so sick that she shouldn't be able to move.



"One thing at a time." Rachael glanced at her arm. Focusing intently on it she began to try and lift her arm. It was with a sight of relief that her arm lifted from the arm rest though it took some effort. It felt as if someone had strapped a 35 pound weight to her arm. Settling her arm back down Rachael then moved her left arm and got a similar feeling though this time it felt as if she had a 40 pound weight.



Her legs had a similar feeling whenever she attempted to move them. Considering the trouble that she was having lifting a single limb it didn't seem surprising that standing up would be out of the question. She had known that she would be weak for a few days she had even gathered up some supplies to help herself be comfortable during the first 24 hours. She had not expected to be this weak though.



Rachael let her eyes drift shut as she took time to contemplate what could be going on. She could be dying that was most assuredly a possibility, her body could be having trouble thanks to the alterations going on inside of it or it could be a combination of the two. What if the synthetic had actually made her weaker instead of stronger? It wouldn't have been the first time after all while the plague had been meant to sharpen the mind it hadn't been meant to make someone physically weak.



Rachael's body jerked upward as she attempted to stand up. Her eyes suddenly flashed open as she began to desperately struggle against gravity all to know effect. What if she had made herself weaker? What if she had only made her situation worse? The thought was even more frightening then death.



Of course death would be the ultimate end to this if she couldn't even stand up. After struggling for a while Rachael finally fell back into the seat tears welling up in her eyes she began to cry.



It took some time but at last Rachael's tears ceased to flow and she was able to regain her composure. Able to focus on her situation she began to evaluate what she should do. Considering her condition she was in desperate need of help. She didn't have any family that she could do and her list of friends was limited. Going to the hospital was out of the question. After all once they found out why she was so weak it would only be a matter of time before they tried to fix or cleanse her genetic code a process that ended in death more often then not.



Her options were truly limited. Sighing Rachael was grateful that she had set her tiny cell phone on the table next to her. Perhaps it wouldn't be too heavy to lift. Raising her arm up Rachael reached out for the tiny machine. It was hard just to keep her army strait thanks to the effects of gravity, if it had been outside of arm's reach she may have not been able to take hold of it.



Rachael started to pick the phone up or at least attempt it but changed her mind. If she accidentally dropped the phone there may be no retrieving it in her weakened state. Instead she wrapped her fingers around it and used her thumb to press the release button on the side. At least she was able to do that as the tiny machine flipped open.



As she pushed the buttons in she let her hand rest on the table. Holding it up was taking to much energy.



"Hello?" Elaine's voice sounded on the other end, thank goodness for advancements in the speaker phone feature and microphone reception.



"Elaine this is Rachael I am in some trouble."



"What is wrong you sound sick?"



"I was cleaning up a mess earlier and I think I am sick. I pricked myself with something sharp."



"Do you need to go to the hospital?"



"Possibly but I can't."



"Rachael I can't help you. Why don't you just go to the hospital?"



"I don't want to have to get cleaned up."



The line was silent for a moment. "You should have been more careful.

I am going to take a vacation and I don't want disturbed. Do not call here again."



"Wait Elaine" A click on the other end silence Rachael.



*****



Thomas groaned as he was finally allowed to leave the office. The police had been asking him questions for some time and he was more then a little tired. As he made his way out of the station he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. It was bulkier then the average cell thanks to the extra security features. Thomas didn't believe that he actually needed them but had bought the phone on a whim.



As he started to dial he realized that he didn't know the phone number. It didn't matter much though as his phones and most others had a built in phone book feature. It was regularly updated as well. Looking through the names he was relieved to find that Rachael had her number listed.



Rachael would have cried more if she had been capable of it. She had contacted Elaine and a few others she had business dealings with or at least tried. They hadn't picked up. She had even got desperate enough to try and contact Amanda. It seemed that Elaine had already informed the others of her situation and they were now staying very far away from her.



She was a bit surprised then when she heard her phone ringing. Glancing at the little device she reached out to turn it on. It took a good five rings before her fingers were finally able to reach the button. "Hello?"



"Rachael is that you?"



"Thomas? Yeah it is me."



"What is the matter you sound sick."



Rachael giggled slightly. "I am sick."



"What do you have?"



"I can't say."



Thomas could feel his concern double and then grow again. He had just called Rachael to see if the police had been giving her a hard time as well. As he spoke with her though he began to worry that he knew where some of the equipment had disappeared to. "Have you gone to the doctor?"



"I don't believe I could if I wanted to. I can't actually stand up."



"Would you mind if I came over? It sounds like you could use some help."



"Thomas I don't think."



"Okay I got your address that I am going to be right over."



"Thomas wait" Rachael was beginning to resent being hung up on. It was better then no one picking up but the click was still aggravating. Unsure of herself Rachael began to call Thomas back however she found herself unable to complete the task. It wasn't just her weakened body that was preventing her from doing so but there was something else. Quite simply she was frightened.



It took longer then he would have liked but Thomas was able to find Rachael's home. Pulling into the drive away he half expected her to open the door when he remembered that she couldn't move. As he looked over her house he got a better impression of just how much Rachael's physical weakness had controlled her life. Her house seemed to be built for the worse crime rate one could imagine. The walls looked quite thick and the windows were barred. A very rare site especially for the part of town she lived in.



Thomas nearly fell over as he realized that he had forgotten a rather important detail. If Rachael couldn't even stand up how was she going to let him in?



Rachael felt odd as she heard her phone ringing. She heard a vehicle pull up and had a good idea of who it was. "Hi."



"Rachael is there a way into your house? The front door is locked and well."



"H1i1d2e1n1 and then a2w1k1e1n2i1g1"



"Huh?"



"That is the override code. Enter it into the front door keypad. Normally it would require a thumb print or a key to open the door as well. At least the normal pass code would but that won't."



Thomas let out a sigh. While such things as an electronic lock weren't exceptionally uncommon. It gave him a better idea of just how Rachael's fear of her weakness reached. After entering the code he was somewhat surprised by the sound of the lock opening up. It wasn't the click of a small lock rather it was quite heavy.



Rachael watched as the door opened up and Thomas walked in. "Hi. This is your first time over isn't it?"



"Yeah Rachael, what did you do to yourself?"



"Oh I just tried to modify myself a bit. I didn't get the desired results. Would you mind bringing that bottle a little closer? I could really use a drink of water."



"Huh? Sure." Thomas walked over to the container Rachael had set out for herself earlier. Lifting it up Thomas held it so the water more poured down the straw then anything else so she wouldn't have any trouble drinking. After a few moments he removed it. "How did this happen Rachael? I know you said that you modified yourself but I doubt you intentionally made yourself weaker."



"I tried an experimental synthetic of my own design on myself. I wasn't content to settle for those that were already out there. I suppose I got a little too greedy."



Thomas didn't know what to say about this. He knew that taking Rachael to the hospital was out of the question. Considering what she had done they would try to correct the changes to her DNA pattern a process that would more then likely end up killing her. Of course he didn't know how much time she had to live in her current state. "Do you think you will get better?"



"I don't know. I hadn't experimented with the synthetic long enough. Are you going to take me to the hospital or call the police now?"



"No, but I do need to get you out of here."



"Huh?"



"Well you can't take care of yourself can you?"



"No but why?"



"You don't have any friends or family to turn to either do you?"



Rachael shook her head. "No. I thought I might but it turns out they don't want anything to do with me. I can't really blame them though. I may have turned myself in a virus incubator that may cause all sorts of death. You do realize what would happen to you if anyone learned that you helped me?"



"Yeah I know. I had to learn before I could even become a lab tech after all. Anyway, I am going to get some of your things packed. You can't very well stay here."



"Where are you taking me?"



"I believe that my place would be the safest for you."



"Aren't you worried that I might be carrying some horrible new illness?"



"That is a concern but I am willing to chance it."



"Why?"



Thomas grew silent for a moment. "Rachael I really do care for you. You never noticed?"



"Well I thought of you as a friend but. This goes beyond that."



"A good friend will bail you out of jail, a great friend will help you bury a body." Thomas chuckled a bit. In truth he had hoped to be more then a friend to Rachael.



"How are you keeping it so together?"



"This isn't any worse then being taught to handle being shot at."



"Is there anything in particular that you want me to bring?"



"Yeah but at the moment I have a favor I really need to ask you."



"What is that?"



"I haven't been able to stand up for a few hours and well."



"Oh. Say no more."



*****



Thomas busied himself gathering up Rachael's clothing. He had slipped on a pair of lab gloves to avoid leaving behind anymore fingerprints. Most likely the police would want to question her eventually as they had done him. He hoped they wouldn't search the home too carefully and he hoped that his vehicle hadn't drawn any unwanted attention. Of course he would most likely be questioned about her disappearance based purely on the grounds that he was one of her few known acquaintances



Picking up the suit cases Rachael had instructed him to take anything of value as well. He already knew that her savings were rather lacking and he now understood why. While he had been packing her stuff he had her tell him about her research and all the materials she had to dispose of. She had mentioned that she enhanced one person but hadn't said who and he hadn't bothered to ask her for the person's or persons' name.



Thomas exited through the side entrance into the garage. Rachael had told him out to open the door and he wanted to avoid being seen as much as possible. A part of him had regretted the call that he made to her earlier. Rachael looked out the passenger side of his car. "Thank you for this Thomas."



"You're welcome. I think I have everything now."



"Are you sure that you truly wish to help me? I would understand if you didn't."



"It is fine Rachael I want to do this and would do it even if you didn't want me to. It isn't like you could protest after all."



"I can still complain a lot."



"As weak as you are? You couldn't pull of the tape."



"What do you plan on doing after hiding me away?"



"I am going to try and help you recover from whatever you did to yourself."



"In my current condition I can't actually conduct any research. You are going to have to be my arms and legs if you want me to help."



"Well I don't really have the know-how and only you know what you really did to yourself. So I will just have to make due with that. With any luck the police are going to focus on people other then you."



"I hope so. I wonder what brought this investigation about."



"I don't actually know."



"I am going to give you're a house a good cleaning before we leave."



"Okay. I will just stay here." Rachael closed her eyes. They had been feeling heavy for quite some time which wasn't surprising. Nearly all of her muscles seemed to have been weakened by her mistake. Thomas waited a few moments to make sure that Rachael was simply resting and hadn't quit breathing before he went back into the house.



*****



"I am glad that you are light." Thomas was grateful that it had taken him so much time to clean up Rachael's house he was also grateful that he commuted to his job. His home was actually well outside of the city limits.



"You like the out doors don't you?"



"Yeah they are nice."



"Mm a few decades ago I bet this land must have been very expensive."



"OH it isn't something in the family. I took out a loan to purchase it. I hate being around a lot of people you see."



"Ah. I just assumed from the look of your home."



"I guess I just like the look of the older houses."



"My parents were the same way."



"Mind if I set you down for a moment?"



"Go ahead." Rachael didn't even try to look up as she was settled down on the ground. She just wanted to stay entirely still and conserve as much of her energy as she possibly could though she didn't know what good it would do her and in all truth believed it wouldn't matter.



Thomas scooped Rachael up once again. "Well if the outside looked old fashioned to you I hope the inside doesn't bother you."



"I don't mind the old fashioned look I just never really cared for it."



Thomas continued on into his home. Walking into the living room his comment was well taken by Rachael who actually found the energy to look around the room for a few moments. "What do you think?"



"Where are the animal heads mounted on the walls?"



"Dang it, I knew I was forgetting something." Thomas chuckled and carried Rachael over to a sofa. Laying her down on the couch he stretched his arms a bit. "I am going to go ahead and bring your things in then I will show you around the rooms and let you pick which one you want."



Rachael wasn't certain why she was so relaxed around Thomas. Perhaps she simply figured that her situation couldn't get any worse then what it was considering what the synthetic may still be doing to her or she could be left as helpless as a kitten for the rest of her life.



As Thomas carried Rachael's suitcase in he was actually glad that she had insisted they take a few of her things. The missing items would make it appear that she had either been robbed or more then likely ran for it. While this wouldn't help her if she was caught hopefully it meant the police wouldn't be asking him any questions or would be pushing on her few friends too much.



Of course there were other concerns such as how was he going to help her through this? Perhaps the damage wasn't as bad as Rachael seemed to think and she just needed some time that or maybe some exercise would help her to build up her strength. Thomas gave his head a shook. Most likely that was just wishful thinking he had worked with Rachael after all and he knew she was very competent. It just seemed that in her desperation she had made a very bad decision.



He set the suit cases down in the living room. While it would have been a shorter walk to just leave them in the hallway he was actually taking the chance to look in on Rachael. She seemed to be fine if a bit distracted.



Rachael's mind was currently focused on more immediate concerns for once. Such as just how much Thomas was going to have to help her. She needed his help to get into the bathroom but she had managed to take care of the rest herself thank goodness. Bathing was another matter as was eating. She didn't like the idea of having to ask for help with either. She was strong enough to lift up her little cell phone so surely she could handle a spoon. Then again she also tired very quickly and the repeated action may get to her. "I hope you don't mind helping with someone that has been reduced to a child."



Thomas glanced at Rachael. "Well I am glad that your mind is intact after all that is the aspect of you that I really love."



Rachael couldn't help but smile though she didn't quite notice the strength of the last word. "I think I am going to need your help bathing myself."



"Now that is something that I don't mind doing at all."



"You're only saying that because I am not old or haggard."



"Well I do have to admit that makes the idea much more appealing." Thomas set the last of Rachael's items down and picked her up once again.



"What kind of spare room's do you have to fix up?"



"Oh no fixing up needed unless they are things that you wanted changed.

I have two extra bedrooms."



"Why two?"



"Well I was thinking ahead to the future and considering that it was cheaper to have two bedrooms built then instead of later I decided it made more sense."



"In case you ever had children?"



"Well yeah."



"Is there anyone in your life?"



"Well there was someone at work that I was trying to get close to."



"What happened?"



"She won't be going to work for a while."



Rachael blinked her eyes a few times unsure of what the statement meant. When it sunk in she couldn't help but blush. "Thank you. Is that why you are helping me?"



"Yeah I hope you don't mind."



"Thank you."



Thomas rubbed the back of his neck for a moment as if thinking. When nothing in relation to their current conversation came to mind he resolved it would be best to allow Rachael to pick her room. Picking up Rachael once again he carried her out of the living room down the hall and up some stairs. "Now I know it doesn't have much in the way of furniture."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "That isn't a problem I couldn't make use of it even if there was."



Thomas gave a nod and continued into the first room. The space was somewhat bare with a dress a set of shelves and a bet set in. "You seem to have something against large windows."



"I just don't feel safe around them."



"Well then you should like the next room. It isn't decorated much better."



"Could I get a TV?"



"That would be fine. I know you answered your phone so you can at least push some buttons. I could set you up a little entertainment center. I think I will move that dressed into the next room for you. That way I will have space enough to store all your clothes."



"I will try not to be more of a burden then I have to be."



"Now don't worry about that. I told you down stares why I am doing this."



"Yes, but you know that I enjoy being able to handle things myself as you observed back in the labs."



Thomas gave a nod. "Well what can I do for you now?"



"Well I am kind of hungry."



Thomas gave his forehead a quick smack. "Duh, well I feel like an idiot. I am going to go and cut you up something small to snack on be back up in a second. Then I will actually cook something."



"Make sure it is soft?"



"Why?"



Rachael proceeded to open her mouth then snap her jaw shut as hard as she possibly could.



"Ah I see. Okay I will see what I have."



Rachael sucked lightly on the straw. Thomas had left her a can of slim fast which he had fetched from the kitchen as well as some grapes. She didn't know what Thomas was doing with such a drink until she noticed that the can had a bit of dust left on it. It was probably just an emergency breakfast for him whenever he woke up to late. She could smell Thomas cooking something downstairs though she wasn't entirely certain of what it was.



Thomas was more then likely having to cook something that he hadn't had much experience with considering her weakened ability to actually chew her food. Guilt was a feeling that Rachael rarely had to deal with however at her current moment she could feel it welling up inside of her. She hated having to rely on someone and while she was glad that she had at least one person how cared for her. She now found herself regretting that she had put him in such a situation.



It was easier to use her tongue to push the straw out of her mouth then her arms. Looking around the baron room she was glad that Thomas kept his place tidy. "I hope you don't mind."



Rachael turned her in the direction of the doorway to see what Thomas was talking about. "Mind what?"



"Well I didn't know exactly what you could handle so I chose the softest things I knew how to make. Then I realized I don't even know if you would like it."



Rachael for the first time noticed some pain in her stomach. "Don't worry. As hungry as I am now I doubt it will matter. What did you make?"



"Mashed potatoes, boiled cabbage and some meat loaf."



Rachael couldn't help but stick her tongue out. "But I don't like meat loaf."



"Sorry I should have asked."



"Thomas I was kidding. Well I wasn't kidding about not liking meat loaf but I am hardly in a position to complain. I am grateful for all you are doing for me."



"So you just want to eat the potatoes and cabbage?"



"No. I said I don't like meat loaf. I am hungry enough at the moment that I don't care about that."



"I don't know about that. You haven't tasted my cooking yet."



"Well we can speculate all we want but until we put it to the test neither of will know. Now didn't I say I was hungry?"



"Yes Madam." Thomas set the trey down for a moment and proceeded over to the bed to help Rachael up into a better setting position. He then picked up the trey and began to feed her a spoon full of the mashed potatoes.



"I think I am strong enough to lift a spoon."



"Maybe you are but at the moment that is the equivalent of you running around. You need to recover some energy and then we can try to think of an exercise program if you are up for it."



"Good idea. I might as well try to develop what little strength I have.

Perhaps I won't need someone to always carry me around after a few years of exercise. If I live that long that is."



Thomas didn't let Rachael talk too much longer as he shoved a spoon full of mashed potatoes into her mouth. "Be sure to chew it well."



Rachael didn't respond and she didn't try to swallow she didn't know how her throat muscles were effected after all. Instead she did as she was told carefully chewed her food before even attempting to swallow after one failure she chewed a little longer and finally managed to swallow.



"Well?"



"Well what?"



"How is it?"



"It needs some salt."



Thomas rolled his eyes in response to Rachael's comment. "Well just consider yourself on a low sodium diet." This gave Rachael some of the boiled cabbage wanting to insure that she could eat it for when he cook in the future. A few moments later she tried some of the meat loaf. The look on her face told Thomas that she hadn't been kidding about not liking meat loaf the fact that she ate it showed how hungry she actually was.



"Rachael I wanted to ask. How are you still alive right now? I mean shouldn't your heart be too weak to pump your blood."



"Considering my body's over all decrease in strength? Yeah actually I am surprised I didn't die in the middle of the night."



"I am going to get some medical equipment when I can. I want to make sure that you aren't going to die and part of that is finding out how your insides are doing."



"Mm it is a shame that you can't max out my credit cards."



"Huh why do you say that?"



"Well I won't exactly be able to pay my bills and if they try to take my property I can't actually show up at court in my condition."



"I could pay your bills."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and shook her head. "I appreciate the concern but I couldn't ask you to do that. Also you couldn't."



"Huh? Why couldn't I?"



"It would make people curious for one thing in case anything is get tracked back to me."



"Maybe they won't find anything to make them suspect you. It isn't a crime to disappear though I imagine they are quite a few people that won't like the unpaid bills."



"Thomas you couldn't afford to make the payments on my bills I barely could. Actually if you remember what I told you earlier I couldn't."



"But that was continuing your research."



"I still managed to rack up a fair amount of debts. Thomas, we don't even know if I can be cured or if I will be alive in the morning. I could grow weaker as time passed. So don't worry about it. If I manage to recover then I will worry about it."



Thomas grew silent for a few moments. "Okay."



*****



Rachael fingers moved over the pad carefully as she manipulated the mouse. It had been a week since she had moved in with Thomas. He had assured her that the police weren't pestering him though she couldn't be sure if that was the case. He had been kind enough to bring his computer up stairs. The keyboard mouse configuring was currently setting on the bed with her while the computer screen was near the foot of the bed.



She didn't have the energy to do anything like actively type but at least this allowed her to play cards and download videos. Rachael kept the video downloads to a minimum she had no desire to cost Thomas more then what she already was. Thomas for his part was currently away at work leaving her alone. It had taken quite a bit of effort on Rachael's part to convince him that he had to return to work and leave her alone.



Despite her helplessness and being in a strange home Rachael felt safe at the moment. Not as safe or secure as she felt with Thomas around but tolerably safe. Thomas had told her that he would take steps to insure her safety which she did appreciate. He hadn't gotten around to it quite yet but it had only been a week and Thomas had his job to think of. Not to mention when he finally did get home he had to take care of her.



An annoyed look crossed Rachael's face as she realized that she had just made the last move that she could make. "I hate solitaire." Rachael glared at the screen for a few moments before shutting down the game. Perhaps she should watch one of the video's that Thomas had already downloaded?



Rachael had spent so much of her time in her lab that she hadn't gone out to see a month in the past several years which meant she had a lot of catching up to do. While she doubted that she would have gone out to see the type of action movies Thomas seemed to enjoy at least they let her pass the time and she could criticize the physically healthy characters for doing illogical things.



Illogical? The word popped into Rachael's mind. Thomas was doing something rather illogical in taking care of her. Once again Rachael could feel the odd emotion of guilt creeping in. She had been feeling it more often as of late as Thomas had taken care of her but it was still a rare enough occurrence that she felt it was somewhat alien.



Would she ever be able to repay Thomas for what he had done for her and the risk that he had took by helping her? It didn't seem very likely that she would be able to if she didn't recover and even less likely if she got weaker. Then again her body had never been anything to truly brag about it had been her mind which allowed her to succeed so well at her job.



Her job, Rachael mind drifted back to her work and thoughts of just who might have turned them in. It was probably arrogant of her to assume that her actions had been the ones that started the investigation but then again she was the most likely candidate. It was she that had regularly pushed the rules. Of course she had tried to be careful but perhaps she hadn't been as careful as needed or simply hadn't had the proper knowledge.



Thomas looked around the lab for a few moments. They were quite a few people missing more then he had expected there to be. Were that many caught up in the investigation? He couldn't be certain at the moment. Then again perhaps they simply weren't allowed to continue their research until the police were satisfied. Several projects that used even the smallest amount of synthetic strands had been put on hold as the police and confiscated the synthetics.



He hated having to leave Rachael by herself but she had a point he needed to work. On his way home he would need to pick up some baby food for Rachael. She didn't particularly care for the stuff but it was easy for her to eat so it had become a major part of her diet.



"So what are the results?" Thomas looked to see Walter walking across the room.



Thomas gave a slight jump and quickly looked back to his computer screen. "None of the natural strands are having the same results as the synthetic."



"So we are over looking something." Walter nodded his head. "Well we are working with horribly complex materials. Any ideas on what might work?"



"I can't say I have any, but I don't really know a great deal about the details."



Walter looked at Thomas for a few moments as if he was thinking. A rather embarrassed look appeared on Walter's face a few moments later. "Sorry about that."



"Sorry about what?"



"I suppose I miss my conversations with Rachael and your habits are so similar to hers I guess my mind got mixed up for a few moments."



Thomas didn't know what to think of this for a moment until he realized how much time he spent around Rachael's work station. Indeed his movement pattern seemed very similar to hers. This wasn't surprising of course considering he had attempted to spend as much time with her as possible when she was in the labs. "I must have seemed like her shadow once in a while."



"No, I think shadow would be to dark. I always thought you seemed more like a security blanket to her. She seemed to relax a bit when you were around."



"You think so? I never noticed."



"I doubt she noticed either. Do you have any idea of what might have happened to her? She hasn't been to work in quite some time."



"I can't say that I do."



"I see."



"I was wondering. Why are they so many people missing?"



"Quite a few people are currently under investigation others simply can't continue their research under these conditions."



"Do you know if they are looking into Rachael? I am a little worried that she might have been caught up in this."



Walter shook his head. "I wish I knew but I don't. Anyway, I guess we should just enjoy the slow pace of things right now. Once this is over we are going to have to double time it in order to catch back up."



Thomas couldn't help but groan. "Which means quite a few late hours for me? All well I can use the money."



"Can't we all?"



"How did work go?" Rachael was currently set up as Thomas feed her some of the baby food. At first she had a hard time dealing with the taste and the fact that she was actually eating the stuff but she had gotten over it during the week.



"Slow right now."



"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Does that mean you have a lot of time to set around and think?"



"Yeah, so I was thinking I would turn on the microphone and we could speak to one another while I am at work."



"That is a good idea. Maybe I could help you with your work a bit as well."



"I think that might get some unwanted attention and I would hate to have to try and explain how I knew something that I don't know."



Rachael let out a bit of a sigh. "You're right. I just wish there was something that I could do."



Thomas couldn't say that he would mind having Rachael's help. However, he understood her situation and wasn't going to add any pressure to it. "You do a good enough job of taking care of yourself."



"Yeah right, all I need is my mind and control of my bodily functions to go and I might as well be considered elderly."



"How have you been feeling lately?"



"Not depressed as I thought I would be. I suppose having someone to talk to helps." Rachael looked over at the computer for a moment. "I wonder if I could do a little something to help pay for my keep."



"I said don't worry about it. We might be able to find something for you to do later on but not right now."



"Have you found out who caused the investigation?"



"Not yet but I am certain that it will come out eventually."



"Have you seen Elaine around?"



"A few times, why do you ask? Do you want me to pass on a message I know you used to spend a lot of time together."



"No thank you. Don't let her know you know anything about me."



Thomas felt quite a bit of concern at Rachael's comment but he was able to keep it from showing. He knew that Rachael had to have help in acquiring the equipment she had dumped now he had an idea of whom one of those helpers might have been. "I remember not to get any banana this time."



"I don't know who said that stuff taste like bananas but clearly they weren't paying much attention."



"Do you think you would be okay by yourself for a little longer then usual?"



"Yeah, do you want to start spending some time away from your home? I know I must be cutting into your after work social life."



"No. It isn't that it is just that once the lab gets back into full swing I believe I am going to have to start working some later hours to get caught back up."



"That is fine. You don't have to give me attention twenty four seven though I do appreciate your concern."



"How are your exercises going?"



"I think they are going alright. I can lift the two pound weight you left with me for three reps of 15 now."



"That is good. That is 50% more then what you could do when we started. Actually that is a little surprising."



"How is that surprising? It still isn't that much."



"Well it normally takes much longer to make that type of progress."



"Maybe I jut built up some confidence and was able to put more energy into it."



"That is true." Thomas was about to comment further when he saw Rachael's body suddenly convulse. Standing up he didn't know what was going on until he realized that Rachael was suppressing laughter. He started to relax until he saw tears forming in her eyes.



"For goodness sakes I am proud of being able to lift two pounds 45 times. I am so weak. I ..." Rachael didn't bother saying more her laughter and tears simply continued to issue forth.



Uncertain of just what he should do Thomas pulled Rachael into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. It was a good five minutes later when Rachael had time to cry that he was able to speak to her. "You'll get through this Rachael and I will be with you every step of the way. I suppose it is time for me to start taking classes again if I am going to help you."



"If only it was even that easy. Thomas I modified my genetic code the strands that work on normal people may not work on me or they may make my condition worse. There is no way of knowing what might happen."



Thomas grew silent and just held Rachael. He would hold her until she calmed down and try to think of something later.



*****



Thomas glanced up stairs towards Rachael's room. He was currently working on her and his lunch. It had been a few days since her crying spell. She seemed calmer since then if a little depressed. Since then he had resolved to spend as much time with her as possible. As while she hadn't seemed to notice her mood did seem to improve when he was with her. The more time he spent with her the less depressed she seemed to be. How he wished he could make her happy though instead of less depressed.



Rachael tried to keep her hunger from showing as she heard Thomas coming up the stairs. Of course she doubted she was doing a very good job. She hadn't even been able to hide her hunger when she was just speaking to him over an intercom he had set up. Actually it was a device for parents to listen to their baby but Rachael didn't like to think of that.



Thomas set his trey down first and then deposited Rachael's in front of her. A little table mounted on the bed no allowed this to be done far more easily. Reaching out he started to take hold of Rachael's spoon when he heard the phone ring. "Sorry I will be right back."



"Okay." Rachael watched as Thomas left the room she then turned her attention towards the plate in front of her. A sigh escaped her lips as she at first thought she was going to have to wait until he came back. Rachael seemed to attempt to set up as she was suddenly hit by a revelation. It wasn't like she couldn't lift a spoon. So why was she depending on Thomas to feet her? At least to feed her things that she can feed herself.



Taking hold of her spoon Rachael dipped into the steaming mashed potatoes. She was a bit disappointed when a grunt of effort escaped her lips as she had to exert herself a bit to pick it up thanks to the additional weight. Of course it didn't weigh nearly two pounds so she should at least be able to get 45 spoonfuls. Bringing the spoon to her mouth Rachael was quite pleased when she ate her first mouthful.



Thomas let out a sigh as he walked up stairs. He hadn't mentioned it to Rachael but the police had not left him alone. Apparently Rachael was under investigation and he was well known as one of the few people that got along with Rachael especially since he had defended her from Steven. "Sorry to keep you waiting."



"It is alright. I hope you don't mind that I started without you."



"Huh?" Thomas was a bit surprised when he looked at Rachael's plated and noticed the mashed potatoes were gone as were a good deal of the steamed vegetables.



"See? Now you don't have to worry about feeding me."



Thomas smiled and gave a nod. "I suppose that is true." He then took a seat next to Rachael's bed. He didn't bother mentioning to Rachael but she seemed to be a bit happier now. So focused was his mind that he didn't even think to blow on his mashed potatoes before he took a rather large mouthful.



Rachael was a bit surprised when Thomas suddenly grabbed his mouth. His head quickly bent down and he spit his mashed potatoes back into his trey grabbed a glass of water and began to gulp it down. It was only a few seconds and all the water was gone he didn't quickly dumped the ice into his mouth and proceeded to set there. From the look on his face she could tell that he was in quite a bit of pain. "Thomas what is wrong?"



Thomas held up his finger indicating he needed a moment. Standing up he made his way quickly down stairs. It was a good five minutes before he came back up. "Thank goodness we don't live in the days that there wasn't a burn medicine for the mouth. I think I got my entire tongue."



"What happened?"



"Those mashed potatoes are scalding hot."



"Huh? I didn't notice."



Thomas glanced back to Rachael's trey. The burn had temporarily taken his mind away from the fact that she had already eaten most of her potatoes. Walking over to the bed he held his hand just over the mashed potatoes and then withdrew it. "Rachael let me see your tongue. I hope you aren't losing the ability to feel pain."



Rachael looked a little worried but opened her mouth. She had noticed the steam that was wafting off the mashed potatoes when Thomas had brought them to her. After holding her mouth open for a while and letting Thomas see her tongue she finally asked. "Well is anything burned?"



"It doesn't appear that anything is but." Thomas looked towards the trey.

"Give me a second."



Rachael couldn't help but grin at the sight of Thomas using a thermometer to see just how hot the mashed potatoes were. "Well doctor are they cooked?"



"Yeah I guess I warmed them up more then I tended to. But how aren't you burned?"



"I don't know. I would have thought that my injury would have been worse then yours considering my condition."



"Same here, perhaps your enhancements didn't just weaken your muscle strength. We haven't really begun testing to see what else might have been affected."



"So I might be burn resistant. Well that is something at least. Maybe if the house caught fire my body wouldn't be burned to ashes entirely."



"Well with any luck you wouldn't be burned at all. I suppose this is a sign that we need to start running some test."



"Does that mean you are going to start poking me with needles?"



"I could get a medical scanner."



"I was kidding. Well I am going to finish my meal and then we can see what we find out."



*****



Thomas removed the syringe from its case and began to wipe down Rachael's arm with some disinfectant. "Are you ready?"



"Hey I may be as weak as a child but I am not as winy. I have given blood before."



"Well okay. Still, in case you turn out to be more responsive to pain let me know how much it hurts." With that Thomas started to press the needle into Rachael's skin.



Rachael had to turn her head away from the sight. She had never gotten use to seeing her own blood flowing out of her veins after roughly two minutes though she turned her head back into Thomas's direction. "You are going to have to push harder then that I believe."



"Rachael the needle is bending."



Rachael looked down at her arm. She had heard the surprise in Thomas's voice and the same surprise soon shown on her face. "Is that a prank needle?"



"No." Thomas began to push harder watching as the needle bent and finally broke in two. "Well now I suppose you are resistant to more things then just heat. Since it doesn't seem likely that I am going to be able to get any blood today how about we best your heat tolerance?"



"Uh sure."



Rachael glanced over at her hand as it rested within a pot of water. A thermometer was currently sticking out of it while the pot itself rested on a burner. She watched as the temperature on the thermometer began to increase. "So is it getting hot yet?"



"Well it is warm but I wouldn't say that it is hot."



Thomas looked at the temperature for a moment. Extending a hand he held it over the water for a moment and then dipped his fingers into it. He pulled his hand out 15 seconds later. "Yeah that is pretty warm. Let me know when it begins to become painful."



Rachael gave a nod and turned her head away from the thermometer. She didn't want to actually see how hot the water had become. Rather she resolved that she would simply rely on her since of touch and wait for the pain to reach the point that she could no longer endure it. She would have to trust Thomas to let her know if her hand looked as if the heat was actually injuring her.



Thomas could hardly believe it as he saw Rachael's fingers touching the bottom of the pot. All of the water had evaporated. "Your hand doesn't appear to be burnt at all. Isn't the metal even hot?"



"It feels warm but that is it." A slight giggle escaped Rachael. "This is so pathetic."



"Huh?"



"It seems that I have endurance like I was shooting for but I am still helpless without even normal levels of strength." Rachael let out a sigh and closed her eyes. She didn't want to risk braking down in tears. "I wonder if my natural life has been extended."



"You're worried that you will be stuck like this even longer then you originally thought."



"It would be bad enough to be stuck this way for a single life time to be in such a situation for more then one life time?" Rachael had to stop talking in order to keep herself from crying. The pain had already begun to creep into her voice.



Unsure of what to say Thomas chose to do. Standing up he gave Rachael a gentle kiss on the forehead. "That just means we have longer to try and find a way to restore you. We can continue these tests later on. I believe that you need to rest for a while."



"Yeah, just give me a while to calm down and then we can continue."



It had taken more then a while for Rachael to calm down. Nearly a week actually but at last she and Thomas were back to testing her endurance. "Now be certain to tell me when you begin to feel the least bit of pain."



"Don't worry I know the drill."



Thomas gave a nod. While testing the strength of Rachael's skin and heat resistance had worried him somewhat. The most recent test had his nerves shot. They were going to get an idea of just what it would take to break one of her bones. Of course he had no intention of going that far. The idea was to apply pressure until she felt a noticeable amount of discomfort and stop there. It wouldn't be an exact amount and could indeed be far off but at least they would have a better idea of just what she could endure. "Okay here goes."



Rachael could feel as the device began to apply pressure to her leg. It was an odd sensation as she couldn't really resist the machine's strength but after a certain point it seemed unable to affect her leg any longer.



Thomas watched as the gage went up he had it set up to move slowly since he didn't want to have to treat Rachael for a broken bone. His fingers rested nervously over the off switch and it even began to lower as it began to approach ranges that he knew would have bent a one inch steel bar. "How are you doing?"



"No pain just yet, but I can still tell it is building." Thomas gave a nod and watched as the numbers increased. Brake concrete, bend steel and higher until finally he heard the words. "Okay it is starting to hurt now shut the machine off."



Thomas didn't wait for Rachael to finish as his finger had already hit the off button as soon as she had said the word shut. "Well that is quite impressive."



"How much can my bones take before I begin to feel pain?"



"Well we don't have to worry about you being crushed if the house were to collapse in on you."



*****



Thomas didn't know what to think about the test results. While it appeared Rachael was weak as a kitten her endurance seemed far beyond anything he had ever encountered. From the results they had gotten he figured she could easily endure shots from most hands gun and even a few rifles. She was equally resistant to heat and cold if not more so.



"Spaced out are we?"



Thomas glanced over his shoulder and wished he hadn't "Do you have some test for me to run Steven?"



"Well is that anyway to talk to a co worker."



"It is when you have no desire to speak with them."



"I guess your upset since Rachael hasn't been around for a while."



Thomas felt his heart rate speeding up and his desire to punch Steven growing every moment he was in his presence. "Well do you have some test for me?"



"Did you know the police are looking for Rachael? Considering how close you two were I thought you would want to know."



Thomas didn't want to just punch Steven now. He would have liked to beat the man within an inch of his life but he was able to keep control of himself. "When did this happen?"



"Couldn't say, anyway about those tests you were asking me about. Yeah I have a few I want you to run for me."



"So you want some vacation time?" Walter looked at Thomas's application for some vacation time which had only been submitted a few hours earlier.



"Yes I have been feeling some what stressed. I guess I am worried about Rachael and it is starting to get to me."



"I can understand that but Thomas we really need your help right now. Thanks to the investigation several projects have fallen behind schedule not to mention we are now missing one of our best researchers."



"Well I am just a lab tech. I am sure you could find someone to fill my place."



"Thomas you might be a lab tech but you aren't easy to replace. We can't just let anyone work with the kind of equipment we have here and your military record let us skip the evaluation period to decide if you were trust worthy."



Thomas bit his lower lip for a moment. "I really need this time off."



"Thomas I can't."



"Then I will go and prepare my letter of resignation. I believe I have to give you a weeks notice."



Walter gripped the sides of his head for a moment. "So you feel that strongly about this? Somehow I doubt this is just about you feeling stressed out. You don't have to give a weeks notice just date the letter a week ago and you can take off." When Walter removed his hand he couldn't help but grin at the surprised look on Thomas's face. "I imagine you want to leave as soon as possible without arousing suspicion."



*****



"We are doing what?" Rachael could help the shock in her voice.



"We have to leave. It seems the police are searching for you."



"That doesn't mean they know to look for me here."



"I think Steven is the whistle blower."



Rachael grew silent for a good five minutes before she found the words to sum up how she felt. "Well shit."



Thomas busied himself preparing for there departure. He wasn't entirely certain where he was going to take Rachael but felt it best if they left as quickly as possible. He knew that his departure would only make the authorities more certain that he did indeed know where she had gone off to but he didn't want to risk them raiding his house looking for information and finding Rachael stuck in the bed. The fact that he had to leave his home behind did set well with him but Rachael was more important.



"Thomas I can't ask you to give up your home for me."



"Don't worry about it."



"But Thomas I already have taken so much from you."



"Ah well look at it this way. If the police find out that I helped hide you I won't be able to enjoy this home anyway."



"Gee that makes me feel much better."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Don't worry about it. You're worth it."



"How about I just turn myself in?"



"Don't say that. That is something that I can't let you do."



Rachael didn't respond to this comment but took some time to consider just what they were going to do. "So where are we going?"



"I am not certain to be honest. I am going to withdraw my money from my bank account and then I believe that we will head north."



"Are you planning on taking me to Canada?"



"That is a possibility. It isn't the best plan in the world but I hope to just shop around and find some place to lay low for a while. I am pretty handy with tools and I don't mind physical work either so I am sure I can find something. It is just the two of us so I can't imagine us having much of a problem."



"I am sorry. I really am sorry absolutely pathetic in all truth."



"Rachael don't say that about yourself. You're not sorry in the least you are a brilliant woman who I love. I am going to start getting ready to leave. I don't know how much time we have and I believe the sooner we leave the better. We can start making plans while we are traveling."



"Who told you about this anyway?"



"Steven came over and was gloating."



"What makes you so certain that he wasn't lying?"



Thomas grew silent for a moment. "I can't help but think he was trying to get a reaction out of me. If he was lying about them looking for you at this moment I have a feeling that they will be soon enough. Further more I believe that I have already been named a suspect.



*****



Rachael looked around the tiny apartment that she and Thomas were currently sharing it was a rather simple place with limited luxuries. Three weeks had passed since they left Thomas's home and they had already settled down at least for a little while. She had to admit Thomas did a good job of adapting to new situations. He had already managed to find a new job though it was far from being a good job.



Scanning the room Rachael couldn't help but sigh. He had given up too much to help her. He had a home and a good job, while Thomas had never told her about his financial situations she knew he was making more money then he was spending. With his new job working the late shift at, Rachael had to shake her head. Thomas had told her he was working at a store but he never told her what store.



She had a feeling it wasn't a very good job. At least he wouldn't have to carry her for much longer. At least she hoped he wouldn't. Rachael's hands pressed against the bed and she slowly began to rise up. Her body felt heavy far heavier then it had before she enhanced herself but at least she was able to set up now and stand up. Thomas didn't know about either of these details.



She had been keeping it a secret from him. "Okay. Let us see if I can do this." With that Rachael lowered her feet to the ground and stood up. Walking was a very tiring event as it still felt as she had weight strapped to her arms legs and entire body but now those weights were lighter. Using both arms Rachael had found a few days earlier that she could move a chair not a sofa or the sorts just a regular chair like one would find at a kitchen table. Maybe she could surprise Thomas when he came back to the apartment. His time working hadn't left him much time to clean. Maybe she could at least do that.



Then maybe someday she would be able to do more. After all just a few months prior it had been a monumental effort for her to just lift up a cell phone. It seemed that her strength was either returning or building. "At least we never have to worry about room service finding me." Rachael half lamented the condition of the apartment.



Steven has surprisingly been honest about them looking for Rachael. Over the last few days they had heard the news mention the event. Elaine and Amanda had managed to escape the search unscathed however several people had been caught and some were being looked for Rachael was amongst the list of those being looked for.



A silent thank you escaped Rachael's lips as she thought about this. Thank goodness Steven had to gloat and thank whatever powers there may be for Thomas.



"At least it isn't as bad as basic." That is what Thomas told himself everyday that he came back to the apartment. Of course he shouldn't be ungrateful the fact that he had managed to find a job within a week of his and Rachael's arrival had been rather surprising. Of course he had money enough that he didn't need to work at the moment but he didn't want to use that money until it was absolutely necessary.



Upon opening the door to the apartment he was shocked at what he saw. The apartment was clean or at least cleaner then he had left it. This immediately struck him as odd his instincts taking over he quick made his way to Rachael's room to see if she was okay and find out what had happened. His jaw nearly hit the floor when he looked in.



"Hi Thomas, how was your day?" Rachael was poor the sweat as if she had just ran a marathon and a half. Despite this a smile graced her face a smile which seemed to brighten up the entire room.



"Rachael? What happened and why are you sweating?"



"Oh I have just been cleaning is all, it was more work then I expected it to be."



"But how?"



"With my hands, well my hands a few wash rags and cleaning supplies."



"You mean that you can move."



Rachael responded by slowly forcing herself to stand up. While the slow action of her feet touching the ground and then her standing up was good for dramatic affect it was done more because she had no other choice then for showmanship she was still very weak. The moment Rachael had elevated herself she was lifted into the air even higher as Thomas picked her up giving her a rather heavily hug.



"Oh thank heavens you are getting better."



Rachael didn't say anything but instead chose to wrap her arms around Thomas's head. They remained in his position until Thomas's arms began to tire and he finally had to set Rachael down.



"So how long have you been able to move around?"



"I found out I could get out of bed a few days after we arrived. Of course I also learned that at the time I couldn't stand up for very long and I ended up falling down. You wouldn't believe how much trouble it was to get back in the bed. At least now I can help out though."



"Are you sure you're not endangering yourself by straining your body so much?"



"Well I can't say that I am certain, but then again I don't know if staying in bed all that time helped either. Anyway, I need to exercise."



"How long were you cleaning?"



Rachael couldn't help but blush a little. "I started as soon as you left. It is kind of hard for me to work quickly."



Thomas smiled and helped Rachael to set back down in the bed. "I will help you later."



"Don't do that. I want to finish up."



"Alright, still I need to get dinner started. You just rest you have had a busy day."



*****



Rachael stood in front of the bathroom mirror running a brush through her hair. Granted the brush felt like a three pound weight in her hand but that was far better then how things had been. Her strength had recovered enough that she was now able to cook though she had to be careful especially when feeling a pot up with water. She had been grateful for her heat resistance on several occasions after accidentally splashing herself with scalding hot water.



Rachael also took the time to keep their little apartment tidy though that was rather easy. She hoped that she would soon be able to rejoin the work force and actually start helping pay for things. Since her strength had been recovering Rachael's mind had once again began to turn towards the future.



While there was no way that she could reclaim her old life she didn't plan to spend the rest of her life living the way she was. Well they were a few things that intended on keeping. She planned on staying with Thomas and repaying him for everything that he had done for her and continued to do for her though she wasn't certain how. While she may be able to pay him back for his monetary losses some day she couldn't think of anyway to pay him back for the kindness and care he had shown her as well as the risk that he had taken.



It had occurred to her on a few occasions that since she could move around now it might be a good idea for her to leave Thomas. After all being with her only endangered him. She had resolved to stay though when he told her that if she left and was caught them he would confess what he had done to the police. This took away any reason for her to leave and gave her more of a reason to stay though it was a rather odd form of blackmail.



At last Rachael went to set down the brush. Her eyes widened the moment she moved it in front of her face and she noticed several strands of crimson within the brush. Reaching down Rachael began to remove the strands the whole time growing more concerned about the amount of hair that was in the brush. She couldn't bring herself to actually look into the mirror and see how much hair she had lost for ten minutes.



Reaching up Rachael parted her hair expecting to see a bald spot what she saw instead surprised her. The reason her hair was falling out is because new hair was growing in. Underneath it was several short strands of violet hair were currently forming. Rachael let her hair fall back into place and began to search the rest of her head.



"Well this is unexpected." Thomas was currently pacing around Rachael examining the hair that had grown in the place of her old. While neither of them was certain of when the change had started it seemed to have been happening for a while. Not a single strands of Rachael's red hair was left instead it had been replaced by violet hair. Currently it was shorter then Rachael's old hair but it seemed to be growing longer.



"It seems that my body is just full of surprises. I wonder what else is going to change."



"Well it isn't too bad and your strength is recovering at least. I suppose you can just tell anyone that asks that you like to dye your hair. It looks kind of nice actually though I liked you more with longer hair."



"This may be explainable by simply dyeing but what if my body continues to change? I hope I don't grow wings or a tail."



Thomas gave a nod. "Yeah that would be a bit harder to explain. Of course there isn't anything we can do about it. I suppose we will just have to roll with the punches. How is your strength coming along?"



"I have been doing better lately. At this rate it wouldn't be to long before I am back to my old self."



"Just with a lot more endurance and violet hair." "Thomas grew silent for a few moments. "Rachael just what was the DNA strands you development meant to do? I am pretty sure you told me but I might have forgotten."



"It was meant to enhance me but not in the regular way. Most enhancements are a one shot deal unless they are designed with improvements in mind but even those are limited. Mine was meant to allow for infinite improvements."



"So you tried to make it so that you could improve yourself even more after the initial adjustments?"



"I went further then that. I wanted my body to continue improving itself. Of course you might imagine this posed some complications."



"What were you worried about?"



"Other then the fact that it had never been done before? I needed a way to insure that my body wouldn't go in a direction that I hadn't for scene or didn't desire."



"Were you able to accomplish that?"



"I believed that I had. Of course I wasn't entirely certain. I injected myself before I was done testing because of the investigation. I couldn't stand the idea of having to start over especially when I might not have access to the strands ever again."



"How were you going to control what direction your body moved in?"



"I tried to make the connection between my redesigned cells, nervous system and brain more complete. I wanted to be able to treat it something like a neural interface with my own body."



"Well I guess this proves you succeeded on some level at least. Your body is clearly changing."



"I just hope it is for the better."



*****



Rachael glanced towards the window of the apartment. The blinds were constantly drawn but they were so thin that they might as well have been open. Thomas hadn't allowed her to start working just yet since he feared her body would suddenly weaken again. It annoyed her to some extent but he was right. They needed to give it some time to make sure her body wasn't going to relapse.



At least her hair had grown back to some extend. Several weeks had past since the last of her natural hair had fallen out while her altered hair now reached down to her shoulders and though it looked somewhat strange it was better then being bald she reasoned. She had resolved that instead of trying to explain the strange color as the result of dyeing she would do the opposite and dye her hair back to red.



Stretching a bit Rachael was somewhat surprised when she felt something rather solid against her toes. Carefully she moved them along the surface until she suddenly set up in bed her eyes wide. Removing the covers she soon realized that her toes were actually touching the iron rim of the bed.



It didn't take Rachael long to scramble out of bed and begin to search for a measuring tape and a pencil. Locating the items she placed her back against one of the walls and made a quickly mark. She then proceeded to find out just why her feet had touched the rim. "Six feet three inches." Rachael felt her body twitch somewhat. "Why hadn't she noticed this earlier?"



Looking down Rachael realized one of the reasons was probably because the clothing she had been wearing lately was very loose. They also had other concerns which would have distracted her add the fact that she had so much trouble adapting to being in her weakened state and it wasn't too surprising that she didn't notice.



Leaning against the wall Rachael took in a few deep breaths to steady herself, "Okay you knew your body was changing and you didn't actually plan for it to stop. There is nothing wrong with putting on a few inches nothing openly unnatural has happened yet." A second Rachael's hand touched the top of her head. "Okay one unnatural thing has happened. Well no if I include my resistance that makes two unnatural things. Crap."



Straitening back up Rachael proceeded into the bathroom. It had the largest mirror and the apartment and she needed to check a few things out. She had planned on doing some cleaning and cooking today but those were quickly changing. It had been some time since she had really checked herself out and she needed to know if there was anything else that she had missed. As Rachael walked into the rest room she glanced down at the measuring tape she held. The exterior case was made of metal and the weight wasn't bothering her.



*****



"How could you miss these?"



Thomas felt somewhat awkward thanks in no small part to the globes that were currently being displayed in front of him. "Well I. I suppose the change was so gradual that it didn't really click."



"Thomas I went from just barely a C cup to a DD cup and you didn't notice?"



Thomas felt his face redden a bit though it wasn't due to anger. After all Rachael didn't truly seem to be scolding. Rather her tone of voice was teasing. "We had other things to worry about and your hair sort of takes away from that area. At least it did before hand."



Rachael smirked and proceeded to lower her shirt again. "It seems that my strength has recovered as well if not more so. I am a little surprised that it didn't take much longer."



"Have you run any test?"



"Well I lifted some of the heavier items to see if I could. I didn't have any trouble with anything at least except those things that you would expect."



"So you don't have to strain to lift a pot full of water."



"Nope, I guess this means that I am ready to rejoin the work force and start earning my keep."



Thomas didn't respond right away but took his time to get a good look at Rachael. He had been too busy to notice lately but she seemed to have changed in ways she hadn't noticed either. "Rachael I don't remember you ever looking so toned."



Rachael glanced down at her arms and legs for a moment. "Huh I guess they do look firmer then what they did even before my mistake."



"I wonder if your treatment might have just needed some time. Perhaps, you should just stay here for a while longer so we can see what is going to happen."



"Thomas if we keep doing that then we will never find out. I would need equipment to test and be certain of anything and we can't afford it right now. Not to mention that it would be very difficulty to get hold of such equipment without proper licensing. If this is indeed only a temporary improvement I want to enjoy it as long as I can."



Thomas took his time to respond. He didn't like it but Rachael did have a point. "So what kind of work do you plan on looking for?"



Rachael took a moment to step away and pick up a chair. It would have been easier to drag it to the spot but she was so grateful to even have the strength that a healthy human of her size would have that she couldn't resist. After setting the chair down Rachael sat down. "The type of job that doesn't require a lot of documentation to get. Perhaps, I can get a job working in a heated environment that most people would find uncomfortable. Maybe I can even work along side of you. What have you been doing anyway? You always told me not to worry about it. I assume it must be rather unpleasant and you didn't want me to feel guilty about it."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "Well it isn't really anything to be ashamed or difficult. It just bothers me that after so much education I am working as a janitor."



Rachael blinked her eyes for a moment. "Yuck. How have you been keeping your work clothes hidden from me?"



"It is easy considering that you couldn't really do much for a while. Once you started cleaning though I did continue to do some of the laundry."



"That is true. I bet they make you repair the little floor sweepers as well."



"So how about we try and find you some work that you would at least enjoy?"



"Well that doesn't provide many options."



"We can start at the beginning. What is it you want to do?"



Rachael was about to answer work in a lab when she realized that wasn't the truth. "I want to do something that would allow me to make use of my endurance and my strength."



Thomas gave a nod. "Well I can think of a few jobs that people generally consider unpleasant thanks to the conditions."



"Of course it would be nice if it was one that I could quit without much fuss but then again I suppose that is inevitable since it also has to be work that I can get without much testing. I would feel comfortable going to a doctor to have a physical done in my condition."



"That does limit the prospects quite a bit."



"Thomas, would you mind doing me a favor?"



"Sure. What do you want me to do?"



"I want you to hit me."



"Huh?"



"You said you would do me a favor."



"Yeah but I didn't expect for you to ask for something like that. I can't just hit you."



"Oh come on. You know you can't break my bones even with mechanical help. Well you could have broken them we stopped before that point, but it would have required enough force that there is no way you could deliver it with your first."



"That is true but I don't want to risk hurting you even if I can't injure you and well it just doesn't feel right."



A rather playful smile formed on Rachael's face. "Would it help if I hit you first?"



"Rachael. I don't want to hit you."



Rachael giggled a bit and quickly leaned forward pressing her lips against Thomas's for a moment. It took a little while but Rachael finally leaned back. "Okay I couldn't bring myself to hit you either. Anyway I can test this on my own."



It took a while for Thomas's mind to start working enough for him to respond. When he finally came to he realized Rachael was busy searching around the apartment. "What are you doing?"



"I am look for something and here it is." Rachael proceeded to take an old globe from one of the drawers. It was one of the things she had Thomas take with them since it was an antique. "Yes this should be heavy enough."



Thomas started to walk towards Rachael somewhat worried about what she was planning. "Heavy enough for what?" Thomas felt his concern triple as Rachael held the globe above her head. "What are you doing?"



"Don't worry. I am just going to run a quick test." At this point Rachael released the globe from her fully extended hands and allowed it to fall onto her head.



"What are you trying to do? Nock yourself unconscious?" Thomas couldn't help but raise his voice at the recklessness of Rachael's actions.



Rachael smiled and stuck her tongue out at Thomas. "Of course not silly, I was only trying to get an idea of the protection my endurance gives me." Rachael bent down and proceeded to pick up the globe. "This has to way a few pounds at least and it didn't even sting being dropped from arms length."



"You know Rachael perhaps you getting a job just now isn't such a good idea."



"Huh why do you say that?"



"Well for one thing after your test I am worried that you might hurt yourself and well you have grown some since this began. How do we know that you're not done growing? It would be rather difficult to hide growing oh say an extra foot."



"That just means I need to get a job were there isn't many chances to compare my height to other peoples. That or to find a job that I won't be staying on for very long. You need to relax you know. Back in the lab I was known for pushing the limit a little bit and it isn't like I dropped that without some prior testing. I knew it didn't have enough force to crack my skull after all."



Thomas let out a sigh. "I think it was easier on my nerves when I didn't have to worry about you experimenting on yourself. How about we check out the help wanted ads and see what we can find? If nothing else perhaps you can find some work doing odd jobs." Thomas closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking of something. "Rachael, would you go out to dinner with me?"



The question caught Rachael somewhat off guard but she didn't need long to think anyway. "I would be glad to. Though I am curious as to where that question came from."



"I didn't feel comfortable making any advancements towards you while you were in your weakened condition. Now I want to try to woo you a bit."



"Silly, you have been doing that this entire time. Now let us go and take a look at those help wanted ads."



*****



The days since Rachael's recovery had been rather odd for Thomas. He had known Rachael for some time and she had always been reserved at least when it came to how she dressed. Ever since her strength had not only returned to the same level it had been before she tried to enhance herself and then gone beyond. She had been wearing less and less clothing. She had already cut away the legs of several of her pairs of pants converting the clothing to shorts.



The shirts for their part didn't need any modification thanks to Rachael's increase in height and bust line. Going from 5'2" to 6'4" will have that affect. Thomas gave his head a quick shake. 6'5.5" Rachael had put on an additional inch and a half since then and may very well grow taller though how much taller he couldn't be certain.



She had also begun to stay closer to him which was a rather odd behavioral pattern. Rachael had often kept her distance from other people as if subconsciously or perhaps consciously she felt they were a threat. Now he found himself receiving frequent hugs and kisses from her. Of course there was no way he was going to complain about this.



The one thing that did have him worried though was Rachael's desire to experiment with the changes that were occurring. He frequently saw her trying to lift increasingly heavy objects and having an easier time doing so with each attempt apparently her strength wasn't done increasing.



Testing her strength wasn't what actually had him worried of course. Rather it was her tendency to intentionally place her hand on a hot burner or drop a rather heavy object on her foot or at times atop her head.



On top of all of this she had began talking about him quitting his job and trying to find a more comfortable one now that she was working. She was making more money then what he had been. She had assured him this was due to her increased bust size and didn't have anything to do this either of their work ethic or brains. Rachael had managed to get a job at a repair shop. It wasn't the type of work that she had been looking for but she seemed to be happy.



He doubted that she wore the protective gloves to avoid getting shocked. Of course he had to admit that a part of him wanted to try and find work else where.



"What are you thinking about?"



Thomas looked up to find Rachael standing next to him. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed her approach. "I was just thinking about her employment status."



"Are you finally going to quit your job?"



"Well I don't need to quit to find a better job do I?"



"No, but I know you can enjoy your work."



"It isn't so bad. How are things going at the shop?"



"They are going pretty well though I wish people would quit telling me to put on my gloves or I am going to get shocked."



"They are right."



"I know they are right. I have been shocked several times already though they were mostly intentional. It just so much fine to touch a wire and know that if a normal human was touching it they would be knocked unconscious or maybe killed yet it doesn't even bother me."



"It's nice to know that you are enjoying your work."



"It is nice enough though I want to try something different eventually. I wish he could have found a way to dye my hair."



Thomas gave a nod. They had attempted to dye Rachael's hair to a normal color but found the task to be impossible. No matter how much dye they put on her hair it simply wouldn't soak in. Rather it would just run off. "What do you want to try?"



"Just about anything that would let me make use of my strength and endurance. I have been asking around the office but I haven't had much success. I suppose they don't realize just how big I really am."



"Well you do keep sat down as much as possible."



"Yeah, which does stink but until I stop growing I can't let anyone get a good idea of what my height is."



"You know you could just go to a gym if you are so interested in seeing what your muscles are capable of doing."



Rachael grew silent for a few moments. "Oh sure, make me look stupid why don't you?"



Thomas couldn't help but laugh. "Well it is the idea to meet people if you are looking for ways to make use of your strength."



"True and I don't have to worry about being recognized. Do you know of any gyms in the area?"



"Sorry I can't help you there. I haven't really had time to look around thanks to work."



"That is a problem. I will shop around some later."



*****



This was one side of Rachael that Thomas had never expected to see. Rachael had always worn fairly simple clothing that concealed her frail frame rather well. However, since her frame was no longer frail it seemed she was eager to show off. He had thought today would be spent looking into various gyms instead he found himself waiting outside of a dressing room for Rachael to try on some clothes for the gym.



Rachael let out a sigh as she set a hair of low cut shorts down. While she liked the way the garment showed off her legs she knew that she couldn't justify purchasing it. Not that she believed Thomas would complain about any purchase that she made. She knew that it would be a needless drain on their financial situation especially since they didn't know how tall she was going to become.



She needed to stick with clothing that was either over sized but would still work or that could stretch. "Thomas I don't think these t-shirts are going to be large enough. Could you ask the clerk to check for something larger?"



"Huh? But those shirts would be baggy even on me."



"Yes but I am taller then you and you don't have breast."



"Good point I will see what I can do."



"Oh. Before you go, please put these back." Rachael proceeded to hand over the packet of t-shirts as well as several of articles of clothing.



"Did they not fit you?"



"They fit me at the moment but I doubt they would stretch enough. At least if I put on any more inches."



"True. Okay I will be back in a moment. Thomas didn't bother mentioning that Rachael was already five and a half inches taller then him. Considering this the only reason he made a trip to the women's section of the store was to put back the shorts that wouldn't fit her. After which me made his way to the men's section and began to search for the largest shirts the store had available. "Okay how are these."



Rachael caught the packed as it flew over the top of the dresser. "Give me a moment and I will let you know." Unzipping the package Rachael pulled out one of the shirts. "Is this the largest that they have?"



"Yeah, is it too small?"



"I will let you be the judge of that."



Thomas's jaw nearly hit the ground when Rachael opened up the dressing room door and stepped out. He knew that Rachael had been growing both in muscle mass and height as well as had a bust size increase but he wasn't expecting this. He had no idea of just how much she had changed over the last few weeks.



Rachael noticed a slight gasp from Thomas and felt a bit of worry as she wondered what it was caused by. As she looked him over her worry faded as she realized it wasn't due to him finding her unpleasant to look at. Rather it seemed to be the exact opposite.



"Where have you been hiding that body?"



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "I am glad you like it."



Thomas gave a nod and decided to give his eyes a few moments to take in the vision of loveliness before him. He had none that her body had been toning up over the past few weeks but now those changes were really being brought home to him. Starting with Rachael's legs he could see the outline of her muscles hidden under her skin even when they were relaxed. The muscles seemed to dance every so slightly every time Rachael would shift her weight.



Rachael's thigh muscles were truly massive and looked like they could crush a man's head like a grape if they were to be caught between them. Traveling upward he was surprised to find that her abdominal muscles were clearly defined into six different sections that looked as strong as a plate of steel. The t-shirt she currently wore was drawn so tight against them that it was plain to see. Looking further upward he noticed from the outline of her nipples in the shirt that Rachael wasn't wearing a bra and considering how firm those breasts appeared to be he doubted that she needed one.



Looking to the side he noted Rachael's arms. When had her biceps gotten so large? He had no doubt that they were larger then his own. Rachael waste was slim in comparison to the rest of her. "Wow."



"I am glad that you like it. I guess these clothes are going to have to do if they are the largest that the store has."



"U,huh."



"Mm is that the closest to a coherent answer that I am going to get?"



Thomas gave his head a quick shake. "That is a distinct possibility.

I mean wow. When did this happen?"



"It has been happening for a while. I guess it takes time for such a change to become truly apparent though. Keep in mind though that I may not be done changing yet."



"Sure thing."



"How about we just buy the cheaper clothes since they may not last me for a very long time?"



"Yeah that is a good idea."



*****



Thomas opened up the little oven and glanced in at the confection.

Rachael was currently away working while he had taken a day off in order to stay home and prepare something specially. He would miss the day's paycheck but with Rachael working they could take such brakes. In truth their finances had grown though only slightly. "I wonder if this is something I should really be celebrating?"



Thomas just gave a shrug and took the cake out of the oven. It was already baked after all and if he didn't take today to celebrate it would be an entirely wasted day. "Okay. Is that everything? I have the cake, ice cream, hot dogs, fries, tape measurer and I believe that is it."



He and Rachael had been in hiding for quite some time now. A year actually and they hadn't had any real trouble avoiding capture. He imagined it was due to keeping a low profile that and Rachael looked nothing like the woman they showed on the TV. People were looking for a woman that barely topped five feet and Rachael had passed up six feet a long time ago. Today Thomas planned on finding out just what height Rachael had reached.



Taking a quick glance at the clock to see how much time he had Thomas was somewhat relieved to see that he had forty minutes before Rachael would be home. Settling down in the room that doubled both as a bedroom and living room he flipped on the television and resolved to relax a bit before Rachael got back.



As Rachael walked up the stairs to her and Thomas's little apartment she moved more slowly then normal. She hadn't mentioned it to Thomas but her job had ceased to be amusing a long time ago. The occasional shock she gave herself had been amusing for a time but with her actions restricted it had finally quit being fun and started being work. A chuckled escaped Rachael's lips as she thought about the lab. While that had been her job she wouldn't have ever called it work. It was too much fun to be that.



Of course perhaps it wasn't actually the job but rather it was her. She had undergone a lot of changes after all and now that she actually had some strength to speak of she felt compelled to use it. Rachael froze for a moment and proceeded to flex her right arm. Watching as the biceps swelled and pressed the fabric outward. Her eyes widen in surprised when the shirt actually developed a tear. "My."



Rachael's smile returned at this bit of relief and she made her way the rest of the way up to her and Thomas's room.



Thomas had turned off the TV some five minutes before he expected Rachael to arrive though he didn't bother turning off the lights. He knew that would make her suspicious as to what was going on inside. "Welcome home Rachael."



"Hi. You're back early aren't you?"



"I decided to take today off." Thomas withdrew the tape measurer from his back pocket and walked over to Rachael.



"Oh do you have something special in mind?"



"Yes I do, but first would you mind if I took some measurements?"



"Sure, though I don't know how long that they will be consistent."



"I have a feeling that these will hold accurate."



"What makes you think that?"



"I have been comparing our heights." Thomas walked over to Rachael until he felt her breast pressing against him he then learned forward a bit.



"Yeah I have been in this spot every time you hugged me for a while now." When Rachael giggled Thomas couldn't help but notice her breast shaking.



"Well that isn't the most scientific means of measuring my height but it is one way to do it without me noticing." Rachael proceeded to wrap her arms around Thomas and pull his head down slightly so that it came to meet her breast just a bit more.



When Rachael finally released her grip Thomas straitened back up. "So how about we find out just how tall you are?"



"Okay." Rachael walked over to the wall where they had been measuring her height for a while now while Thomas retrieved a foot stool. Standing on the stool he could see over her head and marked her height on the wall. He then placed the tape measured against the line and allowed Rachael to pull it down.



"So what does it come to?"



"You are two and a bit more then a tenth meters or seven feet tall."



"Well no wonder your head almost ends up in my cleavage every time we hug."



"No I am pretty sure that is because of your arms pulling my head down."



"Well while you are standing on that why don't we take some additional measurements?" Rachael didn't give Thomas a chance to answer but proceeded to pull her t-shirt over her head and move so that her back was facing the stool that he was standing on."



Thomas grinned and learned forward as he wrapped his arms around Rachael he made it a point to give her breast a slight squeeze as he did he felt Rachael shift slightly causing her breast flesh to rub against his arms. "That is fifty seven inches or one hundred and twenty four centimeters. No wonder those t-shirts were stretched when ever you tried to wear them."



"That store just didn't have anything for fat people."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle and hopped down. He then proceeded to wrap the measuring tape around Rachael's waste. "Thirty inches or seventy centimeters."



"You know you only need to give me one type of measurement. I know both systems."



"Yeah but it helps me remember them both more easily."



"Suit yourself."



When Thomas tried to withdraw his hands from Rachael's waist he found that he couldn't perform the task as Rachael's hands had settled upon his and now held them in place. His hands were only held for a few seconds before Rachael released and allowed him to take his final measurement. "Forty nine inches or about one hundred twenty four centimeters."



"Of course my height isn't the only thing that has been going up." Rachael didn't wait for Thomas to stand up but proceeded to bend down and slip a hand under each one of his arms. Straitening her legs out Rachael lifted Thomas into the air holding him so that her arms were fully extended at a slight angle.



"Impressive but you are straining."



"Yeah I know. Of course just because my height has stopped going up doesn't mean that my strength has. At least I hope it doesn't mean that." Rachael brought Thomas in closer and proceeded to wrap her arms around him. Thomas followed suit as he enjoyed the feeling of being hugged, his weight was entirely supported by Rachael so that his feet were left dangling above the ground.



"I have something else for you."



"What is that?"



"I couldn't make anything fancy but I decided to bake a cake for us today to celebrate."



"Are we celebrating that my height seems to have stopped increasing?"



"That and the fact that it has been nearly a year since your successful experiment."



"Successful? It nearly killed me."



"True but if these are the end results then I believe that it was successful."



Rachael set Thomas down and took a moment to admire her body. "Well so long as this progress doesn't regress I would have to agree."



"Later on we could look into special ordering some clothes that would fit you. Though before we do that, there is something else I want to speak to you about after we eat."



"What is it?"



"Lets take some time to relax first then we can talk about what I have in mind."



"Okay. So what kind of cake did you bake me?"





End Chapter 1

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 2
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-03-24 00:00:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Brawling, Invulnerability, Super Strength

By Happiest in Shadows





Warning this story contains adult content so if you're a minor don't read it or if adult content involving sex, violence or super powerful women offends you don't read it either. This story was written with input from Supernaught whose real name I haven't inquired about.





Rachael glanced down at the tiny scrap of paper in her hand and then towards the sign once again. Her gaze then traveled up the massive building that currently stood before her and she let out a slight whistle. It had been so long since she had seen a building of this type and size she hoped that she hadn't forgotten how to conduct herself in a professional setting.



Taking in a deep breath she proceeded through the front doors and to the front desk. As Rachael glanced the clerk over she couldn't help but feel the woman didn't quite fit the setting. When the woman finally looked up at the computer screen she seemed to think Rachael belonged in such a place. "Hello and how may I help you?"



"I am here for a job interview my name is Rachael Marks." Rachael felt odd using her birth name when she knew that she was wanted but Thomas had assured her it would be fine and far better then her using a name she wasn't familiar with and perhaps slipping up.



The clerk took a moment to open a few files on her computer before glancing at Rachael once again. "So you are the one that is applying for the assistant position and trainer. I would like to say that you won't have any problems getting the position but I don't know how Ronald is going to respond to having an assistance that makes him look like the student. Have you been working out long?"



"Ever since I knew what I was doing." While Rachael knew that the woman's statement meant lifting weights she didn't consider her answer to be a total lie. She had been using her mind to develop her body all that time after all.



"You mentioned that you have had some genetic alterations performed."



"Yeah I was born rather sickly so that they modified my DNA so I could survive."



"They seem to have been quite generous with your modifications."



"I would have to agree with you."



"Oh how rude of me. My name is Molly."



"I am glad to meet you Molly. Have my medical records already arrived? If they haven't I brought a copy."



"We received them before we gave you a call to come in so don't worry about those."



Rachael gave a nod and said a silent thank you to Thomas. They both knew that she wouldn't be able to pass any true examination to see if her genetic structure was within the legal levels however that was a legitimate examination. Thomas had actually managed to find a doctor whose morals were less them ethical though he had refused to tell her how much the documentation had cost. "Well then I suppose I will just hold onto these."



"Follow me and I swill show you to Ronald's office." Once Molly actually stood up she realized just how massive Rachael truly was as Rachael stood nearly one third of a meter taller then Molly. "I know you won't be working side by side with Ronald that is certain."



"Didn't you read what my height was in the paper work?"



"Yeah but I guess I didn't really put it together until I saw you would you mind if I ask you a somewhat personnel question?"



"I wouldn't mind though that doesn't mean I have to answer."



"How much of your current build would you attribute to your exercise and how much would you attribute to your enhancements."



Rachael gave a slight sigh as if she regretted what she was about to say in truth she was quite proud of it. "I would have to say most of my strength comes from my enhancement. After all how many women do you know that are roughly two and a third meters tall?"



"And have your build? I can't say I know any personally."



Rachael couldn't help but notice the relieved look on Molly's face. Of course she knew the woman was silently telling herself that the reason she was over weight was genetic and not her lack of exercise. While there was no way to be certain Rachael couldn't help but think the little woman was lying to herself.



Ronald looked up from his computer screen when he heard the knock on the door. "Come on in." He was fairly surprised that when the door was opened he found Molly standing in the opening with a woman that seemed to take up most of the door way standing behind her.



"Ronald this is Rachael. She is here for her job interview."



It took a few moments for Ronald to respond. He had read Rachael statistics including her height, weight and the amount of muscle mass she possessed so he wasn't expecting what he saw. He was expecting some muscle bound hulk that could hardly pass for a woman anymore lacking in anything resembling breast. What he got was a lovely if towering and well developed woman whose figure made her gender quite clear.



Rachael was relieved to see that Ronald seemed to like what he saw figuring that it would make her job that much easier. The time spent waiting in silence was actually quite amusing as far as she was concerned as she waited for Ronald to finish gathering up his thoughts.



"Well please come and have a seat. You may leave Molly." Molly gave a shrug and exited back out the door after Rachael took a step back. Rachael then proceeded into the room and set down in one of the chairs in front of Ronald's desk. "I have to say you're not quite what I expected."



"Is that a good thing?"



"I believe so. I see you applied to be an assistant and general trainer to the customers."



"That is right."



"Bench 138 kilograms, press 205 kilograms, dead lift 410 kilograms and curl 50 kilograms. Is that accurate?"



"Yes sir." In truth it was a total lie Rachael's strength had gone far beyond those limits several weeks ago.



"Would you mind coming down to the gym to show me? I want to see your form."



"Sure." Standing up Rachael allowed Ronald to make his way around his desk and take the lead as she didn't know her way around the structure yet. Also she didn't want to seem pushy to her potential employer especially after the trouble Thomas went through to get her the position.



Ronald didn't know what to think as he watched Rachael pressing the dumbbell. Despite her size he imagined that she had given him her absolute max something that she could perhaps lift a few times and then would be too tired to continue to continue on. He had just watched her complete three sets of twelve and now she was working on her fourth.



Rachael pretended to be exerting far more effort then she actually was which was fairly difficult for her as there was a great temptation to use her true strength and see if she could lift the mass with just one of her arms. Letting out a loud groan of effort she finally set the weight back upon its mount and set up.



It was taking some time for Ronald to put his thoughts together. As the gyms owner he was also known to be an active body builder and had even developed a few exercise programs of his own and now Rachael shows up and nearly matches him unsure of what to say about her strength he switched the subjects. "You have a rather odd hair color. Is that due to the genetic alterations?"



"No I just like to dye it this color. Is that going to be a problem I can quit if you want?" Rachael tried to keep her concern from showing as purple had actually become her natural hair color since the change and she didn't relish the idea of having to dye it to conceal it.



"No. It is just a bit unusual. I guess you received a rather high level of enhancement."



"Yeah it was border line legal."



Ronald seemed to perk up at the news. "I have to say I am glad that they don't make to many mistakes when enhancing people. Still since most of your muscle mass may be from enhancements I am going to have to make sure you know the proper forms and how to teach."



Rachael didn't have to worry about looking disappointed or hurt by Ronald's statement since she wasn't. He could contribute as much of her strength to enhancements as he wanted as far as she was concerned. "Sure where would you like to begin?"



"You tell me you're the instructor."



"Okay. We'll start with a warm up and then move on from there. I hope you don't mind if I treat you like an advanced student."



"Actually I want to see how you are going to treat the beginners."



"Okay."



*****



Ronald set in his office looking at the various applicants for the position including Rachael's. It had been roughly two days since she had came in and demonstrated her teaching ability for him. She wasn't the best instructor in the world but she was far from the worse as well though he did have people with more experience Rachael had one thing that they didn't though she was beautiful. "If I get her to keep how much she was enhanced quiet and say that she was only given a little extra height."



Ronald closed his eyes for a few moments imaging how some of his male clients would react to such an attractive instructor. They would pay more attention that was certain and perhaps Rachael could bring in some additional people women who were looking to improve their physique and men who perhaps had no great interest in exercise but would join just to have something to admire.



One thing that Ronald knew would bring customers would be the chance to wrestle with Rachael. She had actually challenged him to a grappling match as part of their mock training exercise. It had been quite a enjoyable experience and she was strong enough that she could train with the vast majority of clients if not all of them. After all she had nearly over powered him.



At last he set down the last of the files and picked up the phone. Even if he didn't like the fact that she was taller then he was in the end she was the best for the job.



"Thanks for letting me take such a risk."



Thomas smiled up at Rachael. The two where currently relaxing on the sofa Rachael was setting up while he had his head laid across her lap. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't that big of a deal."



"Yes it was. How difficult was it to find that doctor?"



Thomas rubbed the top of his head for a moment. "It wasn't easy. Let us just leave it at that."



"I bet finding him cost you a bundle."



"Hey you were working to and you will probably start working again soon so the money was yours as well as mine."



"I am going to have to buy you something nice once we replenished our savings. Of course I don't know how long that is going to take since someone won't tell me how much it cost."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "I'll let you know when are savings have been built back up. Of course we still have some emergency money in case we have to move quickly."



"It has been over a year now I suppose the case has gone cold."



"Without a doubt we haven't heard them mention anything on the news in quite some time. Well except for the occasional rerun of most wanted."



"Do you think we can begin to lead more normal lives once again? Maybe you can get in touch with your family."



Thomas let out a long sigh. "I don't know if that is a good idea. I think they may very well call the police on me."



"Why would they do that?"



"Because you are genetically modified and everyone is worried some horrible new illness may form within you. They may think I have been infected and have me taken to the hospital."



Leaning to her side a bit Rachael proceeded to slip her arms underneath Thomas. She straitened back up as she easily lifted him into the air so that she didn't have to bend down when she gave him a kiss. "Don't you miss them?"



"Not as much as I would miss you. I might try to make contact eventually but not right now."



Rachael was about to comment when the phone began to ring. Thomas proceeded to wrap his arms around Rachael's neck giving him some support as she used one of the arms that had been supporting him to retrieve the phone from a near by stand. "Hello."



"Rachael this is Ronald. The position is yours when would you be able to start?"



"The sooner the better I have been without a job for a while and had to deal with some expenses recently."



"Well then I will see you tomorrow. You're working the evening shift."



"What time is that exactly?"



"Twelve to eight."



"Ah. I suppose that is the peek times to get people who are getting off work and those that are skipping work since they would want to sleep in. I'll be there."



"See you tomorrow."



Thomas took the phone from Rachael as she slipped her arm back under him he quickly turned the little device off and tossed it back on the table. "Twelve to eight huh? Maybe I should look into getting my hours changed."



"Yeah with your current work load it is going to cut into the time that we get to spend together. Maybe I shouldn't have agreed to those hours so quickly."



"Well you just got the job it isn't really the time to start asking for a change. I'll look into changing shifts though I know I won't be able to get the exact same hours as you."



"If you can't you could just start stopping by the gym after work."



Thomas gave his stomach a few quick pats. "It has been a while since I set foot in one though I like to believe I am keeping myself in presentable condition."



"Mm more then presentable." Rachael once again pressed her lips against Thomas's in a very deep kiss. When she let up there was a wide grin on her face. "Actually if you start showing up I think you wouldn't get to spend much time with the weights."



"Why is that?"



"Well Ronald had me wrestle him some as part of the training exercises. I have to admit I thought it was kind of fun though I hated having to hold back and let him win."



"When didn't you just over power him?"



"It would have made it too obvious just how strong I am. I mean I don't have any formal training in that stuff." Rachael was a bit startled when Thomas pushed up on her shoulders and proceeded to squirm out of her grip.



"Okay we need to clear some space."



"How come?"



"I was in the military if you recall."



"So?"



"So I am going to give you some training. I doubt it is what the actual wrestles get but I was trained in hand to hand combat."



"Thomas I don't think my boss would appreciate it if I hurt some of the customers."



"Don't worry I will just show you some restraint techniques."



"They taught you those in the military?"



Thomas turned his head to the side for a moment. "Well they didn't teach us very many but we were taught a few. Just in case an occasion should arise that we don't want to harm the target. Anyway some practice is better then none."



Rachael grinned and proceeded to stand up. "Okay but let me clear the room. I want you to see just what you are going to be dealing with. "



"Now Rachael I won't be able to train you if you use so much of your strength that I can't do anything."



Rachael couldn't help but pout. "But I want to show off for you."



"Okay how about you let me win for the first thirty minutes so I can show you a few holds and how to brake out of them with something other then raw strength then you don't have to hold back so much. Just don't hurt me."



"Hm. I would rather if I let you get me in a hold and then I see how much strength I have to use to free myself."



"You'll need to know how to pin them as well."



"Oh alright I will hold back for the first thirty minutes now let me clear some space." Thomas gave a nod and proceeded to the opposite side of the room. He knew what was coming.



Rachael turned her back to Thomas and bent down so that her rear was even more noticeable then usual she then proceeded to reach under the sofa and feel around until she found the frame work then seemingly with no effort at all she began to straiten her legs once again. The sofa was steadily lifted into the air while the whole time there wasn't the slightest wobble as if Rachael was about to drop it. The only thing she actually had to be careful for was to make sure she grabbed it at or near the center of gravity so it wouldn't over whelmed her body weight and cause her to fall over.



The show wasn't over there though as Rachael continued to elevate the couch until she was holding it above her head quite a height considering that she was nearly two and a third meters tall. Add in the extra height due to her arms and Thomas was certain he wouldn't want to be under the sofa if she accidentally dropped it. She always told him that she lifted things above her head to insure she didn't accidentally bump anything but even if that was true on some level Thomas knew the main reason was Rachael enjoying showing off.



Good sturdy floors and a high roof ran through Thomas's mind as he watched Rachael carry the sofa to the opposite side of the room and gently set it down. He had actually looked for these things when searching for a new apartment to accommodate Rachael despite this he had been very scared that she would end up leaving foot prints all throughout the floor the first time she picked up their sofa and felt it to some extent every time she lifted a new piece of heavy furniture.



Feeling the sofa's weight resting upon her hands was truly an exciting experience for Rachael. It was funny to think that a few months passed and she hardly had the strength lift herself up now she could easily support her own weight and a lot more with just one of her arms.



She knew that it was somewhat dangerous to go around picking up such heavy items and carrying them around. Someone may very well see her and it would be very obvious that she had an illegal level of enhancements. Despite this Rachael just couldn't resist the rush she felt every time she flaunted her strength or endurance and having Thomas serve as an audience only made the experience even more enjoyable for her.



A thought ran through Rachael's mind as she finished setting the sofa down and glanced at Thomas. "Thomas do you believe we can settle down here at last after all we have been on the move for a year now."



"We could give it a try. It would be nice to get to know the local area for once." Thomas didn't bother saying that he would also like to take the time to build up some finances once again and he didn't relish the idea of having to find another doctor to bribe.



Rachael seemed content with this answer and proceeded to move over to the easy chair and pick it up. This time she didn't bend at the knees at least not the way in which it was recommended. The furniture felt so light to her that she didn't have to worry about hurting her back so she intentionally moved in such a way to present her certain parts of her body as well as she could.



"I am glad we are on a first floor."



"Why is that?"



"There is a good solid foundation beneath us. I would worry that if we were on something like a tenth floor you might go through the ground and well I doubt you would stop after braking through the top level until you reached the bottom level."



A somewhat peculiar smiled appeared on Rachael's face "You know that sounds like it could be a lot of fun."



Thomas couldn't help but laugh at Rachael's response. "I should have known better then to say that. Well please hold off on trying."



"But I want to try it."



"Yes but it would bring attention that you don't want."



"Oh alright I'll wait." Rachael had to be more careful with the table and other pieces of furniture and they kept the all shelves firmly against the wall.



"You know your level of control still surprises me."



"I know. It surprises me to. I mean here I am carrying around furniture which would normally require at least two people to move with any easy and I am lifting it above my head."



"Yet yesterday I saw you holding a glass of water and you didn't shatter it when you picked it up. That and I don't have any broken bones." Rachael shuddered for a moment. "Is something wrong you looked concerned for a moment?"



"I am fine. I am just glad I haven't hurt you during all of this. To be honest I thought you were out of the clear when after the first few months since I felt certain I wouldn't develop a virus. Now I have to worry that I might accidentally break you in half."



"Well let us not worry about it too much. Until you start shattering glasses when you pick them up I believe I am safe."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Okay I will have a glass of orange juice every morning and if it shatters I know things are going too far."



Thomas gave a nod and waited for Rachael to walk to the center of the room. The moment she reached it he pushed off the wall and proceeded to slam into her with all his body weight and strength. The impact didn't even come close to harming her however his total momentum was enough to over whelm her own.



Rachael wasn't certain how hard Thomas had hit her until she hit the ground and heard the thump despite this the impact didn't harm her in the least. "Oh that isn't fair. You can be rough with me but I have to be gentle with you."



"Well I am the fragile one now."



A slight giggle escaped Rachael and she gave Thomas's leg a gentle nudge using just enough force to knock his legs out from under him. As he fell Rachael rolled slightly so that she was underneath him. Thomas's fall was quite gentle as he landed atop Rachael his head actually landing within her cleavage. The moment he was on the ground Rachael wrapped her arms around him so that he couldn't get up again. "That you are but it makes you so cuddly."



Thomas was a bit surprised by where his face had landed though he wasn't complaining. "Okay this is one hold that I don't want you using on anyone else."



"Deal."



"Huh?"



"I said it was a deal, I'll only use this hold on you."



Thomas smiled and attempted to raise himself up to give Rachael a kiss however he found the action to be quite impossible thanks to her arms. "Uh, I would kiss you if you would let me up."



Rachael giggled a bit causing her breast to press more firmly into Thomas's face she waited until her laughter had died down to actually let him up. At last her arms relaxed and she allowed Thomas to raise himself up though she was a bit disappointed when it was just a peck on the cheek. "Oh you are going to do better then that."



Thomas let out a slight gasp when Rachael reach up and took hold of his shirt collar. It wasn't so much from her taking hold of the shirt rather it was how quickly she pulled him back down and pressed her lips against his. When her hand let go of his shirt it was only so that it could reach behind his head. He was only allowed to raise himself back up when Rachael sensed that he was having trouble breathing. "If that is your reaction to a disappointing kiss I had better not disappoint you on anything else."



"You're right about that. You know I believe I like being taller then you it makes it easier to cuddle you. That and the extra mass means you can't take advantage of superior body weight since you don't have it any longer."



Thomas smiled and proceeded to stand up he then reached down and offered his hand to Rachael to help her stand as well. He wasn't sure if he was disappointed or glad when she didn't pull him down on top of herself again but rather proceeded to allow him to help her up. "Okay let's get to wrestling."



*****



That had to be the most wonderful rack that he had ever seen looming over him. William couldn't help but smile and enjoy the distraction as he continued to bench press. His pudgy build was that of a man who wasn't use to exercising indeed he tended to despise the activity however between his wife and doctor he had little choice in the matter.



Rachael knew the clients mind was more on the underside of her breast then on actually lifting the weight. It didn't bother her though as long as he continued to try and complete the set. Actually Rachael rather liked the attention that her body brought her and as long as no one tried to touch they were free to enjoy. "You're doing well William perhaps it is time to add some more mass. How would you feel about adding ten more kilograms for your final set?"



William took a while to respond but he did answer in the positive. "Sure I will give it a try." Though the exact reason for agreeing to the additional weight was beyond him the one he was working with and had been working with for the past few weeks now was becoming easy at last. Perhaps, he just couldn't say no to a nice set of breast.



When William started to set the dumbbell on its rack Rachael didn't give him time to finish the action. Instead she reached under the weight with her right arm and took hold of it she then lifted the weight from William's grasp with one hand and set it down. "Okay you were working with forty five kilograms so let us see if you can do a set of six with fifty five kilograms."



It took some real effort on William's part not to grown but he had just agreed to this not that he liked it. He felt confident that he could handle an additional ten kilograms but that didn't mean he wanted to.



As Rachael set the dumbbell back on its rack in order to change the masses on it she couldn't help but be tempted indeed she was tempted a great deal to balance the mass atop her breast. She knew that would make her level of enhancement overly obvious but the temptation was quite strong it took considerable will power for her to resist the urge. "You just lifted that with one hand and didn't even strain."



Whoops, was the dominant thought in Rachael's mind as she glanced down at William. "Really did it look that way?"



"I know I saw you only using one arm."



"I meant did I make it look that easy?"



William gave his head a quick nod. "Hell yes. You didn't even flinch."



Rachael resolved to give William the same story that she had given Ronald. "William how many women do you know that are as tall as me?"



"I can't say I know any of them but I know of a few. Why do you ask?"



"Do they have my build?"



"Well no. They are pretty lanky but what does this have to do with you lifting that weight."



"Don't let me being able to lift that weight with one hand before you. My genetic code was altered at birth you see."



"OH so you are an errant."



"Yeah."



"Lucky you."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Yeah I suppose I am." It wasn't a lie after all her genetic code was abnormal at birth however it had made her weaker instead of stronger. She had just given William enough of the story to set his mind to rest.



"So you are abnormally strong and larger then normal aren't you? Just how much stronger are errants?"



"Well we aren't any stronger then a normal healthy human initially and even if we exercise it isn't like we are super humanly strong. It is just well let's take a body builder and say that it took ten years for him to reach a certain level."



"You can do it in half that time?"



"Yeah, it is actually possible for someone to have genetics that are just as good as an errant though. It is just extremely unlikely.

Okay I have let you stall long enough it is time to add that extra mass."



William groaned a bit as he watched Rachael add the additional masses and fasten them in place. "If it is to much you'll help me out right."



"Well I can't very well let you get injured. I would lose my job."



"Do you believe you could curl this with one arm?"



Shaking her head Rachael glanced to each side. "I wouldn't feel comfortable trying with someone lying down underneath it." Of course that was a lie on Rachael's part she could have supported the mass with one of her fingers after all.



Ronald liked to glance in on Rachael from time to time though it wasn't so much to insure she was doing her job. She had proven herself a capable instructor though it wasn't entirely due to her knowledge. An attractive woman was able to motivate men at times far more effectively then a male instructor and it didn't hurt that Rachael didn't mind the attention. He was concerned about what would happen when one of the clients tried to get to friendly with her though and forgot how strong she was.



It took great willpower on his part to turn his attention away from Rachael and a few of the customers who were lounging on a near by bench. The group ran the gauntlet from those that had finished exercising and were resting to those that hadn't even begun yet and were more then likely enjoying the sights.



A long sigh escaped William when Rachael finally lifted the mass from his grasp. He had managed to complete five reps at least he believed that was all he was able to complete. Rachael felt confident that he could have finished the last one but he did suffer from a lazy streak and she was just glad that he had tried. "Next time I'll start you off with fifty five."



"Do you believe I am ready?"



"Well you did five just now and that is after working with forty five for a while so I believe you are ready."



"Perhaps we could just use fifty?"



"Oh alright we can go with fifty next time. Once you can handle that much mass well enough we can take it up to fifty five." Rachael had learned not to say when a customer was ready since that day never seemed to come.



William gave a nod and proceeded to set up though he still didn't quite feel like standing up. His fatigue seemed to lighten considerably when he noticed what time it was. He had to be careful to keep from showing Rachael how hopeful he was.



"William I want you walk a bit on the treadmill to help yourself cool down. Don't push yourself though. I am going to head on over to the wrestling mat."



"Sure." William was careful to hide his smile as he did what he was told. He didn't care for the walking part but it would let him watch Rachael. He himself had no desire to step on the mats with her as while she hadn't harmed anyone he knew that he couldn't provide a challenge for her. Still, he loved watching her on the mats and he loved seeing the larger men get tossed around.



Rachael enjoyed wrestling more then anything else since it not only let her do her job but it let her flaunt some of her strength even if she couldn't use all of it. There hadn't been many people at first but after a weeks she also found there was an abundant supply of people who wanted to try to over power her that or to get to touch her body. She lamented not being able to use her real strength but she could at least use her stamina if she was careful.



A few people began to stand up and move towards the mat most to watch but some to challenge Rachael. She had only been working at the gym for a short time but it was already a tradition almost. Before any of the customers could step into the ring with her Ronald stepped onto the mats.



"Hey Ronald, did you decide you wanted to exercise with me?"



"Well I thought you might like to try wrestling someone who is actually stronger then you."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle while she didn't mean to she couldn't help herself the idea that Ronald was actually as strong as her was laughable let alone stronger then her.



"Laughing are we? Well you must be feeling confident today."



"I have had a lot of practice since I started working here you know.

This won't be like the first time."



"We'll see."



She was going to use more of her strength then what she should and Rachael knew it. The desire to use more and more of her power was constantly building inside of her and now she didn't believe she could keep it in check. Of course she would try to keep it within acceptable limits perhaps she would just match Ronald's strength this time and rely on her stamina to beat him.



There had been a moment of disappointment for those that wanted a shot at the gym's resident amazon. However, there was also a great deal of interest. As several were left wondering just who would prove the stronger of the two. Several hoped to see Ronald taken down after all up until now Rachael had taken down everyone who stepped into the ring with her. Others wanted to see Rachael taken down. Several knew that Rachael had modified genetics and didn't consider it truly fair while others didn't care.



A huge grin adorned both Rachael and Ronald's face as they stepped onto the mats. Each one was confident they would come out the victor. Ronald to his previous victory over Rachael and Rachael because she knew that she was far stronger then she had been previously and even then she was holding back. There would be no chance of him winning if she were to use her full strength he should even chance a chance if she only used a twentieth.



Ronald closed on Rachael quickly intending on over powering her. He had plenty of experience on the mat but he wanted to make it clear that he was still the strongest at the gym. He was delighted when Rachael responded in a like wise manner apparently they both wanted to make this a pure test of strength and forget any skill for a later date.



The group that had gathered to watch the two was made up of the majority of those in the gym at the time. As they watched it was difficult to tell just who would come out in the end. The two had roughly the same mass however Rachael was around a third of a meter taller then Ronald meaning she seemed to loom over him while he appeared to have more bulk.



If wasn't for his size it would have felt as if she was playing with an infant. Ronald hardly seemed to be applying any force at all and yet to keep up appearance Rachael had to pretend to struggle against him. This was a good thing though so long as he continued to try and push her of the mat all she needed to do was hold her position and let him expend his energy.



Those few people in the gym that hadn't been watching soon turned their attention to the mat as they watched Rachael and Ronald struggling to overcome one another. The two both seemed to be using a great deal of strength and effort as their muscles flexed.



Rachael flexed the muscles in her arms and legs in order to make them bulge and appear as if she was exerting more effort then she was. She strained herself so that her skin began to redden and took in quick breaths of air the whole time knowing that if she was to truly use as much of her strength as she was pretending to use Ronald would be nothing but a smear on the wall.



Ronald had known that over powering Rachael wouldn't be easy and had even expected her to hold him back during the initial moments. However, after five minutes of trying to overcome her with brute force he was surprised to see that he hadn't made any progress at all. At least that is how things appeared when one only looked at their position however when he glanced at her arms, legs and face he felt confident that he would win. She was struggling to hold him back soon enough her energy would begin to decline and he would over power her.



Rachael had to keep a look of concentration on her face when all she really wanted to do was grin and push Ronald off the mat. She could feel that his strength was on the decline and had actually begun to use even less of her own strength to keep from overwhelming him. As long as he thought he could over power her all she needed to do was stand her ground and let him exhaust himself.



As William watched Ronald and Rachael he couldn't help but remember how she had lifted the dumbbell from his grasp. She had never done that before in fact she had always used both hands. He just couldn't shake the feeling that the wrestling match between Rachael and Ronald was something similar. As if that look of focus didn't truly belong on her face.



Was she as strong as him now? Ronald wasn't certain what was going on but he knew that he was weakening. He also knew that neither he nor Rachael had moved in the least. Could it be that in her time working at the gym she had matched his strength or had he been slacking off recently?" Then he felt Rachael begin to press harder as if she was regaining the strength that she had lost.



Rachael carefully began to apply more force. She had held back long enough and she could tell that Ronald had managed to wear himself out. Now she just needed to use the same level of strength that she had used during the start of their little match.



Ronald attempted to get better footing to find the strength to resist Rachael but as he felt himself moving backwards he knew that wasn't going to happen. His legs felt like jelly now while he arms felt like blocks of lead. He just didn't have the energy to match Rachael.



In his weakened state it was all too easy for Rachael to overwhelm Ronald using the same amount of strength she had in the start. It was tempting to take full steps forward just to show how easily she was over powering him but she held back in part to keep from seeming to strong and to also avoid humiliating Ronald.



This wasn't the first time that he had been beaten in the ring. However, this was the first and in a long time and they had made use of actual holds instead of relying upon pure strength to push him out of the ring. He couldn't even remember the last time that someone had used strength alone to overcome him. His efforts to strength his position and stop moving backwards only resulted in him losing what little foot he had left and Ronald was sent stumbling out of the ring.



Smiling from ear to ear Rachael continued breathing deeply as if she was exhausted she then raised both of her arms above her hand locked her fingers together and proceeded to flex her considerable biceps for everyone to see.



William was carefully watching Rachael know as if to figure out her rate of recovery. He just couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Fortunately he was the only one who was even thinking about that the majority of the audience was simply astounded that she had managed to over power Ronald in a test of pure strength.



Ronald took his time standing up not so much because he was embarrassed but rather because it took him that long to regain enough strength to stand. Once he had managed to regain his foot he walked over to Rachael and extended his hand. "Well I have to admit.

You over powered me."



Rachael nodded and took Ronald's hand. "Thanks it was a fun match." While Rachael didn't care for having to pretend that she had to exert any real effort she wasn't going to rub in her employers defeat.



"I guess I need to start hitting the weights more."



"Don't forget to have someone spot you. You forget to do that a little too often."



Ronald waved his hand and proceeded towards out of the gym and towards the juice bar he needed to get something to drink. In the mean time Rachael turned her attention back to those that had been watching them.



"Okay who wants to wrestle?" Rachael was somewhat amused when she looked towards the main back of the crowd and noticed a man paying another twenty dollars apparently some had made a few small bets on her and Ronald's little wrestling match.



"Do you think you can still handle a match after that? You look kind of tired."



"Na I am good. Anyway this may be your once chance to beat me." Annette recognized the voice as belonging to one of the gym regulars. There was a brief commotion as a larger figure made his way through the crowd and then stepped onto the mats while he didn't have the same bulk Ronald did he was still a regular and a true exercise enthusiast which showed in his build.



Rachael knew that she needed to hold back for this one. She couldn't even use the same level of strength that she had used to beat Ronald perhaps it would even make since to lose. A shiver went up Rachael's spine as she thought of the prospect of letting herself get beaten.

No she didn't like the idea of that one bit. She would just have to hold herself back and only use enough strength to win.



This time Rachael turned her attention to the crowd before they began. "So does anyone feel like making a small bet?"



"What kind of bet?"



Rachael's attention was brought back to her opponent who was currently doing some warm up stretches. "How about ten dollars says that I can force you off the mats even in my exhausted state?"



"You're on but you have to force me off which means you can't pin me."



Rachael hadn't anticipated this no doubt he was intending on pinning her instead of trying for the brute force approach as Ronald did. Despite that Rachael couldn't bring herself to back down. "Okay then." She wasn't entirely certain how she was going to do this though. After all while she was stronger then him she still had to limit her strength so that the truth wouldn't be revealed. This meant if he managed to pin her she wouldn't be able to brake out of it without perhaps showing too much power.



This wasn't the head on clash that Ronald and Rachael's match had been. Instead the two proceeded to circle one another trying to find an opening. In this Rachael was at a disadvantage since she had to force him out of the circle while he just had to pin her or force her out either one would have worked fine.



When Rachael did move it was with surprising speed though he had done this enough to respond in time moving to the side a bit he attempted to use Rachael own forward moment to take her feet out from under her this is when he got a surprise.



One good thing about only using so little of her strength was it granted her a great deal of control. Rachael's charge wasn't the all out action of someone who had put all their strength into a full frontal assault rather it was a casual walk. Her right arm quickly locked around her opponents neck while her other went for his lower body.



A gasp ran throughout the crowd as with a grunt of effort Rachael actually lifted her opponent off the ground. Every muscle in her body flexed and bulged as she did this. Her massive thighs seemed as if they were going to rip the material of her exercise outfit as did her biceps. Her face turned a bright red as she strained against the weight.



It felt so odd to flex every muscle in her body and pretend to actually exert herself as if she was about to drop the man. In keeping with this act Rachael wasted no time in packing him to the edge of the ring and dumping him outside of it.



The regular blinked his eyes a few times having been truly astounded by what just happened. It had been so quick that he didn't even get a chance to respond. "You picked me up?"



"Yes. Yes I did."



Slowly the man stood up a look of utter astonishment on his face. Walking back through the crowd he proceeded over to the stands and found his wallet amongst his gym bag after taking out a ten he returned to the ring and handed it over. "That was so fucking amazing. I never thought anyone would do that to me. It wasn't exactly an orthodox move but I don't know of many people who could dead lift their opponent like that. "



Rachael didn't respond right away but held up a single finger to indicate she needed a moment to catch her breath. In truth she was had to work to keep herself from laughing at how easy that had been. At least it worked to make her acting more realistic. When she felt as if her giggles had been put to rest, she finally took the ten dollars. "Thanks. I thought I needed to try something unique if I was going to win."



"I had no idea you where that strong no wonder you beat Ronald."



"How much do you way?" Rachael felt a sudden twang of fear as if she had gone too far.



"One hundred and twenty kilograms."



Rachael felt somewhat better though she knew she had just shown more strength then she meant to. "I guess my work is paying off. I am going to take a moment to rest and then we can continue."



"No that is enough for me I didn't get much of a workout but I am going to go hit the weights. Someone else can have a chance."



Rachael took a quick glance at the crowd. "Okay I'll be back in a little while."



William had been shocked by Rachael's sudden display of strength.

While he was admiring her as the others were he now knew that she was holding back. He just couldn't imagine her recovering enough strength to lift her last challenger if she had indeed used as much strength as she seemed to be using with Ronald.



Rachael was grateful that no one had noticed that despite the effort she had pretended to be exerting she wasn't sweating in the least. She hadn't exactly found a way to make her body sweat when it didn't need to. For a moment she leaned over the sink and closer to her reflection. "Okay I really shouldn't do that again." Of course as she looked at her reflection she also realized that the patrons would expect her to regularly use such levels of strength.



*****



"Don't worry you can struggle as hard as you want. I won't let you get up and I need to work on restraining people."



Currently Thomas found himself trapped by Rachael's incredibly strong legs. Those magnificent limbs had wrapped around him and pinned him against her. Of course this left him with quite a dilemma as struggling was the last thing he wanted to do. He hadn't truly been giving it his full effort until Rachael had assured him she wouldn't let him up. "Well if you are preparing for your job. Why don't you pretend that it is taking a little effort to hold me? You need to practice that as well."



"That is true so maybe later but not right now." Rachael gave an amused giggle and gave Thomas a quick kiss on the cheek.



Thomas shook his head then began to consider his options. He unlike those people at the gym knew there was no way that he could over power Rachael but he could at least try to slip out and even if he couldn't he could have some fun.



"Hey now I don't think any of the customers would be willing to try something that unorthodox."



