Titans of Chaos

Which meant that the first order of business was... Colin. He was the only one whose powersworked here, now. Colin was our best hope. There was a sobering thought.

"Colin! We need to find the others, if we have any hope of escaping this blockade. That meansflying."

He blinked at me. "So? Can't you pop out those energy wing-thingies of yours? Oh, wait. We arenot in the waters of Earth any longer, are we? We passed over a boundary when Echidna pulledthe ship off course. Like when one dream turns into another, and a flying dream becomes a fallingdream. Am I right?"

Instead of answering, I said, "If I run and jump off that rail, is your inspiration enough to turninto something that can fly, so that you can grab me before I hit the water and die?"

I started running for the rail without waiting for an answer.

Colin took five huge steps and threw his hand around my waist. "Never mind!" he said. "I feelpretty damn inspired as it is. Upsy daisy!"

He tossed me up onto his shoulder Tarzan-carries-Jane style, so the world was all dizzy and upsidedown to me, and my rain-soaked hair was slapping his firm little butt. He had his hand pretty nearthe top of my thighs, and creeping higher, so I said, "Watch the hand!"

"Oh," he said, and, "Sorry!" And he clamped his hand to cup one cheek of my buttocks instead.

"Hey!"

He said, "Kick your legs. It looks cute. You've got great gams."

Gams? Colin had been corrupted by Yank terminology.

Colin now came after Vanity. From the confused view I was getting (sort of a Colin'slower-back-eyed view) it looked like she was backing up and had her hands out in protest.

Colin said, "Leader! Will you tell the redhead to hold still so I can grab her? There is no time forgames right now."

I am certain that my dignity as a leader could not be questioned while I was being hauled around,helpless and bottom proudly held high, like a cavewoman on the shoulder of your friendlyneighborhood Neanderthal.

I said, "Vanity! Let Colin grope you! No time for games right now."

I saw Vanity biting her lips in disgust, but she came forward and held up her arms. Colin stooped(dizzying from my point of view) and put his shoulder into the small of her stomach. With a woof!

of effort, he straightened, two fair captives slung like booty over his back. (Actually, one fair andone redheaded.)