Quaranteam Down Under: Part 9 Blood, Bullets, and Bonds, what’s an Aussie soldier to do? Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. List of Characters: House Marshall: Tiberius ‘Ty’ Marshall, 35, Lieutenant Colonel Australian Army Special Air Service. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear. Charlotte ‘Lottie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, long hair, service submissive. Leticia ‘Lettie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy. Talia Becker, 27, Major Israeli Defense Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, willful, but devoted. Alice Rai, 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive. Elizabeth Connors, 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student, Finance Béatrice Martin, 32, with French Directorate-General for External Security. Tech expert and hobby tinker. Blonde, Blue eyes. House Valiant: Rayne Valiant, 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of Australian Quaranteam Project Research and Development. Simone Jennings, 22, 2nd Lieutenant, Black hair, blue eyes, African descent, one of Rayne's dedicated security. Patricia 'Trish' Barclay, 23, Lieutenant, Blonde hair. Girl next door vibes. House Morgan: Benjamin Morgan, 36, Doctor. Was acting (under duress) on behalf of the same Sheikh as Connors. Ex-wife and daughter kidnapped. Deceased. Grace Lawry, 33, Captain, US Air Force. Tiberius' old friend. Partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project. Theresa Miller, 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Details currently unknown. Critically Injured Others: Zoe Evans, 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student. William 'Bill' Anderson, Colonel. Somewhat stiff, but very capable officer. Barry 'Baz' Davis, Brigadier. Good friend of Tiberius. In charge of personnel at Victoria Barracks. Jaxson Connors, Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Was working with a Sheikh to develop the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo. Juno Claudius, Lawyer friend of Tiberius and the Evans'. Has two children; Bellona(Bella) and Mars, twins, 6 years old. "Tiberius!" He ignored her, finding his uniform pants draped over a nearby chair and shuffling over to them. Putting them on would be an exercise in restraint and skill, what with one arm in a sling and bandages around his midsection. If either of them heard him voice his discomfort, they'd chain him to the bed for sure. He couldn't see his shirt, but then again, he didn't expect to. No matter. Hospital gown and pants would do the trick. "You stubborn oaf! You could have died! You actually were bleeding out! You need to rest and let your body recover before you go pulling any of this nonsense!" Talia was almost screaming the words as she stood there, barely centimeters away, but Ty knew it was coming from a place of worry and stress. Sinking into the chair, he grabbed Talia's wrist and pulled her into his lap. She didn't resist, startled at the suddenness of the action, and the big man wrapped his arm around the beautiful Israeli woman, holding her close. "I get what you're saying. I also get why you're saying it. I appreciate it, my love. But while my health is certainly on your mind, you haven't said what's really bothering you." Ty felt her stiffening at the words 'my love' and suddenly, everything became clear. "Ah. Well. I got a little sidetracked that day, but I had intended to ask you to join me for a private dinner date, just the two of us. And though I reckon the item I ordered isn't quite ready yet, it was nevertheless going to be a night to remember. Tonight still can be that night, though." Taking her left hand in his right, he brought it up to his lips and kissed just over where a ring would go. It was an action filled with a great deal of meaning and Talia buried her head in his chest, clearly unable to keep the smile from her face. "Idiot. With you injured as you are, I wouldn't be able to do half of what I'd want to. Nor would I be able to do it with half as much intensity." She turned her head and gave Béatrice a glance, her smile threatening to split her face in half. "Plus, you will likely have two women to imprint today as it is." The French woman tutted. "Nonsense. I can hold off for another day. I also do have something of a request, if you don't mind, Tiberius?" The big man nodded, sweeping his left arm out for her to continue before remembering that the arm in question was in a sling and not going to move very fast, or without pain. When he winced, Talia shifted and pulled the arm back to his side before getting up and allowing the French woman to take her place on his lap. "Would you take me on another date as well?" For the first time, their eyes met, and though he could see the undertones of lust, there were two overarching emotions in her eyes among the myriad others. One was hope; hope he'd agree. Hope she'd make the impression she clearly thought she hadn't before. Hope that the relationship she'd wanted would bloom this time. But it was the second emotion that brought Ty's brain to a crashing halt. That emotion, in those unforgettable eyes. I know those eyes. Rebooting, his eyes widened and he felt a renewed sense of guilt that he hadn't done right by the woman the last time they'd met. He'd agreed to go out with his brother and the two French ladies, but it hadn't been all that long since his last relationship had ended and he'd been distracted. Ty had to admit that with him being summarily abandoned by his previous partner, he wasn't in the right headspace for a date, but he hadn't been able to say no after just reconciling with his brother. Over the course of that night, Ty hadn't once looked the woman in the eyes. Oh, he'd looked at her, and he'd conversed politely, but that hadn't been fair to her. Sure, he'd been hurting inside, but that gave him no right to hurt others with his casual cruelty. How he wished he could go back and kick himself. And still she looked at him with those azure eyes. Eyes he hadn't seen during their previous encounter. Because I never looked her in the eyes after that. I'm a bastard. "Definitely. And this time, Béa, you will get the evening you deserved the first time. The evening my self-absorbed ass should have given you then." He knew those eyes. He'd seen them once before, long ago. Long before the double date. How had he not put it together in all this time? The borderline obsession she seemed to have with him. Her insistence on him. "Amsterdam. In the alley. That was you." At the mention of the city, Béa smiled so brightly she outshone the sun and she leaned in to kiss the man that had changed her fate all those years ago. Unable to believe it, Ty stared into those eyes; those pools of purest azure blue. When he had last seen them, the woman, Béa, Ty had to correct himself, had much longer hair, and it was midnight black, falling in waves around her face, not the straight ash blonde locks she shared with her sisters. She had been drunk, maybe drugged; he didn't know for sure at the time and hadn't been able to stick around for the report. He and two of the guys from the unit had been on leave, crawling through the pubs and nightlife of the famous city when they'd come across the scene. Six men were holding her down while she struggled. Their intent was clear, and the three Australians had intervened. Three highly trained soldiers against a group of drunks. It wasn't anything as overstated as a fight. It was cleaned up in less than thirty seconds and while his companions had watched over the groaning goons, Ty had checked Béa's injuries. She had seemed dazed, but at the very least she was conscious. He knelt beside her and pulled his jacket off, checking for severe damage before he covered her. He could already see the bruises forming on her face, and scowled, wanting to turn and inflict further injury on the clowns behind him, but he met her gaze and was frozen to the spot. Those perfect azure eyes. At that moment, they were filled with fear and panic at the situation around her, but they were no less beautiful for it. He spoke gently, his eyes never wandering, not knowing if she spoke English, but he tried nevertheless, hoping his tone would do enough to keep her calm while he called for a cab. He could see that it was having some effect, as the fear and panic in them was slowly, but surely replaced with calm, and then something else. It was only when the cab arrived that he broke eye contact and lifted her in his arms. Ty gave the cabbie a single word, hospital, as he gently placed the bruised woman in the back seat and sat down beside her. All the while, her gaze never left Ty's face; her hand gripping his sleeve like a lifeline. The moment they entered the hospital, the staff took one look and forcibly separated them, holding Ty in the lobby while security glared at him. At some point, a couple of others raced past him, their ash blonde hair flying like banners behind them. Ty ignored them, his attention focused on the security people who looked ready to attack him at any moment. Eventually, a nurse came in and apologized, letting him know that Béa had vouched for him, but that she couldn't allow visitors aside from family, and they were already there. He nodded and asked the nurse to pass on a message, saying that he had to leave. He gave her a note with his name and a message to look him up if she was ever in Australia. With that, he had turned and left. Back in the moment, Béa, still straddling Ty's lap, pulled something out of her chest pocket and showed it to the big man. He glanced down at it reluctantly, not wanting to break eye contact, but had to do a double take when he saw what it was. The note. Clearly laminated as if to preserve it. His eyes found hers again, and she smiled as the tears began to flow. Those eyes hadn't changed at all. They were, just as they had been 10 years ago in that darkened alley, watching him, filled with adoration. "Finally, you see me, mon amour. I have long awaited this day." "I wasn't the only one to help you, Béa. Why me?" "I have long since tracked down the other two and thanked them for what they did. I did also tell them not to tell you about it, since I wanted to thank you myself. I even saw one of them again at your base when I got here the other day. But to answer the real question, there was no singular reason why. I simply fell in love. And now that we are on equal footing, I can only hope that you will too." Ty had no response and Béa just smiled. Ty had expected tears from Zoe. The young woman had been through a lot over the last year, and any threat of losing what little she had left could destabilize her. When he made his way to her room, just a couple of doors from his own, he was greeted, not by tears but by her throwing things at him. He dodged the best he could and wrapped her in a hug. "You stupid prick! What would we have done if you died! You need to be more careful!" "You'd pick up the pieces and go on. You'd have to, sweetheart. But I didn't die, and I promise I'll take better care of myself. I get that I have a responsibility to all of you, but that isn't going to stop me from doing my job." Her voice dropped to barely a whisper as she nuzzled into his chest. "A lot of people would be very sad if you died, Ty. More people than you even realize, so please, be more careful." Ty had no time to ponder the words as Zoe pulled away and leaned upwards, giving him a chaste peck on the lips. Liz gave him a quick hug and kiss and looked to be about to speak, when suddenly, Alice was there, hooking her arm in his before pulling him out of the room. He was actually staggering backwards as she pulled him around the corner and back into his own room. He was just catching his balance as he turned, watching her shove the door shut before she laid a ferocious kiss on him. Not one to shy away from an aggressive woman, Ty responded, grunting only slightly as Alice's hands shifted and brushed the bandages wrapped around his midsection. But she didn't let go, burying her face in his neck. "I'm sorry, but I've only just found you, Sir. You can't go around getting yourself killed." Ty sighed. "I'm sure I'll be hearing variations of this all day, beautiful, so I won't apologize right now, but like I told Zoe, I promise I'll be more careful." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Alice, were there any other casualties? Either here or from Ray's Team?" "A nurse. She was beaten unconscious and stuffed in a laundry closet." "Probably the same closet the gunmen got the scrubs they were wearing from. I can't believe those clowns actually did the whole trope thing. Is she gonna be okay?" "She's battered and bruised, but she'll heal. Admin will make sure she goes to therapy and the other nurses will keep an eye on her for a while." "Good. Now, how are you holding up? You've carefully avoided mentioning that." Ty could feel his beautiful doctor shudder as he asked the question, so he wrapped his arms around her tighter. "I was terrified that either the abdominal wound or the head wound was fatal. At the time, with all the blood, it was impossible to tell how bad it was. Tiberius, I can't lose you. I just can't." "I'm thankful I have a hard head. Now, I want you to look at me, Alice." She looked up, and her ice blue eyes met his, filled with anxiety. "I am right here. I am alive and you are mine, beautiful. So I need you to look at me and understand that I am here. If you ever need reassurance, touch that choker and remind yourself that you are claimed, and my word is your law. I gave you certain tenets to abide by when we pledged ourselves to one another. I'm adding one more, and this you will abide by, whether you hate me for it or not. Even if something should happen to me, you will move on and live until it is your time. I will not dictate that you should find another, that is a choice you must make. But you will continue living to the best of your ability, because I love you and do not want for you to follow me into death should the worst happen." As the words spilled out, Alice's expression grew horrified and she made to speak, but Ty put a finger to her lips. "I'm not done. This isn't being done to hurt you, nor am I planning on charging into more gunfights. I am giving you this order for my peace of mind, so that even if an accident were to occur, I wouldn't go knowing I dragged someone I love with me. I plan to live a long, happy life with all of you, so don't get all bent out of shape, okay?" She still looked conflicted, but she nodded. "Can I assume you want the same for everyone in the family?" "Absolutely. Now, according to Talia and Béa, the twins and Grace will be here soon, so let's gather everyone up in Zoe's room and have our discussions." Alice looked surprised, then nodded. "Zoe didn't tell you? She said the woman you spoke to just before the attack is also coming. Her aunt?" Ty smiled. "Not by blood. Same way I'm occasionally called 'Uncle Ty', Juno is 'Auntie J'. They've been close since she was an infant, even more so than me. Hell, I haven't actually seen Juno in person in almost 6 years. We've just both ended up so busy. It seems lawyering and soldiering have pretty bad compatibility, timewise. I've never even had a chance to meet her kids." Alice looked taken aback. "Not once? In six years?" "Nope. We're never in the same place long enough. I barely spent time here at home until this year, and then it was in lockdown, and I was injured. I couldn't go and meet them because while the kids may not suffer the effects of DuoHalo, they're carriers, and if they had it and gave it to me, I'd probably be dead, so we'd have never met. I admit, now that I'm not in danger, I'm looking forward to it. I've sent them a lot of gifts over the years, and I'd like for them to be able to put a face and voice to my name." Alice gave him a gentle smile. "You really do like kids, huh." "Very much so. I'm already looking forward to you telling me you're carrying ours, beautiful. We now know it all works, at least as of seven years ago." Her smile grew, along with a definite blush. "Any one of the last few times we've been together may have taken. The timing is right, but we'll have to wait and see. I truly hope it did, though I would never tell my master no if he wanted more of me." She placed a hand on her belly and then pushed Ty down onto the edge of the bed. "But that's a question to be answered another day. Take that gown off. I need to check your bandages, and then we shall go and have your conference." Ty grinned. He could smell her arousal, and his instincts were threatening to take over. Pulling her to him, he claimed her lips before kissing his way down her neck, his good arm holding her in place while he used his other to tweak her nipple over her clothes. "Maybe you can check a few other things, too, beautiful. Undress." She hesitated for just a moment, her professional concern warring with her desires. "Tiberius; we shouldn't. Your injuries;” He finished the thought for her. "Will be fine, beautiful. If it'll make you feel better, you can control the pace. Now undress and help me back out of these pants." Taking a deep breath, she complied, unbuttoning his pants and sliding them down before her hands found the buttons on her blouse. Ty felt a growl building in his throat, and his kisses went from her neck down the curves of her marvelous tits, still sheathed in her bra. It wasn't anything particularly fancy, but Ty supposed she hadn't expected to be seducing anyone. Nevertheless, it was in the way. "If I were an impatient man, Alice, I'd be biting my way through this bit of cloth already. But I'd hate to ruin a good bra." She giggled, reaching up to undo the hook. "I thank you for your restraint, because in doing so you would get a mouthful of wire too. I'm rather generously equipped, my oh-so-patient master. The girls need the support and bras for larger cups are a nightmare to find." She dropped her upper garments to the floor, and Ty wasted no time latching onto a nipple as she began to undo the button on her pants. "Beautiful, we definitely need to get some milk going here. Can you turn on the spigot?" His voice was muffled as he spoke around a mouthful of tit, and Alice laughed at the strange sensations and stranger words. "I'll get right on that, sir. Give me about sixteen weeks from conception." Dropping to her knees, she sucked his length into her mouth, taking it as deep as she could right away. Ty let his good hand find the back of her head and pushed down, getting himself even deeper in her throat. "That's it. Get it all the way down. You want me to be good and ready. Once I'm nice and slippery, go ahead and take a ride. You can control the pace." He paused, stroking her head for a moment and smiling as his hands ran across her signature Alice band. "Gods, you're fucking perfect. How did I ever get so lucky?" Alice pulled off his cock and looked him in the eye. There was passion in her eyes and she gave his shaft a good lick as she rose. "The same way I did in finding my perfect master. Serendipity and a mutual friend who knows us too well. But, well, it was love at first sight for me." Her eyes softened as she lined up her sex with his, and Ty could see the love she had for him as she gently slid herself onto his shaft. Bottoming out, she squeezed him for a moment before slowly rocking her hips back and forth. Ty ground his hips into her, but she squeezed down against him and pushed him onto his back. "Please, sir. Let me pleasure you with my dripping cunt. You just lie back and enjoy. " She bounced carefully on his cock for a few minutes and Ty felt his climax building, so he reached forward and started playing with Alice's clit, rubbing and flicking. She writhed under his hand but ground her hips harder. "Oh god, I'm going to cum. Sir, please, can I cum? Please master, I need to cum!" "Very well, cum for me, beautiful. Let yourself go." He pinched her engorged nub and twisted it, drawing a scream of pleasure from the woman. Her back arched and she fell forwards, her body spasming. Ty was close, so he ground his hips and she groaned, hypersensitive since she was still right in the middle of her first orgasm. "Now, my love, have another. Cum!" He felt himself reach his own climax and he blasted his load deep into the lovely mixed-race woman. Alice's eyes rolled into her head as the sensations of a second orgasm completely overwhelmed her and she fell limp onto his chest. Her chest heaved; her pillowy tits being visibly crushed between them as she lay there. "I love you, Tiberius." Ty kissed the top of her head. He was a little sore, and he thought one of his stitches might be oozing a little, but it was fine. The expression on Alice's face was worth it. "Likewise, beautiful. Likewise." "I never expected to be manhandled by my own partners. Oh, the ignominy." Ty lamented, grinning as the others filed into Zoe's hospital room. Each was giving him their own twist on a greeting that had more sexual overtones than an erotic novel. He was relishing every moment. Lettie swatted at his arm, giving him a tired smile back as she moved to sit. "Unlike you, who's been laying around, we've been busy, big guy. I'm sure Talia filled you in, but Grace is waiting outside, as per your request. Dr. Morgan's other two partners are here with her since it would be silly for us to split them up and add more guards into the rotation." "Makes sense. Anything else?" "Juno is on her way, too. She wanted to get the kids." Zoe squeaked at the news, grinning from ear to ear, but said nothing. Smiling at the younger woman, Lettie continued. "So, to the actual topic. You want our opinions on Grace, do you?" "Yes. And whether we add her to this Team; this family." Ty put a definite emphasis on the final word, meeting every woman's gaze. "You could just do it, and not worry about that." Ty gave her a look that said he didn't believe that for an instant. "Uh huh, and the odds of me surviving that unilateral decision?" "Zero. But you could, and we wouldn't be able to do anything about it once it was done. Nevertheless, my opinion is that she's awesome. A badass that generally has her head on straight. She's in." Talia nodded. "I admit, I did have concerns about her jumping over so quickly, but Tiberius did point out the same things as we discussed last night. I can comfortably say that he's not pushing her for his own reasons." That caused the big soldier to do a double take, and Talia gave him a smirk. "Please, did you honestly think we had not already discussed it amongst ourselves? We're all in approval. We just wanted to see how you were going to handle the situation." Frowning, he looked around the room again. "Was my reaction to your satisfaction then? Did I pass the test?" They all went quiet, watching him. While he was genuinely upset at being tested, he could also understand their uncertainty, so he tamped down on that emotion and just sighed. "Could one of you please bring her in here then? She should be a part of these discussions, seeing as how you all already seem to consider her one of us." The others visibly sagged in relief, and Béa opened the door and gestured to Grace, who sprinted in and almost threw herself at Ty. "Oy, hold up, wait, I'm inju..” The words devolved into a groan as Grace squeezed his midsection tight, sniffling into his chest. He could just barely hear the words as she spoke, all the while refusing to leave his embrace. "Thank you, Ty." He patted her on the back and then lowered his hand and gently squeezed her ass, prompting an almost manic giggle from the woman. "Now while I'd normally love for you to stay right where you are, you're squeezing right where I've been stitched up, Grace. Sit beside me, by all means, but please let go of my middle." She hesitated for only a moment, pulling away and sitting beside him, her hand finding his. "I; uh; sorry. I wasn't thinking." "It's fine. I'm just a little tender. So," He paused, then turned towards Grace. "So, you have this 'reset' process. How long ago did you learn about this? Have you already taken the reset serum?" "Not yet. I can't say all of this with absolute certainty since a lot of it is still paper theory, but from what I'm given to understand, as soon as a woman takes it, her body goes into a frenzy and she needs to be paired immediately." "Frenzy?" "Basically, the woman acts as though she has gone without an encounter for over ten days, irrespective of when her last one was. She's not in her own mind at that moment, which is why we needed to make our decisions early, while we still have our clarity. As for us learning about it, I believe that we only learned about it early this month. Even I was only told because of my position here, and the fact that it might be the only thing that saves lives. But I've also been warned that it's only to be used as an emergency method and if its use is required, they want data. But every precaution needs to be taken to protect lives so it's not even needed." "So that, along with the fact that we have an existing relationship, means you want to be reassigned to me." "Among other things, yes." Grace looked pensive, and then around the room. "It may sound strange, but I believe that there is a chemical component to the serum that kicks in after pairing that helps partners get along. I think it's so that the initial stages of the partnership are smoother, and the relationship grows naturally within that buffer. I say this, because the more time that passed, the more I felt that Ben and I were too dissimilar from one another for the compatibility figure Oracle gave me to be real. The closeness I felt at first started to feel alien to me in recent weeks. It's possible that it was the stress Ben was under, but I think it was just that the chemical bond wasn't strong enough to overcome the actual disparity in our personalities. I thought we connected, but I think it's also because something was making me more malleable." "I see. Content, as opposed to happy. So, what makes you think it will be any better between us?" Taking a deep breath, she gestured at each woman in turn. "I already know you, and if presented with you in a list of men to partner with, I'd instantly choose you. So, I know that even if there's some chemical balancing thing happening, all it will do is make it easier for me to mourn the loss of an otherwise good man, since I already have plenty of goodwill towards you. And I think just about every woman here has at least some history with you, except Dr. Rai and Miss Connors, correct? Then they all knew what they were getting into when they agreed to be partnered with you. It's the same for me." Ty had to stifle the laugh, but he couldn't help the wry smile. "I don't think any of them agreed so much as they told me what was happening. Pretty sure Alice was the only one of all of my existing and soon-to-be partners with whom I had anything resembling a choice. Mind you, I'm not complaining." Lottie actually snorted. "No, Ty. Even with Alice you didn't really have a choice. It was obvious from the moment you met that the two of you were meant to be." "There you go then. The entire process was out of my hands. Even adding you into the family was basically decided before I was even conscious of there being a choice. Again, not that I'm complaining." Lettie gave him an exasperated look. "For someone who 'isn't complaining', that sounded a whole lot like a series of complaints." Ty just shrugged and squeezed Grace's hand gently. "No comment. Either way, you always had my approval, Grace, and I really do understand where you're coming from with the history thing. As far as Ben Morgan goes, I wish I had the opportunity to get to know the real him. After you