"Well I am not one of your customers and you learn in boot camp you must be prepared." Thomas had begun his escape attempt by leaning back so that his head rested entirely against Rachael's breast. True this wouldn't help in his escape in anyway possible but it sure felt nice. His head was shaken a bit when Rachael giggled causing her breast to bounce lightly.



"Okay but if you were a customer I would have to make this a bit more uncomfortable."



Thomas chuckled and began his escape attempt by pulling his legs towards him. It took a few moments but at least Rachael wasn't trying to hinder his movement as he positioned his legs. A grunt of effort escaped his lips as Thomas began to try and raise himself up.



Rachael felt Thomas making some effort in his attempt to stand up but these didn't last for very long. While he was fit and indeed in rather good shape Thomas wasn't a body builder and with her Amazonian there wasn't any real chance that he would be able to stand up.



It didn't take long for Thomas to realize that this was only going to waste his energy. Once again he grew still and considered his options. Rachael didn't exactly have him pinned. "You know. This wouldn't count as pinned in a wrestling match."



"So you want me to pin you?"



"Well you are preparing for work." Thomas didn't bother resisting when Rachael began to move him into a different position to simulate being pinned.



"A customer wouldn't let you move them about either."



"Oh fine then." Rachael released her grip on Thomas and proceeded to stand up.



"Well that was stupid of me."



"Why do you say that?"



"It caused you to let go of me."



Rachael gave a giggle. "Well don't worry you be back in my grasp in just a few moments."



Thomas didn't comment but resigned himself to the fact that if he was going to help Rachael practice for work he was going to have to try and avoid her pinning him. He didn't like it since he loved the feeling of her arms surrounding him but she needed this.



*****



Rachael grinned as she easily pinned her opponent and slowly counted to ten to confirm a successful pin. She never rushed her counting and indeed did it so slowly that it was actually a good fifteen seconds rather then the ten she counted. This gave them more time to try and escape from her grasp. At last she reached ten and released her hold on him.



William had been staying at the gym longer lately as he had been watching Rachael wrestle more and more. He hadn't forgotten what he saw a couple of weeks past though Rachael had avoided doing it again. This only made him more suspicious that she was stronger then she let on.



Extending a hand down Rachael helped her defeat opponent to his feet. "Good job you are improving."



The man grinned and gave a nod. "Thanks. Would you care for another match?"



"No I am going to go and clean up it is almost the end of my shift." There was the sound of movement as if several people were preparing to leave. This was exactly the case as several of the clients tended to leave when Rachael did.



"Okay."



William drummed his fingers against the bleacher nervously as he watched Rachael leave. Standing up he made his way out of the main gym and towards the health bar.



"Rachael someone left you a message."



Rachael glanced back at Molly. "Does Ronald need to speak with me?"



"It isn't from Ronald actually."



"Huh, did Thomas call?"



"Nope give me a second I wrote the name down. It is from William."



Rachael walked over to the desk and Molly handed her a little slip of paper. Silent she swore to herself that if it was offering money for sex she would probably lose her job and he would regret his actions. "It is an invitation. I guess I'll go see what he wants."



William was rather relaxed when Rachael entered into the bar and walked over to his table. "I am glad you decided to come."



"You wanted to speak to me about something?"



"So how much are you really holding back when you are on the mats?"



Rachael didn't even flinch though part of her did worry. "What makes you believe I am holding back?"



"I may not exercise much myself but I have seen a lot of fights and I know when someone is throwing a match."



Now Rachael was getting curious. "Wrestling is hardly fighting."



"That is largely true but I know you are holding back so how much?"



Rachael considered saying she wasn't holding back but couldn't bring herself to. "The amount of strength I am actually using is none of your concern."



"Now don't run off on me. I noticed that you took a few bets before hand."



"Only a few little ones and I saw you making some wagers yourself."



"True. I was wondering though if you would like to make some bigger bets."



"What are you getting at? I don't think you are talking about my regular job."



"When I see you on the mats you aren't just holding back your strength. You're holding back your desire aren't you? You want to show more of your strength and you don't care for the gentle stuff."



A large grin was on Rachael's face now. It was rather true she wished she could use more of her strength and be rougher with her opponents. "You're assuming an awful lot."



William held his hands out. "Just hear me out. I know of a club where you could use even more of your strength and make some good money to."



"I don't know if I want to quit my job here to try another club." Rachael didn't mention that she didn't like the prospect of having to get another fraudulent medical report.



William didn't bother putting Rachael's fear of quitting her job to rest just yet. "How would you like to try some true fights?"



Rachael couldn't help herself. "Do you mean actual fist fights? I don't have any formal training in actual combat just wrestling. That said I would love to try." It was rather odd Rachael never thought of William as the type to be making such an offer to her if he was.



"Mm well without any real practice I don't know if you would really like what I have in mind. You see I like to attend certain events from time to time and gamble a bit. It makes for a great show and lets people like me gamble a bit. Plus the fighters get to prove who is the toughest."



"So where does this happen?"



"Go tell Ronald you would like to participate in the fights he deals with a lot of the fighters."



Rachael couldn't hide the surprise on her face. "You mean Ronald is part of it? I wonder why he never approached me."



William gave a slight shrug. "I can't be certain I just know a few details. Mostly I just go there to gamble. He may not believe you could handle the fights aren't the wrestling matches after all."



Rachael wasn't sure if William was serious or not but she couldn't let this chance pass her by. "I'll see if I can get him to let me in. After I speak with someone first."



*****



"You want to join a fight club?" Thomas was currently setting at the kitchen table with Rachael. She had waited until he had been home for an hour before she had actually mentioned it to him.



"Yep. It would let me earn some extra money and have some fun all at the same time."



Thomas didn't respond right away but took his time to think. "You'll need to practice some. After all if you go in there and simply let yourself take blow after blow it is going to become obvious that you aren't normal."



"So you don't mind if I try it? I won't if you don't believe it is a good idea."



"It is fine with me so long as you practice."



Rachael clapped her hands as her excitement was clearly shown on her face. "Okay what are we going to need for you to train me?"



"A few punching bags for one thing so you can get an idea for how hard would be too hard and some boxing gloves as well as mouth pieces."



"I don't believe I'll be using gloves."



"Yes but if I am going to be practicing with you I will since I don't want to hurt my knuckles and I really don't want to lose any teeth."



"Oh Thomas I won't hurt you I won't even hit you as hard as I am going to hit the punching bag." Thomas felt a slight impact on his leg though it was hardly painful. "See I won't hit you any harder then that."



"Well okay but I still need the gloves."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and stood up. Walking over to the other side of the table she wrapped her arms around Thomas. "Sure. I'll pick them up on my way back from work tomorrow."



*****



Ronald had been surprised when Rachael had approached him about their little after hours work program. He had been even more surprised when she had started talking about joining in. "Rachael I know you are strong. I mean I know it first hand from the ring but do you have any fighting experience? Strength alone isn't enough for a fight after all."



Rachael had to resist the urge to show Ronald just how strong she was and prove that when one was as strong as her it was indeed enough but she resisted this. "Does everyone you recruit have fighting experience?"



"Well not everyone is professional or had much experience but Rachael I have seen you on the mat. Even your wrestling style is rough."



"I still want to try. The gentle wrestling on the mat is okay but I want to try something that is rougher."



Ronald wasn't sure about this he had considered denying it but felt Rachael would learn for certain sooner or later. "I don't know if I like the idea of you coming to work beaten up."



"Come now. You didn't deny the fights when I confronted you about them. So surely you must believe I have some potential."



Nodding his head slowly Ronald did believe Rachael would make for a nice attraction that is if she managed to last a few fights. "All right I'll give you a trial. Now this won't be an actual match just something to see if you have what it takes. So no betting and there won't be many people. If you win then you can participate if not you drop the issue."



"You have yourself a deal." Of course this meant that no matter how many times she was hit Rachael had no intention of allowing herself to go down. "When is the match?"



"I'll schedule something one week from today."



*****



"Here you go. Strap these on and let us get started." Rachael held out the boxing gloves before Thomas who gave them a quick glance.



"So he agreed?"



"Well I have a test in one week so I need to get to practicing. Oh, I picked up a helmet and a few other pieces as well."



"A week, what about training with a punching bag? You haven't even begun practicing that yet."



"You're right. So we need to get to work. Come on will go until you tire out and then I'll work with the bag some."



Thomas glanced down at the gloves then let out a sigh. He could tell from the eagerness in Rachael's voice this was something she truly wanted to do and he wasn't going to deny her it. Of course he worried that a week wouldn't be nearly long enough and the first thing she would do in the ring would be shatter her opponent by putting to much force into her punch.



While Thomas got ready Rachael took to moving the furniture around. For her first match with Thomas she had decided she wouldn't even try to hit him rather she would try to avoid his punches. Until she had time to practice controlling the amount of force she put into her punches she wasn't about to risk harming him.



Thomas waited until the last bit of furniture had been moved then rushed Rachael. He knew that she wouldn't be on her guard yet and while he felt it was cheap he didn't think she would be fighting a fair fight anyway.



The glove colliding with her face felt odd. Rachael felt the momentum behind it and could tell there was quite a bit there far more then a normal pat. Despite this she didn't feel any sort of pain or need to resist. The only thing she was even moved was her mass wasn't great enough to counter act the impact.



It was a good thing he was wearing the gloves and Thomas knew it had he used his knuckles it would have been like hitting a brick wall. That didn't stop him though as he through another punch once again striking Rachael's squarely on the side of the face. While Thomas continued his attack Rachael found herself having trouble avoiding the punches. She hadn't been expecting him to attack as he expected and while the punches didn't hurt they did cause her body to move slightly.



Rachael was proving an overly easy target for Thomas. Considering how little combat experience Rachael had and his time in the military Thomas had a huge advantage over her. That was provided she didn't brace herself. He hoped she would remember that she couldn't afford to just come to a stop while she was being punched or it would reveal too much or at least run the risk.



Rachael tried to back away from Thomas but despite the punches inability to have more then a superficial affect upon her she simply couldn't get away from him. He just kept pressing the attack and she couldn't keep falling back otherwise she would end up against the wall.



Thomas had no delusion of what would be the result of Rachael was to fight back. It felt like he was punching solid steel once he got past the soft exterior of Rachael's skin. He had no doubt that using his fist would only result in him busting his knuckles over her pretty face. Then again he felt quite certain that the surface he was striking was far stronger then steel.



A mental groan ran through Rachael's mind as she felt her back meet a solid surface. "Blast it."



A grin was on Thomas's face. He didn't bother pressing the attack. "I see we have a lot of work to do."



"So that is how you expect them to fight in the ring?"



"Actually, I believe they will fight far more cheaply."



Rachael smiled and walked back to the center of the room. "Well then we will just have to continue until you are too tired to throw a punch."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "Well if I keep going at it like I was that won't take very long. So I am going to take it easy on you and we can slowly step up the intensity."



"Just remember you need to accelerate my lessons."



"I know. Now let us begin." Thomas didn't rush in for the attack this time but moved carefully as if he was actually trying to defend himself. He knew that most likely Rachael's opponent wouldn't be so passive in their attacks but he needed to teach her and repeatedly hitting her in the head wouldn't work.



This time Rachael saw Thomas coming in for the attack and moved to avoid however she didn't move quite fast enough and his punch connected though it wasn't as solid as his previous ones. Thomas didn't give her time to savor this slight victory though as he continued to throw punches.



Thomas had considered stopping to offer some advice but resolved to try and back Rachael into the corner before he did that. He could already see her making several mistakes the dominant one being simply backing away. There was only so much space behind her after all. They also needed to work on her reaction time.



It was difficult to keep from throwing a punch after all one of the reasons Thomas could attack so often is that she made no effort to try and fight back. At least it was difficult until she reminded herself of the differences in their strength and what might happen. The thought of accidentally tearing off Thomas's head with one punch was horrific enough in Rachael's mind to suppress her urge to fight back.



It only took a few minutes for Thomas to once again force Rachael into a corner he didn't dare strike her though since she could no longer move back it meant there wasn't really anywhere for the force to go. He knew that this wouldn't harm her but he also knew it would hurt his hand. "You're doing well."



Rachael blinked her eyes somewhat surprised by the fact that the attacks stopped. "Huh? You cornered me."



"Yes but you tried to evade the punches at least. Now you need to try not to back peddle so much. How about we try something a little easier? I am going to tell you what arm I am going to try and punch you with so you wont' be caught off guard."



"Isn't that a little too easy?"



"Yeah but like you said, we will just keep sparring until my arms tire out since there is no way I am going to wear you down."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "I wonder what the police would think if they walked in on us."



"Oh I would probably be down on the ground and handcuffed until they actually got a good look at you. Considering that you're nearly a third of a meter taller then me and your over all build."



"Okay that is enough. I don't really fit the helpless damsel look do I?"



Thomas grinned for a moment but answered in a way Rachael hadn't expected. "Left." Thomas's left fist shot out and struck Rachael square on the side of the face.



Rachael gave an amused giggle at how soft Thomas's punch felt. When she heard the words left again she was actually able to avoid his fist though she thought he moved more slowly then he had previously as if he was letting her avoid the punch.



Thomas was indeed moving more slowly then normal though he had every intention of stepping things up once Rachael began to move more fluidly. "Right, left, right, right, doing good Rachael."



While Rachael was indeed avoiding Thomas's punches for the most part she wasn't able to actually speak it took to much concentration for her to keep dodging the in coming fist. She still had a long way to go of course but due to her strength Thomas could push far harder and be far rougher with her then he could be with someone else whose skills were so lacking.



As Rachael continued to avoid his attacks Thomas considered to try and kick her but resolved against it. He knew that she would have to be prepared for dirty tricks but he had tried that several times already by catching her off guard and she just didn't have the fighting experience to cope yet. "Rachael you're backing up to much I'll have you against the wall soon if you don't stop."



Rachael gave a nod and attempted to follow Thomas's instructions instead of simply moving back she began to move to the right in an attempt to circle around him and avoid getting pinned in. Despite this she found herself stepping back far more often then she would have liked and felt certain that it would only be a matter of time before he trapped her again.



"You're doing good Rachael lets keep it up."



Despite being backed up Rachael couldn't help but smile as Thomas praised her progress while she wasn't certain how good she truly was doing she appreciated the encouragement. It was a fairly amusing thought that at one time she had believed there was nothing he could really teach her.



*****



"To light, to light, to hard, to light blast it." Rachael turned her head up towards the sky and let out a slight groan before turning her attention back to the punching bag. She had spent a little more money then perhaps she should have and acquired one that would actually tell her how hard she was hitting.



Thomas smiled as he set on the couch rubbing his arms. Rachael and he had finally taken a brake from her evasion practice as he had finally reached his limits. His arms were sore from throwing so many punches as he thought about this he couldn't help but laugh.



It didn't take long for Rachael to notice Thomas laughing. Turning around her frustrating quickly faded and a smile formed on her face.



"What is so funny?"



"I was just thinking. Here we have been sparring I've landed all the punches yet I am the one that is sore."



Rachael giggled a bit and stuck her tongue out at Thomas. "I am sure the punching bag feels worse then you."



"I would have to agree with you. That second to the last punch seemed like it would shatter bones."



"It would have but all the others were too soft."



"Well at least you didn't rip it in half like the first two, I am glad you started with the cheap ones."



Rachael gave a nod and glanced over to the corner. "Yeah thanks for talking me out of starting with this one." Rachael turned her attention back to the bag and brought her fist up once again. It was a basic fighting stance that Thomas had managed to show her.



"Once you get the hang of that you can try hitting me when we spar."



"No."



Thomas blinked his eyes a few times somewhat surprised by how sudden Rachael's response had been. "No? What?"



"No. I am not going to try and hit you back."



"Rachael you need to work on hitting a moving target."



"You aren't going to be the target."



Thomas let out a bit of a sigh and leaned back into his seat. While he was glad Rachael was concerned for his safety that did complicate matters to an extent.



"Too hard. I am sure we can think of something later. You're just tired now." Thomas gave a nod and stood up moving around a bit he started watching to see just how hard Rachael was hitting the punching bag. He had to admit he didn't like the idea of being splattered all over the wall by a slight slip up on Rachael's part.



"Thomas if this pays off well enough I want you to quit your job."



"Huh? How come?"



"Well you have done so much for me and we have been working different hours lately so I haven't been able to see you as much as I want to."



"Rachael. I really don't believe it is a good idea for me to quit working and I don't want to try to leech off you."



"It is only if I start making enough money."



Thomas couldn't bring himself to answer Rachael. The idea of not holding down a job wasn't exactly pleasant for him even if she was pulling in enough money for them to live off of. "Let's wait and see how well you do."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "I even saved up some money to bet on myself just a little bit though."



"You can bet on your test fight?"



"Well no but I mean after I win. I had best not make it look too easy or the odds won't be against me." After some time of silence Rachael had to ask. "Aren't you curious where the money came from?"



"Well yeah but it is your money."



"Thanks, it is money I earned while wrestling at the gym. Some people would place little twenty dollar wagers or so. I have about four hundred saved up."



"So you found twenty people to gamble against you and then they learned their lesson and quit?"



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Maybe."



Thomas gave an amused laugh and shook his head. "You know I believe I have an idea."



*****



Rachael couldn't conceal her shock as she watched the tiny aircraft hovering in front of her face. "Thomas what is this?"



"It is your sparing partner. You don't get to fight back against me and this won't fight back against you."



"You mean you want me to try and hit this?"



"Yep, I do." Thomas had went down to the toy store the previous day and proceeded to purchase several of the cheaper remote controlled aircraft. The one he currently had hovering in front of Rachael had limited visual ability and very low level AI requiring that the controller do most of the maneuvering.



As the little aircraft moved around her Rachael's look of surprise turned to one of amusement. "Do you really believe this is going to help?"



"Trust me Rachael I am not going to make this easy for you. Just pretend that it's your opponent's head. You hit so hard I don't really believe it'll matter what part of him you hit. Now come on Rachael try and hit it."



Rachael was about to comment when the little helicopter suddenly bumped into her face. "Hey I thought you said it wouldn't fight back." Thomas didn't reply but made the aircraft bump into Rachael's face several more times until she reached a hand up to take hold of the tiny machine. The child's toy quickly accelerated upward away from her grasp.



"You're going to have to do better then that."



Shrugging her shoulders Rachael took on a fighting stance preparing to knock the little machine out of the sky. Thomas found Rachael to be exceptionally easy to read as she drew her fist back and attempted to punch the toy he quickly had it accelerate upward so that it was hovering just slightly above her hand. "Hey a human can't dodge like that."



"Complaining won't get you any hits and remember you need to try and use a balanced punch like with the punching bags. No sending it through the wall."



Giggling a bit Rachael began to get serious and started trying to pummel the little machine. Thomas proved himself to be quite an adept pilot as he avoided her punches though he was being forced to do so by greater and greater margins as Rachael started to move more quickly. Every now and then Thomas would have the helicopter go low in hopes that she would try to kick it however for the moment it seemed Rachael wasn't quite used to using anything other then her arms. "It's harder to hit one of these things then I expected it to be."



"Yeah and this is the cheap one." Thomas had to move around the room in order to keep an eye on the helicopter to insure that Rachael didn't shatter it as she chased the little machine around the apartment.



"If this works out I'll have to get you some of the more expensive toys. Have you had any practice at this?"



"Yeah I worked with scout drones for a little while. It is a shame we can't get a few of those."



"Are they too expensive?"



"Yeah they are way too expensive."



"I am going to have to try and fix that."



*****



Ronald didn't quite know what to think when he saw Rachael walking into the gym. She had arrived a little before her opponent showing how eager she was he just hoped she knew what she was getting into. Rachael of course noticed the look on his face. "What is the matter Ronald? I would have thought you would be use to this sort of thing?"



"Well it isn't often we get a female fighter and they don't last very long. Rachael this is going to be real you know?"



"Ah you wouldn't let anyone get beat to death would you?"



"It has happened." Ronald was truly shocked when Rachael giggled. "Rachael I am serious."



"That is what makes it so amusing. So if I snap the guys head off when I punch him I still get to compete?"



Ronald shook his head and turned his head in the direction of the door as a somewhat small but well built male entered into the gym. He was often considered one of the light weights relying more on speed then anything else.



At first he wasn't sure who he was going to be fighting but he knew it was some rookie trying to prove they were worth letting in so he wasn't concerned. He was somewhat shocked though when he found a woman standing in the ring. "Ronald what is this? You want me to fight a woman?"



Rachael couldn't help but laugh. "Oh please. A runt like you hardly has any grounds to criticize me."



"Excuse me?" The man blinked a few times clearly surprised by Rachael's comment. He wasn't use to holding back and he sure wasn't going to hold back against her after she mouthed off to him. "I think someone needs to show you your place."



Ronald didn't say anything. He felt a little bad that he had put Rachael up against one of the main hot heads but felt she needed to either prove herself or be discouraged from bringing this up again. He couldn't help but be concerned though when he saw Rachael taking on a fighting stance. It wasn't that he saw any true flaws in it but she just looked so rough.



Rachael knew that he couldn't harm her but she also knew she couldn't let her strength advantage be to obvious. This meant that she would have to finish the match quickly. She hadn't quite mastered how hard she hit but she felt confident she could avoid killing him. She wouldn't use too much force just enough to fracture bone even if he did manage to block her.



The fighter snickered a bit and moved into position. "Since you work in the gym I'll avoid messing your face up too much."



Ronald moved out of the ring. "Begin."



Rachael was surprised by her opponents speed as he quickly charged across the ring still all those hours with Thomas had paid off and she was able to twist away from his fist though just barely. However when she went to hit him he found that he evaded her with ease. She was somewhat surprised though when she noticed the look of pain on her opponents face.



She had avoided the blow to her face but he had managed to deliver a good solid blow to her abdomen she hadn't even seen him coming. However, the moment he had pulled away he had noticed something very peculiar. His hand was killing him as if he had smacked it into a granite wall.



Ronald had seen the punch and heard the impact but was stunned to see that Rachael was entirely unaffected by the punch or at least seems to be.



She wasn't clear why he had ceased his attack Rachael wasn't about to let up on him and quickly moved in to try and deliver a few hits. She was disappointed when he evaded her initial punches but delighted when she felt her fist graze his arm.



Damn that had hurt. Her attacks were fairly slow and clumsy as far as he was concerned but they packed a lot of power a fact that he had learned when Rachael barely nicked his arm. He wasn't sure what would have happened if she had managed to deliver a solid blow.



Rachael on the other hand knew exactly what would happen. The first time he managed to block one of her punches he would end up with a fractured or broken arm and then the fight would be very easy from there.



Ronald was surprised by the way the fight was going. At first it looked like Rachael lack of experience would cost her the fight however it seemed that her strength was making up for that lack of experience. While she had yet to land a solid blow her strength had allowed her to shrug off her opponent's attacks and the little nick she had landed looked as if it did some real damage.



He hadn't expected this, the woman looked strong that was certain but he didn't expect her to be so strong that a shot to the stomach would harm him more then her. Now he had to worry about avoiding everyone, of her punches since just one of them could possibly take him out of the fight. Still, he wasn't out of options he just had to hit her in an area that wasn't quite as strong and he saw two orbs that looked quite a bit more vulnerable.



Rachael found herself having quite a bit of fun despite her inability to hit her opponent. This is just what she needed real life experience. The week with Thomas had paid off of course but this would help as well. A giggle almost escaped her when she felt something strike her right breast.



He didn't know where her mind was but Rachael had left herself quite open. Open enough that he had managed to land a solid blow right against her breast and even used the force of his own weight.



Ronald could have sworn he heard the sound of a bat when Rachael struck her opponent in the jaw. The impact was so forceful that it actually sent him flying backwards.



It took some effort but Rachael quickly removed the smile from her face as she delivered a solid punch. He had clearly expected his attack to stun her and had left himself open for just a moment.

Clutching her breast where he had struck she let out a cry of pain the whole time having to hold in her laughter. The punch hadn't even stung.



For a moment Ronald worried Rachael had just killed one of his fighters with a single punch. As he neared the down fighter he was relieved to see that he was still breathing he had just been knocked out cold. He then turned his attention to Rachael who seemed to have been hurt herself though not nearly as badly. He didn't move to console her though but made a simple declaration. "Well you win. I'll fill you in on the other details later."



Rachael didn't comment but continued to act as if she was trying to keep her pain from showing. Instead she nodded her head as an acknowledgment. Standing up she smiled down at her fallen opponent.



*****



Thomas couldn't help but feel outside of his element. Not that he was scared but he still felt like a fish out of water as he walked over to the betting counter. Rachael had asked him to watch her fight and handle the betting. Of course he wanted to come to make sure she was safe though the thought almost made him laugh considering how strong she was. "Four hundred on Rachael."



The man at the counter glanced up at Thomas for a moment and then down at the counter where he had set the cash. He quickly checked the bills and made a few notes which ended with him handing Thomas a slip of paper. Only after he took the bet did he speak. "Betting on a new comer, you like to gamble don't you?"



Thomas gave a shrug. "Well if she found out I didn't bet on her she would probably break my arm." After taking the slip of paper Thomas made his way back through the people and down to his seat.



Rachael paced back and forth her excitement building as the time for her first fight grew closer. She hoped that Thomas would remember to place the bet she also hoped that she would be fighting someone that relied more on strength then speed. Speedy little people were somewhat difficult for her to crush though she felt she stood a better chance of hitting her opponent now. She and Thomas had continued to practice to develop her fighting talent.



Some commotion caught Rachael's attention and a man was ushered into the room holding his nose. Two doctors were with him though they didn't look like the best trained physicians in the world. One of the doctors glanced over at Rachael. "They wanted us to tell you that you're up."



Thomas let out a slight gasp as Rachael entered the main room and began to make her way down to the right. She wore a skin tight outfit that not only showed of her curves it also did a wonderful job of showing off her muscles. You could even see her leg muscles flexed as she made her way down the short walkway.



Rachael waved at Thomas when she saw him setting in the front row. He had offered to stand at the sideline but she had insisted on him setting in the audience. When she got near the ring she waited for the door to be opened to let her in. The ring itself was a cage presumably to keep someone from trying to run out when in truth it was just there for show.



It upset Rachael to some extent when she found she was the first to enter the ring. The moment the door was shut though her opponent began to make his entrance and she couldn't help but smile. While Rachael hadn't had much experience with fighting and even less judging her opponent she felt confident that she had got her wish.



Thomas took his time judging the man as he made his way to the ring. He was quite large and indeed sported a lot of muscle mass though there was a great deal of fat to him as well most likely someone that depended on endurance and strength to overwhelm his opponent. He knew that Rachael was going to flatten him. The first time he blocked her she would most likely fracture one of his bones and since he doubted the man could dodge well Thomas felt that would be soon.



Ronald blinked his eyes a few times then covered up his face. He knew that this fight would only encourage Rachael to get further involved. If he had known who her opponent would be he most likely would have protested. Though when he thought about it he felt certain the miss match was mostly his fault. The fighters Rachael had overcome during her test fight had depended mostly on speed so apparently they thought to counter Rachael's fighting ability.



Rachael turned her head in Thomas's direction and waved her hand as the announced called out their names. She only turned her head towards her opponent when the call to fight was sounded.



He had already covered most of the distance between himself and Rachael having no intention of letting her prepare. It was fairly upsetting that they had put him up against a woman he didn't care how built she was. He would just have to mess this one up so badly that they would never do it again.



The sound of bone cracking could be heard despite the crowd as the massive male swung his fist only to have the amazonian meet his punch with her own fist. The look of pain that covered his pain made it quite clear who had been the worse off for the collision.



"Just like the practice toys at home." Rachael spoke lightly as she recalled all the time she spent trying to knock Thomas's toys out of the air. The man's fist had moved at about the same speed and had even fewer maneuvering options so it was easy to meet his punch head on.



Thomas could have sworn that Rachael's fist were disappearing at least three fourths of the way into the man's gut every time she would punch him. What made things worse for the fellow is that Rachael had no need to draw back her fist entirely or put the least bit of weight into her punches in truth she was pulling them after all so they were exceptionally rapid.



"What a miss match." Ronald mumbled under his breath and leaned on the side post. The mammoth had never stood a chance against the amazon. Still, he had noticed that Rachael seemed to have improved since her practice match most likely she was still training and not just depending on her strength to see her through each fight. Actually, she seemed to have improved far more then he would have thought possible in so few days.



Ronald wasn't the only one that could see an improvement. As Thomas watched he had to admit all those hours training had paid off. Of course the only reason Rachael could train like she had been was her strength.



Rachael grinned as she finally relented and stepped back from her opponent. While she had been pummeling him she had happened upon an amusing idea. Could her punches be the only thing that was keeping him on his feet? A moment later her suspicion was confirmed as the mammoth stumbled a few times and proceeded to fall forward. A delight squeal erupted from Rachael and she found herself uncontrollably jumping up and down clapping her hands.



The ease with which Rachael had one had surprised almost everyone her reaction after words stunned them. She was like a child that had just been given permission to do something she had been denied up until that point.



It didn't seem possible at first but Rachael felt her first fight in the ring had been even more exciting then her test fight though it had been a great deal easier. Only when the ref placed his hand on her shoulder did Rachael snap out of it. Still smiling she allowed herself to be lead out of the ring.



Thomas couldn't help but laugh as he stood up the fight hadn't taken long at all. He would need to speak to Rachael about putting on more of a show for the audience if she was going to be fighting often otherwise they may get tired of seeing her. He resolved to stop by the counter and pick up his winnings before he went to see Rachael.



"So what did you think?" Rachael smiled at Thomas as she set in the dressing room a massive grin still on her face.



"It was impressive Rachael. Those training lessons are really helping you."



"But you could have drawn the fight out longer." Ronald didn't bother knocking as he stepped into the room. "Other then that though well done, you really seemed to enjoy yourself out there."



Rachael giggled a bit. "I sure did."



"So I take it you are Thomas." Ronald extended a hand for Thomas to shake.



Thomas took Ronald's hand and was somewhat annoyed when he felt him clinch down upon his hand for a bit as if he was testing his grip. Ronald started to smile until he noticed an odd look in Thomas's eyes as if he saw a vulnerable spot and was warning him to lighten up on the grip. "And you're Ronald."



Ronald withdrew his hand before speaking. "Um yeah so you have been teaching Rachael how to fight? You must be pretty good yourself to help her advance so fast."



"She is a very devoted student."



Ronald gave a nod. "Well Rachael you did good."



"Thanks. So when do I get to fight again?"



"When would you like to fight again?"



"As soon as possible."



Ronald chuckled a bit. "I'll try to set something up for you. Actually, I don't really handle that I'll introduce you to the people that do some other time."



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Well just keep in mind that if anyone backs out I am more then willing to step in."



"Are you thinking about becoming a full time fighter?"



"Oh that would neat. Today's match was so much fun."



"You know not every fight is going to be that easy."



Rachael gave an amused giggle as if Ronald had just told a joke. "Well if things get to intense I'll let you know. For now I want scheduled for as many fights as you possibly can."



Thomas knew Rachael was eager to show off her abilities but as he listened to her talk he had no idea she would be so enthusiastic about it what happened next though surprised him even more. Rachael turned in his direction pouting a bit.



"That is if it is okay with you my love."



"Rachael you don't need my approval to do this."



"But I want it and I won't if you don't want me to."



Thomas chuckled a bit. "Okay Rachael you have my blessing to beat as many people to a bloody pulp as you want."



*****



"Here you six hundred dollars." Thomas held out the money for Rachael to take. When she placed her hands around his and pushed the cash back towards him.



"You hold onto it and remember to bet on me."



"You know normally I wouldn't approve of gambling six hundred dollars away but then again with you it is a sure thing."



"Thomas once I manage to get a few thousand dollars saved up I want you to quit your job."



Thomas let out a sigh and nodded his head. He remembered having this conversation with Rachael previously. "You know that I don't like that idea Rachael."



"Please Thomas? Please."



A slight laugh came from Thomas as he looked up at Rachael. He had noticed something since her strength had began to increase mainly that while her ability to be independent had increased her dependence hadn't but rather she wanted him around more and more. "Okay Rachael. If you don't mind having a bum around I'll quit my job."



"You're not a bum and this is what I want. If I can provide more then enough money for us to live off of then there is no reason for you to keep working when you could be spending that time with me."



"Well it would give me more time to work on your training equipment but Rachael why do you want me to quit working so badly?"



"I. I just want you to spend more time with me. I mean if we needed the money I can understand why you would work but if we don't then I want you to spend the time with me."



Thomas stood up and proceeded over to Rachael. Placing his arms around her he had to stand on his toes a bit to hug her and not end up burying his head in her cleavage. "You don't like being alone do you?"



"No." Rachael wrapped her arms around Thomas in return and pulled him against her. "Especially not now I was always so scared of people before that my fear out weighed my loneliness but now that I don't have to be worried about how delicate I am." Rachael stopped for a moment. "No it isn't that. I don't want people to be around I want you to be around."



Thomas felt one of Rachael's arms slipped around behind him and under him a moment later he was lifted one third of a meter into an air so that he was eye level with Rachael. He didn't get to comment though as her lips pressed against his.



Rachael broke off the kiss when she sensed that Thomas needed some air. It was interesting but as her strength had increased she had noted she didn't need to take a breath as often neither did she need to eat or sleep as much.



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "For a moment I worried that you were going to smother me."



Rachael placed a few kisses on Thomas's neck before speaking. "Sorry. Controlling my strength is one thing but they are still some unexpected changes."



"I know." Reaching back Thomas ran his hands through Rachael's hair. "At least they seem to be beneficial."



"Yeah hmm still it is going to probably take me some practice how about we work on kissing some more?" Once again Rachael didn't bother waiting for Thomas to respond but once again pressed her lips to his.



*****



"Thomas. Would you mind if I showed more skin while I was at work?"



Thomas walked a few paces behind Rachael as she browsed through the men's clothing section. They had tried to find clothes to fit her in the women's but that was difficult of course it wasn't exactly easy in the males thanks in part to her prominent bust and her refusal to wear certain things. "Will I get to see you wearing what you wear at work?"



"Of course you will."



"Then it is fine with me."



"Here we go." Rachael smiled as she found what she was looking for and began to look through several packs of extra large t-shirts.



"I have to ask though. You won't let any of them touch will you?"



"Not without consequences."



"Is it me but has more people been showing up at your second job since you began working there?"



"I am pretty sure that they have been. Of course all the time I spend working there hasn't been good for my clothing that is why I need to change my outfit a bit. These should be easy enough to replace." Rachael proceeded to pick up a few packets of the largest t-shirts they had on sell.



"I have been meaning to ask though what do you want to do with your winnings?"



Rachael froze up for a moment as if the question had caught her unaware. "Um well I suppose I would like to get some clothes that fit me better and a nicer home and." An amused giggle came from Rachael. "What would you like to spend it on?"



"Well that is really up to you Rachael."



"I want to know what you want to spend it on."



"Come on. Just tell me what you want to spend the money on."



"I want to spend the money on you."



Thomas grew silent for a moment. Rachael's confession had caught him off guard to a large extent. "Surely there is something that you want for yourself."



"Like I said a nicer home and some clothes and that is about it. I have spent so much of my life working to gain a body like this and spending so much on it I suppose I never thought of what else I might want to have. Now that I have this body I can't think of much else to do."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "I am sure you will think of something else but it is your money so you spend it how you want."



Rachael puffed out her cheeks and a look of annoyance appeared on her face. "I don't like it when you say that. You're going to be quitting your job before long you know and it is our money."



*****



Thomas glanced down at the little slip of paper in his hand. The odds had been moving in Rachael's favor for some time now which meant the winnings were getting smaller and smaller. He was thankful for the pay offs being big early on since it meant they had a lot of money to bet on the events. He once again shifted his attention to the ring. There was a peculiar look of annoyance on Rachael's face.



Rachael hated dodging she didn't have to after all but she had to put on a show and pretend that these fights were serious. It was amazing that no one had noticed already that no matter how solid of a hit someone landed on her she wasn't harmed in the least. How she wished she could just stand and let her opponents have a free shot or two just let them shatter their knuckles on her pretty face.



At least the fights weren't serious as far as Rachael was concerned. The other fighters had begun to hesitate to step into the ring with her though as she had become known for delivering devastating punches. That just one solid punch from her was often enough to fracture or even brake a bone.



Thomas watched closely despite Rachael's boredom to see just how quickly she was improving. He had noticed that she was easily developing her combative skills at the very least three times faster then normal. Then again that wasn't entirely surprising considering that she never had any need to recover from a fight and how much she practiced. Her evasion and accuracy had both improved considerably. Still, there was something else.



Rachael couldn't help but feel her opponent's punches were coming even slower then Thomas's of course the reason for this was probably because Thomas didn't have to worry about her hitting him back. At last Rachael flashed a smile and her opponent seemed to grow pail. Her right arm struck out and struck him in the face.



It was amusing at least for Rachael that people had began to learn when she was through playing around. When her smile grew so that her lips parted everyone knew the fight would be ending very soon.



"I have to say Rachael I never believed you would do this good." Ronald smiled as he approached Rachael. "And I think the audience likes your wardrobe."



"I thought they might." Rachael grinned as she posed a bit.

Currently she was in what amounted to a bikini bottom with a t-shirt over her chest. She didn't bother wearing a bra for two reasons. One it let her nipples outline be seen more easily and she had no need of such a garment. "Ronald. Would you mind if I used the gym a bit tomorrow night after hours?"



"Um sure. Do you want to do some exercising I have noticed you have been hitting the weights less often."



"Well I am going to have some company." Rachael gestured towards Thomas who was watching her intently. It wasn't a jealous gaze as if he was worried about her speaking with Ronald rather it was a gaze that let him know she had his attention.



"Are you going to flex for him some?"



"Yeah it is something of a celebration though he doesn't know about it yet."



"Okay. Though later I want to speak to you about something."



"Hm what is it?"



"It'll hold."



Rachael gave a slight shrug. "Okay."



*****



Rachael smiled as she looked herself in the mirror she had grown use to her violet hair long ago so it no longer distracted her. A T- shirt that would have been too small for a guy of her height was made even thinner by her breast and a tiny white thong was the only other garments that adorned her. Reaching down she proceeded to trace each one of her abdominal muscles and amused giggle escaping from her as she did so.



Slowly she lifted one of her legs and pointed her toes before flexing her leg muscles. Her calves were a near perfect heart shape and her thigh muscles bulged with strength yet remained sleek and smooth. Relaxing her leg she placed it back on the ground and proceeded to wrap her arms around herself so that she pressed up on the underside of her breast.



Tonight was going to be a special night. Glancing over her shoulder Rachael smiled at the stack of money she had left on the table. This would be the day when she finally told Thomas to quit his job and that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. They didn't need his income any longer and since the need for him to work no longer existed she wanted his time spent with her.



Of course she was prepared to enforce her decision and had even planned a little show. She had left the back door to the gym unlock and told Thomas to come by. He knew that she had something planned and was probably expecting a pleasant evening but she doubted he had any idea of everything she had planned.



Thomas was quite eager to find out what Rachael had planned exactly. While they had yet to make love Rachael could put on quite a nice show something that she had been doing much more lately. He had to figure she thought up something special which would require more equipment then they had and probably stronger floors. He couldn't explain it but watching her flaunt her strength was quite enticing.



He was grateful that it took him a while to find the weight room since it gave him sometime to calm down at least he thought he had calmed down until he saw Rachael standing there.



"Mm you were eager to get here. You're a whole ten minutes early."



It took a few moments for Thomas to respond as he looked Rachael over. There was something about her that took his breath away though he wasn't quite sure what it was. It wasn't just her outfit or rather the lack of one. There was something more. "Yeah I suppose I did speed a little."



"Is something the matter? You seem stunned. I have wore skimpier then this around the house." Rachael couldn't help but giggle.

"Though not much less I will say that."



"It is just that. Wow. I know you have dressed like that before but something seems different."



Rachael giggled a bit. She wasn't sure what Thomas was referring to but she appreciated the complement. Walking across the gym she quickly placed one arm behind him and the other under him. It always excited her to feel how light he was now. "Thomas I have something to show you."



"What is it?"



"Over here." Rachael carried Thomas so that he couldn't actually see where they were going. As she walked she flexed her chest muscles and shifted from side to side slightly causing her breast to rub against him. "I hope you don't mind but I decided to show you just how much I won in the fights as of late and well you're quitting your job now."



Thomas froze up for a moment. He knew that Rachael wanted him to quit working and spend more time with her but this he felt like it was an order. "Rachael I know I said I would quit if you were making enough but we need to decide if it is really enough. Umph." Thomas was a bit surprised when Rachael suddenly tightened her grip and pulled him against her body far more firmly. It was so forceful that it knocked the air out of him.



"Thomas you are going to quit your job or I am going to tear that factory apart." An amused giggle escaped Rachael as a cute smile formed on her face. "Come to think of it that could be a lot of fun."



A shiver of excitement ran up Thomas's spine as he realized something. Rachael was being entirely serious at the moment and something told him that she could. While he didn't know her actual strength since they hadn't been able to test for that or if she had she hadn't told him about it. Something in her tone of voice told him she was deadly serious. This didn't make him scared though as he considered what she said. "So you wouldn't just break my legs and force me to stay home?"



"Thomas I would never harm you, however if you don't quit that job and start paying more attention to me. I do have other means of getting you to do what I want."



Thomas was about to reply when Rachael's lips pressed against his cutting him off for a few moments. As he felt her lips against his own he suddenly found the desire to resist her leaving him.



"Thomas this is really important to me. I really want to have you with me as much as possible. You took care of me for so long and gave up so much to help me. Let me take care of you." Rachael grew silent for a moment as if she had just realized something. "No. It isn't just that I want to take care of you. I want you to take care of me still but your job isn't doing that anymore."



"If I don't work how am I suppose to take care of you?"



"By being there for me."



"Okay. I'll put in my weeks notice."



"Oh no you are quitting today."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Well alright. I'll just phone them and let them know I quit tomorrow. I doubt they'll have trouble replacing me. Now um would you loosen your grip?"



Rachael responded by tightening her grip around Thomas for a moment so that he couldn't actually take a breath. "Okay." With that Rachael relaxed her arms and even allowed Thomas to slump a bit. "Hm you look more relaxed already."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey I thought you said you wouldn't harm me."



"Oh was that too tight? Maybe I should kiss it." Rachael lifted Thomas a little higher so that his chest was level with her face she then placed kisses along his chest. Thomas reached down and placed his hands atop Rachael's massive breast and gave them a slight squeeze. "That feels nice."



Thomas was a bit perplexed when Rachael moved him away. "Is something the matter?"



"Nope but I have some things I want to show you before we go too far."



"How far is that?"



"You'll have to wait and see." Rachael carried Thomas over to one of the bench presses and set him down she then stepped behind the bar as if she was going to spot him. "Do you believe you could lift this Thomas?"



"Without any weights on it? Yeah it would be easy."



Rachael gave a nod and removed the clamps from either end and slipped on a fifty kilogram mass on each side. "Could you lift it now?"



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "Maybe with a lot of luck and on a very good day."



Rachael didn't respond but slipped another fifty kilogram mass on each side. "Now could you?"



"Not a chance."



Reaching a hand under the bar Rachael slowly wrapped her fingers around it and prepared to lift it when Thomas's hands wrapped around hers.



"How much does the bar itself weigh?"



"Oh it has a mass of twenty five kilograms I believe."



Thomas gave a nod and released his grip on Rachael's hand. With that Rachael lifted the weight from its resting position and extended her arm outward so that she wasn't just holding it with one arm it was also fully extended. Despite this her muscles didn't bulge in the least in fact it looked like she didn't feel any difference between the weight and a feather.



Rachael glanced down at Thomas before she quit using her pinky finger to help support the mass her index finger followed soon after and still she didn't show the least bit of strain. Not in her arms and not in her fingers. "Wow."



"Aren't you worried?"



"Worried about what?"



"Aren't you worried that the weight might be too much and I may drop it?"



Thomas reached up and once again placed his hands around Rachael's.

He then proceeded to pull himself up so that the majority of his mass and the weights mass were all being supported by Rachael. Still she didn't seem to be bothered in the least by this. "Nope I can't say that I am."



Rachael gave and amused giggle and quit using her middle finger as well so that only the index finger supported the weight. Slowly she began to pull her arm back dragging Thomas along for the ride as he still had hold of her hand. Slowly she set the weight back down.

"How about I add some more mass then?"



"How about adding three hundred more kilograms?"



"Is that all?"



"Well I would suggest more but I am worried the bar will begin to bend."



"Mm you make a good point but that is a fun idea as well to feel a metal bar just bending in my hands." As Rachael spoke she took hold of the bar with both hands and lifted it from its rest. Slowly Rachael began to bend the bar unto a U-shape being careful not to move her arms too quickly. The action was a clear demonstration of her strength she didn't need to jerk or poor on the power to bend the bar rather it was a nice steady action that involved not real effort on her part.



"Wow. Though I don't think Ronald would appreciate you tearing up his equipment."



"Oh it is easy enough to fix." Still smiling Rachael bent the bar back to its original shape. As she did this Thomas set up and moved to get a closer look at the bar and see just how close it was back to its original form.



"That is impressive. I didn't expect you to be able to bend it back to its original shape or at least close enough."



"I guess I have developed some rather impressive motor controls."



"That you have." Thomas reached out and took hold of Rachael's arm.

At first he kept his tough light and noticed how soft her skin felt however when he applied more pressure he could feel the incredibly strong muscles beneath that skin muscles that he couldn't even begin to indent.



"How strong are you?"



"I don't really know I haven't been able to run any test for quite sometime. I couldn't even test it in the gym when I finally got here." Rachael slowly flexed her arm so that the muscle Thomas was feeling became even more solid and larger in volume.



"Maybe I could keep my job a while longer and you could use that money to by some testing ... equipment." Thomas felt a bit of a chill as he made this suggestion. Looking up at Rachael he could tell that she wasn't amused by it in the least.



"I'll tell you what I could do. You already saw what I can do to that bar. I wonder what I could do to the building which you use to work in."



"Uh no need bad suggestion on my part." Thomas resolved that had best be the last time he brought the issue of him working up to Rachael again.



Rachael quickly returned to her normal self once she saw that she had gotten through to Thomas. An amused giggle came from her and she stuck her tongue out at him for a moment. "I am glad I decided to take you here. I don't know if you would have been so willing to listen if I hadn't emphasized my point."



Thomas gave a nod and leaned forward so that he could place a kiss on Rachael's biceps. "Well these do speak rather loudly."



Rachael chuckled and set the bar back down on its rest. "Stay right there I just had an idea. Oh and grab hold of the sides."



Thomas wasn't certain what Rachael had in mind but took hold of the sides of the bench just the same. He didn't bother asking believing that it would be more fun to wait and see what Rachael had in mind then try to spoil the surprise. Then again it wasn't very likely she was going to tell him.



Rachael bent down being careful to give Thomas the best view of her cleavage she could. Taking hold of the main supports of the entire wrack she slowly began to straiten up not because of the weight forcing her to move careful rather she needed to see if she was applying too much force to any one area.



A rush of excitement shot through Thomas as Rachael lifted him into the air slowly bringing the bench level with her arms and then lifting it above her head. "Wow. Are you even straining?"



"It feels like I could throw this for a mile it is so light."



Thomas released the sides of the bench and moved so that he could reach one of Rachael's hands. Reaching down he began to gently rub the top of her fingers as well as some of her wrist. "So did you believe you would become this strong?"



"Well to be honest. Yes. I just wish I knew how strong this is. I designed the treatment with improvements in mind it just looked like it had been a failure early on as I am sure you recall."



Thomas scooted down a bit and began to place kisses on the top of Rachael's fingers. "You know I have quite a nice view from up here."



"Why don't you try to climb down?"



"Huh?"



"See if you can climb down while I am holding the bench up."



"Are you sure you don't mind?"



"Now if it was going to bother me I wouldn't suggest it."



Thomas gave a nod and took a moment to slip off his shoes and socks first then give them a slight toss across the room before he began to climb down. Moving to the side he placed his foot down on Rachael's shoulder.



"I was thinking you would use something more spacious them my shoulder. How about we find out just how perky my breasts are?"



"Rachael. Are you sure you want to try that?"



Rachael thrust her chest up in response. "Yep. I bet my babies could support all your weight."



Thomas bit his lip for a moment and removed his foot from Rachael's shoulder. He then placed it upon her right breast and slowly began to apply more force. At first it didn't seem like it was going to work as Rachael's breast yielded however after a few moments they suddenly ceased to yield. Looking down he noted that his foot had moved Rachael's bosom about as much as he might have moved them while caressing her breast.



"I told you they were perky."



Thomas gave a nod and began to step down so that more of his weight rested atop Rachael's breast. What he found was that even with his full weight he couldn't cause Rachael's breast to move beyond that point. At last he placed both feet on her chest and began to climb down. "I would have to agree with you." A large grin was on Thomas's face when he finally made it to the ground. "Would you mind if I."



"Tried using your hands? Let me set this down first and then you can." Rachael waited for Thomas to back away and then carefully set down the rack so that Thomas could take some time to examine her rack.



"I have a feeling your rack is the stronger of the two." Thomas walked back to Rachael and reached his hands up. He then took hold of the front of Rachael's massive right breast through her shirt. At first he didn't notice anything but soft and wonderfully pleasant to the touch flesh however as he began to increase pressure the more Rachael's breast resisted and once the force went beyond what would have normally been a caress there was simply no affecting them.



"Well how do they feel?"



"Simply wonderful."



"You know the face is more sensitive then the hands." Rachael giggled a bit and reached an arm around Thomas before he could respond. After bending down a bit she proceeded to pull Thomas towards herself so that his head was buried in her cleavage.



Thomas was a bit surprised but not upset by Rachael's actions. However, as she held his head prisoner he placed his hands against Rachael's shoulders and began to push against them as if he was trying to free himself. As soon as he began to strain Rachael released almost causing him to topple backwards but Rachael quickly caught hold of him.



"Was I squeezing too hard? I didn't hurt you did I?"



"No I was just curious what you would do if I began to struggle."



Rachael didn't respond right away as Thomas's reaction had caught her off guard. When she did it was with a slight grin. "Be careful about doing that. You don't want me to start thinking you are kidding around every time."



Thomas stood on his tip toes so that he could better reach Rachael's lips a task made difficult not only by her height but by the two rather large obstacles on her chest. He was given some help though when Rachael slipped a hand under him and lifted him slightly off the ground. "Don't worry. I won't."



Nodding her head Rachael carefully set Thomas back down. "Well that has it for my upper body. I wonder what should be next."



Thomas bent down and placed a hand on either side of Rachael's massive thigh. "To be honest I think that has your legs to. I mean they did have the full weight of that rack wresting on them whenever you picked it up."



Rachael pressed up on her chest for a moment. "Yeah but they are always carrying the rack around."



"Huh?"



"Oh you meant the weights. Yeah but you couldn't appreciate my legs then."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Okay that is the second or third rack joke in the last few minutes. I believe that is enough for one night."



"But they are so easy."



"Yes, but you are abusing them." Thomas jumped a bit when his hands were suddenly and forcefully forced further apart. It didn't harm him but it caught him off guard after a moment and upon noticing Rachael's giggling he realized that she had just flexed her leg.

"Well that is some nice muscle expansion."



"I told you. You didn't really get to appreciate them while you were climbing down me."



"I can see that. Now don't flex them for just a moment or you might bust my lips with that level of muscle expansion." Leaning forward Thomas proceeded to place several kisses along Rachael's massive thigh.



"That feels nice but I prefer when you kiss me up here." Rachael reached down and once again picked Thomas up so that she could kiss him on the lips.



After the kiss had been broken off Thomas glanced down. "You seem to enjoy picking me up."



"Believe me. I do. It is just so much fun to cuddle you. You're just so light."



"You're probably the only person in this world that can say that."



"Well you're not that heavy they are some other enhanced people that could say it. Still, thanks for saying so." Rachael set Thomas back down. "Now back to business at hands. Just how can I show you just how strong my legs are? Ah I just had an idea." Rachael quickly stood up and began to head towards the back of the gym. "You wait right there I need to get something that won't be missed."



"What are you looking for?"



"They keep some old free weights in the back."



"How heavy are they?"



"Oh I think the heaviest is 40 kilograms."



"But I just saw you lift a lot more then that."



"Well I don't plan on just lifting it. Just wait and you'll see."



Thomas gave a nod and set down. Rachael returned a few moments later carrier a single one handed weight in her hand. This actually surprised Thomas though it wasn't because of the free weights mass. "Huh, I thought you would have gotten more."



"Mm well it would be nice if I could use more but this is about all I can use comfortably. Ronald mentioned these to me earlier. They were part of a package but never got used since well how many people do you know that would use forty kilograms in each hand?"



"So what do you plan to do with it?"



Rachael started to tell Thomas to stand up but quickly changed her mind. Instead she set the weight down and slipped her hands under him. She then proceeded to lift him up and set him down on the floor. "Watch carefully now." Picking the weight back up Rachael set down where Thomas had been and spread her legs.



Thomas started to back away to give Rachael more room however he was prevented from doing so when Rachael took hold of his hands and guided each one to an opposite thigh.



Rachael placed the free weight between her legs at first so that the bar between to the opposite ends was length wise between her legs. Thomas felt his hands lifted slightly as Rachael flexed her muscles not even beginning to close her legs yet. The expansion was impressive made even more so when he heard the slight wine of metal being bent.



When Thomas looked between Rachael's thighs he couldn't help but reach down and take hold of the bar. He could see the bent in the metal but he had to feel it for himself. After a few moments he withdrew his hand and placed it back on Rachael thigh. He then gave a slight nod.



Slowly Rachael began to close her legs together. The metals duel cry grew into a scream as more and more of it was forced together. Looking down she could have sworn that she noticed a bit of red appearing in the metal heat being generated by the amount of pressure that it was under.



"That is just remarkable."



"It is going to get better." Continuing the sides of the weight began to bulge outward as the metal was forced together. Reaching down Rachael placed one hand atop the weight and another beneath it. Her hands and legs weren't enough to engulf the mass entirely but it helped when she felt a bit of the alloy beginning to move outward she would use her hands to forge it back down.



"I wonder if it is the friction making it warm in here or not." Thomas removed his hands from Rachael's thighs and got down on his knees. Leaning forward he placed his head atop Rachael's right thigh and gave the magnificent muscle a kiss. He rose up when he felt Rachael's legs begin to part.



"I just thought of something fun. I don't even know if I can do it."



"What is that?"



"We'll need to go somewhere else for this. Now where would it be safe?"



"Where would what be safe? Perhaps, I can think of a spot."



"Sorry but I want this to be a surprise."



"Okay I believe I know what I can do. You just wait right here."



"Is this different from what you had planned to do earlier?"



"Yes it is. After all, I don't even know if this will work out. Now just hold on."



Thomas gave a nod and set down as he once again had to watch Rachael dash out of the room. This was actually something of a good thing as it gave him a few moments to calm down. As he was setting Thomas glanced over at the former dumbbell she had been working with. Reaching down he took hold of it on either side and was somewhat surprised by the amount of warmth he felt in either edge. Apparently her legs crushing it on other side had generated a lot of warmth.



"Checking to make sure it is real?"



Thomas looked up to see Rachael entering the room once again. Under one arm she was carrying a rather massive stone with an impression in the center. "Where did you get that?"



"Just a bolder I found outside. I took a few moments to scoop out the insides. Mm I still don't like the idea of trying this in here though. Let's go to the back room. Get that if you don't mind." Rachael used her free hand to indicate the weight Thomas had been feeling of moments ago.



Nodding his head Thomas reached down and took hold of the lump of metal with both hands he needed them to lift and carry the mass. "So where should I take this?"



"To the back room, just follow me."



Nodding Thomas followed Rachael out of the room and into what he imagined was a storage area. The floors were solid concrete and he could have sworn he smelt some form of oil. "Just what is this room used for?"



"For the most part it isn't used for anything. Otherwise it is used to take worn out equipment for storage you know a treadmill that quits working." Rachael set the stone down and took hold of her shirt.



Thomas was a bit startled when Rachael pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side. She wasn't wearing a bra which left her massive breast fully exposed. "I see."



Rachael grinned when she saw the expression on Thomas's face. "Just wait until you see what these babies can do. Let me save the weight." Rachael didn't actually wait for Thomas to hand it over by took hold of the top of the metal lump. Her fingers easily sunk into the alloy and she lifted it from Thomas's grasp.



Thomas took a few steps back and watched as Rachael walked over to the stone slab and bent down so that she was leaning over it. She then proceeded to mash the lump of metal for a few more moments before slipping it between her breasts." Rachael what are you planning?"



"You'll see. Well if this works as well as I am hoping it will. If not this may hurt. Would you hold this in place for just a second?"



"Um sure." Thomas reached under Rachael's breast and held up the former weight while Rachael pressed her breast together.



"Okay let go." Rachael felt Thomas remove his hand and increased the pressure she was exerting on either side of her breast to insure the metal didn't slip out from between them.



"Wow."



"Don't worry I wont ever use this much force when your head is between them."



"That is nice to know."



"Okay step back a bit I don't want to risk you getting burned."



"Burned?"



"You'll see now step back. Well you'll see if this works out." Rachael glanced down at her chest and then back up to Thomas who took a few steps back. Once they had some distance between each other she began to increase the pressure with which she was exerting on the metal at first she felt her breast giving but once again they only gave so far and then she felt the metal begin to give.



Thomas wasn't entirely certain what Rachael was planning until he glanced down at the hollowed out stone slab and her position just over it. A look of recognition and peek interest appeared on his face. Slowly he scooted closer to Rachael and bent at the knees to get a better view. "How is it going?"



"I can feel it bending but that isn't quite the result I wanted. I guess I need to apply more force." Rachael was only using a small portion of her total strength however she still didn't know if it would be enough to get the desired results. Even if it didn't she couldn't help but be amused by the fact that her breast were now strong enough to bend metal.



As Thomas watched Rachael exerting more and more force he didn't really notice when his hands reached up and touched the very top of Rachael's breast. A slight yelp from Rachael made him withdraw his hand. "Sorry, busy hands I guess."



Rachael giggled a bit and exerted more force. "Don't worry and put it back just not on the bottom."



Thomas gave a nod and reached back up. Placing his hands atop Rachael's breast he began to squeeze her flesh gently occasionally running his fingers over her soft skin.



"Mm that is nice but if you are going to help me with this you need to be more forceful. I'll let you know if you are hurting me." An amused giggle came from Rachael the moment the words had left her mouth.



"I don't know how much I can but I'll try."



Rachael gave a nod and began to increase the pressure she was exerting on her breast even more. As she did so she began to notice something that she hadn't felt for several weeks if not months.



Thomas continued to press harder however when he glanced up he couldn't notice Rachael's arms. "Rachael how much of your strength are you using?"



"Okay that is enough this is beginning to really hurt." Rachael let out a sigh and relaxed the pressure she was applying. She then moved one of her hands under her breast relieving the pressure entirely and caught hold of the new very compacted lump of metal. "That is disappointing."



Thomas grinned and glanced down at the lump. "Those are some pretty substantial dints in the sides."



"Yeah, but I was hoping that I could get it to melt."



"I figured as much. Well maybe you'll be strong enough someday though I wonder how strong you actually are."



"Other then very strong I can't be certain. This has only made me want to run some real test even more." While Rachael was talking and Thomas was looking at the lump of metal she reached a hand behind his head and pulled his head into her cleavage. "Well I suppose I am strong enough for now." Thomas would have responded however he found himself unable to speak with his head pressed so firmly into Rachael's breast.



*****



No one won every fight at least no one was supposed to win every fight. Ronald found himself looking down at the record of Rachael's wins and he had to admit it was surprising. She hadn't lost a single fight and what was even more surprising is that her wins seemed to be coming easier and easier every time she won. She had won so many times that the odds were far too favorably stacked towards her.



While he had seen fighters have rather extensive winning streaks Rachael's was just unbelievable and she wanted more fights. Perhaps it was time to try something different then a regular match.

Standing up he made his way out of his office and down to the gym where Rachael was currently working with some clients. "Rachael can I have a word with you for a few moments?"



Rachael had been walking around the gym helping anyone that seemed like they were having issues or didn't really know how to use the equipment properly. It was an amusing thought to her at times considering it hadn't been too long ago and she didn't know the first thing about weight training. "Sure. I'll be right there."



Ronald gave a nod and continued out of the room he then made his way back to his office.



"So what did you want to speak to me about that it required us to walk all the way back here?"



"It is about your fights. You have been winning quite a few of them."



"Yeah thanks for letting me join oh and thanks for letting me use the gym a week ago."



Ronald gave a slight laugh. "Okay that is the seventh time you told me that. Are you going to say it once a day?"



"Whoops. Anyway, you were saying?"



"Yes about your fights. Have you considered trying anything special?"



"Like more then one opponent at once or perhaps my opponents could use baseball bats?"



Ronald blinked his eyes a few times. "The baseball bats might be a bit much but you just sounded very eager."



Giggling Rachael nodded her head. "You believe I am. I am kind of tired of these little one on one fights. They are too easy."



Leaning forward on his desk Ronald has to ask. "Rachael have you been holding back?"



"Nope I have been fighting with all the skill that I have. I have just been improving a lot."



"How often do you practice?"



"Daily unless Thomas doesn't feel like sparing and now that he has quit his job he has even more time to work with me. I like to think the effort is paying off."



"I would say it has been. Though I have to admit your stamina surprises me."



"How is that?"



"The power in each one of your punches they never seem to decline but I should have expected that from our wrestling matches. You can last that is for certain even longer then me."



Rachael knew how she wanted to respond to truly flaunt her strength but she also knew that it wouldn't be in her best interest. However, despite her resignation not to boast her lack of a response and the look on her face spoke volumes.



"Rachael. Have you been holding back? You said you fought with all your skill how about all your strength?"



"Yeah I have been using most of it."



Ronald shook his head. "No you haven't. How much stronger are you then you have been letting on? You're not just enhanced are you? You have an illegal level. That is it. It is the only way you have got through every fight without a scratch. Damn it I don't know why I didn't notice before." Ronald felt a chill run up his spine when he looked at Rachael once again. A sudden look of fear formed on his face as he realized what may only be a moment away from happening.

"Of course you're not the only person I know of that has an extra edge."



While Ronald had been connecting the dots a massive smile had formed on Rachael's face the same smile she wore before she neutralized and opponent. "And how would that be?"



"Not every fight is meant for normal people there is another division where the bets are much higher." Ronald felt tempted to ask Rachael if she was three or maybe even five times stronger then she let on but he didn't want to take the risk. He had no way of knowing that she was thousands of times stronger then she let on.



"Ronald before this conversation continues any further. I just want you to know that if you tell anyone that I have an illegal level of enhancement without my consent I will drive my fist through your skull."



"Rachael would you like to get out of the regular fights?"



It was somewhat perplexing for Rachael when Ronald didn't bother commenting about her threat but she decided to play along and list more. "I have thought it would be nice to have some more serious fights like we were talking about before."



"Well like I said I know of other people with illegal levels of enhancements. How would you like to try competing in their league?" Ronald didn't care for being threatened but he had no reason to report Rachael to the cops. After all that would cause considerable trouble for him and if he ever did feel true fear for his life a powerful enough hand gun would take her down even if she was five times stronger then she let on was his reasoning.



Rachael couldn't help herself and let out an excited yelp. "I would love it. I wouldn't have to hold back as much and now I have some practice."



"Okay, but it is going to force you to travel more."



"That is fine with me."



Ronald grew silent for a moment. "Okay I don't want you to encounter any surprises. Rachael people have been seriously injured and a few have even died in the regular fights. It isn't often but the special fights are different."



"Since the fighters shouldn't even exist yeah I imagine the death rate is higher. I am not stupid. I know the danger will be much greater."



"Okay. Well it is also going to require you to travel. You won't be able to work in the gym any longer."



"Alright, I'll put in my letter of resignation today."



"Well aren't you eager."



"Of course I am. Can still participate in the regular fights?"



"No. That can't be allowed anymore. Anyway people will begin to wonder eventually."



"Yeah to be honest I am surprised they haven't already noticed. I suppose they were distracted by my breast."



Ronald gave a slight laugh. "That may be the answer."



"Oh I can't accept yet. I need to speak with Thomas first."



"Huh. How come?"



"Well we are in this together and I don't want to leave him out of the decisions. After all he'll have to move to."



*****



"Sure I wouldn't mind moving. It isn't like I have a job to keep me here anymore but why do you want to move?"



"Well I quit my job as well so that I could focus on the fights."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Well then I believe you already made up your mind."



"Thanks for not being upset though you may be when I tell you this next part. The fights are against other people with an illegal level of enhancement."



"Why would that worry me? No one is as strong as you or I would be willing to bet no one is."



"Aren't you worried about the police finding out?"



"Actually I believe it is one of the safer things you could do. After all it is already illegal and hasn't been stopped yet. We are going to be moving more then once aren't we?"



"I believe so. From the way Ronald spoke the fights are held in different locations."



Thomas gave a nod. "I don't know if that is a good idea or not but it is something you want to do and anyway. I doubt Ronald wants you fighting in the normal ring any more."



"Actually, he said I couldn't find in the normal fights any longer."



"Huh, I am surprised you agreed to him saying you couldn't."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Now that I think about that it does annoy me a bit. Perhaps I should go give him a savage beating for trying to tell me what to do? Well maybe later. Right now I need him to introduce me to the organizers at least the ones that I am going to get to meet."



"Rachael, are you comfortable with the way your life is going?"



"What do you mean?"



"Well what you did before was illegal but it seems that you are getting involved in more and more dangerous and illegal activities."



"Do you want me to stop?"



"This is about what you want."



"You tell me what you believe I should do first."



Thomas let out a slight sigh. "I believe what you are doing is dangerous and part of me wants you to stop. However, this also seems the best thing for you. I have seen how much you enjoy your new job.

So ultimately I don't want you to stop if it makes you happy."



"Okay you're going to answer that again but not with any ifs or buts."



"I believe you should participate in the fights."



Rachael smiled and nodded her head. "Okay then tomorrow I'll find out more and we can begin making preparations."



*****



"So how is this going to work?" Rachael was currently setting in Ronald's office she had just slipped him her resignation later and now awaited an explanation.



"How much do you want to know?"



"Just how should I go about requesting fights, being given fights, where to go and picking up my winnings?"



"We'll arrange the fights for you though you can put in specific request. I don't believe you being that too often though after all you'll be fighting people at your own level. For now I am going to have to serve as your contact and manager."



"So I won't be dealing with anyone else?"



"Not for a while. Of course once you get into the more serious fights you'll have to start talking with other people. To be honest I stay away from the enhanced fights."



"What is the highest level of enhancements you have seen?"



"I once saw a fighter that had actually sacrificed some of his human shape for claws but that is the really heavy divisions and well I don't think you'll make it that far."



"Ronald could you tell me just who enhances these people? I don't mean names I just mean a rough outline."



"Mostly wealthy benefactors those with too much money on their hands and a fair amount of contempt for the law of course the fighters don't care for the law much either."



"Can you give me more details then that?"



"I really don't know anymore and to be honest I don't want to know."



"How did you get involved then?"



"Well you aren't the first person that I introduced to the ring. A few of the other fighters wanted to get more and more involved until they got picked up by the enhancers. You are a unique case though since you already have the improvements."



"What qualified them to be improved?"



Ronald shook his head. "I can't be certain. I believe it was how much they enjoyed fighting and the desire to be better physically."



Rachael turned her head to the side for a moment without really thinking about what she was saying it slipped out. "And yet I bet their sacrifice gave them so very little."



"Huh?"



Rachael's eyes widened for a moment as she realized her slip of the tongue. "Oh nothing I was just thinking."



"I don't imagine you were actually accidentally enhanced any longer. Do you regret the improvements?"



"Nope."



"From the way you just talked it sounded like you do."



Rachael couldn't tell Thomas the reason she had set that wasn't because she had improved herself. Rather it was because those other enhanced people seemed so weak in comparison. "My head just wasn't with me at the moment. So when will my first fight beat?"



"Well at the moment you're a novice with no standing."



"But I have been fighting for several weeks now a few months even and I always win."



"With normal human fighters, remember these are people who are all two or three at times even five times stronger then what they would be normally and considering a good deal of them were fighters already that is saying a lot."



"Okay so when do I get to prove myself?"



"Did you and Thomas talk over the idea of having to travel around?"



"Yeah he gives the endeavor his approval."



Ronald nodded and picked up a slip of paper as well as a pin. "Okay. I'll give you the address of where you are to go and when. We can meet up there and I'll get you in."



"I want Thomas to come as well."



"That should be fairly easy. You'll need to inform them that he is handling the money you want to gamble on yourself."



"What if I want to place a bet on the other fighter?"



"That isn't permitted."



"Is that so the fighters aren't tempted to throw a fight?"



"Yeah of course most fighters have even more of a reason to win."



"What would that be?"



"Well the majority didn't pay for their enhancement as I recall and those that did expect their investment to pay off or at least put on a good show."



"Oh. I see. I see."



"Anyway I plan on introducing you to some people there. Depending on how your first matches go others will contact you."



"So the best you can really do is help get me started? Now here is a question. You said recruits occasionally pick people from the fights you help direct. Why didn't any of them contact you about me?"



"At first you didn't seem skilled enough for one and two why do you think I mentioned this to you?"



Rachael gave a slight shrug. "All well I won't worry about it. Is there anything else?"



"Nope just be sure to show up."



*****



"Is this the place?" Thomas glanced at the surprisingly well maintained building. He had expected an old run down structure but this one seemed in at least moderate condition.



Rachael took a second to look at the paper with the directions on it. "Yes it is. Now we just need to pull into the parking lot and head down to the bottom floor."



Thomas gave a nod and proceeded to pull into the parking lot. "Is there any particular level I should park on?"



"Yeah the floors four through should are advised and I believe nine and ten are off limits entirely." Rachael looked around the parking lot as Thomas drove. She wasn't exactly sure what to expect she hoped she was reading Ronald's hand writing correctly as well. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice they were parked until Thomas opened the door for her.



"This looks like a good enough spot."



Rachael gave a nod and climbed out. "Sorry I was just thinking."



"What are you thinking about?"



"How humiliating it would be if we were in the wrong building."



"Yeah that would be quite of embarrassing. So we head down to the bottom basement level now?"



"Yes." Rachael didn't move until she saw Thomas start to walk in front of her. The moment he did she reached out and took hold of his shoulder to stop him. "I was just thinking. Let me walk in front just in case this isn't quite what we expect."



"Is something worrying you?"



"Nothing in particular. I just feel like playing things safe while you are with me."



"You know I can take care of myself."



Rachael couldn't help but grin. "Yes but I can take care of you even better then you can take care of yourself so let me lead."



"I can't exactly argue with that. Okay lead on."



Rachael led the way into the center of the building and down a series of stairs that was for all purposes a standard fire escape.

Even at the bottom of the building she didn't notice anything unusual except for perhaps the doors she had been told would taken her to the actually ring. It looked unusually thick. "Now where is Ronald?"



"I am right here." The heavy door opened revealing that it was indeed thicker then Rachael original thought. "Glad you could make it. Please come on inside."



Thomas started to take the lead when he felt Rachael's hand once again rest on his shoulder and remembered their brief conversation. He didn't bother protesting but once again fell in behind Rachael. As they followed Ronald down the hallway Thomas and Rachael were constantly examining their surroundings.



"What are you looking for?"



Thomas was the first to respond. For some reason Rachael seemed even more distracted and worried about safety then he was. "I suppose were checking to see just what kind of structure this is. That was a lot of parking space upstairs."



"Well they can get a lot of people wanting to place bets."



Thomas gave a shrug. "To be honest I didn't expect such events to be housed in a permanent structure especially one like this."



Ronald nodded his head. "Everyone has a different impression. I suppose you favor mobility."



"It would seem the most logical method. With a standing structure like this you have to worry about constantly keeping it beneath the notices of the authorities."



"I imagine the owners worked that out before this place was chosen." The group stopped when they came to another set of doors. "Give me a second and I'll get us in."



While Ronald talked to someone over an intercom Thomas stepped up next to Rachael. "Is something wrong? You seem nervous."



Rachael smiled at Thomas. "I just feel a little nervous with you around is all well worried that something might happen."



Thomas wasn't entirely certain he like the way this conversation as going already. He had tried to assure Rachael that he could handle himself but it didn't seem to have worked and even with him letting her take the lead she was still worried about him of course that was better then her not worrying at all. The door opening was a bit of a relief as he wasn't quite able to think of anything to say.



Rachael's eyes widened when she saw the true expanse of the facility. Instinctively she reached out and took hold of Thomas pulling him closer against her larger body. This wasn't for her safety rather it was for her comfort as she wanted to insure herself that he was safe.



"So is this the young lady you were telling me about?"



The group turned to see a young man in a business suit approaching whom Ronald went to meet. "Andrew it is good to see you and yes this is Rachael."



Andrew gave a nod and stepped past Ronald to look at Rachael. "So are you the same young woman that the police was searching for over a year ago?"



"Yes. That would be me."



"It isn't often that someone enhances themselves. You're still together with your cohort as well." Andrew looked beside Rachael for a moment at Thomas while in comparison to Rachael Thomas looked remarkably fragile Andrew felt quite certain that was only in comparison to someone like Rachael. "Thomas I believe that is what the reports said your name was. Is that correct?"



"Yes."



"I have been wondering why you haven't enhanced yourself."



"I never really wanted to."



Nodding his head Andrew turned his attention back to Rachael. "Now what would you like to ask me?"



"I suppose the normal stuff. When do I get to start fighting, where do I go and how do I bet, oh and how often?"



"Well your first fight is going to be here playing to a small crowd.

The amount you get to fight depends on how often you win and how often people want to see you. I'll show you where to place your bets.

You may not get to fight as often as you would like since your improvements aren't on the market."



Thomas took a step in front of Rachael. "What do you mean on the market?"



"Well this isn't just an arena it is also a market where people show off what their improvements have done to their bodies. Some of our clients pay to be enhanced actually more then a few of our wealthier clients watch the fights for years waiting to see just the idea enhancement."



"And I am not willing to enhance anyone with the treatment that I used on myself."



Andrew tapped his chin for a moment. "Of course you could always be a gauntlet."



Rachael blinked her eyes a few times. "What do you mean by a gauntlet?"



"A gauntlet is a fighter that is used to test other fighters against to obtain this status though you have to have quite an impress record. Those fighters who obtain the status of gauntlet are some of our best and those that can defeat the gauntlets well their enhancements are the most desired."



"So as a gauntlet I would get to test the newer fighters?"



"Yes. You're rare for another reason as well namely because you are self enhanced."



"Is that a good or bad thing?"



Andrew grinned. "Well it depends on your view point. You do realize that while we do have medical facilities they aren't free and I doubt you want to go to a standard hospital."



"So unless I have the money I don't get treated. I can't say that actually worries me."



"Yes, Ronald said you have earned some money on the regular fight circuits. I have to tell you though that can get eat up awfully quickly."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle. "I mean I don't believe anyone is going to be harming me."



"My you sound confident in your enhancements. Well just keep my warning in mind."



"So when will be my first fight?"



"In two weeks we are going to be holding a beginners battle. Those less known fighters participate the longer you hold out the more likely you will be invited to participate in later fights."



"Sounds fine with me what do you think Thomas?"



Thomas glanced up at Rachael face and noticed the huge smile on it.

He then turned to Andrew. "So just how do these fights work?"



Andrew gave a slight chuckle. "We set up the new fighters' one on one and weed them out until you get to the top two fighters. The winner doesn't get any particular title but it does just about guarantee you will be in future matches."



"Are they going to be any gauntlets there?"



"Sorry but no while we do have the occasional death we don't like to intentionally set death matches up and well most gauntlets would break the newcomers in half."



"Well that just isn't any fun."



Andrew couldn't help but chuckle. "You seem to either be a glutton for punishment or you are very confident in your abilities. Ronald informed me that you have been holding your true strength back in the ring. Would you mind giving me a little demonstration?"



Rachael thought about agreeing but changed her mind. "Sure you can when you let me into the ring."



Thomas had been looking around while Andrew and Rachael spoke at last he had to say. "It is impressive you keep a facility this big below the authorities' radar especially considering what you say most of the fighters are.



Andrew gave a nod. "I imagine that was more of a question then anything else. Is it really surprising though?"



Thomas grew silent for a few moments. "Not when I compare it to other operations I have heard of. It just seems strange to actually be seeing one. I have to wonder though. Why did you have Ronald bring us here if Rachael wasn't going to get to fight?"



Rachael seemed to perk up a bit. "That is true from the way you and Ronald were talking earlier I had hoped I would get to fight some today."



"Come now would I have every client and fighter waiting here on the first meeting? This could have been a planned operation after all."



Nodding his head Thomas was about to step forward when he felt Rachael pull him back. He hadn't intended on starting anything it just felt a little awkward to be standing so close to her while having a conversation. "And you're sure that it isn't now?"



"Relatively certain yes. Though I do have one favor to ask Rachael would you give a DNA sample to prove you're enhanced beyond the legal limit or at least perform some action for proof."



"Well I am not willing to give a DNA sample but I believe I can prove my strength to you. Do you have any weights hand or iron bars?"



"Sure. I didn't believe you would be willing to give up a DNA sample considering you aren't willing to sell your enhancement method.

Please follow me and I'll take you to the fighters warm up room."



Ronald had been quiet up until this point. "Andrew you seem to have this all in hand. If you don't mind I am going to be leaving."



Andrew gave a nod. "Are you sure you don't want to stick around."



"Yeah right now I am just background noise."



"Okay."



Rachael turned and walked as Ronald walked away she then turned back to Andrew. "So does that mean you'll be the person I contact from now on?"



"Actually I would prefer if I contacted you."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Okay so let us see this equipment you mentioned."



As Thomas walked next to Rachael he felt her relax a bit though he knew it wasn't entirely. The reason he knew she was still somewhat nervous was that every time he would try to get beyond her arms reach she would pull him back in close to herself or right up against herself. It was a small miracle he realized that she wasn't packing him around. It was moderately annoying but amusing all at the same time.



"Here we are. Andrew lead Rachael and Thomas into what at first glance seemed to be a regular gym however on close inspection it became clear that it wasn't. Everything in the area had clearly been build to higher degrees of sturdiness and resistance. The bench press bar alone had a mass of 100 kilograms and the smallest weight in the room looked to be at least fifteen kilograms while one hundred kilograms appeared to be the most common.



Rachael finally allowed Thomas to move away from her though she kept a close eye on him. "Well let me see here." Rachael glanced around until she came across some free weights. "Seventy five kilograms" Reaching down Rachael wrapped her fingers around the bar and easily lifted the weight from its rack. "How is this?"



Andrew took a few steps closer so that he could read the weights mass he then glanced at Rachael's arm. "Would you mind doing a few reps with that?"



"No problem." Rachael slowly extended her arm to its full length holding the weight out from herself she then lowered her arm so that it was along her side. Then with the same slow motions she began to curl the mass. Every rep was done slowly but without the slightest sign of effort upon Rachael's part.



Andrew clapped his hands together. "Well then I am convinced. You're strong enough to participate."



Rachael smirked a bit and set the weight back down. "So is my strength the only thing you wanted to test?"



Andrew gave a slight shrug. "They are a few other things that I would like to test but you already showed me what you need to."



"What are those other things?"



"Not every fighter has endurance proportional to their strength. If you would like my opinion to whether or not you should participate I could give you a test."



"What is your opinion right now?"



"That you have enough strength to be a threat but your skill is quite lacking. I heard about your fight in the normal ring but here you'll find your opponents are not only much stronger but they are a lot faster. From what I have heard your speed is still normal."



Rachael grew silent for a moment. She had been so caught up with her strength that she hadn't really bothered to think of her movement speed. Still, she knew that her endurance would be more then enough for the ring. "I think I'll leave things at that. I'll be expecting a phone call in two weeks."



Andrew gave a nod. "Well it is your body."



*****



"What happened back there?" Thomas once again found himself driving while Rachael set in the passenger's seat.



"My mind has been so caught up with my strength and toughness that I had never really bothered to consider that I haven't improved my speed in the least."



"Was the treatment supposed to help you move faster?"



"I was supposed to be improved in every possible way however considering what the treatment did to me at first I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. Still it seems odd. Given my increased strength I should at least be able to run faster."



"Yeah your legs should be pushing against the ground with even more force."



"Did you notice any improvement while you were training me to fight?"



"I can't say I noticed anything that can't be explained and is most likely due to your increase in skill."



Rachael let out a sigh and leaned her head back. "I don't even know what triggered by body to suddenly decide to start becoming stronger when I think about it. Perhaps there is a way for me to move even faster then what I have been but as of this moment I have no idea what that is."



"So what do you want to do?"



"I need to take some time to practice."



"I don't believe you're talking about with the training equipment we have."



"No I am going to have to go some place more secluded for these test."



"When would you like to start looking for a suitable spot?"



Rachael grew silent for a moment. "How about we start looking tomorrow? I won't be participating in anymore fights for two weeks after all and I did quit my job."



Thomas gave a nod. "Okay. Give me more details on what we are going to be looking for?"



"It needs to be some place that I can use my full strength and not worry about being spotted. Actually, that is pretty much the main requirement though I would prefer if terrain was nice and solid."



"As in you want to have lots of rocks to bust up?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Yeah that would be fun. Of course now I am worried that ..."



"Is something the matter Rachael?"



"Do you remember that time I lifted the entire weight set in the gym?"



"How could I forget? Oh I see. You're wondering how you kept from cracking the floor when you lifted it entirely over your head."



"Even though I didn't walk I have to believe that all that weight pressing down on my feet would have some affect or maybe I am underestimating the strength of the flooring."



"I doubt that the flooring is strong enough to handle all that force pressing down upon it at least not normally. Yeah. I can see why you would want to run some test."



"So do you have any ideas on where we should go to find a nice secluded spot?"



"They are a few spots that come to mind. Yeah I can think of a few likely spots though they are sort of out of the way."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well being secluded sort of requires they be out of the way. How about instead of leaving tomorrow we take some time to plan more and make a vacation out of it? Take some time to relax before I start by new job?"



"That sounds fine to me."



End Chapter 2

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 3
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-03-24 12:14:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Brawling, Sexual References, Invulnerability, Super Strength


By Happiest in Shadows




Warning this story contains adult content so if you're a minor don't read it or if adult content involving sex, violence or super powerful women offends you don't read it either. This story was written with input from Supernaught whose real name I haven't inquired about.





Thomas couldn't help but grin as he looked at Rachael walking around.



The black thong bikini that she wore hugged her body like a second skin and left very little to the imagination. The little top seeming as it would snap in a moment do to both the size of Rachael's breast and how tightly she had drawn it against her skin. "I have to ask. Did you intentionally tighten that up too much?"



"Did I it up too much for what?"



"Did you intentionally tighten it up so much that if you weren't enhanced it would be painful?"



Rachael glanced down at her chest and placed her hands against the underside of them she then hefted the lovely globes for a moment and shifted them from side to side. "You don't believe this would be comfortable?"



"Well the material does seem a little thin against your skin and that not you tied is taking up an awful lot of material."



"Huh. I can't say that I noticed." Rachael couldn't help but grin of course the grin revealed the truth of the situation. She had actually been worried that she would snap the material the moment she took in a breath when she had been tightening the top but she couldn't resist the urge to show off her features more clearly. "Is it bothering you?"



"Hell no!" Thomas responded before he had a chance to really think about what he was saying. It was a few moments after words that he realized just how enthusiastic his response had been and he felt a bit of a blush.



It was impossible for Rachael to keep from giggling as she walked over to Thomas who was currently setting up their tent. She proceeded to bend over in order to prevent him with the best view of her cleavage as she could. "I am glad you don't mind."



Thomas took a moment to clear his throat but wasn't able to turn his gaze away from Rachael's magnificent breast. "It actually surprised me when you put that bikini on. It isn't exactly traditional camping attire."



Rachael let out a slight sigh causing her chest to heavy forward. "I suppose you're right but it isn't like I need protection from the elements. I don't even have to worry about bug bights anymore. Well unless somehow a mosquito comes along that can get through my skin."



"That is a frightening though. A self guided bullet that drank blood."



"I believe it would take more then a bullet."



"Well yeah."



"How is setting up the tent going?"



"The ground isn't cooperating."



"Is it too soft?"



"No." Thomas couldn't help but grin as he realized what Rachael was most likely thinking. "It is too hard."



"Goody. Let me try." Rachael didn't bother waiting for Thomas to stand up but proceeded to slip her arms under him and lift him up. Turning around she gentle set Thomas down and bent down. Taking hold of the stake she went to take hold of the rope but stopped. "Okay perhaps you should show me how to position this."



Thomas didn't bother standing up but leaned over so that he could see what Rachael was doing. He then scooted over and positioned the line for her. "Okay now you just need to drive it through like this." Thomas took hold of the stake and positioned it so that Rachael could see the angle she needed.



Rachael took hold of the back of the stake and proceeded to press it slowly into the ground. The earth gave all too easily and the only reason she didn't do it more quickly was for fear that she would damage the stake. "I just love this."



"Well you don't here that about setting up a tent often."



"I didn't mean that and you know it. I mean that I can use my hand to exert more force then what others can do with a hammer."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle and stood up he then proceeded to the other corner of the tent and began to set things up. "Once you are done there would you like to help me with this edge to?"



Rachael finished driving the stake in and stood up. "I would be glad to."



"I have to admit I like watching you work."



Rachael didn't respond until she had moved over to where Thomas was crouched over the line. She then proceeded to bend down against Thomas back so that her breast was pressing into it. Reaching around him she took hold of the stake and began to press it into the ground while she pressed her breast into his back. Leaning forward she gave his ear a quick lick. "You know what I like having you watch me work."



Thomas smiled and leaned forward more and more as was needed until at last Rachael let up. Turning around Thomas looked up at Rachael's smiling face and placed his arms around her. He started to pull himself up but before he could do so Rachael lifted him into the air and brought her lips against his.



"Mm that is nice." Rachael had held the kiss just long enough to insure that Thomas would need some air whenever she withdrew. She only gave him enough time to take in a few deep breaths before she once again pressed her lips against his.



Thomas actually found he enjoyed having Rachael lift him while they kissed it added something extra to the moment which she truly enjoyed. As they kissed he wrapped his arms around Rachael and pulled himself as firmly against her as he could. It was only after the fifth kiss that he relaxed his hold on her at which time she finally set him back down. "Wow that was amazing."



"Yeah it was." Rachael gave Thomas another kiss though this was upon his cheek and far quicker. After this she walked around to the other points on the tent and began to set up the supports once again.



Thomas would have followed Rachael around but she had left him somewhat wobbly which he was certain was her intention. "Well lovely lady. When do you want to begin testing?"



Rachael took a moment to look around their camp sight. "We could do some basic testing here but I don't believe there is anything that would be of much use right here. How about we go for a walk and try to find some suitable testing grounds?"



"That sounds fine with me."



"It's hard to believe you were able to find a spot this isolated."



"Well it isn't exactly easy to get here."



"That is true and I didn't make it any easier."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "That is very true." While they had been walking through the woods Rachael had taken every opportunity to make the path more difficult for anyone that might try to follow them. She had lay several large trees along the path as well as placed some rather heavy boulders in various positions. "I believe you might have over done it a little to be honest."



"Well now the only thing we have to worry about is some bush pilot showing up. Hey do you think I could nock a plain out of the air? I bet I could throw a boulder high enough."



Thomas couldn't help but grin. "About a year ago you could barely move and now you're talking about knocking plains out of the air by throwing rocks at them."



"We have come a long way since a year ago. Okay that has the supports what else do you need to do?"



"They are some bolts I need to tighten up first."



"Let me do it. I never thought manual labor was kind of fun but now that I can use my fingers to do the work others have to use a wrench for I get a kick out of it."



"Okay but if you decide you've had enough let me know and I'll finish up."



"Just step me through what I need to do."



Thomas gave a nod and picked up the instructions. Rachael and he had bought a fairly elaborate tent at her urging. It didn't bother him though he had been worried when she told him she didn't feel like being cooped up. The moment she had slipped into her bikini upon arriving at the camp site though his fears had quickly vanished. While she didn't like the idea of a small tent he felt confident she would be spending quite a bit of time near him.



Rachael for her part was enjoying not only flaunting her strength but also the attention she was getting. She liked knowing that Thomas was focused entirely on her. She loved the way he looked at her whenever she drove the stakes into the ground or how easily she would fasten a restraint. "Okay that is enough of the easy work."



Thomas took a moment to look at the bolts Rachael had fastened. He proceeded to check a few of them. "They seem tight enough that is certain. I hope you don't plan on me being the one to take this apart."



"Why do you say that?"



"I think you might have tightened them a bit too much."



"Ah well don't worry about that I'll be the one to take our camping equipment apart as well." Rachael was a bit perplexed when a sigh came from Thomas. "Is something the matter?"



"No. There isn't anything wrong it is just that a thought just hit me."



"What thought was that?"



"You carried the vast majority of our camping equipment up here. I wish I could do more to help out."



"Well if you think of it proportional to our strength you actually carried more then I did."



"Huh? What do you mean?"



"Well I was maybe at the most using two percent of my actually carrying ability when we were hiking here and to be honest I don't believe I was even using that much of it." Rachael gave an amused giggle as she considered the truth. "Who am I kidding? I know I wasn't even carrying one percent of what I could comfortably carry. You on the other hand had to be at least carrying one tenth of what you can comfortably pack around. So if we look at it like that you were doing far more work then I was."



"That is true but-"



Rachael quickly moved to interrupt Thomas. "No buts. I like to think about it based on our different abilities then just the raw material that was carried."



Thomas smiled he knew better then to try and argue with Rachael when she was certain of something. "Thanks for being so generous."



"You're welcome. Now let us go look around."



"Don't you want to put on some shoes first?"



"No thanks. I admit despite my durability they are some things I wouldn't like to step in but I believe it is more fun to walk around barefoot."



"Okay but I'll bring and extra pair along just in case."



*****



Thomas kept a few paces behind Rachael as he followed her throughout the woods. It wasn't so much that she wanted to be in the lead as it was necessary for his own safety Rachael had left a path through the forest that would have made a conservationist have a heart attack.



Rachael smiled as she came to another note worthy tree within her path. Since she had began her walk she hadn't gone to the side for anything but had proceeded to tear down or move everything that happened to be in her way the vast majority of which didn't actually cause her to stop however every once in awhile she would come by something that was particularly notable. At the moment it was a tree with a diameter so generous that Rachael doubted she could wrap her arms around it entirely.



A loud crack rang throughout the area as Rachael sunk her fingers into the tree and began to press them inward. She needed to insure that she had a grip on enough material so that she could actually be able to tear the tree up and not simply strip away a chunk of its exterior. It would have been simpler for her to just punch the tree and send whatever above ground toppling down but she preferred to lift and throw feeling it did a better job of showing off her abilities.



"Rachael you may want to be careful with that one its root system probably runs pretty deep."



"Good that means they'll be more to rip up."



Thomas let out a bit of a sigh and started to back away from Rachael.

He knew that she was more then strong enough to lift the tree what he had meant is that she may tear up some of the ground with her and end up falling over. Then again it wasn't very likely the tree would hurt her even if it did fall on her he just positioned himself to move incase it did fall backwards.



Rachael hadn't mentioned it to Thomas but she knew exactly what he was concerned about. She actually felt quite confident that pulling the tree up entirely would tear up the ground and cause her to fall over and she wasn't about to actually risk the tree falling on top of Thomas. This was a good thing though as pulling back and up tended to be easier then trying to lift it up with a forward motion.



Thomas could hear the tree's insides being crushed as Rachael's arms sunk deeper within it. He noted bulges began to appear around her arms as the material was compacted tighter together until the tree seemed like it would burst.



The sound of the tree being pulled up could have been mistaken for an explosion as with one sudden jerk Rachael pulled up on it with more then enough force to send the tree up and forward away from Thomas. She full expected the weight of the tree to pull her forward as well so that she would land atop it.



Thomas felt the shockwave run throughout the ground. It was actually far more forceful then he thought it would be and for a moment he nearly lost his footing. He grew concerned though when he looked up and didn't see the tree falling. When he lowered his gaze back to ground level he was very perplexed to find that Rachael was still standing there.



Rachael held the tree tilted away from her and even though she was stunned to find herself holding up the trees weight she didn't risk moving it towards herself to insure it wouldn't fall backwards.

"Thomas this doesn't make sense."



Thomas knew that Rachael was strong enough to support the tree or had felt confident she was. However, as he looked at her he was also just as certain that Rachael's one hundred and fifty kilograms of mass shouldn't be anywhere near enough to keep the tree from falling forward and pulling her along with it. It was as if a chain was holding a ship in place without an anchor of any type. Slowly began to move forward to get a better look.



"STAY BACK!"



Thomas gave a slight jump and moved back quickly. He hadn't expected Rachael to yell and the power in her voice left no room for doubt that she meant it.



Rachael blinked a few times suddenly regretting her outburst especially when she noted the nervous look on Thomas's face. She hadn't meant to scare him like that but he hadn't been thinking.

"Sorry about that. It's just we don't know how I am doing this and I don't want to risk you getting hurt."



Thomas felt himself blush a little bit as he realized how big of a mistake he had nearly made. Here he thought Rachael wasn't concerned with his safety and it turned out she was thinking about him more then he was. In truth he felt a little guilty as well at having doubted Rachael's concern for him. "Do you have any idea of what is going on?"



Rachael let out a sigh and shook her head. "None what so everrrrr." Rachael was more then a little shocked when she suddenly found herself tipping over at last the roots of the tree braking free of the earth's confines entirely while its mass pulled her along for the ride.



The shockwave the treated generated when it hit the ground felt far less powerful then the one Rachael had caused when she went to tear it up. The moment the tree was done toppling over Thomas began to run over to it and climb up the side. "Rachael, are you alright?"



It took a moment for Rachael to respond. The impact hadn't hurt in the least but it did surprise her after a few moments she began to tear her arm's free from the tree. "Yeah I am fine and well that just wasn't right. I should not have been able to stand there like that and then why did I fall over all of a sudden?"



"Your guess is better then mine."



Rachael let out a sigh and stood up. "I don't have nearly the mass needed to counter act the force of this tree's weight even for a few moments. This is going to require some more testing. Let's just hope that we can duplicate the results."



"Do you want to lift the tree again?"



"No. We don't need nearly so much mass to overwhelm my own and considering the unexpected results I want this to be a more controlled experiment then lifting something so." Rachael grew quiet for a moment and looked down at the tree. "Awkwardly shaped. Come on down so that I can get this thing out of our way."



Thomas gave a nod and quickly climbed back down and moved a few paces behind Rachael. He could tell that her mind was more on experimentation now then it was on flaunting her power and while he would miss the show he felt it would be better in the long run. Of course that didn't mean the show was over, Rachael was still wearing her bikini and it didn't take Thomas to realize that despite her mind now being focused on testing she still bent over in order to show off her pert rear in the most advantageous way.



Rachael more threw then lifted the tree to the side snapping the last few roots that hadn't been torn up when she had lifted the tree or when it had fallen over. A few of the roots smacked her however she didn't notice the impacts.



*****



Rachael pressed her hand firmly against her arm while she held it under the water she then moved it across her skin relying on the force of the friction to remove the sap from the tree more then the water to wash it away.



"So how are you going to go about testing to see what happened?"



"Well we really need some equipment to measure changes in different types of energy but since we don't have any of that we're going to do some basic test. Right now I believe we should just focus on how easy it is to duplicate. It would also be nice to find out if I can feel any changes happening inside of my body."



"Did you notice anything after you lifted the tree?"



"No but I was a little in shock."



"How long do you suppose this has been going on?"



Rachael stood up feeling content that she had washed the tree sap from her arms and began to walk back towards the shore. "I suppose it has been happening ever since my strength began to exceed natural human levels. It was just the tree was the first time that was so obvious that something wasn't right."



"Okay we need to find something with enough mass to overwhelm your own that is appropriately shaped. I'll head down one direction following the river while you head down the other." Thomas started to walk away when he was suddenly stopped by Rachael's hand taking hold of the back of his shirt.



"Actually I wanted to stay together."



"But we can search faster if we both go a different direction. You don't have to worry about me so much Rachael I know how to survive in the woods after all."



"Yeah I know but I wasn't just considering your safety when I said I want to stay together."



Thomas grinned and turned around. Extending his arm he wrapped it around Rachael's waste since around her shoulder would have been too uncomfortable considering that she was a third of a meter taller then he was at least. Rachael responded by placing her arm around Thomas's shoulders as they began to walk.



"Anyway I haven't had any training in forest survival and while I doubt there is anything here that could harm me I don't want to risk becoming lost." Rachael continued walking along side Thomas for only a few moments before she just had to scoop him up.



Thomas was grateful that Rachael wanted to stick together however he hadn't expected her to suddenly lift and begin carrying him. "Hey I thought you were ready to do some research."



"Oh shush. You like it when I carry you and you have had plenty of exercise for the day."



There was no way that Thomas was going to debate the issue with Rachael. She was right he did like her carrying him and in all honesty now that he was off his feet he could better tell how sore they had become. "We did walk a long way." As Rachael carried him Thomas took the time to look along the river side for any boulders or other object that might provide both the mass and shape Rachael would need.



Rachael knew that she should be focusing on her test at the moment however she found that realization conflicting with her emotions as she would have much preferred to focus her attention on Thomas. At least by carrying him around she could do both of them though not to the degree of efficiency she would have preferred in either case. She also didn't care for the fact that Thomas was looking at the wonders of nature and not at her.



"I believe I see something that would work." Thomas proceeded to indicate a rather massive stone which was currently just at the edge of the river. It had probably been deposited there during a storm considering that it had been worn quite smooth.



Rachael glanced over at the boulder for a moment and then began to walk over to it. "Yeah I believe that it will do. See it is a good thing we didn't split up other wise whoever had taken this path would had to run all the back down to where the other was to let them know what they had found." Rachael waited until she was standing right next to the boulder to finally set Thomas down.



Thomas began to walk backwards away from Rachael as she bent down and began to feel around the rock apparently to insure that what they saw was indeed the majority of its volume and that there wasn't any bit of it hidden under the ground. "So is it large enough."



"Yes I believe that it is." Rachael glanced over her shoulder to insure that Thomas was far enough away and began to straiten back up bringing the massive stone along with her. It didn't take long for the rock to clear the water as it did indeed seem to have been placed on the land only recently so that very little of it was actually under the water and ground.



Thomas tried to keep his mind focused as he found himself suddenly regretting Rachael's choice of attire. It made it rather hard to focus on what she was actually doing.



At first when she began to lift the boulder the weight was pressing down so that it wouldn't require any special abilities to keep her standing as Rachael held the massive boulder closer to her body. "Okay let us see if this works." Rachael began to extend her arms away from herself in order to shift the weight distribution.

She remembered with the tree that it took a few moments for her to fall over.



Thomas expected Rachael to fall over as she held the boulder away from her body but much as with the tree she ended up standing there even after her arms were fully extended. "Do you believe it is like that for the same reason the tree was or do you believe that it is something else?"



"Well I believe it is for the same reason as the tree but it could be the boulders orientation." With that Rachael began to shift the massive stone about so that more and more of the weight would be focused towards the opposite end. The whole time she was waiting for the stones mass to overwhelm her own and send her toppling over.



"Okay that boulder has got to be heavy enough and with the way you're holding it I would have to say your doing something spectacular." Thomas remembered the incident with the tree however unlike the tree the stone was of a much more manageable shape and Rachael held it so that once again she would fall forward when she fell. "Rachael I am going to walk over to you okay?"



"Do you believe that it is safe for you stand near me when I am like this?"



"I believe so and you must feel fairly confident that it is since you didn't yell no right away."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well yeah I dooo."



Thomas gave a slight jump at the sound of the boulder impacting with the ground. Quickly he sprinted over to Rachael who was currently laying flat on the ground. "Rachael, are you okay?"



Rachael couldn't bring herself to respond at first as she lay flat on the ground however after a few moments her body began to shake slightly and a muffled snickering could be heard coming from her.



Thomas let out a slight sigh. "Well if you're laughing I imagine your fine."



"Yeah" A few more amused snickers escaped Rachael as she began to set up and dust herself off. "Okay I believe I have a theory to work with now."



"What would that be?"



"Well each time I have fallen so far I began to relax just before hand. It seems that while I am nervous or focusing on holding whatever I have up I stay that way but then again it could just be a matter of time. I need to test the theory." Rachael took a moment to dust herself off after standing back up and once again bent down to pick up the rock. As she scooted her hands under it she took in a deep breath and tried to focus but broke into a series of giggles a moment later.



"This sounds like it is going to be hard to test."



Rachael chuckled for a while longer before she could respond. "Yeah I believe that you're right."



"Maybe I should stand under the rock so that if you." The look in Rachael's eyes when she quickly turned her head around told Thomas that he had better not complete that sentence. Apparently Rachael didn't appreciate him even joking about his safety.



"That isn't funny."



"Sorry."



Rachael took in a breath or air and let out a sigh. She knew Thomas wasn't actually foolish enough to take such a risk or she believed he wasn't. Despite this she couldn't stand the thought of him even joking about such things. At least his statement helped her focus her mind back on the task at hand.



Thomas took a few steps back from Rachael not because he was worried about her dropping the rock on him but he felt a little nervous and yet at the same time he couldn't help but smile.



It was truly wonderful to know that she cared about him so much. He just had to remember that he wasn't in the army anymore. He could joke about being blown up or shot back then but it was becoming very clear that now that he was with Rachael such things were out of the question. He felt like a child that had been scolded by an adult but at the same time to know she cared for him.




Rachael easily lifted the rock being certain to keep it close to her body so that it wouldn't pull her forward again. Once again she extended her arms outward and once again she found herself holding the rock strait in front of her. With that she began to focus on the task of simply holding the rock remembering that she had to stay focused and not allow herself to become relaxed other wise she would end up falling over.



"You know even if remaining focused may be the key to lifting relaxing may not be the secret to falling over."



"Crap. You're right." Rachael started to consider just how she was going to test this when she suddenly found herself falling over again.




Thomas felt himself blush a bit when he once again saw Rachael topple over. "Whoops. Sorry I didn't mean to distract you."



