***
"You've been kidnapped!" Tasha shouted as soon as he made contact with his friend via the new robotic companion Xana had offered him.
"Yeah, exciting, I know," Riordan said with a long suffering sigh. With the new bot around, he needed to be careful. This metal asshole would tell on him the moment he said anything about Kyle or the young soldier. He had to thread carefully. "Can we meet? Dress with practicality in mind and wear some sensible shoes."
"Don't tell me we're going shopping." Tasha questioned him with his eyes through the screen, but must have been able to tell that they had to act in secrecy.
"Yeah, shopping," Riordan said with a smile.
As soon as the screen flicked to black, Riordan grabbed the front panel. The bot whirred helplessly, proabably realizing too late that was an attack against the integrity of its circuits. "I don't mean to hurt you," Riordan said, "but you gotta help a man out, if you know what I'm saying."
During those boring hours of so-called doing nothing, Riordan had learned plenty about how bots were made. Kyle had been most helpful with his education, and now, the same thing would help him, too.
***
Tasha was waiting for him in one of those strange vehicles, trapped in his cylinder, but he still waved at him. Riordan climbed on the free place and squeezed the thing he had stolen from the bot tightly in his hand, pressing it against his chest. Tasha was probably accompanied by his bot, but that thing, hopefully, wouldn't report about their whereabouts unless they were in any danger, given how disinterested Marn seemed to be in his property.
They were at the shopping district and only when they got out, Riordan realized there was a huge problem with his plan. "What is he doing here?" He pointed at Xer, who had eyes only for Tasha and was completely ignoring him.
"He doesn't let me go to the bathroom to take a leak without offering to hold my dick," Tasha explained. Despite his harsh words, he blushed. Xer smiled, looking happy and aloof, while wrapping one arm around Tasha. For that snakeboy, there was no one else in the universe right now.
Riordan felt a short stab of jealousy. He wished Xana looked like that at him, even if only for a moment. He was, however, a calculated bastard, regardless of how must he enjoyed pumping Riordan's holes with seth and cum.
"I'm here to protect you," Xer eventually said.
"From other dudes like you," Riordan pointed out.
The irony was lost on that young Xeno. Xer nodded. "Yes, there are Xenos around."
Tasha took Riordan's hand. "Are you alright? You want to tell me something, isn't it?"
Riordan hesitated and stared at Xer. Ah, fuck it, he thought. He couldn't wait a moment more. Kyle's main components could very well be on their way to recycling, for all he knew. "I have to get to the landfill. Kyle is there."
Tasha looked at him, surprised. "Your bot? How do you plan to find him?"
"I have my ways. I just need someone with me, since I don't want my sorry ass to end up getting kidnapped again."
Tasha laughed and shook his head. Then, he became serious. "How are we going to get there? All the allowed destinations are hardcoded in the vehicle, I was told."
"Fuck," Riordan let out. "We could get there by foot, though I was hoping--"
"You're not walking anywhere. Not in your condition," Xer intervened, talking to Tasha.
"I'm not handicapped, just a little pregnant," Tasha protested.
"It was a bad idea. I shouldn't have involved you," Riordan said. "I'll find my way there by myself."
"Are you crazy?" Tasha caught his arm. "No way I'm letting you do that."
The redhead could protest all he wanted, but it wasn't his choice to make. Xer was already dragging him towards the vehicle.
"You, dark one," Xer threw over his shoulder, "get in the car, too."
"Screw you, I need my bot," Riordan said.
He hadn't expected the young Xeno to use his tail on him, so he yelped when he was pulled back forcefully. They were already causing a scene, and curious looks were thrown their way.
Riordan found himself close to Tasha while Xer was loading them into the car. "Stop bitching, both of you," the young Xeno said. "I'm not letting you walk. I'm taking you there by car."
"Bitching?" Riordan asked, too surprised to form a coherent thought. "What have you been teaching the boy, Tasha?"
"I swear, he's picking up things by himself," the redhead replied, just as they were stuffed into their cylinders and the car took off.
***