told me about it, I wondered whether the him I saw that first day was the real him. Now, I think it might have been, and that it was able to come out because he believed the end of his ordeal was near." Then he let his demeanor change and looked around the room. "With the family part settled, it's the business part now. A question for my military ladies; how is this situation being handled upstairs?" Lettie's expression went from exasperation to concern in a heartbeat. "Colonel Anderson is seconds from conducting a witch hunt. He believes someone on the inside gave the Sheikh's people your and Ray's location. I think it's possible, but;” "Unlikely. Yeah, it wouldn't be hard to just follow one of us home or to work. Hell, a simple RC toy with a camera could do it, but considering the prick has money to burn, they probably used a state-of-the-art drone with GPS and whatnot. Still, if the Colonel wants to vet all of our people, that's on him. But what external response are we taking? These fuckers attacked us, in Ray's home and in a place of healing. They don't get away scot free. And I'm sure the Americans want vengeance for the harm brought to their own." Grace nodded. "I've heard through the grapevine that some of the upper echelons are considering just going scorched earth. I've heard the phrase 'shove a Hellfire up his ass' more than once." "That would be a terrible idea. We need a quiet team to go in and dispatch the fucker. If they blow the place sky high, any chance of keeping the whole thing quiet goes up in smoke too. Then people are going to ask why. We can't tell them." Lottie looked pensive. "Not to mention, any captives he might still have would die with him." Ty sat up straight. "Captives? What captives?" Talia jumped in, her face a mix of contrition and disgust. "I'm sorry, we didn't have time to tell you. Dr. Morgan was being coerced. They had his ex-wife and their daughter captive. The wife; was clearly beaten and; Tiberius, the child; they;” His jaw just fell open. "To a child? Fuck. Off. I thought they had him financially, like Connors;” He took a deep breath, and everyone in the room could see his eyes go cold. "Now I'm doubly sure we need to do it quietly. Get in, kill him and his scumbags and bring any survivors back with us. He needs to die with no fanfare. To be ground into the dust of history without even a footnote. Maybe I should ask if I can go with them." Grace nodded, gritting her teeth. "It can be a joint op. I'll talk to my higher ups too. He's clearly compromised an individual working for the US Government and endangered their families. I'm actually thinking someone in command might be compromised too, because the more I consider it, the more my partnering with Ben doesn't make sense. I genuinely think it was forced. We can't let that stand, for a lot of reasons." "Ty. You can't get involved." Lettie's voice cut through the conversation and everyone turned to look at her. "Even if you didn't have a personal stake in this, which immediately makes you ineligible for any mission involving him anyway, you have a job to do. So do it and leave this animal to Colonel Anderson and the Americans." Ty wanted to glare at her and tell her that wasn't going to happen, but she was right, so he just sighed and leaned back. A nod was the only acknowledgement. She looked like she wasn't quite convinced, but the conversation was derailed as Zoe checked her phone. "Lettie, Auntie J should be here really soon, so could you meet her outside and get her to sign all the paperwork and stuff? I think it'll be very important and it would probably be a good thing to have a lawyer around." The redhead looked like the wind had been taken out of her sails, but she nodded and left the room with her tablet. Zoe watched her leave and then turned her head to face Tiberius. "I think we're all thinking the same thing, Ty. Lettie's right. You can't be objective here since you were directly involved. I mean, Rayne was also attacked, right? So, don't you think Lettie wants to do the same as you? But she's holding herself back, so you should too." The big soldier was impressed and he gave the young woman a wide smile. "When did you get so wise, sweetheart?" "I had to do a lot of growing up this year. I guess it just came naturally." It was clear she was trying to tough it out, but everyone could see her quivering lip. The smile slipped from Tiberius' face and he stood, walking over to take the young woman in his arms. "You grew up more than you should have had to. You and Liz both." He sighed, looking over towards Liz who stared back, her eyes seemingly filled with a soft light. "The two of you are still at an age where you should be out building your futures and having some fun; all while safe in the knowledge that your families will back you up. Honestly, I'd like nothing more than for the two of you to be able to step back into that life, but our circumstances don't allow for that." The fire in the young brunette's eyes flared to life and Liz spoke up angrily. "I stepped into this knowing what I was getting into, Tiberius. Just because I don't want to have sex ..” "It has nothing to do with that, Liz. You're barely into your 20s. You've not had the opportunities the rest of us have. Your entire generation is being denied those opportunities because of this pandemic." "Those of us that live, you mean." Liz's gaze was boring into Tiberius. Ty paused, closing his eyes and nodding to avoid seeing the pain that was on full display around the room. "Yes. Have you two considered what you're going to do when the pandemic ends? Are you going to finish your studies?" Zoe shrugged. "A lot of what I was learning was more business management than actual design. I want to spend some time actually making things again, but I will finish my degree, because that will help me when I want to start a business of my own." Liz seemed more certain. "I intend to finish as soon as I can. We have a lot of roles in the house already filled, so if I can become our financial expert that's one less thing for us to worry about." Ty let the smile come back as he nodded vehemently. "That's excellent thinking, both of you. I think we'd all appreciate having someone in-house to handle our money. Zoe, when you know what you want to do about that business you mentioned, come let us know. No matter who you end up with, we'll always be family. We'll support you." Zoe froze, looking for all the world like a lost child as she turned her head up to look at Ty. "What do you mean 'whoever I end up with'? I'm joining your Team, Ty." It was Ty's turn to look lost. "I was thinking you'd want the opportunity to be with someone closer to your age." "For someone supposedly smart, you're completely clueless sometimes. Why do you think I want to get my Oracle survey done sooner? It's so I can get matched and prove that I belong here. I've been dreaming about you for a long time, so there's no way I'm going to miss the opportunity to make that dream a reality." Truth be told, Ty had known that she'd had a crush on him, but he'd thought it was just that; a crush. "And you won't regret this? As you know, you don't get to change your mind unless I make one of these women mad enough to end me." Talia rolled her eyes. "Get yourself shot again. Then I'll do us all a favor and put you out of our misery." Everyone laughed, and Zoe nodded. "It's what I've always wanted. I just figured you'd say I was too young, so I never brought it up." Ty nodded his head at Liz. "My ability to use that as an argument vanished a couple of days ago when I bonded with Liz here. After all, what's two years in the grand scheme of things? You're a legal adult. So, I had to wait and see if you'd bring it up, or if you'd keep us in the roles of extended family. I'd support you either way. Just, no more radio silence, okay? We died a little for every day that we couldn't reach you." "I'm not leaving. If you want me gone, you'll have to throw me out." There was a finality to the tone and Ty just smiled ruefully. "Noted. Never going to happen, but noted." The group let the minutes pass, chatting about everything and nothing. Tiberius was sitting beside Béatrice, speaking quietly. He'd realized the woman was restless, and it dawned on him that she must have been injected before she'd learned that he was unconscious. Ty was just promising to take care of it that night when Zoe's phone beeped and she looked at the text. "Ok, she's signed and they're coming up. Ty, Auntie J has a lot to talk about, so before you get mad at her, could you please listen to everything she has to say?" Ty couldn't help but frown. "That sounds like you know something." "Promise me." He gave the young woman a long look but relented. Zoe's expression was unlike anything he'd ever seen her make. "Fine. I promise. Now answer me. What do you know?" "I know everything. But I can't talk about it because I promised. She'll explain. Just; don't be mad. Auntie J; Juno had her reasons." "I promised I'd hear her out, Zoe. But I think we have some time. If Lettie is going to read her into the program, she'll take a minute or two to come to terms with everything. So let me ask you a few things." He thought for a minute then asked. "When was the last time you saw Juno or the kids?" "Oh; maybe early March? Via video call. Before that was just before Christmas." "So, you've met the kids?" "Of course? They're adorable!" Ty took a deep breath. "Last question. What happened to Craig?" She gave Ty a look that would have said volumes, if only he'd learned to speak Woman. "I'll let her answer that. You should go back to your room and speak to her in private." Ty nodded, but he didn't quite understand the point. Nevertheless, he moved, returning to his room and sitting on the bed again. He had been trying to ignore the niggling feeling in the pit of his stomach after his exchange with Zoe. Within a few minutes, the door opened again, and Juno Claudius, the woman he hadn't seen in person in over half a decade, stepped through. "Hi Tiberius. I guess we have a bit to talk about." "Juno." Ty looked her over, seeing that time and motherhood had only made her more attractive. She had always been, even though she'd always carried a bit of extra weight. Not fat or obese, just; curvy. Ty thought it suited her. Her walnut brown hair was pulled into a loose bun and she was dressed in a blouse and jeans. Casual. He remembered that it had been the style she preferred. Now though, she seemed to have lost a bit of that weight as her curves seemed to have smoothed out, flowing more naturally. Her hazel eyes were gentle, still carrying a hint of mischief in them. Her face, punctuated by a smallish aquiline nose, gave her the impression of being a little tired, but who could blame a mother of two young kids for that. There was also a certain grace to her movements now, something she must have developed over the last few years, because Ty certainly didn't remember her hips swaying so much before. He shook himself, pulling his thoughts back to her. "It's been a while, huh." She gave him a smile, having seen where his eyes had wandered. "Just a bit. You look good. Really good. Motherhood agrees with you, I think." "Don't lie, Ty. My ass got even bigger after I had the twins." "Just who told you that you had a big ass to begin with?" Juno flamed scarlet and clamped her mouth shut. "Never mind that. I heard from Zoe that you got hurt. How bad is it?" "According to one of my partners, Talia, they didn't hit anything vital." She looked at him, her eyes clearly fixated on his head and he chuckled. "Don't say it, I know." Juno shrugged and continued. "Yeah. Leticia told me about this whole Quaranteam thing. Naturally, I signed the documents. Didn't figure you'd go for the whole polyamory thing, stud." "Originally, I don't know that I would have. But I was given some advice that really made it easier for me to accept the whole thing. Plus, it is true that I love them. How about you? I know you've been keeping safe, but how is the family? How's Craig?" Juno's expression turned sheepish. "The family is fine. Dad and mum hunkered down on the ranch, so they've been okay. Their hands are all being safe, so they've avoided any serious damage. As for Craig; I have a confession to make about him." Ty tilted his head. "Go on." "He was never my boyfriend. It was a lie. Mostly so you wouldn't worry." She turned her head away and mumbled, but Ty still heard the words. "And so you wouldn't suspect." Deciding tact was the order of the moment, he asked. "Worry about what?" "Me being a single mum. About how I got pregnant." Ty rolled his eyes. "I rather think I know how that part works, Juno." Ty could have sworn he heard a snort from outside but ignored it. He'd expected at least some eavesdroppers. Juno looked exasperated. "No, I don't mea ..” The door slid open a little and Ty's eyes slid towards it, but there was no one there. He had a thought and started to look down, but his brain came to a halt when he heard the little gasp. "Mars! Come look, it's Daddy! He's just like the pictures!" Ty couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. His eyes locked with the tiny pair in front of him and he knew. Steel grey irises looked back at him, filled with wonder, joined quickly by another pair of identical orbs. All of his muscles went limp, and he slid off the bed, crashing to his knees. Juno just stood there, tears flowing as her children finally, for the first time in their lives, met their father. "H-How? When? I;” Ty shook his head and focused his attention back on the kids. "Bellona, Mars, hi. I; I'm;” The two children didn't share Ty's confusion as they ran towards him, stopping just in front of his kneeling form. He finally got to see them and it began to make sense. Six years of care to avoid him seeing them. Bellona's hair was the same walnut brown as her mother's, with the