Rachael slowly turned to face Thomas when it was revealed there was a large grin on her face. "Well I believe that is the third time that allowing myself to become distracted and relaxed has resulted in me falling over. At least one of the theories is getting extensive testing." An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she stood up once again. "You know what I believe I am going to start dropping the darn thing before it pulls me all the way over."



"Yeah, perhaps waiting for the drop will help you remain focused."



"It very well may."



*****



As Rachael's fist forced its way into the massive boulder the stone on the inside was further compacted and forced outward causing fractures to run up along the boulders weakest areas as the entire thing seemed as if it was ready to split apart. The energy generate when Rachael's fist impacted with the exterior of the stone and the outer edges being forced outward caused what many would mistake for an explosion instead of an impact to ring throughout the area. "Mm nothing Thomas with how much force would you say I just hit this time?"



Thomas had been standing far to the side well away from Rachael and behind some cover while she experimented with the boulder. Now he looked out to see the considerable hole that her fist had left in it.

"Do you want an example or just numbers?'



"An example you were in the military after all you must have an idea how much force it takes to break through concrete."



"Well assuming that stone has the same consistency as concrete I can safely say you hit as hard as a tank cannon but not as hard as a bunker buster."



"Ah you don't believe that I could handle a tank?"



"Rachael, most tanks couldn't handle a single shot from their own cannon and I am fairly certain you can handle punching yourself so yes I believe you could handle a tank easily."



"Thanks and now to the real question. If I hit this with the same force as a tank's cannon then I should have had an equal amount of force acting back on me and since I don't have the mass of a tank to counter act that force I should have been sent flying backwards. So how am I still standing here?"



"Well at least it confirms that whatever is holding you in place acts along a horizontal plain as well as a vertical."



"Yeah that is nice to know. I wonder how dependable it is though." Rachael proceeded away from the boulder and back into the more wooded areas. Once she was standing on the grass she turned to Thomas. "Okay tackle me."



"Huh?"



Rachael placed her feet side by side to insure she couldn't gain any footing with them. "I am not going to brace myself at least not with the legs and as much as I can resist the instinct. I want you to try and tackle me."



Thomas stepped out from the cover he had been using entirely. He had seen Rachael using her strength enough to know that he wasn't going to harm her even if he hit her as hard as he could. Of course all the practice they did with her dodging had helped a lot as well. He had plenty of time and more then enough experience in dealing with her strength to get over any fear he had of harming her physically.



Rachael had to fight the urge to dodge as she saw Thomas charging towards her as all the time dodging his fist had trained her body to do so. Fortunately it didn't take him long to close the gap between him and fear so she didn't have to fight for long.



Thomas felt himself impact with Rachael's body at first it seemed as if she was going to topple over however this only last for a second. In a moment her body seemed to become remarkably solid.



Rachael quickly reached out the moment she felt Thomas's body impact with her own. Her hands took hold of his shoulders before he could fall to far backwards and she pulled him back into herself. "Well I guess it works when someone else tries to hit me as well. Are you okay?"



Thomas gave his head a quick shake. "Yeah I am fine. You may be as sturdy as a steel wall but you're a lot more forgiving."



"Well there is a lot of cushioning between you and the majority of my body." Rachael grinned and pulled Thomas more firmly into her chest.



"That there is." Thomas leaned himself against Rachael for a moment before pressing his feet into the ground and pushing against her as hard as he could. It actually didn't surprise him a great deal when he found himself falling forwards while Rachael was sent falling backwards.



Rachael gave an amused giggle after she hit the ground. She had realized what was happening but it had already been too late for her to keep herself from being pushed over. "I assume you were testing something."



"Yeah I was testing to see if you're still just as fun to snuggle."



"And what results did you get?"



"All this experimenting hasn't done anything to affect how fun you are to snuggle with. Oh and one more thing. I believe your ability to keep from being knocked around depends partly on whether or not you see the attack coming but then again it may also be because you were relaxed."



"So many fun theories to test and all of them we really need to know."



"Don't you believe that we should only focus on one at a time though?"



"Yeah I do. So which one do you believe is the most important?"



"The one dealing with how much fun you're to cuddle with."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and wrapped her arms around Thomas pulling him more firmly into her then gravity was pressing him. "It is very tempting."



"Yeah it is. I guess the main theory we should work with would be how you manage to remain in one spot while holding something that exceeds your mass."



"Yeah and it is really the one we had best test while we are out here. Of course there is a problem with the lack of equipment but we can still experiment. Are my breast as soft as they were before?"



"Huh?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle and quickly pulled Thomas up a bit so that his head was buried in her chest. "They're still just as soft as they always were right?"



Thomas let out a content sight and tried to respond but found himself muffled by Rachael's endowments."



Rachael gave Thomas a kiss atop the head as she heard and felt him trying to respond. "You're not certain? Is that what you are trying to say? Well then perhaps you should get a better feel of them." Rachael continued to hold Thomas's head against her chest while she took hold of one of his arms with her free hand she then pulled it so that he was feeling of the side of her bosom.



Since he couldn't speak Thomas simply followed Rachael lead and began to squeeze her breast. As he applied more force he remembered not to hold back to be as forceful as he could be in order to provide Rachael with as much feeling as he could. There was no way he could harm her and his increased efforts only tended to stimulate her more.



Rachael let out a sigh and gave Thomas a few kisses on his head. Letting up a bit she allowed him to rise up only to pull him back down and press her lips against his. Thomas couldn't do much more then follow along as he felt Rachael's tongue pressing against the outside of his mouth he quickly allowed it entrance before Rachael forced her way in.



Thomas was a bit surprised when Rachael removed his hands from her breast and broke off the kiss. "Is something wrong?"



Shaking her head slight Rachael gently rubbed the top of Thomas's hand. "You don't have to try so hard. I want you to enjoy this as well, just squeeze as hard as you want. I know using all your strength the entire time can't be that enjoyable."



Nodding his head Thomas leaned down and pressed his lips against Rachael's before she could press hers back to his. He felt her hand release his and once again began to message her breast. He fully expected her hand to once again press to the back of his head but instead he felt her fingers moving over him.



Rachael's fingers wrapped around Thomas's upper arm and gave his biceps a light squeeze. The muscle felt soft in her hand and she had to remind herself not to squeeze to hard or she would hurt him or worse. It was a rather exciting though for Rachael when she considered how strong Thomas had seemed before especially while she was still weak after first introducing the modifications to her system. Now he seemed so delicate and fragile.



Thomas's left hand left Rachael's breast and began to move up her body. Running along her chest she felt of her neck line for a moment and slowly wrapped his fingers around her throat. At first he began to squeeze gently however he began to apply more then enough force to choke someone feeling each breath that Rachael would take in when they broke off the kiss. It was a funny thought since in all honesty he knew he was the one that was being allowed to breath she could have held the kiss for far longer then he could have handled.



Braking off the kiss for a moment Rachael felt Thomas's hand leave her neck and begin to move up along her shoulder. However, before she could once again press her lips to his Thomas bent down and gave her jugular a kiss. "Even your neck muscles are stronger then mine."



Letting out a slight sigh in response Rachael shifted slightly causing her breast to rub against Thomas's chest. Thomas got the message and began to use his right hand to message her breast more though he didn't withdraw his left hand instead he began to run his fingers along Rachael's shoulder and up her arms until he took hold of her biceps.



At first Rachael's biceps felt soft however Thomas knew better. What he felt was only the skin as soon as he began to tighten up his grip there was a notable difference. Her skin might have been velvet soft but the muscle underneath was stronger then steel.



A delighted yelp escaped Rachael the moment Thomas began to squeeze her biceps. She didn't know what it was but she loved it whenever he paid attention to how strong she was. It truly delighted her to see how much Thomas enjoyed feeling her muscles, feeling her strength.



Thomas felt himself lifted into the air as Rachael thrust her chest upward. It took him a moment to realize it but after a few moments it became apparent to him that Rachael was actually supporting the majority of his weight with her breast and they were hardly pressed down at all.



Rachael was a bit surprised when she felt Thomas's hands tighten up on her breast and began to move more quickly. At first she wasn't certain what was going on until she noticed her arched back and realized she was supporting Thomas entirely with her breast.



Thomas was lifted higher as Rachael took in a deep breath and intentionally thrust her chest into the air. Clearly she rather enjoyed the fact that he felt so light that she could support his weight with her chest.



A large grin was on Thomas's face when he was lifted to the point that he could no longer maintain the kiss. The moment Rachael relaxed though their lips once again met. Thomas's hands continued explore each bit of Rachael's body that wasn't covered. By now even his right hand had left her breast and was making its way down her side pressing into her stomach muscles as hard as he could.



It was a truly delight to press as hard as he possibly could on Rachael's stomach and still feel his hand forced upward whenever she would take in a breath. Each time she would breathe in his hand would be lifted up with her breath just as easily as it had been the previous time no matter how hard he tried to force her stomach back down.



There was no desire to harm Rachael in Thomas's actions and Rachael had no desire to make Thomas feel inferior to her rather his actions were motivated by an intense desire to feel Rachael's strength and know how powerful she had truly become. Rachael for her part truly loved it when Thomas paid attention to her strength. Feeling his hands pressing against her body and how delicate his touch. She loved the attention and the admiration.



*****



"I guess we didn't get as much research done as we planned to."



Rachael gave an amused giggle leaned over in the car seat and gave Thomas a kiss on the cheek. "Well we did uncover a few things. I suppose we needed to take more time to enjoy one another then either of us realized."



Thomas smiled and slowed the vehicle down by about three miles. He had no desire to get home any earlier then they needed to and leave their vacation behind them. "You know. I don't believe the cop would believe me if I told him that you didn't need to wear a seat belt since going through the window wouldn't harm you."



"I suppose you're right. I'll just have to prove it to him if we are pulled over then."



Thomas shook his head for a moment though the smile never left his face. "After we manage to save up some money we're going to have to buy some equipment and start testing you."



Rachael leaned back in her seat and glanced down at her body. "Yeah I still want to try and detect any changes in energy levels around me when I lift something that exceeds my mass."



"You're first fight is in three days isn't it?"



"Yeah it is. I thought about making our trip longer but figured it would be best to get back a few days early just in case something happened."



"It's always nice to have a little extra preparation time."



"Anyway your knees are all scraped up and all that time on the ground wasn't good for your clothes. It'll be nice to have a nice bed to lie on again."



"Just remember not to dig your fingers into the bed."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "That really was a surprise to find when we were done that the ground around us had been turned into powder. I suppose I have a tendency to squeeze a bit more tightly then I realized."



"I am just glad your hands know the difference between my flesh and rock."



"Blast it I just remembered something."



"What is that?"



"We spent so much time testing to see how well you could remain stationary that we didn't spend anytime after that trying to find out how much you can lift."



"Ah you're right. Still, I believe it was more fun having you try to tackle me."



"Hey I didn't just try."



"Well you got me there. You managed to catch me off guard a few times so that you did tackle me."



"And I thought I had taught you better then that."



"Taught me better then what?"



"I thought I taught you better then to let yourself be caught off guard so easily."



"I wonder what would happen if I tried to exert an upward force on nothing while you were driving. It might be interesting."



"Hey. No testing in the vehicle especially while it is in transit."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and leaned her head over onto Thomas's shoulder. "Yes sir."



"Do you plan on doing any shopping?"



"Huh? Why would I be planning on doing any shopping?"



"To prepare for your upcoming fight I know you like to flaunt your body while you're in the ring."



"I like to flaunt my body period but especially when I know you're watching me but I just planned on wearing my old outfit."



"Well I was thinking that since you're moving on to bigger and better things you might want to try shopping for something new."



"Oh is there anything in particular you would like to see me wearing?"



"That black thong bikini would be welcome. To be honest though I was thinking we might also try to find something that is more durable."



"Why would I want to wear something more durable? Oh never mind. Yeah, I'll be fighting stronger opponents now and I don't want to end up naked. Only you get to see me like that I had just better never see you naked in front of another woman."



"It's a deal."



"Do you have any ideas?"



"I haven't really given the actual material much thought. I know of a few things that were used to make body armor in the military. They might be able to endure of course I don't know how we would get our hands on the material or shape them into the kinds of outfit you enjoy."



"I wonder what kind of garments a sex shop might have. I bet they would have some that looked nice but I doubt them having something that is durable enough."



"Looking for a nice dominatrix outfit?"



"You better believe it. After all I am going to dominate in the ring."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "Considering that the best on record wasn't even five times stronger then human I wonder how they'll respond when someone shows up who is five thousand times stronger then a normal human at the very least."



"You had better believe that is the lowest estimation of my abilities."



"You could shop around and model a few outfits for me then we could at least use that to develop a basic design."



"Yeah, we might as well though that doesn't solve the dilemma of what I am going to do for my first fight."



"Maybe you could just knock your opponent out of the ring with one punch? Just how much stronger then normal are you going to portray yourself as anyway?"



"That is another good question. I want to use enough so that I don't have to hold back as much and let the fights last so long but then again I don't want too much attention either. Do you believe that ten times would be too much?"



"Do you mean ten times stronger then the average human?"



"Actually I was thinking I could portray myself as being ten times stronger then second most enhanced human."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle and shook his head. "I believe that would get you that attention which you said you wanted to avoid."



"Yeah, you're probably right. Then how about I portray myself as being ten times as strong as the world's strongest non-enhanced human?"



"I believe that you could get away with doing that."



Rachael couldn't help but grin as she pulled her legs under herself and turned in the car seat. "Really, you think I could get away with showing off that much?"



"Well yeah. You want them to know that there is something very special about you after all."



"That is true."



"Now set back in your seat the right way before some cop pulls us over."



"Oh quit worrying about that." Rachael made no move to change her position as she leaned against the backrest. "I never got to show that much of my strength of it should be a lot of fun."



"Just think you won't just be beating up on normal people you'll be beating up on those that have been enhanced."



Rachael gave an excited giggle. "Yeah it is going to be a lot of fun. I'll just have to remember that they aren't that much stronger then a normal human so I won't end up snapping their heads off."



"Very true, you may be able to get away with giving them some bad injuries but I doubt they would tolerate you killing too many of your opponents. Anyway, I believe that they'll be paying close enough attention that if you didn't at least portray yourself as being ten times stronger then the strongest non enhanced human they would know something is up. I mean it isn't like any of the fighters are going to be able to bruise you."



"Yeah and if I get the hang of holding myself in one spot none of them will even be able to budge me. Do you think ten times is enough to just stand their and let them bruise or better yet brake their fist against my face?"



"I guess that depends on who you're fighting. Everyone enhancements aren't going to be equal after all. I imagine you'll also see some of the more strange adaptations such as natural weapons."



"What did Andrew say about that?"



Thomas grew silent for a moment and gave his head a quick shake. "I can't remember to be honest with you."



"All well natural weapons or not they won't have anything that can break my skin."



"You have become confident of yourself as of late."



"Well how can I not be confident? My research and development finally paid off even more so then I expected. I have you to back me up if anything goes wrong and I am quite certain that I am the strongest person on this planet I may even be stronger then any machine on this planet now."



"I wouldn't go challenging the power output of any machine just yet.

Still, you're probably right about not having to worry about any natural weapons. Considering what you did to that boulder."



Rachael gave a nod then chuckled as she felt the vehicle pull into their drive way and slow down. "See I told you that you were too worried. You worry too much you know that?"



Thomas was silent for a few moments then his body began to shake. A very short while later he was shaking with laughter. This left Rachael with a rather stunned expression on her face.



"What? What is so funny?" When she didn't get an answer Rachael began to lightly shake Thomas to try and get him to stop laughing so hard. "Come on tell me."



"I worry too much coming from you? You've changed a lot since a year ago. I am glad. It is nice to see the Rachael that was hiding under all that fear and pain."



Rachael felt herself blush. The majority of the times they had kissed she had always pulled Thomas to herself this time she leaned forward and allowed him to come to her. As Thomas's lips met Rachael's this time he wrapped his arms around her. Thomas held the kiss until he felt the need for air beginning to creep in when he felt a slightly rush.



It was easy for Rachael to tell when Thomas was indeed of air. She had plenty of experience now waiting for the moment to arise. Instead of waiting for him to pull away though she had breathed lightly into his mouth so that they could continue to hold the kiss and the moment. This surprised Thomas but he didn't make any move to brake away now that the immediate need to take a breath had passed.



At last the two separated. "Wow I didn't know that I could do that. I suppose my lunges trap a bit more air then yours do. You know there is one thing that I worry about."



"What is that?"



"I worry about you. It is nice though, to no longer have to worry about myself so much."



"I'll try not to worry you too much."



"Don't let it trouble you. It is a nice kind of worried."



"I have to wonder though. What makes you worry about me?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well shouldn't it be obvious. You're precious to me but so delicate as well."



"So is that why you didn't want me to go off on my own in the woods?"



"Maybe it was."



"Well I never have thought of myself as delicate but I can't deny that compared you I must seem that way. I have to say though I prefer to be the one that protects you."



"Don't worry. I may be stronger then I was a year ago but I need you to protect me just as much as ever. We protect one another now."



"And what could I protect you from?" Thomas climbed out of the vehicle and made his way over to Rachael's door. Opening the door he extended his hand which Rachael took and climbed out.



The moment she stepped out Rachael wrapped her arms around Thomas and lifted him into the air so that they were eye level. "You know as much as I hated it I am glad it took a while for my body to begin to strengthen. It allowed me to get to know you. I need you Thomas I'll leave it up to you to figure out how much and what for. Do you need me?"



"Yeah I need you Rachael. I love you my amazing Amazon."



"What do you need me for Thomas? You're a grown adult and you're capable of taking care of yourself. For a year you took care of not only yourself but you took care of me as well."



Thomas smiled and gave Rachael a kiss at last. "I see your point but even if that is true after being with you I don't believe I could live without you."



"Don't worry you won't have to. I wouldn't let you leave even if you tried. Like I said I need you to."



*****



Rachael looked in the full length mirror taking a moment to admire the top. The bottom half of it was a dark blue that clung tightly to her skin while the top was a black lace material that allowed the top of her breast to be seen. The material was quite fin so the outline of her nipples could be seen and indeed it made it a little too easy to see what the material covered. Despite this Rachael rather liked the design all they would have to do is darken the material so it wasn't so transparent.



The bottom section for its part followed the same color pattern however it was far less transparent. The back as a simple thong which Rachael found she preferred. Now that she had something worth showing off she liked to do so.



Thomas set outside the ladies dressing room while Rachael tried on various outfits. It was a small miracle that they had something for some with Rachael's build and height however the store was rather large and considering that she was trying on what effectively amounted to dominatrix outfits it fitted. He was more then pleased when the door opened and Rachael stepped out.



"Well what do you think?" Rachael glanced at Thomas and had to contain a giggle as she already knew the answer. The stunned expression on his face made his thoughts clear.



"What is it about the packaging that makes what is inside even more appealing? You make that outfit look stunning."



"Do you think it is too little?"



"Well I would prefer if it wasn't so transparent and to be honest I thought you would pick one of the more elaborate outfits."



"I would have but they didn't really fit me. I have a few modifications that I would like to have made but this is a nice base."



"What sort of modifications?" Rachael and Thomas turned their heads as one of the clerks could be seen approaching them. He appeared to be in his mid twenties and had an amusing grin on his face most likely due to his job.



Rachael took a moment to glance at the clerk's name tag though she made no efforts to cover herself. "Why do you have some more outfits that would fit me Mike?"



Mike took a moment to look Rachael over. "I don't know if we have many outfits on hand that would fit your build but we can custom order outfits if you would like. We have a catalog of designs and we can have them made to fit those of all heights."



Rachael was fairly surprised when the clerk's gaze didn't linger too long on any part of her body. It seemed that he had actually come over to try and sell them something and not just ogle her. She didn't know if she was insulted or not. "Is it just a catalog or can you do custom jobs?"



"If you mean an entirely original design, yeah we can handle those as well though they can get quite pricey depending on what you want."



Rachael turned to Thomas. "What do you think?"



"It sounds like a pretty good idea. Would you mind showing us just how it works?"



"Sure. Oh and as you noticed my name is Mike." Mike's first reaction was to extend his hand to Thomas and Rachael allowing Thomas and Rachael and Thomas to shake his hand in whatever ordered they preferred to do so and introduce themselves. "Okay come on back and I'll show you what we have."



"Before that, shouldn't Rachael switch out of her clothing?"



Mike glanced back for a moment. "Only if she wants to I doubt any of the customers will complain."



Rachael gave Thomas a quick smile. "Well?"



Thomas couldn't help but return the grin. "It is entirely up to you I am quite happy to see you clothed or partially clothed."



"Well since your paying so much attention to my rear right now I believe I'll remain partially clothed."



Thomas just chuckled and continued to enjoy the view as he followed Rachael and Mike behind a counter and over to a computer.



Mike always kept the computer running to save start up time and since he spent whatever time a customer wasn't on the store browsing the internet. "Okay let me see the tag on what you're wearing now so I can punch it in. That is if you plan on basing your custom outfit on that one."



"Yeah I do." Rachael didn't actually turn around but located the sells tag herself and read off the serial number allowing Mike to punch it in.



The computer took a few moments but it quickly brought up the same outfit Rachael was currently wearing along side of it several boxes began to appear listing everything from colors to extra bits of material one could add to the design. "Okay. What would you like to try first?"



Thomas finally stepped up next to Rachael to see just what was going on. "So that program lets you design a new outfit?"



"Yeah we use it to piece together a lot of different outfits. Now if you want something entirely unique we just mark the spot with one of these." Mike quickly brought up a group of materials ranging from a top shape to a little sliver of material each one of which had the words custom on it.



Rachael couldn't help but grin. "Well isn't that interesting. I imagine the price depends on the material used and the complexity."



Mike gave a nod. "I can give you an estimate on the exact price but like I said it is more costly then what you were looking at before. The truly unique items are quite expensive and to be honest you're going to require a lot of unique material. We don't get many ladies that are quite your height in here."



Thomas grinned as he looked at the screen then Rachael. "I believe it will be well worth it."



Rachael gave Thomas a grin. "We don't even know how much it is going to cost."



"True, but this is an investment."



Rachael gave Thomas a quick kiss. "That is true. Okay let's get started. First I need the top to be darkened so that it isn't transparent."



Mike gave a nod and proceeded to add in some extra levels of shading until the outfit was no longer transparent. "How is that?"



"That is fine. Also I want to use a lighter blue then what you have there."



"Okay just let me know when it is light enough."



Rachael nodded and watched as Mike cycled through the shades of blue until it was border line sky blue. "That is good. What do you think Thomas?"



"It looks fine to me so I am sure it will look exceptional on your."



Rachael would have told Thomas that he didn't need to flatter her as much however she couldn't bring herself to as she enjoyed it too much. "Okay how about some stockings and heels?"



"Do you want the stockings to have the same color pattern as the top and bottom?"



"Yeah but only the edges should be black." Rachael gave Mike a moment to create the stockings. Apparently he had spent a lot of time working with the program as he knew exactly where to go. "Shorten the heels they shouldn't be more then a few centimeters high. Thomas what recommendations would you like to add?"



"How about adding some material strips running from the bottom of the top down to your waste? Also I have always been a fan of those gloves that run to the elbows but don't cover up the fingers."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Okay add those to."



Mike gave a nod. "Just give me a second and let me know if I am doing something wrong."



"Don't worry I will." Rachael grinned as she leaned forward and watch the outfit being put together on the screen. In truth it seemed Mike had experience with such items as she had to only make a very small amount of corrections to the design before she finally had what she wanted. "What do you think Thomas?"



"I believe it looks great though I have to wonder how durable it would be."



Rachael glanced at Mike who took the hint. "Well that really depends on the material you want it made out of and what you're willing to give up. We have some sample materials on hand. Anyway, I'll need you to test them to see what you want it made off anyway before I know what the final price is going to be. We'll also need to take some measurements."



Rachael gave a nod. "How long do you think it would take you to make the outfit?"



"Well that really depends on the material you want used."



Thomas took a moment to glance at the screen one last time. "It couldn't be made in three days could it?"



Mike gave his head a quick shake. "Sorry. You said this was an investment? I take it by your question you didn't just mean for a general purpose."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well there is a reason I had you darken those areas."



Mike gave a nod. "Well would you still be interested?"



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Let me see those materials you were talking about."




*****



Thomas set on his and Rachael's bed looking at the clothes design and the material that would be used to make it. "I have to admit it kind of surprised me that you decided to have it made out of silk."



"They didn't have any materials on hand that would endure the punishment anyway or to order. So I figured that the first could be just for our enjoyment."



"I have a feeling I'll enjoy you seeing you with it on far more then you'll enjoy wearing it."



"I don't know about that I rather like the attention after all."



"So what do you want to do about finding some tougher materials?"



"Asking around at the fight seemed like a good idea. I mean the fighters are bound to have their sources of course I'll have to leave that up to you. Do you think you could talk around?"



"Sure. Though we may only have to look as far as Andrew."



"Yeah I suppose I should have asked him before hand. Then again you could always try to get those military grade materials you mentioned."



"If I did I don't know how we would go about processing the materials."



"You know we may not have to try so hard to find materials that could survive the fights. I bet some toughened leather would work pretty well. Then again it all depends on how much money I am able to get my hands on and what you're able to find out."



"You're going to make a lot of people quite angry I imagine."



Rachael took a moment to retrieve a few of her exercise outfits from the closet. "Why do you say that?"



"You're not going to lose."



"Mm I suppose that you're right a fighter that doesn't ever lose is going to make quite a few people upset. Of course that means we are going to have to put some big bets on me early on before the odds are too far in my favor. Ah crap that isn't any fun."



"What?"



"I'll have to drag out the fight and not win too easily and even if I do drag out the fight the fact that I don't have any bruises will probably show that I was playing around."



"Whoops I forgot about. You're used to dodging humans these people are going to be moving much faster then normal though."



"What do you believe that I should do?"



"Well there isn't much you can do in this situation. I believe that you should just put on a show and have fun doing it. Just remember that you're ten times stronger then the worlds strongest non- enhanced human. "



"Yuck, I hate that you know? I mean I spend all my life wanting this kind of strength and now I have to hold back." Rachael was grateful that her back was to Thomas as she considered how long she would have to continue holding back. A look of shock soon appeared on her face a moment later. "Thomas I want to talk to you about something."



Thomas quickly set up realizing that whatever Rachael had just thought of had her worried. "What is the matter?"



"Thomas I don't plan on hiding how strong I am forever. I didn't make myself this way to hide after all and even though I like the fights I have no desire for us to constantly be on the run."



"You're not thinking about saving up enough money and leaving the country." Thomas knew that Rachael wouldn't seem so nervous if that is what she was considering.



"It all depends on how powerful this body of mine becomes. If you remember I designed the treatment with improvement in mind."



"Yeah I remember. So what do you plan on doing? You know the moment you come out they are going to try to arrest you and purify your genetics. It would kill you."



"I won't let them arrest me."



Thomas climbed off the bed and walking over to Rachael. Placing his hands on her shoulder he turned her around so that they were facing one another and then wrapped his arms around her. "Rachael I already broke the law for you once before even though it was risking a lot of people's lives. I am not going to leave you no matter how you decide to handle your coming out party."



Rachael smiled and wrapped her arms around Thomas using them to pull him to her more firmly. "You'll still love me no matter what I do or what I want to do?"



"Yes Rachael. I love you and that won't ever change." Thomas knew what Rachael wanted to do. She had no love for the world and even though she had been happier as of late he doubted her feelings towards it had changed. If the police did try to purify her he knew that she would kill as many people as it took to make them give up.



It had also become very clear to Thomas that Rachael had a darker side. He had seen it when she was fighting. Rachael truly loved to show off how strong she was and his presence only seemed to make her want to flaunt it even more.



Rachael gave Thomas a gentle kiss on the top of his head. "There was a time when I believed the only thing I needed was a stronger healthier body to be happy. I wanted to be as happy as possible so I designed the body to be as strong as possible. Then I met you and you just had to complicate matters. Now I know that there is something other then a healthy body that I need to be happy."



"What did you plan to do once you have the healthy body you desired?"



"I want to get out and meet people. You know quit having to hide myself away because I didn't feel safe due to my delicate condition."



"Rachael did something happen to you before?"



"What do you mean?"



"Well you always seemed more scared then what was required even for someone in your delicate condition."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and shook her head. "I never had a very traumatic experience like being raped if that is what you mean. I just had a lot of little things piled on me over the years. I suppose the most frequent was in school when someone would try to play with me and would end up hurting me. I detested dodge ball."



"Rachael I am going to ask you something and I want you to be completely honest with me. Could you kill someone?"



"Yes I could kill a lot of people and not feel bad about it. It didn't matter to me the lives I was risking when I first modified my cells. It is a good thing I didn't know you so well back then."



"Why is that?"



"I wouldn't have been willing to take the risk then."



Thomas once again embraced Rachael. "I knew as much whenever I found out you had modified your body."



"You loved me before I loved you."



"For a very long time even back then I knew what you were capable of."



"You do know that I couldn't harm you? Don't you?"



"Yes, you made that very clear when you refused to actually try and hit me when you were training for the fights before hand. You also prove it each time you keep me from doing something dangerous."



"Like coming near me when I was holding that tree up?"



"Yeah like that."



Rachael smiled and gave Thomas a kiss on the lips before releasing him. "Thomas, how do you feel when you see me showing off my strength?"



"I feel entranced."



"How do you feel when you see me using my strength in the ring?"



"It excites me Rachael. To see you up their enjoyed yourself, flaunting your strength for everyone to see it is such a thrill for me to watch"



"Have you ever considered what it would be like to see me actually kill someone?"



"Yes I have."



"How do you feel about that?"



"When I left with you Rachael I had to leave the rest of the world behind. After all you very well could have created a virus inside your body that couldn't be stopped. You were then and are now my first and most important concern."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "That isn't an answer to the question but it'll do."



*****



"Rachael and Thomas it is good to see you again." Andrew was smiling as he led the small group down the hallway. "How do you feel about your first fight? Excited?"



Rachael gave a nod. "More then you might imagine."



"Now it'll be a while before your actual fight. Until then we could watch a few of the matches, you could get prepared or I could take you wherever you like."



Rachael glanced back at Thomas to see if he had any ideas. When he just shrugged she decided. "Could we go ahead and place a bet on my fight? I don't want Thomas up wondering around when he could be watching me."



"Sure."



*****



Rachael had to be careful not to shred her jogging clothes as she slipped out of them revealing the bikini underneath the same one which she had worn on her vacation with Thomas. "Well what do you think?" Thomas grinned and imagined that Andrew had a rather stunned look on his face however he quickly resolved that it was more fun to look at Rachael instead of turn around and confirm his thoughts.



Andrew took in a bit of a breath. "It's quite nice. So that is what you want to fight in?"



Rachael let out a sigh. "To be honest it wasn't my first pick. I have another outfit being made but we'll need to find some better materials to make it out of other wise it wouldn't last through the fight. We were hoping you could help us with that."



"I know of a few people that could help with the materials or make just about outfit you may have in mind I assume that since you already have an outfit chosen it means you know a design you want.

Of course after the first few fights you probably won't have much use for me."



Thomas almost turned to look at Andrew but found his gaze still fixed on Rachael as he spoke. "Why would that be?"



"Like I mentioned before if you prove to be particularly capable then you'll get a lot of offers from people who want to pay for the DNA design you used on yourself. The best fighters of the night are expected to stay around and speak with the audience."



Rachael glanced over at Andrew. "Now I said when we first met that I have no intention of selling my design to anyone."



"I know but you can still use it to make quite a few contacts. Also you may find someone that wants to sponsor you."



"You mean some of the fighters are sponsored?" Thomas couldn't help the surprise in his voice.



"Well this is very much a business. People pay here to place bets, see carnage and perhaps see someone with some improvements they want.

However, some fighters become so well known and revered that the odds are entirely too much in their favor. When that happens the only way for them to make a profit it make a very large wager on them since we don't allow a fighter to bet against them self."



Thomas gave an understanding nod. "Which means that they need someone with a large bank roll if they haven't made much money in their previous fights?"



"That is right. Of course there are often other arrangements made between the sponsor and the fighter."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "I swear I have to ask. What kind of equipment and materials are you people able to acquire?"



"Well me. I can't say that many but I know those that can. I am pretty certain that I mentioned a fair amount of the fighters are actually enhanced by part of the betting community."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "I have noticed something about you Andrew. You never seem to know how to do something on your own but you always seem to know someone that does."



"Well I am an organizer to be honest with you. It is my job to know who can do what and for what price."



"When are you going to start charging for your services?"



Andrew was a bit taken back by Rachael's questions. Apparently he didn't expect her to be so blunt. "What makes you believe I am going to start charging to introduce you to people?"



Rachael grinned but glanced over at Thomas. Thomas for his part got the message that she wanted him to take it. Setting up a bit Thomas elaborated. "You said that this was a business and in business as in most things knowledge is power and information is worth a lot. You know a lot of people and you seem to be friendly to all the new fighters."



Andrew let out a sigh. "I swear I thought my salesman attitude would help disarm you. All I would ask in return or coerce in return would maybe be a few special fights."



Rachael decided to resume the conversation. "So we swap favors?"



Andrew quickly raised his hand. "Depending on what your favors are worth. Rachael if you make a good impression tonight you could go along way. You're already going in the right direction with that bikini. Customers like to see the results of the treatment even if they can't purchase it."



"So you help me with the starting stuff to butter me up and then if I do well enough you will help me with larger things."



"That's the idea."



"And if I lose you forget I ever existed."



Andrew felt himself growing somewhat concerned. He didn't like it when someone caught on this much but he relaxed when he heard Rachael giggle.



Turning in Andrew's direction at last Rachael placed her hands on her hips and flexed her muscles a bit. "You're a sneaky one aren't you?"



Andrew blinked a few times but at the end of it was grinning. "It is just business."



Rachael waved her hand a bit. "Yeah I know. Well if you are work with the more valuable fighters more often then the less valuable get ready to work with me a lot. I have to ask though. Why did you say we wouldn't need you for very long?"



Andrew gave a slight shrug. "I tell all the new fighters that just in case they don't perform well."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle as he listened to Rachael and Andrew. "I believe I realized one of the most common deals a sponsor makes with a fighter. I imagine the sponsors who enhance a fighter use the fighter as advertisement for their DNA design."



Andrew gave a nod. "It's one of the most profitable parts of the fights."



Rachael couldn't help but wonder now. "Do you know how many people have been enhanced?"



Andrew shook his head. "Honestly that I don't know but I can promise you it is more then most people realize."



"Here I thought all the time I was working on redesigning my DNA that it was an exceptionally small number but I suppose the government's control of the technology isn't as solid as I once believed. So who am I going to be fighting?"



Andrew couldn't help but blink. "You mean you didn't even take a look at your opponent before placing your bet?"



Rachael gave a quick shake to her head. "Nope I want to take advantage of my debut since after a few fights everyone is going to know not to bet against me."



Andrew didn't bother commenting on Rachael's seemingly over confident nature but decided to just the answer. "He calls himself Ox which isn't exactly original. He has been around for a little longer then you but only a little. Now I won't give you information on how he fights but he is big."



Rachael gave a nod. "That is fine but how big are we talking about?"



"He's nearly three meters tall and anything but lanky."



Rachael walked away from the mirror she had been standing beside until she was only a meter away from Thomas and Andrew. "I know you said you wouldn't tell me anything about how he fights but would you at least tell me if he can take as much punishment as the build you described implies?"



"I'll give you this information. He can take as much as his build implies and more." Andrew felt a cold shiver when he heard Rachael giggle a moment later. Looking up and watching the Amazon's tongue run over her lips he wasn't entirely certain what was going on but he felt confident that Ox would like it.



Ox loved the crowd as he strode towards the ring. He hadn't been fighting for long but he had been putting on good shows with his speed and power. In truth due to his average muscle strength being so much greater then that of an un-enhanced human's he could move far more quickly then anyone of his size should have been able to. The only thing that upset him about today's match was that he had to fight a new comer. He had yet to complete severe his link to the kiddy fights.



Thomas walked beside Rachael as they made there way to the exit which would lead to the ring. He wouldn't actually be following her down the walkway but he would be staying near the exit so he could see from ground level.



As he walked though he felt strange there was a sort of charge in the air something that wasn't just excitement or fear. There was something else a feeling that something very important was about to happen.



"Thomas. I want to make a strong impression in this first fight."



A jolt seemed to run through Thomas as Rachael word's hit him. The sentence was simple and there was nothing directly linked to their conversation of three nights ago or at least not the questions she had asked near the end. Still, he remembered them very clearly.

Rachael had asked if he would still love her if she killed someone and he had answered honestly to the best of his ability and said yes.



Rachael smiled when she felt Thomas's hand take hold of her own and she turned him. For a moment their lips met and then the two of them continued towards the exit until at the walkway Rachael released his hand and began down the walkway. Thomas knew as he watched Rachael walking down walkway that she was about to reveal something to him.



When she had fought before Rachael had been restrained by the rules. She hadn't been allowed to kill anyone. Now with her debut fight and that rule no longer so strongly enforced and his assuring her that he would love her no matter what she was going to remove one of the few masks that she had still worn even after the modifications.



She had to know. She had to know if Thomas had been honest with her before she allowed the relationship to go any further. This fight provided the perfect opportunity for her to remove that final mask and see if he had been lying to her or not. She had felt an aspect of herself building up inside of her ever since her body had begun to strengthen itself.



Maybe it had been there even before she enhanced herself but it was most assuredly there now, a desire to feel her strength and to feel someone brake under her hands. Rachael wasn't sure if it was truly a lust for destruction or a desire to show her strength but whichever it originated from it boiled down to a blood lust that she had been repressing for quite some time now.



Ox grinned when he saw Rachael approaching. Her build made it clear to him that she was indeed an enhanced though he didn't feel she posed any real threat. He felt confident that she was at best two times stronger then what her build would indicate. His build on the other hand was far larger then hers and he believed it to be stronger over all.



The announcer waited for Ox to climb into the ring before he began to speak. Unlike televised events they didn't have any massive monitors to show the fighters off so the best time to introduce them was when they were actually in the ring. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the beginners' night. Today we have two very unique fighters for you. Weighting in at two hundred kilograms and standing two and two thirds meters tall Oxxx."



Rachael had to admit as she watched Ox in the ring he had some impressive improvements. Though she felt that her work was superior to whoever had enhanced him. Deciding to put on more of a show she waited for Ox to walk over to his side of the ring for her entrance.



There were a few gasp of appreciation when Rachael bent at her knees and quickly sprung from the ground easily jumping over the cage that surrounded the ring. As Rachael landed she couldn't help but feel a little silly. The jump had been easy to make but it wasn't quite what she had been going for. She didn't know how to make any mid air flips or anything to add some elegance to the action. It might not have seemed important but she liked to flaunt her abilities after all.



"Now introducing Rachael, this sprightly young lady is self enhanced and just as rare her improvements are not sell."



Ox couldn't help but snicker as he heard that speaking up the over all muscle enhance he had undergone and indeed reached to his lunges giving him quite a loud voice when he wanted to use it. "A self job is that all you are? I swear I was expecting a challenge but now that I know your self improved. You probably just gain muscle mass more quickly then normal I bet over all your no stronger then a normal. I might even take your head off in one punch."



Rachael could have just let Ox's words slide but she wasn't about to do so. "Those muscle enhancements must have damaged your brain. Hey dumb ass how many un-enhanced could stand at the bottom of that fence and jump clear over it? You really do deserve the name Ox."



The announcer made no attempt to stop Ox or Rachael as they swapped insults. It was always nice to give the audience a bit more of a show then expected. Though he thought it was a very good idea to get out of the ring himself when he looked over at Ox and noticed that he had turned blood red. "It looks like our fighters are already done getting to know one another and it seems Ox may have a temper to match his strength. Let's see if Rachael can endure it."



The bell to fight was wrung the moment the announcer had climbed out of the ring and locked the door. Ox sprang from his speed having resolved to end this match quickly he was also going to see if he could carry through with the threat to remove Rachael's head.



Rachael had been unprepared for Ox's speed of course even if she had known about it she wasn't sure if she could have avoided it. She was just too used to fighting humans. A loud crack could be heard as Ox slammed his fist into Rachael's face the force of the impact not only having his full strength behind it due to his rage but also the momentum of his body. The impact was powerful enough due to Rachael's relaxed state to drive her back and into the corner of the ring.



Thomas heard the ringing of the metal after the crack as Rachael's head was driven backwards and into the metal support pole with enough force that it bent. The pole itself was entirely solid and placed deep within the concrete of the ring.



"Ah I heard a crack. Did my face hurt your hand?" Rachael gave an amused giggle though her voice was muffled by the massive fist that was currently pressed into it.



Ox was more then a little surprised when he heard Rachael's mocking tone. Withdrawing his fist from her face he was to angry to feel it but he had indeed hurt his knuckles when he had hit her face what was shocking though that Rachael was entirely unharmed.



The announcer had actually gone silent when he saw Ox slam Rachael's face into the metal pole when it had seemed the fight was over. However, he had been close enough to hear Rachael speaking as well and when he saw the smile on her face after Ox and withdrawn his hand he couldn't contain it. "Can you believe this people? After a devastating attack like that Rachael is entirely unharmed. She may not be fast on her feet but this lady as durability."



Rachael let Ox recover from the shock before she actually decided to retaliate. Pressing off the pole Rachael drew her arm back and attempted to drive it into Ox's stomach.



Ox was fortunate that Rachael had allowed him time to recover from the shock of his strike having not affected her. If she hadn't he wouldn't have been able to avoid her fist.



Rachael had been so amused that Ox's fist had been unable to harm her that she had forgotten how much faster then she he was. Despite the brief annoyance from having her attack avoided the smile didn't leave her face. It still remained even after Ox took hold of her arm.



Ox went to jerk Rachael up having resolved to try slamming her to the ground. The moment he attempted to yank her upward though he found that she had suddenly become very hard to move. Rachael had been caught in a relaxed state when Ox went to hit her the first time so that the force of his attack was able to easily overwhelm her inertia. This time she had seen the attack coming so she was able to keep herself securely rooted to the spot.



Once again Rachael attempted to drive her fist into Ox remembering to use the level of strength she and Thomas had agreed upon. However, once again she found that her attack was too slow and he was actually able to release her arm and avoid the punch all together.



Rachael stopped her attack for a moment and just looked at Ox who clearly didn't like the way this fight was going. "You're a speedy bastard aren't you?" Not waiting for Ox to reply Rachael once again went on the offensive.



Thomas could tell that Rachael was enjoying herself despite the frustration of not being able to hit her opponent. They had known it was coming after all. Rachael was used to avoiding and hitting human's Ox was clearly moving two or three times faster then any of her previous opponents had been.



Ox didn't know what had happened when he tried to lift Rachael off the ground. She didn't have anywhere near the same mass as him and he was able to lift his own weight with one arm. Of course he didn't know if hitting her head on was such a good idea as by now he had calmed down a bit mostly due seeing hitting her in the face had no affect.



Then again perhaps the reason he hadn't been able to hurt her when he struck her in the face wasn't actually due to her muscle's but rather because her bones had been enhanced. It was rare for that to be the case but if it was he needed to try and hit her somewhere else.



Making use of his superior speed Ox was able to easily maneuver to the side of Rachael just as she attempted to strike him. With her arm being fully extended her side was fully exposed. Drawing his fist back he slammed it as hard as he possibly could into her side.



Rachael smirked a bit and glanced at Ox. "Going for a soft spot?" Spinning around Rachael attempted to drive her left arm into Ox but once again he evaded her attack. "This is getting annoying."



Ox didn't know what to do about this woman. She was as slow as a non-enhanced human but her strength was ridiculous. What was worse is after the first hit she had somehow managed to keep herself from being knocked around even though it was clear she had a very limited amount of mass.



Thomas had been watching some time and had already noticed that Rachael had forgotten something rather important. As he listened to the crowd shouting though he couldn't help but yell out. "YOU HAVE LEGS."



Rachael froze for a moment as she picked up on Thomas's voice. Suddenly she felt very silly as she remembered her training. The whole fight so far she had only been relying on her arms and totally neglecting her legs. Grinning she turned to Thomas and gave him a wave. "THANKS FOR THE REMINDER."



Ox didn't know what was going on but the moment Rachael seemed to relax he moved in hoping that he could harm her while she was distracted. Drawing back his fist he slammed it into her back. A crack nearly as loud as when he had slammed his fist into her face seemed to resound through the ring.



It was true that a good fight made for a nice show but so did a slaughter and that is what the fight seemed to be shaping up to be. Ox seemed to be entirely helpless against Rachael. The only thing hitting her had done seemed to be injure him.



As Rachael attempted to either kick or punch Ox she found her irritation fading and her amusement growing. Even if he could evade her that would only last for so long as while she didn't have speed to match her strength she had stamina to do so. The fight did have her wondering why she couldn't move faster. Considering the force with which she could push off the ground she should have been able to move exceptionally fast.



The shouts of the crowd didn't seem to reach Thomas's ears as he focused on the fight. He knew those punches that Ox had leveled against Rachael would have seriously injured or perhaps even killed most people yet she had shrugged them off with ease. Now she had him on the defensive and it didn't seem like that was going to change. After all even when he did land a hit on Rachael it had no affect on her at all.



There was of course a chance that the crowd would begin to think the fight was fake at least those that didn't stop to consider what the pole behind Rachael's head was made of and what her head had done to it. Thomas gave his head a quick shake. There was another thing which seemed likely to happen that would also confirm the fight had been very real the moment Rachael managed to land a few blows on Ox.



Rachael's irritation had by now faded away entirely and she found herself feeling more and more like a kid. The fight had been business at first however as it had gone on it had switch from business to play. Rachael felt like a little girl trying to capture a butterfly with a net.



In all honesty Ox's situation was very much like that of a butterfly's. He could easily out maneuver his attacker however the distance he could travel was limited and his attacker was a bundle of energy he would fatigue before she did. He had yet to find a way to actually harm her and didn't seem able to even slow her down. A butterfly once captured may often find itself pinned behind a frame by needles and even without his knowing Ox's situation was similar to the ultimate fate of that butterfly as well since Rachael had already decided how she wanted to end the match.



Rachael for her part was the little girl with the net. She loved the game of chase and while Rachael had more understanding of her actions then the child. She had no more concern for the life of Ox then the child did for the butterfly.



Even through the roar of the crowd and the occasional crack of bone as Ox would desperately try to slow Rachael down Thomas soon found he could hear something very clearly. It wasn't because of the volume of the sound but rather how strange it seemed. He heard giggling coming from the ring.



Ox hadn't noticed it at first as he avoided Rachael's attacks constantly having to avoid being backed into a corner where she could do some damage. However, as the fight went on he soon noticed it. She was giggling as if the entire fight was a game. As he took a moment to risk a glance at her face he could hardly believe the smile that was upon it. This had turned into nothing more then a game to her and he could do nothing about it.



The announcer was of course close enough to hear what was going on inside of the ring and as he listened he couldn't believe it at first. He had seen one sided matches were one opponent would mock the other but it was the first time he had heard giggling. "Shhh do you here that ladies and gentlemen?"



The audience grew silent for just a moment. As the listened Rachael's laughter reached their ears and for a moment the room grew silent. Then a roar seemed to shake the entire arena as the crowd once again began to cheer.



Ox felt a pain in his gut as he felt his back touch against the metal pole. The pain wasn't due to being hit but for a moment he was trapped. It was all he could do to jump out of the way. As he landed to the side he heard a horrible shriek and looked up to see what had happened. Utter terror shot through him as he watched Rachael's leg tear through the metal pole.



Thomas cringed for a moment. Up until now Rachael had kept her strength within the limits they had planned on that was until her leg tore through the pole. Now he worried that she might have revealed too much of her strength to explain it away as her being ten times stronger then the strongest non-enhanced human.



Ox was now certain that he didn't want to get hit by Rachael. At first she might have only had very high levels of endurance after seeing what she did to the pole though he knew she had strength to match her durability. "Hold. Hold on. Stop it. Stop it damn you."



Rachael didn't care what Ox had to say enough to slow down in the least. He had begun to slow down since the start of the fight and now her punches and kicks were getting closer and closer to connecting. Swinging her leg in another attempt to strike Ox in the thigh a loud crack was heard throughout the entire ring as Rachael's foot made solid contact. A delighted squeal escaped Rachael the moment she felt her foot impact with the muscle of Ox's thigh and the muscle pulped.



A horrific shriek escaped from Ox as ever nerve in his leg was lit up. Rachael's foot didn't just bruise the muscle or break the bone but much as her fist had tone to the metal pole her foot tore its way through the leg. As he fell to the side he was just aware enough to see a large section of his leg fly off in the opposite direction and slam into the fence.



"At least you won't have to suffer." A giggle escaped Rachael as she quickly swung her leg into the air elevating it as high as she could before bringing her heel down atop Ox's head.



An explosion was heard as Rachael's foot impacted with the bottom of the ring after traveling through Ox's skull. The force of the kick had been so powerful that it had actually torn a hole in the ring and caused it to jump slightly.



The announcer couldn't respond at first. There had been some truly one sided fights but in only two blows Rachael had killed Ox. He wasn't certain if he wanted to climb into the ring even after he was able to compose himself. Then Rachael glanced at him and he knew he had best get to declaring her the winner and he opened the door to let himself back into the ring. "And the winner by two hit fatality is Rachael."



In the crowd a man sighed quietly. "Well he wouldn't have been much good missing a leg anyway."



Rachael had a delighted grin as the child that had finally managed to catch the pretty insect she had been chasing after for so long. As she climbed out of the ring and walked towards Thomas she prepared to see what the man she loved thought of her catch.



Thomas smiled when Rachael stepped past the door way and out of the public eye. Reaching up he placed his arms around her and gave Rachael a congratulations kiss. "I swear if I was grading you for accuracy there would be no way that I could give you a passing mark. We are going to have to figure out why you can't move more quickly."



Reaching her arms around him Rachael lifted Thomas so that she didn't have to look down at him. "Did you enjoy watching the fight?"



"Yeah I did. He got a pretty good hit on you at the first."



"That he did. Let's go and get our money."



*****



Rachael didn't care for the other fighters that stayed around after their victories, especially since quite a few of them were taller then even her. There had been a total of three deaths during the fights one of them she had caused and two others. The one that everyone was talking about though was Ox's.



"Excuse me Miss Rachael may I have a word with you."



Glancing to her side Rachael found a rather well dressed man approaching her. He hadn't been the first. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?"



"It is about your fight. My client realizes that you desire to keep your DNA design to yourself however he is willing to offer a very substantial sum to acquire it."



"I am not going to sell the DNA design that I used on myself."



"Perhaps you don't realize how much my client is willing to pay."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle this made the eleventh person that Rachael had turned away. After deciding to give Rachael a brake he stepped between her and the man. "Listen. Before you go bothering Rachael with whatever you're going to offer why don't you go speak to him, him and him." Each time Thomas spoke he indicated another person in the crowd. "Also speak to everyone else that she talked to and find out just how much she has already turned down."



"Sir I am talking to Miss Rachael. Now if you would just move."



Thomas rolled his eyes but made no effort to move from his position between Rachael and the haggler. He did glance behind himself though when two arms wrapped around him and he felt a rather heavy weight settle on his back as Rachael leaned on him. Rachael brought her head so that it was level with her ear. "You've had more experience with strong arm tactics then me. Mind if I hide behind you?"



Thomas smiled and looked over his shoulder at Rachael. "You can try but I don't believe I am big enough for that."



"EXCUSE ME. Maybe you will change your mind once you know who I am working for."



Rachael slowly straitened herself back up but made no effort to speak to the man having resolved to let Thomas take care of the negotiations for a while. It kind of surprised her how forward some of these people were with her given that she had killed her first opponent in the ring. Thomas for his part missed the feeling of Rachael's body pressing against his own but resolved to get down to business. "And I suppose that your boss is somehow more important then theirs?"



"You seem to be forgetting your place in all of this. You're the entertainment and the merchandise." The man was by now ignoring Thomas and speaking at Rachael. "While your enhancements may be impressive I assure you if you hope to have a lengthy career you'll learn to reconsider."



Thomas glanced back at Rachael for a moment chuckled and looked at the man. "Rachael isn't for sell."



"You did well against a new comer but they are veterans far stronger and faster."



"Whom she will be glad to kill I am certain. Now why don't you go along?"



Looking at Thomas for a moment the man grinned. "Of course even if you could beat them you seem to have others to hur-"



The man was suddenly silenced when Rachael stepped to Thomas's side and took hold of his throat easily lifting him off the ground. "I swear that if you threaten him I am going to pop your head off."



Andrew had been talking about his latest discovery when he saw the happenings. A slight sigh escaped him. Here she was a new comer and she was already making enemies. Still, he couldn't allow this to happen. "Now hold on. What is going on here?"



Rachael glanced over at Andrew as he quickly approached them. "This insect was threatening me."



"Rachael. Threats or not there is to be no violence here now put him down. If you feel that he has done something to wrong you then you'll have to take it up with him else where. Kill him at his home or some where down the road but there is to be no violence outside of the ring in this building."



Rachael glared at Andrew for a moment but clearly he had dealt with this type of situation before. "Fine." With that Rachael released her grip on the man's throat allowing him to fall back to the ground.




Rachael's frown faded soon enough and she bent at the waste giving a wonderful view of her cleavage. "You're dead you little insect. The moment I find out what your name is I am going to kill you."



Rubbing his throat the man slowly stood up. "It is a shame Andrew that you're going to be losing a new attraction so soon."



Once the man had walked away Andrew turned to Rachael and Thomas. "You know that you're going to have to carry threw with that threat now don't you?"



"Yes she will."



Rachael, Thomas and Andrew all looked up to see yet another figure approaching them unlike the first though this one seemed a good bit older but still in exceptional health. He also had a rather young looking woman with a rather impressive level of muscle tone walking beside him.



Andrew quickly moved to greet the figure. "Dr. Williams it is good to see you again."



Williams gave a nod. "It is nice to see you as well however I need to speak to this young lady or the gentleman that seems to be representing her."



Rachael gave Thomas a bit of a nudge indicating she wanted him to take it. She realized that if Andrew greeted him so quickly he must be important however at the moment she didn't exactly feel like being civil. Thomas stepped forward. "So Dr. Williams what would you like to talk about?"



"Well first. I am sorry if my employee was a little to forward with you. However, Rachael you need to learn to control that temper of yours."



It was a good thing Thomas was standing between her and Andrew other wise Rachael would have had him by the throat as well. As it was Thomas's standing in front of her helped to keep her calm. "Rachael didn't appreciate it when he threatened me."



"That is understandable. Sally here feels the same way about me isn't that right dear?"



Sally grinned she had seen the fight between Ox and Rachael however she didn't show any fear of Rachael. "Yeah, I believe I know where she was coming from."



Williams gave a nod. "Anyway as I mentioned that young man. Now I know a starting fighter can't afford to be seen as soft and that you need to carry through with your threat now but I really don't like the idea of unwanted attention being brought on down here or having my home attacked for that matter. So I was hoping to make you an offer."



Thomas wasn't quite certain where this was going but felt it was worth finding out. "What kind of offer?"



"Well I would like to make a wager out of it. You know if you try to harm me or any of my employees outside of this place you'll have to deal with a lot more then a few fighters. That isn't very interesting though and brings unwanted attention. So how about we make a fight of it? I'll chose some of my fighters lets say three of them and you take them on one after the other. If you win you get the young man to do with as you see fit."



Thomas wasn't certain of this but continued onward. "And if we lose?"



"Well the young lady dies the same thing that would happen if she attacked my home and lost. In either case she ends up fighting more then one opponent and at least this way you know there'll only be three and we can bet on it."



Thomas listened and didn't really see a down side to the offer.

However, it was ultimately Rachael's choice. "Rachael what do you want to do?"



"You can pick Thomas. I said you could handle the next bit of negotiations."



Nodding his head Thomas looked back at Williams. "You have yourself a fight. When would you like for the event to occur?"



Williams gave a nod. "I believe it would be best if we gave Andrew time to spread the word. After all whatever way the fight goes this is important for both of us. It will either help establish Kate as a true contender or further demonstrate why people should behave after the fights."



Thomas gave a slight nod of his head though he felt confident which one it was. Williams was just sending three more people to the slaughter. "So is it a deal or are there any other conditions?"



Williams gave a shrug. "I would appreciate it if she didn't kill any of my men but considering the nature of the fight that is a bit much to ask for."



Thomas started to agree but changed his mind. "Andrew since this is going to be a death match. Would it help the odds if Rachael agreed not to kill her opponents while they could try all they wanted to kill her?"



Andrew gave a not. "Well it would make it potentially more profitable of course it depends on what the penalty for her killing an opponent is."



Thomas gave a nod. "How about for every opponent she kills another one gets to enter the ring?"



Andrew gave a nod. "I am sure I could get some arena fighters to do that. How do you feel about that plan Dr. Williams?"



"My main concern is the fight and three of my men. So long as the young lady fights alone and my men aren't handicapped I don't have much else to say though the young man's proposal has me interested."



Andrew gave a nod. "Okay it is a match then. I'll let you both know a week in advance."



Thomas lead the way out of the arena as Rachael walked a little ways behind him. He was stopped though when Rachael wrapped her arms around him. "I knew it was a good idea to have you handle the negotiations. I don't know if I could have controlled myself if you hadn't and the fight you set up sounds like a lot of fun."



Thomas let out a relieved sigh. "I am glad you liked my decisions. I was worried you would have done something else."



"Oh believe me I would have but I like your idea more."



"What would you have done?"



"I believe I would have lost my temper and ruined my career before it even going. Perhaps you should handle all such negotiations."



"If you trust me to do so I would be glad to."



Rachael pressed her lips against Thomas's cheek in a gentle kiss. "Okay then. You're my manager."



*****



"Shouldn't I be the one cooking? You're the victory girl after all."



Rachael grinned and glanced at Thomas was currently setting at the kitchen counter watching her prepare dinner. "Hey you won a victory today as well. You got me a nice fight that I am certain will help me progress. Think of it as getting me a very good contract. It is certain to pay off well."



"Yeah, but I am surprised you want to wait until after the fight to go and buy any equipment."



"We might as well make as much money as we can while the betting is still good." Rachael didn't bother using any cooking utensils as she flipped the steaks instead she chose to reaching in the flames with her exposed fingers and flip the thick slabs of beef. When Rachael noticed that Thomas was watching her turning the steaks she didn't bother lifting her fingers from the flames but set them upon those parts of the grill that weren't covered.



"Careful you're touching the flames."



"Why would I need to worry about a weak little fire?"



"You'll get your fingers covered in suit."



Rachael faked a shocked expression and pulled her fingers away from the flames. "You're right. I'll just have to wash them off." Turning to the sink and flipping on the water Rachael held her fingers under the stream for a moment before taking hold of her index finger with her free hand she then proceeded to squeeze the finger as she pulled her hand along.



"Is that hot water?"



"No it is ice cold."



"You have impressive heat tolerance."



"Well while that is true this isn't heat tolerance. I was being honest."



Thomas slowly stood up and began to walk over to Rachael. "You mean your making that steam by?"



Rachael didn't let Thomas finish. "By squeezing my fingers so hard that despite the lack of speed the friction isn't great enough to generate enough energy to convert the water to steam."



Thomas reached one of his hands under the water and confirmed that indeed it was ice cold. "That is a lot of force."



A giggle escaped Rachael and she gave Thomas a quick kiss before turning off the water. "Yeah but it gets my fingers good and clean."



Thomas gave a nod and started to reach for the steak sauce intending to add some when Rachael gave his hand a light smack. "Okay. No helping I understand." Grinning Thomas walked back to his seat and sat back down.



"So what type of fighters do you think Williams will have me smack around?"



"I am anticipating some real bruisers he seems to have a reputation to maintain which you may have challenged. Don't be surprised if you encounter someone with natural weapons."



Rachael let out a delighted squeal and ran over to Thomas throwing her arms around him and scooping him up. "You believe so to then? Oh I hope that all three of them have some extra adaptations perhaps some talons or a specially designed skeleton structure."



"Maybe even an exoskeleton for added endurance and strength?"



Rachael gave an excited giggle. "Oh that would be wonderful. I would love to show them how weak their shell is compared to my fist. Do you suppose there would actually be someone that looked that different though? I mean adaptations like that are so rare."



"To be honest Rachael I don't know. I am a very surprised by all this."



Rachael let out a sigh and nodded her head. "You mean the fights rights?"



"Yeah I do."



"It surprised me as well. I mean I thought the government had a tight control over such things and that there were only a few illegally enhanced people. Those that were very rich and could afford it and those that snuck around in the labs like I did. Now I find out that I perhaps took the hardest path especially when I consider it."



Setting Thomas down Rachael walked back over to the steaks and picked each one up. After examining them for a moment she set them back down upon the grill. "They aren't done quite yet. Of course I suppose I should have expected the labs to be one of the hardest settings to perform such activities they are just about the most obvious if not the most obvious."



"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. I mean who else is as powerful as you are?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle and nodded her head. "Thanks for looking on the bright side for me. Still, I tend to like to believe I think outside the box."



"You do. Who else has tried to design their DNA so that they would constantly evolve?"



"Thanks but I didn't mean when it comes to my DNA designs. I meant in acquiring the materials."



"You were playing it safe. There is nothing wrong with that."



"Thanks. It still bothers me that someone could be enhanced just by being able to fight well enough and catching a sponsor's eye but I suppose I should have expected this. The technology is pretty powerful and quite desirable which tends to lead to it being used."



"That is true. I guess history has proven that. Of course you wouldn't have been found out if Steven wouldn't have contacted the police."



Rachael froze for a moment and felt her cheeks growing somewhat warm as Thomas's words opened an old injury. "I wonder how all that business went down. I mean have they recovered from the damage to their reputation yet? I hope nothing bad happened to Walter he was nice."



"I haven't been keeping track of any of it for quite a few weeks now. Would you like for me to find out?"



"Yeah it would be nice to know what happened to everyone."



"You want to find out about Steven don't you?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle and felt herself returning to normal. "I am pretty angry with him. I would at least like to break a few of his bones."



"You know trying to get revenge could be dangerous."



Rachael let out a sigh and nodded her head. "I know which is why I won't try to get revenge any time this year. So for a whole year you don't have to worry about me getting us caught by going after Steven."



"I don't suppose I could get you to agree to just let it go could I?"



"You could" turning to face Thomas Rachael began to pout "but would you really deny me that? If you truly object I care for you more then enough to let him live."



Thomas considered this for a moment. "How strongly would you have to object?"



"If you could would you pin me down and forcefully restrain me to keep me from harming him?"



"No. Even if I had the strength I couldn't do that to you just to protect him."



"Would you walk out the door and not see me for months or perhaps ever again?"



"No."



"Would you yell and shout at me to stop me?"



Thomas had to consider this one for a moment but answer. "I don't believe I could. I guess the most I would do if I was strong enough would be put my hand on your shoulder and ask you to think about it. Whether or not he really deserves to die?"



"Oh so you feel that strongly about it?" Rachael pouted a little more and looked down at the ground. She then extended her right leg and began to rub her toe along the floor. "Okay I'll think about it. You feel far more strongly about this then I thought."



"Are you mad at me?"



"No."



"I didn't hurt your feelings did I? I mean I am sort of protecting someone that once hurt you."



Rachael shook her head. You've only asked me to think about it and I love you too much to be mad about such a small thing." Before Rachael could finish speaking the phone's ring got her attention.



"Don't worry I'll get it."



Andrew had a wide grin on his face as he waited for the phone to be picked up. The moment the line clicked and the words hello were said he began. "The word is spreading faster then I expected. The only reason why Rachael even has a week is because I said I would give both sides that long to prepare."



Thomas blinked for a few moments. "Well I doubt Rachael would mind speeding things along. Would Williams like to meet sooner?"



"I don't believe that he would mind."



"Well then get things ready as quickly as possible. Rachael is anxious for the event. The only thing she wanted to splurge on was two nice steaks."



"Oh is she enjoying a last meal?"



Thomas gave a slight snort. "You saw what she did to that metal bar."



Andrew gave a slight laugh, in all honesty he didn't care which way the fight went though as Rachael would be the under dog he was hoping she would come out in the end. "Okay. I'll let Williams know that you don't even need a week to prepare."



"We'll be seeing you soon then."



Rachael wasn't certain who Thomas had been speaking to at first but she had picked up on the fact that it was Andrew after a few sentences. "Have things changed?"



"Yeah, it seems the word is already out. I told Andrew that you were willing to fight whenever Williams could get his three together."



A devilish smile appeared on Rachael's face. "Do you really believe he'll be willing to speed his men along to the chopping block?"



"Now Rachael, you're not supposed to kill anyone."



A sigh escaped Rachael. "And I do need to work on building up a reputation. Fine, fine I'll try my hardest not to kill anyone though that is going to make fighting a pain. It is so hard for me to land a hit on them."



"We really need to work on that. Do you think it has something to do with whatever is holding you to the ground?"



"I believe so but to be honest with you I don't even know if I could handle moving that quickly."



"Didn't you try to work an improved nervous system into your design?"



"Yeah, but things didn't exactly happen as I planned as you may remember. Of course given that I can control all of this strength it might have been improved I just don't know if it is any faster."



"Do you have any idea on how we should go about testing you?



"I wish that I did. I suppose I really just need to begin working with it. Do you have any suggestions?"



"Well we could set up a device that could exert different levels of force on you and practice knocking you down."



"That is a good idea actually. I could work on relaxing without cutting it off entirely with that set up."



"Huh? I was just joking. You know?"



Rachael gave a giggle. "Well I wasn't. I believe that is a good starting point especially if we are going to learn how to speed me up."



"How much force do you believe the first one would need to be able to generate?"



"Well let's keep things modest. I believe that one thousand two hundred Newton would make a nice starting point and eighteen thousand Newton would work for a maxim on the first device. Do you believe you could design something to suit those needs?"



"I believe so. You'll need it to be able to exert the force at different angles won't you?"



"Yeah in order to conduct the tests properly I will. It would also help if the speeds could vary."



"Okay. I'll see what I can come up with. Who knows perhaps after your fight with Williams men you'll make some nice connections?"



"That would be nice. Anyway" Reaching her fingers into the flames Rachael removed the steaks and set them on two separate plates "dinner is ready."



*****



"We really need to start networking." Rachael followed Thomas through the crowd. They had just finished placing their bet on her and now both were going to head down to the fighters waiting area.



"Yeah, well they are going to have another after fight meeting this time. Perhaps we can find someone that could make the outfit you want."



"Yeah other wise it is going to be a real pain to get the testing equipment or clothing made."



"That is true. You probably couldn't just go into a shop and ask for some clothes that could withstand being hit by a bullet and double as lingerie."



Rachael gave a slight giggle at the thought. "I can only imagine the looks that I may get if I did that."



"Well if you survive today I should be able to help with that." Andrew approached Rachael and Thomas through the crowd. "I take it you bet everything on this fight?"



Rachael gave a nod. "Of course oh and in case you were wondering those steaks a few nights back weren't my last nice meal. I hope Williams gave his men a last nice meal though. Oh crap, never mind on that part."



Andrew couldn't help the curious grin on his face. "Huh?"



Shaking her head Rachael glanced up at the roof for a moment. "I am not allowed to kill them."



Andrew gave his head a shake. "You either have a great poker face or you are very confident in your abilities. I have to say though those setting the odds don't agree with your confidence."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Then won't they be upset whenever Rachael takes their money?"



Andrew couldn't help but smile as it seemed that Thomas had just as much confidence in Rachael as she had in herself. "Well then it is a good thing you bet as much as you can. If you win this fight Rachael it is going to be nearly impossible for you to get even money by betting on yourself."



Rachael let out a long sigh. "I know that is the only bad part about it. To make matters worse I won't sell my design which means despite the fact that winning is going to make it exceptionally more valuable."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle and gave Rachael a kiss on the arm before turning back to Andrew. "After Rachael wins this fight would you mind introducing us to a few people who could supply machinery and help with Rachael's outfit?"



"After she wins the fight I will."



Rachael couldn't help but wonder. "So who did you bet on?"



Andrew grinned. "I handle the bets I don't officially bet myself. However, I would be very grateful if you would just last past thirty minutes and if you won it would be wonderful."



"So how confident are you in Rachael? I mean in what time range would you lose money?"



"If she doesn't at least last twenty minutes then I am going to lose more then I win."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well I am glad to see that you're so confident in me."



Andrew grinned. "I saw Ox's punches not even fazing you. I am confident in your ability to take a beating. I have to admit though your confidence makes me hopeful that I shall clean up. Oh and I wanted to tell you. Today you enter the ring first."



"Why is that? I am the newcomer after all."



"Yeah but it is your death match you're the star of the fight."



*****



Rachael found herself fairly amused as she looked around at the ring. They hadn't just repaired the damage since her last fight but had improved the ring considerably. What had once amounted to steel bars or polls at best were now massive columns, the flimsy looking metal fencing still surrounded the ring but now it was backed up by several rather heavy looking bars. Of course Rachael couldn't be certain if they were truly fastened into place or if they were just there for show. Then again the original polls had been secured to the foundation so there was a good chance the new ones weren't just for show.



The announcer was used to see unusual fights and indeed death matches. However, as he readied himself he could hardly believe it was to be a one sided death match. "Today we have a very special event, three warriors against one fighter in what may be a first for this arena. A death match in which only one side is allowed to kill, Rachael the new comer with only one fight to her credit has agreed not to kill a single opponent in this fight while her opponents will be trying to do exactly that to her.



Should she slip up and kill one an entirely fresh fighter will be allowed to enter the ring. How can one fight hope to stand up to these odds?"



Rachael couldn't help but giggle as she looked at the announcer. Who for some reason had grown quiet for a moment, "insects are still insects I am just using tape instead of needles."



"Do you here that folks? It seems the young lady is quite confident however lets see if that is justified especially after she meets her opponents."



The grin didn't leave Rachael's face as she began to watch Williams's chosen fighters walk down towards the ring. As the announcer spoke she looked them over. The one in the lead was quite massive. He actually had an even larger build then Ox he also had a feature that made her smile. His fist seemed to be extra dense, after a moment of inspection she was certain the bones had been adapted to give him a sort of internal steel knuckle.



The fighter behind him Rachael quickly wrote of as snaky. His frame spoke of someone that had been trained or designed for agility. She couldn't see any internal weapons but that didn't mean he didn't have them either.



The finale fighter Rachael quickly decided deserved the name Bones. His skull had been shaped in a rather thick way probably for head butting and when she looked at his arms she had to keep from jumping up and down with delight. His skeletal structure had been adapted so that he had two rather lengthy talons or spears sticking out from his arms. Given his level of modifications Rachael knew that he one of the few fighters that had given up any chance of operating in normal society.



All three of them had the aura of fighters that had given themselves entirely to the underworld so much so that they couldn't survive in public. As the three of them made their way into the ring Rachael took on a combative stance. She hadn't bothered using one for Ox and in truth didn't believe she needed to use one for these three either. She doubted even bones would be able to break her skin.



There were actually only two things that concerned her. Holding back enough so as to not kill them but took them down quickly and actually hitting them. She felt certain that hitting snaky was going to prove to be a real pain.



The announcer took a moment to insure that everyone was ready. "Begin."



Snaky as Rachael had expected quickly proved that he was the swiftest of the three as he easily moved around the three and went strait for her. As Rachael braced herself expecting him to strike her she was surprised when he spit in her face instead.



"YOU SON OF A BITCH." Rachael hadn't been expecting him to spit in her face and her voice clearly showed that she didn't appreciate it. However, Snaky was quick to retreat back to the safety of his comrades.



Snaky grinned as he looked at Rachael. "Just wait until the paralyzing effects begin to kick in."



Rachael heard the words but they didn't truly register with her as she charged the three of them. As she advanced bones and snaky quickly moved to the sides and left the largest of the three to deal with her. Drawing back his massive fist he aimed to flatten Rachael's face as he drove her fist into it. His fist connected solidly however it didn't get the result he had expected as Rachael continued to move forward.



Hammer that was a suitable name for the largest of the three Rachael decided as she actually used her face as a weapon. Instead of trying to avoid his punch she had drove her face into it with the result that he felt as a normal human who had just punched a solid steel bowling ball that was moving towards them.



With the gap between herself and hammer now closed Rachael drew fist back and attempt to drive it into Hammer's stomach. She was a bit surprised when he not only had the time to avoid the punch even at such a close distance but ceased it and proceeded to pull her even further forward.



Hammer easily made use of Rachael's own forward momentum to send her slamming into the arena side. A horrific metallic ring was heard throughout the whole of the arena as she struck the metal bars with such force that had the not been backed up she would have torn clean through it.



Snaky chuckled as Hammer fell back from Rachael. "Well is she out?"



Rachael growled as she turned around to face the three. "No."



Hammer shook his hand for a few moments. They had all seen Rachael's speed so he knew that he could avoid her if she charged. "Her face hurt my hand."



Bones gave a nod and stepped up for his group. "Then let me try her. How long until that sedative kicks in?"



Snaky gave a shrug. "She seems pretty advanced if she can take a hit like that. It could be a few minutes."



Bone's gave a nod and moved quickly to close the gap between him and Rachael far more quickly then Rachael would have thought he could move. The moment he was within range the spikes within his arms fully expended and he drove his right arm blade into her back. Rachael had been expecting this though and had already begun to push backwards and into the blade before he had even thrust it.



A cry of pain escaped Bones as the muscles inside his arm struggled to keep the blade extended even as it was forced back into its place. He was able to avoid the muscles being seriously damaged by quickly falling back.



Rachael glanced over her shoulder at the three of them. "As you can tell your attacks aren't actually capable of harming me. Now I am going to kick all three of your asses. Oh and the little runt you have with you is really going to pay for spitting in my face."



Thomas had been quiet since the start of the fight though he had been watching intently. Now that he had seen each of the fighters take a stab at harming Rachael he felt a wave of relief wash over him. Now she was clearly on the offensive. 'DON'T KILL THEM."



"I KNOW BLAST IT." Rachael shouted in order to insure Thomas could hear her and to remind herself. It was actually a good thing Thomas had reminded Rachael that she wasn't permitted to kill any of her opponents as at the moment she had been thinking it would be fun to impale Snaky on his own teammate's spikes.



Hammer and Bones easily avoided Rachael's attacks as Hammer remembered the incident when he used her own momentum to throw her. Avoiding one of her punches he once again took hold of her arm and sent Rachael flying through the air. This time however Bones was prepared and brought out both of his blades so that as Rachael flew over he drove their sharpest points into her.



As Rachael flew over she felt the razor sharp edges glide over her skin but fail to cut. In truth they didn't even tickle her however she couldn't help but feel a wave of concern when she felt them easily cut through the material of her top.



Bones Hammer and Snaky all stood back as they waited to see if they attack had been a success or not. Even if Bones couldn't put enough power into his attacks alone to cut her skin perhaps by working together they had managed to do it.



Rachael straitened up slowly and made no move to attack the group as she looked towards Thomas through the steel bars and fencing. Instead she took hold of one of the heavy steel bars that now composed the ring. Using both hands she easily tore the metal apart then moved a few meters away and made another brake.



At last she stood back and allowed the shredded material of her top to fall away. For only a moment her breast were exposed before Rachael moved the steel bar over her nipples and proceeded to bind it around herself.



Thomas knew that everyone facing that side of the ring had just seen what happened. However, he also knew that the little show Rachael had just put on hand been for him. The whole time she had been bending the steel bar around herself her eyes had held his.



Rachael pursed her lips for a moment and blew Thomas a little kiss after bending the bar around multiple times to insure it would stay put. She then turned back to her three opponents. "I would say that you ticked me off by ruining my top but to be honest you didn't. Now I am just amused."



He could see it happening again once Rachael renewed her attack on the three. She had been rather upset when one of the fighters had spit in her face. That hadn't lasted though as the fight went on Thomas saw Rachael anger and frustration slipping away as the fight was once again reaching the status of game. The only thing spitting in her face had done was delay this for a little while. Even now he could hear slight hints of it on the air, Rachael's cute little giggles.



Andrew could hardly believe what he was seeing. The three as they were often called were some of Williams' most feared fighters. He had only seen them in the ring by themselves a few times and even fewer as a group. However, whether in a group or alone the outcome had almost always been a complete slaughter of their opponents.



Now they were being ripped apart by someone that didn't have nearly their speed or skill but was simply far too strong for them. Their attacks had proven entirely ineffective against her and Thomas didn't know how many other methods of attack they could come up with. He wasn't sure if he actually believed what was going on and imagined many in the audience felt the same way.



This was going to be good for her career as far as getting a spot as a high ranked fighter but it was going to kill her odds and it was only her second fight. Rachael had hoped to at least be able to bet on herself and receive a few decent pay days but that wasn't going to happen. After she beat these three all at the same time she wondered if she could even make a ten percent profit by betting on herself. At least she would be making a lot of money on this one fight.



Thomas was glad that they had bet everything they could on the fight though he was beginning to wish that they had taken out a loan. Who in their right mind would be willing to bet against Rachael after she bent that steel bar? There was also the fact that even though her opponents had landed far more hits on her then she had them they were the ones that were looking the worse for it.



Snaky leapt into the air easily avoiding his comrade's air born body. Hammer hulking form was sent slamming into the side of a ring. The impact was less powerful then when he had through Rachael into them but still had enough energy to cause a noticeable metallic ring.



Hammer slummed against the side of the ring. The punch hadn't killed him but he felt as if his inside had been mashed and felt confident that he had a few broken ribs and every other one had been at least fractured. He could hardly believe it even as he felt himself losing consciousness. She had done so much damage to him with only a single punch. It was almost as if he had struck a normal human.



Rachael gave a slight giggle and turned towards Bones and Snaky. "That is one of you under glass."



Bones and Snaky were fairly perplexed by Rachael's comment but they didn't bother asking what she meant. They were too concerned with avoiding her attacks but still trying to win the fight. Had it been an option they would have been trying their best to get out of the ring.



Rachael grinned at Snaky for a moment. "You're so lucky that I agreed not to kill any of you. I'll just settle for ripping out that tongue of yours."



Snaky could have loved to try and get out of the ring now. Since Rachael had tore out a section of the bars he could probably make it through there. The only thing that kept him in the ring is that he knew that something far worse would happen to him if he ran away.



Thomas couldn't help but smile as he listened to Rachael. Her fight with Ox had eventually become a game to her. The same had happened with these three except that she had taken the game to a higher level. She was now taking the time to taunt her opponents. He could quite explain but he felt his desire to reach out and touch Rachael growing all the stronger. The more she played with her opponents and the more she flaunted her power the stronger his affection for her seemed to become. His desire for her seemed to grow.



As Snaky and Bones continued to dodge her Rachael found her mind drifting to thoughts of Thomas and the fight with Ox. The fight had been fun and Thomas seemed to enjoy watching her but she hadn't really taken advantage of the situation.



She wasn't just fighting or playing a game. She was putting on a show. Two shows in all honest one which was meant for the audience that could see her physical actions only but she was putting on a show for Thomas as well and she wanted to make sure that he had time to enjoy the feature. As Rachael considered this she began to put less force into each punch and kick.



As Thomas watched the fight he began to notice something odd happening. Even though Rachael's opponents were going more on the defensive now and simply trying to use her attacks against her. They were dodging by a smaller and smaller margin. At least that seemed to be what was happening. At least he wouldn't have any trouble focusing on Rachael as he tried to figure out just what was going on.



Hammer had been able to endure a punch from Rachael however Snaky knew he didn't have anywhere near that level of endurance. So when Rachael's fist slammed into his side he truly felt it was the end of him. The impact was forceful enough to lift him from the ground and send him flying three meters.



Bones had at first been worried that he was the only one left. However, as he watched Snaky fly through the air he felt a surge of hope. Rachael had knocked Hammer even further then Snaky and Hammer had a lot more mass then Snaky. Perhaps the sedative that had been spit in her face during the start of the fight was beginning to work or perhaps she could only maintain her strength at such high levels for so long.



Once again extending his arm blades Bones quickly rushed in to strike once Snaky was down. Drawing his arm back he moved to drive his blade into Rachael's heart.



Rachael was surprised when she saw the attack coming but still moved to block it. Holding up her right hand the blade slammed into her palm and she quickly wrapped her fingers around it. "You know not killing you doesn't mean I can't brake things." With that Rachael bent her hand forward snapping off the very end of Bones weapon.



Thomas nearly jumped out of his seat as a horrible shriek pierced the air. Quickly scanning the area he realized that the sound was coming from the ring and in particularly the fighter who had just had part of his body torn off. Apparently whatever they had done to his body and skeletal structure had quite an effect upon his vocal cords as well.



Snaky's eyes widened in horror as he set up and heard Bones screaming. Looking at his comrade he realized what had happened and knew that in just a moment he would be the only fighter left.



Rachael was somewhat surprised by how much of a response she had got from Bones just by braking the tip of his weapon. She had expected them to be numb instead it turns out they were rather sensitive at least when broken and even though the ear splitting scream he released didn't hurt her ears she soon tired of it. "Shut up."




Drawing her fist back Rachael sunk nearly to her wrist into Bones gut forcing all the air out of his lunges in one motion. Perhaps she was being merciful to him. As Bones sunk to the floor the blinding pain was soon replaced by unconsciousness.



Looking down at the bit of broken bone Rachael turned towards Snaky. "Hey look now I can just cut your tongue out instead of tearing it out. I wonder which one would be more fun though?"



Thomas grinned as he considered the final fighters situation. He knew that spitting in Rachael's face would only anger her and yet what else could he do? The other two fighters had been far more suited to actual combat than he was. His specialty seemed to be going in and poisoning his opponent then waiting for it to take its affect. Now trapped in the cage with Rachael he was truly between a rock and a hard spot. The only thing he had going for him was his speed.



Rachael moved quickly to take hold of Snaky she fully expecting him to dodge but if she was going to wear him down she was going to have to make him move around. She was quite surprised when he didn't make any attempt to move but continued to hold his ground.



Snaky glared at Rachael having already realized the fight was lost. If he had the option he would have retreated from the ring but since he didn't he decided that he could at least when a minor victory and not play her game any longer.



While increasing the pressure which she exerted on his shoulder Rachael looked down at Snaky. "I know you can understand me and you know what is going to happen to you." When Snaky didn't even flinch under her grip or move due to her words a long sigh escaped Rachael which soon turned to a giggle. "Oh I see. You believe that you can ruin my fun by not even trying to run away. Well then let's just test that theory."



Thomas wasn't sure what was happening until he saw Rachael lift Snaky from the ground and carried him over to the side of the arena. She then held him against the post as she dropped the bone from her hand to free it up. She then proceeded to take hold of the bars on either side of him and tear them from the others.



Rachael carefully bent the bars around Snaky so that he wouldn't be able to wiggle free once she got going. If he believed that his refusal to fight back was going to spare him any pain he was sorely mistaken. He had attempted to kill her at the start of the fight after all so she wasn't about to show him any mercy.




*****



"Let's get that blood cleaned off you." Thomas smiled and patted Rachael on the back one of the few parts of her body that wasn't soaked in the substance. Rachael for her part giggled and allowed Thomas to lead her towards the wash room.



Sally glanced over at Williams. "David did a lot better then I expected. It took him a while to start screaming."



Williams gave a nod. "Well at least he has a long rest to look forward to. She broke nearly everyone bone in his body most of them more then once I believe. It is even going to take an enhanced a while to recover from that."



Thomas glanced over at the remains of the steel bar Rachael had torn from the ring. Once they had made their way to the washroom she had removed it and cast it aside like it weighed nothing. Standing up Thomas walked over to the bar and bent down. Taking hold of it he began to stand up. "Impressive. This bar feels like it weighs sixty kilograms."



Rachael glanced out from the shower stall and gave a slight giggle. "Well I couldn't leave the ring to get a new top so I had to improvise and just tying my top back together didn't seem very elegant. I hope they don't make us pay for the ring."



The sound of someone knocking on the door got both their attention.

Rachael turned to Thomas. "Go ahead and let them in. Just tell them no peaking."



Andrew had a wide grin on his face when Thomas opened the door.

"Well how is the victories couple doing?"



"Great, Rachael is cleaning the blood off of her right now."



"Yeah I imagine she needs to. May I come in?"



"Sure. Just stay away from the showers."



Andrew gave a nod and stepped past Thomas once he moved to the side. He then walked as close to the showers as he dared go. "Well Rachael. You did it. You beat three very lethal fighters without so much as breaking a sweat. They were like kittens compared to you."



Rachael couldn't help but laugh at Andrew's comment. "Kittens? Andrew I was scratched by a kitten before I got my powers and it stung. Those three weren't kittens compared to me. They were moths and not very big ones either. Anyway, kittens are cuter."



Andrew nodded his head in agreement even though Rachael couldn't see him. "You showed everyone though and made me quite a bit of money."



"I made myself quite a bit of money as well. I suppose everyone that betted on a certain time limit lost their money."



"Well yes since all time limits specified that you died between the start and finish."



Thomas had to keep himself from laughing as he listened to Andrew's voice. There was quite a difference between the tone he had been using earlier in the day and the tone he was currently using.



Rachael looked around the shower stall. "So are you going to introduce me to some people who could make the outfit I want?"



Andrew gave a quick nod. "Believe me Rachael they are plenty of helpful people that want to get to know you."



Rachael gave a quick nod and pulled her head back into the shower. "Now they aren't going to start bothering me to sell my design are they?"



Andrew let out a sigh. "Well I can't exactly stop them from asking about it."



"Thomas, would you mind talking to them?"



Thomas gave a nod and walked past Andrew so that he could look in on Rachael. "Sure."



It didn't bother Rachael that Thomas was watching her clean off. In fact she rather liked the attention. "Would you like to come in here and help me get cleaned up?"



"I wouldn't mind helping you get cleaned up later but not right now."



"Okay. Then would you mind getting my clothes for me?"



"Does it mean I have to step away?"



"Well yes."



"Here I am going to be doing you a favor and negotiate for you and you're making me step away from such a wonderful view."



Rachael giggled and glanced over her shoulder at Thomas. "I'll make it up to you later."



"Do you promise?"



"Yes I promise."



"Well okay." While still chuckling a bit Thomas stepped away from the shower and went to the gym bag in which Rachael had stored an extra set of clothes.



"Andrew. Is there anyway I can get them to drop the subject of buying my DNA design?"



"The only thing I can truly suggest is being firm on the subject."



"You would think that beating up Williams men would be enough to get them to leave the subject alone. What were their names anyway?"



Andrew gave a shrug even though Rachael couldn't see it. "You didn't notice? The announcer didn't name them."



Thomas set Rachael's clothes down where she would able to reach them without leaving the lower. "You mean they have never been named?"



"Nope they haven't."



"Is that common?"



"Well most fighters don't use their real names but to not even have a title is pretty strange. Don't get me wrong though. They aren't the best that is out there."



Rachael could be heard giggling despite the water. "Well of course they aren't the best. There superior is right in here. Andrew you sound a little shocked about everything that has happened."



"You surprised me. You can believe that."



"Well if you don't mind. Step out for a little while I want to get dressed."



"Sure. I'll just be talking around and seeing if I can find a few people who can help you with your outfit."



*****



Rachael had spent more time washing her face then any part of her body. It was odd but the spit left her feeling dirtier then the blood did even though it came from the same person. Even as she stood with her back against the massive column she wished that she had taken some more time to wash her face.



"Well that was easier then I expected." Thomas smiled as he approached Rachael having been a few yards away speaking with a few people about her outfit.



"You did a good job of negotiating."



"It was easy thanks to you. It seems that speaking for one of the top fighters gives one a lot of leverage. I guess combative abilities have been a source of prestige for a long time and this is an arena after all."



"That or maybe they just liked the description you gave them."



"That could be true. I know I am looking forward to seeing you dressed up."



Rachael grinned but took a moment to scan the room. "You know I am kind of surprised that I haven't seen Williams the entire time that we have been here."



"I suppose he's checking up on his fighters."



Rachael gave a slight shrug and proceeded to take hold of Thomas's shirt collar and pull him closer to herself she then proceeded to spin him around and pull him against herself entirely. "Hide me. I think I see some people wanting to talk business." Thomas could only chuckle as he put on his business face and prepared for another lengthy session of saying no to selling Rachael's DNA design.



Gregory grinned as he overhead Rachael's words despite the crowd of people. Years of working on various machines had taught him to drown out certain unwanted sounds. "No, I can't say that I have come to talk about DNA designs though I am here to talk about certain designs."



Thomas grinned. "That is nice to here. I take it your one of the people that deals with specialized equipment then?"



"That would be me. My name is Gregory Philips and I already know who you two are."



Thomas gave a quick nod of his head. "I guess Rachael's fights left quite and impression."



"Yeah especially the ending" Gregory didn't bother to mention that Andrew had given him an earful before he came over. "So just what kind of machinery are you looking for?"



"Well right now we need a sort of ram and weight combination. It also needs to be able to exert forces at different angles."



"So a punching and pushing machine in other words?"



"Yeah we haven't really been able to test Rachael in certain respects for quite some time."



Gregory gave a nod. "How much force are we talking about?"



"It would need to be able to at least produce one thousand two hundred Newton of force for a minimum and eighteen thousand Newton of force would make a nice maximum."



"So you believe that it would take somewhere between those ranges of force to affect you?" Gregory looked past Thomas and towards Rachael who had been quiet during the conversation.



Rachael had to keep herself from grinning when she considered Gregory's question. Perhaps Andrew wasn't as on her side as he pretended to be? "Yes that is our current hypothesis."



Thomas had to keep himself from grinning. Instead he gave Rachael's hand a quick smack as if she had done something wrong. "Rachael."



Continuing to play along Rachael simply widened her eyes as if realizing she had just made a mistake but still trying to cover it up. She hoped this little bit of disinformation would pay off.



"What kind of area would you like the force to be able to be exerted over?"



Thomas glanced back at Rachael. "You know I was going to build the device. We really just need the materials and equipment."



Gregory hadn't acted as if he noticed the slip up on Rachael's part or at least what he believed had been a slip up. "Well we can provide the tools and materials though that won't really save you much money."



Thomas and Rachael was fairly certain of what Gregory was actually up to now but decided to keep playing along. "That seems kind of odd. The cost of designing and constructing is normally far more then the materials."



Gregory was able to keep himself from flinching as he realized that in his effort to insure they let him build the machine and get the exact design specific that he might have slipped up. However, considering Rachael's fight he was able to think of a quick excuse. "Well normally only the best fighters get such special treatment and such reputations take a long time to achieve but your second fight was just so spectacular." For a moment Gregory though he had did a nice job of excusing himself then he noticed Rachael glaring at him.



Rachael had been amused through most of the conversation but now Gregory had said something that truly upset her. "You listen to me. I don't care if I only have a few fights to my name I am the strongest fighter there is."



Thomas could have sworn he felt the anger radiating from Rachael. Apparently after just beating down three very powerful opponents even while hindered by her agreement not to use any killing strikes she wasn't in the mood to have her abilities questioned or for someone to even suggest they were second to anyone else's.



Gregory grew somewhat more nervous. He knew most fighters were quite boastful after a win but Rachael seemed to have taken what was meant to be a complement as a grave insult. "Ah, yes. I quite agree which is why you're being offered such a wonderful deal."



"Damn it!" The sound of Rachael's voice caused nearly everyone in the room to turn in her direction. "Where is Williams? He still owes me that little twerp. Did they mention anything to you when you went to retrieve the money?" Rachael quickly glanced at Thomas.



"No. They didn't say anything but I forgot to ask. Rachael, why can't you just let it go though? You didn't care until you just remembered and you had fun."



"He threatened you. That is why and I won't let him get away with that!" Rachael couldn't help the anger in her voice as she began to scan the room.



Thomas glanced at Gregory who still seemed shocked but glad he wasn't the person Rachael was yelling about. "It looks like we'll have to continue this conversation some other time. As far as the design if it could have exchangeable heads the highest being half a square meter and the lowest being one ten a square millimeter that would be fine."



Rachael didn't wait for Gregory to respond but took hold of Thomas's arm and began to lead him through the crowd. At the moment she cared more about finding Williams and getting her final prize then any testing device.




*****



Thomas sighed as he set just outside the door. It was one of the few times he had actually been separate from Rachael since their camping trip. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her company and he didn't exactly want to be separate from her now but he really didn't want to see what Rachael's idea of a fitting punishment for threatening someone she cared for was.



When he glanced down at his watch he wasn't really surprised to find that Rachael had been in the room for three hours now. He was a bit surprised though when the door finally opened and Rachael stepped out without a drop of blood on her.



"Sorry to have kept you waiting."



"Are you done with your punishment?"



"Yep all done. That should send a message. What is the matter you look a little confused?"



"There isn't a drop of blood on you. I just thought the punishment you had in mind was going to be kind of messy."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Thomas, do you remember the trick I did at the sink a few days ago?"



"Yeah, oh never mind. So how much time did you have to spend cleaning up?"



"It only took me twenty minutes to be honest. Of course if you don't believe I punished him enough I could go back in there."



"You mean he is still alive?"



"For now but I don't believe there is a doctor alive that could save him."



"No thanks."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and leaned against Thomas. "Are you sure you don't want to see what happens to people that threaten the one I love?"



"Considering what you did to that Snaky fellow for just spitting on you. I don't believe I want to see what happened in that room."



"Ah come on you have been to dissections before."



Thomas gave a nod and gave Rachael a quick kiss on the cheek. "It's nice to know that you're loved."



Rachael gave a contented sigh and scooped Thomas up in her arms. "Yes it is. Okay let's get back to the party and see if we can still get a few things done. Then we can go on home."



*****



"No. There has got to be a basement. I don't care how nice the rest of the house is there has got to be a basement." Thomas sighed in annoyance and lightly banged his head against the wall. "This is not working."



"Finding a home that suits our needs is proving to be pretty difficult."



Thomas gave a nod and looked up at Rachael who was currently setting at a computer monitor browsing various advertisements. "How is your search going?"



"It isn't going very well. I have found a few homes that had a high enough equality electrical system but most of them don't have a study enough floor plan."



"We may just have to build."



Rachael gave a slight sigh and leaned against her desk for a moment. "I really had hoped that money would quit being an issue once I won a few fights but blast it all. The equipment I want cost a lot more then I realized when I was using someone else's budget."



"I would have thought you would know the price quite well considering how long you spent gathering up equipment."



"Well that was done over a long period of time and I didn't really have other concerns at the time. Plus I got it cheaper then I realized."



"How about selling DNA designs? You don't have to sell your own you know."



Rachael set up for a moment and suddenly gave herself a quit smack on the head. "I feel like such an idiot."



"What?"



"You're right. I guess I got kind of caught up in the idea of using my muscle to earn money. I have brains to."



"Even without selling your own DNA design the fact that you developed yourself and have demonstrated what you can develop so clearly should add a lot of value to the designs you do decide to sell."



Rachael gave a nod. "Of course there is still the matter of equipment. You're right we might as well build."



"We could keep looking a while longer if you want. I mean your house was able to meet the energy needs the equipment requires and you had sturdy enough flooring."



"No. To be honest buying a house and adapting it was more of a compromise then I wanted. I just didn't see any other option given that we have to hold onto enough money to make betting on me mean something."



"That is true. Of course we don't know if beating Williams' men is going to hurt the odds that badly."



"For my next fight let's look into taking out a few loans."



"Sure as long as they don't have any conditional fights."



"Huh, you think they will?"



"I don't really know to be honest. Since your basically showing off what you're capable of doing in the arena I am willing to wager a few of the fights feature speed only."



Rachael visible and audibly groaned in response to Thomas's point "Which I don't have much of."



"I don't know if that is entirely true."



"What do you mean?"



"Near the end of the fight when you were fighting the fellow the blades you managed to block one of his attacks."



Rachael grew silent for a moment as she remembered the side. "Hey you're right. Do you think he might have slowed down?"



"Considering that he seemed to be trying to put as much power into the attack as possible I doubt that."



"So you think that I might have for a brief moment then matching their speeds?"



"It's hard for me to say for certain. It would have been better if that lanky fellow had actually fought back."



"Yeah, I wouldn't have broken so many of his bones if he had done that."



"Well it would have been better for you as well. What were you thinking before that happened?"



"I was relaxing I suppose. I had resolved to keep my guard up so that I wouldn't be knocked around but to draw the fight out and not use so much force. To be honest I was more relaxed."



"Maybe tapping into your speed has something to do with how relaxed you are but also what you are trying to do?"



"That is very possible. I would have to be using more force then normal to push off the ground but I would have to be relaxed enough to not be grounding myself. Then again that is assuming I can control whatever force grounds me when I tense up."



"We're going to need some machinery to detect energy levels."



"Yeah we will especially need to test for any changes in electric or magnetic forces."



Thomas grew silent for a moment. "You know Rachael I just realized something or at least I believe that I may have."



"What you're beautiful whoops I already knew that."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and gave Thomas a quick kiss. "Thanks, but come on what did you have in mind?"



"Would you mind if I stepped out for a few?"



"I would if it involves you leaving me here."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "Okay. Then we need to go out and pick up a few pieces of equipment really quickly."



*****



"Well that should do it." Rachael stood up and glanced down at the trampoline Thomas had been so eager to go out and purchase. "What do you want to do now?"



Thomas grinned and removed his shoes before stepping onto the trampoline and taking a few quick test hops. In the mean time Rachael couldn't help but wonder what was going on. "Okay. Now I want you to climb on here with me."



Shrugging Rachael did as she was asked and climbed onto the elastic material. "Is this just a plan to see how bouncy I am? As I assure you while firm they still have plenty of bounce."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Hey that is a bonus that I hadn't thought about."



"Well then what did you want to see?"



"The trampoline went down further when you climbed on here with me. Well." Thomas grinned and stepped off the low platform and Rachael was immediately lifted slightly higher.



Rachael wasn't exactly certain what Thomas was getting at. She knew that he must have a reason but she couldn't help but grin. "Come on Thomas tell me what you're thinking about. You're making me feel silly." A slight giggle escaped Rachael as a cute smile appeared on her face as well as a slight blush. She felt like she was conducting a kindergarten science experiment."



"Okay now I want you to extend your arms as if you were going to pick me." Rachael gave a nod and extended her arms. "Now I want you to pick me up." Once again Rachael complied and leaned forward a bit so that she could reach under Thomas and lift him into her arms.



"Okay now how about telling me what is going on."



"Wait." Thomas took his time waiting to feel any change. He then glanced down at Rachael's feet. "So are you ready to find out what I was testing?"



"Yes!"



Thomas couldn't help but laugh. "Okay. The trampoline hasn't been forced down at all since you picked me up."



"What?" Rachael's eyes widened and she glanced down at her feet. As she looked down in shock she finally felt the trampoline beginning to lower once again.



"Ah there it goes."



"How did?" Rachael gave a quick laugh and pressed her lips against Thomas's for a moment. "How did you know to test that?"



"I just thought about it when I remembered you lifting up that tree. How you were still taller then me even after you lifted it up? You should have at least sunk down into the earth a little with all that mass pressing down on your feet."



"Okay then whatever I am doing to hold myself to a certain spot somehow doesn't affect how much I weigh in relation to the wrest of my environment."



"Well until whatever was providing the support decides to relax."



"Of course I wonder if I can cause myself to lift up again."



"I have been wondering that is well. It could have a lot of applications if that is the case."



"Shhh give me a moment to try and focus." Rachael closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remember how she had felt when she lifted Thomas up as compared to how she felt once she realized that she hadn't caused the trampoline to sink down any. She hadn't really been thinking of anything at the moment only that she was supporting his weight."



Thomas felt Rachael's grip shift slightly and her breast rub against his body as she lifted him up quite slowly and lowered him back down. Whether she was conducting a test or simply trying to excite him he didn't know however he couldn't exactly hide the results of being rubbed against Rachael's wonderful breast. He started to say something when he noticed the look of concentration on Rachael's face. Either she was trying very hard to get him off just by rubbing him against her chest or she was testing and in either case he knew not to disturb her.



End Chapter 3

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 4
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-04-26 19:12:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Brawling, Sexual References, Flight, Invulnerability, Super Strength


By Happiest in Shadows




Warning this story contains adult content so if you're a minor don't read it or if adult content involving sex, violence or super powerful women offends you don't read it either. This story was written with input from Supernaught whose real name I haven't inquired about.





Thomas generally poked the needles against Rachael's skin trying to get a reading of any type. However, no matter how hard he pressed the needles into her the volt meter just wouldn't give a reading.



"Thomas what are you doing?"



A wide grin formed on Thomas's face. "OH I am just seeing how well you function as in insulator."



Rachael rolled her eyes. Currently she was not only holding a life wire but she was also the energies only path to the ground. "Well what is it saying?"



"I'm not getting anything."



"Well it is only a thousand volts." An amused giggle escaped Rachael. She had been a little annoyed when Thomas had first started poking her with the needless until she realized what she was doing. Now she thought it was cute.



Rachael had been working on hooking up various pieces of equipment however while working she had become careless and taken hold of one of the live wires. This would have probably been fatal for her at a previous time or left her seriously injured but in her current condition she wasn't affected in the least. "Thomas, I am glad my senses still let me know when I take hold of something dangerous."



"It is helpful I would have to see what would happen if you grabbed the wire and didn't realize what it was. You might have destroyed something or even handed it to me without realizing it would cook me. I wonder why your body does that though."



"I believe you just answered that question. I think perhaps my body remembers what is lethal to a human because I don't want to risk harming you."



Thomas reached down and took hold of some of Rachael's hair he then moved it to the side and bent down. "Thanks for thinking of me." He then pressed his lips against the back of Rachael's neck.



Rachael shuddered a bit and had to remember not to squeeze the wire to hard or she would end up cutting through the material. She loved the feeling of Thomas's kisses on the back of her neck. A slight giggle a bit and Rachael used her shoulder to Thomas back a bit. "Now that felt electric." Rachael's smile faded for a moment when she felt the needle of the volt meter press into her once again.



"Really? The meter isn't picking anything up."



"Oh you're lucky that I won't risk letting you get too close to this wire."



"I know." Thomas gave Rachael a few more kisses before stepping back.



