So, a little introduction before the story. This is a continuation of a previous story, Iguana #2 (or was that a prequel to this?) Like most of my “series” this is more than okay to read on it’s own, but you can certainly check out the previous one.
I’ve been thinking a little bit on the story I set in motion with Iguana #2 and it seems like something ripe for a longer project. So, I’d like to ask everybody what they think. Not just of this story, but about the possibility of this kicking off a longer project? Perhaps this could be my NaNoWriMo story this year? Let me know. Story after the break.
“All I’m saying is we have to be careful,” said the big man at the table.
“We’re always careful,” replied the slender woman with the scar across her face. “But we have to move quickly. We need the men and this could be our only shot.”
“We do need the men,” agreed a shorter man.
The big man let his shoulders fall. “We do, yes, but it’s not like the German rebels welcomed us with open arms last time.”
“True,” agreed the woman. “But shit’s really hit the fan since then. They need the help just as much as we do now. Besides,” she added with a sly grin. “We didn’t have a Larret last time.”
This made the big man stop and consider. “That’s true.”
“Guys-”
“But what if they still don’t accept our terms?” the shorter man asked. “They could kidnap her and use her in their negotiations with The Empire.”
“Guys-”
“They wouldn’t do that,” the big man insisted. “Would they?”
The short one shrugged. “I dunno, maybe. I wouldn’t put it past them.”
“Guys-”
“Still, it’s a risk we’ll have to take,” the woman said. “We might die if the Germans decide to fuck us over, but we’ll definitely die if something doesn’t change.”
Harper Larret stood up. Not a damn person in the room cared at all what happened to her, why was she even there? She walked out of the room and slammed the door behind her. Hopefully, it made them all jump up from their “discussion”. Probably not though.
She went outside and lit a cigarette. It was dangerous for her to be outside alone, she knew that. She was the great Charles Larret’s daughter, natural leader of the revolution against the lizards. You wouldn’t know it though, since she could never get a word in edgewise.
She spit. Fuck those guys. Nobody gave half a damn about her. The only reason they had declared her leader was because of her name. But she wasn’t the leader of anything, just a chess piece to be moved around. She took a long drag on her cigarette.
“If you’re here to kill me, you’ll have to do better than that,” she said to the empty space about twenty feet in front of her.
Three man-sized lizards appeared in the previously empty space. One stepped forward and gave a small bow. “We do not wish to kill you, Ms. Larret. It was simply a precaution.”
Harper cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, then why are you here?”
“We are here to extend an invitation from The Emperor. If you would come with us, please.”
She laughed. “And why exactly would I do that?”
“He has an opportunity he thinks you would be interested in.”
She took another drag on her cigarette. “An opportunity, huh? You know your emperor’s a tyrant, right? I should just kill you three right now and show him what I think of his ‘opportunity’.”
The lizard bowed his head a bit. “You could certainly do that. The three of us are no match for you, but that would do nothing to improve your situation. It is our understanding that things have not been going as well for you as you had hoped. The Emperor can help with that.”
She took one last drag on her cigarette and let it drop to the concrete before crushing it with her boot.
Fuck it. “Let’s go.”
Modern Authors 