same nose too. Her eyes though, were all his, just like Mars'. But where Bella took after her mother, Mars was a tiny copy of Ty. Though he too had the walnut brown hair, his steel grey eyes and general body shape was identical to how Ty himself had been at that age. He just took them both in, unable to say anything. Why had she kept this from him? Ty couldn't comprehend it. He realized that he'd been staring at the kids and it was there that they showed the first signs of hesitation as they stared back at the big soldier. Bella proved to be the courageous one. "You're our Daddy, right?" Slowly, she gained her confidence, and momentum followed. "Mummy showed us lots of pictures of you, so we knew right away. Are you hurt? Mummy was very sad you couldn't live with us, but she said that you were really, really busy with work. Are you not busy anymore? Will you come live with us now? That would make Mummy really happy, and we wouldn't get lonely anymore!" Ty's brain finally remembered how to string words together, so he spoke, trying not to let his voice crack with the attempt. "Yes, Bella, I guess I am. I got a little hurt, but I'll be okay. The doctor made me all better. I; I'm so sorry I haven't been there, darling. Like mummy said, I've been so busy. I had no idea you and your brother were lonely. I'll do better, I promise. And if mummy wants that, then maybe we can all live together. That'd be nice." "Can we hug you? We really wanted to." Bella reached out, her small hands seeming hesitant, almost lost. Mars was slightly hidden behind his sister, but Ty could see that the young boy's, his son's gaze was locked solidly on him and was that; yearning in his eyes? Ty turned his gaze to meet Juno, who nodded, and he opened his arms, even the one in the sling, as best he could. The children both slammed into him and he squeezed them tight. Mars' hug was beyond fierce as he threw his arms around Ty's neck. "Dad! I really wanted to see you. Mummy said I was being a good boy by waiting, but it was hard. Uncle Craig said I had to be strong cause I'm the man while you're away." This time, Ty did choke up. "You did good, kiddo. I'm so proud of you. Thank you for protecting your mum and sister for me." "Bella did good too, dad. She did chores and ate her vegetables and helped mummy." "Of course she did, kiddo. She's your sister and I'm very proud of her too." The pain in his arm and stomach meant nothing right at that moment. This revelation changed everything he knew. He couldn't stop the tears and he could hear the children beginning to sniffle in his embrace. It wasn't long before they were all sobbing, Juno having swept in and wrapped herself around all three of them. "You've both grown so big and I'm so, so sorry I haven't been there for you, but that's all over. Dad's here now, and he's not going away again." His voice cracked with all of the emotion, and the pure wonder and joy threatened to overwhelm him. Tiberius had no idea how long they sat there, huddled together, but eventually, the children's sobs quietened, their breathing evened out. They had exhausted themselves and fallen asleep. He and Juno now sat on the bed, Ty cradling both children in his lap. He was still searching for the right words when Juno started speaking. "I'm so sorry I never told you. I was just so afraid." Not knowing how to respond to that without anger clouding his words, Ty just segued. "They know me, huh? Just like the 'pictures'." Juno couldn't help the small smile. "Photos and videos of you. Courtesy of Zoe and Mattie. The kids have always known you were their father. That's part of what made it so much harder to let you meet them." Ty felt the sting of it, even though it wasn't intended. "When, Juno? I don't remember us ever;” "At Toby and Mattie's. New Years. How much of that night do you remember?" Ty's mind tried to go back to that night and he realized that he really didn't remember much of it, at least after a certain point. They'd been drinking, that was a given. Juno had been matching him drink for drink, and they'd both been pretty drunk. Toby was a lightweight, down by 10PM, and just cruising with his buzz. Mattie was a fish. She'd drunk more than either Ty or Juno and was still going strong. But it was after Mattie had pulled out a bottle of tequila that things really got blurry. "Christ, how much of that tequila did we drink? The last thing I remember was Mattie slamming the bottle onto the table and then I woke up naked in the guest room." Juno giggled. "Mattie had two shots for each one we did. I stopped at two. You did five. I think Mattie was taking Toby upstairs because she was half asleep by that point, and we were in no condition to go back home, so I think we both staggered into the guest room downstairs and crashed." "If that's the case, then how did we end up; ?" Juno's voice dropped to just above a whisper. "I woke up naked and horny. I'd always been attracted to you, though I never believed you'd go for someone like me. I guess I was still drunk enough at the time to think that I'd have a chance." She shrugged, looking a little wistful. "But despite still being drunk, I remember this clearly. I kissed you, and you turned and latched onto me and kissed back. I thought at first you were asleep and just responding, but you looked me in the eyes and said my name. After that, I guess I; we got really into it." Ty swallowed. He'd thought that particular encounter was a dream, along with everything that followed. It had been so hazy, after all. "Oh shit. Oh shit! I was sure I dreamed that, and since I woke up alone and you never mentioned it; plus I thought I'd drunk enough that I'd probably have had whiskey cock anyway, so I wrote it off as a really pleasant dream." Juno shook her head vehemently. "You definitely did not have performance issues. But that's beside the point. After we did it, we fell asleep again. When I woke up, it was still pretty early, but I freaked out. I could feel what had happened between my legs, and I panicked. I cleaned us up, got dressed and bolted. Mattie saw me in a panic and figured out what happened, but I swore her to secrecy. I guess she kept that promise, since you clearly had no idea. I got home and was too preoccupied with the fact that it happened to even consider that we hadn't used protection, so I did nothing to prevent it from happening." She placed a hand on her stomach and sighed heavily. "A month later I missed my period and needless to say, I panicked again. That I hadn't had a partner in months before or since told me for sure that they were yours, by the way." Ty could feel his anger bubbling in his gut. "Well, the late September birthday certainly checks out. And yeah, the moment I saw them, there was never any question. Mars is me at his age, and Bella is all you but the eyes. She's going to be a heartbreaker when she grows up. But Juno, why did you hide it from me after you learned you were pregnant? I would have helped! I would have taken responsibility. I never wanted to be an absent parent!" Her eyes quivered and she put a hand on the children's heads, as if reassuring herself they were there. "There were a number of reasons. The first was I didn't want you to be disgusted with me for what happened. I was a friend, but I was never a romantic interest for you. I didn't want you to think that I had taken advantage while you were out of it. I realized later that I had taken advantage anyway. You recognized me, and you reacted and responded, but you weren't actually there." Ty just sat there silently, waiting for her to continue. Telling her that he wouldn't have said no wouldn't do either of them any favors just then. "The second was that if you knew, you'd do exactly what you said. You'd take responsibility, and that would likely mean you resigning from your job. You love your work, and I couldn't have that on my conscience, just because of my indiscretion." He couldn't let that one go. "Our indiscretion. It takes two to tango, Juno. Not that I actually consider it an indiscretion. Had you told me, I could have asked for a transfer to a different role. Stayed closer to home. Like I said, I would have taken responsibility. I would never have let you go it alone." "That was the third thing that scared me. In doing it and getting pregnant, I had stepped into your relationship with the twins. I knew how you felt then, and I know how you feel now. You were still waffling at the time, but you know and I know that you've had them in your heart from the beginning. So, I hid it, and did everything in my power to keep you in the dark. And then when this pandemic hit and we started to hear about just how many men were dying, I came to realize what I was doing. I had denied you your agency on something so incredibly important. I had denied you your children." Ty felt his mind seize up at the words. His children. It was true. He had missed so much of their lives because she'd hidden it. He wouldn't have been mad that the pregnancy happened. Hell, he'd been over the moon for her when she'd told him she was pregnant. But not being told that they were his? He could feel the anger go from a low simmer into a violent boil, but he did also understand her thinking. They'd always been close, but he and Juno had never been romantically involved. Juno had said it was because he wasn't interested, but that wasn't exactly true. He'd avoided the subject, partially because he hadn't wanted to upset their dynamic and partially because Juno had always had a steady boyfriend. Her strong will and otherwise outgoing nature had meant that she was popular with a large variety of people, so when she'd turned up pregnant, he figured it was one of those boyfriends. It started to make more sense once he added Craig into the picture. Ty tried to keep his voice level as he spoke. "Craig was to throw me off. He looked similar enough to the kids that from a distance I wouldn't question it even if I accidentally ran into you on the street. You said he wasn't a boyfriend, so who was he to you? Mars called him Uncle Craig." Juno blushed but didn't hesitate. "A distant relative. He moved here six months before that night, and I asked him for his help." Ty hummed an acknowledgment. "He's doing okay? I realize I didn't even ask about him, and that's pretty shitty of me." "He's doing fine. He hunkered down with his partner and they're both doing just fine. I do grocery runs for them. After all, Craig helped me out when I needed it, so I'm happy to do it when he needs it. But we were never involved." Ty gave her a guilty smile. "Even if you were, it's not like I'd judge you for it. He's a good-looking dude, and from everything I know about him, a good guy. And you're beautiful, even if you won't admit it." "He may be good looking, but I'm way outside of his strike zone. To him, I was born with the wrong equipment." Ty had been about to question Craig's sanity when the words clicked. "Oh." They sat in silence for a moment, before Ty took a deep breath, leaning back slightly. "I have to say it. Juno, I'm furious that you made the choices you did. I understand them, but I'm no less angry. I'm furious with you because you made the choice for me. I'm furious with myself because I never put it together. I missed out on six years of their life because I was blind." He looked down at the two sleeping angels and then back up at Juno. "I want to be a part of their lives. Yours too, and I'll tell you now. The fact that we had sex when we were drunk doesn't bother me in the slightest. I don't consider you as having taken advantage, because I certainly would have been more than willing, even if I was stone cold sober. I mostly wish that I could remember it, because I'm certain it would have been a night to remember." Juno seemed to find a fresh reserve of tears, because they were running down her face again. "Promise you won't take them from me? I'd just die if you took my babies. That was the final reason." Startled, Ty grabbed her hands. "Jesus, Juno, I'd never do that. I just want to be an active part of their lives. I'm not letting them ever say that they're sad because daddy's not around again." "So, what then? What do you propose we do?" Ty hesitated for a moment. "I'd; like for you to do your Oracle survey. We can see what your compatibility comes out as, but it's more of a formality. If you're not against it, I'd like for you to join the family." Her expression turned sharp. "I saw that ring on Leticia's finger. I know what that means." Confused, he asked, "And why does that matter?" "I won't be used and discarded by the wayside, Tiberius Marshall. You're marrying Leticia, so clearly the whole poly thing is only for a while." Ty swore. She'd been told about the Quaranteam serum, but clearly, she didn't see the whole picture. Not surprising, since she hadn't had time to process all she'd learned. "Well shit. I didn't know that. Someone had better go tell the others that the big wedding isn't happening. But if you're going to do that, let me know in advance so I can run in the other direction." Juno glared at him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "How can I say this so that the simple soldier can understand? Bigamy is illegal. Take it from a lawyer. We read those big heavy books so you don't have to learn to read." Now Ty was sure he heard a snort from outside the room, and he too wanted to laugh, but remembered the kids just in time. "Ouch. Low blow. But seriously? You're not thinking clearly, Juno. You've been told about the effects of the serum and can't see that one of the first laws Australia's likely to get changed will be the one about having only one spouse?" That brought her up short. "That; but; am I expected to;” He shook his head ruefully. "Tell you what. Go talk to the others. See what they have to say about the whole thing. There aren't any real expectations. I'm not going to pressure