A sigh escaped Rachael and once again her annoyance melted away though she was glad to hear Thomas setting down the meter. It was hard for her to focus back on the task at hand and finish connecting the wire. The only reason she even did it was she knew it would be too dangerous for Thomas if she simply left the wire out. "There we go."



"Your strength has made you forget a lot of the safety precautions you use to follow."



Rachael gave a nod. "I know that I could pass a safety exam at this point unless the tester took into consideration that it is very difficult to harm me. That or I could just threaten the instructor I suppose. Though I am really becoming concerned over these slip ups. I may not be harmed but I don't want to destroy a few hours worth the work or longer and I truly hate the idea of harming you."



"Well generally speaking when there is no fear of consequences we disregard certain steps. So what you're doing isn't really surprising."



"Thomas there is a fear of consequences though not directly to me. If you were injured it would affect me and I still get annoyed when my work is ruined. These muscles haven't really helped with my patience."



"Oh sure they have effected your patience. You're even less tolerant of most people since you no longer have to worry about their reactions."



Rachael stood up and took a moment to look over her work. Walking over to Thomas Rachael wrapped her arms around him and gently embraced him. "Actually, I believe you have something to do with that as well."



Thomas gave Rachael a kiss on the chin and cheek. "How do you figure that?"



"Mm you'll have to figure that out on your own." Rachael brought her lips down and pressed them against Thomas's. It took a few moments but at last she pulled her head back and let out a slight gasp. "Okay. If I let myself get started now neither of us is going to get any work done."



"How many more rooms do we need to get wired?"



"I need to finish wiring two more rooms upstairs and three more parts of the basement."



"I? Do you mean that I can't help?"



Rachael giggled and lifted Thomas off the ground. "That is exactly what I mean. I don't want to risk one of my slip ups hurting you. Well that it isn't entirely true that you won't be helping me you're going to supervise me and let me know whenever I am forgetting a step or a precaution."



"You know the work will go faster if I help and I know you don't like being told you're doing something wrong."



"You're right I don't like being told that I am doing something wrong or that I am wrong which is why you're going to supervise like I said you would or have you forgot who is the stronger of us?." Rachael intentionally used a tone of voice that was sterner then she truly meant it to be.



Thomas pretended to try and pull away though there was no way he could break the grip Rachael's arms hand on him. "Okay I'll be good. No need to get rough."



Rachael giggled and placed a few kisses on Thomas's neck. "That is a good boy."



*****



Rachael easily pressed the nails into the solid lumber and secured the wires in place. Working another nail up from within her hand she had to be careful not to bend or dull the nails she had too much otherwise they wouldn't work very well. When she worked the next one up though a sly grin formed on her face.



Thomas knew something was about to happen whenever he saw Rachael glance over and insure that he was watching her. He wasn't entirely certain what was going on when she placed the nail against the wall and pushed it in just enough to hold it into place. She had been using her fingers to drive nails the entire time.



Once Rachael felt certain the nail was in just enough to insure gravity wouldn't pull it out for a few moments she bent down a bit and brought her head level with the nail. Slowly she extended her tongue so that the tip of it was touching the head of the nail then ever so slowly she began to stick her tongue out as if she was mocking the wall.



Mocking the wall seemed to be the right way to put what Rachael was doing. The heavy oak wood was normally considered very sturdy but despite this it didn't even slow Rachael's tongue down as it drove in the nail. As the tongue extended Thomas couldn't help but be reminded of a young girl sticking her tongue out at someone that she had just bested.



An amused giggle issued forth from Rachael after she finished though there was a somewhat unpleasant expression on her face. "That tasted terrible."



Thomas slowly walked over to Rachael and bent down so that he could see what she had actually done. "Wow."



If Thomas had been paying more attention to the super fem standing next to him he might have grown concerned whenever the same sly grin that had been on her face just before she used her tongue to push the nail in returned. Leaning closer Rachael extended her tongue outward and very carefully pressed it to the side of Thomas's head.



Thomas gave a slight jump whenever he felt the touch of Rachael's tongue on his face. Quickly he turned in her direction to see her tongue still sticking out at him. "Careful Rachael that tongue of yours is dangerous. Well it has always been sharp but now it can be down right blunt."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and pulled in her tongue. "Don't worry my tongue will never bruise or cut you."



"That is nice to know."



"I wonder if I could spit a nail out of my mouth hard enough to drive it through the board."



"You probably could though I don't know how strait it would be."



"Do you want to find out? There isn't anything very vital here."



"Sure."



Rachael handed Thomas one of the nails. "Okay go wash that thing off and dip it in sugar or something. I don't mind trying but they taste fowl without a little flavoring or maybe that was the wall? I don't know either way go and add something." Thomas gave a nod and quickly made his way out of the room and into the kitchen.



"Here you go Rachael."



"Oh chocolate" Rachael quickly slipped the nail into her mouth and proceeded to clean away the chocolate syrup before turning to the wall. She then puckered her lips as if she was going to kiss it and blew the nail out of her mouth.



The sound the nail generated whenever it was driven into the wall could have easily been mistaken for a small explosion. The bit of metal was actually imbedded so far in that one would have to carve out some of the surrounding wall in order to remove it. "Woah. Careful Rachael you nearly sent it through the wall."



"I was being careful." Rachael gave a giggle and gentle blew on Thomas so that she made his hair fly back and his shirt began to ruffle.



Thomas smiled and braced himself against the torrent of air. He had been impressed by what she had done with a nail however when he realized that the wind was picking up speed and even threatening to blow him over he was stunned. It wasn't long before Thomas had to use all his strength just to remain stationary. Despite this he couldn't bring himself to ask Rachael to stop.



Rachael relaxed whenever she saw that Thomas was having trouble holding his ground. She then took a moment to look around the surrounding building. "It is a good thing we had this place reinforced."



"Yeah other wise you might have blown out a few windows or worse."



It had only been a few weeks since Rachael and Thomas had resolved to build a home but already they had made an enormous amount of progress. Rachael and Thomas had worked on the actual design together though to his dismay at times she insisted on doing most of the work.



On average Thomas would help out until he began to tire at which time Rachael would continue to work. She simply never seemed to get drained. During these times he would look over what she and he had done and in general keep her company. Rachael also worked during the early hours of the morning while Thomas was still asleep. A time period which had been growing longer and longer as Rachael found herself needing less sleep.



The building was official a one story structure however the basement actually had two levels. This had been done in order to deal with the rather heavy equipment they would be bringing in and the need for a secure work area. The top floor of the building had been made sturdy but the basement levels could have doubled as bomb shelters.



Thomas walked over to his tools and picked up the nail gun he had been using. Walking over to a spot next to Rachael he began working once again or at least he tried. When he went to drive the first nail Rachael suddenly stuck her hand in the way causing the nail to be pushed against her hand instead of into the bored. The gun gave a slight kick when it proved incapable of penetrating Rachael's skin.



"Thomas you still look tired I want you to rest for a while longer."



"Don't worry I can help."



"You can rest or you can go and get a snack and rest."



Thomas gave a sigh. At one time he had took such moments as insulting but he knew Rachael only got this way because she was concerned about him and it was true he was still quite tired. He also knew that there was no reasoning with her when it came to such matters. "What would you like?"



"Mm a chicken sandwich I suppose though to be honest I am not actually hungry."



"Rachael I don't remember seeing you eat yesterday."



"I didn't."



"And you're still not hungry?"



Rachael gave a shrug. "No. I can't say that I am. I don't feel any weaker either." Thomas didn't say anything but proceeded to make his way to the kitchen."



"Here you go pretty lady."



Rachael was a bit surprised when Thomas walked up to her and held a sandwich just in front of her face. For a moment she didn't do anything then she opened her mouth and took a bite while Thomas was still holding it.



"Mm that is good. I am glad that I can still enjoy food even though I don't know how much of it I still need."



"Well since your hands are dirty how about I feed you while you work then I'll eat mine?"



"That sounds fine to me."



"Rachael I really don't like the thought of you not eating."



"Why not, I feel fine."



"Still, I want you to try something other then just quitting."



Rachael took another bite of the sandwich and took her time chewing to enjoy the taste. "Thomas don't worry about it I'll be fine. After this I'll probably go without eating for a few days more well until I get hungry however long that is."



"Rachael I don't want you to quit eating all at once. You should at least be careful and instead of cutting out food entirely eat smaller and smaller portions each day. Don't make me force you to eat."



Rachael turned around and faced Thomas for just a moment. Then her arms wrapped around him and she pulled him against herself. "Okay I'll take it slowly then. I can see that you're serious about this."



"How about letting me prepare your meals? Each day I'll reduce the calorie intake slowly and you can let me know if you notice anything."



"How slowly are we talking about?"



"Once a week I could cut the number of calories by ten percent."



Rachael couldn't help but frown. "Come on Thomas you know I can handle a bigger cut then that."



Thomas couldn't help but smile. "Would you let me talk you out of it if you were worried about my health?"



Rachael couldn't help but pout. "No I wouldn't." A grin formed on her face. "But I am at the one with super human strength here."



"Rachael."



"Oh fine be that way."



Thomas had to repress a chuckle as he watched an Amazon that stood over two meters tall pouting. "Thanks for letting me take care of you to."



*****



Rachael ran her fingers along the heavy concrete the whole time she did so she had to fight the urge to bury her fingers into the solid material. Thomas for his part was finishing the last check on the power system. "Okay Rachael I believe that you have done it."



It took a moment for Rachael to respond. "Do you think that we built it strong enough? The walls they just feel so weak."



"Rachael is something the matter you look concerned?"



Turning around Rachael walked over to Thomas and wrapped her arms around him. "I don't know. I just thought it would feel more secure whenever it was finished."



Reaching up Thomas placed his hand on Rachael's cheek. "I guess when you're as strong as you are it would take one heck of a building to make you feel safe. I don't see why you are so worried though, I doubt they are many things that could harm you." Thomas's eyes widened for a moment and a chuckle escaped him. "But you're not worried about yourself. Are you?"



Rachael wrapped her arms around Thomas to insure that he couldn't back away. "Do you mind if I worry about you?"



"No I don't. I guess I must seem pretty fragile to you?"



Rachael gave a nod. "Yeah and the stronger I get the more delicate you seem to be but the more we are together the more important you become to me. So I worry whenever you're not near me. I was hoping I would feel more relaxed when we finished building our home but I just can't shake the feeling that it isn't enough."



"Rachael you know that I can handle myself in a fight."



Rachael couldn't help but flinched, she really despised the idea of Thomas having to fight. "With normal people maybe but not in the world I have brought you in to. You know the majority of people there who aren't enhanced themselves either having nothing to do with the fighters directly and just gamble or have several bodyguards."



Thomas considered arguing his point that he knew how to fight again but knew it wouldn't have any effect. Rachael was right after all he wouldn't last very long against someone with the level of enhancement most of the fighters had. "So what do you want to do?"



"I could enhance you as well but a part of me just doesn't want to do that. There is just something telling me not to." Rachael looked down at her hands and then back to Thomas as if waiting for something.



"Rachael if you believe that it is important that I not be enhanced then I won't be. Even if you decide it is the logical thing to do I'll take the risk and remain normal." Thomas felt himself lifted from the ground a moment later and held against Rachael.



"Thanks and I don't believe it would matter. Even if I made you ten times stronger then you are now I would still worry so much. The real problem here is me and my speed."



"How do you figure that?"



"I may be very difficult to hurt but if someone threatened you I may not be able to get to you in time. After all I still can't run much faster then a normal person. I am going to have to work on becoming faster and then maybe I'll be able to relax some." Still cradling Thomas in her arms Rachael lifted him up a bit higher and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. When she spoke again she didn't pull her face away. "Until then you're just going to have to stay near me."



Thomas sighed and returned Rachael's kiss and then some. "You know in the past I would have found this all very emasculating."



"And how do you feel about it now? You know I don't want to harm you in anyway."



Thomas wrapped his arms around Rachael's neck and pulled himself against her. "It is nice to be loved. I've just had to accept that physically there isn't really anyway for me to protect you."



"Hey I thought you said you accepted that a long time ago."



"Well to be honest it was more like accepting it and to be entirely honest that process is still going on to some extent but I am getting there."



Rachael gave Thomas another kiss. "Is there anything that I could do to help you along?"



"You are."



"How am I helping you along? Once I know what I am doing maybe I can do it more often."



"Thanks for letting me protect you in the arena."



It only took Rachael a moment to realize what Thomas was talking about. "Mm yes I do need someone to protect me from all those annoyances. I am just terrible when it comes to dealing with people. Besides I trust your judgment and you have some fun ideas to."



"Like the three on one fight that almost destroyed your career?"



"Oh shush it was fun. I don't mind that it made earning money somewhat difficult. It would have happened anyway after all and we did manage to make quite a bit of money, besides that was my fault not yours I am the one that lost control and lashed out. Hopefully, you can get me more such matches. "



"I'll do my best."



"Thanks." Rachael gave Thomas one more kiss this time she pressed her lips securely to his.



Thomas pressed his lips as securely to Rachael's as he could. He felt her arms tighten up on him a bit though not enough to cause him any pain. When he began to need air he felt Rachael's tongue pressing against the outside of his lips and opened his mouth allowing it entrance. The moment he did he felt fresh air flowing into his mouth and he took a breath.



Rachael loved maintaining her and Thomas's kisses by supplying him with the oxygen that he needed. It wasn't just maintaining the physical action that she loved. She adored having him depend on her even for his oxygen. She loved separating him from the wrest of the world to the best of her ability so that he was entirely hers.



*****



Rachael didn't cry out whenever she was sent flying backwards and slamming into the padded wall. Even if the thick cushioning hadn't been there the impact wouldn't have harmed her. The only reason they had even set it up was to actually protect the steel reinforced concrete wall behind it.



Thomas gave a slight jump when he suddenly saw Rachael fly backwards and impact the wall. It wasn't that he worried about her being harmed. He knew how strong she was even down to his subconscious now. The suddenness of the event didn't surprise him though. "Rachael what happened."



"Thomas what does each mark on the dial stand for?"



Thomas glanced down at the treadmill Rachael had been standing on and noticed how quickly it was moving. "Each one of the marks is ten kilometers."



"Oh that explains it."



Unable to help himself Thomas walked over to the machine and took note of what Rachael had it set for. "Rachael I have to say I believe two hundred kilometers and hour is too high of a speed to start out with."



Giggling a bit Rachael stood up. "Yeah I would have to agree. Why on earth did you make it so that each mark is ten kilometers per hour?"



"Well I know that you can easily handle running at twenty kilometers an hour. So it seemed like a good choice."



Walking back to the machine Rachael turned the speed down so that it was only running at twenty five kilometers per hour by her estimation. "That is true." Hopping up onto the treadmill once again Rachael was almost thrown off again but after a second she was able to match the speed.



Thomas proceeded to move one of the seats in front of the treadmill and set down so that he was facing Rachael. "So how do you plan on doing this?"



"Well I was thinking that I would try slowly turning up the speed until I felt myself moving backwards. Then I would try and match the speed so that I quit moving and hopefully I'll even be able to start moving forward."



"I wish we could have started this sooner."



"Yeah me to though I suspect that we have different reasons for wishing that."



"Oh? And why do you regret not being able to really work on your speed sooner?"



"The sooner I figure out a way to bolster my speed the sooner I can quit worrying so much about not being fast enough to protect you. What is your reason?"



"Well you started to move very rapidly in your fight with Dr. Williams's fighters. I wish the fight was fresher in your mind so you could better remember what was going on."



"Blast it now I have two reasons to regret not getting to start sooner. All well I suppose that means I'll just have to focus on my speed even more to catch up." Reaching up Rachael gave the dial a very slight turn which results in the treadmill speeding up by three more kilometers.



"Would you like me to try and make some more precise controls?"



"No these will do just fine."



Thomas gave a nod, stood up and moved to the side of the treadmill. Leaning over a bit he watched as Rachael's legs and rump would flex and move whenever she ran. "I swear I am quite tempted to spank you right now."



"Don't you dare, I don't want to risk accidentally kicking you or being thrown back while your arm is still in the way."



Nodding his head Thomas walked back to the front of the machine and climbed up a bit so that he was leaning on the bars that supported the controls. He then leaned forward and gave Rachael a kiss. "I wonder how I should go about encouraging you to run faster." Once again Thomas leaned forward and gave Rachael a kiss only this time he gave the control a slight twist.



"I think this is a nice way." Rachael felt the machine accelerate and saw Thomas twist the dial.



Thomas grinned and continued to kiss Rachael only stopping from time to time to look down at his watch. After about five minutes he noticed that he had to lean forward just a bit more then normal. He quickly retreated back to his starting distance from Rachael.



There was only two centimeters between their lips now but Rachael knew that distance would grow with time. "Okay move your head back and get to the side. I don't know how this is going to work."



Thomas gave a quick nod and leaned over the bars one more time. This time he leaned forward enough to give Rachael another kiss before retreating to the side as instructed.



After Thomas had moved back Rachael began to try and run faster. She didn't bother mentioning it to Thomas but she still had a very good idea of what she was feeling in the final moments of the fight before she mutilated the final fighter. She had quit trying so hard to catch the other fighters and had just begun to have fun. Of course she hadn't actually noticed the speed increase so she couldn't be entirely sure she was focusing on the right moment.



Thomas watched intently as Rachael tried to match the treadmill's pace. He wouldn't actually be sure she had done it though for at least five minutes. It had taken that long just for the machine to move her back around two centimeters after all.



"Thomas I don't want you to tell me if I am being moved backwards or not. I'll just keep this up until I am thrown off and then I'll just hop back on. I don't expect to get this right the first time through."



"How many times do you plan on trying?"



"Until we come up with a better idea I suppose."



"Well I could program your moving targets to move more quickly and see if you could hit them Of course it is basically working off the same method.'



"That is a good idea. Why don't you begin working on that while I work on this? If after a while this hasn't yielded any results we can move on to that."



"Well in that case." Standing up Thomas walked over to the work station they had set up in the basement and retrieved a meter stick he then walked over to Rachael and measured how far away she was from the front of the treadmill. Removing his watch he switched it to timer mode and set it on the treadmill controls. "Whenever you get thrown off just stop this. Then when you try again you just have to start from the same position and see if you last longer."



"Sounds like a plan to me."



"I have to say though. I wish that we could work on testing your strength as well as developing your speed."



"So do I. I would also like to look into just how I was canceling out the force of your weight when I picked you up before but this has to come first."



Thomas gave a nod. "Well I am going to at least bring a laptop over here for you. That way you can watch some television while you are running. That way you won't get bored."



Rachael pretended to pout. "Are you that eager to get away from me?"



"No. I meant for later whenever I need to do the sleep thing which you seem to be doing so little of these days."



"How about just turning the computer screen to where I can see it and setting up a voice command system? That way I can work or play some games while exercising. There aren't many shows I can think of which I would like to watch."



Thomas gave a nod. "Okay. Wait a second did you say play?"



"Yes I did."



"As in play computer games?"



"Well yeah. Hey don't give me that look."



Thomas quickly shook his head though he couldn't get the grin to leave his face. "I am sorry you just never seemed to be the type."



"Thomas what did you think I did whenever I was waiting for the machines to finish running tests?"



"You always seemed to be working on something is all so I assumed you were working on another project."



"Even I need to take a brake from time to time."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well that is how I liked to seem so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." Rachael took a step back off the treadmill and quickly grabbed the watch and stopped the time. "Okay now let's see if I can do better. Later on I am going to have to kick your tail on a shooter."



*****



"Well what do you think?" Gregory smiled as he presented his handiwork to Thomas and Rachael.



Rachael grinned as she proceeded over to the machine. Reaching up she took note of one of the strikers and the various heads it could use. "It looks very nice."



Thomas stood a bit back from what he would have considered a rather menacing looking torture device. They had been working on Rachael's speed so much that they had almost forgotten about hiring Gregory to make the machine. Currently the three of them were in the garage. Later once Gregory had left Rachael wanted to give the machine a truly careful looking over before they moved it into the basement.



Gregory clapped his hands together. "Well would you like to try it out?"



Rachael shook her head. "Not just yet but don't worry you'll get your money today." In most situations Rachael wouldn't have paid before testing something but since she planned to seriously injure or kill Gregory if she found out she had been tricked she wasn't too concerned.



Gregory had been working in the fights long enough to realize what was happening. "Well if it doesn't work out before you decide pummeling me is the best option. Let me know what is wrong and I'll fix it."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Is that from previous experiences or am I just that easy to read?"



Gregory gave a slight shrug. "Well you did kill one of Williams's men and he is a major player. Of course you also beat his three top fighters all at once so I doubt you have anything to worry about."



"So do you have the information I need?"



Gregory gave a nod before handing Rachael a small card. "Here you go. Just transfer the money there."



Taking the card Rachael slipped it into her pocket. "Okay I'll have it done within the hour."



*****



"So when are we going to move it?" Thomas had kept his distance from the machine while Gregory was there but now he found himself looking it over.



Rachael took a few moments to finish up the transfer before responding. "I want to look it over carefully before I move it anywhere."



"Do you believe there is something wrong with it?"



"I believe that it will work but I have other concerns."



"You're worried that it is going to be recording information about you aren't you?"



Rachael gave a nod. "Even though I have been fighting for a little while now I am still the new comer. We have few friends there and those we do have I still don't know if we can trust."



"Well you're on your way to building a reputation as someone that shouldn't be crossed."



Rachael gave a giggle and moved behind Thomas. After wrapping her left arm around him and pulling him against herself she extended her right hand which still held the card Gregory had given her.



Thomas wasn't entirely certain what was going on as he watched Rachael's fingers close around the card. However, he did know that he should keep his eyes on the card.



Rachael made certain to leave some spaces in between her fingers before she began to increase the pressure on the card and slightly shift her fingers about. It only took a few moments for the heat and pressure to take effect. Smoke began to rise from the slip of paper after only a few moments and then it was a small ball of flame resting in Rachael's hand.



Turning her hand Rachael allowed the burning paper to fall to the garage floor and she relaxed her hold on Thomas a bit though not entirely. While she spoke she began to shift from side to side ever so slightly causing her breast to rub against Thomas's back. "Well I have to admit I do like having everyone's attention focused on me."



Thomas shuddered slightly as he felt Rachael's breast rubbing against his back. When Rachael lightened her grip on him a bit more he quickly turned around and pressed his lips against hers. "Sadly the stronger the enemy, the more people want information on them. Also you have to consider that almost everyone else there is at least willing to sell their design. I bet they're dying to get information on you."



*****



Rachael carefully slid the last bit of the machine back into place. She had nearly taken Gregory's handiwork apart in her search for anything suspicious. The only spots she hadn't taken apart were the ones she felt certain no recording device could be stored though this had not stopped her from checking them over through other methods.



"Well what did you find?"



A sigh escaped Rachael. "You know I am almost disappointed. I didn't find anything."



"Would you like me to check it over as well? I know you're far better at putting together genetic codes then I am but I believe I got you beat when it comes to machines."



It took a moment for Rachael to reach a decision. "No. I believe that I am going to leave it as is."



"You're not worried?"



"Well even if they do get information on me they are going to have to also have someone strong enough to exploit that information."



"They already know you have at last one major weak point."



Rachael gave a nod. "I am so slow that my strength is the only thing that kept me alive during the fights. Of course I am working on that. I still don't fully understand what is going on though. My legs are surely pushing off the ground with enough force to help me to run faster then any human that hasn't been enhanced."



Thomas gave a nod and made his way over to a cleared section of the garage. After fiddling with a few latches he proceeded to slide away a rather heavy trap door. "I am glad you set this up so even I can get it open."



"Well I had to make sure it was accessible to you if you ever needed to use it." Reaching down Rachael took a moment to find the two strongest points on the machine and press her back against some of the upper material before lifting. The metal creaked a bit in protest but there was nothing to cause major concern.



Thomas waited until Rachael had stood up entirely and had to try something. "Rachael would you mind holding that up while I run a little test?"



"Mm sure go right ahead."



Thomas gave a nod and walked over to Rachael. Bending down his wrapped both his arms around her lower waste and proceeded to try and lift her. If he hadn't remembered the experience with the trampoline he might of went into shock whenever he lifted her a few centimeters off the ground before having to set her down. "Okay it seems that however your canceling the force out before it reaches the ground works on that much mass to."



Rachael couldn't help but stair for a moment. "I suppose so." Unsure of what to say Rachael began to carry the heavy device through the trap door and down a ramp into the basement testing area.



*****



"I did it!"



Thomas was a bit startled when he heard Rachael shout. It wasn't just that she shouted that surprised him, it was the fact that he could have sworn it shook the entire house.



Rachael gave a slight giggle when she realized she had shouted a little louder then intended. With Thomas upstairs and the house's reinforcing materials she had become a little careless. At least it got Thomas's attention though as she heard him rushing down to the basement.



It didn't even take Thomas half a minute to dash through the house and down into the basement. He knew where Rachael was before he even opened the door and quickly turned to see what had happened. "What happened?"



Rachael giggled a bit and turned to Thomas. "Come over here and take a look at the treadmill."



"You mean you have gotten faster?" Thomas started to ask Rachael how fast but quickly decided it would be better to go over and see how much she had improved. What he saw was quite a shock. "Rachael you're up to 80 kilometers an hour?"



"Yes I am. Well actually a bit under eighty kilometers but close. Do you want to see?"



"I would love to."



Nodding Rachael quickly hopped onto the treadmill once again. The moment she landed her legs began pumping and for a few minutes she seemed to be entirely stationary. "It took about seventeen minutes for it to put me off at this speed."



"How does it feel and how long has this been going on?"



"Well I actually I started speeding up almost the third day of my running and since then I have been increasing though it has been far from constant. I believe that I could have run this fast a long time ago and I can probably run a lot faster it is just a matter of letting go."



"Is that why you shouted?"



"Yeah for a while now I have only been going around forty kilometers and hour. Then all of a sudden I don't know it was like I opened up and I felt myself take hold of something."



"Do you think you can go faster?"



"That is what I am going to try and do now. I think I have a hand on what I need now let us see if I can tighten up my grip a bit."



Thomas nodded and went to take a seat however before he could even move across the room her heard an odd sound coming from the treadmill. One quick look at Rachael's legs told him what was going on. She was beginning to run faster then the tread was actually moving.



As Rachael felt herself accelerating she was overjoyed though not so much so that she didn't notice something strange happening. When she turned to look at Thomas it seemed that he was moving at a third of the speed which he normally moved at. "Thomas, are you okay?"



It took Thomas a moment to respond especially when he saw Rachael speed the treadmill up even more however he was able to find his voice. "Yeah a little stunned but fine."



"Would you mind waving your arm as quickly as you can?"



The request would have normally made Thomas wonder what was going on but at the moment his mind was focused on other things. "Sure."



Rachael watched as Thomas waved his arm a bit. She knew that the action was slowed to some extent by his surprise but despite that she knew he shouldn't be moving that slowly. "Well it seems that I have a lot more testing to do with this. For now though how about we find out how fast I can run?"



Thomas tried to understand Rachael but found it to be difficult. "Sorry I didn't understand you. You're speaking to fast."



*****



Rachael carefully chewed her sandwich not out of hunger but rather to enjoy the taste longer. She was down to half a sandwich and a few bits of fruit that wouldn't have even amounted to half an apple per meal since she had Thomas start reducing the amount of food he prepared for her.



"So when you were running at 120 kilometers an hour it seemed like I was moving only a third as fast as I normally do?"



Instead of responding right away Rachael held up a finger. It was three more minutes before she swallowed and finally responded. "Yeah, I noticed when I was running at eighty kilometers an hour you only seemed to be moving at half the usual speed then when I went up to one hundred and twenty you seemed to slow down to a third."



"So it seems that your body is speeding up as a whole. Even your nervous system is working more quickly."



"That would be the most likely cause as I doubt I am altering time around myself."



"I don't know you seem to be altering gravity."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well yeah I didn't see that one coming either. Still, let's stick with your first guess as the most logical. Of course we don't really know if I am effecting gravity either it could be something else entirely."



Thomas gave a nod. "True. Your body is adapting faster then we can study what is happening."



"Yeah, it doesn't help that it has a year plus head start on us but I really don't want it to stop. On another note how is my next fight coming along?"



"Things are going well. I am sorry all the fights that I have managed to get you sense you fought Williams men have been one on one fights."



Rachael waved her hand. "I can't say that I don't wish I could get some more amusing fights but it isn't your fault. Still, since you bring it up that must mean you have some good news for me."



"You mean you haven't been listening to me while I was on the phone?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Every time I realize your speaking to Andrew I begin to ignore the conversation."



"Well then you'll probably like this. You're going to be the tester for multiple fighters." Thomas felt a slight rush of air and in just a blink Rachael was no longer in front of him but was standing behind him. She only slowed down whenever she moved to wrap her arms around him.



"Goody. Now give me the details."



"Well the basic idea is that they will introduce one fighter into the ring at a time. Each fighter gets scored based on how long they last with you and how much they manage to injure you. This would normally continue until the tester had been beaten down. After this those fighters that had managed to survive would get to fight one another so of course they try to survive their fight with the tester with minimum damage."



"Mm okay enough about them now tell me about the tester."



"You get scored on how many rounds you manage to last. This is a pretty big event though it isn't like more then one of them will be coming at you at once. They take the time to gather up a lot of fighters and testers since the testers normally don't last past five rounds at best."



Rachael gave a slight giggle and Thomas a quick kiss. "Well you should tell Andrew that he only needs one tester and that is me."



"So are you going to show them your improved speed?"



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Of course I am. It is going to be the debut of my new outfit as well."



"So you finally think it is time?"



"Yeah I have been saving it for a special event after all."



"I can't wait to see you wearing it in the ring. I am sure the audience will love the wrapping."



"Mm and after words maybe I'll let you do some unwrapping."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "If only that was true, still even if I can't take your clothes off I'll be happy to try." Rachael had actually let Thomas try to undress her numerous times while she wore her fight clothes however the material hugged her skin far too tightly and was far too strong for him to remove.



A giggle escaped from Rachael. "Well I suppose I could let you try using a crowbar this time."



"I'll gladly give it my all crowbar or not."



*****



Andrew didn't know what to think as he looked over the list of fighters. Rachael had been fighting for only a few months now and people were traveling from all over to come and fight her. Everyone knew that whoever managed to take down the invincible Rachael would be able to sell their design for a fortune.



The fact that in almost every fight her opponent ended up breaking their hands while trying to injure her only added to the value. Now she was meant to be a tester or one of the high bars in a series of fights. These events always ended with the testers being taken out as even the best were normally worn down after five fights.



This was the first time Andrew thought that there may not be testers but rather one tester. He had seen Rachael fight enough and learned enough about her to know this is what she would be aiming for. He had his suspicions confirmed only a short while ago when Rachael and Thomas had shown up. Thomas had placed an enormous amount of money on Rachael to not just last for five fights but to beat everyone that climbed into the ring with her.



There was something that made the fight even stranger then someone making what would normally be a very foolish bet. Thomas wasn't the only one that had bet a large sum of money on Rachael to last through the entire event. Dr. Williams had arrived with Sally before Thomas and Rachael had even arrived and also bet a large sum of money on Rachael. Apparently he had a great deal of confidence in someone that could beat his three best fighters at once.



Sally couldn't help but grin as she set next to Williams in a private viewing section. "You bet an awful lot of money on someone that put three of your best fighters down for months."



Williams gave a nod. "Well she did cost me a lot of money. I figured this was a chance to make back some of our funds." Williams hadn't actually bet on the fight between Rachael and his three but the cost of taking care of the three seriously injured enhanced was quite high.



"Aren't you worried that she is just going to lose you more money now? I can see her beating any number of the nothings they send at her but after she last through them she is going to have to fight all the wood be testers."



"I doubt they'll even be able to scratch her."



Sally was about to comment but noted the grin on Williams face. "You know something that I don't. What is it?"



A slight laugh issued forth from Williams. "It is something that you don't know."



"Mm well if you're going to be that way maybe I should go down there and sign myself up to make sure you lose your money."



"Don't you dare, I don't know which of you would win but I don't like the outcome either way. Fixing up those three was costly but repairing you from the same level of damage would put more then a dent in our bank account. It would also severally hinder all operations."



Sally was a bit surprised. "Surely you don't believe she could hurt me."



"You're not to participate in the fight. That is an order."



"Woe you are serious. Okay Sir I'll stay out of the fight though I still don't see how someone that slow could ever beat me."



"My Sally you normally don't have this much of an opinion when it comes to the fights. You normally giggle, call them insects and leave it at that."



Sally gave a shrug. "What can I say? I like her."



"Why is that?"



"I get the feeling that she is using her power instead of hiding behind it. So many fighters seem to stagnate whenever they come here and don't really seek bigger and better things."



Thanks to the large bets that they normally placed and Rachael's reputation Thomas could have set in one of the loftier private sections. However, he chose a section that was right near the ring and while it didn't give him a bird's eye view he felt that he got the better show especially whenever Rachael came down the walkway. The fact that he was closer to the ring also seemed to comfort Rachael as she liked to be able to see what was going on around him.



There had been a dull roar of conversation going through the arena for sometime now and it only stopped whenever the announcer climbed into the ring. "Ladies and gentlemen tonight we bring you a very special event. A series of twelve fighters must stand against an oncoming wave of combatants. Will these twelve be able to hold out against the ocean or will they be swept away?"



A cold chuckle could be heard throughout the entire arena drawing everyone's attention to the entrance where Rachael currently stood. Rachael had intentionally put enough power into the laugh to insure everyone in the arena could hear her she continued to do so as she spoke. "Are you trying to insult me?" The tone of Rachael's voice was cold, even and very powerful.



A shiver seemed to run through everyone in the arena except for three. Thomas had heard Rachael use that tone of voice before indeed she had used it while speaking to him at times. The difference was that whenever she had used it to speak to him she had always been teasing him. Now he couldn't be sure if she was truly offended or not. The announcer seemed to be feeling the same way as he appeared to be quite shaken.



The announcer couldn't be certain whether or not Rachael was simply putting on her stage persona or if she was serious. In most cases he would have no doubt they were just bluffing but even though time had passed since she beat Williams's men it was still fresh in everyone's memory. Still, he couldn't just stand in the ring and be made to cower before her. "Did you hear that ladies and gentlemen? It seems that the mistress of the arena has claimed dominion over the ocean as well. Will she be able to tame the sea?"



A devilish smile adorned Rachael's face as she finally stepped onto the walk way and began to make her way down the ring. With each step she would flex her leg muscles and drive her heels into the solid concrete. Even if the crowd had been cheering one could have heard the sound of her heels being driven into the concrete as things where now you could have also heard a pin drop.



As Rachael made her way to the ring Thomas couldn't help but wonder if everyone was being quiet due to the tone of her voice and smile or if they were stunned by the lovely image before them. Rachael wore both her new outfit and her stage persona quite well.



A light blue top that covered the entire bottom portion of her breast and just a bit of her chest rose up to four centimeters just above her nipples. The material then lightened into a fine gray that barely even put a shadow over her breast and reached up over her shoulders and down her back.



Two straps reached down from the bottom of her top each one traveling along the outer most edges of her stomach growing thinner and thinner until they connected with her light blue bikini bottom. The material was the same blue as her top. The material was drawn so tightly against her skin that the outline of her lower lips could just barely be seen and thinned in the back to reveal her wonderful rump.



An eighth of the way down her thighs a blue material wrapped around her thighs growing thinner as it moved to the interior of her thighs and wider around the exterior creating a slant. Running from the bottom of this ring her entire leg was covered in the same gray nylon material that covered her breast until it reached down to her shoes the very toes of which were the same familiar blue. The heels of her shoes looked somewhat odd as they seemed to have a shine to them as if they were metallic.



Traveling one eight of the way down her arm to her shoulder one found a similar ring wrapped around her biceps as the one on her leg.

The gray nylon material forming from it reached down covering her arm and palm though leaving the fingers exposed.



As Rachael walked past Thomas she slammed her foot into the ground extra hard and caused his chair to jump. A giggle that was so quiet only he could hear it left her lips and she gave her hair a light toss. Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. The announcer didn't have to worry about Rachael tearing his head off though he sure didn't know that.



Rachael walked to the side of the ring but didn't make any move towards the entrance. Instead she took hold of the two heaviest bars that she could reach without jumping. The metal seemed to scream as Rachael slowly bent the bars creating an opening large enough for her to go through. Quickly she climbed into the ring and bent the bars back into place.



The announcer was quiet as he waited for Rachael to speak. He only felt it was safe to talk whenever she walked over to her preferred corner and leaned against the bars. Rachael never actually sat in the arena and always claimed the same corner even if it was suppose to go to another fighter.



She had thrown so many fighters out of what she considered her spot that they had eventually just started letting her have it and now no one but those that wanted a truly sever beating or thought they could beat her dared set in it. It was to the point now that even when Rachael wasn't fighting few would risk setting there.



Thomas knew the reason Rachael always claimed the same spot. It meant her back was to him and with the way she stood he was presented with a truly wonderful view of her rear. He wondered how many other people noticed Rachael posing and flaunting her body while the announcer spoke.



Rachael watched as a very well muscled man made his way down towards the ring. If one just looked at him they wouldn't have been sure if he was a body builder or an enhanced. For this fight the announcer only gave the testers a great deal of attention as there was simply too many other combatants to take the time for. From the look on the man's face Rachael could tell he resented the total lack of attention.



Climbing into the ring he sneered at Rachael. Her build wasn't much better then his and he hadn't been there to see her beat Williams's men. Unfortunately for him he wasn't a local and thought most of what he heard about Rachael was a just hype.



Rachael gave a slight chuckle. "What would you like to do to me?"



The man blinked a few times and the announcer slowed his retreat from the ring not wanting to risk leaving the ring unless he felt it was with Rachael's good graces. "Huh?"



"Did the enhancement process you went through destroy brain cells? I asked you what you wanted to do to me."



Not being one to take an insult the fighter puffed himself up a bit. "I am going to fuck you up bitch and maybe after that I'll fuck you."



Rachael tone was amused but cold and full of malice. "Such a dirty mouth, I am going to have to rip out your tongue for that and I think I'll crush your balls for that threat to rape me."



The man started to speak again but the announcer was back to retreating from the ring. "Hey where the fuck are you going?"



"That is the third time you said that word in less then thirty seconds. Don't you have a better vocabulary then that?"



The announcer didn't slow down. He normally liked to give the fighters time to throw around threats but they didn't have time for that in such matches. Of course he also didn't want to be in the ring with Rachael. She had never harmed him but he had seen her basically torture her opponents and given some of her other behavioral patterns he was a little nervous around her.



"Let the fight begin."



There was a sudden gasp when Rachael quickly shot across the ring. Everyone was so use to her opponents hammering away on her until she was able to get a hold of them or they tired out. They didn't expect her to suddenly sprint across the ring before her opponent could take two steps.



Rachael gave a slight giggle as she came to stop right in front of the man and held her hand up to his face as if she was about to flick it with her middle and index fingers. When the man went to dodge she gave his front teeth a quick flick.



He had been told that Rachael was slow but here she had covered the distance between him and herself in less then a second. He didn't have time to think about this as the pain from having his front teeth knocked out clouded his mind.



Rachael quickly reached into the man's mouth and took hold of his tongue she then gave it a quick yank. The force of her pulling on his tongue and the momentum that carried him backwards tore the muscle clean out of his mouth. The action was completed so quickly that Rachael didn't even get a trickle of the blood upon herself.



When the man went to his knees Rachael moved to grab his nuts to carry through with her final threat but she stopped before she reached them. Walking back to her side of the ring she grinned and turned towards the downed fighter "Hike."



There was a gasp from the audience as Rachael quickly accelerated to eighty kilometers per hour and slammed her foot into the man's nut sack. The force of the impact was so great that she sent him flying over the top of the cage and onto the hard concrete floor below.



The announcer took a moment to respond. He expected Rachael to win but given her past fights he didn't expect it to be over with so quickly. When he finally realized he needed to declare Rachael the winner the medics were already taking the downed fighter away. "Winner by ring out Rachael, next victim come on down."



Rachael gave a delighted giggle and turned towards the announcer. "Now you are getting it. However, how about you make that plural and give me more then one person at once?"



The announcer turned towards the judge stand. "What do you say can the lady have more then one at a time?"



Rachael couldn't help but frown when the judges' decision came back. "It seems the judges have decided that while Rachael is clearly able to handle more then one they won't be allowing her to take more then one victim at a time."



*****



"Well they finally seem to be catching on." Sally turned towards Williams who was watching the fights closely. Rachael had continued asking opponent after opponent what they wanted to do to her.

Depending on their answer she either went fairly easy on them or exceptionally hard on them.



"So do you still want to fight her?"



Sally frowned. "She has only been moving at one hundred eighty kilometers an hour tops. I can easily deal with that and she hasn't shown herself to have as much strength as I do."



"Shown being the key word, how long do you believe she has been keeping her speed a secret."



"I bet she only developed her speed recently. She looked too frustrated in previous fights to be holding it back."



Rachael had finally gotten to the points during her previous fights that her lack of speed didn't bother her too much, at least when it came to fighting. That didn't prevent her from enjoying her speed now that she had it.



Thomas watched as Rachael avoided her opponent's attacks. It was actually surprising to see Rachael wanting to dodge as she always seemed to enjoy flaunting her endurance so much. Then again perhaps she was enjoying letting her opponents know that she could take them out of the fight whenever she wanted to.



Williams had known that Rachael enhancements were of a far higher grade then what most considered possible with the current level of development. Watching her flaunt those abilities in the ring now only served as amusement. "It is very impressive that someone with such limited resources was able to come up with such a design."



Sally gave an amused giggle. "I know. Why didn't you try to recruit her before she did that to herself? I am sure the research and development team would have loved to have her."



Williams gave a sigh. "It is amazing that we let someone so talented slip past us. I wish that we could have made a better first impression on her."



"We could still try and offer her a deal."



Williams shook his head. "We need to wait for a better time."



Rachael easily lifted her opponent from the ground and gave his body a light toss. She put just enough force behind it to send him over the top of the ring so that he wouldn't have too far to fall. She had taken to clearing ring after she defeated her opponents instead of waiting for them to limp out of the ring. "Hurry up. I swear every one of you come to the ring slower then the last. You're not even worthy of climbing into the ring with me."



Thomas could tell that Rachael was getting tired of waiting for the other fighters to come down the walkway and climb into the ring with her. Of course he couldn't blame them for moving slowly. She had dealt with thirty three of them so far and a half hour had just passed. She was going through one opponent every minute and most of that minute seemed to be then walking down to the ring and climbing into it.



A loud thud could be heard issuing forth from the ring as if something very solid was hitting with the steel polls. It only took a moment for everyone to confirm that was the case. Rachael was so bored she had taken to banging the back of her head against the main supports while she waited for her opponents to come down the walkway. Everyone felt a little nervous whenever she stopped.



Rachael intentionally raised her voice so that even those behind the walls could hear her. She was thankful that the entrance for the other fighters was the one opposite to where Thomas sat so that the sound wouldn't be going directly towards him. "I have waited for you pest long enough. You accepted this when you came here to fight to me and I am tired of your stalling. From now on for every five seconds you make me wait I am going to break five of your bones in addition to what I would normally do."



Thomas grinned and rolled his eyes. That is what they got for making Rachael wait he figured though he believed that braking five bones for just taking five seconds was rather extreme. Still, he could tell that Rachael was officially bored which meant she was also annoyed. He didn't believe it was entirely the fighter's fault Rachael was bored. The judges also were to blame as they were the ones that resolved to not let more then one fighter at a time into the ring with her.



Due to her boredom Rachael had worn a frown upon her face for the last five fights and as it had grown into a scowl she had been doing more and more damage to her opponents. Now whenever she saw her next opponent sprinting down the walkway in an attempt to make it to the ring in less then five seconds a cold smile once again began to form. Of course while the smile was far from comforting it was far better then an angry glare.



"So speedy what would you like to do to me?"



The fighter had seen what happened to those that insulted Rachael he had also seen what happened to those that tried to kiss up to her. He resolved to try a different approach. "I want to end your unbeaten record."



A low laugh could be heard coming from Rachael for a moment. "Well that is a good answer. Of course no one else can use it if they want me to go easy on them."



The fighter would have protested and said he didn't want her to go easy on him. However, he had witnessed what she did to others thirty three times now and truly wanted her to take it easy on him.



Going easy on someone for Rachael meant she would only cause a few major injuries or at times none at all. As she looked over her opponent she resolved to make this fight last for a while. After she was given the go ahead she crossed the distance between them and lightly tapped him on the side of the face.



He had been in arena fights for a while and encountered some rather powerful fighters but nothing like Rachael. So he was rather surprised when her first punch didn't shatter his jaw.



Rachael gave an amused giggle as even a light punch from her nearly knocked her opponent unconscious. It looked like she was going to have to focus on other parts of the body if she wanted the fight to last for a little while. While he was still dazed she quickly moved to his side and tapped him on the side of the arm with the same amount of force she had used when hitting him in the head.



Rachael's punches still carried as much power as the strongest fighters he had ever encountered. Of course none of those fighters could have delivered their punches as quickly as Rachael was delivering hers. The only reason he was still conscious was Rachael focused on his arms. At least this allowed him to regain his focus and attempt a counter attack.



It was easy for Rachael to avoid the fighter's leg though she was glad he chose to try to kick her instead of punch. With the damage she had done to his arms it would have been even slower.



He was able to keep from crying out when Rachael took hold of his ankle and quickly pulled him upward. His head impacted with the arena floor though it was a very light impact compared to when Rachael had punched him. "I don't believe you're going to be ruining my record."



"Not today."



Rachael's smile spread until her teeth could be seen. "So you're not just a coward that was sucking up to take less damage. Okay I'll put you to sleep now." Rachael's fist slammed into the fighter's face this time rendering him unconscious in a single blow. Instead of tossing him out of the ring though she proceeded over to the side entrance, opened the door and even lowered him so that he was only a third of a meter above the arena floor before dropping him.



Instead of closing the door though she left it open. "You know what. Quit closing that door it is just a waste of time."



*****



The announcer was fairly quiet as he stood in the ring. "Well ladies and gentlemen. We have a first here. A true mistress of the arena has stepped forward and forced the sea to bend to her will."



"They are eleven more waves that need to be broken."



The announcer wasn't entirely certain what Rachael meant until he looked at the testers. Rachael had beaten all sixty of the fighters that climbed into the ring with her in under two hours. "Do you here that ladies and gentlemen? It seems that the mistress of the arena is ready to call out her fellow breakers."



Rachael's eyes seemed to slow when she looked at the announcer. "You will never put them in the same league as me again."



"Do you here that? Well are you just going to stand for that?"



Rachael turned and looked strait at the testers. There was shuffling amongst them but none seemed eager to climb into the ring with her.



"Well it seems that no one is willing to take up Mistress on her challenge."



Rachael blinked for a moment. The vast majority of fighters received some form of nickname once they had enough status. The name normally had something to do with their status or ability. It seemed that the announcer had resolved to appoint her the unofficial ruler of the arena and the ring was her thrown one which she wasn't going to be removed from.



A few more minutes passed before the loud speakers came on. "All testers will proceed to the ring in the order which they would have normally taken on the standard combatants."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "And your mistress is going to have to go extra rough on each and every one of you for not coming up her whenever she wished for your presence."



*****



"Well how do you feel Mistress?"



Rachael gave an amused giggle and leaned over so that her head was wresting on Thomas's shoulder. "I feel fine, if kind of tired, well not physically tired but mentally."



"So is it strait home Mistress or do you want to stop off and get something to eat."



"Okay enough with you calling me Mistress. I am your Rachael."



"And everyone else's boss?"



"That works for me."



"So what do you want to do now?"



"Mm go home and relax seems like a good idea. Since letting you sneak some extra food into my diet plan is out of the question."



"Rachael you're down to a forth of a sandwich."



"I have noticed that forth I have been getting is piled rather thick as well."



Thomas gave a sigh and took his eyes off the road just long enough to give Rachael a kiss upon the top of her head. "I am glad that you're not as stubborn as you are strong other wise I would never get you to even bend."



"It is a shame we had to purchase all that equipment before this fight. We could have made a larger bet."



"True but we couldn't put it off any longer."



"You're right. I wonder how badly this is going to hurt how much I can make per win."



"I don't believe it will hurt it too badly considering that you took down all three of Williams's men at once. When you think about it taking on sixty fighters that have been judged to be standard or untested and eleven higher ups one at a time there isn't much of a difference."



"Those fights were so boring though."



"I don't know I enjoyed watching. You make that outfit look nice."



"Do you believe that a day will come when no one is willing to send their fighter up against me?"



"It is possible."



"Well we can just enjoy the easy money while it last and once that runs out I'll try to find something else. Maybe, I'll finally agree to start enhancing people again."



"I am sure such an organization has other jobs that one can branch out into. I am sorry that the fight didn't live up to the hype."



"You don't have anything to be sorry about."



"Well I was the one that got you excited about it."



Rachael gave a slight shrug. "It sounded like it would be fun. You just told me what was going to happen."



"It was the wait for the different fighters to enter the ring that killed it for you. Wasn't it?"



Rachael gave a nod. "Yeah, if they had came faster or allowed four into the ring at a time it would have been a lot more fun."



*****



"Andrew Rachael really needs to start fighting tougher opponents.

She isn't making much of a profit on her bets and even worse she is getting bored."



Andrew currently set at his desk talking with Thomas over a secure line. "It is tough to find people willing to fight her. No one has even scratched her yet and the condition she tends to leave her opponents in doesn't help."



"I know. Couldn't you start giving her more then one opponent at a time? She's proven that she can handle anyone in a one on one fight."



"Well I wouldn't say anyone. Though I have to admit I have never seen another fighter as strong as she is. Normally I would put her up against some of the more agile fighters but they refuse to fight her as well."



"Are they any events that don't require you to tell them who they are going to be fighting?"



"If there was a ranking system there would be but there isn't a truly defined one. Reputation decides who is champion or in this case Mistress of the ring."



"How about allowing them to use weapons that aren't actually part of their body?"



Andrew was silent for a moment. The goal of the fights was to show off different fighters and what their DNA designs had done for them. For the most part weapons that weren't part of the fighters' body were not allowed in. "In most situations that wouldn't work. After all the idea is to show off the fighters' bodies."



"Yeah in most situations but you know when Rachael climbs into the ring it isn't a normal situation."



"Has Rachael considered picking a few fights?"



"You mean insult some of the sponsors?"



"Yeah, piss a few people off. Sure if they do send someone to fight her they'll be trying to kill her but that doesn't seem to bother the Mistress. Of course that isn't the only option."



"What is another option?"



"Well before I tell you I want you to promise you won't do this in my arena."



"I'll do my best to make sure Rachael doesn't pull whatever stunt your about to suggest in your arena."



"Okay. Just have her show up at one of the rings climb up and beat the living day lights out of the poor bastards that happen to be in the ring."



Thomas was quiet for a few moments. "Well she couldn't bet on that fight but I can see why it would get you attention. I don't believe it is the best course of action though I imagine Rachael would be happy to try."



"I don't doubt that."



"I imagine by picking fights you don't mean insult the fighters. She needs to upset the people that sponsor them."



"Yeah but anger won't be enough at least not after a few fights."



"She has to try and destroy their reputation. Like you said it is how one determines their status."



"The more enemies she makes the more fights she'll get. Of course for most people this is a careful balancing act."



"Rachael on the other hand is liable to try and anger the entire ocean."



"Most fighters who do that don't live for very long."



"Do you have any suggestions on how she should go about angering the sponsors? Smacking their fighters around doesn't seem to do it. They are just seen as property in most cases."



"Well the most common way is by muscling in on their territory which involves selling enhancements."



"That shouldn't be difficult for Rachael."



*****



"So is your work going well?" Thomas rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he walked down the stairs and into Rachael's lab. He couldn't help but grin as he saw Rachael setting at her computer for the first time in a long while.



"I believe it is going well. I can't believe how much easier it is to get synthetic DNA materials then in the lab. Though more expensive and I imagine if I didn't have this body a great deal more dangerous."



"Yeah, so what designs are you working on?"



"I am working on some designs that I made for myself previously but never used. I decided they were too finite when it came to their potential."



"You don't believe anyone will develop like you did do you?"



Rachael shook her head. "No. This isn't anywhere near the design I used on myself and plus that design was custom made for me. If I used it on anyone else it would most likely kill them. The earlier designs I am working on now do have one problem though."



"Which is?"



"I designed them to work on females I don't believe they would behave properly on someone with a Y chromosome."



Thomas gave a nod. "All well." Walking over to a rather large tank he tapped the very top of it.



"How many experiments are you running in here?"



"There are a total of one hundred different dishes in there. Most of them are testing different designs but a few are testing my series designs."



"You mean you have some designs that are meant to be enhanced again?"



"With a specific enhancement yes, the first one is almost entirely based on existing human DNA designs. The second one is more powerful but you need the first to survive it and they are a few with a third though the failure rate with them is too high for me to sale them."



Thomas proceeded over to Rachael and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I almost forgot to say. Good morning."



Rachael gave a giggle and took hold of Thomas's shoulders she then pulled him down and gave him a very full kiss upon the lips. While she kissed him Rachael reached around Thomas and lifted him from the ground. She then set him in her lap. "So did you sleep well?"



"Yeah" Thomas had been planning to go and make some breakfast but he hadn't expected Rachael to set him in her lap. He was moderately hungry but at the moment he resolved that he wasn't hungry enough to make himself get up.



Rachael finally broke the kiss and looked back to the computer screen. Reaching around Thomas she continued to work while he sat in her lap. His back was leaning against her right arm however his weight felt so insignificant that it didn't bother her or make her hit a single wrong key. "Well there goes that one."



Thomas looked to the screen and noted a side image. It showed several cells attacking one another as if they each thought the other was a virus. "I bet that is a painful way to go."



"You should see the results from early experiments on humans. Come to think of it I am surprised you didn't have to watch any of those videos before you came to work for the lab."



"They were nice enough to only show us the cells braking down. Did you have to watch one?"



"In my genetic engineering ethics class I did. I wish that my instructor had turned down the volume. It was plain to see they were in pain we didn't have to hear the screaming especially at the actual volume."



"Did it hurt your ears?"



"Yes and blast it. That one is a goner." The cellular break down occurred far too quickly for Rachael to actually tell why it had failed. She would have to take some time and review the various recordings and test that had been being ran by the machine and computers throughout the event to determine what had went wrong.



Thomas watched as Rachael brought up a small display window and typed in the same number that appeared on the screen showing the failed test. He heard a slight hiss and saw the cells stop. She had frozen the test dish to make it easier to study. "So do you need me to get up?"



"I don't need to move that dish to the storage unit just yet. You can stay there until you feel like getting up."



"That may be a while."



Rachael gave a giggle and used her left arm to pull Thomas more firmly against herself. She then shifted a bit in the chair rubbing her breast against him. "That is fine."



"So you're really going to start selling DNA designs?"



"We have been planning it for a while and I am one of the best after all. Oh who am I kidding I am the best."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle and gave Rachael a kiss on the cheek. "You sure are."



"Years of only having ones mind to depend on will do that to a person. At least that is my theory on the subject."



"You know your sort of sponsoring a race car by doing this. Except that you're the driver as well as the company."



"Huh?"



"You got out there and flaunt your best product to get attention you then sell a weaker version of that product."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "I never thought of it like that. I just have to insure that my product is one of the best to make sure people come back for more."



"I am sure that some people will be happy to try it. So how much do you believe you can increase someone's strength?"



"Well one of the step ones I developed has the potential to take them up to around eight times stronger then what is humanly possible however it also has a 90% fatality rate so far."



"Is that the one that started tearing itself apart a while ago?"



"Well yes and no. That was a variation on step one to the process. I am trying to strengthen the foundation you see so the entire structure won't fall in whenever I expand upon it."



"Is there anything I can do to help? You know I used to work in the lab with you?"



"You can keep me company. Now my mind doesn't have to wonder about what you're doing at the moment."



"I'd be glad to. You seem to be working even faster then what you did in the lab though."



"I am. With this body I don't become exhausted as quickly as I use to plus I type a lot faster. I could type even faster then this but well look over to my right and in the trash."



Thomas had to set up a bit to see over Rachael's arm. What he saw was a keyboard looking as if it had nearly been broken in half. "I suppose you started going a little too fast."



"That I did."



Thomas was quiet for a moment and relaxed back into Rachael's arms. He watched as her fingers flew over the keyboard and she brought up one screen after the other. As if a new idea was coming to her every few minutes. After a while he was hit by a thought. "You're not just typing faster then you did before you're thinking faster."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Yeah I admit it I am. It seems that whenever I learned to speed my body up I also learned to speed up several aspects of myself. It isn't surprising though considering that my entire nervous system has improved."



"So how much faster are you thinking now?"



"I assume however much slower the rest of the world appears to me. It seems like your taking at least twelve seconds between each word."



"That is impressive. I don't see how you stand to talk to me though."



Rachael looked away from the screen for a moment and gave Thomas a gentle kiss. "I don't have any trouble putting together what you said even if it takes a while for you to get it out. It doesn't feel like someone is talking to me slowly in the normal since. I can't really explain what it feels like."



"Do you believe that the rate of your thought process is related to your running speed?"



"That is my theory at this moment."



"Okay when did you learn to break the sound barrier and why didn't I hear anything about it or hear it happen."



Rachael couldn't help but chuckle. "Well I don't know if I could break the sound barrier. I do know that running at three hundred kilometers an hour feels horribly slow to me now. At least if I put myself in this state. It seems they are different levels I can switch to."



"So if your equipment could actually handle your speed it would be as if you worked at least 24 hours over the last two wouldn't it?"



"Yeah especially considering that it would be twenty four hours in which I didn't begin to tire out physically or mentally."



"Well I hate to delay your work but I am going to and make some breakfast. I'll bring you down a few ounces of oatmeal or would you prefer chocolate?"



"Oatmeal is fine."




*****



"Okay, take the thirty kilogram mass off."



Thomas currently stood on a small ladder while Rachael stood on a compressed platform. Reaching over to her he took hold of one of the thirty kilogram masses she held and set it down on a near by table.

The platform rose a few centimeters a moment later.



"That is good. Please bring me one of the fifty kilogram masses now."



"Sure."



Rachael had began spending more time experimenting with whatever mechanism was allowing her to cancel out the extra mass of an object whenever she lifted it up. It only took Thomas a moment to return with a fifty kilogram mass and set it atop the others Rachael was already holding. He then climbed down and checked the status of the platform.



"It isn't going down."



"Okay. I have a bit over doubled my own mass now."



"Are you ready for me to take them away?"



"Yeah I believe that I am. Let me know if the height of the platform changes in the least as you remove them."



"Sure." Thomas was grateful that he hadn't simply let himself go after Rachael had began working otherwise he would had a nightmarish time working with the up to fifty kilogram masses Rachael had him stacking on her one at a time.



As Thomas removed the weights Rachael tried to insure that whatever force had been preventing the weights from forcing the platform down continued to operate. She also attempted to use the same force to insure that the platform didn't rise while she stood upon it.



"Do you feel anything?"



"There is something there. I believe my experience with increasing my speed will help me along."



Thomas gave a nod and removed another fifty kilograms of mass. After setting them on the table he was relieved to see that the platform hadn't rose in the least. "Should I work quickly or slowly?"



"I want you to go slowly. If this fails well I'll just have to try again."



"I'll help."



"Thanks, but if this fails you can just rest and I'll practice with a single fifty kilogram mass while you wrest."



Thomas gave a nod and continued to remove the masses from Rachael until the only thing holding the platform down was Rachael's own mass and whatever ability she had been using to support the masses and now press down on the platform. "There you go."



Rachael gave a nod and looked at the walkway she and Thomas had set up. The bit of material was little more then a sliver of paper which wouldn't have been able to support someone half Rachael's mass. As she moved Rachael tried to feel any shifts inside of her while Thomas watched the platform closely.



It was hard for Thomas to remain still as he alternately watched Rachael walking across the platform and watched the gauge to see if it lifted up as she moved. He started to say something when he noticed the platform lifting up but when he looked at Rachael he realized she had stepped off the platform and was now making her way across the walkway.



As Rachael crossed the walkway she attempted to feel anything. She hoped to grasp a change in herself such as the change that occurred when she drastically speed up. Once she came to the center of the walkway she turned to Thomas. "Okay, go ahead break the walkway from the far end."



Thomas quickly ran over to the end of the walkway not wanting to risk whatever was allowing Rachael to stand upon it to give out before he got there. With a single quick motion he broke the walkway and allowed it to drift to the ground.



Rachael took in a breath as she felt the material fall away leaving the only thing under her feat as open air. As she stood there a huge grin began to form on her face and a nervous chuckle could be heard coming from her. "Thomas I am holding myself still in open space. This is just remarkable."



Thomas was silent for a moment. However, his surprise wasn't due to shock but the lack of shock. "That is very impressive Rachael but I believe I finally comprehend how remarkable you truly are. So I can't say that I am surprised."



Rachael couldn't help but blush as she looked in Thomas's direction. It was probably one of the rarest sights Thomas had ever witnessed.




"Thank you." For a moment Rachael forgot that she was floating in the air but even if she had fallen to the ground during this time she wouldn't have minded. Even when Rachael was able to regain her composure the blush didn't leave her face.



"So what are you going to try now?"



"I am going to try to walk." Looking ahead Rachael went to move her leg but found the limb would not cooperate. She had been able to lift her leg while standing on the ground and still cancel out the force of whatever she was holding but it seemed with both feet in the air things changed. Instead of struggling to lift her limb Rachael began to shift about and see if she could cause something to happen.



At first Thomas just watched as Rachael remained stationary but after a while he got an idea. "Would you like me to try and push you? Just because you're canceling out the force of gravity doesn't mean that you're resisting a horizontal force."



Rachael gave a nod. "That is a good idea. Okay come on over and see if you can push me but stay behind me."



Thomas gave a nod and walked over to Rachael. As he reached up and began to place his hands on Rachael's thighs she suddenly took hold of them and pressed his hands against her rear. The action surprised Thomas but he kept his composure. "Should I push now?"



"Yes, push as hard as you can." When Thomas started to push Rachael quickly noticed he was only using his hands. "No lean into me with your entire body so all your weight is behind it."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle and did as he was told. Leaning forward he had to bring his hands down a bit thanks to the height at which Rachael was holding herself above the ground and her own natural height.



As Thomas pushed Rachael continued to try and move forward. It took some five minutes but at last she felt herself slowly beginning to move.



Thomas knew that his strength wouldn't be enough to budge Rachael if she didn't want to be moved. After all none of the fighters that had challenged her had been able to budge her. So he felt a slight thrill when he realized that he was leaning forward as Rachael began to move.



Rachael had to be careful to contain her excitement and focus on what was happening to her. She needed to get a feel for just how she was moving. She wasn't so focused though that she didn't notice Thomas beginning to pant. "Okay that is enough. How about we see if I coast for a moment?"



Thomas gave a nod and proceeded to stop pushing Rachael. He was a bit disappointed when he looked up and saw that she had quit moving. "Well that isn't any good. Do you want me to push you some more?"



"I believe we need to set up some tools to help you out. I don't know how long it is going to take me too" Rachael's sentence was cut short when she suddenly fell back to the ground.



Thomas couldn't help but stair as he looked down at Rachael who appeared equally stunned. Unsure of what to do or say before too long he began to shake with laughter.



Rachael was glad her previous blush still hid her current one as she looked up at Thomas. "I believe that this is going to take a lot of practice."



*****



Rachael glanced over at Thomas's work station and couldn't help but wish she could see through solid objects. She had begun working on several projects as of late. Though her ability to float and increase her speed received most of her attention she did spend a few hours each day working on various DNA designs. Namely the hours which Thomas slept and she didn't.



As of late though Thomas had taken up a project of his own and even set up some blinds to make sure she couldn't see what he was doing. She knew that he was working with some fairly sturdy metal but she didn't know what he was actually building. However, she did know that it was suppose to be a gift for her which actually made the situation even worse.



"Come on Thomas can't you even give me a hint?"



"It involves bending and cutting steel."



Rachael couldn't help but snort. "Could you give me a little more information?"



"The steel is very shiny."



A slight sigh escaped Rachael and she set the two hundred kilograms of mass she had been holding up down on the platform below her. The surface was depressed so that it was only a few centimeters beneath her feet.



Rachael had begun to work on her hovering by climbing onto a spring loaded platform. After the platform was depressed she would pick up the two hundred kilogram mass and cancel out the force before it could cause the platform to sink lower. After a few moments she would actually set the mass down upon the platform so that she was standing in open air though not very high up.



She had actually made some progress when it came to her mobility when she was in mid air. The progress was very limited though. She could only move slightly faster then one kilometer an hour. Her practice with speeding herself up had indeed helped her though as the experience was similar. This wasn't surprising given that even when she ran at super speeds she didn't leave foot prints everywhere.



The fact that her feet didn't leave any marks whenever she ran at super speed meant that somehow she was negating the force. Of course she had also learned to leave very noticeable foot prints. She could run at super speeds without the ability she had been using to levitate it would just make her very easy to track on certain grounds considering how hard and fast her feet struck the ground with every step.



As Rachael hovered she couldn't help but try and cause herself to float higher in order to see over the top of the blinds Thomas had set up. However, as with previous attempts she found she hadn't developed any such abilities yet.



"I wonder if I'll ever be able to hover as fast as I can run."



"I am sure that you'll find a way."



"Thanks for the vote of confidence."



"You're welcome and stay away from the blinds."



Rachael couldn't help but pout. She had began to slowly move towards Thomas's work station hoping that the total lack of foot steps would allow her to sneak up on him. "Rats."



"Don't worry Rachael it should be done before today is up. I just need to run a few more quality checks."



"Oh why did you have to say that? Now I am only more eager to find out what it is." Rachael didn't worry about falling to the ground. She had developed her skill with levitating enough that she could at least avoid falling.



"You'll just have to be patient." Thomas gave a slight chuckle as he heard Rachael huff and took a few more moments to sand down the edges. The project had taken him far longer then expected but he wanted to make sure it would last Rachael for a good long while. "Just be glad that I am not making you wait until Christmas, your birthday or an anniversary."



"If you'd come out from behind that curtain I would give you a kiss for that."



"I would love to and if this was something I was doing for myself or anyone else I would however, I am doing this for you."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Well I'll just have to give you that kiss later."




*****



Thomas couldn't help but sigh as she carefully wrapped Rachael's present in some white paper. He didn't know why he was wrapping it considering that she would open it very shortly he just felt like doing it. "Are you ready?"



"Yes!" Rachael immediately relaxed her levitating ability and allowed herself to fall back to the ground.



Thomas was fairly surprised by the sound of Rachael landing. A moment later the curtains were hit by a rather powerful gust of wind. The wind was the result of Rachael sprinting over to the curtains the moment she had landed. Straitening up Thomas stepped around the curtain. His hands were covered in oil and ink the work station was a mess but he was finished.



Rachael had to resist the urge to snatch the white package away from Thomas when she saw it. "Give me, give me."



There was no way that Thomas couldn't think Rachael was both lovely and unbelievably cute in that moment. He didn't care that she was an Amazon and stood over two meters tall in that moment she was the most precious sight he had ever seen. The fact that she didn't seem to notice she was making it hard for him to stand by stamping her feet so hard they shook the ground only added to the moment. "Rachael you're busting the concrete."



"Oh I don't care about the concrete. Give me my present."



Thomas couldn't help but laugh but did as he was told. It was getting heavy anyway."



Rachael only remembered to slow down her rate of moment just before she took hold of the package. She didn't want to risk crushing her gift especially after Thomas had worked so hard on it. Once Rachael actually had the present in her hands she seemed to calm down considerably. That is she seemed to calm down for an entire second before reducing the package to several tiny pieces.



"Well what do you think?"



Rachael ran her fingers over her gift. Looking back at Thomas she wrapped one of her arms around him and then proceeded to pull him into herself. She continued to tighten her grip on him until she was at the very edge of causing him pain. A moment later she brought her lips against his.



Thomas couldn't have moved more into the kiss had he wanted him. Rachael held him far too securely for that. As the kissed he noticed that Rachael was once again supplying him with oxygen. The kiss was unlike previous times though as she started before he truly needed to take a breath. So strong and encompassing was Rachael's grip that the only thing Thomas could do was return it to the best of his abilities.



It was only when Rachael found that she was beginning to hurt Thomas that she relaxed her grip on him. The reason her hold had been uncomfortable wasn't because of her grip tightening rather it was due to her chest heaving and her nipples becoming pert.



They both knew that Rachael could go exceptionally long periods without air if she even needed to breathe. At times Thomas thought the only reason Rachael even took in air was so that she could compress it inside of her lunges and give it to him whenever they kissed. So it was a very good sign that Rachael appreciated her gift whenever Thomas wasn't the only one left breathing hard after their kiss.



"I take that as a yes."



"I love it Thomas. How much stronger is if then my old one?"



"I don't know that for certain but when I was designing it I treated it as if a human finger weighed one kilogram. So I built it to withstand forces with a mass of one kilogram striking the keys at two thousand kilometers an hour repeatedly."



"Those are some strong keys. No wonder you were using such high grade metals." Thomas was about to say something whenever Rachael pressed her lips against his once again effectively cutting him off before he could get a syllable out.



It was another five minutes until Thomas was allowed to speak again. "Yeah, it took a lot longer to make then I anticipate as well."



"Well now I have a problem."



"What is that?"



"I don't know if I want to hook up my new keyboard or continue holding you. Mm well no I don't have a problem. I'll hook up the keyboard later." Rachael gave a slight giggle. "I just realize I am going to have to get a stronger desk now and bolt the keyboard to the table."



"Yes I included some stands for that."



"That was very thoughtful of you."



*****



Thomas smiled as he peeked in on Rachael who was currently setting at her now reinforced desk making good use of the keyboard Thomas made for her. Her fingers moved so quickly over the keys that they were basically a blur to anyone who had to rely on human eyes. "So how is your work going?"



"It is going great. It really speeds things up having equipment that can keep up with me though now I need a computer that can process data quicker."



"Would you like to buy one?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "How about after we make a few sells?"



"That sounds good."



"So what is for breakfast today, maybe a teaspoon of chocolate?"



"Actually I haven't made breakfast yet. I need to go out for a while."



"Would you mind if I came with you?"



"I would be glad if you did."



Rachael gave a nod and slowed down her typing. She didn't exit out of any of the programs she had been running but proceeded to save several files and leave the computer on to monitor the experiments. "So what are we going to get?"



"Groceries for those of us who need to eat. You don't need to quit yet I am going to have to go and get cleaned up."



"Ah I didn't know that we were running out but I suppose that I wouldn't notice such things." Walking over to Thomas Rachael didn't hesitate to scoop him up. "Well lets go get cleaned up we can bath together to save time. I imagine that you're getting hungry."



"I don't believe that bathing with you will save time."



"Oh shush."



*****



"I didn't think you enjoyed grocery shopping."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Oh Thomas I hate grocery shopping."



"Oh so you came along just so you could spend the time with me?"



"Yes."



"Thanks I am glad to have some company."



"You're welcome."



"So is there anything you would like to get to snack on?"



Rachael couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Thomas it doesn't matter how much food is surrounding me I am not going to eat anymore then I have been."



"Well maybe I can get you to change your mind."



"You can try if you want to." As Rachael followed Thomas she did find herself looking around the store. "I swear I hate this."



"Hate what?"



"Hate not being able to use my strength or speed."



"You haven't spent much time in public lately."



"I suppose I haven't really had to deal with people since I quit working at the gym."



"Well I'll try and speed up so you don't have to wait too long."



"No. I would rather you take your time and make sure you get everything. Besides I can't spend all my time in our basement just waiting for my next job. I swear I am living like I did before quitting the lab. I wanted this body so that I could get out more."



"Personally I am content just to spend my days with you."



Rachael leaned forward and gave Thomas a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks, you know I was wrong a moment ago I am not living like I did before quitting the labs. I have you now and that makes a universe of difference." Leaning a bit closer Rachael whispered in Thomas ear. "But I still hate doing this."



Thomas felt one of Rachael's arms encircle him and he was lifted ever so slightly from the ground then set back down. "I believe that you have been away from the ring too long. You seem to be suffering from withdraw."



Rachael gave a giggle. "I am addicted to the attention and using my strength I suppose."



*****



Thomas had known Rachael didn't want him to rush but as he made his way through the store he could tell that she wasn't comfortable. It seemed that she was being entirely honest when she claimed to be addicted to the use of her strength.



Rachael had to be careful to keep her temper in check. She liked attention but as she was walking through the store she found herself getting attention that she didn't want. The more she considered it the more she realized that she shouldn't have been surprised. She was after all over two meters tall and a rather curvy Amazon. Her hair's unique color didn't help things either.



"Are you okay Rachael? You seem a little tense."



"It isn't anything much. I just feel like I am hiding from people and to be honest it is pissing me off."



"You don't mind staying at home though?"



"I am not hiding at home I am spending time with you."



Thomas gave a slight nod. "I am glad to hear that."



Rachael gave a sigh and placed her hand atop Thomas's head before giving him a kiss on the side of the cheek by leaning over his shoulder. "I'll be okay for a while longer."



"Well you won't have to wait too much longer."



"Why is that?"



"We are on our way to the checkout line. You're really getting upset aren't you?"



"They are some people in this building that I would love to smack around."



"Why is that?"



"I have very good hearing."



Thomas gave an understanding nod. It was hard to have a private conversation around Rachael. Even when on the phone upstairs Thomas knew that if Rachael wanted too she could listen in on the conversation and hear what both people were saying.



He knew better then to blame the peoples' comments entirely. Rachael was very use to using her strength and he had no doubt she was suffering from a form of withdraw when she couldn't use it. Add that to the fact that even after she had gained her new body she had to hide who she truly was and it wasn't surprising that she was becoming upset.



"Do you think it would better if you stayed home next time?"



"Honestly, I believe it would make things worse."



*****



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle as they exited the store. The moment they stepped outside he could tell that Rachael was doing better. Up until that point she had been walking behind him now she quickly trotted out in front of him.



Rachael could feel herself relaxing as she stepped onto the side walk and even more so when she stepped off the side walk and onto the pavement. A wide smile threatened to split her face in half whenever she turned to face Thomas. "That feels better."



"I am gla-" A loud honk cut off Thomas's words and a moment later he heard a crash as if car had hit something very solid. When he looked up he saw exactly what it was. He had been so focused on Rachael that he hadn't checked the road.



Rachael could feel her body warming up despite her efforts to control her temper. She hadn't bothered to look both ways whenever she stepped into the street and apparently someone had been driving through the parking lot far faster then they should have. The result was that they had run into Rachael with enough force to bend their bumper. To make matters even worse is due to her experience with the fights she had instinctively used her grounding ability which meant she wasn't budged a millimeter.



Slowly she turned her head towards the vehicle and looked through the windshield at three very stunned teens. "You stupid little brats."



Thomas felt a chill run up his spine when he heard Rachael speak. He had heard a tone of voice very similar to the one she used. The one he knew was the one she used while in the ring or teasing him. The thing that made her current one different is that she wasn't faking anger. Rachael was truly pissed off.



At first no one said anything. No one seemed to know exactly what to think of the situation. Rachael was the first to act. Bending down she slipped one of her hands under the car and began to lift it up. Only whenever the car had been elevated over twenty degrees did the driver finally respond.



Rachael heard the engine beginning to act and immediately increased the angle so that the tires were no longer touching the ground. Now with neither the back nor front tire touching the ground she continued lifting the car. Only when her arm was one sixth from being fully extended and then she gave it a slight toss.



Thomas knew that Rachael could have done a lot worse to the vehicle and those inside then simply flip it over. Of course as he noted the look on her face he felt confident that she intended on doing far worse. This was confirmed when Rachael began to walk around the over turned vehicle to the passengers side.



A grin had begun to appear on Rachael's face as she flipped the vehicle over onto its roof. Now as she made her way over to the passenger's side her intent was to rip the door off and show the driver just how upset she was with his poor driving skills. She was stopped whenever a hand wrested upon her shoulder.



"Rachael don't you believe that killing him would be a bit much?"



"He's the one that was too stupid to be watching for pedestrians. If I had been a normal human I would have been killed."



"Would you limit it to breaking his legs?"



A long sigh escaped Rachael. "His negligence could have got someone killed but then again I don't really care about. We need to leave Thomas." Rachael glanced around at the crowd. By now several people had came to her senses and more then a few were both running and making phone calls.



"The police are going to be here soon."



Rachael turned and glared at the young driver who was struggling to escape the over turned vehicle. Bending down she reached through the driver's side window and took hold of his right arm. She ignored his pleading and screams entirely. Thomas could have sworn he heard the crack when Rachael broke his right arm in two separate places. "Learn to drive if it hadn't been for Thomas that would have been your neck."



*****



They had managed to leave before the police arrived at the store but Thomas knew that they would catch up. Too many witnesses had not only seen him and Rachael but they had also seen the vehicle they were driving.



"I should have broken more then that brats arm."



Thomas had to admit to himself that he was pretty mad at the driver himself. It was due to his driving that he was currently looking for a side road or some place to ditch the vehicle and try to sneak away. "I should have planned for this outcome but after being hidden here for so long I let myself become relaxed."



Rachael gave a sigh and placed her hand on Thomas's shoulder. Leaning over she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Then we'll just have to make our plan on the move."



"I don't believe that we should risk going home?"



"I agree. I hate leaving everything behind but it isn't like we could take anything with us. Hopefully no one will figure out that is where we have been living."



Thomas gave a slight laugh. "If they do I wonder what the police are going to think when they try to bust in the door. Is there anything on your computer?"



"Several DNA designs but not the original so I am not worried."



"Okay and I believe that our bank account is still safe."



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Yeah so that means we just need to get out of the city and hide for a while. Of course that is going to be even more difficult with this body."



Thomas grew silent for a moment as he saw a police car heading the opposite direction from them. When it didn't turn around to give pursuit he gave a slight sigh. "I guess they haven't got the entire message out yet."



"They will though. As soon as the word gets out that I am an enhanced they'll be all over us."



"Blast it." Thomas slammed his hand against the wheel. "We have got to find a place to switch vehicles."



Rachael couldn't help herself. "Actually I was hoping for a place that I could just carry you on foot. I can run as fast as you can drive and I am more maneuverable."



"Damn city with no forest to retreat to." Thomas continued to drive only slightly faster then what the speed limit allowed. Even once they police started looking for them it wasn't like their vehicle was entirely unique. If he could keep driving for long enough he hoped that they would be able to slip away.



"So where are we heading now?"



"Back to our old campsite if we can get that far. Would you mind turning on the radio?"



"Sure. We might as well listen for police reports."



Thomas gave a slight sigh when the only thing they heard at first is music. "I swear I am beginning to become really disappointed in the police's ability to locate illegally enhanced. From the way I learned it in class it is a miracle that we haven't encountered some super plague yet."



Rachael gave a nod. "When I think about it I wonder if the virus that once weakened me might have been intentionally released."



"Why would anyone do that?"



"So that they could justify controlling the technology."



"That seems a little bit out there as far as being paranoid but after everything I have seen. That is a frightening thought."



"All well. If I ever find out that it was intentionally made whoever made it had better already be dead."



"You'd like to repay them for the years of weakness?"



"No. I would like to repay them for all the trouble them put me through. Having to acquire all those illegal materials was expensive and difficulty at times. Well always expensive at times difficult."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "I suppose you consider having the drive to develop your body as reward enough."



Rachael gave a nod. "A young life time of weakness is worth it to have a long adult life full of strength."



As Thomas had been driving he had changed directions multiple times in hopes of further throwing off the police. "I hope that I am not just wasting my time. Taking all these back roads is really cutting down on our speed."



"So once we get out of the city what do you think we should do? It isn't like we left anything at our old campsite."



"I know. The only reason I even chose it is that it is the most secluded spot I could think of. I think we may want to try and leave the country."



"Where would you like to go?"



"Some place where an illegally enhanced could hide out."



Rachael gave a slight whistle. "That cuts down on our options. Of course I bet the arena could help us hide they have some very freakish illegally enhanced. Then again I doubt the police know of them or they are content to never go out in public and I don't have a sponsor to take care of us." Rachael gave a slight giggle.



"What is it?"



"I just realized how bad of an idea it would be to rely on the arena. They might be able to help us get away and I believe that would be worth the risk. However, I don't believe we could trust them in the long run, especially since I refuse to let them push me around."



"So do you believe it would be a good idea to go there after we switch vehicles?"



"When we don't have to worry about being caught I do."



Thomas was about to comment when the radio quit playing music mid song and a police report came over the line. "Well here we go. So what do you think should I speed up and make it clear we are running from something or hope no one notices?"



Rachael gave a slight shrug as she scooted her seat back and moved into the floor bored. "I have no idea."



It wasn't hard for Thomas to make his decision. As he saw a pair of flashing blue lights he quickly accelerated. "Rachael there is no need to get in the floor we have been spotted."



Setting up Rachael looked out the back window. "Drat."



Thomas didn't bother commenting as he focused on the task of driving.



*****



"Hey boss there is something interesting on the news."



"What is it Sally? I am kind of busy at the moment."



"I believe that you'll want to see this for yourself."



Williams had worked with Sally for quite some time now and had come to trust her judgment in several things. This included when something was worth delaying official business for. Reaching into his desk he brought out a control and flipped on the TV. At this what appeared to be a few books on a near by shelf slid away revealing a rather large wide screen.



"Why doesn't my room have one of those?"



"Hush Sally now what channel?"



"It is on channel forty two."



Williams gave a nod and flipped the channel. After a few moments he had to wonder. "What is so important about a high speed chase?"



"Oh the person is an illegally enhanced woman with violet hair."



Williams quickly turned back to the screen and began to watch very intently. "Sally I want you to be ready to move out in three hours."



"Why are we going to wait for three hours?"



"We may end up waiting longer. I believe that is the minimum time before we can move."



Shrugging a bit Sally left the room to go and get dressed. She only needed ten minutes to prepare at most but felt she may as well be prepared in case something else comes up.



*****



Rachael glanced out the back windshield towards the police cars and then up at the helicopter that had been pursuing them. Over the last few minutes the number of police that were pursuing them had greatly increased. Since then they had also began to move closer to the vehicle though they had yet to try and stop them. "Okay Thomas I have waited long enough."



"Huh?"



"They are going to start trying to wreck us soon. I would survive but you may not. I want you to keep going."



"Rachael I can't just leave you behind."



"You're going to keep driving Thomas but after a few minutes I want you to slow back down to one hundred or one hundred and twenty kilometers an hour. I don't want you to risk crashing."



"Rachael what are you going to do?"



"We don't have a video camera with us do we?"



"Why are you looking for a recorder?"



"Mm I don't believe that we do. All well I am sure that the police and news helicopters will record everything." Reaching down Rachael quickly rolled down her window.



"Rachael what are you going to do?"



Thomas didn't get a verbal answer. Instead Rachael unlocked the passenger side door and proceeded to climb out. At first she held the door open and leaned out then she jumped out entirely and began running the moment her feet hit the street. Rachael's sudden decision to jump out of a moving vehicle surprised Thomas but he remembered to keep driving.



Rachael speed up slightly faster then Thomas was driving and moved to the side of the vehicle. After shutting the door she looked in through the open window. "Don't worry." Rachael didn't slow down in the least but she did change directions and ran head long into the nearest patrol car.



The officer didn't have time to stop or even swerve before Rachael collided with his vehicle. The moment the patrol cars momentum was ready to over whelm hers Rachael held herself to the spot in order to make the impact as extreme as possible. It wasn't just as if the officer had ran into a solid wall or tree it was as if the tree had been heading towards him at one hundred thirty kilometers an hour as well.



It had never occurred to Rachael how much her enhanced senses would allow her to enjoy herself. She felt the metal meeting her body, the warmth of the hood as it collapsed inward. The experience of the metal tearing away at her clothing, lightly tickling her flesh and the warmth generated by the friction washed over her was all quite pleasurable to her.



Two other police felled to respond in time and slammed into the now very compact vehicle. At least they had been fortunate enough to hit something which hadn't been moving.



An amused giggle left Rachael as several patrol cars swerved around her and attempted to stop. She would have liked to enjoy peeling the metal away from her skin but at the moment she had more pressing issues. After removing the front part of the patrol car from around herself she quickly accelerated in order to catch up with Thomas.



Thomas had seen the crash in the rear view mirror. The entire incident had taken less then three seconds but Rachael had brought all the police that were giving chase to a very sudden stop. His attention was brought back to the passenger side window. "Well that was fun. Once we get out of the city I am going to have to deal with the police though."



"Yeah after that little display of power I imagine they'll keep their distance for a while. At least until we get outside the city limits where they can set up a road block of some kind. They'll probably take the time to gather more weapons as well."



"I would normally be very excited right now but to be honest I am worried. I don't want to risk you getting caught in a fire fight but I don't want to leave you either."



"I am drawing a blank on just what to do."



Rachael glanced over her shoulder back towards the police. A few of the cars had once again begun to pursue them but they were staying a good deal further back now. She imagined that many of the police officers had felt the need to stop and help their most likely dead or seriously injured comrades.



Thomas was somewhat surprised when Rachael opened the passenger side door up and once again climbed into the passenger side seat. "The police aren't going to try anything in the city. At least not as long as that helicopter is keeping an eye on us. I am going to wait until we are outside of the city limits then I'll deal with whatever they have."



"I can't say that I like letting the enemy chose the battle field."



"And I don't like the idea of running off and leaving you."



Rachael was a bit surprised when Thomas suddenly hit the brakes. "Go and get them."



"Huh?"



"Letting them chose the battle field is a mistake. I'll just wait for you right here."



Rachael blinked her eyes a few times. "Thomas you're right out in the open."



"Rachael, the police aren't coming any closer."



After looking behind them Rachael couldn't help but giggle. Thomas was right the police cars and had been chasing them had come to a dead stop the moment he had. Several of the officers had turned their cars to the side and taken shelter behind them while pointing their weapons in her and Thomas's direction.



"You had better go before they decide to start shooting the car." Thomas gave a slight jump and wondered if he should have said that when Rachael climbed out of the vehicle so quickly that she nearly tore the door off.



Rachael wasn't going to give the police any reason to aim in Thomas's direction so she wasted no time in closing the gap between her and the police cars. She moved so quickly that by the time anyone thought to tell her to freeze she was only a few meters away from the closest car.



"Hello officers."



Silence was the only thing heard throughout the officers' ranks. They had been brave enough to continue pursuit but they didn't expect a direct confrontation. In truth they had been to upset to truly consider what they were doing whenever they continued to give chase now with Rachael standing so close several of them realize what a poor choice they had made.



At last one of the officers broke the silence. "Put your hands behind your back and lay down on the ground."



"I just destroyed three of your cruisers by letting them run into me. Do you really believe that I am going to listen to you?"



"Backup is on the way. You can either surrender and make it easier on everyone or fight and make things a lot harder."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "You know what? I could kill all of you before that backup arrived. You know that your weapons won't have any effect on me. That is you should know that considering how little effect a car hitting me had."



There wasn't a man amongst them that didn't already know that. The only reason they had even brought out their weapons was force of habit. "What are you trying to do?"



"I was trying to go shopping when some idiot hit me. Of course you can't just let me go. After all I could be a danger to a vast number of people."



"This doesn't have to end badly for anyone."



"Is that so? You mean that if I surrender the government won't either lock me away in some isolation cell for the rest of my life or try to reverse my modifications? A process which I might add will most assuredly kill me if I let them try."



"Please get down on the ground."



"I'll tell you what. You can either climb into your cars and leave or I can kill all of you. I am going to count to ten and anyone who wants to drive the other way can. If any of you shoot me I'll kill you and all the others oh and if you're still here after I count to ten you all die. Now let's begin."



The officer who had been speaking to Rachael felt his body twitching. He knew that a bullet wouldn't harm her if a squad car slamming into her so hard it destroyed the car didn't. He knew it would get him in trouble but once Rachael counted five he holstered his weapon and climbed back into his vehicle.



Rachael couldn't help but grin as she saw the loan officer driving away. She didn't stop counting though when she finally reached ten four remained. "Well I guess the rest of you just want to die."



He hadn't been able to bring himself to fire his weapon knowing that it would end in his death. However, he couldn't bring himself to leave either. The old veteran just couldn't bring himself to leave.



In a moment Rachael accelerated from o to 200 kilometers an hour. Coming to a dead stop only a few meters away she placed her hand on the eldest officer there. As she looked down at the old man she still intended on killing him. After all they had been warned and if his since of duty required he die then that was his decision. She had given them all a chance to leave.



By the time the other three officers had located Rachael she had already removed the old man's head. Up until this point they hadn't been able to respond but finally found the initiative to start firing.



Killing didn't bother Rachael and she truly loved using her powers. However, while she tended to enjoy taking the time to flaunt her power she felt the old veteran deserved a quick death. He had done what his duty demanded of him though she felt his choice to stay behind was foolish. The other officers wouldn't receive such gentle treatment.



Why hadn't he left? Why had he even given chase? The officer didn't know what had kept him there as the woman turned in his direction. He could tell that his bullets were hitting her because every time he fired his gun another hole would appear in her clothing.



Rachael took her time and actually proceeded to walk around the squad car in order to allow the police to unload at least one full clip into her. She felt the hot metal striking against her body, deforming and then toppling down inside of her clothing. A few of the caps had actually become lodged in her cleavage as well.



As the woman rounded the back of the car the officer heard the sickening click of the guns hammer striking with no bullet to be fired. Why this bothered him he didn't know. He had known his weapon wouldn't harm her before hand. The fact that even after he and the other officers had unloaded at least a clip each into her she kept coming as if nothing had happened only brought the point home even more strongly.



Rachael waited until the officer started to run to actually make use of her close and close the distance between them.



The officer couldn't help but cry out whenever the woman's hand clamped down on his. She hadn't actually harmed him yet but due to his terror alone he cried out. The officer was so desperate to try and escape that he didn't even try to reach for his club or mace but tried to jerk his hand free. His fear didn't hinder his chance of survival though as in any of the three cases he didn't have a chance.



As Rachael felt the officer struggling to pull his hand free she felt herself relaxing. She had been so worried about Thomas that it had taken her a while to begin enjoying herself. As she relaxed mentally her hand began to tighten around the officers. As the bones were compressed into a tighter and tighter space around his gun they began to rip through the skin.



The two remaining officers had stopped firing whenever Rachael had took hold of the officer's hand for fear of hitting him. Now they were faced with either trying to help him and dying or trying to run away.



The officer's struggling to free his hand was rather disappointing to Rachael. She preferred when they actually tried to injure her. The feeling of the bullets striking her flesh had been rather enjoyable and she enjoyed the tickling sensation the hot metal caused as it traveled down the inside of her clothing. Those bullets that had struck her in the chest and ended up in her cleavage were also beginning to grow cold.



At last the officer was able to free himself however he didn't free his hand. As Rachael's grip tightened his bone and flesh had been crushed against the gun even while the metal itself began to deform. When her grip grew tight enough the hand was actually removed entirely. Rachael had crushed it off.



Rachael gave a slight giggle when the officer crumbled to the ground. She didn't think that he would be finding the ability to stand for quite some time which meant she could have some fun with the others. It didn't really surprise her though whenever she heard an engine starting up. One of the officers or both of them were trying to get away.



Spinning around Rachael quickly took hold of car she had been standing beside. Her fingers effortlessly sunk into the cars solid steel frame as she lifted it from the ground. As the other car started to accelerate she brought the one she had lifted into the air down upon its hood.



A scream of utter terror escaped the officer as the patrol car came crashing down upon his. As frightening of a sight as it was though he was even more terrified when his door seemed to explode outward.



It took Rachael less then a tenth of a second to rip the driver's side door off of the car. "Now I gave you a chance to leave earlier. You decided to stay so you're just going to have to deal with the consequences." With that Rachael took hold of the cops shoulder, she intentionally used enough pressure to force her hand to sink through his flesh until she touched the bone beneath the flesh before pulling him from his vehicle.



The screams of pain from the officer with the crushed hand had died down to be replaced by the scream of his comrade. Rachael had pulled him from the vehicle with enough force that she nearly tore through the muscle her fingers had already dug into.



After removing the officer Rachael gave him a slight toss. She was distracted for a moment when she heard a gun shot. It wasn't the sound of a gun firing that surprised her. Rather it was that the shot neither went in Thomas's direction which she had been keeping an eye on nor did it hit her.



When she looked to see what happened she found that the fourth officer had actually shot himself in the head. This only distracted her for a moment. "Well it beats a painful death."



Thomas watched as Rachael dealt with the two officers. He had to admit that she had a sadistic side to her but he already knew that. A shiver ran up his spine when he remembered that she had done far worse to at least one person. While it seemed to take longer when he looked at the clock inside the car he found that she only took a minute to kill the officers after the fourth one shot himself. There was one person that it took hours for her to finish off.



As Rachael stood up she gave a contented sigh. She then turned her attention to the helicopters that had been recording the entire thing. Reaching down she once again lifted another police car. The helicopter pilots seemed to believe they were safe they were about to learn very differently.



Thomas knew how strong Rachael was from watching her during their camping trip, the tests they ran and just how she behaved around home. Still it amazed even him whenever she proceeded to throw one of the squad cars at the police helicopter.



The pilot saw the car coming but didn't have the time needed to respond. The cruised impacted solidly with the helicopter. Thomas could easily hear the impact though there was no explosion. The car struck the helicopter deforming the metal and destroying the propeller blades. The frame was bent and warped as the front section of the aircraft was destroyed. Rachael had thrown the police car with enough force to cause the helicopter to actually lift into the air before it came crashing back down to the earth.



The entire event was so shocking that the news helicopters didn't think to respond until the police had crashed to the ground. By then it was too late.



Rachael gave the bottom of the car a slight kick with her leg. A loud impact could be heard throughout the area as the light kick caused the car to lift into the air a good meter and a half. Quickly she reached out and sunk her fingers into the metal catching the car almost as if it was nothing more then a ball. Twisting her body slightly she gave the second car a quick toss and sent it crashing into another helicopter.



The ease which Rachael threw the police cars were truly astounding. It took less then ten seconds for Rachael to send all four of them skywards. The force with which they struck the helicopters was so great that it would actually lift them a few meters into the air before falling back down to the earth.



More then four helicopters circled in the air but after seeing the others struck down no one was willing to risk Rachael finding something else to throw at them. Her accuracy was nearly as astounding as her strength and speed.



Once the helicopters were clearly leaving Rachael quickly ran back to where Thomas had been waiting. Opening the door she climbed back into her seat. "Well then let's get going."



Thomas gave a nod. He felt certain that the police would be keeping their distance after seeing her deal with four of their fellow officers and with the helicopters no longer following them they wouldn't be able to track them either. The only draw back is the next time they encountered some resistance he knew they would be far better armed.



"I hope I didn't take to long."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle as he began to drive once again. The three police cars Rachael had crashed into and the news broadcast guaranteed that they had the road all to themselves. "I wouldn't worry about that too much. I have to say though I believe that your hand eye coordination seems to have improved with your strength."



"Of course it has. All my motor controls have."



"I am never going to play you in a game of darts."



Rachael gave a giggle and leaned forward. Ever so gently she pressed her lips to Thomas cheek, giving him a gentle kiss. "Thanks for being so patient."



"I hope you didn't feel rushed."



Rachael shook her head. "Not at all, to be honest it quit being any real fun whenever they quit shooting at me. I do enjoy braking things but metal is more fun to tear apart then people if they aren't going to fight back." Reaching into her cleavage Rachael took a few moments to remove the bullets from between her breast. "These things get cold too fast."



Thomas glanced over to see what Rachael was talking about. A slight chuckle escaped him when he realized she was talking about the caps from the bullets. "I take it from your statement you rather enjoyed the feeling."



"They do feel nice. I wish that their backup had actually come. Then I might have been able to have some real fun."



"You were to rough."



"Huh?"



"Rachael you have a real problem with taking your time and enjoy something. If you want them to fight back then you can't just start tearing them apart. It is really hard to resist whenever you're nearly blind with pain."



Rachael was a bit surprised whenever she felt herself begin to blush. "I am overeager."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle when he looked over and realized that Rachael was actually blushing. It was amazing how quickly she could switch between appearances. "Well this was your first time to really enjoy using your abilities in the open. Even the arena didn't give you an audience like the one you day today."



"So what are we going to do now?"



"Well since we don't have any helicopters pursuing us anymore I plan on ditching this vehicle the moment we are out of the city. I don't care if we are able to find a new one along the way we can't stay in this one."



"You know we could. I could just keep doing away with anything we encounter."



"Do you want to do that?"



"No to be honest I couldn't enjoy my time with the police as much as I would have liked. I don't like you being in the battle field."



*****



Williams listened intently to the reporter. "At this point we had to cease filming as the unknown woman began to attack the helicopters.

The police are also staying back at this moment.



At this moment the future is uncertain. Previous reports detailed that the woman was illegally enhanced however for her to display so much strength and speed is entirely unprecedented. We have with us Dr. Hall to comment on the subject."



"Thank you Jill."



"Tell us Doctor. What is your opinion on this?"



"This is a very unfortunate event. Whoever this person is they are endangering the lives of everyone in the state perhaps the country or world. Such levels of alteration can't be allowed."



"What about the subject's supposedly impossible level of strength?"



Dr. Hall was quiet for some time. "Up until today I would have said that it is impossible for a single person to have that much strength. The subject is clearly beyond anything that we have previously seen or thought possible."



"Would you say it makes the situation even more dangerous?"



"Yes. Not only is she going to be more difficult to stop but if a virus was to develop within the body of such a person it could very well end life on this planet."



Williams rolled his eyes and turned off the TV. "Blah, blah, blah." Picking up the phone on hid desk he dialed one of the in house numbers. After just one ring the phone was picked up. "Sally, are you ready to go?"



"Yes I am heading down to the pad now."



"Do you believe that you'll be able to find them?"



"Sure. It should be easy for me."



"I don't want you picking a fight with her."



"I know I saw the news report. I am not certain that I want to fight her either."



"You don't want to fight her because I am telling you not to."



"Yes, Sir. Sir, Permission to speak freely?"



"Permission granted."



"You didn't have to pull rank on me."



"Just the same I am. Treat this as an order. You're not to engage Rachael unless she attacks you and then you are to retreat if possible."



"Yes, sir" Sally waited until Williams hung up his phone to hang up hers. A moment later she climbed into the helicopter. "Okay let's get moving. Since she seems to enjoy throwing things at helicopters I want you to drop me off at the side of the road and uses long range sensors to help me locate her."



The pilot gave a nod and the helicopter lifted into the air.



*****



"I like giving you piggy back rides."



"Your hair smells nice." Currently Thomas held onto Rachael's back allowing her to use her arms to clear the way. He had thought he would be walking on foot at first but Rachael had insisted on carrying him. Currently they were making their way through the woods at what he estimated to be twenty kilometer an hour. It wasn't exactly a fast speed but it was pretty good for two people making their way through the woods.



"Why thank you. So what do you think we should do next?"



"Well we could try hiking out of the country."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Yeah and at night I wouldn't have to walk so slowly. It is a shame that I can only hover five kilometers and hour. If I could actually move fast enough to call it flying that would give us another option. Seriously though what should we do?"



"Find an ATM and get some money. Then we'll just have to try to work our way out of the country."



Rachael gave a nod. "I am going to go and try to get you something to eat."



"You don't have to worry about me I am fine."



"Thomas you didn't even get to eat breakfast."



"Rachael you could end up meeting with some police."



"If that happens I'll just have to deal with them."



"It is a shame that we forgot the groceries."



Rachael nodded her agreement. "I am going to run back to our home at night. I'll grab my arena clothes and maybe a few extras. I'll also get some clothes for you, any money we have in the house and pick you up something to eat as well."



"That sounds good. I was worried that you planned on going for something to eat now."



"Oh I do."



"Rachael right now everyone knows what you look like."



"They also know not to mess with me. Plus I won't have any trouble losing anyone dumb enough to chase me."



"Rachael I can handle going without food for a day."



"I know you can I just don't want you to have to."



"So you're just going to leave me alone in the forest?"



"Ah that is mean. I can be there and back in less then five minutes."



"An entire five minutes?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "You know I wouldn't leave you behind if I didn't believe it was safe."



"You never know what could happen."



"No but I do know that you're hungry." As Rachael approached a rather rock trail she gave a slight jump. The force easily carried them both over the massive stones. "Okay I believe that this is far enough."



Thomas climbed off Rachael back as she relaxed. "So I can't talk you out of it?"



"I am not just going to wait around and let you go hungry." Rachael knew that even in perfect condition her clothes wouldn't survive her running at the speeds she planned on moving. Especially with the various bullet holes causing extra drag. As she pulled her shirt over her head though another idea hit her. "Of course we could try something else. I don't know if it will work though."



"Why are you taking off your clothes?"



"I am taking them off so the friction won't shred them. I'll just leave them with you."



"What is the other option you mentioned?"



"Well I don't know if I can do it or not but." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she folded her shirt and set it down on a near by rock. She didn't bother wearing bras anymore since her breast didn't need the support.



"Come on tell me what it is."



"Come here."



Thomas wasn't certain what Rachael had in mind but he proceeded to walk over to where she was sitting. When he got close enough Rachael took hold of his hands and pulled him into her lap. "So what do you have in mind?"



Rachael gave a slight giggle and lifted Thomas up so that she was cradling him. After taking a moment to adjust his position she set him down so that his legs were on the stone but supported his back with her left arm. She then brought his face against her breast and gently poked her nipple into his mouth.



It was only when Rachael set him down that Thomas realized what was going on. He didn't get a chance to comment on Rachael idea as by then his face was pressed firmly against her breast with her nipple inside of his mouth. Any attempts to back away on his part would be halted by her arm which firmly held him in position. With no way of protesting Thomas began to suck on Rachael's nipple.



"Mm now I don't know if I can do this or not. I mean I have thought about it and we don't know how my body functions entirely but I felt it was worth a try. At least if it works you won't have to worry about me going to back to the city until later tonight. Mm and even if it doesn't work that feels nice."



While he hadn't expected Rachael to try and breast feed him Thomas had to admit to himself that he didn't exactly mind her trying. He would have told her so but at the moment he couldn't do that and imagined she would prefer if he continued to suckle.