you. If you don't want a part of this, I'll never force it, and we can just work something else out for me seeing the kids." he paused, still taking in the reality of the situation. "Fucking hell; I'm a dad. It still doesn't feel real. I wonder if my old man went through this headspace." He watched her as she chewed her lip in thought. "I'm not agreeing yet, but I think talking to the twins and your other friends is a good idea. Can I leave the kids here with you?" Ty nodded, shifting so the two little ones were lying beside him as he leaned back. "Of course. I should probably be lying down myself, since I did get shot three times just a couple of days ago. I've been pushing myself and need to rest. The others are just around the corner." Ty considered for a moment then corrected himself. "Ok, they're definitely just outside the door, trying to listen in. Just go with them and talk while the kids and I rest, yeah?" "Okay. I'll be back soon." She got up and turned, bending over to kiss the children and Ty couldn't help the way his eyes slid to her backside. She always did have a great ass. He was just looking away as she spoke again. "Oh, and Ty?" "Yeah?" His eyes flickered upwards, and he realized she was watching him watch her. She started to walk towards the door and he found himself mesmerized as he watched the swaying of her hips. She wasn't putting any additional swing into them, but damn if it wasn't a sight to see. As she opened the door, revealing that just about every one of his partners was standing there, trying to listen in, Juno just grinned and looked back at him. "You probably don't remember it, but you were the one who told me my ass was big." "Oh, shit." Juno was smiling as the cavalcade of women proceeded back to Zoe's room. Even now she remembered the feel of his hands on her ass. Though he had said it while drunk, she remembered every touch and every kiss as he went and proved that her 'big ass' was every bit the asset he claimed it to be. Even just before, she had noticed how his eyes had followed her. It sent tingles through her. Her salacious thoughts all melted away once she entered the room and saw Zoe, though. The poor girl was a shadow of herself. "Oh my God, Zoe! What happened?" She smiled sheepishly but gave a small wave back. "Hi Juno. Yeah, I, uh; got hungry?" As Juno approached and threw her arms around the emaciated Zoe, the latter was going through everything that had happened since they broke contact. After hearing the whole story, Juno just shook her head in wonder. "You silly girl. You let pride override good sense." "I know, I know. It was stupid of me. But I'm okay now, and everyone here has really made me understand just how unnecessary it all was. I won't do it again." Zoe looked around and realized that everyone was watching Juno with varying expressions. "I guess everyone is curious about the kids, huh? It was really hard to not just gush about them." Lettie spoke up, looking surprised. "You knew the whole time? And you didn't say anything?" "One look and it's totally obvious Lettie. Juno didn't want it to leak, so when I found out she swore me to silence. I did tell her that Ty should know, but, well;” "I couldn't." Juno shook her head rapidly, her expression one of abject terror. "I was terrified of the consequences." "And I told you that his first reaction would be to help, Juno." Juno shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "I was never worried that he wouldn't help. I was worried that he would! I didn't want him to end his career because I couldn't keep my hormones in check. And while the fact that the one time I was with him gave me my babies is probably the happiest thing to have happened to me in my life, I just feel guilty now that I kept him from them for so long. I should never have, and I'll spend the rest of my life making that up to him if he'll let me." Looking around the room, she met the gazes of every woman. "But having said that, I can't say I understand the relationship between all of you and Tiberius. Polyamory isn't something I'm at all familiar with, and romantic attachments have become something that I have had no time for since the kids were born." She looked around wistfully before her eyes settled in the general direction of Ty's room. "But despite all of that, I want to be a part of that man's life. I want him to be a part of my life. But most of all, I want for him to be part of his children's lives, so please, I beg you. How do all of you reconcile your relationships with him? How can you all be sure that he won't leave you behind? Bigamy isn't allowed, but he believes that will change. And if it doesn't, what is he going to do? Because if I join him and then he abandons me, I wouldn't be able to handle it." Tiberius sat on the bed, watching the two children, his children, sleep peacefully. Six years. That number wouldn't stop bouncing around his head, and he had to fight off the anger that came with it. It wasn't their fault, and he could understand Juno's fears, but as much as she had thought she was being selfless, it had been a supremely selfish decision on her part. He sighed heavily but acknowledged that it was too late to do anything about the past. Instead, he reached for his phone. The future needed attending to. The call was picked up after a single ring, and Colonel Anderson's basso voice greeted him. "Good to hear from you, Lt. Colonel. We've been busy planning the strike." Ty made sure to keep his voice pitched low. "Colonel, don't tell me you're just going to blow him up?" "Of course not. Once we learned he had hostages, that became a no go. Joint strike force; SASR and SEALs." "Colonel, I, " Anderson cut him off before he could even try. "Denied. You're too close to this one, Lt. Colonel. Plus, you're incap. You'd be a liability when time is of the essence. Do your job. We'll handle this one. Understood?" Ty wanted to argue, but they'd been speaking in their capacity as officers from the beginning. "Yes, sir. Understood." Anderson chuckled then his tone shifted. "Chin up mate, you've got a couple of women to bed. That's always a bit of fun." "Yeah, three if Juno agrees." "Three? Not just your French lover and Captain Lawry?" "Yeah. An old friend." Ty paused and decided to just say it. "A friend who showed up today and revealed that her children are mine." There was silence on the other end of the line, and for a moment, Ty thought the line had gone dead. Finally, Bill Anderson seemed to have pulled himself together. "Fuck off. You're taking the piss." "Nope. Twins. Six years old as of this time last month. I knew about them; even sent them gifts for all the major occasions every year. But I never knew they were mine. I never actually got to see them until today, and now they're asleep beside me." Anderson's voice was filled with wonder. "That's a hell of a thing to drop on a man. You okay?" "Mad that she never told me. Sad that I missed so much of their earlier years. But Juno has never hidden my identity from them. Bella, my daughter, walked into the room and called me 'daddy'. I melted on the fucking spot, Bill. Then my son, Mars, tells me that he's been strong because he had to be the man of the house while I wasn't around. I'm not ashamed to say that I absolutely wept. I was filled with so much pride at that moment." Ty could hear the smile in Anderson's voice at his next words. "It's a powerful feeling, and it never wanes, Ty. I feel it for my kid every day. How about their mother?" "I've always cared for Juno, but it was never overtly romantic between us. The kids happened when we were both smashed off our faces. It was the only time we were intimate, and I honestly didn't even remember it happening. Pity, really. Her ass would have been heavenly to play with." Anderson laughed, and Ty had to fight back his own. "Well, if she joins your family, you'll get the opportunity sooner or later." Ty shrugged but knew the Colonel would never see it. "If. She's unsure about the whole bigamy aspect." "Well, that's being corrected as we speak. The Act will go live at the end of November." "Well fuck me, Bill. I've not got a lot of time then, ey. Once that hits, the girls are going to go absolutely mad." "Nah, that's yonks, mate. Get on it." The older man was having trouble keeping his mirth in check. "Tell that to my bloody jeweler. Malachi is basically frothing at the mouth with the volume of orders I've given him." There was still a note of mirth in Bill's voice. "Are you planning to put rings on all of them?" Though the gesture was useless, Ty nodded. "The twins are sorted. I've got proper rings for Talia and Alice on the go. Now I'll probably need to place orders for Béa and Juno. Juno for sure if she accepts. With how Béa was looking at me; most likely. Grace might happen down the track; once she's had her time to grieve. And the younger two I'm not sure about yet. Liz at least I've got to get to know better. Zoe; hell, I don't know how to handle her." Ty could almost hear the eye roll in Bill's voice. "Like an adult, Tiberius. If you love her, and she loves you and wants it, do it. That's part of our responsibilities in the new world." There was a certain sense to his words, and Ty let the conversation hang for a moment before a small movement brought his attention back. Mars had woken and was watching Ty with half-lidded eyes. "Hi, champ. I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Ty smiled down at the boy and patted his head gently. Mars' eyes widened and he shook his head. "I'm not sleepy now. Can; I sit with you, dad?" "Of course you can. Come lean on your dad. Mum's just around the corner too, so don't worry. Did you have a good nap?" Nodding, he began clambering slowly up onto Ty's lap and leaning back against the big man. He reached into his bag and pulled out a game console, one Ty recognized as one of the gifts he'd sent the kids. "Can I play my game?" Mars raised the console so Ty could see it clearly. "Sure. Just keep the volume down so you don't wake your sister, okay?" He nodded again and started up, just as Bill spoke in his ear. "He sounds a bit like you." Ty smiled down at his son and replied, feeling the warmth building in his chest. "Thanks Bill. Say, if you're free on the first, this Sunday, why don't you bring the fam down to mine? I'd love to pick your brain, maybe get a crash course in how to handle myself from a senior dad?" "Don't see why not? Would be a good outing. Who's coming?" "My Team, Rayne's. Gonna give Baz a call and get him onboard too. Anyone else you suggest?" "I can't really say keep it small, since that's already around twenty people, but I reckon that'll hold us for now?" "Sounds good. Sort out your people in the morning, come by lunch and we'll make a day of it. Plan on getting absolutely blind. I think that's what I told Ray." A tug at his shirt pulled his attention back down. "Dad, you want to play with me? It's Mario." "Sure thing. Bill, I'm heading off. I'll see you on Sunday?" The older man chuckled. "You got it." The line cut out and Ty put his phone back down before focusing his attention on Mars. This was the first opportunity for him to start making up for the last six years. He wouldn't miss it. Never again, if he could help it. "Alright champ. Let's play." To be continued in part 10. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 8 Visitors, violence and a valiant. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Major Content Warning, Abuse And Serious Violence (Off-screen) Please Be Advised. List of Characters: House Valiant: Rayne Valiant, 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of Australian Quaranteam Project Research and Development. Stella Andersen, 28, Virologist, Blonde, Blue eyes, slightly curvy. Rayne's first fiancée. Hasumi Saegusa, 27, Doctorate in biochemistry, Black hair, Black eyes. Japanese woman, formerly paralyzed from the knees down. Has been in love with Ray for years. Simone Jennings, 22, 2nd Lieutenant, Black hair, blue eyes, African descent, one of Rayne's dedicated security. Patricia 'Trish' Barclay, 23, Lieutenant, Blonde hair. Slightly aloof, but no less dedicated to the family. House Marshall: Tiberius Marshall, 35, Lieutenant Colonel Australian Army Special Air Services. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear. Charlotte ‘Lottie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Services, Red hair, long hair, service submissive. Leticia ‘Lettie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Services, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy. House Morgan: Benjamin Morgan, 36, Doctor. Little is known about his background. Grace Lawry, 33, Captain, US Air Force. Tiberius' old friend. Partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project. Theresa Miller, 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Details currently unknown. Others: William 'Bill' Anderson, Colonel. Somewhat stiff, but very capable officer. Jonathan Hoffmann, Lieutenant General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the AUS. military. Barry 'Baz' Davis, Brigadier. Good friend of Tiberius. In charge of personnel at Victoria Barracks. Jaxson Connors, Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Was working with a Sheik to develop the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo. Victoria Whitlock had arrived a few minutes early; just as Rayne was wrapping up his morning workout and she hadn't been able to draw her eyes from his shirtless form. Her core had grown increasingly warm and it had taken every ounce of self-restraint she had to not whine piteously when he had donned the shirt. "Did you do any testing on foreign samples?" Rayne's voice brought her back into the moment, and she swallowed hard, drawing her gaze away from the shirt she wanted so desperately to peel back off his body. Rayne didn't fail to notice this, but he tried to keep it from showing in his expression as he waited for her response. "Ah. Uh, when we tried it with samples from the library, untouched by pollen, it gave off the result we were told to expect, like I said. If we introduced pollen into the blood before adding serum, nothing new happened. At the moment, we believe the body needs to process the pollen and then have the lymph nodes produce fresh antibodies for it to react the way we're seeing now." "So anywhere from a week to three weeks, age and health depending. Have you tested other antigens?" Rayne's professional curiosity was in full gear now. "Of course. Nothing else we've tried so far has triggered the response. Naturally, we haven't exhausted the possibilities, so further testing will be required." "And the increased metabolizing of the serum translates into a faster imprinting cycle?" "From what we can see, yes. The serum seems to be accelerated until it reacts with a male's ejaculate, so the imprinting cycle is also shorter, but by a lesser factor, as it seems to return to a more normal speed as the cycle progresses. Approximately 10-12 hours instead of the expected 12-16. 