"Oh I swear if this works you may not be getting many solid meals for quite some time." Rachael was moderately surprised that she didn't think about this earlier. It didn't just appeal to her physically it also had great psychological appeal to her.



As Thomas suckled he could feel that Rachael was not only enjoying herself but she was becoming aroused. He could hear the sound of stone being grinded and new from past experience Rachael was most likely digging her fingers into the stone they were setting on. He only wondered if she even realized this.



The idea of breast feeding Thomas was a true delight to Rachael. She loved supplying him with air she loved holding him and carrying him around. She loved taking care of him and trying to keep him all to herself even to the point that often when they would kiss she would hold him above the ground so that the earth was no longer touching him. So it was little wonder that the thought of being able to breast feed him and hopefully provide for his bodies nutritional needs was exceptionally exciting to her.



At first Brian didn't get anything but as he felt Rachael growing more excited he began to notice warmth in his mouth. It took him a few moments to be certain of what was going on but as he brought his tongue against her nipple he realized what was happening.



Rachael's right hand ceased to dig into the rock. Reaching up she gently stroked Thomas's cheek with her now free hand. She could tell the moment that her breast began to produce milk. "That is nice. Now just let me know when you're finished."



*****



"Okay this will do." Sally glanced down at the three hundred meter drop. Ducking her head so that helicopters blades wouldn't hit it she proceeded to more fall then jump out of the aircraft. The last time she had jumped she had received a rather lengthy lecture about what destroying the propeller blades of a helicopter did.



It took a few minutes but at last Sally landed upon the ground. The force of the impact was enough to cause her feet to sink into the ground a bit over a centimeter even though she bent her legs upon landing. She only gave Thomas's and Rachael's abandoned vehicle a quick glance before dashing into the near by forest.



Sally's legs quickly accelerated her until she was running at 140 kilometers an hour the various branches that struck her as she ran didn't face her or even warrant her attention. "Checking, checking is the equipment working?"



"Yes Sir, we can hear you just fine."



"Okay I want you to fly up to a higher elevation and begin scanning like we discussed. If you notice anything let me know but do not go in for a closer look. She may not respond well to a military helicopter.



"Be careful yourself."



Sally couldn't help but groan. "I have had enough of my superiors telling me to be careful with this one I don't want to hear it from my subordinates."



The pilot didn't bother commenting as he proceeded to climb upward. The copilot proceeded to switch on the helicopters various sensory devices and began to scan the forest.



Sally felt confident that she could be able to catch up with Rachael despite her head start. Even if Rachael was as fast as she was which was something Sally still doubted. She had someone with her which meant she would be going more slowly then normal. As she ran through the forest Sally kept her speed down to what was a lot trot for her.



Rachael had done a good job of covering her tracks which only made Sally more certain that she was moving slowly. One thing puzzled Sally as she ran. It didn't take her long to pick up on Rachael's tracks but she didn't see a second pair. Of course she figured this was most likely due to Rachael carrying Thomas instead of having him walk. What was strange about that assumption was that the foot prints seemed extremely light especially for one who was carrying the weight of another person.



Rachael gave a slight sigh as she slipped her shirt back on. "That was nice."



Thomas couldn't help but grin as he considered what had just happened. "It was different but nice." A moment later he felt Rachael's hand take hold of the underside of his chin.



Rachael guided Thomas's head so that he was once again facing her. Leaning forward she pressed her lips against his. "I hope you realize that I wasn't joking before hand."



"What you intend to regularly breast feed me now?"



"Yeah and no you don't have a say in the matter."



Thomas chuckled lightly and leaned his head against Rachael's chest. "Well then I'll just have to cope."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "Yes you will." Leaning forward she began to place tiny kisses on Thomas's face. She only stopped whenever she felt Thomas's hands take hold of her head. Rachael didn't put up any struggle whenever Thomas pulled himself up and this time pressed his lips to hers.



Thomas held Rachael as tightly as he could as he kissed her. He felt Rachael's arms slip under him and he was lifted from her lap. He expected Rachael to tighten her grip so that he couldn't pull away but to his surprise that never came. Still he continued to hold the kiss until he felt himself growing short of breath.



Rachael kept her hold on Thomas relaxed enough that he could pull away whenever he wanted. Whenever she felt him growing short of breath and realized that he had no intention of backing off, she opened her mouth and gently breathed into his.



*****



Thomas was once again being carried through the woods by Rachael. Currently they were looking for some shelter for the night when Rachael would make her trip back to the city. As she moved through the woods a curious feeling ran through Rachael and she turned to her right.



"What is it Rachael?"



"Something is coming towards us very quickly."



Thomas tried to hear what Rachael was listening to but all he heard was the sound of the forest. "I can't hear anything. Surely they wouldn't send a lightly armed unit after you."



"I can't here an engine."



"Are they on foot then?"



"No they are moving much too quickly to be on foot or horse back for that matter."



"How long do you believe it will be before they get here?"



"It depends on if they are truly following us but from the speed they're moving at I am going to say less then a minute."



Thomas wasn't certain of what to say whenever Rachael bent down and set him upon the ground. "Take cover behind those trees."



"The target has quit moving."



"I guess they know that I am following them. Well it beats surprising them."



"Huh?"



"What is it Rachael?"



"They are slowing down."



Sally had dropped her speed to one hundred kilometers an hour. It would take her longer to catch up this way but she wanted to make it clear to Rachael she wasn't coming to fight her.



Rachael relaxed a little when whoever was coming towards her slowed down though not entirely. She wouldn't have worried at all if she didn't have Thomas with her. As their pursuer grew closer Rachael slipped into her accelerated state in case she had to respond suddenly.



Sally slowed down to just forty kilometers an hour whenever she was within the last two hundred and fifty meters. A short while later she caught up with Rachael and Thomas.



Rachael was rather surprised when Sally came trotting through the trees just slightly faster then what a human could run having slowed down even more moments earlier. "Sally?"



Sally gave a slight giggle. "Hi."



"What are you doing here?"



"I am looking for you of course."



Rachael gave a sigh. "How about telling me why someone whose level of enhancements are clearly beyond what many believe to be possible be looking for me?"



"Many used to believe was impossible. You took care of that today."



"Yeah now how about answering the question?"



"Williams sent me to find you before the police did. He wants to talk to you about your current situation." Sally glanced past Rachael at Thomas. She then leaned to the side to make it clear she was looking past Rachael and speaking to him. "I am not here to fight so there is no need for the caution."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Thanks but I believe I'll stay right back here."



A sigh escaped Sally. "I swear you people are paranoid."



"I guess you didn't hear me the first time. Why does Thomas want to speak with me?"



"We're hoping to make a deal with you in regards to your current situation."



"Which is?"



Sally gave a shrug. "That depends on what you two want. Of course the bigger the favor you ask for the greater the cost. Don't worry about that little affair with you beating the crap out of William's fighters or killing his helper. That matter was settled in the ring."



"What do you think Thomas?"



"We may as well see what he wants to say."



Sally gave a nod. "Great. I'll have the helicopter come and pick us up and don't nock it out of the air it is an expensive one."



Rachael gave a slight shrug. "I won't throw anything at the helicopter."



"Did you hear that? Come on down and pick us up."



"There isn't a spot to land around there."



"We'll just jump up to you. Are you okay with that Rachael?"



"That is fine." Walking over to Thomas Rachael wrapped one arm around his waste while he wrapped both of his around her neck. "Thomas, are you sure about this?"



Thomas glanced over at Sally. "Yeah I am certain. We had planned on looking into the arena for help after all. I imagine that if we are going to do that then we would end up dealing with Williams either directly or indirectly."



Sally gave a slight shrug. "For the most part you're correct. Here comes our ride."



The pilot brought the helicopter down until it was just thirty meters above the forest floor. A moment later he heard to loud clunks and had to adjust ever so slightly for the extra weight as Sally and Rachael jumped up and took hold. A moment later both of them pulled themselves through the side door with Rachael bringing Thomas along for the ride.




*****



"I am glad that you two decided to meet with me." Williams currently set across from Thomas and Rachael while Sally set next to him.



Thomas for his part had become accustomed to handling business negotiations and from Rachael's demeanor he imagined he would be handling this one. "Well thanks for the lift out of the forest but what kind of agreement were you hoping to reach? Sally said it depended on what we wanted."



"That it does. So first tell me what do you two seek to do?"



"At the moment we are seeking to leave the country."



"Where do you hope to go?"



"We haven't really decided only that it should be somewhere which enhancements aren't illegal."



Williams gave a nod. "I was hoping that you two would want to stick around and continue fighting in the arena."



"Neither Rachael or I want to live in isolation."



Williams gave a nod. "Very well then I can help you get out of the country but what do you want to do after that?"



"Rachael would like to continue employing her body in some task."



"So you wouldn't have any interest in working on DNA designs?"



Thomas shook his head. "No."



Williams couldn't help but glance at Rachael. He only needed to look at her face for a moment to realize that she wasn't doing to disagree with Thomas. "I was hoping that we could hire the two of you to help us with DNA designs. While I understand you're unwillingness to sell the one you used on yourself your skill would still be very welcome."



"Rachael enjoys using her body now."



Thomas gave a nod. "That is understandable. I only wish that we had taken note of you before you enhanced yourself."



"So what is it going to cost for you to help us out of the country?"



"Well it depends there. I could simply help you out of country if you just want to be left in some port city or I could introduce you to some people who would find your talents quite useful."



"What country did you have in mind?"



"Well there is more then one available to you. I suppose you should take some time to consider if you prefer tropical weather or a more aired region."



Thomas couldn't help but glance at Rachael who gave a shrug. "The climate doesn't affect me so that is purely your decision."



Thomas gave a nod. "Tropical."



Williams gave a nod. "So would you like to me to try and set Rachael up with some contacts that could provide her with some work?"



"Will that reduce the cost?"



"Why should that reduce the cost?"



"Because I know that whoever you are going to introduce her to is going to be someone you are on good terms with and introducing them to someone as capable as Rachael will only improve your condition with them."



Williams couldn't help but chuckle. "You have me there however there will still be a cost."



"Which is?"



"Depending on where you would like to be relocated. However, it isn't financial."



Thomas gave a chuckle. "Considering what I saw Sally arrive in and your home I didn't think so."



Rachael who had been quiet finally resolved to speak up. "Sally I have been wondering since I saw you at the arena. You're a custom job aren't you?"



Sally gave a nod. "I bet you are as well. The treatment you used on yourself won't work for other people will it?"



Rachael shook her head. "No, so how much money was invested into giving you your body?"



Sally turned her eyes up at the roof for a moment as if thinking. "I would say in excess of two hundred million."



Williams gave a nod. "That is close but she is worth it."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle. "Oh what could I have achieved with that kind of budget."



"Well Rachael now that you're speaking for yourself. Would it be okay if I spoke with you?"



"If what you want to talk about is related to business then you may not speak to me. That is Thomas's department."



Williams gave a nod. "Well then Thomas since Rachael wouldn't like to work with us would she at least be willing to provide some of her old DNA designs and perhaps do a few errands?"



"In order to get out of the country she could do a few errands. Though whether or not she charges you for it will depend on the value of the errands. As for the DNA designs she has a few she could part with."



Williams started to address Rachael but could she that she had no interest in the conversation when it came to her employment or sells.

Clearly she was leaving that up to Thomas. "How long would it take her to recreate the designs?"



"She won't have to recreate them she can just retrieve them."



Rachael glanced over at Thomas. "So long as you are waiting near by I am not going to leave you here."



Williams gave a nod. "So you have some designs in storage?"



Neither Rachael nor Thomas actually believed Williams didn't know of the equipment they had purchased. Still, there was no point in bringing it up. "Yes."



"I thought Rachael was done working on designs."



"The designs she made were meant purely as a taunt to other sellers in order to increase the number of fights."



Williams couldn't help but smile. "I imagine that I may have to repay you in that case depending on how many of the designs you're willing to sell. After all in order to provoke the other sellers to sacrifice their fighters you must have come up with some impressive designs."



"Well as you can tell everything about Rachael is remarkable."



End Chapter 4.

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 5
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-05-31 12:13:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Graphic Sex, Sexual References, Flight, Invulnerability, Super Strength


By Happiest in Shadows




Warning this story contains adult content so if you're a minor don't read it or if adult content involving sex, violence or super powerful women offends you don't read it either. This story was written with input from Supernaught whose real name I haven't inquired about.





"Are you okay Thomas?"



"Yeah, the air is just more humid then what I am used to. Is it bothering you?"



"No. I can tell the temperature and humidity are different from what I am used to but it isn't enough of a difference to bother me."



"I imagine it would take a nuclear explosion to make enough of a difference to bother you. Of course I don't know if even that would be enough."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "I am sorry that I can't do anything to make you more comfortable."



"That is alright." Thomas was a bit surprised when he felt a sudden rush of air. "What was that?"



"What was what?"



"I just felt something. Did you just reach across me?"



"Yeah, I saw a bug so I smacked it away for you."



"The poor thing must have been turned into a mist considering how fast you moved your arm."



"It was. Now Williams said one of his contacts should be meeting us where?"



"He said they would be waiting at the main exit."



"Well then how about we go get our stuff and meet them?"



"Yeah, hopefully they'll take us somewhere with an actual air conditioner."



Thomas felt rather strange as the only piece of luggage he was allowed to carry was a small travel bag. Rachael had retrieved everything else and something told him the only reason he was allowed to carry the bag was Rachael had run out of room to carry anything else.



"Over there." Rachael gave Thomas a slight nudge in the direction of a rather large man holding up a sign.



Thomas gave his nod and began to walk towards him. He would have followed Rachael but upon her nudging him a second time he realized that she expected him to lead the way. As they approached it was quite clear the large fellow recognized the two of them.



"Welcome Mistress I hope you and your manger had a pleasant fight."



"Mistress? I don't know if I warrant being called that just yet."



The large fellow gave a slight chuckle and shook his head. "Mistress of the arena, I saw you fight while in the states with my employer you probably didn't notice me though."



Thomas gave Rachael a quick pat on the shoulder. "You sure seem to leave quite the impression. By the way you know our names but what is yours?"



"My name is Bernardo. So shall we be on our way?"



Rachael acted as if she was going to answer but instead she gave Thomas another nudge. Thomas stumbled a bit having not expected it. "Yes, I believe we shall."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she leaned forward closer to Thomas. "Well you are my manager it seems. I'll leave decisions on who we should associate with and who we shouldn't up to you."



Bernardo gave a quick nod and lead Thomas and Rachael to a waiting SUV. "I hope you don't mind the mode of transportation."



Thomas gave a shrug. "I take it we are going to off road so it is fine."



Bernardo gave a nod and opened up the trunk. "May I take your luggage?"



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and wordlessly she set a single suitcase down. Bernardo gave her a curious look and went to pick up the suitcase. However, upon his trying he found himself facing quite a dilemma. Upon wrapping his hands around the sturdy handle and trying to lift the case he found that it was far too heavy for him to lift despite his bulk.



Rachael gave Bernardo ten seconds to try and lift the suitcase until she finally reached down and picked it up once again. Pushing him to the side she proceeded to load them into the SUV. When Thomas moved to place the loan bag he was holding onto into the vehicle Rachael took the bag from him. Turning to Bernardo and Thomas Rachael gave a playful grin. "I don't suppose you thought to bring some straps to hold the cases in place."



Bernardo grinned and proceeded to reach into a side compartment. "I don't have straps but I do have this." A moment later he brought out a rather heavy looking rope. "I never know when I'll need some rope so I bring some with me wherever I go."



"Well I can't say that I am good with knots so I'll leave tying everything down to you."



While Bernardo worked on tying the suitcases down Rachael took hold of Thomas's arm and pulled him to the side of the vehicle. She then opened up the back seat and climbed in pulling Thomas along with her. Once she was seated she took the seat belt and buckled Thomas in.



It only took Bernardo a few moments to finish tying down the bags and climb into the drivers seat. "Mr. Dario is waiting at his home to meet you."



Thomas couldn't help the curious expression on his face as he tried to remember where he had heard that name before. As Bernardo started up the vehicle and began to drive it hit him. "Do you mean Dario as in the drug dealer?"



Bernardo gave a slight chuckle and nodded his head. "Yes, I believe you have the right Dario in mind."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well that is most assuredly one person who could afford to enhance people."



"Yes, and even after they are retired from the ring they make wonderful bodyguards and enforcers."



"I take it that is one reason he wants to meet with Rachael."



"Yes, though don't miss understand. He doesn't want to meet her for the same reason he enhances other fighters."



Thomas gave a nod. "What does he want to meet Rachael for?"



"After seeing Rachael's performances in the ring we thought she would be willing to help us with a problem. Mr. Dario isn't the only person with enhanced after all. This job calls for more muscle then what the regular enhanced can offer."



"Would you care to give us more details?"



"Actually, yes I would. I don't mean to be rude but please refrain from pressing further until you can speak with Mr. Dario himself."



Thomas felt Rachael's hand on his shoulder and he looked back to her to see what she wanted. When he did he quickly gave his head a shake no. To this Rachael gave an amused giggle and leaned back in her seat. Thomas had no doubt that Rachael could force Bernardo to tell them what he wanted to know but he didn't believe such actions were wise at the moment.



Bernardo seemed to have noticed what was going on as the moment Thomas shook his head no he let out a sigh. He didn't bother saying anything but Thomas got the feeling he knew how close he was to getting seriously injured.



As they drove along Thomas was surprised when he felt Rachael's body pressing against his own and her arm wrapping around him. When he didn't lean over right away Rachael tightened her grip on him and forced him to lean his head against her. "You know I like having someone drive us around. I don't have to worry about making you crash."



Thomas couldn't help but grin despite the fact that he wasn't quite as comfortable with someone else being in the vehicle with them as Rachael was. "It is nice."



*****



As they drove up the drive way Rachael took her time to examine the estate as a whole. The lawn was immaculately kept and full of expensive ornamentation but Rachael couldn't help herself. "I don't like the lawn."



Thomas was a little surprised by Rachael's out burst but had to wonder. "What do you not like about it?"



"It's the stone benches. They look so fragile."



"So would you prefer the metal framed ones?"



"I believe so."



Bernardo couldn't help but chuckle. "Well when you meet with Mr. Dario you can tell him what you think of his choice in decorations."



Thomas couldn't help but laugh. "Believe me I am sure that she will."



Rachael's response was to pull Thomas's head slightly further down against her chest and continue her critique of the estate. "And to be honest those thugs looking around takes away from everything. You'd think someone with so much money would be able to give them appropriate attire as to not distract from the scenery."



Thomas shook his head lightly brushing against the top of Rachael's breasts. "I would comment but they are two mountains blocking my view."



"I believe some carefully arranged sidewalks would also be helpful."



Bernardo just rolled his eyes as he brought the vehicle to the stop in front of the large main house. This was probably the first time he had heard someone complaining about Dario's choice in the lands layout.



Rachael finally relaxed her grip on Thomas's head once the vehicle had come to a stop and allowed him to set up. It was something of a shock but Thomas didn't feel impressed by the structure either. Before hand great signs of wealth had at least caused him to feel a little impressed. Now the manner looked to be nothing more then another building to him.



Rachael noted the look on Thomas's face and giggled. "There isn't much to it is there?"



"I swear Rachael I believe being around you has permanently affected my perception of the world." Thomas opened the door and stepped out grateful that at least he could hold the door open for Rachael.



"And how I have I effected your perception of the world?"



"I suppose the best way I can put it is. It's very hard to be impressed by a ditch after seeing the Grand Canyon." The smile on Rachael's face told Thomas that he had picked the right words.



Rachael moved to the side and allowed Thomas to shut the door. She then gave him a quick kiss on his ear and whispered into it. "So is the beauty of this home or the power that it tries to imply the ditch?"



"They both are compared to you." Thomas didn't have to see Rachael to know that a wide grin was currently on her face at the moment though they had someone to meet. "So Bernardo what should Rachael and I do about our stuff?"



Bernardo had by now made his way to the other side of the vehicle. "Just leave it here for now. We'll know what to do with it after your meeting."



Thomas gave a nod. "Well then please lead the way."



Rachael chose to walk closely behind Thomas as they made there way into the building. Once again she found she didn't like the homes construction. "I really don't like stone and I believe I know why now."



Thomas slowed down a bit so he could hopefully finish speaking with Rachael. "Why is that?"



"Not only is it easy to break but I can't bend it back into place like metal."



"How do you feel about wood?"



"I still like it. I know that it is even weaker then concrete but I find the aesthetics make up for the appearance." A giggle escaped Rachael. "Oh good grief, I feel like concrete is lying to me."



"How is concrete lying to you?"



"I don't know I suppose I feel as if wood promises to shield one from the elements which it can do. Concrete on the other hand seems to saying that it is stronger then me. I know it is silly but that is how I feel."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckled and slowed down enough to reach back and give Rachael a pat on her head. "We'll have to discuss this in more detail when we get a chance to rebuild."



Bernardo had known to expect Rachael to have quite a personality from her behavior in the ring. He had seen as the Valkyrie turned what was meant to be an arena into her personnel playpen and anyone foolish enough to step into the ring with her into her toy. He was beginning to get the feeling that this attitude wasn't entirely restricted to the arena. "Well here we are."



Thomas gave a nod as Bernardo opened a rather heavy looking door. A moment later they found themselves stepping into a room that spoke of wealth. Bernardo closed the door behind them and proceeded to take the lead once again. "Mr. Dario your guests are here."



Thomas hadn't been impressed by the home but he was a little surprised by the man that stepped into the room. He had expected someone a great deal smaller then Bernardo what he saw was someone much larger. After a moment he knew what he was looking at.



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "So you're an enhanced."



Dario gave a quick nod. "I suppose with all the security you were expecting something less?"



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Yeah, I wouldn't have thought an enhanced of your level would feel the need for so much security. You must not have any real combat experience if you need so many to hide behind."



Dario clearly hadn't expected such a blunt statement and the annoyance showed on his face. However, he had seen what Rachael could do in the ring so he held his tongue. "Well I prefer to focus on the business aspects of my operation."



Thomas couldn't help but find the distress Rachael caused Dario to be amusing. She sure didn't hesitate to speak her opinion anymore. "You were supposed to have some work for Rachael. Bernardo wouldn't tell us what it was would you mind filling us in now?"



Dario gave a nod. "Yes, let's get down to business. I have some competition that has recently grown much stronger especially in the states. They have started messing with those sellers that buy from me and they have started hindering my progress here. I would appreciate it if Rachael would help me remove their leadership."



Thomas glanced at Rachael for a moment. "Why stop at their leadership?"



"What do you mean?"



"Rachael, would you prefer to only do away with the leadership or kill everyone that works for them as well?"



"Well that is a silly question. I'd rather kill them and the people that work for them. Slaughtering a bunch of wimps that can only hide behind thugs just wouldn't be any fun."



"You may change your mind. You see until now they haven't been a problem. The reason they recently became a threat is they have began enhancing a good deal of their fighters up until this point I have been the only person with a significant amount of enhanced working for me."



Thomas shook his head. "Which I imagine is due to Williams. That doesn't change the situation though. If you didn't notice back in the states Rachael takes pleasure in beating up other enhanced."



Dario shook his head. "I admit she is powerful, but even she couldn't take on this many. The best bet is for her to simply run in making use of her speed snap their boss's neck and run out."



Thomas shook his head. "Just take us to where they work and operate from and leave the killing up to Rachael."



Dario didn't like having someone contradict him but what did he care if Rachael got herself killed? "Fine then you may handle it as you see fit but their leadership must be wiped out."



Thomas gave a nod. "Do you know where they operate from?"



"I know most of the details of their operations."



"Now before this conversation goes further how much money are we talking about?"



Dario gave a smug grin. "If you can rid me of this annoyance I am willing to pay you two hundred and fifty thousand American dollars."



Thomas gave a sigh. "I can't believe I am going to do this. Rachael would you mind working for that little? This is in part to repay Williams as well after all."



Rachael gave a shrug. "That is up to you."



"Okay, we'll do it. However, we are going to need a place to stay."



Williams had told Dario that Rachael was quite arrogant when it came to her abilities and value. Despite this he hadn't expected her to be this bad. "Given the type of equipment you brought along I'll have a room prepared in my home."



Thomas shook his head. "That isn't going to work. Rachael and I like our privacy."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well if we were to hurry up and help Dario with his little problem there would be plenty of vacant homes."



"You have a good point Rachael. Okay Dario we would like to begin work on this endeavor of yours today."



Rachael gave Thomas a quick nudge. "After we go into town have a nice dinner and rent a room."



Thomas was a bit surprised when Rachael got involved in the conversation. However, he soon realized the dinner and room wasn't for her. "I am kind of hungry."



*****



"Go ahead it is safe to eat."



Thomas looked up at Rachael who had just spent the last thirty seconds examining his food. "Were you checking my food for toxins?"



"Yes I was. Oh I didn't mean to make you feel awkward."



"Then please order something."



"I am not hungry."



"Rachael please we are in the middle of a restraint and you're the only one without something to eat."



Rachael rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll order something." Instead of waiting for a waiter to return to the table Rachael simply waited until one got close enough for her to reach out and grab.



The young man gave a slight shout whenever Rachael took hold of his shirt collar and yanked him over to herself. "I'd like a lobster with some red wine and you don't speak a world of English do you?" The blank look on the young man's face told Rachael that he hadn't understood what she had said to him.



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle as Rachael released the young man. He could already see a second waiter most likely one that could understand her coming to the table. He hoped the waiter would ignore Rachael's forwardness and not try to give her a hard time if he did Thomas felt that more then a few people might receive a rather severe beating.



The waiter knew better then to give Rachael or Thomas a hard time. It wasn't that he knew about Rachael but he did know they were acquainted with Dario. "I am sorry about that."



Rachael gave a shrug. "It isn't a problem. I would like one of these." With that Rachael held up the menu and simply pointed to what she wanted.



"And what would you like to drink with that?"



"Some red wine would be nice." Rachael didn't actually care for wine but Dario was paying so she didn't see a reason to eat cheaply.



*****



"Do you want to get some sleep and begin work in the morning?"



Thomas felt a shudder run up his spine as Rachael breasts pressed against his back. Her hands reached under his arms and took hold of the wash cloth and soap. After working it into a nice lather she pressed the warm cloth to Thomas's chest and began to soap him up. The feeling of Rachael's breasts pressing against his back and her hands moving the warm cloth over his body that it took a few moments for Thomas to realize she had even asked him a question. "Yeah, I was able to nap on the plain after all."



"I know."



"Rachael, am I going to be joining you for your work?"



"Do you want to stay somewhere else?"



"No, I just want to know if you'll let me come along."



Rachael bent down so that her head was level with Thomas's ear and gave the back of it a quick lick. "To be honest it is hard for me to decide whether or not I should let you come with me."



"I've been wondering about that since we spoke with Dario."



"If I believed you would be safe here I would prefer if you stayed behind. However, I don't trust Dario and I don't know how secure this location is."



"I don't imagine saying that I know how to handle myself will help."



"No. It won't. Of course if I take you with me I'll be bringing you into a war zone and you could get injured there as well."



"So you have to decide between leaving me in what should be a safer environment but without you there and watching over me in an extremely dangerous environment."



Rachael gave a sigh and straitened up. Reaching one arm under Thomas she easily lifted him from the ground and began to clean off his legs while holding him up. "That is what it amounts to. I decided that given my ability to increase my speed it would be best if I took you along with me. That and I really like having you there to watch."



"I could shadow you. I imagine they'll be too busy worrying about you to pay much attention to me."



"That is true. Mm someone has been working out."



"Huh?" Thomas glanced down at himself and noticed Rachael's fingers pressing into his abdomen. He was actually quite surprised to see his abdominal muscles had become quite defined. "When did that happen?"



"I guess you have been working out more then I realized."



"Rachael I have been following the same exercise routine that I always follow."



"Are you serious?"



"Yes I am." Thomas felt Rachael's grip on him tighten. It wasn't painful but he could tell he had just scared her.



"Thomas this had better not be a joke."



"Rachael wouldn't you have noticed if I started working out more then normal?" Thomas could tell that Rachael was becoming concerned and in truth he was beginning to feel fairly nervous about the situation as well.



"Thomas you didn't take any of the enhancements did you?"



"No. I promise that I never took any of the enhancements."



Rachael slowly nodded her head then leaned it against Thomas's back. "This is very strange." As she leaned her head against Thomas Rachael took in a few deep breaths. After a few moments she seemed to relax considerably.



"Are you okay Rachael?"



"Thomas why haven't I wanted to enhance you since it would make you safer?"



Thomas grew silent for a moment. "I don't really know. I know that you enjoy being stronger then me but you could make me a hundred times stronger then what I am now and you would still be so far beyond that."



"Are you worried Thomas?"



"I would like to know what happened and yeah I am a little nervous but well this isn't something I would normally complain about. Plus well something tell me it has something to do with you."



Rachael gently rubbed her head against Thomas's shoulder for a few moments before responding. "When I hold you and feel you against me. Something is telling me not to worry however my brain is screaming that I need to run some tests and run them now."



Thomas gave a soft laugh. "They'll be plenty of time for us to worry about that later."



"We aren't really set up to run any tests are we?"



"Not yet and plus we told Dario that we would begin today. Even if you don't trust him it is time to begin building a reputation."



"I believe after this I'll be able to trust him more."



"Because he'll know that if something happened to me you could kill him and all of his men?"



Rachael couldn't help but laugh. As she shook with laughter Thomas reached down and took hold of Rachael arms to better balance himself. "Yeah, I could tell at the meeting. At the moment he considers himself more powerful then what I am."



"Well then if you'll set me down I could get cleaned up quicker and you could show him other wise."



"No. I want to bath you."



Thomas couldn't help but smile. "Okay but does that mean I get to bath you after words?"



"Mm yeah I want to see if those muscles are just for show or not. So you shouldn't hold back."



"Blast it."



"What is it?"



"I don't know if I want you to hurry up so I can have my turn bathing you or not."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle. "Well while I appreciate your eagerness you'll just have to wait. I am not going to rush."



"Oh is that a fact."



"Yes it is ... ohh."



Thomas couldn't help but smirk as she twisted to the side a bit and reached down with his right arm. Taking hold of the front of Rachael's breast he proceeded to squeeze as hard as he was able. As a low moan escaped Rachael he relaxed his grip and graced his index finger around Rachael's areola. A moment later he felt his position shift lightly due to Rachael bending at the knees a little. "I may not have strength anywhere near yours but I bet I can still make you feel weak in the knees."



Rachael bit her lower lip. She was determined to remain in control of the situation but as she felt Thomas's fingers gently tracing the edge of her nipple and then pinching her nipple that resolve nearly fell away entirely. At last she gave in and allowed herself to fall backwards quickly positioning Thomas so that he would land atop her.



The sound of Rachael's head impacting the side of the bathtub was so great that Thomas felt certain it would have knocked most people unconscious. She hadn't even tried to slow her fall down however when her lips pressed against his a moment later he felt certain that she was alright.



Rachael hadn't even noticed her head striking the metallic rim of the bathtub. At the moment she had other things on her mind. Reaching around Thomas she placed one hand on the back of his head and forced his lips against her own. The other hand proceeded to reach down and take hold of his buttocks. She then proceeded to pull his entire body more firmly against her own.



Thomas wasn't entirely certain what was going on at the moment. He had been kissed, held and even fondled by Rachael before. At first it had seemed like this time was no different then the previous ones. However, as she held him against herself he could tell that something was different about this time.



It wasn't possible for Thomas to get his hands around Rachael as her back was pressed against the rather solid bottom of the tub. However, he was able to reach around to her sides. Placing one hand on either side of her he began to draw them downward until he came to her hips.



Rachael felt Thomas's hands slide up her hips and tracing the contours of the muscle that appeared in her thighs whenever she would flex or shift in the tub. His touch was light but she could tell that he was squeezing with as much strength as he could. The simple knowledge that he was trying his hardest to make her feel something seemed to make her skin more sensitive and what might have been nothing more then a tickle became a sensual massage.



Thomas had always found the feeling of Rachael's thighs to be both sensual and interesting. The soft skin that one felt on the surface was in stark contrast to the unyielding muscle underneath it. Even whenever she flexed her muscles and her legs would expand the silken skin could be felt.



As Thomas messaged her thighs Rachael's legs slowly spread. The sound of cracking could be heard but it wasn't paid any attention as Rachael spread her legs they began to tear through the sides of the bathtub.



Thomas shuddered as he felt Rachael's legs running along his side as she brought them up. Those impossibly strong columns of muscle wrapped in the softest silk rose up on either side of him. He felt the heel of her foot pressing against his back ever so slightly as Rachael wrapped her legs around him.



A moan escaped Rachael as Thomas's right hand left her thigh and began to travel up her body. It didn't make it far though as Thomas's hand came to her stomach. His fingers spread so that one finger rested on each fully pronounced abdominal muscle. She could feel his fingers tensing as he began to press down on her stomach.



Thomas pressed down with as much strength as he was able to until his fingers began to hurt. He couldn't make the slightest dent in the solid plate of muscle he pressed against. Slowly he shifted his fingers so that they were all pressing down upon the bottom right abdominal. With that he began to press down on the single muscle with all the strength he could manage and once again it had no effect except to delight Rachael.



Each one of Rachael's abdominal muscles received the same treatment until they have each proven themselves. Then Thomas's removed his fingers from her stomach and proceeded to lay his hand down flat upon the solid sheet of armor. He kept his touch gentle. As Thomas ran his fingers over Rachael's abdominal muscles he couldn't help but think they felt stronger. Even stronger then how they felt when he pressed against them with all his strength a few moments ago.



The combination of a touch which required Thomas to use his full strength and one that was kept light was far more effective then he might have realized. As Thomas ran his palm over Rachael's stomach he didn't seem to notice the soft moans that escaped her lips almost as if she was purring.



As Thomas's right hand continued to pet Rachael's stomach his left hand at last left her thigh and traveled up her body. Drawing his fingers along her skin he tried to follow the contour of her muscles so that they never fell out of the path. Her skin smoothed too much for him to do this though once he reached close enough to her breasts.



Rachael felt Thomas's fingers run along the edge of her breast and slowly slip between her breasts. As his hand pressed into her cleavage Rachael flexed her chest muscles ever so slightly causing the pass to narrow and trapping Thomas's hand.



There was no true desire in Thomas to free his hand from the grip of Rachael's cleavage. If he had not known that there was no way for him to possibly free his hand without Rachael allowing it he wouldn't have struggled. However, with the knowledge that there was no chance of him freeing his hand with his own strength he began to pull backwards with all of his might.



Rachael held Thomas's hand firm with her breasts alone. As she felt his struggles began to weaken she slowly began to relax her hold on his hand so that he would be able to withdraw it. She made sure to wait until she felt Thomas weakening and did this slowly in order to show that by no means had he freed his hand with his own strength.



Once his hand was free Thomas once again pressed it between Rachael's breasts. Lightly he began to stroke the flesh between Rachael's wonderful breasts and lightly tickled the sides of each breasts. Each time his hands would near the top edge of Rachael's breast he could sworn he felt a vibration. A vibration which he realized was Rachael's heart beating.



The force with which Rachael's heart beat was truly astounding. Despite his situation Thomas was fully aware of how strong Rachael's muscles were and to be able to feel her heart beating even through those mighty layers of muscles was astounding. As to do so he felt certain that each beat of Rachael's heart must have had the force of at least a city shaking explosion.



At last Thomas's withdrew his hand from between Rachael's cleavage and began to run it along the outside of her bosom. Once again he moved his fingers so that they didn't lay flat against her skin but seemed to dance along and travel ever so slightly up the side of those delightful peeks.



As Rachael felt Thomas's fingers dancing along her breast she couldn't be sure if she preferred it when he used his full strength or when he used feather light touches. What she was sure of was that he was doing a wonderful job of exciting her. With her legs now wrapped around him so that he couldn't back away she finally removed her hand from his rear.



Thomas shuddered a bit whenever he felt Rachael's hand leave his back side and take hold of his upper arm. Instinctively he began to try and flex while at the same time Rachael tightened her grip just enough to prevent the muscle from rising.



Rachael finally relaxed her hold on Thomas's head and allowed him to break the kiss. Now that both of her hands were free she began to explore his body as well. Reaching down Rachael surprised Thomas whenever she took hold of his excited member.



It was hard for Thomas to resist coming right there. He hadn't expected Rachael to suddenly take hold of his penis. Worried that he might lose control of himself he resolved to try and take some control of the situation.



As Rachael ran her fingers along Thomas's shaft she was temporarily distracted whenever she felt Thomas place a kiss atop her nipple. A shudder ran through her body and for a moment her fingers ceased to tease Thomas's body.



The brief reprieve from Rachael's teasing fingers was exactly what Thomas needed to regain some control of the situation. Quickly he shifted his position and while he couldn't rise up he was able to slide further down Rachael's body making it more difficult for her to taunt his more sensitive parts. This left him too low to continue kissing Rachael on the lips but he could still stimulate her through other means.



Rachael gave a sigh as Thomas placed several kisses atop her breast. Each one was placed so that the edge of his lips just touched her areola but none of them where centered precisely upon the sensitive bit of skin. As he kissed Thomas would let his tongue flick out from time to time to lick around the outer edges of her nipple.



Now that he could use his lips to tease Rachael's nipples and breasts Thomas moved his hand back down her body. Coming to her lower lips he gently ran his fingers on the inside of Rachael's thighs no more then a thong's outer edge away from touching her lips.



Rachael gave a delighted gasp and arched her back causing Thomas to be lifted further into the air. It took a great deal of effort for her to not take hold of Thomas's head once again and force his lips to go where she wanted them to be. As Rachael arched her back she spread her arms the resistance the bathtub walls provided her was so insignificant that she didn't even noticed her hands pushing through the sides.



Thomas felt Rachael's hands come to rest upon his sides and for a moment he feared she was going to pull him upward so that there lips could once again meet. He was relieved whenever her fingers simply glided over his sides lightly tickling him.



Rachael brought her hands up behind Thomas's back but she made no move to restrain him or change his position. Instead she proceeded to gently squeeze and message his back muscles. As she did so she was careful to keep her touch gentle though no where near as gentle as his most forceful touches felt against her skin.



It was amazing to know what Rachael was capable of doing with her hands. To have seen her sink her fingers into concrete, stone and steel without the slightest bit of effort. Then to have her use those hands to massage you so very gentle was a truly exhilarating experience.



Bringing her hand up Thomas's back Rachael moved her hand onto his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. This wasn't the same squeeze which she had used to keep him from flexing his arm. Rather it was a truly gentle action that left him free to continue moving about as he had been.



After only a few moments Thomas realized that Rachael had changed tactics and was playing the same game he was. Up until then she had been using her strength to control him now she was working his body and attempting to control his actions through gentle stimulation. This was made very clear when she shifted slightly causing her breast to rub against his face.



Turning to her side slightly Rachael brushed her nipple against Thomas's lips. This brought a gentle kiss from him and he began to lightly suck on the bit of flesh.



To move forward and once again press his lips to her would be a bad idea at the moment and Thomas knew it. Rachael's hands were doing a wonderful job of exciting him should he move forward and cause her to start using her strength as well he knew that he would lose any control of the situation that he might have had.



It was clear that Rachael was quite excited. As Thomas ran his fingers around her lips he found them being coated with a liquid that was far thicker and stickier then the water that was currently running over the both of them. Slowly Thomas brought his fingers in closer so that they touched the very edge of her lips. The moment he did he felt Rachael's entire body tense up.



It was fortunate that Thomas didn't look up the moment he felt Rachael's body shudder. Had he met her gaze and lifted his lips from her nipple she might have lost control of herself. As things were she was able to keep herself from simply taking hold of Thomas and forcing him into herself.



Thomas had to remember to return his mouth Rachael nipple quickly each time he was forced to quit suckling in order to take in air. As each time he ceased his suckling he could feel Rachael's frustration grow.



As Thomas looked out the corner of his eye he could tell that Rachael was getting frustrated. At the moment he could only focus on one breast at a time at least until he remembered he had a spare hand. With everything that had been going on he had almost forgotten the hand he left resting on Rachael's stomach.



Rachael let out a delighted gasp when she felt Thomas's hand come to rest upon her breast. His fingers didn't feel as nice on her nipple as his mouth did but it was what she had needed. As she felt his finger tracing the outline of her areola as if Thomas was counting every little dimple in her flesh she seemed to regain more of her composer though she most assuredly didn't calm down.



Thomas could hear Rachael breathing more quickly and was certain that he was as well. He knew that the physical effort their time together required wasn't nearly enough to require Rachael to take such deep breaths. However, while her body wasn't truly exerted, emotionally she was on a very active level and her body was working to show how she felt at the moment.



Rachael couldn't help but cry out whenever she felt Thomas's finger move from the outer edge of her lips to running along them. If he had not had the good since to bring his previously inactive hand to her breast she would have lost control and forced him in at that instant.



When he had moved to massage her breast Thomas had felt Rachael regain a considerable amount of control over her body. However, he could tell that control was once again slipping away and this time he didn't have an extra limb to spare.



Rachael bit down on her lower lip even as she felt her grip on Maxwell tightening. She was trying to keep herself from pulling him more firmly against her body. However, while she wanted to see what he was going to do next another part of her simply wanted to take what her body so desired.



While Thomas didn't have any limbs free to try to further effect Rachael he felt that he was ready. At last he quit circling her lips and pressed his finger gently against the outside of her slit. A moment later he felt a shiver run through Rachael's body and her entire form began to shake violently.



As Rachael's body shuddered Thomas could hear several things being broken around them. The portions of her body that he was touching seemed to be the only ones that were stable. As she moved her head backwards suddenly it struck the bathtub with enough force to tear through it and her legs easily crashed through the bottom of the tub.



As his hand was coated with her nectar Thomas continued to gently run his finger against Rachael's lips. When he felt Rachael's body finally settling down he finally looked up from her breast and into her eyes. The smile that he saw told him he had just lost any say in what would happen next.



Rachael set up slightly and took hold of Thomas once again. One hand rested on his back side while the other took hold of his penis. As she drew him forward she adjusted him slightly and brought his shaft against her lips. As she felt Thomas's body beginning to tremble at her touch she inserted the shaft just enough so that she could squeeze down and stop his orgasm.



Thomas nearly collapsed atop Rachael whenever he felt the muscle gently squeeze on his member and prevent his orgasm. He didn't have time to question Rachael as to what she was doing though as the moment he settled down and quit shaking she drew him further in.



At last Rachael released Thomas's penis and removed her hand from his backside once he was fully inside of her. She once again brought her lips against his and made him lay so that as much of his weight as possible rested atop her breast.



Thomas could hardly move at first. As he felt Rachael's arms gently rapping around his body while her pussy held his penis firmly in her grasp. It was only when he felt those internal muscles flex that he responded and began to move within her.



A gasp escaped Rachael as Thomas moved within her. As he withdrew she would tense her internal muscles not so much that she prevented the action or caused him pain but it did force him to move more slowly or risk hurting himself. As he would enter her she would relax her muscles.



As Thomas thrust within Rachael it was hard for him to remember that he had additional limbs. He was able to remember though and he put them to work. He could no longer manipulate the front of Rachael's breast as she had him held too firmly against them however he was able to reach the sides.



The fact that a fully grown man was currently laying atop them seemed to mean very little to Rachael's breasts. While they did give slightly it was just enough to feel pleasant to the touch. Beyond that point they stood firm actually forcing Rachael to bring her head upward and force Thomas to lean over in order for their lips to meet. If her breasts had been much larger then they were he wouldn't have even been able to kiss her during such times.



Rachael wasn't entirely certain what was going on all she knew was that her body seemed to have taken over and she was content to allow it. When she had learned to work her pussy muscles in such a refined way was beyond her but she knew at the moment her body seemed to be trying to drain every last bit of pleasure out of the situation it could.



Thomas wasn't the only one that had noticed the different levels of stimulation when he would withdraw or enter. Rachael could feel Thomas's building release each time he would enter and withdraw. Every time her pussy muscles would tighten on his penis she could feel it slow the build to orgasm however each time he would enter it would draw closer. Of course even the tightening ultimately brought him closer to orgasm.



As Thomas entered Rachael he could tell she was nearing a second orgasm. Her pussy was still wonderfully tight however the grip had loosened so that he could move more quickly. He didn't use this as an excuse for him to orgasm more quickly though rather he tried to hold back his own orgasm in order to make the experience last as long as possible.



At last a gasp escaped Rachael. She knew not to scream for the effect it would have on Thomas and surrounding environment. However, as her body stiffened it was clear what was going on.



Thomas felt himself suddenly lifted higher by Rachael's breast so that the kiss was at last broken. As he felt Rachael's pussy milking his penis his body seemed to realize what was going on before he did and a moment later he was left trembling as well as he came.



*****



"Well that was something." Thomas found himself looking into the bathroom. The tub was entirely destroyed and Rachael had actually got some of the floor and wall as well. The floor was of course soaked.



Rachael gave a contented sigh. "Yeah, we are going to have to do it again later."



"How much later are you talking about?"



"Would after I am done with the nights job be okay?" Rachael gave Thomas a quick glance and noted the exhausted look on his face. A delighted giggle escaped her a moment later. "I suppose tonight would be too early."



A crooked grin formed on Thomas's face. "You did take a lot out of me but I would be happy to try."



"Mm no I am content with knowing that the spirit is willing."



"Believe me the spirit is willing." Thomas on top of being exhausted was a little sore as well. He had a few bruises were Rachael had gripped him a little too hard. Of course had he the energy to go another round with her the bruises weren't nearly painful enough to prevent it. "Rachael, where did they come from?"



"I don't know. I've wanted to do that ever since my strength started increasing. For some reason I just held back until we were in the shower."



"Maybe the muscles were just too much for you to resist."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Maybe, but I like to think that wasn't the only reason."



"I hope so as well."



"Now I am going to have to get some work done today."



"You're still up for slaughter even after that?"



"Well since you don't seem to be able to go another round I am going to have to do something to work out my frustrations. I hope my arena clothing is strong enough to endure being shot."



"Considering what you had to fight in the arena I am pretty sure that it will be."



*****



"Hey wake up sleepy head. We are here."



Thomas went to shake his head however the moment he did it impacted with something very warm and soft. "Huh?" As he opened his eyes a huge grin crossed his face as he looked up into Rachael's smiling face. The warm object his cheek had encountered was her breast.



"Come on. Shake those cobwebs out."



As he set up Thomas stretched. "I guess I was even more tired then I realized." Shortly after their time in the hotel they had called Bernardo and had him drive them to the first location. During the trip Rachael had picked Thomas up and cradled him in her arms.



"Do you feel better now?"



"Yeah I feel better."



"Mm maybe I shouldn't have woken you up. I could have carried you a little ways."



"No it is fine." As Thomas became more aware of his surroundings Rachael set him down and allowed him to climb out to the vehicle. "So what do you want me to do?"



"According to Bernardo the main gate is a mile up the road. I don't know if I want you to walk close to me or stay back." Closing her eyes for a moment Rachael gave her head a slight nod. "Okay, I want you to walk a little ways behind me."



"Well I feel like an idiot. I just realized it is night time."



"Ah, you can think of it as a night at the movies. Just considering what you're doing now as going to the popcorn stand."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "So how well can you see in the dark?"



"I can see just as well as I can during the day time. What does that look mean?"



"I was just wondering. Can you already tell where the guards are? I remember how good your hearing was from back home. You could hear a conversation even through all that concrete."



Rachael gave her head a quick nod. "Yeah, I already have a pretty good idea of the security layout."



"Well then please lead the way."



Rachael gave a nod and began to make her way down the road. After she had walked a few meters she heard Thomas begin to move and the two of them started to make their way down the street.



As Thomas made his way down the road he kept a close eye on Rachael. He knew what her intentions were but he had no way of knowing just how she planned on carrying them out. He was grateful that the sky was clear and the moon shown brightly as it allowed him to better see Rachael. This was rather odd moment for him. As he realized that in nearly any other situation he would be cursing the moon for lowering his conceal ability.



Of course walking right down the middle of the road also violated every bit of training that he had received unless he happened to be walking behind an armored vehicle. Thomas gave his head a quick smack. Effectively that was exactly what he was doing. Rachael's skin was most assuredly worthy of being considered armor after all.



Rachael ran her tongue along her lips as she neared a small watch house. She could hear the guards inside and realized they hadn't noticed her yet. A slight cloud of dust was generated as she quickly accelerated to two hundred kilometers an hour and closed the gap between herself and the watch house.



Thomas was caught off guard when Rachael accelerated and held up his arms to block the cloud of dust she created. He was actually surprised when he found this wasn't necessary. The cloud had looked large but it didn't have enough energy to reach back to him. For a moment he wondered if Rachael had actually controlled her speed so that she wouldn't leave him covered in her dust.



The world seemed so strange whenever Rachael entered her accelerated state. As she came to the guard house and looked in through the window. It felt as if she was standing there for several minutes before the guards even noticed her presence. As she saw their eyes widen she moved to the side and to the door.



The door looked perfectly normal to her and she could have sworn that all she had to do was reach out and open it. However, as Rachael took hold of the doorknob without first allowing herself to lapse out of her accelerated state she knew that wouldn't happen. The twist she applied to the doorknob was simply far to fast for it to handle.



It had been designed to be turned by human hands and at human speeds. The twist Rachael applied to it was at least one hundred times faster then what a human could manage. The bolts that normally held the knob in place didn't have anywhere near the strength to handle such speeds neither did the door itself which held the knob in place.



What seemed slow to Rachael seemed like an explosion to those inside of the little guard house. The force of Rachael twisting the knob was so great that it tore it free of the door and broke free several chunks of wood with it. They didn't have time to see what happened to the door knob as it vanished within a tenth of a second.



Rachael took a moment to look at the warped bit of metal. The twist she had applied had felt normal to her however the door had broken as if it was made of straw and the metal had warped as if it was clay. When she released the knob it didn't fall to the ground as it normally would have or it didn't appear to do so. Instead it seemed to just hang there in space for a few moments before gravity took hold of it.



If she were to push in on the door Rachael knew it would most likely splinter and given the speeds she was moving at those splinters were very likely to tear through everyone in the room. Instead she chose to place her fingers within the opening she had just torn and pull the door open.



To those within the room it was hard to tell exactly what was going on. The knob and door were torn away so quickly that one wouldn't have been sure if it was caused by two separate actions or the same action without relying on a highs peed camera.



As Rachael entered the room she took a moment to glance over her shoulder. She had directed the tug in a downward direction so that none of the splinters would be sent into Thomas. Once she felt sure of this she continued on into the room to confront the guards. They had began to stand by now and ready their weapons. One was going for what she imagined was some sort of alert system.



It pleased Rachael to no end to see what the men were wearing at the time and it made her glad that she didn't fill the room full of splinters. If she had she might have damaged the guards' clothing.



Rachael appeared to be little more then a blur as she entered the room. As she moved a powerful gust of wind ran throughout the area sending several of the cards the men had left laying on a table flying through the air.



There had been times whenever Rachael had touched Thomas while in her accelerated state and she hadn't harmed him at all as she reached for the guard's wrist though. Something told her that wasn't going to happen this time around. It was as if her body didn't simply respond to her mind but also responded to her feelings and without the same concern or consideration for the guard as she felt for Thomas it simply didn't have a reason to control how much strength it used.



The action was so quick that the guard continued to push forward for just a moment even as Rachael's fingers sunk into his wrist. His flesh didn't seem to offer any resistance at all. The flesh simply slipped between her fingers as easily as the liquid blood within and the bone didn't even seem to slow her down from her own view point let alone anyone that might have been watching.



For a moment Rachael considered letting herself slip out of her accelerated state and have some fun with the guards. However, with Thomas so near by and the environment she couldn't bring herself to take such a chance.



Thomas had continued to walk at a regular pace despite no longer being able to see Rachael. As he continued up the road he heard what sounded like numerous explosions though they were oddly drawn out. By the time he had made it to spot where she had first seen the guard station everything was over.



Rachael doubted that the guards had felt much pain. Even the one whose hand she had torn off didn't have long to wait before he died. Glancing out the window she waved at Thomas and motioned for him to hurry up.



When Thomas noticed Rachael signaling he speed up to a light jog until he came to the guard house and looked inside. "Well someone made a mess."



"I just realized that I could get you some body armor. I should have asked Bernardo to bring some along but I didn't think to do so. So I figured you could wear these guys." Rachael had slowed down so that she could strip the guards of their protective clothing without tearing it to shreds as she did so she noticed something. "Well that is neat?"



"What?"



"Look at where I grabbed this guy's wrist. It looks like it was charred by something."



Thomas took a moment to step into the room. He had watched Rachael in the ring several times but he wasn't actually used to stepping into her playhouse. "I would say it looks like it has been charred because it is. You must have been moving very quickly."



Rachael nodded her agreement. "Would you mind putting on the guards' body armor? I tried to keep it from getting too bloody once I realized what I was going to do."



"As long as I can wear it over the clothing I have on now I am fine. Though, I don't believe it will offer me much protection."



"I know, but I want you to be as safe as possible. I wish there was a better way."



Thomas gave a shrug and began to slip on the vest which Rachael had already removed. "I am kind of surprised to see that they were so well equipped."



"You're not the only one but to be honest I was hoping to encounter an enhanced."



"Um Rachael, look at that guys chest. Either I am looking at a world class bodybuilder or I am looking at an enhanced."



Walking over to Thomas Rachael glanced down at the man. He had been setting at the table so Rachael hadn't realized how large he actually was plus her time in the ring had left her a little numb to such details. Taking hold of the headless corpse's sides she lifted it up and found that even without the head it was still taller then her. "Well that is what I get for not paying more attention."



"You know Rachael with you killing everyone around I believe this would be a pretty safe spot for me to stay at."



Rachael took a moment to look around. "I swear the walls just look so weak. I don't like the idea of them being the only thing protecting you especially with the door missing."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Yeah, I imagine to you the walls do look very weak."



"I miss the ring. When you could set to the side and watch me fight and I could easily keep an eye on you."



"Well think of it this way. Someone could have shot at me there to and you would have had to go through the bars."



"That is true but it doesn't help me relax. I just don't like the idea that if I missed one bullet it could be the one that kills you. All well it isn't really a serious problem it just means I won't be able to have any real fun."



"Huh?"



A wide grin formed on Rachael's face. "The odds of them actually harming you are quite low if I kill everyone within a second."



"Mm that is true. Though I believe that saying you can do it within a second is a little much even for you."



"I am sure the guards in this room would disagree if they could."



"Well then how about you make your way to the manner and I'll walk there on my own. I expect the entire place to be cleared by the time I get there though."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Yes sir. I'll make sure the path is clear for you and if you notice anything give a shout. I'll be there before the sound wave returns to you."



Thomas gave a nod and picked up one of the guards weapons. "I hope you don't mind but I'll take this as a comfort blanket."



Rachael gave a nod and proceeded to walk outside of the guard house and around to the window. Giving Thomas a playful glance she quickly accelerates so that when her feet struck the ground they sent up a wave of dust large enough to block out the window for a moment.



As Rachael speed ahead Thomas shook his head. He had finally adapted to her protective habits and had learned to cope with and even enjoy them at times. However, he knew that he wouldn't be able to accompany Rachael on her jobs for much longer. As he stepped outside he felt certain that this would be last time he accompanied her to work.



A sigh escaped Rachael. She had been smiling when she ran off but in truth she didn't like the situation. She wanted to keep Thomas safe, be able to take her time to enjoy herself and put on a show for him. With some time she knew that she would able to do two of the three but she didn't know how she would do all three.



If she brought Thomas along and took her time she wasn't certain that she could keep him safe. In order to keep him safe and put on a show she couldn't afford to take her time. Then there was the option of her not putting a show on for him that made her shudder. She liked using her power and loved flaunting it but that was when Thomas was around to enjoy the show.



The idea of going by herself and not having an audience didn't appeal to her at all. It meant Thomas would be safe but even if she could take her time she doubted that she would enjoy it. She knew that she wouldn't enjoy it as much.



Cameras could be taken along with her and she could record what happened. Though she didn't know if there was a camera that could survive the type of games she enjoyed. She doubted that there was one. As Rachael considered cameras her thoughts turned to various automated reconnaissance devices. Once she had some more money she could purchase some fairly expensive ones.



A pleased grin formed on Rachael's face. Such devices wouldn't be as fun as having Thomas there in person but he would be able to watch and move to see what he wanted. That was assuming that it didn't get destroyed but such machines did tend to be hard to target especially when they would have a much more dangerous target in her.



There was also the benefit of recording the fight through such devices. While it wouldn't be as good as having Thomas there to cheer her on he could record the events and later on they could watch them together. This also would help her in finding more work as she could use the recordings to demonstrate what she was capable of doing.



As Rachael walked she didn't pay attention to how hard her feet were striking the ground. In order to generate enough force to propel her at her current speeds her legs were striking the ground with enough force to be compared to an artillery shell. This combined with the rate of her steps and the fact that she was controlling her inertia so that she didn't get launched into the air was having quite a profound effect on the road though she couldn't see it given her speed.



It was fortunate that her shoes had been made of such a sturdy alloy on the bottom otherwise she would have destroyed them within a few steps.



Rachael didn't bother allowing herself to slip out of her accelerated state even upon coming to the compounds main gate. Now she faced a problem. Rachael knew that if she jumped over the gate it would take her a while to return to the ground. While she was moving and walking at increased speeds gravity didn't care about that. She could fly but at the moment her flight ability would once again be to slow.



It wouldn't have bothered Rachael as much if she had realized the damage she had caused by simply walking around but at the moment she didn't want to damage the buildings anymore then she had to. Walking over to the gate she bent down and slipped her hands under the gate.



When Rachael pulled her hands upward she brought them up so they pressed underneath one of the vertical bars each. Despite using the sturdiest positions she could find though her hands began to push through the bars. As she pulled her hands upward she saw the metal warp as if someone was pushing up on the bottom of a string of suspended liquorish.



After just a few moments of this the metal began to turn a bright red and actually seep between her fingers. When this happened Rachael quit pushing up on the gate and took a step back. After a few moments the opening she had created was actually warped enough to allow her to step through. "I really need to stop to consider how my actions are going to affect the world around me more."



With this Rachael stepped through the gate and looked around. She was moving so quickly that the guards hadn't even had time to notice what was going on. Shrugging she walked over to the first guard and held her finger up to his head. She then gave his skull a light flick. As she did so her finger easily pushed through and actually went into his skull for a moment.



When Rachael withdrew her finger she knew that it was going to cause more then a hole in his head. All that force had to go somewhere which meant his head would most likely be nothing but a mist to her the moment she went out of her accelerated state. At least he wouldn't have to suffer.



Turning around she made her way towards the second guard that she saw. She considered trying things other then destroying their heads but decided against it. Without an audience and with her moving so quickly that they couldn't even fight back or respond she simply didn't feel like playing with them. It would have been little then smashing statues to her.



It took less then a second for Thomas to here the first of a series of what seemed to be explosions. The shockwaves that traveled through the ground threatened to knock him from his feet. "Well I guess Rachael is already well on her way.



Thomas had planned to walk up the road but considering how close together each impact was he resolved that running would work just as good. He was fairly surprised when he made it a little ways up the road and came to a massive ditch that traveled the length of the road. He quickly realized that it must have been the result of Rachael running up the road at such high speeds.



As Thomas ran along the ditch he couldn't help but wonder just how fast Rachael had been moving. He knew that if she was running at such a speed that it required her to strike the ground so hard she was well beyond the super sonic range.



As Rachael finished the last person off she finally allowed herself to slip out of the accelerated state. Just a millisecond later she was struck by a horrific force and sent flying into the air. The roar of the explosion reached her ears only after it had lifted her into the air and sent her flying through the roof of the manner.



It only took a second for Rachael to once again alter her inertia and this time she made use of her flight ability to counter act the upward momentum more quickly and help gravity bring her back to the ground. At first she wasn't certain what was going on due to the massive dust cloud that blocked her view. The moment the cloud cleared though she felt her heart sink.



Rachael liked using her strength and normally the more she could flaunt the better. However, as she looked at the remains of the compound she was not at all happy. She hadn't stopped to consider the fact that her legs were striking the ground at speeds around or over fifty thousand kilometers an hour with every step.



Standing up Rachael quickly ran out of the compound and back down the road to find Thomas. She limited her speed to one hundred and fifty kilometers an hour for fear of the effects.



Thomas saw Rachael approaching and came to a stop. Once she slowed down enough for him to get a good look at her he knew something was wrong and that he should brace himself. As she neared him Rachael threw her arms around Thomas and scooped him off the ground. A moment later she buried her head in his chest.



A slight gasp escaped Thomas. Rachael had hit him with more force then she probably realized but it was little more then a light punch. Her arms however were very restricting. Breathing was about the only thing he could do at the moment. He was quite surprised when he noticed that Rachael was shaking. Despite the difficulty he managed to struggle and say. "Rachael what is wrong?"



Rachael heard the pain in Thomas's voice and quickly relaxed her grip though she didn't set him down. "I was so worried."



"Worried about what?"



"I was worried that it might have reached you."



At first Thomas had no idea what Rachael was talking about then he remembered the explosions that he had heard. "It's okay Rachael I am fine. Did you accidentally set of an explosive?"



"No." Rachael shook her head and finally set Thomas down. "Oh Thomas you could have been killed."



"What could I have been killed by?"



Rachael trembled for a moment and Thomas wondered if he had asked the wrong question. Once again she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him against her body though this time they were still standing. "Me!"



Now Thomas was officially confused even as he wrapped his arms around Rachael. "I don't understand. How could have you killed me."



"Come on up the road and you'll see." Rachael shifted Thomas's position so that she was carrying him. She then proceeded to take him back up the road.



Thomas could hardly believe what he saw. He had no way of knowing what the compound was like before Rachael reached it and unless they were pictures he never would. The entire area looked as if it had been carpet bombed. The surrounding trees had even been torn apart though it didn't reach as far as it could have. "Rachael what happened?"



"I was going too fast. Every time I took a step it generated so much energy. If you had been here with me or if the energy hadn't first gone into the ground, it would have killed you. Thomas I would have killed you and not even noticed I had done it until I stopped moving if I hadn't left you so far back."



Thomas was silent for a moment then turned to Rachael. Taking a step forward he wrapped his arms around her. "Rachael, it is okay I am fine."



"It is not okay. I don't want to hurt you Thomas. I should have realized the consequences of moving about so quickly but I didn't stop to think about them."



"Do you believe that you would have been moving so quickly if I had been here?"



"I wanted to clear the spot quickly enough that you wouldn't be in any danger."



"Rachael, you have never injured me no matter what you were doing. You may have not thought about the consequences while you were alone. What makes you so sure you wouldn't have thought of the consequences while I was here?"



It took a moment but finally Rachael looked back at Thomas. "I just don't want to hurt you."



"You won't or not seriously anyway. I think I need some ice packs for my sides though. Hey don't look like that and you learned what happens whenever you run at such high speeds."



Rachael shook her head. "When I first saw the destruction my first thought was that the energy might have reached you. I didn't even stop to realize that only those trees surrounding the immediate compound had been affected."



"You see. You knew what you were doing you just didn't think about it. Now how about we get you cleaned up and find you some more clothes."



"Huh?" Rachael was a bit surprised when she looked down at herself and noticed that her outfit had been completely destroyed.



Thomas gave a slight chuckle when he noted the surprised look on Rachael's face. "You seemed to have forgotten about the affects of wind friction as well."



*****



Thomas could tell that Rachael was feeling better since the previous night as he watched her through the binoculars. "It's a good thing she has some spare outfits."



Bernardo glanced over at Thomas. "I don't know if I agree with you on that."



Rachael had a wide grin on her face as she walked towards her fourth target. She had calmed down a great deal since the previous night after realizing how she could have killed Thomas if he had been at the compound with her. The reason it had shaken her up so badly wasn't so much that she didn't know she could accidentally harm or kill Thomas. It was because it had been the closest she had ever come to it.



She was feeling better since she had dealt with the first two targets of the day. Her improved mood was due to the fact that she was using them to practice control by picking one person not to kill until the very end. She would then try to insure they didn't get killed by stray weapons fire or by anything she did. So far she had succeeded completely and now she planned on getting even more practice.



There was one problem with her current target though. She didn't know how much she would able to resist having some fun. The first two targets of the morning she hadn't had an audience as she had kept Thomas well away from the action. While Thomas was still away from the action this time he would be able to see her almost perfectly as long as she stayed outside.



Thomas and Bernardo currently set in the same armored SUV that they had taken to the first job. They were currently parked on top of a rather high cliff which was nearly inaccessible except for those on foot or those that received an airlift. The airlift was especially true whenever one wanted to bring a vehicle along.



It had taken a while but Rachael had actually flown the vehicle to its current location. Her speed was still very lacking, Thomas estimated that her best during the entire trip was only fifteen kilometers an hour however since a lot of that was spent going strait up it was still fairly impressive.



The position allowed Bernardo and Thomas to over look most of the compound by making use some high powered binoculars. There was some concern that they would draw attention and possibly be mistaken for a sniper however in just a few minutes they both doubted anyone would be thinking about anything but the pretty lady that was tearing their and their comrades' limbs off.



Since Rachael had torn apart the previous compound just the day before and hit two of them this morning the guards were on alert. No one knew exactly what was happening as no one had survived to report back.



Despite this they seemed rather perplexed when Rachael began to approach them. Her revealing clothing and build made her quite an oddity. That wasn't enough to keep them from responding. Unfortunately Rachael had no idea what they were saying.



Brushing up on her foreign languages was beginning to seem like a really good idea to Rachael. Given her ability to enter her accelerated state she wondered how long it would take her to learn a few new languages. Still, she didn't have to speak the language to guess what the men were saying whenever they pointed their weapons at her. This of course wasn't nearly threatening enough to cause her to stop.



The guards actually took a step back whenever Rachael continued to advance. Rachael's confidence in the situation seemed to unnerve them. However, only a moment later they opened fire.



A frown crossed Rachael's face as she quickly determined the type of bullets they were using. The bullets were powder projectiles. She had been hoping for liquid projectiles. She could of course tell Thomas that they were liquid projectiles after all he was too far away to actually hear the sounds the guns made which meant he wouldn't be able to guess what type of bullets they were with any accuracy.



As the bullets bounced off Rachael the guards began to step backwards. They had thought the woman might be an enhanced given her total lack of fear of their weapons. However, they had expected her to dodge the bullets they hadn't expected or even thought it was possible for her to let them bounce off of her.



Rachael stopped her advance for a moment as the guards continued to shoot. She really wished that she could speak their language as she would have told them to focus on her breast more. Realizing that she still might be able to tell them through body language she started to point towards her breast when the guards ran out of bullets.



"Well they are dead."



Bernardo leaned forward a bit more as if trying to get a better look. "What makes you think she won't play with them more?"



"I believe that she just rolled her eyes. At least that seemed to be the head gesture she makes when she rolls her eyes or sighs."



"So she's bored with them already?"



"Yeah, it's kind of hard to keep Rachael amused."



The guards fumbled for extra clips for only a second before they seemed to realize even if they reloaded it was futile. The two took a quick look at one another and both dashed in different directions.



Rachael grinned and proceeded to pick up a few of the bullets that had struck her. She then gave each one of the bullets a light flick sending them into the guards. As she flicked the bullets Rachael felt the metal distort around her finger. The tiny metal fragments were sent through the air with far greater speed then they had left the gun.



Bernardo gave a slight jump when he saw the two guards apparently explode. The force with which Rachael had sent the bullets at the guards had been so great that they tore the bodies into bits.



The guards' gun fire had attracted the attention of others within the compound. They had simply been as surprised as the guards were to see the bullets bouncing off Rachael so that only after she had killed them did the signal to everyone else what was going on. However, they weren't certain of what they should do since they had just seen the bullets bounce off her.



Tearing the gate down seemed over done by now. Rachael had done it to the previous three targets and she didn't really want to do it to this one. Instead she moved to the side of the gate and gave the wall a quick tap. The distance which Rachael's knuckles pushed into the wall wasn't significant however the speed and thus the amount of energy her knuckles transferred were.



The wall seemed to explode inward sending several large chunk of debris slamming into the first few groups that had arrived at the gate. Stepping through the opening Rachael stared to move towards the men when she changed her mind. Turning to the side she gave the wall another light tap and tore out another massive section. This caused the bit of wall that had remained above her to fall down.



Thomas was reminded of some old comedy clips when the massive stones struck Rachael in the head and simply rolled off. The only difference was that Rachael wasn't sandwiched neither did she form a large bump.



Rachael continued to walk along the protective barrier. She'd realized that the wall would hinder Thomas's view of the action so she had resolved to simply tear it down. Of course this meant she would have to work quickly otherwise some of the people might try to escape into the forest and then Thomas wouldn't be able to see her chasing them down at all.



Several bullets were fired into Rachael as she worked on the wall though no one bothered to empty their clips into her. Soon it was clear that their weapons had no effect upon her and several tried to flee.



Rachael kept her actions slow but she was still within her accelerated state as she worked on the wall. This allowed her to easily keep track of the guards. When she saw the guards beginning to run she dug her fingers into the wall and tore out several massive chunks of the concrete. She then sent the hunks of material flying through the air and into the guards.



Thomas couldn't help but shiver a bit. Rachael could have easily killed those that tried to flee with the hunks of concrete but she chose to tear off their legs. "I suppose she doesn't like it when they try to run away."



After a few of the guards were left legless on the ground those that remained didn't seem to know what to do. It was only when Rachael made a bit more progress on the wall that they finally dashed for the manner. When half of the wall was missing Rachael was finally content with her work.



Bernardo glanced over at Thomas. "What makes her so sure that no one has snuck away?"



"Rachael has hearing that is almost as inhuman as her strength. She may even be able to hear us right now. Hey Rachael, if you can hear us wave."



Rachael grinned and turned in Thomas's direction. As she waved to him she decided to show him something else and raised her voice. "I can also raise my voice to."



Bernardo's eyes widened as not only did Rachael prove that she could hear the two of them she also revealed she could talk back as well. "Well I am glad that I didn't ask you anything unflattering."



As Rachael walked towards the manner she couldn't help but wonder how she was going to encourage the people inside to continue fighting her. Her first option would be to simply continue killing them until they got desperate enough to try and fight back. A wide grin formed on her face whenever one of the men looked out the window and pointed a rather surprising weapon at her.



Thomas shook his head. "Where do you people get those things?"



Bernardo gave a shrug. "Dario gets his from Williams. Them I don't know."



Rachael couldn't have hidden her amusement at the soldier pointing a rocket launcher at her if she had wanted to. Unlike Thomas and Bernardo she didn't care were the weapon had come from she was just grateful for a chance to show off.



It took a bit longer to aim then normal as the weapon was meant to detect and fire at aircraft not a loan woman. Had Rachael wanted to she could have lobbed a rock through the man's head before he had a chance to fire. At last though he fired and sent the rocket towards her. Rachael made no attempt to dodge but did try to insure she would remain stationary.



The moment she had seen the rocket Rachael had entered into her accelerated state. This allowed her to watch the rocket coming towards her despite the fact that it was moving over two times the speed of sound. The projectile actually seemed to be moving quite slowly from her perspective and she could have easily dodged.



Instead of avoiding the rocket Rachael watched as the nose of the weapon pressed into her breast. For a moment the flesh yielded but it didn't make any more progress then Thomas's hand. As her breast pressed back the rocket seemed to acknowledge that it had hit a target and detonated. This however was just as slow to Rachael. She could see the metal being pressed apart and the fire expanding outward. She could tell which pieces of metal would be sent back into the compound and which ones would hit her.



A few shards of the metal struck Rachael's body. She felt several of them stick for just a moment as the heat of the explosion caused them to melt however the torrent of energy caused them to fly off of her.



Thomas knew what he would see even before the smoke had cleared. "Well that is one way to get her naked."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as the flames flowed around her and then vanished. Looking up towards the window the guard had been in she was a bit disappointed to see that he and a fair bit of the wall was missing. The explosion had been extremely powerful and given how close she was to the structure it wasn't surprising that the building suffered a fair bit of damage.



Would they run, beg or try to fight her? Rachael had no way of knowing which one of three they would do. The begging was probably the most useless she had a job to do after all and she couldn't understand what they were saying anyway. Walking over to the damaged building Rachael peeked in through the massive opening when an idea hit her.



Neither Thomas nor Bernardo had any idea what Rachael was planning when she stepped back from the structure. At least they had no idea what her intentions were until she lifted off the ground and flew up to the roof.



She would just take the structure apart starting from the roof and going down. So long as she destroyed the sections of the roof above her head and walls Thomas would still be able to see what she was doing. Once she was level with the roof Rachael proceeded to push her hands through the wall and find as many joins as she could. A moment later she tore a massive section of the roof off and sent it tumbling in front of the front door.



The moment the roof came off Rachael was surprised whenever she was assaulted by a storm of weapons fire. She had expected everyone to run until she had them cornered so it took her a moment to respond when they stood and fought back. Flying a little higher into the air she moved her body so that the bullets began to strike the bottom of her breast. After a few moments she also began to rotate and bend over a bit so that they could strike her rear as well.



"So how long do you believe they'll keep shooting her?"



Bernardo took a moment to consider the question. "It's really hard to say. I imagine they are the unlucky ones that got picked to delay her."



"So you believe they were probably locked up there?"



"It seems likely, with the understanding that if they don't stop her they'll be killed."



"I bet there isn't an enhanced amongst them."



"I'd have to agree most likely they are down below better preparing themselves."



Rachael giggled when she felt the bullets striking her rear and held the position. She didn't know what it was but she found the tiny bits of hot metal striking her bottom to be quite pleasant and very ticklish.



As they fired their weapons those few that had been left on the top floor did so out of pure desperation. At the moment it was the only option that was left to them. They each knew that they were dead. Still, even with this knowledge they were sickened whenever their guns quit firing and they heard a sigh from Rachael.



The pout on Rachael's face would have been cute if the people hadn't been so scared. As if she was a little girl and the ride had just ended. It seemed like she would kill them right away however Rachael simply floated over their heads and proceeded to tear away more of the roof.



Thomas tapped the dash board for a moment. "It is nice to see Rachael showing some mercy."



"Do you believe she'll let them live?"



"No. Why would she? It isn't like they've really done anything for her to show them that much mercy and she has an agreement with your boss. She's just giving them the choice to kill themselves if they want to."



Bernardo gave a nod. "I see. I'd take it."



"Yes but you've seen what Rachael has done to people in the ring. They haven't had the chance to."



Bernardo gave a nod. "It feels kind of odd talking about her like she can't hear us."



"She'll ignore the conversation unless we speak to her directly. She's sweet enough to respect my privacy. Now what is that look for?"



"Oh I just thought something that might be me injured if I actually said it."



"Then I recommend keeping it to yourself. "



Rachael quickly slapped her hands together to remove the dust that had accumulated while she was removing the roof. Flying back over to the group that had been shooting at her previously she finally landed within the home which for the moment blocked her from Thomas and Andrew's view. That didn't last very long as a massive hole appeared in the wall.



Those that were currently trapped upstairs with Rachael weren't certain what was going on. She seemed to be more focused on the house then on them. Some were even optimistic enough to have a shred of hope she wouldn't kill them despite the fact that she had killed everyone at her previous targets.



After removing the roof and main wall Rachael turned to the group that was currently up stairs with her. When she did, she noted they seemed to sicken as she finally began to pay them attention. Up until that point they had only received a quick glance now she was actually looking at them.



Bullets wouldn't have any effect on her. They had known that whenever she withstood the rocket blast. In truth that had been their only real hope of taking her down. Despite this each person there wished they had more bullets to shoot at her just so they could try to fight back. As Rachael slowly walked towards the group they finally broke apart as if hoping she would walk by them.



It was hard for Rachael to decide which one of the people she wanted to kill first. There wasn't really anything that made one stand out from the other. She was actually relieved whenever one of them finally seemed to snap. The man screamed drew a rather large knife and charged her.



He didn't believe that his weapon would have any effect upon this woman but he had to try something. As the man neared Rachael he thrust the knife strait at her throat. The point hit her jugular dead on. The man felt the knife push forward for just a second then it stopped and the force was exerted on his hands.



Rachael caught the man by the throat before he could fall backwards. Holding her free hand up she waved to him before quickly jerking the hand that held his throat to the side. The sudden motion generated an audible snap as the man's neck was broken. Instead of just dropping the body to the ground Rachael gave it a light toss and sent it flying over the side of the building.



"I thought she was going to draw that out longer."



Thomas shook his head. "Rachael tends to show those that do what she want more mercy then she shows the others."



By now everyone had cleared out of the room. This didn't really bother Rachael. Instead she made her way over to another one of the walls and tore a massive chunk of it out.



"Why is she taking the house apart?"



"I believe she wants us to be able to watch her."



It was easy for Rachael to tell in what rooms someone was hiding and what rooms were empty. The only reason she bothered tearing apart those empty rooms was the walls would block Thomas's view. At least she didn't have to work slowly on this room and allowed herself to not only lapse into her accelerated state but to actually work in it as well.



He didn't know what was going on. The woman's actions had been methodical and slow up until that point. Then he heard a roar as if a hurricane was tearing the entire place apart. The sudden silence that came after words didn't help anything. A moment later an arm came bursting through the wall took hold of his shoulder.



Rachael's fingers sunk into the man's muscles as easily as anyone else's would have sunk into water if not more easily. She had intentionally rammed her hand through one of the studs in order to weaken the structure and allow herself to pull the man through entirely.



Those hiding could hear their comrade's screams as Rachael began to work on him. As she held the man to the wall Rachael pressed in on his chest so that she felt his ribs beginning to bend inward. She couldn't help but wonder if those in hiding would realize why she was going to make this one scream more then she did the one that actually attacked her.



As he screamed the man took hold of Rachael's arm and attempted to push her away despite seeing that the explosion from the rocket hadn't been able to move her. At the moment he was simply in too much pain to think about such things. He did have enough of a hold on himself to realize that he could use his legs though so that he placed his feet against Rachael's body and tried to use them to push away.



Using her free hand Rachael reached down and took hold of the man's knee. As she began to tighten her grip the man tried to withdraw his leg but it was far too late. Rachael's fingers sunk through the muscle forcing the flesh to the side while reaching down to the bone. The incredible pressure had already fractured the knee in several places and soon her fingers began to reduce it to powder.



As Rachael's grip tightened the man continued to struggle however she could tell the pain was causing his strength to decline. A moment later her fingers met and the lower section of the leg fell free.



Leaning forward Rachael suddenly exerted tremendous pressure on his rib cage causing the bones to collapse inward and crushing his heart. The force of the push was so great that her hand actually went through his body and took out a sizable chunk of the wall he was held against.



After letting the body fall to the ground Rachael took a moment to look it over before giving it a light kick and sending it over the side of the house. As she moved lower into the building she had no desire to have corpses or anything else falling down on her and possibly killing her next victim.



*****



As the two men's heads met the force behind each as so great that their skulls were made to collapse sending a spray of blood and bone fragments about the area. Rachael gave a sigh as she looked around.

She had finally made it to the main floor and she had yet to encounter a single enhanced. This was becoming fairly boring as far as she was concerned.



"What has you looking so happy all of a sudden?"



Thomas didn't bother looking at Bernardo. "It is nice to see Rachael lying off the torture. I know she likes to flaunt her strength but well I am glad that she has started killing them within ten seconds of taking hold of them."



"Why do you believe she is doing that?"



"It's probably quit being as much fun to her. I don't believe it is really the torture she goes for she just wants to show off how powerful she is in the most effective manner."



Rachael gave a giggle. Thomas knew her pretty well and for the most part he was right. Tearing apart the normal humans had been fun for a time but now it was just boring. The enhanced on the other hand she hoped to have some more fun with. The fact that they had left their regular counterparts to guard while they hid away somewhere didn't set well with Rachael for some reason.



Reaching down she sunk her fingers into the floor once again and was delighted whenever her fingers met steel reinforced concrete. The sound of the concrete and steel being torn apart was so great that Rachael wouldn't have been surprised if Thomas and Bernardo could hear it.



There was a moment of disappointment for Rachael whenever she wasn't immediately assaulted by weapon's fire. Shrugging a bit she nearly jumped down into the basement when she remembered something very important. If she did that Thomas couldn't see her handle the enhanced she was searching for. One again she began the task of tearing the basement apart.



Thomas was a bit surprised whenever he saw Rachael suddenly fly into the air. The speed with which she moved told him that it wasn't due to her own flight ability. The moment she halted her motion he was certain that she was alright.



An enhanced could handle a weapon that a normal human couldn't. That was fairly common knowledge however Rachael hadn't expected weapons meant to be used by enhanced specifically would be in the compound. The high velocity bullets had caught her off guard and actually been enough to knock her into the air until she exerted more energy to control her motion.



"Nice try but it didn't work." Rachael didn't know if anyone could understand what she had just said but she was certain they could hear the mocking tone in her voice. Lowering back down to the opening a delighted squeal escaped her whenever a few of the rounds struck her between the legs and on the nipples.



Thomas chuckled and bumped his head against the passenger door window a few times. He didn't know but he doubted Rachael realized just how loud she had been or the pose she had just struck whenever the bullets hit her. Apparently she liked the feeling of the massive ultra high velocity bullets striking her flesh.



He wasn't certain what was going on when Rachael turned in his direction until she raised her voice. "No. They didn't part my lips."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and returned to the weapons fire that peppered her body. As the bullets struck her she began to play a little game. Rachael would shift about and try to get as many bullets as possible to hit her breast without changing her position in space.



Thomas wasn't certain what was going at first as much of the time Rachael was a blur. However, as time passed he noticed something. "Is something on Rachael's breast?"



Bernardo took a moment to reply. "It looks like they are shining."



Thomas couldn't help but grin. "My, my. She is actually using the metal from the bullets to coat her breasts."



When the bullets would strike her chest Rachael would quickly press the metal to her skin. The already hot metal would quickly liquefy under the extreme pressure and she would smear it over her breasts. The only problem she had with this was that she didn't have any method of cooling the metal so that the vast majority of it ended up rolling off of her breast.



Rachael had no idea how much time had passed whenever the bullets finally quit striking her in the chest. Eventually though those inside ran out of bullets and she renewed her effort to remove the roof.



Thomas shook his head as he found himself looking at a total of eight enhanced. Apparently all their normal counter parts had been left on the top floors. "I believe they'll wish they had died with the others."



Rachael stood grinning as she looked at the eight fighters. She finally had them cornered now she just had to get them to try and fight back so that she could get some amusement. Grinning from ear to ear she walked over to the largest of the group and gave him a quick kick in the ankle.



A jet of blood erupted from were the man's ankle had once been. The light kick from Rachael had been so forceful that it has broken through the skin and tore away the bones. As he fell forward Rachael bent down and then up bringing her breast up to meet him.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as her breast struck the man on the jaw. The force of the impact was so great that it sent him stumbling backwards though her breast only bounced pleasantly. A positively wicked smile appeared on her face.



One of the group members had clearly had enough and made an effort to run only to have Rachael accelerate so that she was standing next to him. After giving a slight hop she spun in the air and caused her breast to slam into the side of his arm. The force of the impact was powerful enough to send him toppling to his side. It only took a moment's glance to realize that Rachael had most likely broken his arm by bumping him with her breasts.



When no one else moved Rachael quickly moved behind one of them and thrust her breast against him. His attempt to scream in pain was cut off as the force of the impact knocked the wind out of him and sent him toppling onto his face.



Bernardo couldn't help but blink. "Is she going to beat them to death with her breasts?"



"I believe that is her plan. Since I believe you are wondering but doubt you will ask. Rachael's breasts are actually very soft whenever you first touch them. It's only whenever you begin to really push that they exert a force back on your hand. Then beyond a certain point they become too solid to effect. " Thomas couldn't help but feel aroused as he remembered messaging those globes just the previous day.



Rachael couldn't have kept track of the men if she had only been able to move ten times faster then human. She was simply giggling too much as she wrapped her arms behind her back and continued to use her breasts as weapons. Several times she nearly toppled over due to her laughter.



He couldn't believe this. Never before had he been able to think of a woman's breasts as weapons especially after he became enhanced. But now this woman was beating him to death just by using her globes. Every few moments she would thrust her breast at him with such speed that the impact knocked him back a few feet. She was slowly working him back to the wall.



The whole time Rachael had been giggling. Now as she pinned one of the enhanced against the wall she took a few steps backwards and prepared to slam him again. As she thrust her breast at him she was actually surprised whenever he rolled to the side.



An ear splitting impact was heard in the basement as Rachael's breast struck the wall. When the various enhanced looked to see what had happened they were all horrified to see that she had imbedded her breast up to her chest in the reinforced concrete. It only took a second for Rachael to pull her chest free and reveal the devastation she had just caused with one of the softest parts of her body.



After taking a moment to appreciate the damage Rachael shifted to her side and gave the wall a quick smack with her breast. Once again her globes tore into the reinforced concrete as if it was nothing more then sand.



*****



Dario could hardly believe what had happened over the past week.

Each day Rachael would tear into several of his competitions homes or places of operation. Every time she would kill anyone that happened to be found there. A week down the line and his competition seemed to have entirely vanished.



Rachael set next to Thomas while Dario took a few moments to consider the news. Currently her head wrested on his shoulder while her arms wrapped around him.



Thomas smiled at Rachael and gave her a pat on the thigh before he focused back on Dario. "Well I believe you can see that Rachael has fulfilled her end of the deal."



Dario took a moment to respond. He had been examining some pictures brought back from the slaughters. "Huh? Oh yes I agree. I was just wondering. How would you like to be paid?"



Rachael's hand took hold of Thomas's and began to move it along her thigh once he forgot to do so. This got a slight chuckle from him. His love really did prefer to keep his attention for her. "Cash in the form of manageable bills."



"Very well, I'll have your money brought to you within the day. I have to admit I never expected you to succeed and so quickly."



"Rachael does impressive work."



"Yes she does. In fact I was wondering if I might be able to hire you in the future."



Thomas gave a shrug. "That will depend on how much you are willing to pay."



Dario didn't dare admit it but after seeing the images. He actually feared someone else hiring her to do the same that she had done to his top competitor. "After seeing her abilities I will be sure to give her a more fitting sum once I find some task that require her abilities."



Thomas gave a nod and turned his attention to Rachael. "Well what should we do now?"



Rachael glanced up at Thomas. "We are going to need more money then that. Do you believe you can find me some more work?"



Thomas rubbed the back of his head. It wasn't like he knew anyone. They had only met Dario through Williams but he couldn't just say no to Rachael. "I will do my best."



Dario took a deep breath and tried to calm his nerves. "I have some friends that could use your help however the jobs won't be as well paying as the one I gave you."



Thomas gave Dario a moderately offended look. He didn't like the idea of Rachael doing grunt work. "And just what are these jobs?"



"They are a few people in the government that have been giving us a hard time and in the press."



"Rachael isn't going to do a job that a common hit man could handle or a bomb for that matter. I won't have her doing grunt work."



A long sigh escaped Dario as his cool began to break down. For a moment he allowed his eyes to meet Rachael's and a chill ran down his spine. Over the years he had developed the ability to read people fairly well. He could tell she saw him as an insect. He didn't know if Williams had done him a favor by introducing her to him or not. "If that is your decision, I hope we can work together in the future."



*****



Thomas glanced over at Rachael who was currently lying on the bed. "So Rachael, where do you want to live?"



"Mm I don't really know to be honest. It's pretty nice here and I sure did clear off a lot of nice plots of land."



"So should I start looking for some land to buy up here?"



Rachael rolled over onto her stomach so that she was facing Thomas and stuck her tongue out at him. "What does I don't know mean?"



"Now there is no need to be a smart aleck."



"How goes the job search?"



"I've been in contact with Williams and I believe I might have found something for you. I was able to make use of the pictures from your work with Dario."



"Neat, so what needs to be done?"



"I'll let you know whenever I know for certain what job it is going to be."



"I wonder what a private island would cost us."



"Why do you want to know?"



"It could make a nice home."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "Well I don't know the exact price but I am pretty sure we are very far away from that goal."



"Yeah, of course I could just go raid a few banks."



"How about we see how these jobs work out before you do that?"



"I guess I should try earning an honest living before I start tearing banks apart. Still, can you at least tell me what kind of jobs you are trying to get me?"



"The type that pays far better then what Dario had you doing."



Rachael gave a sigh and proceeded to climb out of bed. Walking over to the computer station where Thomas set she reached down and took hold of the main support. She then quickly lifted him into the air so that he didn't have time to get out of the seat.



Thomas wasn't sure what Rachael was going to do until he found himself over two meters above the ground. Instead of being scared he was amused. "You have a rather steady arm. You know that?"



"Of course other wise I wouldn't have picked you up with the chair. Now let's see what you were talking about." Using her free hand Rachael began to search through Thomas's messages.



"Well what do you think?"



Rachael was able to scan through the messages by entering her accelerated state even more quickly then the computer was able to scroll through them. At last she had all the information she needed. "You're trying to get me some mercenary work."



"It sounds like you don't like the idea."



"Thomas, business decisions are up to you. If you want to get me some work as a mercenary then that is what I'll do."



"Yes, but I can tell from the tone of your voice you don't like the idea."



A sigh escaped Rachael. "I admit at the moment it doesn't exactly look appealing to me, but I know that if you get me the job you have a reason for it."



Stepping away from the computer Rachael placed the chair and Thomas back on the ground. After removing her hand from the bottom of the chair she placed her arm around Thomas from behind and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "While I don't exactly like the idea of working with other people I am sure that I'll be able to have some fun."



"Thanks Rachael."



"You're welcome. So what is the hold up with the job?"



"They don't believe you'll be able to deliver what I promise and they don't believe an enhanced is worth the price I am asking."



"Oh I didn't read that far down. How much are you charging them?"



"I am currently asking for one million dollars. I know that it is only four times what Dario paid you but you're building a reputation at the moment. Actually, the main reason I am working on this is reputation building."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle. "Only a million, I believe someone has a plan."



"I am surprised you didn't say anything back when I was speaking with Dario."



"Well I didn't really feel like it. So what do you have up your sleeves anyway?"



"There is basically always a little war along going on somewhere. How would you like to be involved in that?"



"I would like that very much. So you believe that I should start working as a sort of living weapon?"



"You like lots of action. That seemed like the best way for you to get it."



"Mm I like this plan of yours. So how are you trying to win over our current client to be?"



"The last I had contact with them I offered to have you work without any payment up front. If you succeeded you get the full amount if you fail you don't get any."



"That sounds reasonable. So is it really worth a million dollars?"



"Given the number of men and equipment they would lose. Plus the difficulty in finding the target I believe that it is."



Rachael gave a nod. "So they don't know were their prey is?"



"No, but I am confident that you can find them. It'll also give you time to work on your super speed. I hope you can find a way to run around without tearing up everything you step on."



"Yeah and on the subject of working on things" Rachael gave a light hop and quickly began to float in the air. Holding her legs under herself she floated down so that she was level with Thomas. "I suppose I should work on my flying."



"It would be nice if you could get some more speed."



"So how much information did you leave out when using Dario as a reference?"



"Well for one thing I didn't mention that you could take a rocket dead on. I just don't believe they would buy that story. I also didn't mention you can fly for the same reason."



Rachael gave a quick nod. "You know when I used to think of flying I would always picture myself being able to fly faster then I could run."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "You're not the only one. Of course there is a difference between the energy that is required to walk and the energy that is required to fly. I doubt that is the reason you fly so slowly though given how much energy you have."



Reaching out Rachael took hold of Thomas's right arm and gave the biceps a slight squeeze. "I can't believe your genetic code is still human."



"Yeah, I felt certain something had change. Of course that actually brings up more questions then it answers. Namely why and how am I developing this muscle mass without either intensifying my exercise routine or being enhanced?"



"I wish that I knew but all my tests revealed that your genetic code remains unchanged. I have a theory but I haven't really been able to test it yet."



"You believe that it has something to do with you."



"It seems likely."



"Mm milk it does a body good."



Giggling a bit Rachael leaned over and gave Thomas a kiss on the cheek. "Oh please it couldn't. Huh, but then again I haven't really tested."



It was clear to Thomas that Rachael had just realized something. "You believe that your milk may have something to do with it?"



"I don't know. I mean the changes sure took a while to occur if it did but I haven't tested it. There is also the fact that my body is always changing I suppose that it is possible."



"That is true. I swear if it is your milk you could make a fortune selling dairy."



Placing her hands under her breast Rachael hefted the massive globes of flesh more then what any other force had been able to move them. After shifting them from side to side slightly as if testing them an amused giggle escaped her. "Well now I am going to have to test to see how my milk compares to other types."



"I can save you the trouble with a taste test. Yours is better."



"Well I am glad to hear that. The theory is worth looking into though I don't believe I'll be selling my milk even if it comes out to be true. I doubt I could make enough."



"I don't know. I am sure they are some sports stars that would love an easy way to put on some extra muscles and not have anything able to be traced back to them. It isn't like you would have to provide enough for a large number of people."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Are you sure you wouldn't mind sharing with someone else?" As Rachael spoke she wrapped her arm around Thomas's head and flew a little higher in the air so that she was pulling his head towards her breasts.



"Uh come to think of it, yes I would be quite hurt."



"Mm well then you'll be the only one that will ever get to taste them."



Leaning over further Thomas gave the top of Rachael's breasts each a kiss. "I am glad."



"Sorry that I can't say you're the only person that will ever get to feel them."



"Oh that is fine. I am sure I am the only person that enjoys it. I doubt those enhanced you boobed to death had a chance to appreciate them. The ungrateful jerks just don't know how to appreciate a truly beautiful woman."



Rachael relaxed her grip on Thomas's head and lowered herself back down so that she was hovering at the same height setting in a chair would have lifted her. "Well then what do you want to do while you wait for a response? Come to think of it what is taking them so long to respond?"



"They have to run the idea through a few other people."



"Have you been watching the news much lately?"



"I can't say that I have been. Why do you ask?"



"Well I was wondering what the police had to say about their search for me. Come to think of it did you use that footage to show what I can do?"



"Yes I did. Well I didn't need to send the footage to them they already knew of it."



"Do you believe that we could get a copy?"



"I already have one. It's been circulating the web for a while."



"Oh neat, will you show it to me?"



"Sure, just give me a second and I'll bring it up."



Rachael leaned back as if she was in a chair when Thomas brought up the file. After a few minutes of watching the video she had to comment. "I wish that I could have had some more fun with those police."



"You felt like you needed to hurry to keep me from being harmed didn't you?"



"Yeah, it has been causing me quite a few problems. I want you there to watch but I don't want you to be in any danger. There were a few times that I told myself in my accelerated state I could keep an eye on you and shield you should someone shoot at you or some other threat arise and for the most part I believe I could. Then I think that I can't be certain as there is a slight chance I just wouldn't notice one tiny piece of metal and then I get scared."



"That is why you ultimately had me wait back at the guard station even after having me put on the guards' body armor."



"Even with me and the body armor protecting you there is still that chance you could get harmed. So yeah I resolved that the chance was simply too great. I was so glad when I realized that there were a few safe positions for you to watch from on a few of the jobs."



"It was nice to be able to watch. So are you saying that it isn't as fun whenever you don't have an audience?"



"Yeah, while I still enjoy using my strength and speed a great deal no matter what. It really takes something away from it whenever you aren't there to watch me and I know you'll never see me. I guess I just love the attention."



"I love giving you the attention and to be honest I am glad you want me there to watch."



"You don't find my behavior to be unpleasant? I know I can get a little carried away."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "I swear Rachael I would never do some of the things you have done and I would never wish them upon someone. However, when I watch you it is like all that melts away."



Rachael bit her lower lip as she watched a police car fly into one of the helicopters. Leaning over she wrapped her arms around Thomas. "Would you like me to tone it down?"



"Be honest with me Rachael. If you were to tone it down do you believe it would take away from your enjoyment?"



"Well yes it would."



"Then I want you to be as naughty as you want to be." Taking hold of one of Rachael's hands Thomas lifted it to his lips and gave it a quick kiss.



Rachael removed her hand from behind Thomas and took hold of his seat. She then spun him around so that he was facing her and leaned forward gently pressing her lips to his. "Thank you."



"I don't know if I have ever said this before but in case I haven't I'll say it now. I love every aspect of your being. You do things that I don't approve of and at times you have frustrated me. That doesn't change the fact that I love you just the same and I know how much you enjoy using your abilities. I love you too much to try to change you."



Taking hold of the sides of Thomas's chair Rachael pulled him in closer. "How come you never tell me when you don't approve of my actions?"



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Because I only realize that I don't approve of them when I think of anyone else other then you doing them."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she leaned forward so that Thomas could easily see down her shirt. "Mm I have to say I rather like that. Is there any other reasons?"



A grin formed on Thomas's face. "Yes if I did try to change you I might end up changing something that I didn't want to. You're so close to perfection already I don't know if I could add to one area and not have to subtract from another."



Rachael had kept her legs folded under herself while she floated in the air. Now she unfolded them and stretched them to either side of Thomas's chair. Wrapping those wonderful limbs around the seat as best she could there was a slight scream from the arm wrest as she bent the metal. Slowly Rachael used her legs to draw the chair and Thomas closer to her. She continued until she was left hovering slightly above Thomas's lap. "Well aren't you being a little stingy."



Leaning forward Thomas gave Rachael another kiss. "I know, but I worry if I tried to make you more carrying of the world it might take some away from me. I don't have any real grounds to scold you anyway."



"Why do you say that?"



"Well I am your manager. I can hardly blame you for taking the jobs that I find for you and who ever complained about service with a smile?"



"Ah, I see. Mm I wonder if that is one of the reasons I am so enthusiastic about my work. I have a manager that finds me such amusing jobs."



"I try my best. Still, it's hard to believe that you were able to acquire so many materials before you altered yourself given your temper."



"Well I had better control of myself back then as you may recall. I suppose going from as weak as a kitten to as strong as a tiger and beyond can have quite an effect upon someone." Rachael took hold of the now very warped arm wrest and proceeded to remove them from the chair entirely. She then took hold of Thomas's arms and placed them on her legs.



Thomas slowly ran his hands along Rachael's thighs. As long as he kept his touch gentle her skin felt silky smooth. "I don't truly believe that it affected your mind."



"Then what would you say happened?"



"I believe that you never were a kitten. I'd just say the tiger finally decided to pounce."



"Mm I like that." Taking hold of Thomas's hands Rachael pulled them further along her thighs then released. She was glad that he took the hint and start making longer strokes. "I suppose my prey injured me in the initial struggle."



"Well you did go after some terribly large game. Still, you caught it and it nourished you allowing you to catch increasingly large prey."



"Yes, but the wounds lead to me being captured as well."



"Huh? How were you captured?"



"Some other kitty came along and took the injured tigress back to his layer." Leaning forward instead of kissing Thomas Rachael let her tongue flick out and proceeded to run it along his cheek.



"Well you were always a very difficult catch. How else could one hope to run you down except when you had been weakened?"



"Mm I though I had every approach covered but I was so focused on my goal that I didn't realize there was one I ignored entirely. I am glad that you caught me otherwise I would have never made it of course now that I have my strength back and then some." With the arm wrest removed from the chair Rachael was able to draw Thomas even closer to her so that their faces were only centimeters apart. She then wrapped her arms around him once again.



Thomas placed his hands on Rachael's shoulders as she drew him closer. Setting up he leaned forward and gave Rachael a solid kiss on the lips. "You may have your strength back but don't think that means I have given up."



"So you struck first. Let's see who ends up pinned." Rachael returned Thomas's kiss and then some. The two of them were preparing for a most intimate struggle.



*****



"Are you sure these people can pay me more then Dario did?"



Even without listening to the words Thomas could tell that Rachael was under whelmed by the structure they found themselves waiting in.

"It depends on how you take it. You could say that Dario wasted all his money on building impressive homes."



"That is true but still." Rachael had to resist the urge to sink her fingers into her chair to make a point. The only reason she didn't was because she knew it wouldn't truly make a point. She could sink her fingers into wood and concrete with equal ease.



"I am sorry to keep you waiting."



Rachael and Thomas turned to see a figure that was no more impressive then the building. Instead of an expensive suit the man wore a fairly simple military uniform. This had the reverse effect that Dario's expensive clothing had on her. She didn't feel as inclined to insult the figure but that meant she wanted Thomas to handle more of the talking so she gave him a slight nudge. "It isn't a problem."



"How was trip over here?"



"The plain ride was nice enough." Thomas resolved not to give his opinion about the car ride.



"Good. I apologize for the conditions but we are currently having some problems. Now miss Rachael I just want to go over some of the conditions for your employment."



"You'll want to speak to Thomas about that. I just go along with the decisions that he makes."



"Oh? Very well, well then in case you were wondering my name is Raul. Thomas you must have been the one I spoke to previously."



"Yes."



"Well then, as you know we will only pay whenever Rachael has completed her job. We also expect her to avoid or at least limit the amount of damage she causes to our personnel."



Thomas held up a hand. "That depends purely on your personnel whether or not we will accept any loss for damages Rachael may cause. You didn't mention any of your people being involved when we talked previously."



"We had resolved to send some people in order to help her."



"That won't be necessary."



"I realize that Rachael is capable and I am sure given her mobility she can search with ease but she still wouldn't be able to handle them alone."



"You can send help if you want but we won't accept any deductions if you do. I don't see why you have a problem with the fact that Rachael needs to work alone. If she fails your target still ends up weakened and you don't have to pay anything."



Raul gave a nod. "Very well you can handle the problem on your own."



"Good, now what additional information could you provide us about the target?"




*****



"I swear I thought I made it clear to them you would be working by yourself before we even came out here."



"Some people just don't listen very well."



"That is true. So have you picked up anything yet?"



"Not just yet but the day is young. So what are you doing right now?"



"I am trying to plan out your next job."



"From the tone of your voice I assume they are problems."



"Yes. I am having trouble maintaining the connection. It's a wonder that your head set is working so well." Rachael and Thomas were currently no where near one another. It had taken quite some time to work out but finally they had resolved it would be best if he waited in a safe house while she searched the forest. They maintained communication through a very well armored mini radio.



"I'd rather the head set be working instead of the computer. If this line goes dead I am coming back to check on you."