24 hours still appears to be the normal minimum for individuals undergoing a regeneration." "That begs another question. How does this affect the woman's; uh; dosing schedule? Does this change the frequency of re-dosing in any way? If it does, we may need to rely on a lower overall number of partners per man if the cycles are too short." "It doesn't appear to. As I said, the serum's activity seems to normalize after the introduction of the man's semen, but I've been making sure to get data from several of the military Teams currently active, including doing blood draws every day. I have also asked one woman from each Team to restrain herself for as long as possible between doses, so that we can see how it changes her blood work. So far, it appears that after the initial acceleration, there are no lasting effects, but long-term study is absolutely required." "Anything else to note?" "For the immediate present, I think that just about covers what we've learned." Ray rubbed at his jaw as he thought. "Keep looking into it, Victoria. I might have to talk to Ty and see if we can get another lab onboard to focus on this, but I'll probably get you to work on it, along with Dr. Abbas. Can you get in touch with her?" "Sure thing. I've actually got a lunch date with Layla tomorrow anyway, and I was already going to have plenty to talk about." Victoria blushed, realizing what she had accidentally revealed. Rayne seemed to understand too, because he gave her a look. "Well, I guess that's convenient. It also lets us segue into our next topic. I won't be so crass as to ask whether you really want to do this with me. You wouldn't be here otherwise. But I am going to ask if you're ready and really understand everything this entails. There's no going back, after all." Something had shifted in Rayne's head after the visit to the production facility. There was still the sting of guilt towards Stella, but he had learned to push that aside somewhat for the big picture. Ty was right; everyone he partnered with chose to be a part of his family, and his job was to shut up and take responsibility. After all that, it simply wouldn't be right for him to treat them as anything else. So, he wouldn't. It wasn't exactly the same as what Scrappy had. And yet, it was. It had all finally clicked, and now he knew what he was struggling for. Everything was to protect his family. Victoria sat silently for a moment, appraising him. "I've read all the documentation, Rayne. I've spoken with others who are already partnered about their experiences. I'm also onboard with sharing you. As for the regular sex to update our immunity, it'd be a different story entirely if I were a lesbian, but since I do enjoy regular sex with a man, I don't see any problem. Plus, you do come with glowing reviews." He grinned. "So, it's a bit forward of me to ask, but are you bisexual? We've had conversations in the past that have hinted as much, but it was never really something that impacted our relationship, so I never pried." She laughed. "Not in the slightest. I'm just not shy about appreciating a beautiful woman. Like I said, sharing is fine. Sleeping in the same bed as them is fine. Just don't demand that I play with your other girlfriends, and I won't be tempted to bite you." Ray nodded, the smile tugging at his own lips. "Noted. Have you already been given the serum?" Shaking her head, she gave him a gentle smile. "I have not. Knowing how quickly it will react in my body, it would have been foolish to do it so early in the day. And since the imprinting state would disrupt my sleep cycle, I will have it administered at the lab before we return here. I have already asked those in charge to send the dose there for me." It made sense, so Rayne didn't see any need to argue. "You always did take things seriously, Victoria." Her smile turned self-depreciating. "You mean, I have a stick up my ass." Ray started to deny it, but she shook her head, her smile only growing wider and decidedly sultry. "It's alright, Ray. It's nothing I haven't heard before. And I suppose it's true, to an extent. It's just the way I was raised. But maybe that's part of the problem. Maybe I simply need someone to remove that stick and replace it with something more; fun?" Her gaze dropped lower as she licked her lips, and Rayne could feel himself growing even more aroused. Victoria was extremely attractive and she knew it, but the way she had been staring at him had him almost believing the same about himself. Time and again, Ray found himself surprised at how the women at work saw him. Certainly, he was fit, but it wasn't like he was some famous actor or model. As she stood and took a look around the room, he studied her. Victoria was tall, about 6'1" and built like a, for lack of better phrase, Victoria's Secret model. All sensuous curves and grace, with a heaping spoonful of eroticism for good measure. She had the confidence to match, and Ray knew that she'd had no shortage of men vying for her attention. But he couldn't deny it; that confidence and her own obvious attraction did something to him; he couldn't help himself. "Is that what you want, Victoria?" Rayne's voice was measured, but the smile was pulling at his lips. "Maybe. Maybe it's what I need." What you need is for someone to bend you over their knee and color that ass red. The thought rose, unbidden in his head and he blinked in surprise. Her desire was drawing out something primal in him, but he refrained from saying anything out loud. "I see no problem with the uptight Victoria. But be the version of you that makes you happy. I'll be there to back you up." She let out a laugh and leaned over the desk, stopping just centimeters from Rayne's face. "I've been uptight all my life, and not necessarily of my own volition. I'm a smart woman. I also know I'm attractive. That fact drew all of the attention away from my brains, and made people judge me by my looks. I changed my attitude to prevent myself from being seen as the bimbo. I cut my hair hoping to reduce the attention my looks drew. It worked, somewhat, and fortunately, I grew to like the look. I was genuinely happy when you complimented me on it, Ray." "It was a simple truth, Victoria." Her plump lips were so close; it was taking far more restraint than he liked to not kiss her right then and there. She tutted. "And when are you going to stop addressing me by my full name? It's so; uptight of you. Call me Tori." She punctuated the words with a quick kiss before she turned and sashayed away. She glanced over her shoulder and was pleased to see Rayne's eyes glued to her ass. His eyes flicked upwards as she was rounding the corner and she blew him a kiss. "We'll continue this tonight." His grin was almost feral as he echoed the word. "Tonight, Tori." Trish had been waiting just outside the room, so as to give the other two some privacy and nodded at Victoria as she passed. Rayne waited, deep in contemplation as Trish guided Victoria to the lounge and returned, drawing him out of his concentration by sitting on his lap. "What's on your mind, hun? Talk through it with me." Rayne shook his head. "That woman brings out something primal in me that I don't really understand." "Primal? What do you mean?" "You were listening, right? It was all I could do to not pull her over the desk and bend her over my knees. I don't know how to explain it except that she knocked loose the caveman in my head." Trish laughed, planting a quick kiss on his lips. "Sounds like she pushes your buttons. Maybe unintentionally, maybe not. But that's a good thing, hun. Bonding her seems likely to not just get the stick out of her ass, but yours too. Though I admit you've relaxed a lot over the last couple of days." "Yeah, I finally understand what all my efforts are for, and that brings a lot of comfort." "Well, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but make sure you don't stray too far from me or Simone, hun. We got an alert for possible danger after Major Connors' home was burned down last night. We want you in one piece, so we're just being extra cautious." Rayne muttered as she lay her head in the crook of his neck. "As much as my safety might be important, I would be devastated if it comes at the cost of someone important to me, Trish. Please make sure you and Simone are extra careful." "Of course, Ray. Oh, we're not going to the labs until later today, right?" "That's right. After lunch, I think. We've been running around the clock, so this is their idea of downtime. Where are the others?" "Stella has a couple of meetings that she's been in since seven, so in the other office. Simone and Sumi are in the kitchen. And I took Victoria to the lounge to relax." "So, we have a bit of time before we're needed elsewhere? I know we haven't had much alone time, Trish. Maybe;” "We can make out for a bit, hun, see where we go from there. I haven't done that in years; just snuggling and making out with my guy." She kissed him gently, just a peck really, and smiled as his arms tightened around her. She giggled and squeezed him back, kissing him deeper as they melted together. Hasumi was humming and swaying as she and Simone finished cleaning. Dancing had always been her hobby, or at least it had until the accident had taken that away from her. But the serum had given her a chance to live again and she couldn't keep the smile off her face or the wiggle out of her hips. Her good mood seemed to be infectious, too, as Simone had noticeably more sway to her own hips as she strode purposefully through the kitchen. She bumped Hasumi's hip with her own as she passed, carrying a stack of plates. "You're in a particularly good mood, Sumi. Did something nice happen?" "Nothing in particular, Sim. It's just really nice to wake up in my man's arms and realize that I no longer need that damned wheelchair. Sitting in that thing day in and day out was unbearable. But I'm free of it, thanks to Ray and the serum. Now I have my mobility back, wonderful sisters in all of you and the man I've loved for years by my side. I couldn't be happier." The ebony skinned woman couldn't help but agree. She had lost her mother to cancer when she was 16, and it was far too generous to call her sperm donor a deadbeat. Always drunk, never able to keep a job for more than a few weeks, she had been lucky that her inheritance was off limits to him or she would have needed a fire permit to cremate him. Even so, the day she finished Year 12, she left home and signed up for the military. To her, the military was an effective way to stay housed and fed. Even the risk of being deployed somewhere dangerous was acceptable if it meant she didn't have to go back to the drunk. It was there she had met Trish, and through shared experiences in basic and since, they became nearly inseparable. Now, they shared an apartment when they weren't on duty, sisters in all but blood. They had been at their place, working from home that week when they had been ordered to take the Oracle survey. Not knowing what to expect, they did, and it had been one hell of a ride since. Though they discussed the survey and took it together, Simone had been overjoyed to find they had been paired to the same man. Even better, the man had been everything his profile promised and more. Gentle and kind, he was a man with a heart as big as his body. She was head over heels for this man in moments. Her ginger giant. Not to mention Stella and Hasumi, both of whom had welcomed them with open arms. Certainly, Stella had been nervous, but after that day at the production facility, she had opened up to them completely. They had become a family, and Simone found the growing spark in her heart that told her she would fight to the death to protect her little slice of home. Back in the moment, Simone threw her arms around Hasumi and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Me too, babe. I admit I was cautious when I was first sent here; Trish aside, I haven't had people I considered 'family' since my mum passed. But now, having met all of you and learned what that word really means, I wouldn't trade any of you for anything." Releasing Hasumi after another squeeze, Simone continued. "Speaking of family, what do you think about our newest addition? Victoria, right?" The lovely Japanese woman nodded, her short bob bouncing in time with the movement. "Victoria is whip smart and incredibly capable. But if there's one negative thing to say, it's that she's a bit uptight, but I think you'll love her just the same, Sim. She's a level head and a warm heart." The young soldier took this in for a moment, before she nodded, her smile returning. "I'm sure we'll make it work, babe." They finished their cleanup and sat at the table with a pot of tea. It was a big table, and Simone was still