"I wonder how quickly you could make it back here."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "I'd say pretty quickly especially if I took the direct rout."



"You mean if you crashed through everything in your path on the way back. Just how quickly are you running right now?"



"I would say I am going around four hundred kilometers an hour and yeah you're right."



"That seems a little slow for you."



"It is but I don't want to risk missing anything. It is no wonder the rebels are hard to find in this mess. I'd be pretty useless to try searching from air with the equipment they have."



"I have the feeling that they could destroy the rebels if they weren't so good at hiding."



"I'd have to agree. Though to be honest I feel a little cheated taking this job."



"I imagine you felt that way working for Dario."



"Well yes I did. Considering the damage I did to his competition he is going to make the money he paid me back very quickly. The reason I feel cheated this time is just think of how much money they are saving by hiring me."



"That is often the problem when you're just starting out. When you were just out of college did you start getting hired to work on the big projects right away?"



"Yes."



"Oh well that isn't the experience for most of us."



"I was the top of my class."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "You still are the top of your class. I suppose you had a lot of time to devote to your studies."



"I always have."



"Well then consider this school or mercenary college."



"The classes are more fun but I could use some real tracking skills out here."



"I don't know if conventional methods of tracking would apply to you or be of any help and I am sure your methods are just fine given your abilities. After all you can run a sweep of the forest as quick as any aircraft and you're doing it at ground level."



"That is true. Hold on a moment I believe I just picked up something." Rachael was able to quickly stop long before the friction the ground could have provided would normally slowed her down. This was due in large part to the same ability that allowed her to hold herself stationary and fly.



"Well do you see anything?"



"Oh yeah, give me just a second this won't take long."



The three sentries didn't pay any attention to the sudden gust of wind that moved about them. They kept their eyes turned towards the forest until the one in the center suddenly fell forward and landed on the table. The men jumped back nearly falling over their seats when they noticed his head was turned in the wrong direction. When they turned to look at one another they found a woman instead.



Rachael quickly reached to her sides and took hold of both the men's heads before they could scream. She didn't hesitate to drive them towards one another with enough force to shatter stone. A wet crack could be heard as the men's skulls collided and a spray of blood came from each though to Rachael's surprise their heads weren't entirely destroyed they were however well past dead.



The entire process only took seconds but the people in the camp were very aware and by the time the three sentries had been dropped someone had signaled for help. He might have delayed if he realized this would draw Rachael's attention.



He hadn't seen the woman come into the camp so he didn't know how quickly she could move however he had seen her kill the three sentries so he knew what she was. This hadn't prevented him from crying out to the others in the camp that they had an intruder and try to raise his weapon. He was able to call out to the others but he never got to bring the weapon up as the moment he called out the woman was standing in front of him.



It only took Rachael a moment to decide on what she wanted to do with the man. Taking hold of his sides she gave the sky above them a quick glance and heaved him into the air. The moment Rachael's hands came in contact with the joints of the man's arm they were shattered and nearly tore away from his body. As the pain shot through his body he was shot into the sky.



The sight of bullets flying towards her drew Rachael's attention before the sound actually reached her ears. She quickly snatched the first group of bullets out of the air and sent them flying back towards the people that had fired them even more quickly then they came at her. A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she watched the group of eight soldiers be torn apart by the bullets she sent back at them before the second bullets from their gun barrels had even reached her.



As the few bullets that had managed to leave the guns before their firers were slaughtered neared Rachael she quickly snatched them out of the air. Each bullet would warp and begin to melt in her hands due to the extreme force and speeds involved however not before she could send them towards one of the other men. The speed with which Rachael threw each of the bullets was so great that it easily made up for the metals warping.



"Hey Thomas, do you believe it would be okay if I took some things from the enemy?"



"That was quick. Is it done already?"



"Everyone is dead in the immediate area but that wasn't the main force."



"How many were they?"



"They were a bit over two dozen people. So what would you say to me taking a few things?"



"I don't see anything wrong with it. Why has something caught your eye?"



"You could say that." Rachael grinned as she walked over to one of the large crates. Opening it up she was delighted to find a few grenades lying inside of it. "They have some interesting toys that I believe we could have some fun with later."



"Don't tell me I want to be surprised."



"Okay, yeah this was most assuredly an early warning station. I just wish I had an idea were the main camp was."



"Do you see any rout that looks well traveled?"



"I told you that I needed some training in normal tracking skills."



"Ah I see your point. Try just listening considering how sensitive your ears are you can probably pick up something."



"Okay give me a moment." Rachael let herself fall entirely out of her accelerated state so the sound waves seemed closer together. She hadn't mentioned it to Thomas but to her it seemed like there was a massive delay between each word he spoke. Of course controlling her mouth so she didn't speak too quickly for him to understand was a problem as well. After a few moments she felt certain she heard the sound of metal scraping against metal.



"Do you hear anything?"



"Yeah I believe that I do and I think I just had an idea as how to have some fun."



"What is that?"



Rachael walked over to the corpses of the three men she had killed first. She proceeded to retrieve two of their automatic assault rifles and their ammo belts as well as one large container. "I can't tell you right now."



"Why is that?"



"Just in case someone is listening in on our conversation."



"That is possible but I believe they would be listening in for something more then two people talking."



"I'll let you know what my idea was once I have tried it out." Once again Rachael listened for the sound of the metal. After she picked it up she quickly dashed in the direction of the scraping.



Thomas gave a shrug and once again busied himself. Finding Rachael work wasn't exactly easy due in large part to her reputation just forming. He wouldn't have thought it possible to find her a job such as the one she currently had if it hadn't been for two factors. One was her encounter with the police and the second one was Williams. As he typed on the keyboard he was a bit surprised when he felt a sudden rush of wind behind him.



He had felt such gust before several times in fact. Rachael tended to generate them after she came back from work. For a moment he wondered if she had decided to run back quickly to show him how quickly she could move. When he turned to greet her though a feminine and very powerful hand covered his mouth, however it wasn't Rachael's.



In most cases Thomas would have tried to break free or shout however as he felt the hand on his mouth he had no doubt that the owner would twist his head off in an instant. He felt some hair fall on his shoulder as the figure leaned over him. He felt another hand move to the side of his head. For a moment he thought whoever was behind him was going to remove his mouth piece instead she removed her hand from his mouth and pressed a loan finger to it.



Without the entire hand covering his mouth Thomas could have shouted but considering that it had been the figures decision to remove it he didn't feel the need to shout. Instead he turned around and was surprised to find Sally standing behind him a wide grin on her face.



Sally pressed her finger to Thomas's mouth before he could speak to her. She didn't want Rachael knowing that she had dropped by for a visit at least not yet. When she was sure Thomas had the message she removed her finger.



Thomas didn't know what was going on when Sally lifted him from his seat. He felt a little nervous when she carried him over to the door and held him so that he could look out. What he saw shocked him.

Several bodies lie about the area and all of them had been clearly armed. The cause of death for each of them was apparent.



It was fairly clear that Sally had been the one that killed them and that she had a sadistic streak to her much like Rachael. All the guards had the exact same injury namely there was a massive hole where the lunges should have been. This would have prevented them from screaming out but been an extremely painful death.



"Thomas did I just hear a giggle?"



"Uh yeah, Rachael I believe that you should come back now."



Rachael came to a dead stop as she felt a sudden flair of anger. Something about Thomas's tone of voice told her she wouldn't be happy when she got back so that she was already pissed. "I'll be there in a second."



"Tell her not to attack me."



"Don't attack Sally."



When Rachael's response came less then a minute later it wasn't over the head set. "I won't attack her so long as she gives you to me this instant."



Sally grinned and turned to Rachael. She promptly held out Thomas for her. A pleased smile crossed Rachael's face though it was clear she was still upset and she proceeded to take Thomas from Sally. "Okay now what is going on?"



Thomas glanced over at Sally. "I believe she knows better then I do."



"That I do, but could we go back inside first? I want to set down."



Rachael gave a nod. "Sure."



"Do you have anything to drink? I had to really hot foot it over her so I am thirsty."



Rachael rolled her eyes. To her surprise though she didn't feel annoyed just amused. She gave Sally a playful push that sent her stumbling back into the room. "Go ahead but then you need to get to talking."



Sally grinned and led the way back into Rachael and Thomas's room. As Sally rummaged around in the kitchen Rachael made her way over to the seats. Instead of setting down on the sofa she chose the chair and simply held Thomas. A few moments later Sally came back into the living room and lay down on the sofa with her drink. "First of I want to apologize for what happened her. Not that Williams or I had anything to do with this directly."



Thomas felt a little strange. The way the ladies chose to seat them was rather unusual for a serious meeting. "Then why apologize?"



"Well we did recommend you work for them and help set this up. We simply didn't have any idea that would try a stunt like this. Allow me to explain. As you know Williams helps research and develop methods for enhancing and as part of this effort he puts a good deal of money into various projects.



For several years now we have been providing funding, weapons and even enhanced to various governments that found themselves in need of some help. Your clients were one of those groups. Of course we got something in return. In the case of your clients we supplied them with some money and weapons and they supplied us with test subjects."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "That makes since. I suppose it is easier for them to procure test subjects in a country with a large population and a politically unstable violent government. Even if no one noticed a few people going missing they don't have the voice to do anything about it."



Sally gave a nod. "Bingo. Well recently they seem to have begun resenting the level of control we keep over their supplies and other factors. The puppet as it were decided to cut its strings. Of course they kept this a secret from us which actually surprises me. I didn't believe they had the talent to hide anything from Williams."



As Rachael considered this she felt her body warming up. She could tell that she was getting angry. "So you help Thomas get in touch with them and they know about me. Possibly the most powerful enhanced around, then during the meeting they see how much I value Thomas and resolve to acquire a blade capable of making a good cut."



Sally gave a giggle. "I love metaphor. Yes you were the blade and Thomas would have been the handle. Williams learned of this and sent me to make sure they didn't get control of you."



A shudder ran through Rachael's body as she felt her anger growing. "Well I am just going have to kill every last one of them for this." Rachael's voice was even but her body language suggested utter rage.



"I hope this isn't out of line but we would prefer if you didn't kill them all. I know which ones are responsible for this event."



Rachael let out a long sigh. "It's a good thing you said you have a list before you finished talking."



"Yeah, I thought I should include that detail. I was sent here to deal with them as well or offer you the job. We are willing to pay you what your former clients were if you will limit your anger to kill the people we know are responsible for this."



Thomas was a bit surprised when Rachael gave him a slight shake. "What is it Rachael?"



"It is business talk."



"Huh, I figured you would want to handle this?"



"I am not level headed enough at the moment."



Thomas gave a nod. "I don't believe Rachael will be calmed now by the time she kills only them. Could you provide a list of people you know weren't responsible instead of a list of those you knew were responsible?"



Sally gave a nod. "Sure that works just as well. It'll let us fit even more threads on the puppet then just having those we know were responsible killed. Now there is something else I want to speak to you two about."



"What is that?"



"First of all" Sally pointed at finger at Thomas and started to make a shame sign "Shame on you for not picking a better safe house that goes for you as well Rachael."



Thomas was a bit surprised when he noticed Rachael lower her head. When he looked up at her he could tell that even if Sally's tone was playful her words had hit a sore spot. "It isn't Rachael's fault. I was the one that chose the location."



Rachael gave a sigh. "Thomas she is right I should have helped out as well. It is my failure to."



"That's right and it isn't the only time it is going to happen. Rachael right now you don't have any safe havens and considering the line of work you're getting into you will need them. I know you were thinking you could rely on your reputation and for the most part you can but there will always be the idiot who believes they can out smart you."



Rachael gave a sigh. "So would you suggest an alliance?"



"Yeah I suppose my motives about this are rather transparent. Still can you say that I am wrong?"



Thomas and Rachael both shook their heads. "No. You're right. So what would be the terms?"



"Well there is one thing you know we want and that is your mind working for us. Now I know you have a mercenary career you want to work on and that is fine. We also know Thomas won't need protection all the time. So under what terms would you be willing to work for us in research and development?"



Rachael tapped her cheek. "If you safe guard Thomas to my satisfaction I'll develop some treatments for you. I won't give a specific time but I'll make it worth your time and if I don't you can always refuse to help me out the next time unless I offer something else."



"Okay. Now another condition we have is you don't attack us and we don't attack you."



Thomas made the mistake of thinking he was out of the conversation until he felt Rachael give him a nudge. Setting up a bit he resumed his roll. "That is agreeable. Though I hate to think I need protection." Just a second later Thomas felt Rachael's lips press to the back of his head as she gave him a gentle kiss.



Sally gave a quick nod. "Okay, but before we agree I'll need to know what you plan on developing first."



"Will you be the one to protect Thomas for me?"



"Yes, unless you say other wise. It's cheaper and easier to conceal then shipping in the others Williams keeps."



"In that case I'll find a way to significantly increase your abilities if you protect Thomas while I am away."



Thomas gave Rachael's thigh a quick pat. "Of course she'll need access to your equipment."



Sally gave a nod. "That is fine by us."



Thomas gave a quick nod. "I take it you have full authority in this negotiation."



"Yes I do. Well within certain parameters but yes I do."



"I see. So when could you get us that list of people? I don't know if you can see it but I can feel Rachael trembling."



Sally felt a bit of a chill when she heard a low chuckle escape Rachael. She felt certain she needed to get the list quickly. "I've got the list right here and their locations." With that Sally pulled out a small hand held computer and proceeded to open the screen. "Just give me a few to mark those that are responsible and those that we don't know about it."



Rachael gave a nod. "Don't worry I know that I can't begin just yet. You and Thomas have to find some place to stay since I doubt this is safe even with you here."



*****



"Hey what is the matter?"



Thomas glanced over at Sally who was currently relaxing in a rather well cushioned chair. "It isn't anything really."



"The look on your face says it is something. Now tell me what is bothering you or I'll beat it out of you. Mm well I guess I can't really do that. I suppose Rachael would beat the life out of me for that one."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. "Well if you feel that strongly about it I'll tell you. I had really hoped by finding safe locations for me to wait at I would be able to keep myself safe. I don't like feeling so helpless."



"Helpless? Personally I think you should feel quite proud. They did see fit to send twelve fully armed Special Forces soldiers to retrieve you."



"That is one way of thinking about it but no matter what I still needed help. I feel like I am holding Rachael back."



"Williams doesn't hold me back and he can't fight worth crap."



"What has that got to do with it?"



"Listen everyone has their roll to play. Williams is the science and negotiations part of the organization. He wouldn't stand a chance against an enhanced but he is still very important. I am the main muscle effectively. If you recall the man Rachael killed well he handled a lot of the funding aspects. You have no idea how badly his death hurt our organization our budget was in utter chaos for weeks."



"I can't say that I felt sorry for him but I believe Rachael did over react when it came to killing him."



"That is just it. Rachael over reacts and you know she wants you to handle the business end of things. The only time I have scene her take over is when in regards to your safety. I assume that is because you don't take enough safety steps for her liking."



Thomas couldn't help but grin. "Well that is a nice way of thinking about it."



Raul tapped his desk nervously. He had learned about the retrieval team and how they had been found. Now he wasn't certain of what he should do. There was no way of knowing exactly what was going on. His thoughts were taken from that problem as a new one suddenly arose. An ear splitting impact was heard which drew his attention to out the window. The wreckage of his private helicopter was what met his eyes.



Rachael gave a sigh as she looked at the destruction. She had actually taken the time to survey the building before she attacked. When she had first met Raul in the run down little building she had thought he wasn't all that important. Now that she saw where he was staying her opinion quickly changed. Of course he was only the first person in a long list that had to die.



She had chosen to take out the helicopter not because she thought Raul could use it to fly away. She would catch him if he tried to do that but to make him feel trapped. Now she began to make her way slowly towards the main gate.



The security team had been told about Rachael so they didn't bother questioning. Instead the moment they saw her, the alarm was sounded and they opened fire.



Much as she had done with the soldiers in the forest Rachael caught the bullets as they flew towards her unlike the ones in the forest though she didn't grant the guards a quick death. Instead when she flicked the bullets back at them she aimed for their knees.



The guards' screams of pains didn't even slow Rachael down as she continued over to the main gate. Placing her open palm on the heavy metal bars she gave the door a light push. For a moment the sound of the metal warping surpassed that of the guards' screaming. The force of the impact forced the bars to bulge outward and sent the gate flying open tearing the joints that were meant to hold it shut apart. The gate barely remained anchored to the wall when it was forced to swing open.



The security teams of the estate made it to the main yard before Rachael had made it halfway up it only because she was walking at human speeds. Once again they began to shower her with bullets. This time Rachael chose not to return the lead but simply held her arms out to her side leaving herself entirely open.



Raul's eyes widened as he looked out the window. He had seen the video and saw how she stopped the police cars. The ease with which she had sent the car flying through the air and into the helicopter but to see the battle in his yard brought it home.



The guards continued to hammer Rachael with bullets until she drew within five meters of them. The moment she did it was overly apparent their weapons weren't going to have any effect on her and they quickly began to retreat. The moment they did Rachael proceeded to flick the bullets she had been catching at them. Once again she sent the bullets towards them so that they tore out the guards' knees but left them alive.



As she neared the door Rachael considered pushing it open as she had done the gate. Instead she lowered her arms to her side and proceeded to press her breasts against the heavy door. Her breasts were compressed slightly but no more then Thomas could manage after that the door didn't even slow her down.



Those inside of the estate had no desire to fight Rachael whatsoever. After they had seen what she did to the guards outside nearly all of them had began making their way towards the back of the estate. Of course Rachael could hear them fleeing but she had no intention of letting them escape. She would give them some time to run before tracking them down and finishing them off.



Raul's anger was at a fever level as he tried to push through his own men. Those meant to help protect him were now delaying his escape by not moving aside. The fear stricken soldiers for their part couldn't have cared less what Raul's position was at the moment or how much he had paid them.



In his fear stricken state Raul didn't even realize Rachael had found him until he felt her hand come to wrest on his shoulder. "Hello."



There was no attempt on Raul's part to turn and face Rachael. As he took in a deep breath of air he remained perfectly still. "I can pay you."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "OH you couldn't pay me enough to forgive what you tried to do. Now I am going to make you regret not killing yourself before I got here." As she spoke Rachael dug her fingers into Raul's shoulder until blood began to flow. The action was slow so he was able to keep himself from crying out that lasted until Rachael turned him around to face her.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael when Raul finally screamed. Reaching into his mouth she took hold of one of his front teeth and easily yanked it out of his mouth. The force of the downward pull was enough to force his jaw to snap shut for a moment. It would have yanked him to the ground as well however Rachael's hold on his shoulder kept him from falling down. This caused even more damage to his shoulder



After rolling the tooth between her fingers for a few moments Rachael crushed it into a powder. She then reached back into his mouth and began the process of tearing out his teeth one after the other.



Raul could no longer scream as he lay on the floor. Rachael had by now removed his teeth, fingers, toes, arms and legs bone by bone. The only reason he hadn't bleed to death was Rachael had been taking measures to keep him alive. He could barely see now though that wasn't due to Rachael doing anything to his eyes the pain was simply blinding.



"You know you brought this on yourself. I would have gladly finished my job, taken my money and been on my way. I might even have refrained from taking a job to harm you as you would have been an early business partner. However, for some reason you decided it would be a good idea to try and control me."



As Rachael spoke she ran the end of her finger along some of the exposed bone. "Well don't worry you don't have much longer to live. I don't have the medical supplies to keep you alive too much longer. Still, let's see if I can get a few more screams out of you before you pass on."



*****



"Hey." Sally grinned as she watched Rachael enter the door. "Are you done?"



"I haven't gotten everyone on the list but I am off to a good start." Rachael grinned as she looked at Thomas. "I would have liked to come home while he was still awake but I didn't want him to see me looking like this."



"I am sure he will understand. You're a mess."



"Yeah, I am going to go ahead and take a shower. At least I was able to pick something up for him." Rachael opened up her hand revealing a rather expensive looking ring.



"That is nice. Though do you believe he'll like it?"



"Mm I don't know. It may not really fit his style. I don't believe he cares for suits either."



"Well you can ask him after he wakes up."



"Sally, I didn't think to ask. How long can you stay here?"



"Oh quite some time, remember if you didn't agree to kill those responsible I was suppose to."



Rachael gave a nod. "Okay."



*****



Thomas couldn't take his eyes off the television screen as he listened to the report. When Rachael had dealt with Dario's rivals it had gained a fair amount of media coverage. However, that was nothing compared to what was going on with her killing Raul and a good deal of the governing political body.



Dr. Hall was once again being called on to discuss the happenings.




As things were he was trying to guess at Rachael's level of power while not causing a panic. Currently Jill was doing the talking. "According to most agencies the young woman is most likely Rachael Marks. Who many will recall is wanted for illegally modifying herself beyond the safe limits. Once again we have Dr Hall with us to discuss this issue."



"Thank you Jill but I don't know what I can say. We have never seen an enhanced with this kind of power which makes me even more worried about what might come from her."



"You are referring to a possible super virus again aren't you?"



"Yes. From all the footage I have seen this young lady is every bit as powerful as a tank with several advantages."



"As powerful as a tank, don't you believe that is going a little far?"



Thomas couldn't help but laugh. They had no idea just how powerful Rachael truly was.



"I don't believe so. While we have little video footage what little we do have clearly showed armor piercing rounds bouncing off her skin. The rounds they found at the seen would have torn through any armor short of military grade such as what they use on troop carriers and tanks."



"How then do you suggest they go about subduing her?"



Dr Hall shook his head looking very concerned. "That is like trying to subdue a fully armed modern battle tank that can pretend to be a human. There is no way a police or SWAT unit would have a chance against those odds."



Jill gave a nod. "As I recall the remains of an old anti-aircraft rocket launcher was found at one of the sights."



"It's a terribly frightening thought. The videos footage that was recovered show the ease with which she could simply walk into any government building and start killing. The quickest response possible would require a jet armed with anti-tank rockets being sent to deal with her."



"I believe that I am mildly insulted."



Thomas glanced behind him to see Rachael entering the room. He hadn't managed to find her any jobs as of late so she was wearing a rather tight t-shirt and a pair of jean shorts. He could tell she wasn't wearing a bra by the impression her nipples left on the shirt. "Well the element of surprise can be a good thing."



Rachael walked over to Thomas and proceeded to slip her hands under him. After lifting him up she then set down and placed him in her lap. "That is true."



Jill waited a few moments after Hall had finished before she began speaking against. "The events of these videos have not been loss in the general public either. A series of protest have started out demanding action."



"So do you believe we should get moving again?"



"I don't know this would be a great chance to show off what I can really doing."



Thomas leaned against Rachael's breast as he turned slightly to look into her eyes. "Do you want me to try and set up an interview for you?"



"It could be fun especially if they tried to stop me."



"Yeah you would also get a chance to establish the exact line of work you're currently working in."



As Rachael spoke she began to run her fingers through Thomas's hair. "Do you believe that it would really help my career?"



"I can't be sure. Part of me fears that it would drive potential clients away. I believe that you should try doing something very big first."



"Like what?"



"Give me a moment to think. It needs to be something big enough to really show off how powerful you are and get the world's attention."



Leaning forward Rachael gave Thomas a kiss on the top of his head. "Level a major city perhaps?"



"Not big enough."



"Sink a fleet of ships?"



Thomas shook his head rubbing Rachael's breast as he did so. "Help overthrow a government."



"Are you serious?"



"There is political unrest all over the world. I don't believe it would be difficult to find a group that would like to over throw their current leadership."



Rachael gave a nod. "I agree with that but that well that sounds like a hell of a lot of fun."



"I am glad that you like it."



"Still, how would we decide what group I am going to help?"



"I'll get in touch with Williams I am sure he has a few connections that would help in the choosing process."



*****



"She wants to try what?" Williams had been reclining in his office chair when Sally had given him the news. Now he was setting perfectly upright."



"Rachael wants to try helping to over throw a government."



"Say that one more time I want to make sure I understood."



"Rachael wants to try to over throw a government."



"That is the third time and I am still hearing the same thing so I have to believe I heard you right."



"What is the matter boss you seem a little shocked?"



Williams gave a nod. "Believe me Sally I am."



"Well it was nice of them to come to us and ask what governments we wouldn't mind seeing over thrown."



"I have to agree with that." Leaning forward Williams closed his eyes for a few moments. "Sally you've seen the damage she caused. Do you believe that she could actually pull this off?"



"Well first I'll say I am glad you never let me fight her. Secondly I don't believe anything short of a nuclear weapon would be able to actually harm her. "



"What makes you think that? She has yet to be hit by an anti-tank round."



"I've seen what she can do with just a tiny portion of her strength and I've seen her speed."



"Sally, I want you to try and convince her to wait. She is supposed to enhance you further I believe. Also I'll need time to prepare."



"I'll see what I can do."



*****



Rachael held her finger down on the scroll key as she read through a few of the files on Sally's enhancements. The rate at which the computer could actually scroll through the file was far slower then what she was reading so there was no need to let up. Indeed several times she found herself having to wait for the computer to bring up another line for her to read.



"So you don't mind waiting?"



Thomas had been looking over Rachael's shoulder and watching the words fly by though he had no chance of reading them. "We never intended to do it right away. Part of the agreement was you get enhanced for protecting me which you did."



Sally gave a nod. "So Thomas just what is Rachael looking to gain from this job?"



"A reputation, financial and political benefits as well and before you say anything. I know that by helping a party that has yet to gain control we won't be able to ask a great deal initially."



"So you want your payment after the war is over?"



Thomas glanced down at Rachael. "Let's make it an installment plan."



Sally gave a quick nod. "That sounds fine. So do you have any preferences?"



"Yeah, whoever Rachael helps shouldn't have a chance of success without her."



"That should be easy to manage."



"Does Williams have any particular governments in mind?"



"Oh yes. While we have helped a few parties stay in power throughout the world they are some who's down fall even we couldn't prevent. We do have a limited amount of supplies and money after all."



Thomas glanced back at Sally. "Given the amount of money it must have cost to develop you I find that kind of hard to believe.



Sally couldn't help but giggle. "You'd think that wouldn't you? Still, we do have our limits and a lot goes into developing enhanced."



"I don't suppose you would tell us your ultimate objectives?"



"Nope, I can't do that."



Rachael who had been silent throughout the conversation finally looked up from the computer screen. "So what lab are you going to make available to me?"



"You can use the one that is located under one of Dario's homes."



"I suppose there is no reason to ship most test subjects back to the states."



"Not really. Are you going to need me around?"



"Yes, I haven't quite finished reading your files but I am getting a few ideas. Being able to think thousands of times faster then normal is quite advantageous."



"Blast it and here I have to settle for only being able to think fifteen times faster then I once did."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well you can at least be grateful that your nervous system was improved. Many enhanced don't get that of course the vast majority of them don't have the speed to actually need it."



"That is true."



"Sally what were you before you became an enhanced?"



"I was a sniper."



"Do you know how many candidates you had to compete with?"



"Not really. I know they wanted people with good physical builds, combat training and weren't opposed to killing someone who didn't have a real chance to fight back."



Rachael took another moment to skim a few more pages of Sally's file. "So how much may I alter your physical form?"



"Well I have to be able to pass for human even after the alterations and to be honest I rather enjoy my current shape."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle. "Yeah I have to admit I am rather fond of my appearance now. Not that I looked anything like I do now back when I was a human. How much of your initial appearance did you retain?"



"I used to be shorter and of course I didn't have this build other then that I am pretty much the same as I always have been."



"I swear it is strange. Even before I became enhanced I felt confident with enhancements but now they seem to come so easily."



"Well I like the sound of that. So how much do you believe you'll be able to improve me?"



"Enough that the researchers you have working for you will feel rather foolish though I have to say they are a few alterations that I wish you didn't have. They're preventing me from making a few adaptations that I would like to."



"Why did you have to tell me that? Now I feel depressed."



"Well don't worry about it too much."



"Okay. Since you are working on that though how about I call ahead and tell them to get the lab ready for our arrival. You don't mind sharing the lab do you?"



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle which drew both women's attention.




"And what is so funny?"



"I am sorry that was uncalled for. I just thought about Rachael sharing her lab space."



"Hey I didn't hog that much."



"Rachael, I am pretty certain that the only reason you didn't throw everyone out of the building was you didn't have the physical ability to do so."



Rachael started to retort but in the end could only make one statement truthfully. "I wouldn't have thrown everyone out."



A chuckle escaped Sally. "Fine I'll let them know to give you plenty of room. I don't imagine you'll need any test subjects other then me."



"Yeah, your genetics are too heavily altered for testing with normal people to be of any use to me. Of course that means I am going to need a lot of blood samples from you and maybe a few tissue. I hope you're a quick healer."



"I thought you said this was coming easily to you now."



"It is but I still need to run test for safety's sake."



End Chapter 5

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 6
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-07-11 13:00:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Flight, Invulnerability, Super Speed, Super Strength


By Happiest in Shadows





This story features adult content and should not be read by anyone that isn't legally an adult. It was written by me with almost daily feedback from Supernaut. (Yeah, he likes the song a lot.) Feedback is welcome.





"Aren't increased recovery rates nifty?"



Sally gave a slight sigh and looked up at the sealing for a moment before responding. "Yeah, they let you draw my blood far more often then normal."



"Oh don't look so glum. Since you're the only one with your particular genetic code you're the only person that can provide the samples I need to conduct my research."



"That is true though you're taking a lot more samples then normal." Sally climbed out of the seat as Rachael picked up the six vials of her blood. She then followed her back over to the work station.



"Well I am also working a lot faster then those you've worked with previously. If you're going to look after my Thomas I need to make sure you can keep him safe while away."



"So how are your experiments going?"



"It depends on whose time frame you're asking about."



"What do you mean?"



"Are we talking about the time frame in regards to you and everyone else on the planet or in regards to me?"



Sally wasn't sure what Rachael was talking about for a moment then she gave herself a quick smack on the head. "Your accelerated state, you've been working in it."



"Yes."



"Okay, according to Rachael how much time has passed?"



"In regards to me, I have been working on this project for little more then twenty years. Though there is one delay I keep encountering."



A low whistle escaped Sally. "Twenty years? That is something else but what is the delay?"



"The fact that nothing around me wants to work as quickly as I can think is the primary delay. That is why I have to take so much blood from you. I have so many tests that I need to run."



"I swear you must have unlimited patience."



A slight giggle escaped Rachael. "Well no. I don't have unlimited patience but something does seem to change when I enter my accelerated state. It is the only thing that keeps me from going insane I believe."



"Are you sure? Maybe you simply went insane and now you don't care."



"That is a possibility. Though I am surprised you'd point it out since it is your DNA I am going to be adjusting."



Sally's smile slowly vanished and was replaced by a look of concern. "You're right that isn't very comforting." An amused giggle escaped Sally a second later and her frown vanished. "Then again I have risked my life a lot to achieve this much power."



"Yeah, you took too much risk for so little gain."



"Oh shush."



"Well if you need some comforting you'll be glad to know that twelve years ago I decided that working with your DNA would have to wait. I have actually begun working with your RNA. It's your least altered attribute."



Sally watched as Rachael took the blood contained within the six tubes and separated it out into ever smaller containers. She then placed each container within a different microscope and began to apply different treatments to each one of them. "Are you in your accelerated state now?"



"I have been this whole time."



"So you've learned to control your body's rate of movement even while accelerating your thinking?"



Rachael gave a nod. "Yeah, even if I can't be certain of anything until the tests are finished it gives me plenty of time to work out new theories."



"I bet that is really nifty during sex."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "Oh I wish Thomas had been here to hear that one. Yes it does help make things last much longer. I can enjoy a good orgasm for weeks if not months."



"So do you believe you could include that nifty little trick in the package of enhancements you're preparing for me?"



"I may be able to work something out that would at least give you a few hours."



"Do you really think so?"



"Well a few hours may be beyond my ability when it comes to your first enhancement."



Sally once again began to pout. "Well that is disappointing. How could you get my hopes up and then crush them so easily?" Sally raised her voice as she spoke her voice taking on a more and more fussy tone.



"Oh shush, I'll get you there eventually as long as we are in a good working relationship." As she spoke Rachael waved her hand as if dismissing a child.



Sally moved to give Rachael's hand a quick smack but Rachael pulled her hand back far too quickly. At first Sally was surprised then she realized that Rachael had yet to leave her accelerated state. "I take it that to you it seemed as if my hand took several minutes to move."



"Yes it did." Rachael gave a slight giggle. "Do you want to see if you can avoid one of mine?"



"No thanks." Sally glanced over towards Rachael's keyboard when she heard a slight roar. What she saw was Rachael's fingers moving over the keyboard so quickly that even to her eyes they seemed like a blur. When she glanced up at the computer screen she found that she couldn't actually read what was going on. "I take it you don't use your mouse."



"Thomas hasn't gotten around to making me a mouse that could keep up with me or handle the forces I exert when I move this quickly."



"What happened to your old steel keyboard?"



"It's in the drawer. Thomas made me a better one shortly after we arrived."



"Where is Thomas anyway?"



"He is in bed."



Sally gave a nod. "I was wondering why he wasn't down here with you. Well then I suppose I'll let you focus entirely on your work and go check up on him to make sure he is safe in bed."



"Feel free to but if you touch him I'll pull your hands off."



Sally gave an amused giggle though she knew not to test to see if Rachael was being honest. "Wow you must really like me if you'd stop with my hands."



*****



Rachael glanced down at Sally as she lay on the table. "Is something the matter?"



"I am just hungry."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Sorry about that but I didn't want to risk any complications with your enhancements. Don't worry you can have a nice big feast after this is over. Actually, I'd recommend you don't hold back on eating once I am finished with you especially for a few days. Your body is going to be going through a lot of changes."



"Well that is good news. So are you about ready to begin?"



Rachael started to look to her computer screen when she stopped. She was about to see if the compounds she had introduced to Sally's system had made it through her body yet. Indeed that is what she seemed to be doing but she wasn't looking at the computer yet. "Uh"



"What is it?"



"It isn't anything bad." Rachael continued to look at Sally. She could have sworn that she could sense and on some level even see the compound making its way throughout her friend's body. After a moment she gave her head a shake and looked back to the computer screen. "I could swear I can analyze your body without diagnostic equipment."



"Huh?"



"My body has a habit of surprising me with nifty little quirks. Don't worry though I won't rely on it just yet. Now give me a moment to find out what the equipment says."



"How can you be so calm about that?"



"The same way I was calm after I realized my body was getting stronger and I was no longer dying. Okay that is a double check from the equipment. Everything says you're ready for the actual treatment."



"What do you mean the actual treatment?"



"Oh silly the material I injected with you before hand is what your cells will need to make the improvements I have designed once things get underway." Rachael grinned as she picked up the syringe meant for Sally. She could have sworn that it was meant to poke holes in bone instead of flesh. "We are going to have to get you some stronger needles once this is over with."



"I kind of like that. So tell me. The stuff you injected with me earlier what would it do if you didn't enhance me?"



"Oh it would make you very sick and probably do some real damage though I don't believe it would kill you. Now hold still."



Sally nodded her head as Rachael inserted the syringe. The needle was thicker then most as it had to be made strong enough to break through her skin. As she watched the fluid being pumped into her veins she had to ask. "And why did you wait to give me the treatment?"



"Well without the materials I put into your system the treatment would kill you. Your cells would tear one another apart in an attempt to get what they need to rebuild themselves and you would end up a nice flesh pudding."



"Well then, thank you for putting the materials in first."



"You're welcome." Rachael quickly moved to cover the opening once she removed the syringe.



Once Rachael removed her hand Sally pressed the bandaged down and started to get up. Before she had even raised a third of a meter off the table she felt Rachael's hand press to her chest and she was quickly forced back down. "Huh?"



"Do not try to stand up."



"Why?"



"You'll feel why in just a few moments." As Rachael spoke she made her way over to the biological hazard waste bin and threw the syringe away. She then made her way over to a heavy steel cabinet and opened it up. A blast of cold air assaulted Rachael the moment she opened it up.



"What are you getting those ice packs for?"



"I am going to pack you in them."



Sally took a moment to respond as a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. "What? I don't feel so good all of a sudden."



"And you won't for a while. You're body is going to heat up a lot and I need to keep your temperature from getting to high."



"Rachael, un what would this have done if I wasn't enhanced already?"



"It would have killed you." Rachael brought six packets of gel over to Sally and began to place them along her body. One went atop her forehead while the other five were placed at various locations where blood flow would be particularly high.



Sally gave a low giggle as she felt the packet on her head. The gel could hold a tremendous amount of heat but they had been used on her before. "So are you going to take care of me?"



"Of course I can't trust anyone else with your care."



"Thanks, but I have to wonder. Why didn't you give me more warning?"



"Because your employer who has final decision on all things related to you medically said that it was okay."



A sigh escaped Sally as she lightly shifted about. "I did tell him to quit telling me how badly the enhancing process may hurt after the third time."



"So that is why he didn't tell you. Why would you tell him that though?"



"I wanted the power but I worried that after I dealt with the pain a few times I would chicken out and refuse to go further if I knew it was coming. So I told Williams to quit telling me when it was going to hurt. Of course I still felt like backing out a few times when the pain got real bad however I would always think. Maybe this time it wouldn't hurt and I would have lost the power for no reason."



"How are you doing ladies?" Thomas smiled as he walked into the room to see that Rachael had already packed Sally in gel packs.



Rachael smiled and waved for Jack to come over to her. "Well we've only just begun really but so far she seems to be handling the treatment well."



"That is nice. Is it okay for her to eat yet?" Thomas made his way on over to Sally and Rachael. Currently he was pushing a small cart in front of him.



"I don't believe it is a good idea for her to have anything just yet." Rachael took hold of the front of the cart once Thomas was close enough and began to turn it around bringing him around to her as she did so.



Instead of just letting go of the cart Thomas moved with it until he was standing with his back to Rachael. He felt her arm wrap around him from behind and he was pulled against her. "Ah, well her food she last then."



"What did you bring me?" As Sally spoke she started to set up only to have Rachael once again press her to the table.



"Stay down. Don't make me go and get some chains."



Sally gave a sigh and proceeded to lie back down. She knew there was no way for her to resist Rachael's strength. "You know there was a time that I believed I could beat you in out right combat. Williams always knew that you were holding back as did I but I didn't realize how much."



"Well it is good for both of us that we never met on the field of battle."



"Yeah, so what did Thomas bring me to eat?"



Rachael reached down and picked up a metallic cylinder from the cart. She held this up for Sally to see. "I suppose whatever is in here."



A groan escaped Sally as she saw the cylinder. "Oh lord that paste."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "What is it exactly?"



"It was developed as the nutritional needs of the enhanced Williams made went up especially after just being enhanced. Regular foods didn't seem to be able to cut it so they made a special high nutrient paste. It's effectively a weeks worth the food in paste form."



"Are they any draw backs to eating it?"



"Yeah, for one thing it can only be eaten by enhanced. The vast majority of humans wouldn't even be able to begin digesting it. Even for some enhanced it is hard on the stomach. As for me, well it tastes horrible."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Then it sounds like a standard MRE."



A grunt escaped Sally. "Yeah right, don't forget I was in the military before I became an enhanced. You have entire teams of people trying to make sure your food taste as good as possible while still meeting the nutritional and preservation requirements."



Thomas gave a slight shrug. "Well that is true. I was just trying to make you feel like you weren't alone in your suffering."



Rachael removed her arm from around Thomas and lifted him from the ground. She then reached under him and lifted him into her lap. "Maybe you should teach her a lesson by going and getting yourself a nice steak dinner to eat in front of her."



A pout appeared on Sally's face. "Thomas you wouldn't be so cruel as to do that to someone who was at one time a fellow soldier would you?"



"I don't know. I am going to have to eat eventually and I would like to spend as much time with Rachael as possible."



"Fine then be" Sally grew silent as she felt a sudden wave of sickness wash over her.



Rachael carefully but quickly scooted Thomas off her lap and made her way over to the cupboard again. Taking out a few more gel packs she packed one on either side of Sally's neck and a few more along her body. "Are you okay?"



"It doesn't hurt but oh lord I feel so sick."



"I am sorry about that. I really couldn't help it. In order to enhance you as much as I wanted to I actually had to undo some of the things that were done to you previously then have that area reconstructed the way I wanted it to be."



Instead of responding right away Sally closed her eyes and took in a few deep breaths. The gel packs helped more then she realized. "How warm is my body getting?"



"An ordinary human's brain would boil if I did the same to them as what I did to you."



"So should I be glad that I am enhanced?"



"I regret to say no. If you didn't have so many adjustments already you wouldn't even have to go through any pain. Reconstruction is rarely a gentle process and when the reconstruction is something that is complex as your genetics well there is going to be some aggravation."



"May I have something to drink?"



"Sure." Rachael started to go to retrieve Sally some water when Thomas handed her another container.



"You don't have a meal without a drink."



Rachael gave a nod and held the container where Sally could see it.

"Is this okay?"



"Yeah, it's just a sports drink for enhanced. It tastes pretty good unlike the paste."



Nodding Rachael found a small straw along the side and opened a tiny cap. She then placed the container next to Sally and put the straw in her mouth. The moment Sally's lips sealed on the straw she began to drink the bluish liquid down.



*****




"What do you think Thomas?"



"I don't know if even you'll be able to succeed with this plan Rachael. The only times these people have ever stopped killing one another is when an empire grew large enough to conquer them."



"Oh not about that, turn around."



"Huh?" Shifting in his seat a bit Thomas turned to find Rachael looking in a mirror. He didn't notice anything at first until he realized that her hair was braided. "Do you want the truth?"



"Yes."



"I like your hair strait still you make that braid look great to."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as she shifted from foot to foot. As she evaluated her current hairdo she took hold of the braid and draped it over her right shoulder. "You really think that my hair looks better strait?"



"Yes I do. Still, you'll look great however you want to wear it. Do you want to wear your hair in a braid?"



"I don't know. Now that you said you prefer my hair to be strait I am tempted to just lose the braid."



"What do you think looks best on you?"



There was no need for Rachael to even consider the question as she looked back at Thomas. "Whatever you think looks best on me of course. So I'll just let it go back to strait. Anyway, in a real fire fight it would end up ruined anyway at least strait is easy to fix."



"Are you sure about that?"



"Yeah" Reaching behind herself Rachael began to loosen the knots that held her hair in a braid. "So you really don't believe I'll be able to get these people to surrender?"



"After a while I believe they'll begin surrendering after encountering you then go right back to causing trouble once you leave."



"Well it won't really be my job to keep them under control. I just have to help over throw the current government. It is up to those that I help to maintain power after that."



"That is true, but since you're going to let them pay you after the event then you'll want to keep them in power. Otherwise you're going to find it very difficult to collect your money."



Rachael gave a sigh as she loosened the final not and began to brush her hair. "That is a good point. Still, the main reason I am doing this is to build up my reputation as an unstoppable force."



"That is true, so you're not really that worried about the money."



"Well it would be nice to get the money but we'll make do if we don't receive it. I could always enhance Sally again but charge this time."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle. "I suppose you could. How did the speed test you put her through before we left go?"



"It went quite well. She is slightly over three times faster then her last best."



"I hope you didn't run too many circles around her to show off."



An impish grin appeared on Rachael's face. "I didn't run circles around her but I did insist on floating the entire time."



"Oh that is much better. You show off. I wish I had waited to bed so I could have watched. How is your flight training coming?"



"It is going fairly well. I've speed up quite a bit though I still have a ways to go before I am chasing down jet aircraft and rockets."



"So that is why you didn't just fly us around yourself."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "That is a really fun idea. When I get faster I'll have to try and figure out a way to take you with me."



"That sounds fun. I would ask you how much faster you've become but honestly I would rather see for myself."



"Then I'll have to wait for a good opportunity to show you. So is Sally going to be meeting us when we land?"



"Yes, we are. Then we're going to travel to meet your".



"What is the matter?"



"I was going to say your employer but I really don't like calling them that at the moment. Until they pay you they don't really deserve the status of employer or even past employer."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "There is no need to be so technical about it. I wonder how long it'll be before I get to see some action."



"I doubt it'll be very long. I believe how soon you see action will depend on you for the most part."



Sally sighed as she looked up at the bright sun. Her enhancements had made it so that such levels of heat didn't actually bother her. Still, something about the bright sun overhead and the vast amount of sand that surrounded her made her feel hot and uncomfortable. She could hear the sound of an approaching aircraft and took a drink from her refreshment. She'd recovered enough sense her enhancement to begin working again but she still felt thirsty often. Of course that could have just been her mind playing tricks on her.



"There she is."



"There who is?"



"Sally, I can see her. I suppose will be landing soon."



Thomas blinked a few times. They were still far too high up for a non enhanced human and even for the vast majority of enhanced to see someone. "I should know better then to underestimate your senses. How does she look?"



"Thirsty and bored out of her mind."



"Well that is kind of odd. I wonder how long she has been waiting for us." Instead of waiting to be told that he needed to buckle up for landing Thomas trusted Rachael's eye sight and began to fasten his belt.



"Hey Thomas, do you want to have some fun and fly down? We're close enough now."



Thomas couldn't help but grin. "That sounds like fun but we have supplies to unload."



"Well the plain can still land."



Thomas bit down on his lower lip as he considered the offer. He knew that it wasn't necessary and in some ways wasn't the best idea in the world. Despite that it sounded like a lot of fun and Rachael wanted to try it. "Okay let me go and tell the pilots what we are going to do."



Rachael gave an excited giggle and quickly set up. "I'll be waiting for you back at the jump door."



Sally had been very pleased when not only her reaction time had gone up with her speed increase but so had her eye sight. However, she was still getting use to having such vision so she wasn't sure if her eyes ere playing tricks on her or not when she realized the drop door to the aircraft was open.



"Are you ready?" Rachael pressed up on the underside of Thomas's bottom as she held him against herself. Instead of having Thomas hold onto her back she had resolved to have him hold onto her front. This would insure that if she jumped improperly and the plain was to strike her in the back the only thing that would end up damaged was the plain.



"Well I am as ready as I am going to get."



"Don't you trust me?"



"Rachael I trust you with my life, gravity is what I don't trust in this situation. The murderous bastard was just waiting for us humans to try to fly so it could kill us. Waiting for us to fall off a cliff or down some stairs wasn't enough."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Well I'll make sure gravity doesn't hurt you." With that Rachael leapt from the ground though not out of the plain. Instead she began to use her flight ability so that the plain flew past them and left them both floating in the air. "Do you think I can catch up with our plain again?"



Thomas glanced over at the aircraft. "With me slowing you down I don't believe you stand a chance except for when it begins to land."



"Well I'm not willing to actually try it so I'll just take your opinion on the subject for the time." After turning around and locating Sally Rachael began to fly in her direction. Rachael slowly accelerated until she was flying one hundred and twenty kilometers and hour.



Thomas felt rather nervous as Rachael flew towards Sally. It was true that he trusted Rachael but without the researching straps of a parachute on his back the situation felt very odd. His mind and his heart told him that he was safe but his body told him other wise. With his body telling him one thing but his heart and mind telling him others he couldn't help himself when he spoke. "Don't tell me all you're going to do is fly in a strait line."



Sally couldn't help but giggle. She could hear what Thomas had said and while his words were brave she could tell he was somewhat nervous. His voice was high pitched and louder then normal. Despite the tone of his voice though it was obvious Rachael liked his challenge.



An impish grin appeared on Rachael's face as Thomas teased her about her flying talents. She didn't want to risk doing anything to spectacular for fear of harming Thomas but with him teasing her she couldn't resist having a little fun. Arching her back she began to accelerate upward. "Just remember you asked for it."



*****



"Sorry to have kept you waiting so long."



An amused giggle escaped Sally as she glanced over at Rachael. "It isn't a problem. You just got lost in the sky is all."



As Sally drove Rachael set next to her. Thomas was currently relaxing in the back seat and waiting for his heart to settle down. "I thought you'd be more annoyed with us making you wait even longer."



Sally gave a shrug. "Do you really believe that is the longest I've had to wait to complete a task?"



"I suppose given your past training you are quite use to waiting. So why did you look so bored when I first saw you."



"Oh I was bored. It just wasn't bored enough to be worth fussing over. I have been meaning to ask. How much longer will I be perpetually thirsty?"



"It shouldn't last too much longer. You just need to adjust to your new body, I can't give you a precise time but it shouldn't be much longer."



"So you're saying that my thirst is in my head?"



"I wouldn't go so far to say it was just a mental issue. You really should keep drinking whenever you are thirsty. There is no point in taking any risk."



Sally gave a nod. "So Thomas, how are you doing back there?"



"My stomach is settling down and my heart beat has returned to normal."



Rachael gave a slight giggle. "I am sorry. I didn't expect those loops to make you motion sick."



"I think it was looking at the ground then the sky in rapid succession that made me sick. Don't worry though I am fine."



Sally glanced over her shoulder at Thomas. "I guess Rachael showed you how well she could fly."



A grin formed on Thomas's face despite his sickness. "Yeah, she needs to pick up the pace a bit and her dives were lacking in energy."



Rachael couldn't help but giggle when Thomas taunted her. Turning around in her seat Rachael placed her knees on the cushion and leaned over the back of the seat so she was closer to Thomas. Reaching out she ran the fingers of her right hand through his hair. "Maybe I should get you a flight suit and helmet so I can really show you what I am capable of doing."



Thomas took hold of Rachael's hand and brought it down to his lips. He then proceeded to give each one of her impossibly strong fingers a kiss. "That would be nice. I'd like to see what you are really capable of when you don't have to worry about injuring me as much."



Once Thomas released her hand Rachael ran her fingers along his chin for a moment before setting up. "So Sally what can I expect in this meeting?"



"Well I've already discussed the details of what you'll be doing for them. They want a demonstration of your capabilities though before they commit to your cause."



"Aren't they the ones that want to take over the country?"



"Yes, but they don't like the idea of open warfare as they'd be crushed in just a few days if it even took that long."



"Do you have any suggestions on what I should do?"



"Normally I would say take out the communications centers but I doubt that is what you want to do. So I'd suggest just going into a military base and killing everyone there. I suggest you minimize the damage to the equipment though."



"Why?"



"The group you're helping is really under equipped at this moment."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Well with Rachael they are over equipped. Still, it would probably be best if you avoided damaging the equipment as much as possible."



A sigh escaped Rachael and she slumped forward a bit so she was leaning on the back wrest. "Well that just isn't any fun. I haven't even got to destroy a single tank yet."



Thomas set up and leaned forward so that he could pat Rachael on the head. "Rachael what do you believe is more impressive, destroying a tank or ripping the hatches open, taking out the pilots and capturing the tank?"



Rachael shook her head as if trying to get Thomas to remove his hand. However, she didn't put anywhere near enough force into the action to force him to remove his hand. "Destroying the tank would be more fun."



"Well you can destroy them if you want but that just means you'll have to do more work later."



"I'll capture the tanks." Rachael continued to sulk as they drove."



*****



As Thomas climbed out of the vehicle he was able to flinch slightly. The heat outside was in sharp contrast to the air-conditioned interior of the ATV. Upon climbing out he was surprised when he noticed Rachael was completely silent. A slight chuckle escaped him.



It only took Rachael a moment to notice Thomas laughing and she glanced over her shoulder back at him. "What is it?"



"It isn't anything. I just expected you to comment on the state of the camp. Especially considering how much you enjoyed insulting Dario's home."



A slight giggle escaped Rachael and she turned to Thomas. "Well this is what I expected even before we got on the plain." After looking at Thomas for a moment Rachael gave her head a slight smack. "I should have brought you a sun umbrella."



"We can find him one later. Until then let's go and speak with your business associates."



Rachael gave a nod and moved to the side allowing Thomas to walk by.

As he walked past her a playful grin formed on her face and she gently blew on the back of Thomas's neck. At least it was gentle for her. To Thomas it felt like a very substantial wind.



The sudden rush of air caught Thomas off guard and he stumbled forward a bit. Rachael had put a considerable amount of power into the gust. At first he thought it might have been a true breeze but he soon realized that it was lasting far too long for that. He didn't even look back at Rachael as he continued to walk. "Careful you don't cause a dust storm." The force of the wind instantly doubled



As they followed Sally, Rachael continued to keep the torrent of air focused on Thomas. If focusing the stream of air didn't require the use of her mouth she would have been grinning the whole time as what was a gentle puff for her made Thomas's shirt flutter, disrupted various tents and other items.



Sally had to work hard to keep herself from giggling. She was trying to keep a strait face despite Rachael antics but she couldn't bring herself to ask Rachael to stop. In truth she felt Rachael may be affecting the talks more then she realized. Even with such a casual display of power from Rachael it would most likely give them some extra leverage.



Despite Rachael being playful Thomas was able to look around. "I am really surprised they just let us walk in her like this."



A slight giggle escaped Sally. "They wouldn't have if I hadn't come here earlier. I demonstrated my capabilities to them a bit and they became more reasonable."



"I don't see any corpses."



"That is because I got here long before you and Rachael."



Thomas resolved not to ask Sally whether or not she was kidding. At last Rachael ceased blowing on them whenever they finally approached one particular tent. It was sparse as the others but it did have a few extra frills to it. He followed Sally inside of it.



"Welcome my guests."



Thomas glanced over at a man that he guessed was in his thirties though he couldn't be certain. He gave a nod. "Hello." Thomas glanced to his side as Rachael finally ducked into the tent.



"So this young woman must be Rachael. Greeting my name is Kareem. Please, have a seat."



As Thomas moved to set down at the cushion Kareem ushered at he saw Rachael's grin out of the corner of his eye. He knew she was going to show off.



Rachael waited until Sally and Thomas began to set down. She then slowly lifted her legs from the ground and proceeded to fold them under herself much as she would if she had been setting on the floor.



Kareem's eyes widened slightly as he saw Rachael's legs lift into the air. If it had not been for Sally's previous visit he would have been even more shaken by the sight. "Impressive, Miss Sally didn't tell me that you could levitate."



"Actually, I can fly."



Kareem nodded his head and turned to Thomas. "I was told that you handle Rachael's business arrangements."



"Yes, unless she wants to take over."



Slowly Rachael leaned back and folded her arms behind her head as if she was reclining in a chair. "Nope."



It took a moment for Kareem to quit staring at Rachael. While Sally hadn't been joking that it had require a display of power from her to convince him to work with them. Rachael was taking that to new heights. "Very well, Miss Sally informed us that you would allow us to handle payment after we had achieved our objectives."



Thomas gave a nod. "That is correct. However, she mentioned that you want Rachael to give you a show of what she is capable of."



"Yes. Though the one she is putting on now is quite impressive. We are as you probably noticed far outmatched. So far we've only managed to stay alive by remaining hidden."



"Do you have any particular targets in mind?"



"Yes. There is an armored division whose destruction we would benefit greatly from. However, I must inform you that even with their destruction much of the fighting would have to fall to Rachael."



"You mean if Rachael was to simply destroy them. Would that change if she were to acquire the equipment instead of destroying it?"



Kareem couldn't help the look of surprise on his face. "Well yes. We would be strengthened greatly by acquiring the weapons."



Thomas nodded his head. "Before we talk about this further I want to say something. If Rachael helps you, you will not use any biological weapons."



"Our enemies won't hesitate to use them against us."



"You won't use them."



Kareem gave a sigh. "As long as you are helping us we will refrain from their use."



"We are doing this with no guarantee that you'll be able to pay Rachael. If you want her help you won't ever use or develop such weapons unless you want to have to fight her."



Once again Kareem was made to glance up at Rachael who by now had a positively wicked smile on her face. "I understand. If Rachael proves her power to our satisfaction and aids us. Then we will give up all biological weapons. Tell me why do you feel so strongly about this?"



"It was a man made virus that caused Rachael a great deal of hardship. She isn't very fond of such weapons."



For a moment Kareem was silent then he gave a nod. "I understand."



"Good, when would you like Rachael to deal with the division?"



"As soon as you feel she is able."



Thomas glanced over at Rachael. "Well then it is time for you to cause some destruction."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she lowered her feet to the ground. "Just show me what you need torn apart."



Kareem blinked a few times. "You mean you're ready now?"



"Rachael doesn't need much sleep or anything else for that matter."



"Don't you want to gather some information first?'



Thomas shook his head. "Just tell us what you already know on the way there or have whoever you send with us give the information. You'll also need to start rounding up enough people to take the equipment." Even though Thomas told him to he doubted Kareem would actually begin gathering up the requested people. "Or do you need time to pick a location to store the equipment?"



"We've made some preparations after speaking with Miss Sally."



"Some?" Sally had remained quiet up until that point. Now she decided to step in. "I made it clear to you that things would move very quickly once Rachael actually arrived."



"Indeed you did. I am sorry but we didn't expect things to move quickly."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. "Sally, how many of these people did you kill? I had decided not to ask you about it after we arrived but really. This entire conversation has just been out of place."



Sally flashed Thomas a toothy smile. "I'll just let you guess at how many. If you really want to know what I did and whether or not I killed anyone you'll just have to ask around."



As Rachael lifted her foot into the air she began to ground herself so that she wouldn't be thrown into the sky. Less then one hundredth of a second later her foot came slamming down onto the ground. The shockwave was powerful enough to cause everything within a few meters to shake violently. "Well are we going to get going? I want to have some fun before the sun goes down."



*****



Thomas took a sip of his water canteen as he lay next to Sally. He didn't have to worry about the sun beating down on him do to the camouflaged tarp that covered him and Sally. At the moment he was using a specially made pair of binoculars to watch and record as Rachael walked towards the installation.



Sally for her part was working with a bit of machinery. The little device was meant to record any transmission from the installation. This wasn't actually to provide Rachael with any warning that they had radioed for help. Everyone knew that would happen once things got underway. Rather it was to provide further documentation. "Put this on."



Turning around Thomas saw that Sally was holding a pair of headphones out towards him. "Don't you want to listen to what is happening?"



"I can hear just fine the way I am now."



As he nodded his head Thomas took the headphones from Rachael. He was a bit surprised what happened a moment later.



"Sally, remember to take good care of Thomas while you two are watching."



At first Thomas wasn't entirely certain of how to respond. The listening device allowed him to hear Rachael so long as they kept it focused on her. He had forgotten that she would be able to hear them.



"Don't worry. I'll keep him safe. Just try to keep the fire that is directed towards us down to a minimum."



Rachael gave a nod and began to pick up the pace a bit. As she neared the gate it was clear that she had already been noticed. From the look on the watchmen's faces they had seen her some time ago though they didn't consider her a threat. Given her current clothing it wasn't likely that she was carrying any explosives on her.



For a while Rachael was allowed to continue towards the gate. Her clothing, demeanor and the surrealism of the situation seemed to amuse the guards while confusing them a bit. At last though one of them stepped forward and made a gesture for her to stop. At the same time he spoke what must have been an order to halt though Rachael couldn't understand him.



While the words would have been unclear the hand gesture wasn't. Still Rachael continued towards the guard as if he wasn't even there. After she took three more steps the guard called out once again this time using a far harsher tone. When that didn't have any effect he brought his rifle up to bear on Rachael.



Rachael continued to smile as she walked towards the guard. She considered taking the weapon from him but remembered that she needed to acquire equipment. As the first guard leveled his weapon at her she glanced to her side. There were far more then the main gate guards watching her.



After Rachael showed no sign of stopping the guard had finally had enough and pulled the trigger on his weapon. The weapon released a quick burst of three bullets. For a moment Rachael couldn't see out of her right eye. As the three rounds struck her one of the bullets actually slammed directly into her eye. Despite the bullet hitting one of the weakest parts of her body Rachael didn't even flinch. The round had no more effect on her then a gentle breeze blowing in anyone else's face would.



When the bullets began to fall Rachael quickly caught them. As she made more progress towards the gate she held out her hand allowing the guard to see the remains of the bullets. Instead of sending them back at the guard she tipped her hand and allowed them to fall harmlessly to the ground. Another three rounds was squeezed off followed by three more.



Once Rachael had come within ten meters of the gate the guards began to back away. She considered grabbing them but quickly changed her mind. Puckering her lips as if she was going to kiss someone she blew on the guards.



The torrent of air slammed into the guards at over three hundred kilometers an hour. The focused stream of air easily lifted the men from the ground and sent them flying backwards. Neither of them survived the impact against the gate was a jet of blood coursed when their bodies were actually imbedded into the gate.



"Why don't you try spitting on them?"



A giggle escaped Rachael. Apparently Thomas had already adjusted to the fact that she could hear him speaking. "I might try that later on."



Thomas was grateful that the listening devices didn't magnify sound beyond a certain point. As a few moments after the guards were slammed into the gate by Rachael simply blowing on them several alarms could be heard. He could already see numerous soldiers rushing towards the main gate while others were making their way to the armored vehicles.



"Do you think they'll try to retreat?"



Sally didn't respond until she felt Thomas's elbow pushing into her. At first she had thought Thomas was speaking to Rachael but realized the question was addressed to her. "I believe that they'll be given the order to retreat eventually. It'll be up to Rachael to insure that no one escapes. Then again I could be wrong."



Rachael didn't bother pushing the gate aside but proceeded to walk into it. As her massive breasts pressed into the gate at first the soft flesh yielded. However, as she continued forward and her flesh ceased to give the metal began to give in return. With each step the gate was made to bulge inward more until the third at which time Rachael's breasts forced their way through.



As Rachael came through the gate several soldiers began arriving. They'd heard the alarm that they were under attack but no one had time to tell them by what. If they hadn't seen Rachael walking through the gate they would have thought it was a poor joke. However, after seeing her press her way through the metal with such ease they didn't hesitate to fire upon her.



When the bullets began striking her body Rachael came to a stop. Slowly she intertwined her fingers and began to move her arms above her head as if she was stretching. Due to the number of soldiers firing upon her every part of her body that happened to be facing them was being struck. Feeling the bullets bounce off her body was a delight to Rachael and she slowly began to turn so that every part of her body got a little attention.



The soldiers only sustained the fire long enough for Rachael to rotate around once. Once she had finished the first rotation they were ordered to hold their fire. The moment the guns grew silent though several reached for their belts.



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as several of the soldiers sent grenades flying towards her. She would have loved to bat them back at the troops but felt it would be more fun if she let them detonate around her. The grenades detonated nearly the moment they landed at her feet and some were timed so well that they actually detonated in the air causing more of the force to wash over her.



For a moment Rachael was concealed but none of the soldiers cheered. Several wondered what chance grenades had of harming her if assault rifles weren't capable of penetrating her skin.



The smoke seemed to vanish in an instant as a sudden rush of air caused a powerful downdraft that quickly dispersed the debris. When Thomas was able to see Rachael again he realized that her arms were now in a downward position. She had most likely generated the downdraft that cleared the smoke by quickly swinging her arms down.



It was very tempting for Rachael to kill the soldiers the way she had killed the first two. However, at the moment she was trying to secure equipment. After standing still for a second longer she began to move at an inhuman rate and quickly closed the gap between herself and the soldiers.



There was a slight gasp as a sudden gust of wind ran through the soldier's ranks. They were all surprised to find Rachael no longer where she had been but was now standing right in front of them. Before anyone could react she quickly reached down and took hold of one of the soldier's combat knives.



In most situations Rachael preferred to take her time and enjoy flaunting her power. She also tended to avoid using weapons but this wasn't a normal situation. As once again she lapsed into her accelerated state so the soldiers no longer seemed to be moving. Smiling she brought the blade against the first soldiers neck and quickly moved it through the flesh.



Thomas was somewhat surprised when Rachael was suddenly standing behind the group of soldiers. She had been moving too quickly for him to notice at first but as she stood still he noticed she was holding a blade. A moment later several gushers of crimson came from the soldiers throats and they began to topple over. He quickly realized that in less then a second she had removed the heads of at least two dozen men.



Due to the speeds Rachael had been moving at the blade she had used didn't have a drop of blood on it. An amused giggle escaped her when she looked back towards the soldiers and was made to remember various samurai shows. For a moment she tried to mock one of their poses but the thought was simply too amusing to her and she couldn't hold the pose due to her laughter.



It was impossible for Thomas not to chuckle. Seeing Rachael botch her pose and nearly fall over sent him to chuckling as well. For a moment he had to lower his face to the ground to settle down a bit. When he looked back at Rachael he found that she had recovered and had her attention on something else now.



By this time the tank crews or at least one of them had made it to their machine and was heading out. When Rachael saw one of the machines coming out of a hanger she quickly hopped over the corpses and began to make her way towards the behemoth. There was no attempt on her part to dodge however she didn't want to stand too close to the remains to help keep the equipment they carried from being damaged.



The tank crew could see the results of Rachael's handiwork. Despite that they weren't nervous. There was a great difference between a grenades destructive power and a tank's cannon.



Rachael walked slowly but she remained in her accelerated state. She could have sworn she saw a spark in the barrel as the projectile began to rocket down the barrel towards her. The shell was easily moving one hundred times slower then she was reacting and she could have moved and acted even faster then that. Still it gave her time to decide what to do. Once the shell was halfway to her she finally decided and for a moment Rachael's body seemed to become a static blur.



Rachael had to stand on her toes slightly in order to bring herself to the proper level. After a moment she managed to adjust herself so that the tank shell was heading strait towards her right breast. As the metal neared her she adjusted herself further so the tip of the round would impact with her nipple first.



As the bit of the round connected with Rachael's nipple her flesh once again yielded at first. Once the round had pressed her breast in until it would give no more the nose of the round began to buckle. Rachael felt and could see the nose being pressed in slightly as the shell began to separate. As the covering separated several smaller bits of shrapnel began to pelt her body.



The bits of shrapnel would have torn the interior of other tanks to shreds while the nose was meant to break through the armor. Neither of these was able to scratch or burn Rachael. It stimulated her more then what the assault rifle fire had but that was all.



The tank crew lost sight of Rachael due to the heavy bit of debris the round generated and stirred up when it struck Rachael. When they finally saw her again she was walking out of the black cloud that had engulfed her when the round struck. Her clothing had been torn to shreds by the force of the metal fragments striking her and the heat.



Taking your time and enjoying your first experience with something knew was important to Rachael. So she had made use of her accelerated state to really savor the first time she had been shot by a tank. However, the experience wasn't quite as enjoyable as she had expected it to be. It's true the tank round carried more force and heat but that didn't matter very much. She much preferred the feeling of a sustained barrage them a sudden massive burst.



The bullets were like a gentle caress as if someone was taking their time to please her. Tanks on the other hand proved to be nothing but a sudden burst of heat and energy that left her feeling unfulfilled as if someone only meant to satisfy themselves. She didn't really understand why this was but she found herself actually becoming very angry as she walked towards the tank.



Every member of the tanks crew knew that the shell had hit Rachael dead on and even if it hadn't hit her head on they didn't see a way for her to survive. However, they couldn't deny what they were seeing now as the Valkyrie exited the pillar of smoke and flame and made her way over to them. The sight was so unbelievable that only when the heard a thump on the tank's turret and realized she had jumped atop the armored vehicle did they believe.



"Thomas, am I suppose to take prisoners? We never asked."



"I don't believe so. It isn't like they have room to hold any prisoners."



As she nodded her head Rachael bent down and felt along the hatch cover. Her first notion was to simply tear the tank hatch off however the time spent waiting for the round to strike her had given her time to think. She needed to acquire the equipment in as good of condition as she could. After she felt around for a moment she finally located the lock and dug her fingers into the metal.



Rachael's fingers forcing the armor plating aside generated a loud shriek that was made all the worse within the confines of the tank. As the metal screamed the gunner covered his ears but he couldn't take his eyes from the hatch. He could see Rachael's fingers pressing through the metal and wrapping around the lock. After a moment her fingers crushed the bit of metal entirely and she lifted the hatch off.



"Hello." A giggle escaped Rachael as she reached into the tank and quickly took hold of the gunner. Her fingers easily sunk through the man's uniform and into the muscle of his shoulder. She then quickly jerked him up out of the tank.



The gunner screamed as if a demon had taken hold of him though he didn't have long to scream. Once Rachael had lifted him free of the turret she gave his head a quick smack. She had thought to use the knife that she had recovered previously to remove his head however it had been destroyed in the blast.



After removing the corpse's head Rachael gave it a slight toss so that it landed fifteen meters away. She was about to go for another crew member when she noticed two more tanks exiting the hangers. While the tanks couldn't harm her they could destroy one another and Rachael wanted to prevent that. Sighing she gave a slight shrug and resolved that the gunners were going to have to be the lucky ones to die first.



Thomas once again lost track of Rachael as she suddenly vanished from atop the tank. He knew that she hadn't actually disappeared but was moving at a rate of speed which was too great for him to follow. "Sally can you follow Rachael's movements?"



"Yeah I can keep up with what she is doing."



"Would you mind giving me the play by play?"



"Just zoom out with the binoculars and quickly. You can watch the recording later."



Thomas gave a nod and began to work a nod atop the device. Up until that point he had it set so that he could really focus on Rachael. As he zoom out he could see what was going.



It was fortunate that Rachael was working with armored vehicles and not something more delicate. Currently she was moving at roughly twelve thousand kilometers an hour as she dashed from tank to tank. With each stop she would climb onto the top of the vehicle and quickly open the hatch. Once the hatch was opened she'd reach in and give the gunner a quick flick to the head. She knew that trying to pull them out would be useless given that she would only end up tearing away a chunk of their body due to her speed.



It was impossible for Thomas to truly keep track of what was going on. He could have sworn he saw a disruption where Rachael had ran across the ground but he couldn't keep up with her. The tank hatches seemed to suddenly pop open and he'd see a splash of crimson. He had a good idea of what the crimson was but that was all he could see. Despite being panned out he even found himself losing track of Rachael every few tanks and having to look far ahead and wait for her to arrive.



While Rachael was granting the gunners a quick death she intended on having more fun with the foot soldiers and other members of the tank crews. She simply couldn't risk the gunner having time to load and fire then destroying the tank she happened to be on. Securing equipment was truly proving to be a limit on the fun that she could have.



As Rachael was tearing through the ranks of the armored vehicles the bases personnel was struggling to keep up with her. They'd seen her take out the first guards to approach her and were able to see what she had done to the first tank. Now they noticed the other tanks having their hatches quickly removed. Given her current speed it would only take her two minutes tops to go through every one of them.



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as she made her way through the tanks. A few of them hadn't even been started up yet so she could keep the damage to a minimum. Instead of tearing the hatch open to get to the gunner she proceeded to squeeze down on the latch. The force her hands exerted was great enough to generate enough heat to cause the metal to fuse together. Later on the hatch would have to be cut open but the damage would be roughly equivalent at worse.



While Rachael worked Thomas found himself growing increasingly curious. Reaching up he proceeded to lift one of the head phones from his ear. He was surprised by what he heard. The sonic ear he had been listening through had been filtering out the duel roar that Rachael's movements were causing. Considering how far away he and Sally were from the installation he could only imagine how loud it was up close.



The sound generated by Rachael tearing open the tank hatches or compressing them was dueled by the walls of the installation however it wasn't enough to block them out entirely. Many of those outside had to cover their ears however even their pain wasn't anywhere near the level of those that happened to be in the tanks.



"What is that look on your face?"



"Huh?" Thomas glanced over at Sally who now had a grin on her face.



"What is that look for?"



"I was just thinking. That Rachael could have more fun if she were to start sealing the doors up so no one could escape or not easily escape."



"Now that wouldn't be much fun. You wouldn't be able to see what is happening in that case." Rachael came to a stop and took a moment to survey her handiwork. She was fairly certain that she had taken care of every tank in and around the installation. Now her secondary concern was the other armored vehicles. She didn't like having to rush around at all.



Kareem had taken up a position further back then Thomas and Sally. He clearly didn't have the faith in Rachael that they did. However, as he watched the installation being taken apart he felt his mouth going dry. What he saw he couldn't accept as possible and felt certain that he was having some kind of dream or a nightmare. He gave a slight jump when heard his radio come alive.



"You may want to contact your people and tell them to get to moving. I don't believe Rachael is going to take very long to finish up. She should be done in the few hours it is going to take your people to get here since you didn't tell them to be ready to move like I told you to."



The beginning of her work had been lots of fun but Rachael truly didn't care for securing materials. She hoped that this would be the only time that she had to do it. She didn't care for the fact that they didn't have time to properly prepare for her arrival either. As she listened to her surroundings it was clear that the installation was in utter chaos. No one had been prepared for so much destruction to descend upon them so quickly and silently.



Thomas was made to jump slightly when he finally located Rachael. It was the first good look of her he had managed to get sense she started dealing with the armored vehicles. He could tell that she was uncertain of what her next step should be.



After taking a moment to consider her options Rachael began to move about once again. This time she limited her speed to one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour. At least moving at such a speed the soldiers would have the ability to see her and it meant she was still moving far more quickly then any of the armored vehicles. Her next targets would be the tank drivers.



Several of the crews were just recovering from being nearly made deaf when Rachael had torn into the turrets and none of them actually had been able to keep track of her. As she moved from tank to tank once again she was grateful that she could move at a slower pace.



The driver held his ears and waited for the head splitting pain to pass. He wasn't certain of what had happened he hadn't even seen what was attacking them. All he knew was that one second he was preparing to drive out of the hanger and another heard an ear splitting screech. He had heard it coming then it had been right above them and that is when he had covered his ears.



Having to rush from armored vehicle to armored vehicle was taking its toll on Rachael. She wasn't becoming physical tired but she was mentally. As she came to the most recent tank she slowed down. It didn't take her long to decide that she could at least spend three seconds on each individual soldier.



The driver only looked up when he was suddenly assaulted by the outside light. He was more then a little stunned to see a naked Valkyrie looking down upon him. For a moment he wasn't certain what was going on until she took hold of his throat.



An amused giggle escaped Rachael when she noted the stunned look on the soldier's face. He had seemed truly astonished when he saw her. While she appreciated the attention that didn't mean she could allow him to live. The moment her hand took hold of his throat she quickly jerked it to the side causing the soldier's neck to break and rupturing several arteries within his neck. While she didn't cause a great deal of motion the little bit she did cause was too fast for him to handle.



Sally couldn't help but chuckle. Rachael was being far from practical in her approach to the situation. Instead of taking out the communications center as quickly as she could Rachael was avoiding it. This allowed those inside to send out several messages though they had only gotten a few off and those they did send weren't entirely believable.



The initial ones had mentioned that they were under attack but didn't know by whom. This could have suggested a stealth bombing run and was believable. However, when they mentioned that a loan woman was tearing apart the entire installation things became less believable.



The gunner felt his throat going dry when Rachael placed her fingers over his heart. Thanks to the two second delays at every tank some could actually see what was going on. A moment later Rachael quickly pressed her hand into the man's chest however her fingers went no further in then one fifth of an inch. The force destroyed his internal organs.



Rachael was a bit surprised when a stream of blood issued forth from the soldiers eyes and mouth. She hadn't pressed her fingers in very far but she had done it exceptionally quickly. The shockwave that her slight push had generated in the man's body was great enough to force his liquid blood out of several openings.



Thomas had to remind himself of how impossible the situation must seem to the soldiers he was currently watching. It was the only reason he felt that they had yet to signal for them to retreat. It wouldn't have done any good considering how quickly Rachael could work. It had only been ten minutes and she had nearly taken out the crew of every tank they had.



As she moved from tank to tank Rachael found she enjoyed giving her victims two or three seconds to look at her before she killed them. It gave her time to see the wonder and fear in their eyes.



The sight of a loan woman with so much power was getting to Kareem. He wouldn't have dreamed something possible. As Rachael continued to move about he found himself beside himself with wonder.



There was a contented sigh from Rachael when she finished with the last of the armored transports that had been mobilized. She could still tell there was plenty of activity happening all around the installation and perhaps now she could enjoy it. With her focusing on the armored units the foot soldiers had time to form up.



Due to Rachael's speed none of the commanders had been certain of how to approach the situation. Thanks to her constant movement she seemed to be all over the place so none were certain how to form a defensive line. At last several of the commanders had their men begin to file back into the buildings and take up defensive positions either in front of doors or inside of hallways.



Few had seen the tank round strike Rachael so few knew how useless such tactics would be despite being the best option available. Those that had seen the tank round strike Rachael were too busy questioning their own eyes and too panic to truly think.



Slowly Rachael came to a stop on top of one of the tanks. The base was still abuzz with activity but it had died down to a great extent. She could hear and sense those that had taken up defensive positions and heard many more preparing for combat. After taking a moment to look around and get a fill for the situation she quickly moved towards the second strongest enemy position.



The strongest position was the communications room as it had the highest amount of soldiers that had been able to watch what was going on. The doors had already been prepared by stationing several gunners at each opening. If the doors should even look as if it was going to open they knew to fire. Of course there was a cold despair amongst these people as well.



For a moment Thomas turned his attention away from Rachael and back towards the first group of soldiers she had encountered. The area was by now dyed red around them. With so many taking up positions within the installation he imagined the walls and floors would be covered soon enough. He doubted that Rachael would let anyone get out alive.



Rachael giggled as she came to the hanger door. Upon extending her hand so that it could be seen in front of her entrance her palm was showered in bullets. An amused giggle escaped her and she quickly moved to stand in the opening. She held her arms out wide and kept her eyes open as her entire body was tickled by the assault rifle fire. A delighted smile appeared on her face when she noticed several of the soldiers moving aside.



This seemed to be a group that hadn't seen what Rachael was capable of doing. As she recognized the weapon as an anti-aircraft rocket, if they'd seen how much the tank was able to affect her they would have known it was no use. Of course if they had realized it was no use then she could have any fun. She just stood her ground and continued to smile as the weapon was fired.



Thomas gave a sigh as he lost sight of Rachael. She was inside one of the hangers now and would most likely be moving from various buildings of the installation for the remainder of the time she was there. "So have you picked up any interesting messages?'



Sally gave a nod. "It seems that they're having trouble getting their comrades to understand the situation. It isn't like it would matter though by the time they got here Rachael will have taken the installation."



"So how many such divisions do they have?"



"They only have three more after this one. While they do have other military facilities this is one of the largest."



"That is quite a test to put Rachael through. I don't believe she should hurry to destroy the other three. It'd probably be a good idea if she held her ground for a while."



"You're talking in terms of publicity aren't you?"



"Yes I am."



"No argument here. I am sure Kareem and his friends will need time to prepare as well."



"I wonder how they are going to respond to this."



A pout appeared on Rachael's face when the soldiers began to drop their weapons. Apparently after shooting her with the rocket they resolved that surrendering was the best option. Slowly she walked over to them until she was within arms length. She then gave the nearest soldier a quick smack that removed his head entirely. A grin once again crossed her face as she looked his stunned comrades over and gave a giggle.



He could hardly believe this. They'd surrendered and she'd just killed one of them. Was she going to kill them all? Three seconds later he seemed to get an answer as another comrade's head suddenly vanished from atop his body and his lifeless corpse fell forward.



Instead of killing them quickly Rachael timed her actions so that every three seconds she killed another soldier. She wasn't there to take prisoners. Of course she could have killed them all before they realized what was happening but she really wanted them to run so she could chase them.



After the fifth man fell and Rachael stepped forward to once again bring them within arm's reach the group seemed to get the picture. There was a scream amongst their ranks and they began to quickly flee from her. This caused her to giggle with delight and she began to follow them through the door and into the interior of the installation. She couldn't help but wonder if the hanger was connected to the other buildings or if this was only a small basement.



Rachael had slowed down a great deal since dealing with the armored vehicles. She was now only walking sixty kilometers an hour which gave her prey some time to run. The fact that she was still waiting three seconds to drop another one of the soldiers also meant they had more time to flee. Though, her speed was still great enough to catch up with an individual soldier with exceptional ease.



As Rachael rounded one of the corners after a few of the soldiers, weapons fire rung out. The men were torn asunder by the spray of bullets that flew down the hallway towards Rachael. All Rachael did was shrug. They'd been nice enough to grant their allies a quick death even if they didn't realize it at the time. Of course now they would just have to take their place.



As Rachael walked towards the still firing soldiers she was certain that many of the buildings were connected. The hallway winded too far for it to have been under a single hanger.



Instead of walking strait through the bullets Rachael actually turned her back on the soldiers. She then proceeded to walk backwards through the rain of lead the whole time giggling as she felt the bits of metal tickling her back side. Once she had come within five meters of the line the soldiers began to back away from her. Surprisingly they didn't run but continued at a steady pace backwards roughly equal to her own still firing their weapons. She could even hear whenever they removed their ammo clip and reloaded their guns to fire some more into her.



It was only when the ammo clips began to run low that the soldiers began to openly run away from her. At this point Rachael quickly spun around and accelerated. She pressed her shoulder into the first man she came to. The force of the impact was so great that it sent him flying through the air, past his comrades and slamming solidly into the wall behind.



Rachael stopped only two meters ahead of the soldiers which resulted in a few of them running into her. She quickly delivered a smack to each one of their head's removing the head entirely and converting it into a fine mist. The force and speed of the impact was so great that even the bones were turned to powder that vanished in the spray of crimson.



Those soldiers that managed to come to a stop quickly began to fall back down the hall. This once again resulted in them bumping into Rachael as she quickly dashed in front of them and came to a stop.



"Not only is the enemy already inside the facility but the enemy is also far more powerful then they are. I really can't think of a sufficient way to handle the situation." As he could no longer see Rachael Thomas had taken to studying the situation. "They also don't have any information on Rachael and what her personality is like."



Sally nodded her head in agreement. "They seem to have lost track of her for the moment. They no that she is inside but she is moving about too quickly for them to track."



"Have they begun building defensive lines yet?"



"I don't know. I can only listen in on so many communication channels at once."



Rachael stood still amongst the shattered human bodies. Playing chase with the soldiers was helping to make the experience more enjoyable but she didn't care for the total lack of an appreciative audience. She really missed being on the outside and she had only been going through the hallways for a few minutes.



A devilish grin appeared on Rachael's face as she suddenly considered trying to drive the soldiers outside. All she needed to do was remain in the interior of the installation and make it clear that she was gutting the insides. Hopefully that would cause the commanders to gather their men outside and attempt to wait for her to exit. She could then put on a real show with a sufficient number of bodies and she'd have the audience she wanted.



"You're going a little hard on the water. We've only been out here for a little while."



Thomas glanced down at his hand and was surprised to see that he had taken another drink of his canteen. "I suppose I am a little focused. I wonder what Rachael is up to right now."



Sally gave an amused giggle and lightly pushed on Thomas's shoulder. "You just don't like watching the previews."



As the two men ran away from her Rachael finished breaking their comrade's head off. She'd give the men time to make it to another line of defense so they could inform their comrades just what was going on. Once they had a chance to call in what was happening she'd resume pushing them out. If she wanted her enemy to organize in one spot so she could destroy them she needed to let them plan and communicate.



As the soldiers began to organize more, several made their way to the tanks. While none seemed pleased to find the gunmen with their heads destroyed or the pilots in various states. They all began to remove the bodies from the vehicles and ready them for combat.



"Well it seems that they finally have a working plan."



"Which is?"



"From what I can hear it seems like they're gathering outside. They can't get enough weapons fire focused on Rachael within the closed confines. Some soldiers are being ordered to delay her as much as possible while those outside secure the exits."



"Rachael could have killed everyone in there in under a minute considering how quickly she can move. She must be driving them outside. How many do you believe she's killed so far?"



"Several hundreds I know she's at least killed four hundred soldiers by now and I'd be willing to bet much more. How many would you estimate?"



"This has been going on for twenty minutes now. I'd say she's killed at least twenty five percent of the facilities personnel."



Very few could believe what was actually happening. A loan woman had arrived and within twenty minutes drastically reduced the fighting strength of their entire battalion and they hadn't even managed to harm her if reports were correct. Many couldn't help but believe this was a nightmare and that they would waken up at anytime. Even some that weren't actually part of the enemy force felt as if they were having a nightmare.



Rachael felt far better about herself as she walked into the laboratory. As she looked around at the various vials she quickly realized that the room was meant to work on enhanced. As her eyes pierced the darkness as easily as day light she couldn't help but wonder how many enhanced she had killed. At one time she would have noticed a difference between enhanced and regular soldiers but no longer.



Once everything was taken care of Rachael resolved she'd have to give the room a more careful examination to see if she could find anything of interest. As she left she made certain to close the door and compress the lock until it fused shut. She didn't want anyone damaging the materials until she had a chance to look them over.



Sally bit her lower lip as she listened to the conversations. It seemed that they had lost track of Rachael once again. It had been five minutes since anyone had reported encountering her. The commanders made use of this time to further organize their men to attack when Rachael surfaced. By now even those who had been trying to slow Rachael down inside of the facility were being called to the surface.



As Rachael looked up towards the surface a grin spread across her face. Bending at the knees she leapt into the air and felt her head slam into the roof of the facility. The heavily reinforced concrete might as well have been air as Rachael rocketed into the sky. Once she broke through the surface she continued to rise until she was flying forty meters above the facility there she held herself.



The force of the impact took nearly everyone by surprise. As their attention was drawn towards the sound it took them several seconds to realize where Rachael was. From when the first soldiers began noticing her it was at least two minutes before every eye was turned on her.



For a moment the soldiers seem to forget that they were under attack. Finally someone managed to remember what was happening and called for everyone to open fire.



In order to avoid damaging the facility too much Rachael had resolved to take to the air. This also served to let her flaunt her abilities more and insured that everyone would be able to fire at her. As she felt her body being assaulted from every side she lifted her arms above her head. Soon the tanks began to join in on the assault.



Thomas watched as they fired on Rachael. So great was their effort that many didn't seem to realize just how much friendly fire was also occurring. Those bullets that struck Rachael either expended all their energy and fell to the ground below or bounced off in various directions. Several shells missed entirely and ended up striking other soldiers when they returned to the earth.



As more and more shells struck Rachael it became increasingly difficult to see her however the tanks didn't need to re-aim. So long as one could hold their weapon steady all they needed to do was fire on the exact same location. Rachael wasn't attempting to dodge and even the anti-tank rounds that struck her weren't capable of moving her.



As the smoke grew too thick to see Rachael the weapons finally grew silent and they waited to see if they had managed to affect her. Once again Rachael cleared the air by swinging her arms downward so quickly that it pulled the smoke along with it and once again she was revealed to be entirely unharmed.



There was no need for Thomas to have a listening device to hear the scream that issued forth from the installation. As Rachael vanished from the air he lost sight of her but he could easily see the path she was taking. The soldiers seemed to be dominos as they began to fall in rather strait lines. Every thirtieth of a second another soldier fell to the ground.



*****



Thomas and Sally made their way slowly throughout the hallways. Soon they heard the running water and came to one of the shower rooms.



"Come on in."



"So what did you think?" Thomas grinned as he walked into the shower to find Rachael cleaning herself off. She made no attempt to conceal her body when Thomas and Sally entered. She was quite comfortable with them being around even if she was naked.



"It wasn't what I expected. I need to learn some foreign languages so I can at least taunt them."



As he spoke Thomas walked over to one of the benches and set down so that he could still see Rachael. "Did you still have fun?"



"It was fun at the beginning and quite a few parts in the middle but the ending didn't really amuse me. To be honest" Rachael was a bit surprised by herself when she suddenly struck the wall closest to her and sent her fist through it. "I feel rather irritable right now."



"I guessed as much when you quit really giving them time to respond. The way you decided to end the fight just seemed out of place for you."



"They didn't have enough time to prepare. I want my next opponents to be fully mobilized and in the field before I fight with them." Rachael held her hand up to the water after she withdrew it from the wall and allowed the water to wash it clean.



While Rachael showered Thomas took the time to look her over. She had cleaned herself off long ago it seemed. He didn't know why she continued to wash herself off at the moment. His best guess was that she was trying to calm down after being disappointed. "You were truly spectacular out there Rachael."



A very warm smile appeared on Rachael's face as she glanced back at Thomas. "Thanks, I hope you enjoyed what you got to watch."



"I enjoyed watching you."



"Next time I'll put on a better show. The battle can be out in the open and maybe you can watch from a better location."



While Thomas and Rachael talked Sally amused herself by going through the various lockers. When it seemed that they were done for a moment she joined in. "There was a few minutes delay between the messages once. What happened?"



"I found their research facility and took some time to look it over. It is funny. I wanted this body in part to get out of the lab but now a part of me wants back into one." Finally Rachael turned the water off and proceeded out of the shower. "Sally, I am going to run back to the camp and get some clothes on. I'll have to take it slower when I am coming back so I expect me to be gone for maybe five minutes." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she speed out of the room.



Thomas shook his head and stood up. He then walked into the shower and looked where Rachael had driven her fist through the wall. He was suddenly assaulted by a tide of ice cold water. "COLD!"



Sally couldn't help but giggle as Thomas jumped out of the path of the jet of water. This of course brought his attention strait to her at which time she held up her hands. "It wasn't me."



It took a moment but Thomas finally shook his head. He really couldn't be sure if it was Sally or if Rachael had simply ran back into the room and turned on the water. She could move so quickly that he knew it was within her ability. "Well now I need to get dried off."



"Oh you aren't that wet. Come on let's head back outside. Once you're in the sun you'll wish you'd been hit with even more water."



Kareem set quietly and looked out over the devastated facility. He could see vast patches of crimson slowly spreading as the blood drained out of the corpses of Rachael's victims. No one had survived the slaughter. He could feel his heart pounding against the inside of his chest and placed his hands over it as if trying to calm himself.



*****



Rachael hadn't asked what had happened to Thomas when she returned so he didn't know if she had soaked him or not. Of course Sally was right about him wishing he had been soaked with even more water before going outside. Currently he was setting inside one of the hangers while various people moved about the facility.



Kareem had been silent ever since setting down with Sally, Thomas and Rachael. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of Rachael.



Only when the silence had lasted for at least five minutes did Thomas speak up. "Well I take it Rachael secured the materials that you needed."



Instead of responding verbally Kareem slowly nodded his head though he didn't look at Thomas. Of course one couldn't be sure that he was seeing Rachael. While he was most assuredly looking at her he didn't seem to be aware of the expression on her face.



In most situations Rachael truly liked attention. However, Kareem's stair annoyed Rachael as did the fact that he didn't even turn to acknowledge Thomas. While most would look at her several times while speaking to Thomas she couldn't remember someone staring so blatantly at her.



"Please leave."



Thomas's eyes widened. He hadn't seen that coming. He felt a chill run through the air and heard Sally give a slight sigh. He didn't have to look at Rachael to know that she wasn't happy.



Instead of frowning a smile slowly began to form on Rachael face though it was a rather unsettling smile. When she spoke her voice was smooth and calm. "Are you saying that you don't want my help?"



Kareem felt the color draining from his face and he bit down on his lower lip. "Please leave this land you devil."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she shifted to her side a bit. "Now how could you call someone as pretty as me a devil?"



When no words came to Kareem began to stand. He didn't get very far though when he suddenly felt Rachael's hand press down on top of his head. He was forced back to a setting position before he even lifted himself three centimeters from his chair.



"Are you telling me that you want to go back on our agreement? You can't exactly pay me for the work I did, the supplies I secured and I know you can't win without my help." Rachael looked down into Kareem's eyes and saw nothing but fear.



"I will not work with a devil."



A slight yelp escaped Rachael when Kareem suddenly vanished from beneath her hand. What she found when she looked down was a fist which was connected to Thomas's arm who had suddenly rose from a sitting position and driven his fist into Kareem's head. Rachael lowered her hand and took hold of Thomas's wrist. She then pulled him close to herself and gave him a gentle kiss.



Due to the way he had been held Kareem had ended up taking the majority of the force of Thomas's punch. While it wasn't as bad as having his head trapped against a solid wall it had been close. Before he could stagger to his feat he felt Rachael's hand once again clamp down atop his head.



"You are a pathetic small minded creature." With that Rachael began to press down atop Kareem's head. At first the force was only enough to insure that he couldn't stand up however it eventually became far more painful. As Rachael pressed down harder she began to dig her fingers into the skin around his skull.



Thomas took his seat once again. He was still rational enough to realize Kareem's death wouldn't help anything but he didn't feel letting him live would help either. He was a bit surprised however when Sally set down next to him.



Sally placed her back against Thomas's shoulder so that she could watch the one entrance. She was certain that Rachael would be keeping an eye out for any of Kareem's people that might try to help him but she wasn't going to risk anything. As she reclined against Thomas she reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a secure cell phone.



As Rachael dug her fingers into Kareem's head blood begin to seep out around her fingers. Reaching down she took hold of his right thigh and proceeded to break the bone. She then began the process of folding the leg in on itself so that she could reach further down.



Thomas was curious who Sally was calling and what they were talking about. He just couldn't listen to the conversation due to Kareem's screams. Of course he could have just asked Sally but he imagined she was having a difficult enough time carrying on a conversation with Kareem's screaming as well.



Rachael was grateful for her medical training as she broke Kareem's bones. She wanted to see just how small of a space she could collapse his body into before he died. For that purpose she had began the process of breaking his legs in several areas as well as his arms. His chest would require more caution but she was certain that she could fit him in a very tight space.



Several of Kareem's men had rushed to check on him when they heard him scream. However, they hadn't acted even after seeing their leader's condition. This wasn't because of what Rachael had done to the installation but rather was due to what Sally had done to them earlier. It took some time for enough men to gather for them to finally act.



"Rachael, you'll need to cover Thomas."



"Don't worry about them. If you don't mind take Thomas further to the back."



Instead of questioning Rachael's decision Sally did as she was told. She continued to cover Thomas while she walked further towards the back of the hanger. As she did she felt a few bullets striking her in the back but they didn't have nearly enough power to harm her.



As Thomas walked he was actually surprised by how large Sally was. He hadn't really taken the time to compare his height to hers. He was surprised when he realized that Sally was nearly as tall as Rachael and her build was somewhat more muscular though her muscles were less powerful then Rachael's.



Once Rachael felt content Sally and Thomas were far enough back she whispered in Kareem's ear. "Do you want to see how easily I can blow out a life?"



Sally instantly wrapped her arm around Thomas and pulled him against herself as she felt a sudden and very powerful draft. The force of the wind forced her to dig her feet into the ground and she braced herself. She also had to tighten the grip she currently held on her phone.



Kareem was held in place by Rachael as she released a massive gust of wind. The air rushing from her lips created enough force that even those items that were behind her head were effected. Items that happened to have less then eighty kilograms of mass were lifted into the air and sent flying out of the hanger.



Thomas was surprised when he found that it was only Sally and his mass together that kept them grounded. Had either of them separated then they wouldn't have had enough mass and would have been sent out of the hanger with everything else. He could only imagine how much force was currently being exerted on those that the torrent of air was directed at.



Despite the situation Thomas couldn't help but wonder how long Rachael could keep a glider aloft just by blowing on it.



Men were sent flying backwards as if caught in a horrific explosion. Had the hanger's doors not been reinforced to protect against small explosives they wouldn't have been torn off entirely despite being opened. As the torrent of wind slammed into the soldiers those closest too the front weren't able to scream as they were lifted into the air.



Five seconds after the opening had been clear Rachael ceased blowing. It was too seconds longer then what was truly required to kill those that had been gathering around the front of the hanger. "Now let's resume."



Sally relaxed her grip on Thomas once Rachael ceased. Now that they were further back Thomas could also hear some of what was being said. "Kareem's dead ... will be ... least."



Thomas gave a sigh and quit trying to listen in on the conversation. At best he could hear what was being said every three words. Which truly hindered his ability to understand what Sally was saying and he had no way of hearing what was being said on the other end.



*****



"Do you feel better now?"



"Yeah, I do." Rachael smiled and squeezed Thomas to herself more firmly, as she did so she adjusted his position so that his head wrested against her breast. "I guess killing business associates isn't a good way to start a career though."



"He was the one that tried to cancel the arrangement."



"That is right." Sally smiled as she walked into the room and closed her phone.



Thomas had to shift around a bit to see Sally due to the way Rachael was holding him. However, after a few seconds of struggling he was able to see that she was smiling, he had to struggle around a bit more so that he could speak. "I take it we didn't ruin any of William's plans."



"Well Kareem's death did make things more complicated however we had a plan B. Considering our first encounter in the arena Williams knows enough about Rachael's temper."



Instead of responding verbally Rachael stuck her tongue out at Sally. "You're just jealous."



Sally chuckled as she walked over and set down opposite of Thomas and Rachael. "It isn't like Rachael really ruined the plan anyway. You're right Thomas. Kareem was going to back out of the deal. When he asked Rachael to leave it was clear things weren't going to work. Even if you'd let him get away with it then I'd be asking you to kill him now."



At first Thomas was going to nod his head in agreement but that would have involved several minutes more of struggling. "So what is going to happen now?"



"Well I am going to have to go and take care of a few things. So tonight you two are just going to have to keep quiet for a while."



Rachael smiled. "Are you going to go and talk to some people?"



"Yes and dispose of some others."



"Could I help with the disposing part?"



"No, you may not."



Rachael lowered herself in the chair a bit and lifted Thomas higher so that her face was partly concealed behind him. "How come I can't help?"



"You may have me beat when it comes to pure power but this has to be done quietly."



"I can be stealthy."



Sally couldn't help but chuckle. "Rachael you're about as stealthy as a bombing run. Sure you can get there without being noticed but once the attack begins everyone knows what is going on."



Rachael sighed and scooted Thomas along her body until she could easily see over his shoulder. "Well then you can just be that way. Why wasn't I informed of this plan B of yours?"



"Is it wrong for us to make a plan in case the initial one doesn't succeed?"



"No."



Thomas gave Rachael's thigh a quick smack. "Quit pouting. You're just asking that because you were out of the loop. You're not actually upset."



A slight giggle escaped Rachael and she squeezed Thomas to herself more firmly. "I suppose I should say thank you as they provided a safety net."



"Of course we do. We're trying to get on your good side so you'll help us more later on."



"Okay. Well I should return the favor. If this plan of yours works I'll develop a new general treatment for your standard enhanced. Hey now what was that look for?"



"Oh nothing, I am sure Williams will be thrilled to hear the news."



"Don't make me pin you down and ask you."



A slight giggle escaped Sally and she waved her hand in the air. "There is no need for that. I was just hoping you'd enhance me again."



"Well you'll just have to wait and see."



"Just don't think we are doing this entirely for you. Williams hopes the project will benefit as well."



Thomas took a moment to try and set up before he spoke up but Rachael's grip was too firm. At last he settled for his current position. "I just realized. What is the name of your little organization?"



"Modifications"



Rachael gave Thomas a gentle kiss on the neck before speaking again. As she spoke she shifted about slightly causing her breasts to rub against Thomas's back. "So how long will you be gone?"



"I won't be back for a few days. I am really going to have to make use of the chaos caused when Rachael killed everyone in the installation. You might have killed Kareem but that doesn't mean his men are finished with the equipment or the installation itself."



"Is that a good thing?"



"For what I am going to do, yes it is."



"When are you going to release the recording of Rachael tearing the installation apart?"



"It will be in the appropriate hands for release within twenty four hours. Well if you'll excuse me I am going to get dressed and get to moving. They are a great many things that must be done."



As Sally prepared Rachael loosened her grip on Thomas though she didn't even begin to truly release him. "So we have a few days of lying low. I wonder what we could do to help pass the time." As Rachael spoke she ran her finders underneath Thomas's shirt and began to feel of his abdomen.



"I am not out the door yet."



*****



Rachael sighed as she set up in bed and looked over at Thomas's sleeping form. Reaching out she ran her fingers through his hair for a few minutes before finally finding the will to climb out of bed. She hadn't mentioned it to Thomas yet but she no longer needed to sleep. Of course he already knew that she needed far less sleep then he did she just hadn't told him that now that meant none at all.



Later she'd have to let him know that she had quit sleeping long ago but for some reason she just didn't want to tell him yet. As Rachael leaned against the wall she turned around so that she could see Thomas's sleeping form. A slight giggle escaped her when she considered how she had wiped him out. He never slept in the nude before.



Slowly Rachael began to feel herself sliding against the wall as she began to float into the air. Once she was two and a half meters off the ground she proceeded to fly over to Thomas so that she was hovering just above him. At least while Thomas slept she had plenty of time to practice her abilities though she had to keep herself under control if she didn't want to wake him up. Rachael seemed to lean over as if she was on a platform as she brought her face closer to Thomas's and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.



After taking a few more moments to observe Thomas Rachael finally straitened up and began to look around. She couldn't work on of her abilities that might generate enough sound or destruction to wake Thomas however they were others. After only a moment she noted Thomas's shirt and slowly flew over to the garment. She then proceeded to lower herself until her feet just touched against the clothing.



When Rachael flew she could feel the force moving throughout her body she could also feel something whenever she held herself to a particular location. As of late she had began working on actually taking that energy and trying to effect the world around her. Once she had taken a moment to steady herself she proceeded to lift herself back into the air. After seeing she hadn't had the desired effect she lowered her feet once again.



"Good morning sleepy head."



Thomas didn't respond right away but continued to lie in bed. He didn't truly need an alarm clock anymore. Rachael always seemed to know when he was waking up and she'd always greet him.



"Ah do you need help getting out of bed."



A sudden surge of energy ran throughout Thomas as he heard the tone of Rachael's voice. It wasn't threatening rather it was very playful. He quickly set up in bed. "Oh no. I am fine. I am fine."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "Well okay then. I have breakfast ready for you."



A sigh escaped Thomas as he set up in the bed. "So has anything happened this morning?"



"I don't know. I wasn't really paying attention."



After waiting a moment more Thomas finally forced himself out of bed and began to look around for his clothing. Upon finding his clothing he found that he couldn't button them then remembered that Rachael had crushed it flat last night. "I am going to have to find an alternative to buttons."



"But the buttons are part of the fun."



"Yeah, but I am running low on pants."



"We can go shopping later. I am sure we can find something for you."



"Um Rachael you're suppose to be laying low. I don't know if you going shopping would be such a good idea."



"Oh yeah Sally is suppose to be dropping off the video soon. Well that doesn't mean enough people have seen it to matter."



"Rachael you're over two meters tall with purple hair. Even if they saw the video a week later they'd still remember you."



A slight giggle escaped Rachael. "That is true. Well then it isn't like you're going to need to wear pants while we are laying low."



"I don't feel comfortable walking around in the nude."



"Ah well if it would help I could walk around naked with you."



It was utterly impossible for Thomas not to grin. "That is very tempting and I would be very happy if you'd do just that. However, I still want some clothes to wear."



"Well I haven't destroyed any of your underwear and you could still wear a shirt."



Thomas gave a sigh as he finally put on his pants and found a bit of string to run through the opening where the button would have once gone. After taking a few moments to secure his pants he walked out of the bedroom, through the living room and into the kitchen where Rachael was waiting. "I believe this'll work so long as I don't have to go out in public for a little while."



Rachael pouted a bit when she noted Thomas had found a temporary solution to his button issue. "Well darn it."



As Thomas took his seat at the table he couldn't help but grin. "Sorry, I just like to have pants on is all."



"It is okay. They'll be coming off of you soon enough anyway."



"Why is that?"



"After you eat your breakfast we are going to take a nice bath together."



"Mm maybe we should take the bath first."



Rachael gave an amused giggle. "Well while that is tempting. I want you to have all your strength. Bath time is going to be extended. So be sure to eat everything." With that Rachael began to set out Thomas's breakfast.



"So that is why you went easy on me last night."



A cheerful grin appeared on Rachael's face as she practically chirped her response. "Yep"



*****



Thomas couldn't help but stair as he looked at the neatly folded bits of paper on the plate in front of Rachael. It wasn't the paper that truly interested him it was what was happening to the paper. "Do you promise that you're not just moving your hand or something else faster then I can see or just using the wind?"



An amused giggle escaped Rachael which delayed her answering. "I promise that I am not moving any part of my body at more then human speeds. I also promise I am not using the wind to do this."



After looking up at Rachael for a moment to see if she looked guilty or not he resumed watching the scraps of paper. The bits of paper were made to slide over the smooth surface of the plate. Rachael had folded them so that the little paper flaps were thicker then a loan sheet and every now and then he could have swore he saw an end bending in.



"I've been working on this for a few weeks now. Don't set so close." Reaching over Rachael placed her hand on Thomas's shoulder and pressed him back against his chair.



"How are you doing that?"



"I believe I am using something similar to or the same force that lets me fly or hold myself to a particular location."



While the bits of paper didn't weigh very much Thomas still couldn't help but be impressed. Rachael was actually moving an object without actually touching, fanning or blowing on it. "What did you start with?"



"I started using dried pees at first. I couldn't find anything else though I had hoped to find a tiny ball of some kind."



"Can you move something heavier?"



"Well yes and no. Yes I can but no I can't control when I do it. Not so close."



It surprised Thomas to realize that he had begun to lean forward again. Once again he felt Rachael's hand press against his shoulder and he was forced back into his seat to what Rachael considered a safe distance. "I take it was accidentally moving something heavier then paper that has you worried."



"Well I didn't do anything spectacular."



"I find that hard to believe. What happened?"



"I was just practicing when I ended up shattering the plate I was working with. Like I said it wasn't anything spectacular. I just don't want to risk slipping up and shattering your bones."



"Was it just the plate?"



"Yes."



"Are you sure?" As Thomas spoke he proceeded to remove the table cloth and begin to search around.



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she looked up from the plate. "I promise I didn't crack the table."



It took a few minutes but at last Thomas confirmed that Rachael was being honest. "Well darn it. All well it isn't a big deal. I am sure you'll be able to shatter concrete with an angry glance soon enough."



"When I broke the plate I was worried that the sound might wake you up. I guess it seemed louder then it actually was."



"So you're now able to move things just by looking at them? Do you realize how much that would help in sneaking around?"



"I can't say that I do Sally."



Thomas didn't even think to try and hide the surprised look on his face when he suddenly felt a presence behind him. Turning around he found Sally still dressed in her combat gear leaning over his shoulder and looking at the plate. "When did you get back?"



"She's been in the building for ten minutes now I believe. It seems you enjoy your sensory enhancements."



Sally gave a quick nod. "I thought sneaking around was easy with my previous improvements. Having my speed slightly more then tripled and my strength increased five times made it a breeze."



Thomas took a moment to scoot his seat out and stand up. He then proceeded to take a few steps away from Sally to get a good look at her. "Well I see it didn't help you keep from getting messy."



"Hey sneaking around tends to require one to get a little dirty. Though I have to agree that I need to get cleaned up, so I am going to take a shower then I have some news for you and Rachael. Just one question before I go. Why did you get up?"



Thomas couldn't help but grin. "I don't know if you want me to answer that question."



Instead of responding Sally took a moment to sniff the air. "Never mind, I swear the things I do to kill people without being seen."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as Sally left the room. "This makes me glad I am not the sneaky one."



*****



"So when is the video going to air? I've wanted to hear the media's opinion on Rachael's activities for a while."



Reaching over Rachael slipped her hands under Thomas and began to lift him into her lap as she spoke. "You should know I don't like it when you just set on the chair. Though I have to say I want to see the footage to. I thought you said it would be in the proper hands within twenty four hours."



"I did and it was. Those hands just decided they didn't want to release it for a little while longer."



"Why is that?"



"Well releasing that video also means everyone will know a major part of their army was destroyed. With one of their major installations taken and over a thousand soldiers dead you can see where this would create problems."



"I see your point but when will it be shown in that case? I can't wait to see myself in action. I wonder just what Thomas recorded. Do you think they'll edit the tapes? I was nude a good deal of the time after all."



"Since I finished with my work it shouldn't take much longer. Don't worry the footage will be broadcast we really need the fear it is going to generate."



Thomas took a moment to fidget inside of Rachael's grip until he was more comfortable. He had learned that it helped to lean against her arms more then her breasts. While her breasts were softer they also came close to pushing him off her lap especially when Rachael inhaled. "How did you keep your actions from being broadcast?"



"We have some contacts in the current party. You see it was never Williams's intention to have Rachael kill every government leader. We were just going to have her kill of certain powerful figures that caused trouble."



"I see. So when is the video going to be played?"



Sally couldn't help but chuckle. "You two are just so impatient. It should be on the evening news. Of course when the reporters try to get in touch with certain leaders and find out they are unavailable it will only drum up more chaos."



"So what part is Rachael going to play in all of this?"



"Well you wanted a fair amount of publicity. Naturally the government is going to want to retake the installation and kill off the rebels. Of course that means committing even more soldiers unless they can obtain some powerful help."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "It will at least set a good standard for what happens to those that back out of business deals with me. However, I don't plan on working for free."



"I expected as much. In truth some people want to meet with you in order to hammer out a long term deal."



"I don't really like the idea of working with anyone military full time."



"You don't have to worry about that. It is just with their military depleted they want to make a down payment for future services from you. Plus they'd like to talk about what fee you'd charge to never fight against them again."



"So they won't ask me to help with any invasions?"



"I can't promise you that but they'd pay you for it."



"Well I can't really agree to it. Those decisions are up to Thomas to make not me."



Thomas couldn't help but glance up into Rachael's eyes as she cuddled him. "This is important you should" Thomas was quite surprised when Rachael suddenly tightened her grip on him so much that it forced the air from his lunges and made him be quiet.



"You're the one that handles the business aspects."



After taking in a few breaths when Rachael relaxed her arm he couldn't help but chuckle. She'd caused him a little bit of pain when she tightened her grip but he should have known better to question her on such matters. "Very well I'll handle the negotiations. You can still talk about it with Sally though."



After thinking for a moment Rachael finally nodded her head. "Well alright."



An amused chuckle issued forth from Sally. "Well then Thomas they are some people that you are going to need to meet with."



"When will I need to speak with them?"



"Not for at least twenty four hours. We need to let the video tape air, those I killed be found dead and give some time for others to take up their positions. I really hate this time."



As Rachael spoke she snaked one of her arms further down Thomas's body and began to pluck at the annoying string that held his pants up. She could have simply torn it away but she didn't want him to notice what she was doing. "What is the problem?"



"I've done everything that I can do for the moment. Now it is up to others to play their part."



Rachael didn't want Sally to quit talking as it meant Thomas would be distracted. Of course she didn't want to talk too much herself as it would draw his attention. "So what types did you kill?"



"A few party leaders and higher ups, I also had to kill various military leaders though Rachael helped a lot in that."



"How did I do that?"



"Well we had been preparing for this event. What units do you think were primarily stationed at the facility you destroyed?"



"I see." Rachael was a bit surprised and even whimpered a bit when she felt Thomas suddenly smack her hands.



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. He had only given Rachael's hand a little smack and even if he had hit her as hard as possible it would have only hurt his hands. The little tap that let her know he was on to what she was doing was enough to get her to quit for the moment though he knew he'd have to keep his guard up. "Now you quit that."



It took an extreme act of will for Sally to keep from laughing when she noticed the grin on Rachael's face as she peaked over Thomas's shoulder. Clearly the Valkyrie had no intention of stopping. Though for the moment she was waiting for Thomas to let his guard down again. "Those I didn't kill of are going to be in for quite a surprise. First they learn that the units loyal to them was destroyed, then learn it was done by a loan woman, now they learn that many of their allies have been assassinated."



"I imagine the ones that had many of those loyal to them at the facility you didn't need to kill."



"I left them alive so they can take the blame for the failure."



"You mean be used as an escape goat."



"Well there isn't much of a difference. One is just something you do voluntarily to protect others. The other you get volunteered for."



Thomas gave a sigh and went to swat Rachael's hand again. However, when he glanced down at his waste he heard Rachael giggle and felt her breasts press into his side. She'd managed to get through the string without disturbing him. After looking at the string for a moment he realized that Rachael had pinched it between her fingernails and crushed through the material instead of breaking it. "At least when this is all in the open I should be able to get some buttons. It looks like I am going to have to learn to sow a little."



Sally gave a slight chuckle. "You could just get a button applicator."



"It looks like I don't have a choice in the matter."



*****



As he gathered up the drinks Thomas retrieved the popcorn from the microwave. He then proceeded into the living room where Sally and Rachael where currently waiting. While the two women didn't hesitate to take their drinks from him he was a bit surprised when neither of them even grabbed a single popcorn cornel. "You know I can't eat all of this myself."



Instead of opening her can with the little latch Rachael simply pressed her finger into the top of the can. Once her fingernail penetrated the metal she proceeded to peal away some of the metal.

"So why did you make so much."



"Well I thought you two would like some popcorn."



Once Rachael had opened her can she set it down and proceeded to reach over and pick Thomas up. "You know that I eat very rarely. In truth I shouldn't be eating anything at all by now."



It was impossible for Thomas not to frown but Rachael was right. She had stuck with the experimental plan he had set up when it came to hear not eating and she hadn't shown any ill effects. He had to admit that it didn't seem as if she was harmed by not eating. Despite this he didn't like seeing Rachael go an entire day and especially not a week without eating anything. "Don't you like the taste of popcorn?"



"Well okay I'll eat a little bit."



"How about you Sally? I know that you need to eat."



"No thanks. You don't seem to have enough butter on it for my liking."



Thomas gave a nod and took a moment to adjust his position. Rachael had a good idea of how he preferred to be held by now but it seemed to always take some adjustment. Though, he had grown to suspect that this was intentionally done so that he'd have to rub his body against Rachael. That was one thing Thomas felt no desire to complain about.



Once Thomas had situated himself Sally finally turned on the TV.



"What was a major military installation now stands behind me and while it may appear to be manned do not be fooled. Those you see are not soldiers but rather rebels who with the aid of a mercenary group took control of the facility. What makes this more astounding is that the facility itself seems largely intact. This isn't the result of a virus though or clever infiltration but rather the work of a loan woman."



"Hey. What wasn't clever about the way I infiltrated? It was totally unexpected and I am certain they never saw it coming."



Thomas rolled his eyes and reached into the bowl of popcorn. After getting a hand full he adjusted himself. When Rachael went to make another comment he quickly forced the cornels inside of her mouth though a great many were dropped.



Rachael grinned as she chewed the salty bits of dried vegetable. She'd seen what Thomas was doing the moment he lifted his hand towards her face but she allowed him to succeed. Had she been a normal woman he would have easily moved quickly enough.



"As impossible as this seems to be we have received footage of this assailant. I must warn you what we are about to show is shocking. Please abide by the advisory at the beginning of this program."



"Well do you hear that Rachael? You may be seen naked world wide in just a few moments."



Rachael gave an amused giggle and proceeded to use her free arm to pick the bits of popcorn that had fallen off Thomas. Once the video began to roll a delighted giggle escaped her when she noticed something. "It seems that you like my but." At the beginning of the recording when Rachael had first began to walk towards the gate Thomas had got distracted for a moment and actually looked down at her rear.



It was impossible for Thomas not to blush a little as he realized that he'd slipped up. He'd been so focused on Rachael that he had let his eyes wonder more then he realized. Even while he blushed he slipped his hand behind Rachael's back and gave her rear a good smack. "I have to say. Having you float like this has its benefits."



All Rachael did was giggle and turn her attention back to the television. "I really had hoped those guards would go all the way through the gate. I think it would have looked kind of neat. I wonder how fast I'd have to get them moving to make neat little cubes."



"I don't know. I think no matter how fast you had them going they'd look more squished through then cut."



"If only they had finer fencing wire."



Sally gave a slight chuckle. "Rachael would you like to try one of my drinks?"



"Well I am trying to find out how little I need to eat."



"Oh come on. How could you get stuck in a situation in which you can't eat? You tore through everything you've encountered and you can fly so it isn't like launching you into space would help. You'd just bust out of the rocket and fly right back."



"Fine then I'll try one."



Thomas couldn't help the stunned look on his face. "That is it? I plead with you for all this time and yet she convinces you to eat in just a few sentences."



"Well she isn't arguing for my safety."



After taking a moment to consider his next action Thomas gave Rachael's bottom a few very sharp smacks. He was grateful that her rear was fairly soft despite her strength so that his hand only tingled a bit. "That is very naughty of you."



Instead of replying Rachael stuck her tongue out of Thomas and took the drink from Sally when she returned from the kitchen. Upon opening the container she proceeded to gulp the liquid down. At first Rachael was going to drink slowly but after her spanking she couldn't help herself. She proceeded to drain the container in under a second. The suction she applied was so great that it actually caused it to collapse in on itself.



Thomas jumped slightly due to the sound of the container collapsing. It wasn't loud enough to seriously hurt his ears or damaging his hearing but it did make him jump. "You just wait until later. I'll give you a real spanking then."



"Do you promise?" As Rachael set the collapsed container aside she let her tongue slowly flick out and ran the muscle slowly over her lips.



All Thomas had to do was look into Rachael's eyes to withdraw his hand. He'd be sure to give Rachael that spanking later but at the moment he didn't feel up to it. Instead of answering he quickly grabbed a hand full of popcorn and turned his attention back to the television.



"Mm okay. You don't have to answer that just yet."



"Well here it comes. So Rachael, are you ready to see your naked tail on international television?"



"You bet."



While there was no desire in Thomas to risk exciting Rachael too much. He couldn't help himself. "I just hope everyone that sees this program realizes how lucky they are."



"Well now I see which one of my features really holds your interest. Do you realize how long you delayed on my breasts?"



"Not enough."



For a moment Thomas and Sally were surprised when Rachael was actually made to blush. A moment later she lifted Thomas higher and pressed her lips against his. "You know that you're going to get a very personnel showing tonight."



"So that is what you were doing whenever I lost sight of you, how much do you believe they've slowed the tape down?"



Sally started to reply when she noticed the bottom of the screen. "Just check on the side."



Thomas took a moment then let out a low whistle. "That is impressive. You really let me use a high quality recording device didn't you Sally? And as for you Rachael, how dare you go so slow that they can make you viewable just by making the tape run at one twentieth the actual speed."



"But if I had moved faster then you wouldn't have been able to keep track of me."



"Well you have me there. I am sorry that you had to move so slowly just so I could keep up with you."



"I only regret that you couldn't really enjoy the show more. When I don't have to secure equipment I will be sure to take things nice and slow." As Rachael spoke she slowly ran the fingers of her free hand up Thomas's shirt and along his abdomen.



"Just make sure it is clear that you're moving slowly because you want to. I don't want the world thinking my Rachael is any less wonderful then she is. Sally did you edit out our conversations before or after you delivered the recording?"



"It was edited out before hand though it wasn't by me. I don't know how."



"It is such a shame that you two didn't get to see me working inside of the installation itself. I am sorry that you had to wait for such a long time but I was. Well blast it."



"What is wrong Rachael?"



"There was a room with some enhancement equipment. I wanted to go back and look it over but now I really can't. I bet they've already ruffled through it. I wonder if they have anyone that knows how to work it properly."



Sally didn't really have to think to answer the question. "Probably not, I doubt that's kept them from trying but they've probably lost more then they enhanced."



Thomas smiled and leaned his head over. He then gave Rachael's biceps a gentle kiss. "Where you trying to make yourself look like a goddess when you rose up through the ground like that?"



In response to Thomas's complement and the kiss Rachael raised his head slightly so that it was closer to her breasts. "I can't say I was thinking of it at the time."



"I suppose that is something you can't help."



"What?"



"You can't help but look like a goddess."



"Do I need to leave the room?"



Rachael couldn't help but giggle when she glanced over at Sally. "No. Not yet at least."



"I swear this is the first time I've considered asking for vacation time to try to just socialize."



"Once again we have Dr. Hall with us to discuss this most recent happening. Tell me Dr. Hall what are your thoughts on this video?"



"Well Jill. I can't help but questions whether or not this video is a hoax. Indeed I would have to say this video has to be an absolute hoax and a rather poor one at that."



"What leads you to this conclusion?"



"There is simply no way that a loan woman could have that kind of power. The idea is simply laughable."



"Wasn't the same thing said when what appears to be the same woman destroyed several police cars in an escape?"



"While those events were exceptional and hard to believe this is entirely laughable."



"Then what of the installations fall? How do you explain a well armed military facility being taken with so much of the equipment intact?"



"I suspect that they used a form of gas to clear out the facility."



Thomas was surprised. While Rachael hadn't moved in the least he could tell that she was getting angry. He didn't know what it was but it seemed as if he could feel Rachael's anger radiating from her.

Instinctively he reached behind her and began to run his hand along her back.



"So you're dismissing the video evidence entirely?"



"It is the only thing a sane person would do after seeing it. This video is clearly a flight of fancy."



"Who would have made such a hoax though?"



"I can't say though I advice you to question your sources more."



"That is it." As Rachael spoke she set Thomas down and lowered her legs to the ground. She then proceeded over to her laptop and began to look up the TV stations address.



At first Thomas was going to try to calm Rachael but he knew that wasn't going to happen. "I'll be timing you."



After walking to the door Rachael glanced back over her shoulder at Thomas. "Tell me when to go."



"Go now." The moment Thomas spoke he felt a slight rush of air. While Rachael held back enough to avoid damaging her surroundings she still left the room at eighty kilometers an hour.



Once Rachael made it outside she quickly accelerated bringing her speed from eighty kilometers to eight hundred kilometers an hour within moment. As she neared the city limits she once again began to poor on more speed accelerating to eight thousand kilometers an hour and faster. With each moment the world seemed to slow down around her until nothing seemed to be moving.



Thomas quickly turned to the TV monitor. Once he had confirmed that it was a live broadcast he settled down on the couch and waited to see Rachael appear.



Running across water still felt odd to Rachael, as she made her way across the ocean she couldn't help but wonder if her flight ability was keeping her on the surface of the water or it was due to her speed. She did know that if it weren't for the same ability that let her fly keeping her on the ground she'd be going air born every time her feet struck the ground at such high velocities.



As she neared the states she didn't even bother slowing down but thankfully kept herself to the side of the road. Had she ran on the roads surface she'd left a rather clear path of destruction.



"So Dr. Hall do you believe there is any relationship between the woman seen here and the one that destroyed the police."



"I believe they're using her image to try and give the recording some believability." Dr. Hall was made to go silent when a sudden gust of wind ran throughout the room. The force of which was so great that it sent papers flying about and seemed as if it would topple both him and Jill. At this moment Thomas clicked the timer on his watch.



"They're using my image because I am the one that did it."



Dr. Hall and Jill were both made to jump out of their seats as Rachael's voice cut through the air. Upon glancing behind themselves they both seemed more then a little surprised to find Rachael standing behind them.



Rachael stood her ground for a moment but moved when Dr. Hall started to run. She waited until he had just got past the desk then took hold of the back of his shirt. She then proceeded to yank him back over the desk so that his back struck it rather forcefully resulting in a sharp cry of pain.



"So how long did it take her to get there?"



"I clocked her in at fifty seven seconds."



"I bet you're rounding down a little so that you can say it was under a minute."



At first Rachael considered crushing Dr. Hall's head but the run while short to everyone else had given her plenty of time to think. She'd calmed down and realized that the majority of his insult had been directed towards the recording. Not towards her. Though, she didn't care for anyone doubting her abilities. "Since you seem to be having so much trouble believing that video was accurate. I came all the way down here to tell you that it is. Now I know you won't contradict me while I am here since that would lead to me crushing your head. So I'll just tell you now. If you dare put down my abilities again I will find you and I will kill you. Do you understand?"



When Dr. Hall didn't answer right away Rachael put her hand on his head and began to press down. After a moment the pain seemed to over whelm his fear and he called out. "YES!"



"That is good. Well then now that I said what I wanted to I'll let you get back to your show."



Thomas couldn't help but blink his eyes when Rachael disappeared from the screen. "I thought she was going to do more."



Jill took a moment to look around. She hadn't made it very far when the woman suddenly vanished. When Rachael had first appeared she felt certain that she was going to die. However, the only person that actually got harmed seemed to be Dr. Hall. Slowly she began to make her way over to the doctor. "Dr. Hall, are you okay?"



For a long while Dr. Hall lay silent. To have been put in and let out of a life or death situation so very quickly had left him stunned. Slowly he shifted around and began to climb off the desk so he was on the side opposite of the camera.



"I think he urinated on himself."



"You mean I scared him that badly?"



Unlike Jill and Hall neither, Thomas or Sally were made to jump when Rachael suddenly reappeared within the room. All Thomas did was chuckle as he turned around to great Rachael. "I believe you did but I couldn't really tell."



"So how long did it take me?"



"You were gone for fifty seven seconds by my count."



"I believe he took the time early so that you'd make it in less then a minute."



"Pfft, you haven't worked with Thomas in a lab setting. He is quite professional. Plus you're just jealous that you can't even break the sound barrier yet."



"Well maybe I am just a little jealous."



*****



Rachael couldn't help but blink her eyes as she read over the news article. Instead of calling for Thomas right away she found herself reading over it two more times before she was certain that she didn't miss understand something. "Thomas something strange is going on. Don't worry, you can stay seated."



Shrugging a bit Thomas settle back into his seat and began to work on his breakfast once again. "What is happening?"



"It seems that they are calling for an interview with me."



"Are you serious?"



"Yes I am. It seems that they have a few questions for me and are looking for ways to get in touch with me."



"Well then. I suppose you should give them a call or pay them a visit."



"So you believe that meeting with them would be a good idea?"



"Sure. It isn't like they can do anything to you."



"Would you come with me?"



"If you want me to I will."



"Well then once you're done with your breakfast come on over here.

I'll go ahead and get the stations phone number."



"Why don't you just run down there and speak with them? That way they won't have any question as to whether it is actually you or some prankster."



"It would be quicker. Where should I tell them to meet us?"



"Are you two forgetting something? You have an important meeting later today." Sally gave a slight yawn as she walked into the room. After taking a moment to look around she had to wonder. "Why are you two looking at me like that?"



Thomas gave his head a quick shake. "I am sorry it is just that. We are both use to seeing you in combat gear or casual clothing."



"Well neither of us has been to the fights lately. Also don't worry I have a nice dress for you as well."



"Huh?"



"What? We're all supposed to attend the meeting and I know that you don't have any evening clothes."



After a moment Rachael crossed her arms and took on a somewhat defensive stance. "I am only going to where it if I like it."



An amused giggle escaped Sally. "Don't worry I figured as much. That is why I want you to try it on now. That way if you don't like it we can try to find you something else in time. Though given your height I imagine that'd be difficult even with your speed."



Thomas had been surprised when Sally walked into the room. The tight black dress hugged her bust line as if it had been painted on while slits ran down either side. Her arms were left entirely exposed most likely to avoid ripping the material when she flexed. A few thin strips of material ran down her back as if an outline of a cape. Her legs were entirely concealed down to her calves which showed wonderful in her shoes. Her right leg was left partly exposed due to a slit in the side of the dress.



However, he couldn't take his eyes of Rachael. The evening dress was the same blue as the majority of her arena clothing and hugged her figure no less tightly then Sally's hugged her. While Rachael's dress lacked the slips along the upper body the stomach section was cut out in an oval shape revealing her abdominal muscles.



As with Sally's dress Rachael's didn't have anything concealing her arms. Though, the outfit seemed designed to suggest that it was less to show off her arms and more a necessity because if they were to flex it would shred the material. While both ladies showed a roughly equal amount of their upper body Rachael's dress had been clearly designed to show more of her leg.



Long slits ran along either side of the dress revealing the outer edges of her astoundingly well developed and unbelievably powerful legs. The only thing that the lack of material hindered was the view of Rachael's rear. Sally's dress clung to her tightly all over showing her well developed rear. Due to the lesser amount of material Rachael's could be made to cling to her quite as tightly so her but wasn't as noticeable.



It would have nearly impossible for Thomas to decide which dress he liked better. Each dress did a wonderful job of showing off the ladies' bodies though each in a somewhat different way. The main deciding factor that caused him to have a preference was the simple fact that Rachael was wearing the blue one.



"I believe you're going to have to dress him."



It was impossible for Rachael not to giggle as she looked back at Thomas. She gave him another minute to take in the view before she stepped forward. "Come on. Sally picked out a nice tuxedo for you."



Only after Rachael took hold of Thomas's arm and began to pull him along did he finally seem to snap back to reality. "Sorry, I was distracted."



"I am glad to here that. Well take it in while you can. You have some negotiating to do."



"You shouldn't ask the impossible of us poor fragile humans."



A wide grin adorned Rachael's face as she released Thomas's arm and moved a few more steps ahead of him. She then came to a stop and proceeded to do a complete spin and a half of a second so that when she stopped she was facing him. Once again she took hold of Thomas's arm and pulled him to herself. This time she pressed her lips firmly against his.



While she continued to kiss Thomas Rachael pulled him more firmly against her body. Slowly she began to rub her breast against him though the difference in their heights and the size of her bust meant she ended up burying a fair amount of his jaw in her cleavage while rubbing his upper chest. "I have faith in you. Though, after this you'd better not hold back on the attention."



The grin on Thomas's face threatened to split it in two when Rachael finally stepped back. As no words seemed to come he simply continued to follow Rachael.



*****



Rachael took a moment to examine the room as she walked inside the building slightly ahead of Thomas. She'd actually been examining the building before they had even arrived. She hadn't heard or seen anything that concerned her however she still felt the need to actually look around the interior of the building.



A few moments after Rachael entered and made no move to stop him Thomas entered the building followed by Sally. Only once they were actually inside of the building did Sally proceed to move to the front of the group as the attendant made his way over to them.



"Greetings ladies and gentleman, Mr. Akili is waiting for you in the private section. Please, follow me."



After taking a few steps back Thomas slowed down a bit so that he and Rachael were walking closer together. "So what do you think of the decor?"



"It looks very delicate."



"Does that bother you?"



"No. Everything is so delicate compared to me now that it is rather nice. I am also a little surprised to see so many people."



"What do you think about that?"



"It is nice to be finally meeting someone that doesn't feel the need to fill the entire building with bodyguards."



Akili smiled when the attendant made his way up the steps. A few moments later Sally appeared followed by Jack and then Rachael. "Welcome. I am so glad that you could make it."



Sally gave a nod. "Rachael, Thomas this is Akili."



As Sally spoke Akili stood and gestured to the various seats around the table. Only after waiting for everyone else to be seated did he set down. "I hope you don't mind but I took the liberty of ordering a few things already."



"I don't believe I'd call this a few." Rachael gave a slight chuckle as she looked the table over. Even at a glance she saw five different kinds of main dish. She quickly realized that Sally was actually setting two seats away from them and had positioned herself for easy access to the lobster. A wide grin crossed her face as she reached under the table and pressed up on it.



Before Akili could respond to Rachael he was rather surprised when the table was suddenly lifted. Instead of saying anything he set silently as he watched the entire table rotating until the lobster was in front of Rachael. At which time Rachael set the table back down. "Well I. I didn't know what you would like."



Sally couldn't help but glare at Rachael for a moment though she quickly hid it. "Thank you Akili, I am sure we will all find something that we like."



Uncertain of what to say Akili simply nodded his head. "Yes then. Please eat. There is no need to talk over an empty stomach."



For a moment Thomas expected Sally to lift the table much as Rachael had done. While he knew that Rachael was far stronger then Sally he also knew that Sally had more then enough strength to lift any dining table he was likely to ever see. However, after a few moments and seeing that Sally was focusing on the duck it seemed that she had no interest in mimicking someone else.



"Here you go."



When Sally glanced up she was actually surprised to find Rachael holding the lobster out to her. While Rachael had taken one of the claws and a few other choice parts it seemed she had no interest in eating the entire thing. "Thanks."



"You're welcome."



Akili waited until all of his guests had covered their plates and at least began eating before speaking again. "Thomas, I am told that you're the one that handles business negotiations for Rachael. Does that mean I'll be speaking to you?"



"Yes, unless Rachael finds something particularly objectionable."



"Very well, so what is it like to be the manager for an entire army?"



Thomas grinned and took a moment to glance over at Rachael who was busy layering some crab meat with butter. Clearly she was only eating to enjoy the taste and not worried about the calories. "Well I am glad the army is such a beauty."



A slight chuckle escaped Akili. "I am sure that you are. Would you mind telling me what brought about the arrangement?"



"Sure. Rachael asked me if I would handle a business conversation back when she was an arena fighter. She liked the way I handled it and gave me the job."



"I see." Akili grew silent for a moment as he took a bite of his food. In truth he was using the time to observe his guests and see if anyone seemed to mind his questions. Once he was sure that neither lady looked irritable he continued. "You must put a lot of trust in one another."



"Every time she hugs me, I have to trust her not to use more then a billionth of her strength so she doesn't crush the life out of me."



"What about you Rachael? What made you decide to have Thomas handle the negotiations?"



Rachael didn't answer right away but took a few moments to finish savoring her food before swallowing. "There is no one else I can trust to do it. Thomas is even more skilled at thinking up things I would enjoy then I am."



Akili gave a nod and turned his attention back to Thomas. "Oh well that doesn't bold well for me, as you see the first thing I would like to talk with you is an insurance fee."



"What do you mean?"



"After seeing what Rachael is capable of doing, I am rather concerned that she may be hired to fight against us once again. So I was wondering if you would be willing to a sort of piece agreement with potential work in the future."



"I'll have to hear your terms before we agree to anything."



"I realize this isn't the type of fun you're looking for. However, I would be willing to pay twenty million dollars if you would agree not to work against us in the future and agree that should we be attacked Rachael will come to our aid. With our military depleted and so many generals dead I fear we are quite vulnerable."



Thomas was silent for a moment. "The twenty million will buy you twenty years. However, it won't insure Rachael assistance."



"You must understand. That without her assistance in the deal then the initial offer is entirely pointless. With our military so badly weakened and the leadership so badly shaken and the rebels now being well armed. Even if Rachael didn't fight against us the odds of us falling are great."



For a moment Thomas was silent. "I see you're point. Very well Rachael will not take any actions against you and I am willing to have her come to your aid immediately if you're attacked provided that you offer compensation for her services during the battle. The twenty millions will get you my assurance she won't take any actions against you for twenty years and a quick response."



"That is reasonable. What would you be expecting for her aid in the battle though?"



"That depends upon the size of the enemy."



Akili was silent for a moment and seemed to consider Jack's words. He remained silent until Jack had time to take two more bits of its food and swallow both. "Very well, how about this? If the twenty million insures that Rachael will not attack us for two decades and she will respond quickly to attacks upon us. How about we set her pay according to the type of armaments she has to deal with?"



"That sounds reasonable. What do you propose to pay for each?"



"We should be able to pay one hundred thousand for each tank destroyed, seventy five thousand for every major artillery piece, one hundred twenty five thousand for each jet, fifty thousand for each lightly armored vehicle and twenty five thousand for military vehicles below those. Of course if you should capture them for us we could pay double."



"That seems reasonable."



"So we have a deal then?"



"In regards to what we have discussed, yes."



"Is there something you wish to talk about?"



"Yes. I was thinking that Rachael would take care of those rebels for you provided you could donate one of your research enhancement research facilities to her."



At once Rachael perked up. She'd been wondering what Thomas was doing by suggesting that she take care of the rebels for free. The moment he finished speaking she wrapped an arm around him and pulled him against herself. She then gave him three extremely rapid kisses on the face.



"Would she be recovering the weapons intact or would she be destroying them?"



"Well if you want the equipment intact you're going to have to either show us a very promising facility she could have or you're it is going to cost you."



"I would be very appreciative if you would recover the equipment intact. Would you be willing to accept payment equal to what you normally receive per each piece of equipment's destruction?"



"Very well, we have some other things that we need to take care of but Rachael should be able to handle the rebels within forty eight hours. If they actually make a move she'll come more quickly."



Akili gave a nod. "I don't believe that paper work is needed in this situation."



Thomas gave a slight shrug. "It isn't unless you want documentation that you maid a deal with Rachael. Of course you seem to realize that such paper work is purely for show."



"Why don't you just make the paper work regardless? It would make the terms you each agreed to operate by clear." Sally had remained quiet throughout the conversation. However, while she realized that the courts couldn't really do anything to Rachael. She also felt documentation was important to at least insure the conditions were clear and make sure no one forgot what the original agreement said.



While Thomas didn't see the reason to have any documentation he also realized Sally had been involved in similar deals before and probably knew what she was talking about. "Okay."



After a moment Akili gave a nod. As he spoke he signaled for one of the attendants. "Well then I'll just have someone brought up to draw up the paper work. It should only take a few minutes."



*****



As a sudden gust of wind ran throughout the lobby the receptionist moved to hold down her papers. However, she only had two hands and a few of them were blown onto the floor. As she worked to gather them up she cussed lightly under her breath. "Hello."



It took a moment for the sound of a human voice to register with her and the woman set up. Between the sudden wind gust and having to gather up her papers she didn't notice the presence. "Hello and how may I.." The woman felt the color drain from her face when she looked up to see the Valkyrie looking down at her.



Rachael smiled down at the woman between her build, unique features and her height of well over two meters tall it was impossible for someone not to recognize her especially when she was wearing her arena clothing. "I heard that some reporters wanted to talk to me."



The woman felt her mouth go dry as she looked up at Rachael. She knew that a few people had been discussing the subject and even mentioned it on the air and in articles. However, she had never expected Rachael to respond by showing up at the front desk.



While she waited for the woman to respond Rachael looked at the block behind her. After five minutes had passed she finally spoke up. "Don't worry I didn't come here to harm anyone. Hello." After a moment a giggle escaped Rachael and she waved her hand in front of the receptionist's face. At last the one seemed to snap back to reality though she was far from calm.



"Oh yes. I am sorry. Shall I get them?"



"Are those security cameras working?"



"I..I believe so."



"Okay. I guess security isn't coming in that case." As Rachael spoke she pressed her pinky finger into the desk until her fingernail sunk in. She then began to slide it through the material. "This is an online account that can be used to contact me to set up an official meeting. I want you to pass it on to your boss and tell them that if they really want to speak to me they can use this. Of course this is only for setting up the meeting. If they truly want to speak to me they'll have to send someone after we've discussed a location."



The clerk slowly nodded her head. She gave a slight yelp and almost jumped out of her seat when Rachael quickly ran her finger along the edges of the letters and cut them out of desk. A moment later she pulled the solid slab of granite free and set it down in front of the clerk. All the clerk could do was vigorously nod her head.



"Oh and if they really want a nice show they'll contact me within the next thirty six hours."



*****



Walter took a deep breath as he double checked the time on his watch.

Currently he found himself a few miles away from the facility that Rachael had taken only a few days ago. He knew Rachael's name but he had never even come close to meeting her. Now he was suppose to be speaking to her in person and see a true display of her power.



A sudden gust of wind caused him to quickly look behind him. He was actually surprised when he didn't see anything. He'd been told about the encounter with her in the lobby and seen the footage of her arrival on the set. He'd seen how a sudden and powerful gust of wind always seemed to indicate her arrival.



After a while his heart rate returned to normal and he finally noticed something. Off in the distance he was a tan colored vehicle heading towards him. The vehicle seemed to blend into the desert perfectly while his orange one stuck out like a sore thumb for everyone to see. Rachael had told him to bring an orange vehicle so he'd be easy to spot.



As the vehicle drew closer he was surprised when a blue figure appeared to be running along side of it. It took him a moment but finally he began to fumble for his binoculars to see just what was going on.



"Is that him up ahead?" Thomas glanced over at Rachael who was currently running along side of the vehicle.



"I believe that it is."



"Do you want to run ahead and meet up with him?"



"No thanks. I want to sort of ease him into the interview. Plus this is kind of fun."



"Running along side of a vehicle instead of riding in it?"



"You bet. Then again" After taking another step Rachael proceeded to hop into the air. For a moment it seemed like she was going to be left behind however she soon matched the vehicles speed and began to fly along side of it.



Much to his surprise when Walter lowered his binoculars he had a huge smile upon his face. While he hadn't admitted it to himself, despite the recordings and the first hand reports he had wondered if Rachael truly existed. Though he still felt the situation could be exceptionally dangerous his excitement seemed to entirely over whelm his fear.



As they drew closer Rachael finally began to accelerate and fly ahead of Thomas. However, as she passed the vehicle she began to slowly lose speed. At first Thomas was made to wonder what was going on but he quickly realized Rachael wasn't slowing down against her will.



Once the vehicle drew close enough Rachael lifted herself higher into the air. While flying higher Rachael righted her body and adjusted herself into a setting position. Though this caused extra wind resistance she was able to cope as she slowed her flight and lowered herself until she felt her bottom press down on top of the vehicle. After making sure she was well seated Rachael finally relaxed her flight ability entirely.



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle as he began to slow down. He could see Rachael's legs lying over the passenger's side of the window. Fortunately she had decided not to be difficult and hadn't placed her legs over the driver's side.



As the vehicle came to a stop Rachael smiled down at Walter. "Hi."



"Um hi, hello"



An amused giggle escaped Rachael when she noticed the grin on Walter's face. At least she didn't think he'd spend his time cowering in fear. "Well you look oddly pleased to be meeting someone that has killed well over a thousand people."



"People that were all combatants or political figures to my knowledge, I am neither."



As she spoke Rachael stood up and began to walk down the hood of the vehicle. "Oh, it looks like someone has been paying attention."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas as he watched Rachael walk down the hood. While she had claimed that she'd take it easy on showing off her power initially she sure wasn't holding off on the personality. After taking a few deep breaths he was able to will himself to turn off the vehicle and climb out of its air-conditioned interior.



"Would you happen to be Thomas?"



"Yes that would be me."



Rachael waited until Thomas walked by to hop off the hood. She when walked over to stand next to Thomas. "So shall we get this interview going?"



"I'd be delighted. What would you like to begin with?"



"I believe we should start with the questions."



"Sure."



"One thing, did you bring the chairs and umbrella?"



"Yes I have."



"Good then let's set them up."



For a moment Walter was entirely silent. He hadn't known why Rachael wanted him to bring such items. He had joked before leaving it was because of the sun but hadn't expected to be proven right. He could tell that the camera man was equally surprised with the turn of events.



After taking a few breaths Walter finally steadied himself. Currently he set just opposite Thomas and Rachael. Thomas was seated while Rachael was hovering in the air as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Hello and I have here with me the young lady responsible for leaving nearly a dozen police cars destroyed, nearly two dozen officers' dead, killing numerous political figures and now having destroyed an entire military installation."



"I destroyed a police helicopter to. Don't forget the helicopter."



"Yes. So Rachael, I suppose what I should ask first is why? Why did you cause so much destruction and kill so many people?"



"Well starting with the police. They were in the way, paid for it and I was supposed to be paid for it."



"Did you have to kill them though?"



"Are you talking about the police?"



"Yes."



"No, but it was fun. If someone seeks to fight me then they have to accept that I may and probably will use lethal force especially if they shoot me."



"Aren't you risking the lives of billions though with what you've done to yourself? Doesn't it even bother you a plague could be born within you?"



"It would if I believed that it could actually happen."



"So you don't believe that it is possible?"



"No, due to my experimentation and research I've began to suspect that the plague was actually intentionally made. Though, I haven't uncovered anything in particular to prove that it was."



"What about all the reports and studies that say it is possible?"



"Personally I believe those were done by idiots with small minds. After all up until now they didn't believe it was possible for someone to have my level of power. Clearly they aren't as infallible as they'd have everyone believe."



"You said that some of the deaths you've caused you were paid to for and supposed to be paid for. Would you mind elaborating a bit on that?"



"I can't think of much else to say. A few people heard of my abilities and sought my help. They offered to pay me well if I'd remove a few of their problems and I agreed to. It isn't like I was killing children."



"Would you be willing to provide some names?"



"Of course not, they're past employers after all. I hope to get some more work eventually and I need references."



"So you're working as a sort of assassin?"



"No. I wouldn't say assassin. I like to think of myself as a mercenary or a one woman army."



"Will you work for just anyone or are there certain criteria?"



"That is really up to Thomas here." As she spoke Rachael leaned over so that her head rested atop Thomas's shoulder.



Walter gave a nod and turned to Thomas. "So what is your relationship to Rachael?"



"She's the love of my life and I seem to serve as her business manager."



"Does her behavior ever bother you?"



After a moment of silence Thomas shook her head. "No. I have yet to see Rachael kill someone that didn't challenge her or wasn't a combatant. Plus, as she said I handle the business decisions. If anyone wants to really condemn her actions they are going to have to condemn."



"Just why is Rachael working as a mercenary?"



"Well one of the reasons is the money of course. Another is it really lets her show what she is capable of doing. In case you didn't notice Rachael truly enjoys flaunting her capabilities."



"Would you mind telling me what are your long term goals?"



Thomas was silent until he felt Rachael poke him in the side. A grin formed on his face when he realized she wanted him to explain. "Well my long term goal is to make sure Rachael gets what she wants and to provide for her in whatever way I am able."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as she lifted her head from Thomas shoulder and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I have to say that I rather liked that answer. Okay Walter I guess the why work as a mercenary is up to me to answer. Thomas was right when he said that I enjoyed showing off my power and this is one of the best ways to do it. At the moment my objectives are for the most part to establish myself as a reliable mercenary that can function as a small army. I am also looking for a permanent residence."



"So you don't plan on quitting anytime soon?"



"Most assuredly not, I've only just begun."



"Rachael, are you the same Rachael Marks that was wanted for illegal studies a few years ago?"



"Yes that would be me."



"Did you intentionally destroy all records of your research?"



"Well of course. I didn't want to risk someone finding my work and duplicating it. In truth though I didn't expect my body to respond quite the way it did."



"What do you mean?"



"Oh the enhancing process nearly killed me and would have lead to my death or capture which would have then lead to my death if it hadn't been for Thomas. He is my savior."



Walter gave a nod. "Do you ever worry that your work will endanger him?"



"It does concern me. I know he doesn't like it but I can't help but worry. That is why I'll kill anyone that even hints at threatening him. I swear I'd wipe out an entire army or an entire nation if it is what I had to do to insure his safety."



For a moment Walter felt a chill in the air. Something seemed to tell him that Rachael was deadly serious. After a moment he turned back to Thomas. "Well then. Since you're looking for future employers for Rachael perhaps you wouldn't mind mentioning some of the restrictions."



Thomas gave a nod. "Sure. Well Rachael will only take jobs to destroy armed combatants. At least those are the only ones that I'll okay. She's looking for fun after all and how can she have any fun if her opponent can't even fight back? She isn't fond of jobs to secure resources either."



"Yet it seems to be the work I am getting so much of lately." A sigh escaped Rachael as she dropped her head. "Today is going to be so boring."



"What do you mean today?"



"Why do you think I called you out here? You're going to get to see me work first hand."



Walter took in a deep breath. "I see. May I ask a few more questions before you begin?"



"Sure. I am not in any rush."



"Why did you do this to yourself? Surely this is far more power then anyone needs."



"Well I disagree with you there. This is far less power then I need that is why I am still refining my body. As for why I did this to myself. Why not? I didn't steal this power from anyone and I developed the treatment myself."



"You mean that you're getting more powerful?"



"With every second I can feel my body growing stronger and faster. Plus I continue to develop new abilities. My ability to fly is fairly new."



"I have to say that is a frightening bit of information."



"Oh there is no reason to be scared. It isn't like I intend to just start killing people at random. All you need to do is make sure your government hires me enough that I feel it would be disadvantageous to take a job to harm them."



"Why are you even seeking financial gain when it seems that you could simply take what you want?"



"Well believe or not I don't like the idea of theft. By working as a mercenary I get to have fun, flaunt my power and get paid. The idea of stealing just leaves me feeling kind of icky. That and people respond better whenever they are being paid and scared to death of what you'll do to them if they mess up. I really don't want to make an enemy out of the entire world."



"Do you believe that you can be killed?"



"Oh sure I can be killed. I just believe that it would take a tremendous amount of force."



"Would you mind telling us how much force?"



"I don't mind telling but I can't. As I mentioned I am growing more powerful with time. That and I really don't know I haven't been able to do enough testing to find out what it would take to hurt me. I will say this. I let an anti-tank round hit me head on and I didn't feel the least bit of pain."



"I see then. Well then. Thank you for the interview."



"Ah is that it? All well. Okay let's get to the slaughter."



End chapter 6

[Chainer★]

Modifications – Chapter 7
by happiest_in_shadows
Date: 2006-09-12 13:36:00
Tags: 20000 - 50000 words, Flight, Invulnerability, Super Speed, Super Strength


By Happiest in Shadows





Well here is the final chapter of Modifications's first novel. I may write a sequel eventually. As normal this story has content the government considered not suitable for minors so if you are one quit reading now. Also if you find sexual situations or sexual situations with super fems to be offensive also quite reading now. As for everyone that continues reading the story I hope you enjoy it.





"Can you see well?"



"Yes, I can see just fine."



"How are the aerial units doing? I don't believe that many of the cameras are going to survive the first few moments of the battle."



"They're all fine and probably will be as long as you keep them distracted." Thomas currently found himself looking at several monitors. He was located several miles away from Rachael in a concealed armored vehicle.



"Maybe I should come back and check to make sure the reception is good."



"Rachael, believe me no one likes watching you as much as I do. If there was anything that I believed could be done better I'd let you know."



"Which camera view is your favorite?"



"Do you have to ask?"



"No but I want to hear you say it anyway."



It was impossible for Thomas not to chuckle. Rachael's current outfit had been equipped with several very small and well protected cameras. They were located on several places but the one that held Thomas's attention was located slightly above and in-between her breasts. Each camera had been placed to try and protect it and the clothing also helped. Of course the primary protection was that Rachael removed some of her own hair and used it to make protective pockets.



"Well aren't you going to tell me?" As Rachael spoke she thrust her chests upward and outward so that she knew Thomas could see the very tops of her breasts.



"The one between those lovely breasts of yours is my favorite of course."



"I'll try to make sure that it survives." Rachael was thankful that her enhancement had included a rather notable breasts size. It insured Thomas's favorite camera view was also one of the best protected it. It also allowed her to tuck the main component of the cameras between them.



The cameras that currently decorated Rachael's body were expensive to say the least. Of course given how much she was being paid they could easily afford it. Ever sense Rachael's interview and little display of power Rachael had been becoming more popular as a mercenary though many still seemed to have trouble realizing or believing how powerful she was.



Thomas gave his head a vigorous shake. No one realized how powerful Rachael was except perhaps him and Rachael herself. What people saw Rachael do could have been done by someone that was a few hundred thousand times more powerful then what a human's normal genetic code allowed for. She was so far beyond that though he wasn't sure if there was a way for her to truly display the full extent of her power.



"Thomas, are you okay? You went silent all of a sudden."



Instead of speaking into the communications unit Thomas glanced over his shoulder. It had only taken a few seconds for Rachael to run back to his little safe area. The only reason it had even taken her a second was she didn't want to destroy the cameras. "I'm fine Rachael. I was just thinking. Now you go ahead and get back to the battle field."



"MM what were you thinking about?"



"It can wait until later. Now get your tail end back there."



"Ah does it have to wait tell later?"



"Yes. Now get back there I can't wait to see how well these cameras perform."



"Well okay. I'll be back soon."



Before Rachael left she did a quick search of the area. She hadn't mentioned it to Thomas but she was a little nervous. Sally hadn't been available to come with them as she had some situations to resolve. They'd all agreed that given his distance from the battle field and a few other safety measures Thomas would be fine but Rachael still would have liked to have her friend there.



As Thomas watched the screens flashing by all he could make out was a blur of color. Rachael was moving far to fast for his eyes to keep up though the recording device could. At least they believed that it could. The current frame rate was so quick they could have recorded a bullet flying through the air easily.



"Are you sure you don't mind moving slower then normal so the cameras aren't destroyed?"



"I don't mind. It'll just give me more of a chance to enjoy myself. I think once things get started I'll keep my speed down to four hundred and fifty kilometers an hour."



"That seems a little quick."



"Pulling soldiers apart one by one just isn't the same. There so many of them and so much going on that it loses a lot of its appeal. To be honest I believe I prefer fewer targets that I can toy around with more."



"Well you can make it so they're only a few of them."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "That is true. I suppose I focus too much on drawing things out in the beginning. Then I am drained and just want to finish things up when I get near the end."



"You should probably be selective of who you leave behind for the last as well. Pick people that seem like they're going to struggle and not just give up. Then again you may want to pick those that look most likely to run."



A sigh escaped Rachael. "If only I were a mind reader. I believe our conversation is about to be cut off. They're getting within firing range I suspect."



"It's taken them a while. I suppose they're wondering if you are who they believe you are. They probably slowed down to get some advice from higher ups as well."



"Why don't they just surrender? They know they can't hurt me in the least."



"It would make matters simpler. Of course then you'd have to make it clear that surrender doesn't work for you."



"Huh?" Rachael didn't get Thomas's response. She saw a flash of light and watched as one of the rounds exited from a tank barrel aimed strait at her. In response she Held her hand up so that her palm faced out towards the round. Normally she'd actually liked to have such rounds strike her breasts. However, she didn't know if the camera nestled so close to her breasts would survive the blast and Thomas had said it was his favorite.



Unlike Rachael Thomas couldn't see the round coming. It was clear even to him though that she'd been hit when he lost sight of anything but black smoke. At least the smoke meant the camera hadn't been destroyed. He quickly turned his head to one of the scout drones cameras.



Even before the smoke had cleared Rachael burst out of it. While her speed was limited her acceleration was so swift that it seemed to pull the smoke along for a few moments. Thomas, watched as Rachael's feet kicked up a small cloud of dust as she quickly ran towards the armored units.



A part of Rachael wanted to fall back and see what Thomas was going to say incase it would improve her fun. However, Rachael didn't like the idea of running away and she knew Thomas would just tell her to get back.



When the view from Thomas's favorite camera returned he noticed a slight aura that seemed to be around it. The air seemed to distort at random moments. It only took him a few moments to develop a theory as to what it was.



While Rachael had took steps to protect the camera from its placement to using some of her own hair to shield it. She didn't want to take anymore chance of it being destroyed then needed. For that reason she was using her left arm to shield the camera. Whenever she saw something flying towards it she'd quickly smack it away. What Thomas saw as a sort of haze or aura was her arm moving back and forth far too quickly for him to really see.



Unconsciously Thomas scooted closer to the monitor as he watched Rachael near the first tank. He saw her arm vanish from the screen and then re-enter just slow enough to let him see it she drove her hand towards the tank.



A horrific explosion was heard the moment Rachael's fist struck the tank. Though not as loud as an anti-tank round it was quite noticeable. As she sunk her fist into the fifteen centimeter thick armor she slowed her action. She didn't want to kill the person on the other side of the armor quite yet.



The driver issued a shout of surprise and a cry in pain in one moment as Rachael's fist caused a massive bulge in the metal. Several tiny fragments were sent slamming into them and several broke through the skin. However, Rachael's slowing her punch had the desired effect and most of the energy was lost going through the metal. That didn't help console the crew though.



After impaling the tank with her fist Rachael took hold of the armor with her free hand. She then began to easily lift the tank into the air so that she was holding it entirely vertical.



Thomas couldn't help but smile as he watched the tank be lifted up and out of his line of site. He gave one of the overhead cameras a quick look to see what how the seen appeared from a bird's eye view. He couldn't even see Rachael standing under the massive machine. She must have gotten an exceptionally good hold of the tank to allow her to hold it in such an unusual position.



As soon as Rachael lifted the tank into the air she twisted to the side. Taking on a pictures stance she took aim at the longest line of armored units. Drawing her arm back she then let the tank fly. The crew of the tank didn't feel a thing past the first moments. The force Rachael put into the throw accelerated the tank so quickly that they were all slammed against the interior of the vehicle with enough force to kill them.



The tank was sent flying far too quickly for Thomas to really see despite its size. However, when he saw Rachael arm and the lengthening path of destruction left by the tank he knew what had happened. He also knew that he'd have to take the time to figure out how much force it would require to send a tank flying that quickly. He wasn't surprised when he heard the impact.



Even surrounded by thickly armored walls and several miles from the actual battle site he heard the impact. It wasn't a simple explosion rather it was a constant roar as the tank must have continued to tear through the ground, machines and soldiers for several seconds and many kilometers.



Unlike Thomas Rachael could see what had happened with the tank. She had thrown it so that it flew three meters above the ground until it struck the first armored unit in its path. The force of the impact had been so great that the second unit had been torn apart and even began to melt. Some of the fragments had been sent to the sides tearing those around it apart while it had been sent back.



After that it had struck a second smaller armored unit it was finally forced to hit the ground. It didn't stay there for long though as Rachael had put so much energy into the toss that it had actually bounced almost like a stone being skipped across the water when it hit the ground. It had continued like that for some time. The energy the pile of fused metal carried was so great that the path of destruction it left was far greater in width then it was.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she quickly folded her hands behind her back. She wasn't going to give them a chance to recover of course she also wanted to have some fun. "Thomas. I hope that you're ready to see what these breasts of mine that you love looking at so much can do. Remember this whenever you next see them up close and personnel."



There wasn't time for Thomas to reply as the moment Rachael finished speaking she was on the move again. He watched intently as she came beside another armored vehicle. He couldn't tell what it was though as he could only see the armored side.



Rachael gave a quick twist so that she was facing away from the vehicle. She then swung herself around. Instead of using her arms to hit the tank she insured that the side of her breast slammed into it. As her breast collided with the armor plating she lapsed into her accelerated state to better watch the happenings.



At first she saw the side of her breasts flatten and they were pressed to the side. This only lasted until it had reached as far as Thomas had ever managed to move them. In that moment her breasts began to push back and the armor began to bend. An oval shaped bend was made into the metal as it began giving to her breasts. As the dent grew the color began to change. The force of Rachael's breast slamming into the side of the tank was so great it began to melt.



As the vehicle was lifted off the ground by the force of the impact it was clear that the metal caught against Rachael's breasts had been entirely melted. Some of the molten metal clung to her breasts for a moment and even as it rose up the expanse of molten metal continued to grow as the depression created by her breasts grew wider.



A massive cloud of dust enveloped Rachael as the armored vehicle was sent flying back. The speed was so great that even though the vehicle didn't strike the ground close to her the air disturbance was enough to draw up a massive cloud of dust.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she felt the wind whip around her. The drag created by the armor vehicle being knocked away was so great she had to use her flight ability to keep stationary. She'd held back a considerable amount of her strength when she'd thrown the tank before hand. That had now been made incredibly clear as the force that she'd struck the armored vehicle with seemed equal to that of when she'd thrown the tank even though she'd used her breasts to strike the vehicle.



He had to watch that video over again in slow motion. There was simply no other option. Thomas knew that he had to see that again and he had to see it in slow motion so that he could truly appreciate the destructive power of even Rachael's breasts.



There was a moment in which Rachael was made to sigh. She would have loved to taunt her targets after such a display of power. However, in the current situation it wouldn't have the same affect and she knew it. Even in her accelerated state she only took a moment to admire the carnage she'd caused just with her breasts.



Once again and several times over Thomas heard the sound of an armored vehicle being sent air born. It appeared that Rachael truly enjoyed using her breasts as weapon as she continued to strike the armored vehicles with her breasts. As he watched her on screen he was made to remember when she had used her breasts to beat a few thugs to death. Now she'd become so powerful that she could use those breasts to easily destroy tanks.



While Rachael remembered to keep her speed down to only a few hundred kilometers an hour she was still moving around far more quickly then any ground vehicle. Indeed it was nearly impossible for anyone to keep track of her given how much of a distraction she was causing each time she slammed her breasts into another armored vehicle.



At least she was getting a limited rush from the situation. The feeling of the armor buckling and heating up when her breasts touch it was a delight to Rachael. She loved the tingle she felt whenever she saw a small tendril of red hot metal clung to her breasts for just a few moments.



As she continued to tear through the vehicles Rachael began to smile more. She didn't have the ability to really draw things out and enjoy them just yet but Thomas was right. She could always leave a few tanks and other vehicles standing to toy with. As she drew close to a particular tank she extended her arm and ran her fingernail through the metal.



There was a tremendous flash of light as sparks were sent flying. Though only the very tip of Rachael's finger struck the tanks armor the speed and force behind it was tremendous. A gash roughly the length of a human arm and seven centimeters deep was left in the tanks armor. The massive scar would serve to remind Rachael that she had decided to single that tank out for later.



Had Thomas been watching some of the other cameras he might have noticed the wound Rachael had dealt to the tank with the very tip of her fingernail. However, his attention was focused on the cameras that decorated her body. A few of them had been destroyed either by her rapid movements or by various bits of debris flying about. His favorite had remained intact in part thanks to placement and in part thanks to Rachael guarding it particularly well.



While she moved throughout the battle field Rachael continued to mark various armored vehicles. She had to be careful which she chose though. Each vehicle was chose mostly due to its location so that the risk of it being destroyed by another armored unit she'd knocked into the air was minimum.



Editing videos wasn't something Thomas was particularly good at nor did he really care for it. However, as he watched Rachael he knew he wouldn't mind working on the recordings they were currently making. He didn't even know if he could stand to allow someone else to work on the video. He wanted to make sure that Rachael was portrayed in the absolute best light. There would be no down playing of her power.



The design Rachael had picked out for her arena uniform was the one that she continued to wear. The material that composed it though was quite different. It had proven quite expensive but they'd managed to find a material that could survive most of the punishment Rachael would subject it to. This wasn't by it being tough but rather by it transferring energy very easily. The clothing offered absolutely no protection for the wearer but it could survive quite an assault.



As Rachael made her way through the armored units and came to the human soldiers she began to change her tactics. She was delighted when she heard a shocked gasp upon coming to a stop right in front of a few foot soldiers. Taking a slight breath she then proceeded to blow upon the soldiers. The force of her lunges pushing the air through her lips combined with the narrow passage was so great that there was actually a spark and it seemed to come out a wall of flame instead of air.



Thomas could have sworn that he saw body parts flying through the air instead of whole humans the moment Rachael breathed on them. He hadn't seen her take much of a breath so he doubted that it was the quantity of the air that gave it its punch. Rather it seemed that she had exhaled a very small amount of air but at exceptionally high speeds. The speeds were so great they gave the air the ability to tear through human flesh as easy as a curtain of bullets despite its miniscule mass.



The powerful gust of wind that Rachael released from her lips didn't even seem to be air. Rather it seemed as if an explosion had been released from and focused through her lips. This was one more situation in which Thomas tore his eyes away from his favorite camera. When he looked at the camera that showed the area where the soldiers had been all he saw was a creator. The force of the wind had been so great that it had actually torn up the earth under the troops.



For a moment he believed he caught sight of a limb but his attention was drawn back to the main screen all too soon. He'd have to check later and see if that was truly a limb he saw and if it had been turned into charcoal.



It wasn't clear to Rachael at first. However, she eventually noticed that her enemy had begun retreating. An amused giggle escaped her. She'd been moving so fast and tearing them apart so quickly that it must have taken the order some time to get through. Of course there was no way that she could allow them to just run away. She'd been hired to repulse the attack but she intended on giving her employer a freebee and tipping the scales of military power in their favor for a while. So she planned on killing every soldier she fought.



A slight whistle escaped Thomas as he watched Rachael tear the treads out from under a tank stopping the machine dead. She didn't stay to finish it off though instead she proceeded to quickly dash over to a smaller armored vehicle and remove a few of its tires. It was clear to him she wanted to play but she didn't want them to run away. He also soon realized how many of the armored vehicles had been marked by Rachael. They seemed to be the only ones left.



She'd been offered a bonus if she managed to secure any military materials but Rachael had no intention of going after that bonus. She'd grown quite sick of attempting to secure machinery. It limited what she was capable of doing, slowed her down a great deal and in general bored her nearly out of her mind. At this point in time she didn't believe there was a bonus that someone could offer her that would be enough that she'd secure anything.



Rachael was always quite thorough when it came to her battles. Thomas had noted that long ago. She always made sure that no one escaped despite their attempts to retreat. This was mostly done by her speed. Even when a few people remained behind to try and slow her down she'd simply run around them and go after the ones attempting to escape.



There had been more then a few times in which Thomas had been made to wonder if Rachael was so thorough because she enjoyed the destruction or if she wanted to keep them from running. He knew that Rachael truly enjoyed the feeling of bullets, missiles and mortars striking her body. She loved flaunting her power and she couldn't truly do that if they tried to run. Perhaps she wouldn't have slaughtered them all if they would just stand and fight.



As Rachael destroyed the armored units' ability to move she was disheartened to see some of the crews climbing out of their vehicles. Apparently after just a few minutes they had enough of her. She really was going to have to do something to make them stand and fight.



Giving a slight shrug she quickly made up her mind as to what that would be. As she began running once again she held out her hand. The first soldier she neared received a powerful smack to his knees. The force of the impact was so great that it not only caused him to flip into the air but it tore his leg from the knee down off.



If they'd fought her Rachael might have teased them some and let them shower her with bullets. However, if they were going to run she was going to make their deaths particularly painful. Instead of going for single killing blows she was going to tear limbs off.



For a moment Thomas wasn't certain what was going on. One of the drone cameras revealed it to him though. He watched as Rachael quickly bounded from soldier to soldier. Each one of them received a quick smack to the knees and their legs were removed. He imagined had they stood and fought she might have continued using her breasts and killed them quickly. Clearly this was going to serve as a warning for later encounters.



*****



"Are you okay Rachael?"



"Yeah I'm fine." As she spoke Rachael gave a slight shrug. "I suppose I'm getting a little disappointed."



"You want them to stand and fight instead of trying to retreat."



"You know I do. I just don't know how to make them. Even if I do take away their ability to escape they don't seem to fight back."



"Then you should let the world know that. Let them know what today wasn't just for fun but you left them with missing limbs for a reason." Even now Thomas knew that some of the soldiers still lived. Of course they weren't likely to survive given the level of destruction Rachael had caused and their injuries. The death would be painful that was for certain unless a few of them thought to use their side arms to end their lives quickly. He felt certain some would.



"Do you really believe that it will help?"



"Not at first. Still, once they realize that you don't allow anyone to retreat I'm sure they'll get the idea."



"Oh I just remembered. What did you want to tell me earlier?"



For a moment Thomas was silent then he clapped his hands together. "I almost forgot. The next time you get a chance you should make it clear that you won't accept surrenders or let your opponents retreat. Even if they should surrender the moment they realize that it's you. Of course you should also make it clear that there will be consequences for any nation that should impersonate you."



"What if my employer decides they should be able to surrender?"



"Then they should have to pay you a mercy fee. Of course any government can offer you a mercy fee before combat begins. However, they can't after words."



"Do you think it would help make things more interesting?"



"If they knew that as soon as they entered the battle field with you they were all going to die I believe that it would help. As long as you make it clear that those who try to run will only be made to suffer even more. Of course I could be wrong. It's hard to remember the fine details in the middle of a life or death situation at times and the instinct to run is pretty powerful."



"Mm well I can give it a shot." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "I don't mind the idea of not accepting surrenders after all if they come to kill they had best be ready to die. Well I guess it is time for me to take over."



Thomas gave a nod. Currently they were running out of road so it would be up to Rachael to fly them the rest of the way. Bringing the vehicle to a stop he reclined in his seat. "Let me know if you need directions and I'll tell you what the GPS says."



"Sure thing" instead of making use of jets that had to be landed at specific air fields or even helicopters Rachael chose a different way to transport Thomas from location to location. She had learned to fly a fair deal faster then she'd previously been able to and she didn't have the limits of a human jet pilot so she could easily fly low to the ground and try to avoid radar detection.



Add in the fact that it allowed her to work on her flight abilities and flaunt them some it had been easy for her to decide to start flying Thomas and equipment around herself. The only delays she had to worry about were when she had to avoid other forms of air traffic. Other then she and Thomas Sally and Williams were the only ones that knew how she was getting around.



After she slid the side door to the modified armored troop carried Rachael flew slightly into the air. Moving to the center of the vehicle she took hold of two massive supports. Instead of carrying the vehicle on her back she had them placed on it so she could carry it under herself. She didn't take off right away.



A few moments after Rachael took hold of the vehicle a small hatch opened up and Thomas poked his head out. "Everything is ready."



"Well then please be seated."



Thomas gave a nod and proceeded to set the hatch. He then settled down in a chair just below it. Rachael kept her flight path low so there was no need for him to be an entirely enclosed environment. Even thought they had done this a few times before he still liked to set back and really think about what she was doing.



After Thomas settled down Rachael lifted up on the vehicle. The heavily reinforced beams could easily support the vehicle though she chose to accelerate slowly as to not take any risk. Her only concern was that someone might try to shoot her down while she was carrying Thomas. No one had tried and she always kept an eye out to insure she was well away from everyone and had time to set him down if need be. Despite that the concern was there.



"Come on now. If you go this slowly we'll never get back."



A grin formed on Rachael's face as she glanced down at Thomas. "Hey I don't see you carry this thing. No back seat driving unless you want to be the one packing this thing around."



"I need a gas peddle in here. I swear you must be the first engine that talks back."



"Oh shush."



*****



Secrecy and security had been two things Rachael absolutely insisted upon when it came to their home. Of course it still amazed him how far she was willing to go. Currently Thomas set just outside of an RV which over looked the work sight where there home was being built.



Instead of hiring a vast team of human workers to build their home Rachael had insisted upon doing it herself. Now when Thomas looked down into the open dig sight instead of seeing several hundred human workers toiling away all he saw was a blur and a huge torrent of dirt shooting out of the opening as Rachael busied herself. The fact that the only thing that slowed her down so that she couldn't finish their home within minutes was the fact that the material couldn't survive such treatment was truly astounding.



As Rachael worked she glanced over her shoulder and gave the scoop an annoyed glair. She had planned on using what was now a lump of metal to dig the foundation for their home however it couldn't endure the speeds she moved at. The first time she had went to drive into the ground it had nearly folded in on itself. For that reason she had been forced to resort to her hands as the only thing that could endure her speeds.



At least she didn't have to carry one handful of dirt out of the dig area at a time despite the lack of any tools. Instead of simply carrying the dirt Rachael had taken to a more expedient method.



Upon sinking both of her hands into the ground and scooping up a handful of earth she'd squeeze it together. The force exerted by her hands was far greater then any press and she could compress even the rocks together. She'd then used her free hand to get another lump and once again compress it. As she compressed more and more earth together the lump would began to warm up.



After the soil had began to melt or burn Rachael would finally toss the dirt out of the dig sight. Of course moving at such speeds did have one problem. Rachael had to be careful how hard she stepped on the ground and how quickly she forced her fingers into it. Even with her moving slowly for her there was a fine cloud of dirt that seemed to hang perpetually in the air as constantly thrusting her fingers into the ground stirred it up.



There was no way that human's could work as quickly as Rachael was within the same amount of space. At least Thomas strongly believed that. Though he couldn't truly see Rachael as she dashed about he could easily make out the effects of her work. He saw the massive ditch sinking further and further into the earth while the pile of stones grew ever larger.



There had been a time when he believed Sally could help Rachael out now he realized how foolish he had been in that respect. There was simply no way that she could have kept up with Rachael and more to the point had she tried to work with Rachael she might have been killed. The speeds with which Rachael was moving about the work sight was simply too extreme.



As Rachael worked she repeatedly glanced over her shoulder at a solid steel pole she'd driven into the ground before hand. While she could work quickly she needed something to mark her progress. She was grateful that she didn't need to worry about the structural integrity of the opening for a little while. Of course once she made it down far enough they'd have to take steps to start bracing the sides.



While Rachael worked Thomas had to fight the urge to take a closer look at her efforts. However, she'd made it clear that he was not to come near the actual dig sight while she was working. It wasn't likely that Rachael would hit him with anything given her control but there was still a chance as even a tiny piece of dirt moving at the speeds she was sending about would be more then enough to tear his head off.



A sudden and very powerful gust of wind signaled Rachael leaving the work sight and running around to Thomas. "Okay I believe that is as far as I can go without bracing the sides."



Thomas glanced over at Rachael who much to his surprise didn't have a speck of dirt on her. Of course the only clothes she had on her were a violet pair of panties and a bra. They were at the moment the only clothing she had that could survive her moving at such speeds. It was true the clothing she wore into combat could take quite a good deal of punishment but it still had its limits. The only reason Rachael's bra and knickers could survive was they had been made from her hair. "So are you ready for things to slow down?"



"No but I don't really have a choice."



"I still bet you get finished faster then a crew of a thousand would."



"Thanks. I stopped sense I was wondering if you would like to come closer and" Rachael didn't get to finish the sentence.



"I would!"



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Do you like seeing me work that much?"



"Rachael I love seeing you work. I love seeing you period though. You're not exactly hard on the eyes indeed I'd have to say you're the most pleasing sight to the eyes I've ever encountered."



"Thanks." Bending down a bit Rachael gave Thomas a gentle kiss on the cheek before straitening up again. "You looked surprised a few moments ago though. Would you mind telling me why?"



"I was just surprised to see that you didn't have any dirt on you."



"Ah well the wind friction tends to rip it off."



"I know. It's just hard to remember that at times."



"Well come on. You can supervise while I work. Constructing genetics is quite easy but buildings are another story."



"You're one of the few people on this planet that can say that and mean it. Then again I don't know if you were being entirely truthful just now. You sure seem to be having an easy enough time to me."



"Pfft. That was because I just now got to the stage where I have to work with other materials and not just move dirt around and I am not even done with the foundation yet."



For a moment Thomas was tempted to suggest Rachael go with a simpler design but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He'd suggested it before hand but she hadn't been willing to listen. Apparently she wanted to insure that their home was not only very comfortable but also exceptionally secure.



"True. Okay I'll make my way down to the work sight while you go and get the materials."



There was no desire on Thomas's part to see Rachael limited or to see her power stop increasing. However, he couldn't help but be grateful that she had been forced to slow down while she drove the massive bolts through the shaft walls. Of course slow down was a relative thing. Rachael was still moving at an astonishing speed however he could at the very least make out where she was for the quarter of a second that she was still.



"Thomas, I hope you don't mind sleeping in the RV tonight. I don't believe I am going to have any of the rooms finished or anything other then the outer shell done even by tomorrow morning." As Rachael spoke her voice was somewhat distorted not just by traveling up the cavern she'd dug but by her speed.



"That is fine. So you're going to work through the night?" A rush of air was the only thing Thomas felt indicating that Rachael had flown out of the chasm. He was able to see her on her return trip though. She could only carry so many of the massive rods that she was using in the walls at a time and they forced her to slow down on her return trip other wise she would most likely end up warping the metal so that it couldn't be used.



"Yes unless you don't want me to. I could wait until you went to sleep."



"There is no need. I bet you're thankful for lazier pointers."



"At this moment I am very thankful." Each spot that needed bracing had been marked with a difference colored lazier beam. The different colors indicated what type of brace it needed. As Rachael came to one of the blue spots she once again exited the opening.



The ease with which Rachael returned with the two thousand kilogram beam was astounding. She held the beam with one arm while in the other she held six of the massive spikes. After she flew down to the spot that the blue beams had marked she'd press the massive support over them. In the current case the beam was vertical so Rachael placed her thighs on either side of it she then squeezed them together.



The metal felt exceptionally soft to Rachael and she had to be careful not to bend it. After this she'd quit holding it with her hand so that they were both free. After which she drove the spikes into place to hold the support in its position.



Upon feeling another rush of wind Thomas glanced over his shoulder at a small pile of three beams. Rachael had accidentally squeezed two of them too tightly and the metal had been warped beyond what was acceptable. The third had been damaged by her as well but it hadn't been her thighs. She'd leaned too far into the beam and she's accidentally squeezed it between her breasts or she acted like it was an accident Thomas had his doubts.



"Rachael could we have the section of beam with your breasts impressions in it mounted somewhere?"



At last Rachael stopped and looked up at Thomas. A devilish grin appeared on her face as she looked at him. "You bet we can. What room would you like it in?"



"How about we keep it in the living room?"



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "Sure. Do you mean the whole beam or just the section with the impression?"



"We'd need an awfully tall roof to keep the whole beam. I know how about you bend the metal so that it fits? You can try your hand at some art."



"That sounds like fun. I'll see what shapes I can think up."



"Well given how successful you were when you tried your breast at art. I am sure you'll do a wonderful job when you try your hand."



"Mm why thank you. Though I am not sure how many would agree with you."



"They'd have to be blind not to. Your art work is just superb. After all look how wonderful of a job you did with your own body."



"I guess someone wants me to make sure that he sleeps well tonight. For now though I had best get back to work."



"Okay, but if you must then would you mind moving a bit slower so that I can better enjoy the view?"



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. Reaching up she covered her mouth for a moment and gave her fingers a slight kiss. She then extended her hand up towards Thomas and proceeded to gently blow upon it.



Thomas gave a slight jump as the wind proved more powerful then he had expected. Indeed for a moment he felt like his hands were lifting off the ground. Fortunately Rachael relented before he was sent flying through the air. Once the wind relented all he could do was grin down at Rachael while she smiled up at him.



*****



"I hate cement."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas as he glanced over his shoulder at Rachael and then down at the foundation of their home. "I take it you just lay the foundation this morning."



"Yes. I've been trying to figure out a way to make it dry faster but nothing is really coming to mind. At least nothing that wouldn't damage the cement in the long run that is."



"I wish I could have watched you laying it. It must have been quite impressive."



"Ah you didn't miss much."



"Sure I did. Sleeping is such a problem."



"Mm not if you dream of me." As she held Thomas Rachael began to lift him up further as she did so she leaned her head to the side until her lips were level with his neck she then gave it a gentle kiss. A very pleased grin appeared on her face when she heard him give a slight sigh.



"I just remembered something."



"What is that?"



"You told me to remember the battle field the next time I felt your breasts pressing against me. At this moment it's hard to believe that such wonderful ladies could devastate an entire army."



As she spoke Rachael shifted her chests about a bit causing her breasts to rub against Thomas. "Well that is because they like you and like touching you. They liked touching the tanks as well but not as much and they didn't care about it in the least. Also unlike they tank they don't just want to touch you. They want you to touch them."



"Then I had best do as they want before they get upset with me." As Thomas spoke he reached behind himself then as he finished he pressed up against the underside of Rachael's breasts. He then gave them a gentle squeeze. He was quite happy when he heard confirmation that he could make Rachael sigh happily as well.



"So what would you like to do while the cement dries?"



"Would you mind helping me with some morning exercise?"



"I'd be happy to. Though are you certain you recovered from last night?"



"I'm sure. I feel quite energized actually."



"Mm perhaps I went too easy on you last night then. It normally takes a day or two for you to recover from one of our aerobic sessions."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. "I prefer to think that I've become more physically fit."



"Mm that is a possibility. Though I don't see any changes sense the last time we noticed." For a moment Rachael grew silent. A moment later she lowered Thomas back down and reached one of her arms up to pull his shirt collar further open. She then glanced down at his stomach. "Well that slipped my mind for a while."



"What slipped your mind?"



"We never figured out what caused your sudden muscle development even with all the testing I did on you."



"That's true. Have you thought of some more tests you'd like to run?"



"Not at this moment and I doubt that I will for a while yet. For now I want to go and have some fun. Later I may give you a physical. I don't believe that you've had one for a while."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. "Well I tend to think you give me a very good checking over every time we are together. You don't exactly need anything to listen to my heart and those hands of yours sure get around."



"I do but it isn't the same as a truly thorough examination."



For a moment Thomas considered protesting but changed his mind. It had taken him a little while to catch on but it finally hit him that Rachael may want to play nurse. "Well how about we begin before I get hungry? I haven't had breakfast just yet."



"Oh that is great. That means that I get to feed you." With that Rachael climbed quickly into the air.



*****



Sally couldn't help but blink her eyes as she looked around the vast structure. While she'd seen structures of similar scale before she'd never seen one meant for the purpose Rachael had in mind. "So she's building all of this just for the two you."



"Yeah, she plans on putting in a lab and a play room as well. Personally I think most of it is for the play room. She needs a place where she can toy around with tanks and not destroy our home."



"Well it's a good thing that she's building it herself. The labor cost for this would be a nightmare."



Instead of arguing Thomas's nodded his head in agreement. "Even with what Rachael can earn I'd have to agree with you. She really isn't holding back of course I doubt that is the real reason she isn't letting anyone else work on it."



"She wants to keep it as safe as possible."



"When she has jobs that she doesn't believe I should come along for she plans on leaving me here. At least things are faster this way."



"She did all of this in three days right?"



"Well two days and a few hours actually it hasn't quite been three days yet." As Thomas looked around it was clear to him that Rachael was far from finished. Still, she'd managed to not only dig out the cavity where the structure would be built, she'd also managed to construct enough of the skeleton to support that cavity and lay the foundation.



Rachael had left Thomas and Sally back at the construction site while she went for more supplies. She was grateful that for the moment she didn't have to carry anything delicate. As she flew to the mill she quickly located the beams that had been set out for her.



Instead of having them taken to a dock Rachael had simply started picking them up from the mill itself. The crews would pack them as if they were going to be shipped by truck and the set then set an additional stack atop them. Several massive cables had been wrapped around the load with a massive hook at the top joining them.



It would have been nice if they'd managed to stack more then one load on top of the other however if they did the cables would have broken before Rachael could get the load back home. She couldn't carry more then one load with her arms either thanks to their width. So she'd come up with a different method of carrying them.



Using her hands Rachael took hold of the first hook. The width of the heavy metal was so great that her fingers couldn't quite span it. She then extended her legs and slipped her left leg inside the second hook. After that she placed her other leg on top of the hook so that her feet touched one another. Even in such an awkward position the lock her legs and feet created was far stronger then any made before.



After that she'd hold her body strait and fly upwards in a horizontal position. The heavy load didn't hinder her in the least though she kept her flight path low. In truth she was also grateful that she started rather far inland.



Instead of flying away quickly she would then begin to slowly increase her speed a few kilometers every second. By the time she was out over the ocean she was moving so quickly that she had to be careful to insure the wind friction wasn't causing the metal to melt. Normally when she arrived home the metal was far to hot to actually do anything with until it had cooled. This wasn't a major factor though as Rachael planned on retrieving a fair bit of material before she resumed her work.



It was easy for Thomas and Sally to tell when Rachael had returned. The disturbance she made in the air while moving so quickly and carrying such a massive load was very noticeable. They actually tended to notice this before they heard Rachael set the building materials down before flying off to pick up another load.



"So how much is she going to bring back?"



"She plans on getting everything they've finished for her so far. She'll then build until she runs out of material and then go back to pick up more materials. Of course they don't seem to be able to keep up with her."



"That isn't surprising. At least she'll slow down whenever she has to begin work on the delicate components. How long does she think it'll take her to finish the frame work?"



"Well she only believes that it'll take her a day or two longer to finish constructing the frame work. Except for the cement and a few other things, she really hates waiting for the cement to dry."



A slight giggle escaped Sally. "I wonder how she's going to feel about the wiring. She can't do that at super speeds. Well at least not at the speeds she's been moving at."



"I don't believe she's looking forward to it." For a moment Thomas grew silent as he felt a rush of air and heard another loud impact. Once things had settled down again he picked up where he left off. "I have to say though it'll be nice to actually be able to help instead of just stand around."



"Have you run into any problems?"



"I know that Rachael has. After all no project of this scale goes off without any problems. I just haven't notice sense she's thinking and working too fast for me to keep up with her."



"You're not the only one."



"Okay I've cleared the yard for them. Would you two like me to fly you out of here? Things will probably get very loud when I begin working."



Before he spoke Thomas turned to look at Rachael. "Would it hinder you if I was to stay down here?"



"No but you're going to have to wear your ear muffs. I'd like you to put some ear plugs in as well."



"I don't take it that we'll be able to talk."



"I wouldn't feel comfortable raising my voice that level with you in here. Even if your ears are protected your internal organs aren't so well protected. So no we won't be able to talk."



"Would you mind if we placed a camera in here with you so that I could watch?"



"Mm that is a nice idea. So that means you're going to be waiting up top. What about you Sally?"



"I'll head on up as well. Sense you're going to be busy how about I tell Thomas about our progress. He can relay the information to you later."



"That'd be fine. It doesn't look like the mills are going to be able to keep up with me so he can tell me about it while I wait for them to get more materials in. Thomas should be able to help you with any problems you're having as well. He hasn't done much of it for a year or so but he's actually quite a capable researcher."



Thomas chuckled as he felt Rachael wrap one of her arms around his waste. "I don't believe that title really fits me given that I never made it past lab tech."



"Believe me Thomas you're just as good in the lab as some of my formers colleges. Mm now there is a bunch that I haven't thought about in a good long while. I wonder what they think of me now."



"I bet they wish they'd gotten to know you better."



"Honestly I am glad they didn't. This way I can focus all my attention on you." With that Rachael gave Thomas a quick kiss on the cheek.



*****



As Rachael entered into the RV that had been serving as Thomas and her home for the past few days she let out a slight sigh. Though she'd picked the best money could buy she was still quite eager to get their home finished. She couldn't wait to show off for Thomas in their little play ground. She also reviled how much time the construction project was taking away from her and Thomas.



It was almost enough to make her grateful that the mills couldn't keep up with the demand for materials she'd been putting on them. At least while she waited for them to restock she could spend a little bit of time with Thomas. With that a smile formed on her face and she made her way to Thomas's room.



By the time Rachael had finished with the last shipment of materials Thomas had long sense gone to bed. He was still asleep when Rachael entered the bedroom. There was no need for Rachael to turn on the light to see him and despite her mass she made very little noise as she walked across the floor. Indeed upon seeing him she began making even less noise as she negated some of her own mass by beginning to fly just a little.



Upon coming to the foot of the bed Rachael carefully lifted the covers and bent down a bit. It was hard for her to stifle a giggle as she took in a long slow breath. As she took the air in it was actually compressed inside her body. She had to be careful not to breathe in too quickly or Thomas would have probably been awoken by the sudden lack of oxygen in the room.



After she was finished she turned her head back under the covers and towards Thomas feet. Parting her lips she began to quickly exhale under the covers. This was far different from what she had done to the soldiers though. The air wasn't released nearly quickly enough to be harmful and there was a huge amount of it. Rachael also kept her lips parted far more widely.



The results were nearly instant. Instead of coming out hot the air came out very cold. A solid wave of cold air that was powerful enough to cause the covers to billow up around Thomas and engulf his entire body.



Nearly the instant the cold air hit him Thomas's eyes flew open. He quickly pulled his legs up and took hold of the covers. He only noticed a second later that his feet were still uncovered. "Rachael!"



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she released the covers. She could tell that Thomas was quite awake. "So were you dreaming about me?"



"I'm not going to tell you after that." After taking in a few breaths and shivering under the covers for a bit Thomas was able to grin.



"Ah would it help if I warmed you up?" As she spoke Rachael ducked down and crawled under the covers. She was certain to place her arms on either side of Thomas and insure her breasts brushed against him the entire trip up.



It took Thomas a moment to reply as he felt his mouth go dry. He was going to say no but his lips just wouldn't cooperate. "Well if you're willing to make it up to me."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she brought her head even with Thomas's and gave him a kiss on the lips. The kiss itself didn't last very long but she took a few moments after words to brush her lips against his. "House that?"



"Wonderful. Okay you win. Yes I was dreaming about you."



"That's nice. So would you rather be dreaming about me or awake?"



"Awake. No dream can compare to the real thing."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. Leaning close to Thomas she gently blew upon his lips. After she'd cooled his lips with her breath she then pressed her own against his once again warming them up. "I hope you mean that. So what did Sally have to tell you?"



"Mm couldn't you here? I know how aware you are."



For a moment Rachael was silent then a delighted giggle escaped her. "Yes I could hear. Still, I want to know what you think about it. Come on tell me."



"It seems strange."



"That when removed from me my cells quit multiplying unless some of your blood is mixed in with them?"



"Yeah, it's very strange."



Everyone had realized that the best materials on earth wouldn't be able to survive being warn by Rachael whenever she truly cut lose for a long time. For that reason they'd actually began trying to find ways to make her clothing from her and her hair had been an easy first choice. They'd learned several things from studying her hair including the fact that it was truly alive. Rachael's hair was more flesh then anything else and was a fair bit thicker then human hair.



They'd run into a snag though. While testing it seemed like it would work until Rachael and Thomas had quit visiting the lab except to pick up the result. What they'd found is when that started the hair began to die shortly after Rachael and Thomas left. For a while they had believed it was due to Rachael leaving the room. After that Rachael had started staying over night but once again the problem persisted.



Only after Thomas started keeping her company in the lab did the hair do well and after that Rachael had caught on quickly. For some reason Thomas's presence seemed to stimulate her cells when they had been removed from Rachael. They'd found that if they put some of his living cells in the vat with her hair they'd continue to grow until his cells died.



Even Rachael wasn't entirely certain why this happened though she had come up with a theory. The fact that Rachael had never hurt Thomas while they slept together was what inspired her idea. It seemed that Rachael's body had learned that it wasn't to harm Thomas and indeed should hold him gently. This meant that even when she wasn't unconscious she was exceedingly gentle with him.



"I guess you could say every little bit of my being just wants to wrap around you and keep you all for itself."



A grin formed on Thomas's face and he leaned upward so that he could place a kiss upon Rachael's lips. As he pressed his lips against hers he thought back to the various displays of power she'd put on. The way that the air had left her lips at such high speeds it could tear human flesh and even stone to bits. Yet they felt so soft and warm when he pressed his lips to them. When he leaned back he had forgotten the cold of only a few moments ago.



"That was nice but now I believe someone has an idea."



As he spoke Thomas pulled an arm out from under the covers. He then reached up and ran it along her cheek. "I was just thinking about your lips."



"What were you thinking about them?"



"I know how soft they are but I've never really seen how strong they are."



"Mm that may be kind of tough to show. I don't know what I could do and not end up using my teeth. Then again I bet I could come up with something. I'll think on it while I am working on our home today."



"Sure, it's worth the wait to see what you come up with. So sense you already knew what Sally talked to me about what brings you here."



"I just thought I'd give you some company and talk for a little while. I ran out of materials and the mills have yet to restock so I'm free. I was thinking that I could hold you while you went back to sleep."



"Mm that is nice."



While Thomas spoke Rachael lowered herself down so that she was wresting atop him. That didn't last for long though as she rolled over onto her side and took Thomas with her so they were still facing one another. "I hope you don't mind that my work has kept us apart so much."



"Well of course I mind but I know you don't like it anymore then I do. Still, I am quite eager for the day I can start helping and even more eager for the day when you finish." For a while now Thomas hadn't been able to help Rachael. The speeds with which she moved about and the sound waves she generated simply weren't healthy for a human's organs.



"I know. It's quite frustrating. The reason I work so quickly is so that we can spend more time together however its that very speed that prevents us from being together now."



A sigh escaped Thomas and he leaned forward. After he gave Rachael's neck a kiss he raised his head back up onto the pillow. "Well we are together now."



"Yeah, I just hope I have the willpower to leave in a few hours."



"I'll just wait until you begin working again to go back to sleep. So what do you plan on having made whenever you have enough of your hair to work with?"



"A few more pairs of knickers and bras of course I really want to do some testing. I hope that I can find a way to change the coloring so that I can make some more diverse clothing."



"I bet you're looking forward to having clothes that don't burn away whenever you begin really moving."



"Well I actually have to hold back a little even with clothes made from my hair sense well. Once the cells are removed from me they quit evolving no matter what it seems. You know how fast my strength and other abilities have been building."



"That is true but it still means a few months sense the strands removal it can endure your top speeds. That must be nice."



"As long as I am not trying to do a strip tease it sure is. It is nice but it's also something of a let down to be honest. There is just something about knowing if I move too quickly the wind friction will tear my clothing apart that gives me a huge rush."



"Yeah, every time I lose sight of you I wonder if you're going to be in the nude the next time I see you. You're new clothing takes that element of surprise away."



"You never told me that. I can wear the weaker clothing if you want me to."



For a moment Thomas was quiet as he considered Rachael's offer he then gave his head a shake. "I honestly don't know which is better. I love how you dress to tease. Actually, I believe I like thinking about how much fun it'll be to take the wrapping off later. Just please don't cover up too much."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she gave Thomas a quick kiss. "You've got it. So do you prefer regular knickers on me or thongs?"



"Mm I can't say. Once again they both have their own appeal."



"Are you sure about that?"



"Yeah, though I sure wouldn't mind if you alternated thong or regular. Then again a thong would save some materials."



"Alternate it is then. Just let me know if you ever develop a preference."



*****



He had known that Rachael wasn't going to hold back when it came to building their second home. When she'd requested the designed for various old and new bunkers he hadn't been shocked.

Still, as Thomas came to comprehend what she was doing he couldn't help but feel a little stunned.



Currently Thomas was working on the wiring and feeling a little odd. He had never expected Rachael to bring him a protective suit made from her own hair. When she had first presented it to him he'd been somewhat reluctant but she'd refused to allow him to help unless he wore it. The suit insulated him from shock far better then any other he could think of.



There was however two problems with it. One Thomas didn't care for the color. It looked wonderful on Rachael's head and clothing but not on him. The second reason was that it didn't feel safe. Rachael's hair remained almost as silken in its current state as it did when he ran his fingers through her hair. So while he knew the suit insulated him from shock far better then any other he still felt very odd.



As his thoughts turned to Rachael, Thomas glanced over to check on her. The electronics she was working with had forced Rachael to slow down but only to a limited extent for the moment. Currently he estimated her speed to be five times greater then that of a human's.



Of course five times faster then human was actually quite slow for the project when she was doing most of the work and it was fortunate that Rachael didn't need to sleep or eat. She also didn't have to worry about killing herself with a live wire. Currently the two of them were working on wiring the living quarters. Rachael had already taking care of the plumbing and she'd finished the room for the reactor.



"Rachael don't you believe that you're going a little bit over board?"



"Do you believe that I am?"



"Well honestly yes."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Then you may be right I won't deny that. However, what else am I going to do while you sleep? I can't really go to work sense you might miss something then."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. "So what are you going to do after we're finished with the living quarters?"



"After that I am going to slow things down. Well after I've hooked up the reactor. From then on I am only going to work whenever you're asleep. So what do you believe is the most extreme?"



"I can't really say. Things just seem so over sized."



"Now I want you to really think about that. Just stop and consider how large most estates are and then think of the really large ones. Do you really believe that the living quarters are larger then them?"



"No. I can't say that they are but you've gone beyond that."



"Of course I'm also installing a fully functional lab where I can do some research and work on a few projects. Think of how large the lab we worked at before was and consider how much more versatile the one I'm having made is. Now put that together with the estate."



"Then if I consider you're making an indoor training area for yourself which given your abilities has to be massive and very sturdy. Okay I am seeing where you're coming from with all of this. Though I don't really believe we need an estate or a bedroom the size of some people's homes."



"Well I don't need a home period." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "I just want one."



"Okay I see your point. I guess you have a good reason for wanting a reactor as well. Just how much energy is your play room going to require."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "We're pretty far out so it isn't like I can get power from a station and well it's going to require a whole lot. I don't want to have to be flying back and forth to pick up fuel for a generator when reactor would last so much longer. Though, I didn't care for having to read up on them."



"What do you mean read up on them?"



"Up until a few days ago I didn't know much about reactors or how to build one. So I stopped by Williams's and put in a request for all the data they had involving reactors and a few other things. Sense I am pretty much as dangerous as a nuclear weapon they didn't seem to have any issue with giving me the data that I wanted. I then spent a whole fifteen minutes reading through the material on a computer display, studying designs and test data. I also took a few tests to judge my knowledge."



"Rachael how long is fifteen minutes to you in comparison to others?"



"Do you mean whenever I lapse entirely into my accelerated state?"



"Yes."



"I didn't do that I'd probably have been insane after words if I did. Thomas if I go all out then a single second to you is several centuries to me."



"Are you serious?"



"Well I can't be certain but the few times I have lapsed into that state it seemed accurate. If you want to know I spent somewhere around thirty years worth the time studying."



"How do you hold yourself together during that time?"



"It's odd but without mental exhaustion being a factor I seem to have unlimited patience in my accelerated state. That or a great deal more patience then I do other wise. I tried focusing on something I found boring for thirty minutes once and I nearly drove my hand through the wall. I then lapsed into my accelerated state and I was able to focus for what would have been weeks without getting upset."



"Did you stay focused for fifteen minutes in the real world?"



"No. After I lapsed into my accelerated state only thirty seconds passed in the real world. I wasn't as fast back then and I didn't use it to its full effect. The article was really boring to me."



"Well your brain is bound to be working differently when you change states. I suppose that would explain the increase to your patience. In any case it's good that you get the increase."



"Yeah, I wonder if I could earn every PHD over night if I set my mind to it."



"If you gathered up all the materials you need first I believe that you could."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "That is an amusing thought. Well I am finished over here. Once you finish up go ahead and skip the next room and I'll meet you in the one after that."



For a moment Thomas was silent he then glanced down at his hands and gave his head a quick shake. "Okay. It shouldn't take me much longer to finish up sense I won't be distracted."



*****



Walter felt a little awkward as he and his camera man set within the small transportation capsule. Currently he was on his way to interview Rachael at her home and of course that meant being flown to her home first. The little capsule they currently road it had been provided by Rachael. It was effectively an aerodynamic pod with no means of propulsion of its own. So of course Rachael was carrying them.



As he set in the capsule he'd already come up with his first question. Just why was Rachael being so careful to insure that no one knew where her home was exactly? It was enough to make him wonder if she had some form of weak point that she didn't want anyone to know about. Of course if she did have such a weak point he didn't think it would be easy to get it out of her and he couldn't risk her realizing that he had.



For a moment he imagined what Rachael would do to him and his camera man if she realized that she had made a mistake and given away too much information. The feed wasn't going to be live. Indeed they were relying on her to provide the equipment. All she'd have to do in order to keep the information from getting out would be to kill them both.



"Is everything alright in there?"



The sound of Rachael's voice took Walter's mind off the possibility of a horrible death for a moment. "Yeah this is all just very unusual."



"What? Haven't you been blind folded before?"



"Well yes we have. I wasn't taken on a flight then though. I believe the longest journey I took without knowing where I was going was in a car for maybe three hours."



"Don't worry we're almost there. I could have taken your car but it would have forced me to flight a lot slower."



"Would that be due to the wind resistance?"



"In a way yes, if I were to fly as quick as I am now while carrying your vehicle it would be torn apart and you shortly there after."



"So how fast would you say you're flying now?"



"Fast enough that something not designed for it or very sturdy would be torn apart. You'll have to guess at the speeds somewhere in there."



"You seem rather concerned that someone could gauge the distance to your home if they knew your flight speeds."



"I try to make it difficult and you're thinking correctly. I don't want anyone knowing where I live."



"I believe I'll wait until the camera is rolling to ask you further questions."



"That is fine or you can ask me now and again later if you want to make sure it is the type of information you want."



"That is very considerate. What would you do if someone was to accidentally stumble upon your home?"



"Well I have the area pretty well marked off as private property and it isn't exactly easy to get to. If someone was to stumble upon my home and realize what they'd done I'd kill them."



"Don't you believe that is a little extreme for trespassing?"



"No."



Thomas couldn't help but chuckle as he saw Rachael landing. The fact that she'd had a small capsule made to transport people was quite odd to him. He could still remember when they were concerned with money. Now Rachael seemed to have more then enough to throw around. At least in a limited sense of the word she still cut down on certain expenses. Their home was a good example of her cutting back. While the materials were costly he could only imagine how much money Rachael had saved by doing the work herself.



As Rachael lowered herself to the ground she flew between two platforms. The platforms were three meters tall so that Rachael could land between them and then walk out from under any object she happened to be carrying. It made setting more fragile objects down much easier and gentler. "Okay we're here."



After taking in a deep breath Walter reached up and released the latch that held the door shut. As he climbed out of the capsule he found himself in a rather large but mostly empty hanger. He quickly resolved to ask Rachael exactly what it was for. "So is there a particular room you would like to begin the interview in?"



"Let's go to the living quarters your equipment is waiting there."



*****



"Is everything ready?" Walter glanced over at his camera man who had only taken a few moments to check over the equipment. Once he received a thumbs up he turned to Rachael. "Shall we begin?"



Leaning over a bit Rachael extended one of her arms around Thomas and settled her head down upon his shoulder. "Sure."



"Hello. I am here with Miss Rachael Marks. As everyone knows Rachael here is a wanted fugitive that has been establishing herself as a major military power. Currently we're in her home though I am not certain where that is. Rachael I have to ask. Given your previous displays of power why are you being so careful to keep your homes location a secret?"



"Well they're a variety of reasons. Mostly I just don't want to have to be finding off attacks at my home or having to do repair work. Even I like to have a place that I can come back to, set down, relax and cuddle with my Thomas. Of course I don't want an overly upset group of people to drop a nuclear weapon on top of my head while I am relaxing either."



Walter gave a nod and turned to Thomas. "Thomas. I believe that is your name."



"It is."



"How do you feel about this?"



"I really thought Rachael was going over bored for a while but then we talked and I came to see her point."



"Does this structures secrecy have anything to do with your protection?"



Thomas gave a nod. "Yeah, I believe that it does. I can't attend every mission with Rachael though I like to go whenever I can. Of course I tried to explain to Rachael that this isn't necessary. It isn't like I would be hard to hide away for a few hours while she rips an army apart."



"I want you to be comfortable while I am away and I don't want to risk some random incident endangering you."



"Thomas, how do you feel about this change in your life style?"



"It's worth it to be with Rachael. I know that it's put me in a little bit of danger but it's worth it."



"I see. Now Rachael you said earlier that you would kill anyone that happened upon your home."



"No. I said I'd kill anyone that realized they'd happened upon my home. It isn't exactly easy to recognize."



"I see. So Rachael, are we going to get a guided tore of your home?"



"I'd be happy to."



"Well then in a little bit. For now I want to ask. Don't you feel like your extorting money? I am sure you're aware that your activities have caused a great deal of concern. You've devastated several military forces and are charging other nations mercy prices and protection fees."



"I'm charging a few nations protection fees. Anyone can pay the mercy price to me however I won't accept protection money from everyone."



"I see. So what is your price?"



"You mean it hasn't gotten around? Well then. I like to charge based on how much work I have to do. I'm actually pretty good at keeping track of how many machines and people I kill. For each seized bit of machinery I charge half of its value, for each destroyed piece I charge a tenth. Every trained soldier I kill is one thousand dollars and each untrained soldier I kill is only a hundred. Of course at times we differ on what is considered trained and what isn't."



"What do you charge for killing enhanced such as yourself?"



At first Thomas had been content to listen but he quickly turned his attention towards Walter upon hearing him imply there was an enhanced like Rachael. "There is no enhanced like Rachael."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she gave Thomas a quick kiss on the forehead. "When I really get moving I can't tell the difference between an enhanced and a regular person. So I don't bother charging any special fees for killing enhanced though they do count as trained soldiers if I notice them."



"Have you ever encountered a situation in which someone couldn't pay?"



"Yes I have though I knew they wouldn't be able to. I am willing to accept installments and as long as they don't force me to motivate them to pay I don't charge any interest."



"Well at least you seem to be generous when it comes to your rates. Why is that?"



"I know that most who hire me aren't going to be in the best situation financially, militarily or politically speaking at least in most cases. So I try to make employing me cheaper then sending out your own soldiers and getting them killed. That is in terms of human life for those that hire me and money as well. Also look on the bright side to paying me. While I am collecting my money I am far less likely to take a job that would harm you."



"Is it true you won't accept any surrender if a nation hasn't paid your mercy fee?"



"Yes it is. If I haven't been paid the mercy fee then any combatants entering the battle field can expect to be killed."



"Now I recall from the last time we spoke you weren't worried about some form of virus being created within your body. I'm going to assume that hasn't changed. What I want to know is. Do you monitor yourself in anyway?"



"Of course, I like to check on my body's progress whenever I can. I also have a few projects going that require further work with my body."



"What would those projects be?"



"I've been working on some clothing. None of the materials we could find can endure the punishment I can. So I made some clothes from my own hair. Of course I can't do that very often and the strands are kind of hard to work length thanks to their relatively short length. So we found way to take a strand of my hair and stimulate it so that it continues to grow. It turns out my hair doesn't have the same design as most. Then again that goes for my entire body."



"I see. Does it bother you at all that you're helping to unbalance already delicate political situations?"



"No. The hostilities were already there. I just help them to be expressed plus everyone or just about everyone has an equal chance to hire me. It just depends on who gets the offer in first and which one Thomas decides to go with."



Walter gave a nod and glanced over at Thomas. "So you seem to be the one that decides which jobs Rachael will accept."



"Yes she prefers if I act as her manager."



"Why do you believe that is?"



A smile formed on Thomas's face and he glanced over at Rachael. "She wants me to. That's all I actually know. She won't tell me anything more and the last time I suggest she could handle it she threatened to break my arm."



"I did not."



"You sure squeezed me tightly enough."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "That was just me showing you the binding power of your position and the harder you try to get out of it the tighter it becomes."



"I see."



Instead of speaking right away Walter waited to insure that Rachael and Thomas had finished speaking. He didn't want to interrupt such moments. "So Thomas what factors determine which jobs Rachael will take?"



"Well for one thing she won't take any job in which her target is unarmed. She also won't work with anyone that had used biological weapons recently. Rachael has quite a hatred for biological weapons. Typically I try to get her jobs that have her acting in a defensive roll."



"Why would you keep her in a defensive roll?"



"It makes matters simpler. Of course she can't act purely defensively or she wouldn't get enough work"



"Does she have any jobs currently lined up?"



"At the moment she doesn't have any offensive jobs waiting for her and we never know when she'll be called upon to play a defensive roll."



"What about smaller jobs such as assassinations?"



"Those are doable especially if there isn't any constraint on how she handles it. They tend to be rather expensive of course. Often it's actually cheaper just to hire her to destroy everything there. I know how much Rachael hates having to hold back so I try to discourage those types of assignments."



"I see. So is there any concern that Rachael will eventually make more enemies then she can handle?"



"No, and that is becoming even less of a concern. You see Rachael is still getting more powerful. I can't say how much more powerful as honestly we lost the ability to gauge her power a long time ago."



"So what are your and Rachael's plans? Why even work as a mercenary?"



"Well other then finishing up our home. Rachael plans on refining the process by which we've been growing strands of her hair and trying to change the color. She also has several rooms to our home she'd like to finish. As for the reason Rachael works for a mercenary it is actually two fold. For one thing she really likes using her strength and what grander way is there for her to flaunt it? The second reason is for the money."



"Why does she even bother though? Surely she could take the money by force."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "I'll take this one. Well being paid makes the money much easier to spend. If I just ripped a bank vault out I may have difficulty spending the money. Also this way I am not just out causing destruction for kicks. Would you rather I just attacked anything I wanted entirely at random?"



"I see your point but does that mean you do concern yourself with politics? I didn't believe you cared what the world thought about you."



"I don't a great deal but like Thomas said earlier. It makes things easier if I do them this way."



"What would you do if people quit seeking your services?"



"Then I'd either wait until someone was foolish enough to attack me or I would sell some of my designs. Well not the design that made me the way I am now but I've developed quite a few."



"You mean you've been working on new genetic designs?"



"Yes I have. It's actually something of a hobby for me. I don't need to sleep anymore so I've taken to various projects which I conduct while Thomas is asleep."



"The two of you seem to be quite close."



"We are. Thomas saved my life after all."



For a moment Walter's eyes, despite his previous experience he couldn't hide the surprise on his face. "Would you mind telling us how?"



"When I first treated myself everything didn't go as planned. I was left on death's door step and if the police had found me I have no doubt that their attempts to treat me would have pushed through the door. However, Thomas came to my rescue much to my surprise. He picked me up and carried me away to safety."



"How close were you to being caught?"



"Well like I said Thomas saved my life. If it hadn't been for him I would have been captured. It's kind of funny now. If the police had found me within the first six months of my enhancement I would have been dead. It's far too late for that now though."



"Do you believe that you're invulnerable?"



"I know that I'm not. I can hurt myself as easily as anyone else can hurt themselves. Well not as easily. Stubbing my toe hurts the object kicked not me but if I hit myself in the stomach it hurts."



"Rachael, can you ever see yourself submitting to any nation's authority or do you believe you've gone beyond that point?"



A slight giggle escaped Rachael. Though she liked that she got to answer the question she couldn't help but feel it was silly. "Why would I do that? I mean really what could anyone offer me that would cause me to submit to their laws?"



"So you feel you're above the law?"



"Whose law are you referring to?"



"Let's just say the world."



"Well several of those laws disagree with one another. Let's just keep it in terms of the laws of any nation. Yes I am above those laws as there is nothing they can do to stop me and nothing that they can offer me. I don't need police or military protection. I have all the power I need to protect myself. In truth you could say I am my own state."



"Don't you believe that is going a bit far?"



"No and just think about it. I've claimed an area of land for myself I have a population and a government." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael and she gave Thomas a quick kiss. "Even if it only consist of one civilian who must play the part of civilian authority and population. I can sustain myself and the population of that land and I can defend that land. I believe I meet all the requirements for a state."



"You do seem to be correct."



"Mm I wonder if I should endeavor to have the United Nations recognize my home as an independent state. Well not right now perhaps I'll try whenever I have some more free time on my hands."



"I see. Would you mind giving us that tore of your home now?"



"Sure. Is that all the questions you want to ask before we begin?"



"Yes that is enough."



*****



"Rachael when did you hurt yourself?"



Rachael glanced up away from the microscope and over at Thomas. Currently she was monitoring the progress of a strand of her hair that had been removed and placed in a cultivation tank. "It was a little while after I began work on our home. I don't really know what I was thinking at the time. I was just bored sense you were asleep and I didn't have any materials to work with so I resolved to see if even I could hurt myself."



A chuckle escaped Thomas as he slowly shook his head. "The things we do to relieve out boredom."



"Or the things we do when we aren't thinking. I have no idea why I am even using this." As she spoke Rachael stood up and walked away from the microscope. Instead of looking at the sample through the machine she chose to look at it strait through the glass.



"Well that is impressive. I take it that you can see things more clearly with your own eyes then the microscope."



"Yeah, I can see quite a bit more clearly with my own eyes actually. Of course I feel a little silly right now. I suppose I used the microscope out of force of habit."



"You have been using them in your lab work for quite a few years. So it isn't surprising that you feel a little odd now that you don't need to any longer. Have you come up with any ideas on how to change the color of your fair?"



"No. I haven't come up with anything yet but I am hopeful. My hair is pretty strange after all so there has got to be something going on. I wonder why it ended up like this in the first place."



"What color did you originally plan on your hair being?"



"To be honest I didn't plan on it changing. The treatment was meant to strengthen me all around but not change anything like my hair or eye color. Of course you know that the treatment didn't work as it was supposed to."



"Yeah and now the whole world does. I wonder how people are going to react to the knowledge that you were vulnerable for a time. You did a pretty good job of taunting them over that."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "What do you mean? I made a simple honest statement."



"You didn't have to mention the police directly though. I am surprised you didn't name names. You could have really made some people sweat."



"Oh darn it. I wish you'd brought that up during the interview. So what is going on with my work?"



"It seems they want you to take out a bunker."



"Did they give a reason?"



"Yeah, they believe that enhanced are being produced there and want it destroyed before they can be made in large enough numbers to be a threat."



"Are you serious?"



"Apparently a lot of groups have been ignoring the bans on genetic enhancement sense your appearance and first interviews. Those that never developed the technology feel they're at a disadvantage."



"Well they're right. Still, I didn't expect this. Well this should be a lot of fun. Do you believe that I should take the job?"



"I don't see a reason not to. Would you like to leave now?"



"Shouldn't we let the scout drones get there first so you can watch?"



"Rachael, I am pretty sure you're going to be spending most of your time underground."



"Oh yeah" A slight giggle escaped Rachael and she stuck her tongue out at Thomas. "What? I forget things to."



"I didn't say anything."



"You grinned. You'll just have to rely on the cameras built into my clothing to watch."



Thomas gave a nod. He already knew that he wouldn't be joining Rachael for this one. He wouldn't be able to see what was going on unless he followed her into the bunker and he'd have to stay rather close to her to watch even if he did. It simply wasn't safe for him to be with here. "Well sense you don't need to wait for the drones and I can't come along do you want to go there now?"



"When do they want me there?"



"In the next twenty four hours it seems. They also want this to be kept quiet. I guess they're worried about how their neighbors will feel about them hiring you."



"Mm all well. Go ahead and let them know that I'll take the job. While you're doing that I'll get dressed. Are they going to show me to the target or are they sending directions?"



"You'll need to take a GPS unit with you." As he spoke Thomas typed a few quick commands into the computer. "I'm sending the location to your computer now. Do you want to know their estimation of your opposition's strength?"



"No. I want it to be a surprise. I'm going to have to be careful with this one."



"Why do you need to be careful?"



"I want to take a look at their progress. I may be able to developed new designs of my own in record time but I still like to see what others come up with."



"You mean you like to see how much better your designs are so you can pet your ego."



A look of shock appeared on Rachael's face the moment Thomas leveled the accusation. However, she couldn't hide the slight smile forming at the sides of her face or the gleam in her eyes. Clearly her shocked expression was faked. "What? I'm shocked that you think I'd do that. Why I'm almost too shocked for words. What gave you the idea that I would do such a thing?"



"The fact that you're you and you always liked flaunting your abilities."



Soon the look of shock faded from Rachael's face faded entirely and she stuck her tongue out at Thomas. "It isn't like I ever did it unfairly. Every researcher and developer in the lab had access to the same materials and information that I did. At least the information that wasn't in my head."



"I know. I didn't say that you did it unjustly."



"Well then. I guess I should go and get dressed. Would you like to watch?"



Thomas's response to Rachael question was to quickly stand up. He took his laptop with him but he doubted he'd be paying much attention to it. At least until Rachael left.



*****



As Rachael looked around herself she couldn't help but give a disappointed sigh. She was within a few kilometers of her target and she had yet to meet any resistance. Reaching behind herself she opened a small pouch and took out the sturdy little computer. An arrow on the small screen pointed her in the direction of her target.



After sprinting in the direction the arrow indicated at one hundred and eight kilometers an hour for a few moments what she was found was that the arrow had turned to an x meaning she was right on top of her target area. After taking a few moments more to scan the area she began to focus more on her hearing and less on what she saw. It only took her a few moments to hear the sound of foot steps in a corridor as well as several machines working.



Apparently whoever had built the bunker had done a wonderful job of concealing the entrance and Rachael didn't truly feel like searching for it. As she glanced down she reached behind herself and put the computer back in its pouch. Sense she didn't want to look for the entrance she'd just make one.



The impact generated by Rachael's fist striking the bunker was so powerful that it would have been heard for several kilometers had anyone been around to hear it. Those trees in the immediate area were blasted by enough force to tear them out of the ground as massive chunks of rock and other debris was sent flying through the air. Some trees that were further away weren't torn up from their roots but were still snapped in half by the shockwave.



Rachael hadn't bothered grounding herself so she had been sent flying through the air. The force of the impact acting back on her was enough to send her flying several kilometers into the sky. She made use of her flight ability to sore yet higher as she looked at the massive cloud of debris that had swallowed up the area.



For a radius of one hundred meters every tree in the area had been ripped up from its roots and sent flying. Only a few exceptionally massive boulders remained in their previous position. As Rachael flew back down she had no doubt that she'd used enough force to knock a hole in the top of the bunker.



Soon she could hear various alarms going off and was quite certain she had their attention. Taking in a deep breath of air she sent a torrent of air traveling one hundred and forty kilometers an hour into the dust cloud. This served to help quickly clear away the debris and let her see the opening she had created.



While she lowered herself into the opening Rachael glanced around. She was very amused to see that the concrete roof of the structure was thicker then she was tall. Several steel bars also ran throughout the concrete reinforcing it further. Had the hallway been narrower she would have had to probably clear some of the concrete chunks out of her way before she could land in it.



She assumed that the power and other functions must have been ran through the floor as the lights were still on when she landed though the red emergency lights had been turned on. Despite the sound produced by the alarm Rachael was able to hear in what direction the majority of the activity was occurring. Instead of just plowing through the walls she quickly began to sprint down the corridors. She wanted to keep the damage down on this one in hopes of finding something interesting later.



The dominate question on Rachael's mind as she rounded the hall though was just how she should handle the situation. She could move quickly and not give anyone time to radio her location back to wherever their command center was. That would let her take them apart in smaller numbers but it wouldn't really let them concentrate their attack against her. There was also the option of moving slowly and letting them shoot her until their bullets ran out.



It only took Rachael a moment after the thought to decide. It was much more fun to take her time and wait for them to run out of bullets. While holding back would increase the chance of them destroying something she wanted to examine she felt the loss would be worth it. After all while their work did interest her to a limited extent it wasn't nearly as appealing as her amusement.



Keeping track of Rachael's movements on the monitor was difficult for Thomas. She took turns so quickly that he had a nightmarish time deciding which direction she'd gone. Still, he was able to follow her movements well enough to notice a few oddities. "Rachael is it or does this place seem rather boring?"



Upon hearing Thomas's voice Rachael slowed down. "I'd say it has been rather boring so far but I can hear a lot of activity going on somewhere. It seems to be further down I just need to find a door."



"Why don't you just break through the ground?"



"Well I figure the labs are on the lower floors as well and I don't want to damage them too badly."



"Alright, it just seems to me that you've been wondering around for a little while. Far longer then it normally takes to find someone."



"I can't say that I noticed."



"It may just me but I expected more activity is all." Thomas noted Rachael shrug as her cleavage pushed further into view.



As she spoke Rachael once again began to run around the facility. "Do you have any ideas to help me find my way around?"



"Yes. Why don't you just use your fingernail to leave an imprint in the wall? If you see that imprint later you know that you've already been there." The sound of rock being torn apart told Thomas Rachael liked his idea before she spoke. The microphone limited the volume of the noise it would transmit so it wasn't ear shattering as he imagined it would be if he was there.



"That is a good idea."



"Have you noticed anything to help you find your way around?"



"Not really. This place seems to have very few markers. Well darn it."



"What is it?"



"You're right. This place had me going in circles."



"Do you see where you haven't been yet?"



"Well I see where I haven't marked yet. I don't know if I went down that way earlier or not." Even before Thomas replied Rachael began to dash down the corridor. "Thomas, are these places normally set up like labyrinths?"



"No, at times it seems that way due to their scale but such facilities are designed to help people find there way around. You don't want anyone getting lost."



"I thought so but these turns seem like they've been set up to lead me back to the same spot." Even as Rachael spoke to Thomas she ended up back at her original location and quickly dashed down yet another hallway.



"Perhaps you should retreat for the time being? All of this seems a little too strange for my comfort."



"Don't worry about it Thomas. It's not like they can do anything to hurt me but they sure can annoy me!" Rachael fumed as she came back to the same spot once again. Glancing around she found that she had three more tunnels to check. This time when she began to run down the tunnel she pushed off with enough force to actually tear apart some of the concrete flooring.



"Woe." Thomas gave a slight jump and covered his forehead. The sudden blur of motion on the screen was enough to make him dizzy. "What is wrong Rachael?"



"I don't know. I feel like they're playing games with me." As she ran Rachael sunk even more of her hand into the wall. This time she sunk it in up to her knuckles. Instead of slowing down though she just put more power in her legs to keep up her speed. As she rounded a corner she quickly slowed as she felt the resistance change.



They were some games Rachael liked to play and it was now very clear to Thomas that they were some she didn't like at all. "You know you could go strait to them if you'd just go through the floor."



"I know hold on a second though I think I found something." As Rachael felt around she could tell that she'd contacted some form of metal. There were a few centimeters of concrete covering it. She felt around for a moment and found where the concrete touched the door she then quickly tore it away.



"It looks like you might have found your way in." What Thomas saw on the screen was a door. A badly damaged one from where Rachael's fingers had already torn part way through it but it was still clearly a door.



"Yeah, I wonder if they are any other doors up here. They might have been others hidden behind the concrete." As Rachael spoke she took hold of the heavy metal door. The alloy was only five centimeters thick as she felt her fingers pushed through to the other side. Taking hold she easily pulled it free from the wall. Several bits of concrete were sent flying as the bolts were pulled out as easily as most would open any other door.



What Rachael found behind the door wasn't a stare way. Rather it looked to be some form of barracks. The room was bare but all the living accommodations remained. The mattresses were on the racks with sheets, covers and pillows. There wasn't much to see but it seemed due to it all being neatly put away.



"Rachael what do you see? There isn't enough light."



"It's empty but everything is nice and made as if it is ready to be used. I think I may need to check the halls I already been in. There may be more doors hidden under the concrete."



"Rachael this is really strange. Why don't you just back off for now or at least go strait through the floor?"



"Come on Thomas. I believe I may have figured out just what is going on here. It'll only take me a few moments to check."



A sigh escaped Thomas he knew that Rachael wasn't going to listen. "Okay, just be careful. You said it yourself you're not invulnerable and this is all very strange."



It was impossible for Rachael not to giggle. "I may not be invulnerable but so far I'm the only thing that's managed to hurt my body physically."



For a moment Thomas just shook his head as Rachael opened up what he guessed to be the thirty seventh, door in her search. He couldn't be entirely certain due to the speeds at which Rachael had taken to moving. At last he could see a set of stairs leading further down into the installation. "Well that was fairly well hidden."



"All these doors are well hidden. This is down right obsessive."



"Can you hear anything?"



"Huh, I got so focused on looking around I forgot to pay attention." As Rachael continued down the steps she began listen to see if she could still hear any activity. What she found was things were a lot more silent then upon her arrival. She didn't have time to say anything about this though as the moment she reached the bottom of the steps she was assaulted by a wall of bullets.



What Thomas heard was a dull roar and a delighted squeal from Rachael. When he looked to the screen he noted three tracked robots blocking the hall. Each one of them sported a rather impressive fire arm.



It was a delight for Rachael to finally meet some resistance though it was far from what she expected. As she looked the machines over she resolved to let them use up their ammo despite the lack of a human target. The bullets striking her skin felt delightful and despite their lacking numbers they were able to absolutely cover her. "So these are the machines I heard when I entered. I bet they're set up all over the place."



Despite his previous concern Thomas couldn't help but wish he could see Rachael better. Considering how quickly the robots were firing upon her he couldn't help but think it must be a spectacular sight. He realized that she was adjusting her body when her cleavage pushed into view and he saw more of the roof.



In response to the bullets striking her Rachael had thrust her chest outward and flew up into the air so that the bullets struck the bottom of her breasts. The bits of hot metal were a delight and came far more quickly then she'd previous experienced. As the bullets continued to strike her she began to turn around and noted that the concrete of the door frame behind her was being eaten away by the bullets that missed her.



The moment the bullets stopped hitting her Rachael froze for a moment. A sigh escaped her and she glanced over at the machines. "Don't tell me that you're out of bullets already it hasn't even been a minute."



While Thomas didn't like seeing Rachael upset he couldn't help but chuckle as he heard her over the com unit. "Rachael that is often the problem with weapons systems that fire very quickly. They tend to run out of ammunition all too soon."



"Well blast it." The machines had run out of bullets before Rachael had even turned halfway around. As she turned around she lowered herself back to the ground once her feet touched down on the floor and she saw that the machines weren't going to take any other action she reached a decision. "I believe I'll take them home with me when I come back. They'd make great toys for later."



"Be sure to check them for tracking devices."



"I will" Before the machines could begin to retreat Rachael had moved behind them. She then extended a hand and took hold of the closest machine to prevent it from trying to pull away from her. After that she began to search around for the wires that connected the motors to the batteries. It only took her a few moments to find what she was searching for and she quickly immobilized all three of the machines.



"So how many of them do you think you'll try to gather up?"



"I believe I'll take as many as I can actually. They should be a lot of fun to play with later."



"Do you have anything in mind?"



"I am sure I'll be able to come up with something. For now I have more work to do. I suppose I should use the same method as above."



"Yeah, Rachael you know that depending on how far under you go the link may be cut off."



"I know. If the link is shut off I'll hurry back as quickly as I can. I'm becoming a little worried myself. I've tried to keep anyone from following me back to our home but this place seems set up to delay me." As Rachael spoke she actually turned around and began to make her way back towards the exit. While she was walking she also began to remove the cameras and more delicate equipment from her body.



At first Thomas didn't know what to think when he saw a few of the cameras changing position. He quickly realized that Rachael was taking them off but chose not to say anything about it. "Someone sure has made it difficult for you to find your way without going strait through the floor."



Upon removing the final bit of equipment Rachael took off into a sprint. The moment she rounded the corner she truly put on the speed. The moment she took off the walls were impacted with enough force to leave indents on both side of Rachael. The force was only from the wind that had been suddenly dispersed by Rachael's rapidly moving form.



When Rachael vanished from the screen Thomas reclined in his seat. He then glanced over at the nearest clock. It was less then fifteen seconds when he heard Rachael speaking to him as she rounded the corner and returned to her equipment. "Well I didn't see anyone around our home."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas. Rachael had removed her equipment and then exited the bunker. It had taken her less then seven seconds to travel back to their home and do a super speed search of their home. He imagined there was quite a path of destruction around their property. She'd then traveled back to the bunker and was putting her equipment back on. "That is a bit of a relief."



"Keep an eye out just in case. Well time for me to get back to work."



Five more stairways had been found and each lead Rachael further down into the bunker. She'd encountered several groups of robot defenders but as of yet she hadn't found any humans. Clearly this was beginning to affect her as she had actually quit waiting for the robots to run out of bullets and had begun to quickly immobilize them. "How are you doing Rachael?"



"This would be more fun if it wasn't so darn suspicious." As Rachael extended her finger and pressed it into the wall a look of surprise appeared on her face. Upon withdrawing her finger she was surprised to find that it wasn't even as thick as her knuckles were long. "What?"



Thomas didn't get to hear the end of the sentence. A moment after Rachael noticed the wall all cameras were lost. There was total silence in the room as Thomas looked at the screens. "Rachael? Rachael, are you there?" At first Thomas's mind went blank however as he slowly stood up he began to think of what might have happened. "Someone set a trap for Rachael."



Nearly the moment she had realized how thin the walls were an explosion had tore through the entire bunker. The thin walls of the lower rooms served to allow the energy to pass freely while the thicker ones above her head and the floor trapped as much of the energy in the bunker with her. However, even with the layers of concrete and earth that surrounded the bunker there was no way it could contain the explosive energy.



The detonation has occurred far too quickly for Rachael to respond. The moment the wall of hot gasses had wrapped around her every stitch of clothing she wore had been burned away and she'd sent flying through the air. She felt a noticeable change in temperature as the remarkable heat attempted to ignite her flesh.



The sheer power of the explosion stunned Rachael and for a few moments she didn't know what to do. Even as she felt herself falling back to earth she was quite shocked. Only after achieving terminal velocity did Rachael regain enough of her composure to engage her flight ability and fly out of the cloud of debris. As she flew away from the blast area she glanced over her shoulder.



The bunker was gone and so was anything that could be considered a mountain. For a few moments Rachael was silent however as she floated in the sky she felt her skin warming up. This wasn't due to the explosion though this heat was coming from the inside of her. She could feel her anger bubbling to the surface as she noted the shape of the cloud of debris and considered the power of the blast. "The bastards nuked me!"



Rachael fully expected people to try and kill her and she expected them to use their most powerful weapons. However, she didn't expect anyone to try using a nuclear device especially given the collateral damage such a weapon caused.



It was clear to Thomas that Rachael had been hit by something powerful enough to knock out all her cameras at once or had encountered some electrical interference. Unsure of just which one it was he made his out of the observation room and began heading towards the main entrance.



After realizing what had happened Rachael didn't remain behind for very long. While she was still remarkably upset she couldn't help but worry about Thomas. The fact that they had used a nuclear weapon against her made her very concerned about what else might be attempted. As she made her way over the ocean Rachael dipped down into the water.



The moment Rachael's body touched the water a massive vapor cloud burst into the air. This wasn't due so much to the heat energy her skin had soaked up as it could retain a great deal more. Rather this was due to the friction generated between her skin and the water when she moved at such high speeds. While she was quite upset she had the presence of mind to try and clean her body off before she arrived.



A horrific gust of wind rocketed down the hallway as Thomas progressed down it. The wind was so powerful that he was only able to brace himself for a few moments before it lifted him off the ground. A surprise shout escaped him as he found himself flying backwards. He didn't make it very far that as he impacted with something quite soft but very solid.



Upon entering the hallway Rachael realized she'd made a mistake. She was moving far too quickly. So instead of slowing down she'd actually run behind him and caught him. "Thomas, are you alright?"



After giving his head a quick shake to clear it Thomas glanced over his shoulder. He was quite surprised by the concern he saw on Rachael's face. "I am just fine."



A sigh escaped Rachael and she lowered her head. "I am so glad. Thomas, I am going to dash down to my lab very quickly. I have some test to do. I want you to put on a hazardous material suit and join me there."



Thomas was about to ask why but before he could he felt another powerful gust of wind. Rachael had already taken off down the hallway. Apparently she was very concerned about something.



Upon reaching her lab Rachael began search through her equipment. Even before Thomas could make it to the room to get suited up she was checking to see what the radiation levels were.



Upon entering the room Thomas was a bit surprised to see various bits of equipment setting on a table opposite Rachael. "Rachael, what happened?" A wave of relief washed over Thomas when Rachael looked up.



There was a slight smile upon Rachael's face though it was far from ecstatic. In truth it seemed to be more of a look of relief then a smile. "The bunker was a trap."



"Yeah I figured as much when all the cameras went out."



"There was a nuclear bomb somewhere in it. The entire bunker was built to make sure I felt as much of the bombs effects as possible."



In response to this information Thomas proceeded to make his way over to the table where Rachael had set her equipment. He then began to search through the various instruments. What he found was that Rachael had already checked herself and there were no radiation levels or anything else that was out of the ordinary. "Well I see that I can take this suit off."



"Yeah, I shouldn't have even come near you before I checked myself."



Before he commented Thomas took off the suit. He then made his way over to Rachael and wrapped his arms around her. "I am glad that you did. I'm so glad that I got to see you before you told me what happened. If I had known that a nuclear weapon was used again you before you made it back here I would have been so worried."



"For the whole thirty seconds it took me to return?"



"Yes."



As she spoke Rachael slipped her hands under Thomas's arms she then lifted him off the floor after which she turned him around and set him down on her lap. "Thomas you should know that you no longer have to worry about me."



"That was a nuclear weapon Rachael."



"I know. Just stop and think at the speeds I move at though and my strength. How much energy do you think was in the punch when I hit myself? Then stop and consider that all that energy was focused on one small area while the bomb's energy was all spread out. Even though the bunker was designed to trap it in there with me I still only got hit by a fraction of its total power."



"Thank goodness they couldn't concentrate that energy into a single spot."



"Mm well while I have to confess that I was quite upset when I realized I had just been blown up by a nuclear bomb. When I think about it I don't know how small of an area it would have to be concentrate in to kill me. Look I don't even have first degree burns."



"Please, don't even test that theory of yours. Even if the technology is developed I would prefer if you didn't."



"Ah but I'm still getting stronger. How about I won't intentionally test it even if the chance arrives for ten years?"



"We'll see what comes about in that time. Rachael, we can't let this slide."



"I know. While I appreciate they fact that they've just helped us prove how powerful we are. Using a nuclear weapon on me was going too far. So how do you want to go about handling this?"



"I personally believe those responsible for the operation should be handed over to you and that include government officials."



"Oh! I like that idea. Then I could have some fun with them. I wonder if they believe that I was killed by the explosion."



"Most likely whoever set this up believes that you're dead. It isn't exactly an every day experience that someone walks away from a nuclear explosion when they were at ground zero."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Well this isn't good."



"What?"



"I'm not really angry anymore now that I think of what happened. I still believe I need to make them pay for this though."



After a moment a slight chuckle escaped Thomas and he slowly shook his head. "You're the only person that could get over being nuked so easily."



"Well I know that they are going to pay for nuking me so I don't really have a reason to stay angry."



"Rachael, let's hold back on letting anyone know that you survived the explosion. Given the situation I doubt that this was one nation acting on its own and we want to make sure you get everyone that is involved."



"Sure. So how do you want to begin?"



"Do you believe that we should contact Williams and Sally?"



Rachael gave a quick nod. "Sure I trust both of them. Especially Sally. Why don't you contact her first and tell her that I made it back but died from third degree burns?"



For a moment Thomas was silent he then gave his head a quick shake. "Rachael that is just mean!"



"Oh come on it'll be funny. I want to see her response."



"You know she'd hit you for that if she was strong enough."



"Come on Thomas. How many times do I get to see how people will respond to the news of my death? I promise that sense she can't hurt me I'll make it up to her if I really do scare her."



"Would you really do that to a friend?"



A guilty looked appeared on Rachael's face though she didn't quite smiling. A moment later a giggle escaped her. "Well yes."



For a moment Thomas considered arguing more but at last a long sigh escaped him. "That is just rotten but you can do it if you wish."



"I am going to need your help you know. I can't speak to her myself and you're the only person they'd believe."



"I will not be a party to this. Unlike you I can still be hurt when someone else smacks me."



"Come on Thomas. Please?" Leaning forward Rachael placed a gentle kiss on Thomas's neck. "Sally won't get that upset over it. I am certain of it. Please?" While she waited for Thomas to respond Rachael continued to place kisses along his neck. She even resorted to slowly shifting about so that her exposed breasts rubbed against Thomas's back.



Despite his best efforts to say no, Thomas couldn't get the words to leave his mouth. The mixture of Rachael's kisses and breasts rubbing against his back was quickly melting his resolve. "Fine, but I want you to make it clear to Sally that I had no choice in the matter."



"Deal, okay now let's practice you calling. She won't believe you if you don't sound torn up."



*****



"She's standing in the room listening to the conversation right now."



"Huh?"



An amused chuckle escaped Sally. "Thomas, did you really believe you could trick me that easily? Rachael suddenly dies and you call here within twenty four hours to report it to me. Nice try but I've spent far too much time with the two of you to believe that one. Still, at least we know that that explosion was about now."



"Sally this isn't ..."



"Thomas, quit the act."



Using his free hand Thomas covered up the mouth piece of the phone and turned to Rachael. When all she did was shrug he removed his hand. "Do you at least want to know her condition?"



"She's fine. I don't know if she has a sun burn or not but if she is putting you up to pranks like this one she's fine."



"You've been observing us quite closely haven't you?"



"It's a force of habit when you're in my line of work. I know more about Williams's behavioral profile then he knows himself as well. To effectively protect someone you often have to know them better then they know themselves. So I am probably right when I say that you're calling for information in regards to who is responsible the bomb."



"Yes. Do you have any information on it?"



"Thomas, we only learned about the explosion a few minutes ago. If we had knowledge before hand you'd received it."



"The entire bunker was built to insure that Rachael felt as much of the bombs energy as possible. So this has been in the works for a while."



"Well, that should make it easier to get some information on. Depending on how well they covered their tracks. So what is Rachael going to do about it?"



"She's planning on lying low for a while so that she can see how the media responds. Then she's going to make them pay."



"Ah so she's going to let them make an ass of themselves first."



"What?"



"They set off a nuclear bomb. That's going to cause some trouble of course they're going to use killing Rachael as justification most likely. That or blame her for it some how. When she re-appears alive it means that they used a nuclear weapon for absolutely no reason at all."



"Except to prove how powerful she is."



"That is true. I believe if you watch the news you may get all the answers you need as to who is to blame for this little incident. How many people does Rachael want to know about this?"



"We want to keep it a secret."



"I bet some people that paid her for protection are going to be sweating bullets."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. As she spoke she made sure to keep it loud enough for Sally to hear it. "Well if anyone tries to attack them I'll still honor my contract and make my appearance. Even if that means revealing myself sooner then I want to."



"Alright, I'm going to give Williams the news if you want then we can begin looking into who is to blame for this little event. It may take a while to make a full list or it may not require any time at all. It's hard to say how this is going to be handled."



"Okay. Sally, how long is that going to take?"



"I don't really know."



"No. No. I should have been clearer on what I was meaning. How long is it going to take you to pass on the information so that you're free?"



"Oh. Well that depends on if you want me for something."



"I do. If you don't mind ask Williams if you can have the next few days off."



"I'll need a reason if I am going to do that."



"Before I had Thomas call you I promised that if you were upset or offended by the little prank I'd make it up to you. I believe seeing through my little prank deserves a little something as well and I may need your help in the future. So I thought I'd bring you back here and give you some further enhancements."



Thomas was made to jerk the phone away from his ear the moment Sally heard she was going to be enhanced further. A delighted squeal escaped her. Apparently she liked being enhanced quite a bit. Turning to Rachael Thomas mouthed the words ouch as he rubbed his ear.



"Well I see someone likes her enhancements."



A slight giggle escaped Sally and she was glad no one could see her blush. "I'm sorry about that. It's just news like that is even better then learning I just won the lottery in my opinion."



"So how long are you going to need?"



"Give me twenty four hours. If I need more time I'll let you know but believe me I'll try my best to insure that I'm ready by then. What lab are you going to be using?"



"We'll use the one at my home."



"Okay. So is there anything else you need?"



"No. That is all."



"In that case I am going to get to work. I'll see you in twenty four hours."



There wasn't even time enough for Thomas to say good bye as Sally hung up. Turning around as he set the phone down Thomas couldn't help but chuckle. "Well she is quite eager."



"I know. I guess the last enhancement I gave her was very much to her liking."



"So are you going to begin work on her new DNA design now?"



"No. I already have it prepared."



"When did you do that?"



"I started as soon as the lab was finished. Instead of just working on our home I also began working on projects sense I often ended up having to wait for results. I figured it was best to multitask so while I worked on our home I thought up new ideas, refined them in my head for a little while and then tested them in the lab. While I waited for results I would resume work on our home."



"That's good thinking. How is refining the ideas in your mind coming along?"



"I've noticed that the number of times the tests confirms my thoughts has been going up. It seems that I'm becoming quite good at conducting the tests in my own head."



"That isn't surprising considering how good you must be at processing information to handle the speeds you run at."



"That is true. Well sense we have twenty four hours before I need to go and get Sally. How about we take some time to celebrate my miraculous survival?"



"That sounds good to me."



"Celebrating my survival only sounds good to you?"



"Exceptional, it sounds like an exceptionally wonderful idea."



"That's better."



*****



As Sally entered Rachael's home lab she had to take a few moments to look around. It was the first time she'd actually seen it. The lab had clearly been set up for Rachael. Various automated testing stations stood ready, far too many for most to make use of by themselves. However, the actual work stations were rather limited in number due to Rachael's ability to set up test long before they finished.



The computer had clearly had durability in mind as Sally tried to guess what alloy the keyboard and casing was made from. It also sported far too many screens for someone to keep track of unless they happened to be able to work at super human speeds. "Rachael, why do you have five extra keyboards?"



"Well I noticed how long it took my computer to save anything while I was working in the higher levels of my accelerated state. This way when I have to stop and save I can just turn around and begin working on another project."



"I take it you're the only person on this planet that thinks it takes too long for that computer to save."



"Yeah I probably am. So shall we get to your enhancing?"



"Sure. What do I need to do?"



After walking over to a refrigeration unit Rachael opened the door and retrieved what appeared to be a milk shake. "First you're going to need to drink about three of these."



"I assume that's the building materials my body is going to need once the redesign begins."



"Most of them are contained in here. Three should be enough to get you safely started. Ten minutes after you've drunk the first one I'll inject you with the carrier and the redesign can begin." As she spoke Rachael walked over to Sally and presented the container to her.



As she took the container from Rachael Sally had to ask. "Did you take taste into consideration?"



"This time I was actually able to. I hope you like mint."



Instead of responding right away Sally opened the container and took a quick sip. She had to inhale a bit to help the thick liquid flow into her mouth. "Mm it isn't bad. I don't believe it would sell very well but it sure is better then what I'm normally forced to swallow before an enhancement."



"Yeah there was only so much I could do with the flavoring and still have it perform properly. Anyway, hurry up and drink that then two more and I can give you the injection. You'll need to drink a couple more over the next few days."



"Where is Thomas?"



"He's asleep."



A slight chuckle escaped Sally after which she took a moment to lock her lips around the containers opening and inhale deeply. While her lunges weren't as powerful as Rachael's she was able to drain the container in one massive swallow. "Sense it isn't exactly late I'm willing to bet you had something to do with him going to bed early."



"We celebrated my survival of such an extreme attempt upon my life."



"Considering that was over twenty four hours ago and you probably began then that is a lot of celebrating. Rachael, I've been meaning to ask. You don't have any trouble enhancing me but why haven't you enhanced Thomas yet?"



"In all honesty I've thought about it more then once. The thing is something seems to be telling me not to. Every time I start to consider his genetic profile and how I would best go about enhancing it I get this feeling as if it is a really bad idea."



As she spoke Sally walked over to the fridge and retrieved another one of the drinks Rachael had just given her. "Surely you're not worried that he'd leave you after he was enhanced. I know the minds of some enhanced have been altered through the process but you know what you're doing."



"I'm not worried about him leaving me even if I enhanced him to the point that he could survive on his own. Thanks to being with me the world has become a more dangerous place for him after all. I just get this feeling that I shouldn't do it."



While Rachael had been speaking Sally had quickly drained another one of the drinks. After retrieving the third she began to walk over to Rachael. This one she was drinking more slowly. "So you have absolutely no idea why you feel that way?"



"It's similar to when I was worried about what changes may occur within my body. I didn't even know if I would retain my human form when the changes first began. There just seemed to be something telling me not to worry about it. The same something seems to be telling me not to enhance Thomas."



"Well considering how protective you are of him you must put a lot of confidence in that something. Sense enhancement would make him safer."



"I know that it seems silly and I really want to protect him. Perhaps, I am trusting too much in the feeling but I haven't been able to bring myself to act against it. Beyond that I really can't explain my reasons any better."



"Perhaps, you just like protecting him so much that you detest the idea that he wouldn't need your protection any longer."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as walked over to the storage area and removed the syringe with Sally's treatment. "That could be it. I really can't say for certain. I sure hope I am not putting him in unnecessary danger for that though."



"So you believe that there may be reasons other then emotional ones for not enhancing him?"



"I don't believe that there is but I don't believe there isn't either. So I really don't know. Have you finished your drink?"



"Yeah mint is pretty good but it gets kind of old after two drinks of it."



"I'll try to come up with more flavors later. You're going to need to eat a lot of protean and drink some more drinks while this treatment is in affect."



"Where do I need to take it?"



"Your arm is fine."



Once Rachael drew close enough Sally extended her arm and held it strait for Rachael. A slight chuckle escaped her when she noticed the needle. "Well that doesn't look friendly."



"I know, after this I may have to start thinking of ways to get the treatment in your blood stream through different methods. I'm thinking converting it into a gaseous form is the best way to go."



"So what is this going to enhance?"



As Rachael spoke she inserted the needle into Sally's arm. It was fortunate that she had the entire syringe designed with Sally in mind other wise the syringe would have burst under the pressure needed to force its contents into Sally's blood stream. "Well your strength and speed as well as your endurance of course. However, it does have a few special features. I put some serious efforts into effecting your eyes and the region of your brain that handles visual perception. You should be able to see on a much wider range of spectrums once this takes effect. I also worked on improving your memory."



"Oh? How much of an improvement to my memory are we talking about?"



"That's hard to say actually. You should have a photographic memory when it's finished though."



"Well that is going to be new. So when am I going to start feeling the effects of this?"



"You'll start feeling the effects in twenty to thirty minutes but you won't feel sickly for at least an hour."



A sigh escaped Sally as she glanced at where Rachael and injected the syringe. "I really wish that could be avoided. Do you have a room ready for me?"



"Yes I do."



"How about taking me there now then? I don't really like to be walking around when I feel like I am going to throw up my insides."



"Sure."



They hadn't even taken five steps before Sally lapsed into her accelerated state and quickly dashed ahead of Rachael. "You know I can move more quickly then human."



A grin formed on Rachael's face and she quickly moved back in front of her friend. "You don't need to be wasting energy on unnecessary show boating. Let's just walk there."



As Sally stepped into the room she couldn't help but shake her head. The bed looked more comfortable then what she'd find in a hospital but clearly it had been made with more then comfort in mind. "I take it that its water proofed for a reason."



"Yeah, if you start to warm up too much I may have to pack some ice around you."



As she walked over to the bed Sally couldn't help but groan a little bit. She loved the increased power that came with her enhancements and this one was going to give her some extra abilities. Despite that she hated the actual process as more often then not she ended up feeling very sick and weak even if her strength had increased. Rachael wasn't even the first person that had to resort to packing ice or gel packs around her to keep her body from over heating during the enhancement stage. "I wonder how your body constantly improves itself without even making you feel sick."



"Well for one thing my rate of improvement is far more gradual then what you're undergoing. I've never done anything like become five times stronger then what I was within a week. It's just that my body never stops improving upon itself. At least that is what it's been doing for several years now."



"You just had to feel weak and helpless for several months."



For a moment Rachael grew entirely silent. A few moments later an amused giggle escaped her and she felt her face growing hot as she actually blushed. "OH my I had almost forgotten about that." As she spoke Rachael turned away from Sally and looked in the direction of Thomas's and her room.



There was a moment in which Sally didn't know what was going on with Rachael. Even when she realized that Rachael was actually blushing she wasn't certain of the why. "I believe someone has some naughty thoughts in her mind."



"No. I just feel kind of strange all of a sudden."



Even though Sally wasn't certain of exactly what was going on in Rachael's head she had a fairly good guess. Turning back to her bed she noted a cabinet that set beside it. "Is this where my drinks are?"



"Mm?" It was only after Rachael had turned around that she even realized what Sally had said. "Oh yes. They're also some gel packs in there in case you feel the need for some extra."



"Hey am I going to get room service?"



"Well I can't let you be up and walking about while your being modified or when you're recovering from the enhancement process. So yes if you need anything just give me a shout. Of course I have to make sure you eat anyway. Though as the bathroom is right over there" with that Rachael pointed a finger to a door in the wall. "I expect you to do that under your own power."



"Well it's nice to see that you don't believe I'll be getting that sick." As she spoke Sally climbed into the bed and lay down. "Well this is a soft mattress."



"Only to an enhanced, I had Thomas lay on it to see if it would work. He regarded it as a little firm for his liking."



A slight chuckle escaped Rachael. "I guess we can lose our feel for the world if we aren't careful. To be honest I am surprised you haven't become detached. Concrete is even less to you then glass is to others. You can feel a resistance difference though can't you?"



"Yes, I can feel a resistance difference in everything I touch. I can feel it when I walk in the air and when I walk through mist even. My ability to process information and my senses have kept on par with my strength throughout all of this. It can still be difficult at times to keep different structural integrities in mind.

I want to go over board quite often according to Thomas."



"So you always want to make things unrealistically strong."



"Nope, Thomas has had to remind me on a few occasions that humans aren't as delicate as I seem to think."



A slight chuckle escaped Sally as she lay down on the bed. After a few moments she noticed that her eye lids were starting to feel heavy. "Rachael, am I going to get tired?"



"It's a possibility and quite likely. I guess you're getting tired now."



"Should I try to stay awake?"



"No. Just go ahead and wrest. I'll wake you up in a few hours so you can eat some. This is actually better then you running a fever."



"Don't let me burn up while I am unconscious."



"I won't. Now go ahead and wrest."



*****



"So how is sally doing?" Thomas glanced up from the large pan of eggs he was currently working with.



"She's doing fine. So far her body temperature has remained within safe parameters without any external aids."



"So she's handling the upgrade as well as you believed she would?"



"Yeah, it should become increasingly easy for me to enhance Sally as I improve upon her further."



"You said the main complication from the first time was the enhancements she's already received I believe."



"Yes it was. Now with me being the only one that is working on her or able to really improve her things are much simpler. Would you mind making a few eggs for me as well? Hey what's that look for?"



Thomas couldn't help the look of surprise on his face as he looked away from the pan. Currently he was working on preparing himself and Sally breakfast. He hadn't expected Rachael to want to eat. "Do you realize how long it's been sense you've asked for something to eat? Especially something that might actually qualify as a meal."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael. "Well don't think I'm asking because I'm hungry. I just remembered liking the taste of eggs and want to enjoy it again."



"Do you want some chocolate and oatmeal as well? There is plenty to go around."



"That'd be nice. I believe my self test has gone on long enough to confirm my theory."



"You mean to confirm that you no longer need to eat."



Rachael gave a quick nod. "You got it. Of course I haven't locked myself in a particle free environment long enough to discovered if I'm drawing any matter from the air."



"Given how long you went without eating before you felt you no longer needed to eat I don't think I want you testing that theory." Thomas was a bit surprised when Rachael quickly nodded her head.



"I have to agree. It would require me to separate myself from people I enjoy being around far too much. That is one experiment that will have to go untried."



There was no need for Thomas to actually put on any additional eggs. In his attempt to make enough for Sally he'd actually made far more then enough. This was made very clear as he filled up the plate meant for Sally with eggs alone while his and now Rachael's still were left with a rather hardy amount. "I think I may have more then I can eat."



"I'll finish yours off if you do. How's the chocolate coming along?" Instead of waiting for a respond Rachael walked around Thomas and over to the pot where it was currently thickening. She then dipped her index finger into the scalding hot liquid. When she withdrew it there was a less then impressive coating on her finger which she quickly licked off. "I believe it needs more time."



Sally gave no signs of waking up as they entered the room. It was only when Rachael reached a hand out to shake her awake that she spoke. "I'm already awake so please don't do that."



A slight chuckle escaped Rachael. "It's food time."



"Can't I wrest just a little longer? I still feel so tired."



"No. You're body is going to be running out of materials in a few hours and I don't want to deal with the consequences if that happens. Plus Thomas went through all the trouble of making his nice breakfast for us." As she spoke Rachael set a trey atop Sally's bed with the various plates setting atop it. "Now get up."



For a moment Sally didn't move despite Rachael's talk but when the smell of oatmeal and chocolate hit her nose she slowly opened her eyes. She began to set up slowly until she felt Rachael's hand pres against her back and force her into a setting position quickly. "What's the rush? Is it really so important that I eat now?"



"Was it important that you ate when your doctors told you during previous enhancements?"



A sigh escaped Sally as she nodded her head. "This looks good. Who cooked it?"



"That would be Thomas."



Picking up her fork Sally retrieved a few bits of her scrambled eggs. As she chewed she looked up at Thomas who had taken a seat opposite of Rachael. "They're good. Though I am left wondering why you don't have Rachael higher a cook. I'm sure she could find someone willing to work here especially considering how much she travels."



"I don't mind cooking and if she'll eat it I actually like cooking for Rachael. They're so few things that I can do for her. I don't like the idea of giving up one of those things to someone else."



After Thomas finished speaking Sally took another bite of her eggs. She had meant it when she said that the eggs were good but she didn't really feel hungry due to how tired she felt.



"I know its hard Sally but unless you eat you won't start feeling any better. Your body is using a lot of energy right now."



"I know. This would just be a lot more enjoyable if I didn't feel like I wanted to fall face first into my oatmeal. Do I really have to finish all of this?"



For a moment Rachael considered telling Sally that she could settle for eating three fourths of what Thomas had made for her. She quickly changed her mind though so the words never reached her lips. While she could have actually slept safely for a few more hours if she just ate half of it Rachael felt it was best if she ate it all. "Yes. You have to finish all of it."



Thomas bit down on his lip nervously as he looked at Sally. After seeing her take two more bites though he had to ask. "Would you like some help?"



A slight chuckle escaped Sally. She didn't answer right away but looked over at Thomas then at Rachael. She was a bit relieved to see that Rachael didn't appear to be annoyed. "No thanks. If I stop moving I'll probably just fall back to sleep."



"I can feed you while Thomas eats if you want. I don't actually have to eat after all."



A slight chuckle escaped Sally and she gave her head a slow shake while chewing a mouthful of oatmeal. "I can manage on my own. Just enjoy your food while it's still warm and don't use your super speed to eat it quickly. You should take your time to enjoy it like you did that lobster."



For a moment Rachael was about to just nod her head and continue eating when she caught onto what Sally had said. "Hey. You're the one that tried to claim the entire lobster for yourself. I saw where you set."



"All I did was set down there was no planning to my actions."



"Yeah, like I'm really going to believe that. Anyway it isn't like I didn't share with you."



Despite her rapidly increasing exhaustion Sally was able to grin though she did grow silent. She normally enjoyed speaking with Rachael but as time went on all she really wanted to do was fall asleep and she wouldn't be allowed to do that until she'd finished her meal.



*****



Sally gave a sigh as she read through the documents on her laptop. Currently the computer set on her dinner trey as she reclined in her bed. Williams had sent her the information they had gathered so far. At least he had sent the information that wasn't already common knowledge thanks to various media broadcast. Williams had chosen to send it to Sally first in hopes that she could keep Rachael from taking off to slaughter them right away.



Keeping Rachael from taking immediate action had proven far simpler of a task then Sally had thought it would be. In truth the only thing that confirmed Rachael still wanted to pay them back was the fact that she asked about the information every forty eight to seventy two hours.



"So what else has Williams managed to gather?"



"I was just thinking of you." A slight chuckle escaped Sally as she pushed her computer to the side. After she pushed the computer aside Rachael set Sally's dinner in front of her. "The list is growing longer but in truth they're a few on there that may just be escape goats. It seems while some are eager to claim credit others are not."



"Are they still being condemned?"



"For the use of a nuclear weapon they are. Of course it's tempered by those that argue it was what had to be done as they considered you to be a global threat." A week has passed sense Sally had been enhanced and she was feeling better. She wasn't up to full strength but she didn't feel like she was going to fall asleep all the time now. This actually let her enjoy her meal.



"That is going to evaporate the moment I re-appear. I take it those nations that originally hired me are trying to distance themselves from that."



"Quite a few of them are in trouble to a limited extent. I mean hiring you did save most your employers a lot of money. Those that never paid you to attack someone but paid your protection or mercy fee have to justify the expense."



"It's a good thing I kept this place quiet."



"What I don't know is how much of your funds have been seized now that they believe you're dead."



"Do you mean you haven't checked in on it?"



"No. We try not to spy on people that we are trying to form a trusting working relationship with."



"Hey I thought we had one of those already. You trust me to modify your genetics after all."



Sally gave a nod. "This is pretty good. I take it that Thomas is use to cooking for himself. I sure hope we already have such a relationship but I was referring to the over all organization and not just Williams or myself."



"I take it those three I beat the crap out of don't trust me."



"Those three that you tortured and actually they agree that it's a good idea to work with you. At least after I talked to them they did. That isn't remarkable though. When we picked our candidates we had to pick from those with simple minds to insure they'd enjoy their new lives."



"Then who doesn't agree that working with me is purely advantageous?"



"Well not everyone has gotten over the fact that you killed one of Williams's more important employees."



A sigh escaped Rachael as she dropped her head for a moment. "They still hold that against me? Haven't I proven that I've matured?"



"No. You've proven that you're pretty much the same as you have always been if you haven't flat out proved the exact opposite."



"Hey that's mean." A slight giggle escaped Rachael a moment later. "Then again it is true when I think about it. Now Williams knows that I don't care if someone is simply claiming credit for my death. If they want to claim credit I'll be glad to kill them just as if they had been involved."



"We know."



"As for my funds, well they're largely intact" As she spoke Rachael gave the wall a few quick taps.



"I should have figured a lot of it went into building this place."



"It sure did. Of course I have other forms of payment stored here as well. Not everyone paid me in currency or building materials."



A sigh escaped Sally as she finished her lunch off. She then gave her belly a few quick smacks each time generating a dull thud as she struck the exceptionally solid muscle. "Well I hope you don't mind if I wrest some more."



"Sure."



*****



A wide smile graced Sally's face as she finally opened her eyes and looked at Thomas and Rachael. "So how did I do?"



"You got it word for word." Rachael had been keeping track as Sally had read the latest report from Williams. The unique thing about it was that she'd only been given a tenth of a second to look at the computer screen. This had required her to make use of her accelerated state but even that hadn't been enough for her to read the entire thing. Instead it had been a test of her memory.



A delighted chuckle escaped Sally. "So does that mean the adjustments in my brain are finished?"



"Well if they're not finished they're in their final stages. You should be fine to operate now. Of course now we have to answer the question. How should I make my comeback?"



For a moment Sally was quiet then a smile return to her face. "I guess that means you waited long enough. You know that we haven't gathered all the information that we can."



"I know but I've waited long enough like you said. I won't get everyone most likely but I believe I'll get the majority. Even those I don't manage to get my hands on will find themselves in quite a predicament once I am finished."



For a few moments after Rachael had finished the room was silent then Thomas spoke up. "How about you show up at the UN and demand that they be handed over to you? If they don't give the people responsible to you then you'll start destroying their military bases and once those are gone move onto something else. Don't tell them exactly who you know is responsible though. Also make it very clear that they'll be consequences if they don't hand over everyone to you."



A toothy grin appeared on Rachael's face as she glanced over at Thomas. "OH that is good. I like that one though I don't know if I care to make my appearance at the UN. Before we talk about that though what kind of consequences are we talking about?"



"Well for one thing you don't fight for free. If they chose not to hand anyone over to you and you're forced to engage their military you're also going to charge them a fine. Even if they don't fight back but don't hand them over they have to pay a mercy price."



"I like that. What if they don't pay even after handing them over?"



"Then you continue destroying their social, industrial and military structures until they agree to pay over time or until that particular government can no longer support itself."



"Okay. Now what do you believe the punishment for giving me some of those responsible but not everyone should be?"



"The same thing though I would like it if you took it easy on the populace if they made an effort to find anyone that fled."



Rachael gave a quick nod. "I can live with that. I suppose I should charge any country that harbors anyone that flees a price as well."



A slight chuckle escaped Sally. "Well it seems that you have your method already worked out. You may need to stop and consider making some allies to help in the search though. Williams and I won't be able to help you openly with this."



A sigh escaped Rachael. "Ah darn it. Making allies is troublesome."



"Just agree not to attack certain countries that help you. That or act in their defense should the need arise. You may find yourself getting some takers and if you clear the path for them you may only need a few helpers."



It took a moment but Rachael finally perked up again. "Well that isn't so bad. Now how do you believe I should make my grand re- entrance into the public eye?"



"It's going to have to be something rather large if people are going to be made to believe that it's truly you quickly."



"You could show up and try to collect your payment for the destruction of the bunker."



An impish grin soon replaced the smile that had been on Rachael's face. "Oh that would be fun. I could also put in my request for everyone that nuked me at the time. Do you really believe that is public enough though?"



After a moment of consideration Thomas nodded his head. "It may not catch them right away but I believe the news would spread very quickly. Of course you don't have to stop there. After the meeting you could go around to everyone that has paid for your services and let them know that you're still alive."



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "Okay that is what we will do. Sally if you don't mind let Williams know he has forty eight hours to pull out every one of his spies. I believe things will start getting quite a bit more dangerous when I make my appearance."



Sally gave a slight shrug. "You can begin now. It isn't like there is anything to indicate a leak of information. At least there won't be until they discover you already have a list of those involved in the event."



"Well then. I'll get dressed and start right away."



*****



As Rachael looked down on the dock yard she took in a deep breath. The ocean air was nice and she was nearly impossible to see thanks to the altitude and holding herself just in front of the sun.

She'd made her demands as to when and where those that plotted against her would be delivered. They'd contacted her ten minutes ago asking for an extension to the deadline.



She hadn't called them back but as they were now five minutes over her given deadline she was going to give her response. As she looked at the ships a giggle escaped her. This was the first time she could remember getting to play with boats.



For the moment she hadn't attacked because she was trying to answer a question. Just where should she begin her attack? She didn't really want to sink any of the large ships until they had a chance to hit her with some of those big guns. Then again she didn't want to sink any aircraft before they had taken off.



Despite being able to fly for a while now Rachael hadn't had a chance to get into a fight with jets. Even though she'd been able to out run any man made machine to date for several years her flight ability had always been lagging far behind. So much so that only now could she not only keep up with any jet fighter she knew of but perhaps even surpass their rockets in speed.



Her flight speed was still remarkably slow compared to her running speed but at least now she felt as if she could have some fun. For a moment her eyes turn towards the communications centers but she gave her head a quick shake. She needed this to get out. The fuel depots held her attention for a moment but she was too worried that the resulting explosion would cut her fun short.



At last Rachael gave a shrug and began to fly down towards the mess hall. She kept her decent slow so that people would notice her. A few of those people quickly turned to their friends. Of course after Rachael had met with their leaders only a short wile ago and made her demands they had been warned about a possible attack. So there was quite a bit of concern.



After Rachael had lowered herself to the point that she could just be seen over most the buildings she held her ground for a few seconds longer. When she spoke after that she made sure to raise her voice so that people all throughout the yard could hear her. "Hi everyone, my name is Rachael and I'm sure you've heard of me. I just thought I'd tell you. I recently asked that your government and army hand over a few people that used a nuclear weapon on me. They asked for more time which I won't be giving so they're over the deadline. So I'll be killing you all. Mm well I guess that's all I wanted to say."



For a moment there was dead silence then a giggle escaped Rachael. When she finally noticed the massive cranes used for loading supplies and helping with repairs she quickly acted. She kept her flight speed down to around four hundred and fifty kilometers an hour as she zipped over to one of the supports that held the crane aloft. She then gave it a quick smack.



The next thing most heard after Rachael had finished speaking was what sounded like an explosion as Rachael's hand easily tore through the support. Massive chunks of stone were sent raining down on the ground below as a duel roar could be heard due to the remaining supports trying to hold the crane aloft. An alarm had sounded before Rachael had moved over to the second support and gave it a quick smack.



Instead of just tearing through everything Rachael waited for the crane to fall to the ground. A few deck hands were caught by the massive falling structure and flying chunks of stone but not many. All around her she could hear people running about. Some were being evacuated while some were preparing to fight back.



A delightful tingle ran through her as she felt several rounds striking her side. She quickly realized that these weren't the rounds from an assault rifle. When she glanced to her side she was delighted to find that some had already began to make use of the ship's guns.



Instead of staying still as she normally did Rachael began to slowly drift towards the ship. Turning her head to the side and looking up at the sky she let out a slight sigh while placing her hands just behind her neck. She gave the back of her neck a gentle squeeze as she drifted closer to the weapon and closed her eyes. It wasn't as nice as the ships main guns but she wasn't sure she could get them to try using them on her.



Even after surviving the bomb this was what Rachael truly delighted in. The explosion had been over in just a few moments so she hadn't been able to truly enjoy it. The weapons fire could be prolonged especially when she felt other guns joining in on the assault.



At last Rachael just held her ground as she enjoyed the bullets striking her body. She had to wonder how long the ship's guns could keep up such a high rate of fire. She opened her eyes into thin slits though when she heard several engines starting up. There was no real need for her to look around to see what was going on. Several of the other ships had started up their engines and were beginning to pull out.



It didn't take Rachael long to figure out what was going on. The other ships were retreating while the first was going to be left behind to hold her at bay. She didn't mind though. They knew they couldn't beat her so of course they were going to try to retreat. She resolved to let them retreat until she either got tired of the bullets tickling her flesh like a breeze of soap bubbles or until it ran out of ammunition.



Even if the ships retreated at full speed she was very doubtful that any of them would be able to escape her. It would also give them time to bring the jets into play she hoped. Of course that did cause one problem. Slowly Rachael began to turn around and bend over. At the time she also rose slightly higher to cause some of the shells to hit her bottom.



Not everyone was on the ships. Some of them would be retreating by land. Glancing down at her feet she quickly hit on the solution to her problem. As a few of the shells flew past her legs she caught hold of them. She then began scanning the area for all paths of retreat. It didn't take her long to catch sight of a jeep that was currently heading out the road.



Traffic on the road leading from the dock yard ground to a halt for a moment as the lead vehicle was swallowed up in a cloud of dust. What was revealed moments after the dust had settled didn't look like a jeep at all. Rachael didn't want to leave her position so she had thrown a few of the shells at the jeep. The force she had put behind them was so great that they not only ripped through the vehicle but still struck the ground with force equal to a mortar detonating.



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as she caught a few more bullets to replenish her supply of ammo. Shortly after the first vehicle's destruction several others charged forward. Apparently they were relying on numbers to get further then the first. She quickly lapsed further into her accelerated state before they could do that. As the world seemed to slow down around her she took to throwing one bullet at each vehicle.



The force with which Rachael threw the bits of metal was so great that there was no way they could retain their shape. As the wind friction super heated the metal they melted into a tightly packed together goop or even a liquid. Even with this lack of density though they carried more then enough power to destroy each of the vehicles due to the speed Rachael put into them.



The sound of the bits of molting metal destroying the vehicle was as if a grenade launcher had been combined with a machine gun. For every tenth of a second another vehicle was torn apart. In less then three seconds there was a long line of remains blocking the various roads.



A slight yelp escaped Rachael the moment one of the bullets struck against the fabric covering her vulva. As she looked at the line of destruction blocking the road she raised her arms above her head and began to slowly turn so that she faced the guns once again. She'd have to continue listening to insure that no one escaped by land but that wouldn't be too difficult. For the moment she wanted to give her front some more attention as she felt her back had received enough.



Once it became clear that the over land escape rout wasn't going to work those that remained behind felt their hopes of escape sinking. This didn't stop them from trying though as various clustered together and began to talk escape routes. Some took up fire arms to go and delay Rachael. They all had learned that this wouldn't harm her however they had also learned from various reports that it would delay her.



While it was rare that anyone survived a combative encounter with Rachael. It had become known amongst several groups that she enjoyed playing with her targets. That she enjoyed being shot and would allow herself to be showered in bullets and other kinds of weapon's fire for great lengths of time. This actually served to dishearten and yet give hope to those that tried to slow her down.



They knew that it would delay her and this would give others more time if they chose to sacrifice themselves. Any hope in that knowledge was greatly hindered though by the fact that they knew it gave her pleasure. That the only reason it delayed her is she wanted to savor the moment. None of them even knew if she actually benefited from being shot or if she merrily enjoyed.



There was however three fears that surpassed the fear of death for those that delayed her. One was the fear that she wouldn't just kill them but instead would torture them. The second strongest fear was that their efforts were entirely useless. That despite their sacrifice she would kill all those they tried to help escape. The final and greatest fear was that their efforts to delay her actually helped her. Perhaps she gained strength from the energy in the bullets when they struck her.



"She's quite a show off isn't she?"



Despite hearing Sally's voice Thomas couldn't bring himself to turn away from the screen. "Yeah I am glad that we had some spare equipment. How are you feeling?"



"I feel good enough to walk around. Though I have to say I feel a little strange. This has got to be the easiest bodyguard job I've ever had."



"Rachael is just kind of nervous sense she was nuked. She's worried that if the find out where she lives they may hit it with a nuclear bomb as well and she wouldn't be able to get back in time to save me."



"I sure hope they don't. Rachael is the only person I know of that could survive that."



Even while he watched the screen Thomas nodded his head. "I guess it helps her relax knowing that someone she considers a friend and has enhanced is here with me."



"Humph apologizing to me. Yeah right the only reason she enhanced me was so that I could do a better job of protecting you."



"I wouldn't go that far. I believe that she'd enhanced you even if she hadn't been nuked."



"Perhaps, I wonder if she's ever going to figure out a way to make me able to fly as well."



"I'm sure she could help you develop some wings but I don't believe Rachael knows every detail about how her body works. She can't exactly examine herself after all. So I don't know if she could give you the ability to fly without wings."



After a moment longer of standing Sally pulled up a seat and set down next to Thomas. While she didn't enjoy the video feed nearly as much as Thomas it did interest her to a limited extent. "It would just be so wonderful to be able to fly. Then again I suppose I could be quite content to just be able to stand there and withstand that kind of fire power."



"How do you know you can't?"



"Those are some exceptionally powerful weapons they are using. I may be strong but I don't think I could just stand there and let them shoot me with bullets that could tear through tank armor."



"Did Rachael tell you how much she'd increased your abilities?"



"No, she didn't actually give me an amount and I haven't really been able to test it yet."



"Wait until Rachael returns before you try and guess what you could and couldn't endure. The quality of her work may surprise you."



Every time Rachael stopped to let someone shower her with bullets they always seemed to run out before she was finished. This was perhaps the first time that her enjoyment of the experience had begun to run low. The ship was clearly designed to carry a lot of fire power and Rachael had no doubt now that it could continue shelling her for hours.



As she looked at the ship a pout appeared on her face. She didn't know when she'd get another chance to enjoy this but the bullets had done all they could for her. If they could have done more she imagined that she'd have to rush back home and take Thomas to their bedroom for a while. She was quite certain that by now the news of her return had gotten out as well.



No one on the ship knew how long Rachael would just pose and let them shell her. However, even though they had no grounds for it many seemed to have assumed that she'd wait until they had ran out of ammunition. Thus they weren't truly expecting it when she finally acted.



Now that she had her fill of being shot Rachael was finally ready to act. The large ship so far hadn't bothered shooting her with its main guns no doubt because they'd have no effect upon her but would damage the port. Despite that Rachael really wanted to see what it was like to be hit with those massive guns so she quickly came up with a plan of action.



Flying under the water Rachael kept herself four meters below the surface but not at the ships bottom. She then extended her arm and pressed it through the heavy armor plating. She sunk her arm in until it reached her shoulder this was done so quickly that it sounded as if the ship had just been struck by a bomb. A horrific roar was then sent throughout the ship as Rachael flew along tearing a massive gash in the side.



The gash Rachael tore in the ship was easily three fourths of the ship's length and let in a tremendous amount of sea water. Before she reached the back of the ship she withdrew her arm and quickly flew to the back. Taking hold of the base of the propeller blades she wasted no time tearing the massive sheets of metal away from the ship. However, she wasn't quite happy with these results so she quickly moved to take hold of the anchors.



The sound of Rachael yanking on the first anchor was horrific. As she pulled the massive metal chain free of its locks she then took hold of the second anchor on the opposite side. Each one of the massive bits of metal surpassed her in size and forced her to use one arm appease to maintain even a reasonable grip.



With the ship's ability to propel itself destroyed Rachael began to pull on the heavy chains. She needed to work quickly before the massive gash she had torn in the ship caused it to sink too far. It had become clear to her that there was no way she was going to get them to shoot her with the ships main guns. So she had decided on a simple solution.



First she had torn the opening in the ship and destroyed its propellers. Now she was going to pull it out to sea and allow it to sink. After which she would deal with the yard and other ships. Later she could repair the damage she had caused and take the ship home as a trophy. She had been meaning to start collecting various trophies but simply hadn't gotten around to doing so yet.



The crew was far from happy with Rachael's plan as they struggled to respond to the situation. They had expected her to tear the ship apart not to suddenly start dragging it out to sea after crippling the ship. The fear of dying by drowning was now making its presence known. Most had assumed she'd give them a fairly quick death except for perhaps a few she had singled out.



Now every person onboard the ship had to worry about slowly drowning. Water was pouring into the ship at a horrendous rate and they were being taken further and further away from shore. None dared take the life rafts though for fear of Rachael turning around and killing them the moment she saw them in the water.



They'd all been even more concerned if they had known what Rachael had decided to do about them. She would tow the ship out to sea until she felt she was risking tearing it apart due to the water. After that she would go and deal with the yard and other ships. When she came back she could take care of any survivors. She had said that she was going to kill everyone and she didn't want to go back on her word after all.



Those who had been left behind at the port and hadn't tried running where now faced with quite a situation. They had no way of being sure if Rachael could still see them or not. None wanted to try and run for fear of being struck down as the first to try had. However, they also knew that they were dead if they stayed around.



At last Rachael ceased pulling the ship and flew up on the deck. She then placed the ship's heavy anchors on top and took back to the sky. She would allow the ship to make it as far as it could under the momentum she had imparted to it. Instead of flying back to the ship yard she lowered herself back to the water's surface and proceeded to run back.



Rachael wanted to give those ships that had tried to escape more time. So she had decided to return to the yard and deal with the wrest of the personnel stationed there. She would then proceed to chase down the ships.



Even for Thomas there was a time when he could turn away from the screens even though Rachael was the star. This was whenever she began moving so quickly that he couldn't truly tell what was going on. At the moment that was currently what Rachael was doing upon her return to the ship yard. "I guess she really wants to play with those boats."



Unlike Thomas Sally could actually tell what Rachael was doing though it was still difficult. "I take it you'll slow the footage down and watch it later."



"Yes, I really wish I could be there though. It's one thing to watch a recording of Rachael it's quite another to be there with her."



A slight chuckle escaped Sally. "I'd say you're one of the few people that want to be near her when this is going on. A good deal of those people would probably love to be as far away from her as you are now."



"That is true."



"Well look on the bright side. At least this is safer. Had you been with her when she was nuked you would have been vaporized before she even knew what was happening."



As Rachael dashed throughout the dock yard she made use of her flight ability though not in the usual manner. For the most part she used her flight ability to keep her on the ground and dampen her foot falls so she didn't destroy everything her feet touched. This time she still used her flight ability to keep herself grounded but she didn't bother dampening her foot falls. So that each time her foot struck the ground it was with such force that it was as if a bomb had gone off.



This change in her behavioral pattern was brought about by two factors. She had allowed herself to be shelled for quite some time. So long that she didn't really feel the need to allow it to continue much longer. The second major reason was she truly wanted to have her fun on and with the ships.



The ships were the dominant reason however. She simply hadn't had a chance to play with such massive boats and she couldn't help but think the experience would be different from her land battles. As she dashed throughout the various halls and buildings she didn't even give the personnel time to respond. Just a quick tap from her finger and she moved on. Her speeds guaranteed that anything she touched would be reduced to a mist with no more then a grazing blow.



A horrific explosion could be heard by everyone on board the carrier. Those that were already on deck were quickly joined by others who came to see the origin of the explosion. Those that had already been on dock had seen the massive fire ball that erupted from the dock while those that had came up could see the cloud of debris and the raging fire that had been created.



The fire ball wasn't a direct result of Rachael's running about. Rather it was the result of the various stores of ammunition and fuel being set off by Rachael's running around. With so many explosives being set off at once it could have been likened to a small scale nuclear explosion.



"You couldn't have sent a single jet up?"



Nearly everyone's attention was taken away from the burning ship yard towards the pouting, feminine and exceptionally powerful voice. What they found was Rachael hovering just over the far end of the deck. Those close enough to see her noted that she seemed to be pouting as if she was disappointed by something.



Indeed that was the case. Rachael had hoped that they would send up a few jets but apparently they were in full retreat. The most cooperation she was going to get in this seemed to be when the one ship had stayed behind and delayed her. All the others were clearly focusing on retreating and had made no plans to actually engage her in combat.



The battle ship had failed to shoot her with its main guns and the aircraft carrier hadn't sent up any fighters. She had her fill of being shot as well. In truth Rachael was quickly becoming bored. The response of the personnel wouldn't have normally bothered her so much if she hadn't had so many other expectations. There response when retreating was far less amusing then Rachael had hoped for.



"Well isn't anyone even going to try shooting me?" As she spoke Rachael looked around. There weren't even any jets that had been prepared for launch. After a moment a sigh escaped her and Rachael changed her strategy. She didn't feel like standing around and being shot anymore. They hadn't sent up any jets for her to play with and none of the crew seemed to be armed anyway.



She soon resolved at the very least she could see a decent explosion. Settling down on the deck she began walking over to the nearest hatch she saw. She'd just make her way down to the ships armory and prepare the missiles and other weapons to explode. Instead of running though she chose to walk in hopes the crew would think of a way to amuse her before she got there.



Rachael hadn't even made it down a single floor when she heard the alarm. It didn't take her long to realize what the alarm was for either as she heard the ship come alive. It was a call for everyone to abandon the ship. Apparently the crew and captain of the ship had no desire what so ever to stand and fight her.



For a moment Rachael just thought she'd go along with the alarm and make her way on down to the armory. However, the pout that had appeared on her face whenever she realized they hadn't sent up any jets slowly faded as she realized something. Trying to get a retreating enemy to do what she wanted was silly.



If she was going to have any fun at all she was going to have to flow with the situation and make their retreat into her game. Unfortunately quite a few people were already on the deck but that didn't mean she couldn't have some fun. She quickly changed course and dashed back up to the deck. The moment she was on top she spun around and shut the door.



After shutting the door Rachael took hold of the hinges and squeezed them between her hands. She had to be careful with this as she didn't want to destroy them or weaken them too much. She just wanted to make sure the door couldn't be opened unless they happened to be strong enough to tear apart steel.



The sound of the hinges being destroyed drew the attention of those that were currently on deck. Those that stopped to look at what was going on wished they hadn't. The majority didn't see what was going on but a few saw Rachael sealing the door shut and then dashing over to the second hatch she saw. Those that didn't see her the first time began scanning the deck and most found her.



There wasn't anything Rachael could do about those that had made it to the top of the ship first. However, if she wanted to have some fun she could just seal the doors and then play with those insides. At least that was her plan until she took note of the bridge. A truly wicked smile appeared on her face as she came up with a new idea.



Those in the bridge had been horrified to see Rachael appear on the deck. They had hoped she would remain inside the ship and give a few time to escape. Perhaps she wouldn't notice them in the water then. Now that hope was gone as it seemed the alarm had drawn her back up to the deck. They didn't have to wonder about what she was going to do for long either. As nearly the moment she finished with the doors the deck turned crimson.



While Rachael believed playing with the crew would be fun she had opted for a better game and torn threw those on deck in moments. She had moved so quickly and hit them so hard that it had actually ignited the flesh where her fingers had touched. None could see these charred spot though as the body was torn apart far too quickly. As she stood amongst the crimson gel she turned towards the bridge and waved.



The crew on the bridge felt their blood run cold as Rachael waved at them. They didn't get a chance to warn the others though as she became a blur. Before they could even turn to see where the powerful rush of wind that filled the bridge had come from they heard her voice. "Okay so who wants to show me how to sell this thing or am I going to have to figure it out for myself?"



This time Rachael didn't have to wait for an answer. As the captain responded to her as if he'd been expecting her "You'll never control this ship."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael as she glanced over at the captain. "Well I disagree but I really don't have time to argue. I'm sure I can figure it out myself." Instead of tearing the bridge crew apart Rachael took a moment to look around. Walking away from the helm she began to search threw anything that seemed to be a drawer.



The captain was almost stunned to find that he was still alive. Though, he grew increasingly nervous as he watched Rachael searching throughout the various drawers. He was unsure of what to do at the moment. He knew that shooting or trying to fight Rachael was futile. Running hadn't helped anyone either. What could he do? "What are you searching for?"



"I'm trying to find some manuals that you might have handy."



"Why?"



"Well to be honest sinking your ships is a little too easy for my liking. So I was thinking that it might be fun to try driving one and run into some of the other ships." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael. "I think it may add an extra level of amusement to the whole thing."



Nearly as soon as Rachael had mentioned her plan one of the crewmen went for the radio. He wasn't thinking about the fact that even if he warned the other ships Rachael could sink them herself. Of course he wasn't thinking of her speed either as the moment his hand came within ten centimeters of the control a blinding pain shot through his arm.



The pain had been caused by Rachael catching and then squeezing the crewmen's hand. The force she used was so great that she actually crushed the bone and muscle into a pulp a bit of which was made to squirt out between her fingers. "No. I want it to be a surprise so it'll be more fun. Hey what is that?" A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she reached into the crewmen's pocket and pulled out a book. A sigh escaped her though when she found it was just regular reading material. "Well darn it."



Even though they knew how dire the situation was several of the crewmen rushed to the aid of their comrade when Rachael released him. Some of them began to apply basic medical treatment though none believed they would survive. In truth it wasn't so much of an effort to save his life but instead to have a few moments of normalcy in such an unreal situation.



"Found it." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she held up what she had been looking for. Holding the book in front of her she lapsed into her accelerated state and began to flip through the training manual. By relying on the tension in the pages to flip threw them Rachael gave herself more then enough time to read each one of them.



He knew that Rachael could easily sink the other ships. Indeed he knew that if she did it herself it would get done far more quickly. Still the captain couldn't bring himself to allow her to use his ship as a weapon. Drawing his service revolver he didn't take aim at her but aimed for the book.



Even before the sound of the gunpowder igniting reached Rachael's ears she noticed the bullet making its way out of the barrel. She waited until the bullet had come within arms length to move her arm. She then took the bullet length wise between her thumb and index finger. She didn't stop the bullet immediately though but moved her hand as to slow it down as gradually as possible.



Only after her finger had come within a millimeter of the book did she stop entirely. She didn't even bother looking at the captain as she sent the bullet flying back towards him.



The whole event lasted less then a second and when it was offer a horrific cry escaped the captain as he fell to the floor. Several turned to him while some went to him to see where the bullet had hit. They didn't have to look for long. Rachael had sent the bullet back towards him with so much force that it had actually torn off his right leg from the knee down. "I guess this isn't the complete manual. All well I believe I can wing it from here on out. So it's time to play bumper boats."



*****



It was exceptionally hard for Williams not to smile as he walked through the halls. He had just received word. The law against enhancements had been revised. They were now to form a special unit studying human enhancement in far more detail then ever before. Of course he knew that the special unit that would be given the task had already been formed.



He had always received generous off the record funding. Now though they wouldn't have to hide their purpose. Indeed with a legal seal of approval their research would also become much easier. Keeping their work hidden always complicated things and added an extra level of expense. For a moment he stopped. He couldn't help but wonder how Sally was going to feel about being able to proudly display what she is.



At least Sally could display what she is as long as she toned it down. While they would be soon coming out he knew it would arouse suspicion if people realized how much more powerful Sally was then others.



"Are you okay Rachael."



Currently Rachael set atop the sofa a rather upset pout upon her face. It took her a moment to even respond to Thomas. "They committed suicide."



"Not all of them."



"I know but I wanted to be the one to kill them for nuking me."



Despite the situation it was impossible for Thomas not to chuckle as he listened to Rachael pouting. Walking over to where she set he proceeded to slip his arms under her and lift up. The ease with which she rose up off the sofa revealed that she was using her flight ability to aid him. After he had lifted her with her aid Thomas scooted into the seat and settled Rachael down atop him for once. "Now Rachael, they're some things that you can't help. You still have some of them after all."



There was a long silence before Rachael finally sighed. She then proceeded to wrap one of her arms around Thomas's back and lean against him at least in appearance. In truth she was using her flight ability to support most of her weight. "I know but now I don't know if I am going to just kill them. I need to send a message."



"I thought you had already done that. After you destroyed the ship yard and every ship in it everyone seemed to respond. I have to ask though. Why did you sink that battle ship?"



"Oh I'm going to fix it later. I want to bring it home as a trophy. Also I was thinking you might be willing to shoot me out of the cannon."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas as he shook his head. He had heard of artillery pieces being taken back as a trophy but not an entire battle ship. "I see. I guess you were rather upset when the boiler room exploded."



Rachael couldn't help the groan that escaped her. "I should have stopped to consider what happens when cold water meets hot boiler. Still, playing bumper boats was a lot of fun. They caught on to what I was doing with the aircraft carrier a little slower then I expected."



"Well most don't expect someone to take over a carrier and use it to run into ships of their own fleet. So what are you going to do with those you did capture?"



"I'm thinking of having some fun with their genetics. I wonder what I can make them into."



"I see. I take it you're going to show the world what happened to them after you're finished."



"Of course if I don't they'll probably just believe I killed them or tortured them to death via the old fashioned method. I need to let everyone know that I am capable of coming up with fresh material."



"You kind of surprised me when you took over the boat like that. Would you mind telling me why?"



"I was bored and it seemed like it would be fun. I have to say it was quite a lot of fun."



Thomas gave the side of Rachael's neck a quick kiss before speaking. "Well that is surprising. You never seem to get bored when you're flaunting your strength."



"I know. They just wouldn't cooperate or fight back like I wanted them to. It didn't help that by the time I went to play with the other ships I was bored with being shot."



"Well Rachael. You know you can expect to encounter a lot more of that. You're so powerful and now the world knows it. Of course they aren't going to try to fight you. The best you can hope for is a small force that is meant to delay you."



A slight groan escaped Rachael. "OH that isn't any fun. I suppose with my power increasing I couldn't continue like this forever though." As she set atop Thomas Rachael shifted about a bit. "Luckily they are some things that never get old." Rachael pressed her lips against Thomas's before he could even ask what that something was.



"Thank goodness. I'd get worried if you got tired of that."



"Come on Thomas. Let's go and you can do for me what those bullets couldn't."



*****



As Thomas prepared himself he couldn't help but feel a little silly as he stepped onto a mat. It seemed Rachael hadn't had her fill of combat and she had challenged him to a wrestling match. Only she had made a few rules to make it more interesting.



Rachael was currently clothed only with a smile and her knickers. At the moment she was hovering above the ring at just the right level to insure her crotch was level with Thomas's head. Her arms were behind her back and there they were to remain until a winner was clear. Thomas on the other hand had been allowed to wear far more clothing. He was currently wearing a shirt, pants as well as his underwear.



The challenge was for one to undress the other. Thomas had to remove only Rachael's knickers to win while she had far more clothing to take off. Of course if she had used her true abilities that would still have guaranteed her a win. To make it more of a challenge she was also forbidden from using her arms. The only things she could use to undress Thomas were her mouth, tongue, legs, flight ability and breasts.



There were no delusions on Thomas's part about the wrestling match. He knew that even with such handicaps Rachael still had a vast advantage over him.



"So Thomas, are you ready to begin?"



"Now you're not going to use your speed are you?"



"Well I won't move any faster then human running speeds."



Instead of saying anything Thomas responded by sprinting towards Rachael. All he had to do now was move quickly and take hold of her knickers then use his weight to pull them down. As he neared he expected Rachael to fly upward so he actually leapt into the air to compensate for any height she might gain.



The moment Thomas jumped into the air Rachael flew lower. The result was that instead of heading for her knickers he ended up face first in her breasts. As Thomas's face impacted with her chests Rachael actually flew backwards to minimize the amount of force on his face and insure the experience was still enjoyable for the both of them. "You're going to have to do better then that."



There had been a moment of shock for Thomas when he realized he was going to end up face firsts in Rachael's cleavage instead of grabbing hold of her knickers. The shock of coming in contact with those wonderful globes, Rachael flying backwards and their own size even prevented Thomas from taking hold of Rachael as he fell backwards.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael the moment Thomas fell backwards. Acting on her advantage she quickly spread her legs and descended upon him so that she trapped his arms to his sides. She turned away from him so that she could get to his shorts meaning her rear was facing him.



Dazed from both feeling his face nearly consumed by Rachael's breasts then the fall backwards Thomas didn't have time to respond. The only thing that even told him he was in trouble was when he felt Rachael's wonderful smooth thighs on either side of him.



The thighs that pinned Thomas's arms to his sides would have put any constrictor to shame. Rachael's skin was wonderfully soft and smooth however he could still feel her thigh muscles pressing into his sides. He could feel the contours of the powerful muscles that made up those wonderful thighs as periodic rises in her flesh could be felt pressing into his sides. Whenever he tried to wriggle free the softness seemed to vanish as Rachael tightened her legs and seemed to become a steel vice. Except he knew those legs were far stronger then any steel.



Rachael took a moment to shift about and rub her rear against Thomas's chests. Her wonderfully firm buttocks pressed down on his chest with enough force to insure that he couldn't rise up and try to remove her knickers with his teeth. Bending at the stomach Rachael leaned forward and began to consider just how she was going to go about removing his shorts.



A shiver ran throughout Thomas's body as he felt something very warm, soft and heavy come to wrest upon his abdomen. As he glanced to his side he was surprised to find that it was Rachael's breasts.



Rachael's plan had been to pin Thomas down and use her teeth to destroy the button on his shorts. Now she faced a problem though as her breasts were actually getting in the way. The massive globes prevented her from actually reaching Thomas's shorts with her teeth at least she couldn't reach them without applying more pressure. Carefully she began to lean further down however she soon stopped.



While it had never been an issue before Rachael knew that the more force that was applied to her breasts the more they'd push back. In order to reach Thomas's shorts she'd have to push down past the point where they'd give and might very well end up crushing some of Thomas's bones in the process. She knew that she would leave some heavy bruises at least if she went further.



At first Thomas had thought his shorts were lost. However, as he realized Rachael's dilemma he couldn't help but grin. "It seems that your allies have turned against you."



In response Rachael snorted and glanced over her shoulder towards Thomas. "Don't think this is over with yet." Once again Rachael turned back to Thomas's shorts. Leaning forward as much as she could without causing him pain she then extended her tongue.



In response to Rachael's breast settling down on him again Thomas gave a slight grunt. However, the pressure relaxed before he felt any pain. For a moment he was made to wonder what was going on when he felt something warm and wet just touching the rim of his shorts. A slight gasp escaped him and he had to fight the urge to jerk or risk Rachael getting hold of the button. "Your tongue isn't that long."



"Mm you're right." A slight giggle escaped Rachael. Indeed Thomas was right about her tongue not being long enough to get hold of his shorts if he laid flat. However, if she could get him to raise up that would change things. She considered trying to get him to thrust his hips upward once again by stimulation but changed her mind. She normally liked to use more teasing methods of getting Thomas to do what she wanted but this time she was going for force.



It was clear to Thomas that Rachael had thought of something. The relaxed tone in her voice told him that. He just didn't realize what it was until he felt the wind beginning to pick up. "Oh no, you can't."



To bring Thomas's hips closer to her mouth Rachael had actually began to try drawing them to her by sucking on them. Though she couldn't make direct contact her lunges were so powerful, could compact so much air and could work so fast she felt confident that she could pull Thomas's hips to her by creating a vacuum. She only wished she could tease Thomas about the concern in his voice.



Soon Thomas learned how wrong he was about what Rachael could and couldn't do. As he began to feel himself being pulled upward the only reason he could even stay on the mat was Rachael's rear pinning him down. Despite the situation and the fact that he was about to lose a third of his clothing Thomas couldn't help but be excited by this display of power from Rachael. She didn't even have to touch him to overwhelm his body.



As soon as Thomas's waste drew close enough Rachael quit inhaling and darted out with her tongue. Before gravity could pull Thomas's waste back down she darted her tongue between his waste and the button that held his shorts on. A delighted giggle escaped her the moment she succeeded.



After Thomas realized that Rachael now had a hold of his shorts he began to twist and turn. While there was no way he could over power Rachael's tongue she was using a rather slippery muscle and he hoped to slide free. A loud bending told him that wasn't going to happen.



It had taken a while for Rachael to work enough of her tongue around the fastening for her to exert any pressure upon it. The moment she could though she squeezed with enough force to compact the button into a fine sliver. When she relaxed her tongue the little bit of metal fell free. "I told you it wasn't over." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she looked back at Thomas.



Even before Thomas could respond Rachael changed her position. Flying into the air she adjusted her position so that she was looking up towards Thomas's face though she was level with his crotch. She then bit down on the edge of his shorts and quickly flew backwards.



Thomas was grateful that he hadn't tried to stand as if he had he'd only ended up on his back once again. However, the moment Rachael had his shorts off he quickly rose to his feet to prevent her from pinning him in the same manner once again.



Rachael didn't bother flying upright as she rose into the air. Instead she flew so that her feet stuck up in the air and her head pointed downward. She kept herself at a high enough height to make her head even with Thomas's. Giving her head a quick jerk and releasing her hold on Thomas's shorts she sent them flying across the room. "Now what should I go for? I think I'll try to get your shirt off."



Bracing himself Thomas took a moment to look Rachael over. With her flying in that position there wasn't any real way for him to take her knickers off. He recognized them as a pair that had been made from her hair. He'd just have to wait for Rachael to begin flying right side up again and play defensive until then.



Only after Rachael began to move towards him did Thomas realize how difficult it would be to keep her from removing his shirt. There was no need for Rachael to fly upright in order to take off his shirt. All she needed to do was get hold of the neck of his shirt with her teeth then she could pull it up over his head. By flying upside down the entire time she eliminated nearly any chance he had of removing her knickers and all reasonable chance.



"Someone looks worried." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she slowly circled Thomas. She knew that he was too fast for her to get behind easily but that didn't matter. Unlike him she wouldn't run out of stamina. All she had to do was keep him dodging until he was too tired to dodge effectively.



"You haven't gotten my shirt off yet." Thomas had already realized there was no reasonable chance of him removing Rachael's knickers. So before she could exhaust him he decided on a course of action. Once again he charged Rachael if there was not reasonable chance of it he'd just have to gamble on desperation. This time he intended on climbing her though.



Despite not having any idea of what Thomas intended to do Rachael wasn't about to let him try. As soon as he drew within a meter of her she released a powerful gust of wind. She had more then enough air stored in her lunges to drive him back several times due to her previous trick.



A grunt escaped Thomas when the hurricane force winds hit him. He was fortunate enough to have had both feet on the ground when Rachael had begun to blow on him but now he was having a problem. Rachael was keeping the winds at just the right level that he could begin to feel himself lifting off the mat. It was taking a great deal of strength for him to keep himself grounded and he could only begin to guess at how long she could keep blowing on him just with the air she had stored. He knew she could draw more in quite quickly.



Even with the rules handicapping her Thomas had knew he stood a rather poor chance of winning. Despite that he didn't expect to be beaten so badly. Rachael had already removed one third of his clothing and it seemed as if she would make it two shirts very soon. His struggle to keep his balance and remain standing was quickly draining him.



When Thomas began to stumble significantly Rachael acted. She quickly quit blowing on him and moved behind him. Opening her mouth she moved in to try to get hold of his shirt collar. She was rather amazed when he had the presence of mind to move forward and out of her reach.



A sharp yelp escaped Thomas when he felt something bump the back of his head and send him stumbling forward. As he did so he could feel the very edge of Rachael's teeth as they grazed the nape of his shirt collar.



"Well I didn't expect you to recover that quickly."



While Thomas was glad that Rachael hadn't taken hold of his shirt he couldn't help but wonder what she was talking about. "What do you mean recover?"



For a moment there was silence as Thomas and Rachael looked at one another. Suddenly Rachael glanced up at her breasts with an accusing glare. "You really are on his side. Aren't you?"



There was a moment when Thomas wasn't sure what Rachael was doing. It sounded and looked like she was accusing her breasts of siding with him. A few moments later it was impossible for him not to laugh. It seemed that was exactly what was happening. The bump he had felt on the back of his head just before Rachael could get hold of his shirt was her breasts bumping against the very top of his head.



"Oh laugh it up. I know how to keep these traitors out of the way." With that Rachael adjusted her position. Instead of flying vertically she began to fly horizontally. This meant that her knickers were more vulnerable to being pulled off of her however it also meant she could get hold of Thomas's shirt without her breasts getting in the way.



"Now Rachael, just because they are helping me it doesn't mean that they've betray you. Perhaps, they just want some of the attention as well."



"Very funny, well you won't be getting any more help from them now." Opening her mouth Rachael quickly snapped her teeth shut with enough force to generate a noticeable impact. "That shirt is still coming off of you."



Once again Thomas was put on the defensive though this time with more hope as Rachael circled him. With her altered position he couldn't help but feel like he was a swimmer trapped in the ocean with a shark. Fortunately his predator was very shapely, playful and had no desire to harm him. She just wanted to strip him of his modesty.



After circling Thomas a few times Rachael quickly charged him. She saw him dodge but in keeping with their game she kept her speed to that of a human's running speed. However, that didn't prevent her from stopping and falling back far more quickly then a human could if they were in a dead run.



The moment Rachael began to fall back Thomas stopped. He knew that even with her holding back she was far too fast for him to catch. He needed to wait for an opening that would let him get hold of her knickers. He just hoped one would appear or he would think of something before Rachael exhausted him too much for it to matter.



As they continued to circle one another Rachael noticed a devious smile appear on Thomas's face. "Oh I believe someone believes they've thought of a method to get around my defense."



There was no response from Thomas as he continued circling in an attempt to keep Rachael in front of him. Indeed he had thought of a move that would let him remove her knickers however it was a high risk move and his grin had given him away for the moment.



As Rachael circled Thomas she began to slow down. She was going to hold herself to her word and keep to velocities that humans could duplicate. However, that didn't mean she needed to do the same for acceleration. As she eased herself into a slower pace she began to playful snap at Thomas. Every so often she would even move forward a few centimeters snap her teeth at him and then fall back.



It was clear to Thomas that Rachael was trying to get him to relax his guard. The moment he did he knew she'd try to zip behind him and take hold of his shirt collar and this time her breasts wouldn't get in the way. As he continued to turn as she circled him he also knew that he would eventually begin to tire if things went on too long.



Sense Rachael never tired she had no reason to stop moving and every reason to keep moving. As long as Thomas was being forced to try and keep up with her she could slowly tire him out. She wasn't about to stop and give him time to truly recover his energy. If she kept it up long enough then eventually he would be too tired to evade her even if he saw her next move coming.



At last Thomas was ready. Following Rachael's lead he began to slow his pace but he slowed down even further. At the same time he braced his legs and waited for her to strike.



Even though Rachael knew that Thomas had a plan she simply wasn't use to hesitating. The moment she saw the opening she moved in on Thomas. As she drew near though he twisted quickly, she was still able to take hold of his shirt collar however she ended up with the side of the shirt instead of the back.



Now that Rachael had hold of his shirt Thomas quickly pulled his arms inside and as she drew the shirt off him he fell out and charge towards her. While the maneuver had cost him his shirt it now meant was close to her and nearly at a full sprint.



In response to Thomas maneuver Rachael attempted to jerk away. However, she had to limit her speed so she wasn't able to outdistance him. What made matters worse is now he was inside her defenses. Soon she felt his hands nicking the sides of her thighs as he struggled to get hold of the sliver of material Rachael called her knickers.



Thomas wasn't holding any of his energy back. The maneuver had cost him and he knew there wasn't going to be a second chance as good as this one. He was putting all his energy into this one desperate attempt to get hold of the material. A groan of frustration and a yelp of surprise seemed to mix together as a very powerful wind slammed into it and sent him falling backwards.



A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she felt a wave of relief. She almost hadn't thought to use her breath to drive Thomas back. Realizing that it was now time to end the game she once again moved and pinned Thomas underneath herself so that her rear was pressed against his chest while his arms were trapped between her legs. "Well I have you now."



Upon feeling Rachael descend upon him Thomas gave a slight grunt. He'd been dazed by being blown through the air and fatigued by his chase. Still, he wasn't ready to give up just yet. "You hardly got my shorts off. What makes you think you can get my underwear?"



"Because, my breasts might have sided with you but there is a part of you that is siding with me."



Thomas gave a slight chuckle when he realized what Rachael was referring to. Their little game had left him more then a little excited. "Well darn."



"Mm. I wonder how much help you're willing to give me." A delighted giggle escaped Rachael as she began to shift about rubbing her bare bottom against Thomas's chest.



A slight groan escaped Thomas as he struggled to keep control of his body. However, seeing Rachael's exposed body the entire time, the struggle to remove her knickers, the repeated contact with her breasts and now her wonderful rump rubbing against him was too much. They were certain parts of his body that Thomas had simply lost control of and there was no getting it back.



"Well, I won't have to even inhale this time." Lowering herself Rachael very carefully took the front of Thomas's underwear between her teeth. The skin of her teeth just grazed against the top of Thomas's penis as she got a secure grip on the fabric and began to draw herself upward. With Rachael holding his body down as she pulled upward it only took a few moments for the material to shred due to the tension.



Upon feeling the fabric of his underwear tear away a sigh escaped Thomas. "Well you won this time."



Slowly Rachael stood up. Turning around she grinned as she held the front of Thomas's underwear between her teeth for a few moments before spitting it out. "Would you like trying to use your teeth to undress me? I promise that I won't move."



A slight chuckle escaped Thomas as he slowly drew himself upward. All the time spent evading Rachael and struggling under that wonderful rear of hers had been more tiring then he realized. Upon pulling himself up on his knees he edged forward and bit down on the crotch of Rachael's knickers. Unlike Rachael though, he made no attempt to avoid biting her flesh that was just under the thin bit of material.



A sharp gasp escaped Rachael and she reached her hand up to press against the bottom of her right breasts. She was quite happy when Thomas didn't pull her knickers down right away but proceeded to bite into the material several times. The feeling of his teeth against the outside of her lips was a delight to Rachael.



Once Thomas felt the heat behind Rachael's knickers build significantly he finally began drawing them downward. He only managed to get them down to her knees though before Rachael removed them though not with her hands. Instead Rachael quickly flexed her thighs and extended her legs away from one another. It hardly took a moment for the material to shred under the sudden and powerful forces.



Rachael wasn't in the mood to wait for Thomas to stand up. The moment her knickers were off she reached down and lifted him from the mat. As she held him level with her face their height difference was notable as Thomas's feet dangled slightly above the mat. He wasn't really thinking of that though as Rachael pressed her lips against his.



While their lips met Thomas reached up and took hold of Rachael nipples between his index fingers and thumbs. He then began to gently massage the tiny bits of flesh. As the kiss broke off he glanced down at Rachael's breasts for a moment. "Thanks for all the help. Without you two I wouldn't have lasted nearly as long."



A low moan escaped Rachael as her already excited nipples were stimulated further. "They say you're welcome." Slowly Rachael lifted herself into the air and then began to lean backwards. As she shifted positions she allowed Thomas to settle down atop her and used her hands only to keep him balanced until she was completely horizontal.



"I'll be right back." Thomas smiled as he gave each one of Rachael's nipples a quick kiss. He then slid his way down Rachael's body so that once again his face was level with her lower lips. Leaning forward he gave Rachael's lips a kiss while at the same time his was coated with her nectar that was flowing from her lips. He then opened his mouth and bit down on Rachael's warm peach.



A sharp gasp escaped Rachael. This was the first time Thomas had used his teeth on that part of her body and she liked it a great deal. His mouth was far too weak to have any chance of harming her after all. As he used his mouth on her lips she felt his hands slip around her thighs. Almost without thinking Rachael flexed her thighs causing them to swell larger.



Running his hands around Rachael thighs and under her Thomas reached around and grasped Rachael's firm rump. The same rump that had held him pinned just a short time ago. Drawing his hands back he gave Rachael's rear a firm enough smack to make his hand sting just a little though he knew it couldn't harm her. He then repeated this act with the opposite hand.



The feeling of Thomas's mouth working her lips and his hands paddling her rear was a delight to Rachael. Her feelings of excitement grew even stronger after she realized why she was most likely getting the spanking.



Only after his hands had truly began to become sore did Thomas relent on Rachael's spanking. "I hope that taught your naughty rear a lesson."



"It sure did. Next time pin you even longer."



"Oh that wasn't for pinning me. It was for staying just out of my reach."



An amused giggle escaped Rachael and she set up slightly. Once again she took hold of Thomas and pulled him back onto her body. "Mm while I was enjoying that my breasts really need some attention. Before they get upset with the neglect and decide to give you a thrashing."



Thomas gave a quick nod as he steadied himself atop Rachael. As he was brought back to her breasts he leaned forward and gently kissed her right nipple. Then took the bit of flesh in his mouth and began to gently suckle. At the same time his used his right hand to stimulate Rachael's left nipple while his right arm slipped between her wonderful breasts and began to massage the sides of Rachael's wonderful breasts.



As Thomas worked her nipples Rachael took hold of his thighs. Without a word of warning she relaxed her inner muscles and quickly pressed down. A sharp shiver ran throughout her body as she forced Thomas into herself.



Rachael wasn't the only one made to shudder. Upon feeling his penis enter Rachael's vagina Thomas's entire body locked up and he bit down on Rachael's nipple. The moan that he heard escaping her lips only increased the moment.



Their releases were nearly instant. The heavy stimulation from their wrestling match and the time lying together was more then enough for both of them.



*****



Rachael was quite an interesting sight as she walked towards Thomas. Her clothing was hardly what most would consider matching though it did look appealing on her. Currently Rachael wore a white lab coat complete with a small hand held computer in the pocket. However, the front of the coat was entirely open revealing that she only wore a pair of violent knickers and a t-shirt under it. Once she drew close enough to Thomas her breasts were made to press against the back of his head. "How are you doing?"



A sigh escaped Thomas as he felt Rachael's wonderful globes pressing against his head. Almost instinctively he leaned further back into their softness and looked up towards Rachael's face. "Things are going well. It seems that making some changes to my DNA before placing it with your hair or skin samples can cause a change in yours. How is your project going?"



"I have to wait for some more material to grow. So I figured I would come over here and help you."



It had been three months sense Rachael had been nuked and things had settled down a great deal. Sally hadn't been by to visit often sense Rachael had dealt with those responsible but they knew what she was up to. Williams had come out in the open as part of a special government controlled program to develop enhanced. With fear of Rachael being so strong it seemed too easy to get the approval at times.



Sally had been spending her time helping with the projects and acting as a prime example of what they could do. Of course they had kept it a secret that Rachael had enhanced Sally and continued to do so. Several other programs had been making appearances all seemingly in hope of one day being able to counter Rachael.



There was no doubt in Thomas's mind that they would never match Rachael though. Even if someone did develop a treatment similar to hers she had a head start of several years and wasn't slacking off. When he figured in the fact that such powerful enhancements required customization so that it would only work on one person he felt it was even less likely they'd ever match her.



"I'm sort of in the same boat. Right now I'm just observing to see what happens before I try to go any further." Thomas for his part had taken on a project in the lab. He was working to trigger changes in Rachael's cells when placed with his. The key they had found wasn't trying to alter Rachael's cells directly but instead to alter his and see how hers responded. They had managed to shift the coloring to blue but black so far was out of his reach.



They had also learned that if the altered Thomas's cells too far Rachael's seemed to lose the ability to recognize them. That didn't ever end well for his cells. Indeed it seemed that whenever they placed cells with Rachael's that hers didn't recognize Rachael's would tear the others to bits. This also went for older version of Rachael's own cells with newer.



"Mm well then, you know the computer can handle the general observation." Reaching around Thomas Rachael pulled him more firmly into her breasts and shifted his position slightly so that his cheek was close to her nipple.



Rachael had taken on a separate project from Thomas. She had begun developing an organic transmitter and receiver that could work with her nervous system. She had actually managed to develop both the transmitter and receiver already but there was a major hurdle to clear. Rachael couldn't alter her body through the same methods that would work on others. Her body was just too powerful and resisted such change. So she had to develop a device that could send messages back to her that her body would understand and accept and could receive messages from her.



Her goal was to develop it so that it would become a sort of new limb to her. A device that she could not only direct with her thoughts and desires but one that would be able to send data back to her. Such that she could see, taste, hear, smell and even feel through them. Thomas was confident that she would succeed soon enough.



Glancing up Rachael from the corners of his eyes Thomas gave the breast his face was currently trapped against a kiss through Rachael's bra. "I guess we both have some time to pass then."



"Mm yes we do." As she backed away Rachael spun Thomas the wrest of the way around and lifted him from his chair.



End chapter 7



End Modification's first novel.

[erocha75]

Thanks for posting this story here. It is magnificent, one of my favorites. Rachael is such a fabulous and fascinating character. Also, I feel this is one of the best works by the author (who still posts consistently on DA).

[GrowingBull89]

AMAZING!!!! Thank you so much!!!