surprised at how many rooms Hasumi's home had, but now, she was thankful for the space. Everybody had their own, though they were all currently using the master, and there was still a small home gym and a study, as well as a library which had for the moment been converted into a second study. When she had asked Hasumi about it, she just blushed and said she'd made some good investments early on at the advice of a friend and wanted the space for a big family should she ever find a good guy to marry. As they adjourned to the lounge, Simone felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and stopped to check it. They'd already been warned the previous night of danger, so she was constantly on the watch for new updates and was hoping the situation was resolved. No such luck. Unknown vehicles approaching the residence. Maintain Safe Base Bravo. Attempting to identify. Stand by. Simone frowned at her phone and let out a defeated sigh. "Sumi, go ahead to the lounge. I need to go get something from my room." Hasumi stiffened before turning around. She knew what that meant. The only thing Simone had in her room, since she shared the bed with everyone else, was the gun safe. Admittedly, there were also two smaller electronic safes on either side of the master bed now, keyed to each of them, but both soldiers already had their handguns on. "Problems?" Her voice was slightly strained, but Simone waved it off. "Someone's approaching the house, but the watchers are on it. Just got the order to raise the alert level so we're keeping our gear close. Can you stay with Stella? I'll go let Ray know." As Hasumi turned off and walked down the hall, Simone watched for a moment before her phone buzzed again. Vehicle occupants identified. One Dr. Benjamin Morgan and one of his partners, one Theresa Miller, here to speak to Dr. Valiant. Second vehicle is security personnel. Four armed individuals. Both vehicles currently held at the checkpoint. Proceed? Simone smashed out a reply. Wait one. She turned the corner and stepped into the study, holding back a smile as she saw Trish on Rayne's lap. Both had their pants off, and from what she could see, Ray was nestled deep in her friend, though it appeared they had just finished a round, what with the arch of Trish's back and the satisfied expression on Rayne's face. "Sorry to interrupt, you two. Babe, Dr. Morgan is at the checkpoint. He's on his way here." Rayne frowned deeply. Ben Morgan had been hounding him for days now and it was beginning to get on his nerves. "What the hell is he doing here?" And what checkpoint?" "Please, baby. You don't think we'd just let you live here with just two of us for security, right? There's an entire exclusion zone set up around this house because we need to keep this family safe. You're literally one of the most important people in Australia right now. And that's not an exaggeration." Simone actually found it quite amusing to see Rayne blush. Especially when he went almost as red as his hair. "As for what he's doing here? He's here to see you, so he's probably going to hound you about the variant strain again." Rayne couldn't help the sigh as he let his head fall on to Trish's chest. "Fuck me dead, this bugger is beyond persistent. Sorry Trish, I'll go with Simone to greet him, but in the meantime, can you stow our laptops? These new security measures are an absolute pain. Dr. Morgan won't just try and take them or anything, but Brigadier Davis was insistent." Trish nodded and rose, dressing swiftly while Simone lifted her phone and typed out a response. Send the Doc down. If you can, keep the security back or attach an escort. The response came back only moments later. Copy. We'll send two units to reinforce you. "Wait for me a minute babe, I gotta go to the other safe." The raised eyebrow told Simone that he too knew exactly what she was getting, but he got up and followed, nevertheless. "Is that necessary?" "They're showing up with armed escort. It's necessary. In fact, I'd really like for you to wear a vest, but we don't have anything but our tac gear on hand, and that's too conspicuous." "Would it help if I carried a gun? I mean, I'm not a bad shot. Two sisters and one of my closest friends being career military does that to a guy." "You might be a good shot, but this is close quarters, and you are a civilian. If you have a gun and the enemy takes it from you, it's one extra gun in their hands. It's a complication we just don't need, babe, so no. No gun for you." She closed the safe, now carrying two assault rifles. Rayne chuckled, raising his hands in defeat. "Fair enough. Alright, let's get this over with so we can get on with our day." As they walked towards the door, Victoria stuck her head out of the lounge. "Do you need the room?" Rayne shrugged. "Yeah, but you're welcome to stay and listen. You're part of this family now, so you have every right to be a part of whatever's happening, but this is just going to be Dr. Morgan asking me to release the research data for the Assassin Variant again. Also, please don't mention the accelerated effects or your findings on the cause of them. This man has been fishing for information outside of official channels, and I'll be damned if I give him anything I don't expressly need to." Victoria looked puzzled. Rayne's consternation was obvious. "That's not like you, Rayne. You're normally good at sharing." "Normally, sure. But we've got orders from Ty, uh Lieutenant Colonel Marshall. Unless he or General Hoffmann give the orders, any info on our research or the variant is under lockdown." "Can't he just petition the military to release it? Why is he going through you?" "I don't know. Maybe he thinks he can get me to bend on the topic since he knows Ty won't." Victoria was clearly confused. "How would he know that? This trip is the first time they've ever met, right?" "Those two, yes, but from what I know, one of Dr. Morgan's partners is one of Ty's old girlfriends. She's the one who brought him in on the Quaranteam Project to begin with, so she probably told Dr. Morgan what he's like. Plus, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Ty is fucking stubborn." Trish chose that moment to return, retrieving her weapon from Simone and standing beside Rayne's spot on the couch. She'd tied her hair back and while she didn't look nervous, she was clearly annoyed. "Whatever the case, can we get it over with so we can go back to fooling around? I don't like being interrupted when I'm with my guy." Rayne turned his head and gave her a consoling smile as Simone walked towards the door. He also wanted this done with, but there was something nagging at the back of his mind. Something didn't quite add up. While he pondered, he ignored the sound of the door opening and several pairs of feet walking onto the threshold. He could hear muffled conversation and did nothing, but when the exchange became heated, he leapt to his feet, only for Trish to put a hand on his shoulder and push him back down. He was worried, but it quickly became quiet and Simone came back, leading Dr. Morgan and Theresa behind her. Apparently, the escort had been asked to stay outside. As the pair sat, Rayne saw Simone put a Bluetooth earpiece in and stand ready. "Dr. Valiant, thank you for seeing me today." Benjamin Morgan looked at him with a blank expression, a far cry from the friendly demeanor he'd had every other time they'd interacted. The man looked strained. Rayne frowned, not in the mood for bullshit. "You say that as if I was expecting you, Dr. Morgan. You didn't make an appointment, nor did you ask if I was ready to receive guests. On top of which, you brought armed guards to my home. Not exactly polite of you." Ben Morgan matched Rayne's frown with one of his own, but continued, unabated. "This is my newest partner, Theresa Miller. She's a systems specialist. I don't believe I've been introduced to the whole of your Team. Would you be so kind?" "Dr. Morgan. Firstly, I don't quite understand why you're here. It's early in the day, you made no appointment and there was no forewarning. Second, how did you even get this address? It's not listed as my residence, and no one who knows it would have told you." "Your home is lovely. Would you be so kind as to give us a short tour?" The man's expression was rigidly neutral, but the woman, Theresa, was clearly flustered. Now it was just getting ridiculous. Forget not having a conversation, he was stalling. Rayne looked at Simone, who glanced at her phone and nodded. "Just stop. Your people may not see them, but the guards you brought with you are under watch, so it's very unlikely they'll be able to do anything to the house while you stall for time. So why don't you cut to the chase and tell me what you want?" The American seemed taken aback at the complete lack of guile in Rayne's words and faltered. This was not how it was supposed to go. Eventually, he sagged a little and spoke. "Dr. Valiant. I'm here to see if you've changed your view on sharing your research with us, as well as to make you an offer." Rayne chuckled darkly. "One I can't refuse? No doctor. I have not changed my view, and nor will I. This was a wasted trip for you, and I apologize for that, but as I said, you didn't call in advance or I would have saved you the trouble. If that's all, then ..” "I genuinely believe that both countries would benefit from having access to this research. There is so much we can learn from it." "There is nothing to be learned from it except that it should not exist. It is a weapon, and one that will remain under lock and key, never to see the light of day." "Dr. Valiant." Morgan began, looking for all the world like a disappointed teacher lecturing a wayward student. "We have asked you again and again to share the data for this so-called 'Assassin Variant' that was developed at the CSL labs. You have refused, citing orders from your military and a number of other excuses. I am asking you one more time if you would freely share the data with us. We will make it worth your while." "No. Unless given direct orders by Lt. Colonel Tiberius Marshall or Lt. General Jonathan Hoffmann, that data remains sealed." He took a breath and ploughed on as Morgan began to speak. "And even if they were to give me orders, it would still be at my discretion as to whether I shared this data. And I will not. It is dangerous and there is no good reason to disclose it. End of discussion." The shorter man just stared at him for a moment before he reached into a manilla envelope he'd been carrying and pulled out a document. "I did not want to resort to this. In my hand is a writ; ordering you to comply and provide the research data. Failure to comply is punishable by heavy fines and imprisonment, so think carefully about how you respond." The frown on Rayne's face only grew deeper as he took and read the document. It was on formal stationery, apparently from the office of the Supreme Court of the United States. The terms were exactly as Ben had described, except that all future research was to be shared with the Americans without question. But while it certainly looked official, Ray also knew that there was no situation under which he was subject to United States Law here in Australia. It had to be fake, so this could only be a poor attempt to coerce him into compliance after trying to convince him had failed. The man must be utterly desperate to try and pass this nonsense with him. Placing the document down on the table in front of him, Rayne spoke just one word. "No." The Americans both looked completely surprised. Theresa, who had been silent until this moment, spoke. "You are stating here, openly, that you are violating a written order to comply from the Supreme Court." Rayne's voice was deathly calm as he continued, his green eyes boring holes in the woman. "I am." Dr. Morgan sighed and shook his head. "Then I am sorry to do this, but the guards with us will now enter the building and place all of you under arrest. You asked why they were here. They are here for this exact reason. Please put down your weapons and get on your knees. Any attempt to resist will be met with for..” He couldn't help himself. Rayne slammed a hand down on the table, eliciting a jump from both Ben and Theresa. "Dr. Morgan. Miss Miller." Rayne had to suppress a feral smile at the irony of his tone. It was a perfect match to the one Ben had used only moments ago. "Even if I were cowed by this scrap of paper, which I am clearly not, it holds no meaning here. The last I checked, the Commonwealth of Australia is not a territory of the US, nor are we subject to your laws. To me, this," he slapped the papers in front of him, drawing their eyes to it. "Is nothing more than an ill-conceived attempt to strong arm us into obedience through fear. One that is, I might add, failing miserably. So, for you to come in here and threaten my family with violence, tells me that I no longer need to play nice with you. Any further communication between us will happen only through official channels, if at all. Now, if you would be so kind, please get up and get out!" Dr. Morgan sat there for a moment before he rose, pulling at Theresa's arm as he did. "I can only hope you come to your senses before people get hurt, Dr. Valiant. And I am quite certain that things will not be pleasant should you continue to choose poorly." If looks could kill, Rayne's would have left Morgan as a puddle on the floor. Theresa, for her part, tried to reach out and take back the document, but Rayne didn't budge, and she was pulled away. She looked apologetic, and then almost frightful as Simone paused, spoke into her earpiece, then resumed walking before a commotion from the men outside brought them all up short. Dr. Morgan began to turn back towards Rayne, an expression of triumph and maybe a bit of relief, forming on his face, before everything went quiet and Simone spoke. "All clear? Good work." She locked eyes with Rayne for a moment before her gaze became predatory and focused on the Americans. "They were preparing to come in the living room window. Unfortunate for them, since the Doctor and Miss Miller would have been first in line if glass and bullets started flying." Rayne's gaze narrowed further and the expression fell from the American's lips as he muttered something under his breath. Theresa must have heard him, because her head snapped towards him and she wrenched her arm free. "That's enough, Ben! You need to tell them! You're not getting results and trying to handle it on your own is destroying you!" "Shut up! You couldn't possibly understand!" "Dr. Valiant, Ben is being threa..” The man rounded on her and raised his hand, prompting a flinch from Theresa, but Rayne leapt over the table and caught it before he could swing his fist downwards. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Hitting someone who's just worried about you? She's supposed to be your partner. Your family. Dr. Morgan, I don't know if it's stress or what, but I think you need to reevaluate your priorities here." The man pulled his arm away and pushed at Rayne's chest. "Get your hands off of me! What do you know of my priorities! You, stuck in your little world out here in the middle of bum-fuck nowhere, you don't know who you're messing with. There are people in this world who are vicious, ruthless, and utterly merciless, and they will stop at nothing to get what they want. I have tried to get you to cooperate. To make this easy and painless, so they won't get involved and; and; but no, you had to be hard-headed." He dropped his head into his hands, his grief palpable. "Now they're going to do it their way, and this will not end well for you or that soldier your people have put in charge. They'll go after him, too. There will be bodies. A sea of blood. People will die. Lots of them. Dr. Valiant, you need to hand over that data before things escalate. Please! They'll kill her!" The room went silent, save for the man's sobs, and Rayne felt a chill go down his spine. "Dr. Morgan. Who exactly are 'they' and 'her'? Even if you weren't suddenly dropping new information into this, you're clearly admitting to trying to get the research for a third party. You know I can't hand it over now, even if I had been so inclined. You need to explain yourself." The man's voice became a wail as he leapt forward and grabbed Rayne by the lapels. The chill suffusing Rayne's spine now spread throughout his body as the words registered. "That fucking Arab; that Sheikh has my daughter!" As if prompted by the words, the window shattered. The world seemed to slow as the glass of the window sprayed inwards. Rayne could have sworn he saw the blinds shredding into shrapnel as the hail of bullets engulfed the room and the expression of horror on Dr. Morgan's face as the reality of the situation hit him. And the bullets, too. Simone and Trish had started moving a split second before the real volley of fire started and tackled both Ray and Victoria to the ground. Furniture and glass ornaments shattered around him, and he had an incongruous moment of chagrin as he realized that Sumi's furniture was ruined. It was such a strange thought to have at that moment that he focused quite heavily on it. The gunfire ended almost as abruptly as it began, but Rayne barely noticed, too caught up in strange thoughts. But when he heard both of his soldier partners cry out in pain, the moment was broken and his adrenaline kicked in. He wrapped his arms around Simone and rolled, ignoring the shards of glass and splinters of wood as they sliced and stabbed into him. "Sim? Are you hit?" "I think maybe? Fuck; yes, definitely." She groaned and Rayne's mouth went dry. Pulling an arm from her back, it came away sticky with blood. Not gushing, but bloody, nevertheless. Immediately, he rose to check the wound, finding the gash along her back that had left the blood on his arm. Shallow. Still, he pulled his shirt and tried staunching the wound. Simone groaned at the fresh influx of pain, but she was still conscious and that was a good sign. "Fuck! Trish! Tori! Call out! Are you alright?" There were other shouts from outside, but Rayne ignored them until Tori's voice came back. "I'm okay, Rayne, but Trish, she's hurt. There's a lot of blood." Shit! Shit! Shit! "Tori, can you triage it? Stem the bleeding for as long as you can." "I'll do what I can. She's in pain, Rayne." A voice from outside cut in. "This is Sergeant Morris, ADF. The four members of Dr. Morgan's escort who opened fire on the house are dead. All survivors please identify yourselves. Do not attempt to exit the building." Rayne turned again, now facing the window. "This is Dr. Valiant. I have three of my partners plus two Americans here. We need immediate medical assistance! Multiple casualties." He knew Stella and Hasumi would stay hidden now that they'd heard gunfire, so they were safe until he called for them. Boots crunched over the windowsill, and Rayne was relieved to see the fatigues and insignia of an Australian soldier. "Ambulances are en route Doc. Are you injured?" "No. I'm fine. Trish and Simone are hurt. And I think ..” Rayne finally turned his gaze towards the spot where Ben and Theresa had fallen and regretted it instantly. "Oh God. Make that just my people alive." On the floor lay both of the Americans, but Benjamin Morgan was clearly dead. The gunfire had cut right across his body, splitting him nearly in two and only the fact that Theresa had been partially shielded behind him saved her from instant death. They were both a mess, and it took a moment before it registered that Theresa was still breathing, if only barely. "Holy shit, sergeant, she's still alive! Get those ambulances here now!" The soldier did a double-take and started shouting orders. Ray watched as they tried to stem the bleeding but quickly turned his attention back to his family. Theresa was out of his hands. Victoria Barracks, Victoria, Australia, October 28, 2020, 11:35 AM Rayne sat in a conference room with both Colonel Anderson and Brigadier Davis, discussing everything they'd learned. "It would have been a complete bloodbath if Trish and Simone's training hadn't kicked in. Both dove into action and very much saved our lives." The Sergeant and his squad had later told them that all four of the 'guards' Morgan had brought with him had submachine guns hidden in their jackets and drew them after their captors were distracted by the shouts from inside. As one, three of the 'guards' had fired into the house, while the fourth turned to engage the Australian soldiers outside. That one had died before he could fire, but the rest got off the bursts that cut down the unlucky Americans. Rayne relayed this quietly, but Barry and Bill could see his hand balling into a fist as he ground his teeth. They took a good look at the younger man and could see the bandages on both arms and his face. Ray followed their gazes and shrugged. "Glass and some splinters. They shot the window in and smashed everything fragile and then we went rolling around in the shards. I'm fine; It's all superficial damage." Barry had to ask. "How're your girls?" "Simone and Trish are both injured. Simone's mostly okay. A bullet grazed her back on the way down. She'll have a scar, but she'll live. As for Trish; the doctor said the bullet went straight through her upper arm. She'll be in a sling for a while, and she's worried about her job. Victoria's rattled, but unhurt, and Stel and Sumi were in another room, so they weren't in the same danger. They're pretty shaken, though." "And the Doctor? And his partner?" "Whatever they were mixed up in, they didn't deserve that. Dr. Morgan; they basically cut him in half, Barry. He was gone before his body hit the floor. I; don't know how bad Theresa is. There was a lot of blood." Baz nodded, looking sombre. "Regarding Miss Miller; I'm told she's critical. They pulled two bullets out of her spine, and more ruptured her stomach, kidneys, and spleen. She's a complete fucking mess. At this point, they don't know if she'll even live out the night." Rayne shuddered, knowing that could just as easily have been one of his girls. "He shouldn't have even known where I lived, but he brought those bastards to my door, Barry. They were going to storm the house and either kill or capture us for information. If your people hadn't been there;” Bill Anderson picked up the thought. "And with what he said; it's all but certain the same individuals behind Connors are at work here. Even more so, we still don't know how he got Dr. Valiant's address. It's not exactly public knowledge. They're making bold moves, Barry." Baz nodded, not liking what it was telling him. "Openly, too. Bill, look into it, but give Ty a heads up that he might be in immediate danger. We need to double down on security." There was a knocking at the door and Baz acknowledged it, standing up in alarm as a clearly flustered Grace barreled through, carrying a manilla envelope. "Brigadier, I've just got word from home. I need you to detain my partner, Dr. Morgan, immediately! He's compromised, and possibly involved in threat activity." All three men stared at her as though she'd just grown antlers. Eventually, Baz just sighed and gestured to a chair. "Sit down, Captain. I must regretfully inform you that you're too late." Grace ignored the offered seat and just burst into a string of expletives. "Damn it all! Is he still alive? You didn't kill him, did you?" "No, Captain. We did not. Our people brought him to the hospital after the goons with him tried to gun down everyone in Dr. Valiant's home. It would appear they didn't know or didn't care that he got caught in the crossfire." "How bad?" "Very. He's gone. I; must also inform you that Miss Theresa Miller is in critical condition. At this time, we do not know if she's going to make it. I'm sorry." Grace just sank to the floor and put her face in her hands. "Ben, you son of a bitch; why did you drag Tess into it; why didn't you come to me; we could have helped;” Rayne got up from his chair and came to the woman's side, kneeling and placing an arm around her shoulders as she wept. Rayne didn't know how long it was before she got control of herself, but he could feel the strength within this woman as she shook off the tears and stood, unassisted. "How long ago?" "Under two hours. The last hour of which has been spent patching up our people and attempting to save Miss Miller's life." "Is she going to be okay?" "I couldn't tell you for certain right now. She's critical, and they're doing what they can, but;” "They made her holier than Swiss cheese. That's what did for Ben too, wasn't it?" Baz just nodded, his expression cracking just a little. "As I said, the goons he brought with him opened fire on the house. They only had a few seconds before they were killed, but it was enough. If it means anything, Dr. Valiant says that it was only because Dr. Morgan was standing in front of Miss Miller that her life was spared." Grace pulled herself into the chair, her shoulders slumped for only a moment before she shook herself and sat up straight. "Brigadier, I need to contact the hospital immediately. They need to hold Ben's body. Do not let them dispose of it." "If it's for an autopsy, we can sort that out and return the body to you with all due care." "No, it's not that. There's a medical procedure we must do within a certain timeframe. I'll explain later, but it's imperative for our, that is, his partners', survival. It has to be done within a day or so of his passing, or all four of us are dead right along with him." Rayne read between the lines immediately. "There's a method to unpair women, isn't there?" Grace nodded. "Not exactly 'unpair', so much as 'reset' the woman into an unpaired state, allowing her to pair with another man. The problem is that it requires the man to be dead, so we're slow balling letting people know. We were supposed to let you know soon, but obviously events have superseded our plans. I'll make a note to have one of the other doctors speak to you about it. But I can put that aside for a few minutes, just please let the hospital know immediately. If they dispose of his body, we genuinely are dead. Just keep him on ice until we get there." Baz nodded and grabbed his phone, making a quick call and passing the instructions on. The American officer took a deep breath and turned towards Rayne. "Dr. Valiant, how about your family? Did your people suffer casualties?" Rayne sat down again as well and faced the woman. Now that they were in the thick of it, he could see why Ty had nothing but praise for her. Despite everything, she had pushed the grief aside to get the job done. It was a valuable trait in a soldier. "Two injuries. Nothing critical or fatal. I took some superficial damage. That's really it." "I'm sorry. That's on us. Our government didn't do as thorough a background check on Ben as they should have. We knew Ben was divorced and that he had a daughter, but he never spoke of her. We, that is, his partners, assumed that they were truly estranged or that he didn't have custody." She gestured to the envelope, which had been forgotten until then. "It was apparently early this morning that he received this. One of Ben's other partners, Antonia, found it while cleaning and when she went to check the contents;” Baz picked it up and dumped the contents onto the table. The first thing they saw was a photo of a young girl, maybe 8 or 9 years old, playing in a park. But as Bill slid the top photo aside, the men all stiffened, eyes wide. The second photo made their blood run cold. Instead of in a park, now the girl was in a stone walled room; in what they could only describe as a cage, and clearly worse for the wear. Huddled in a corner of the already tiny enclosure, she'd clearly been beaten if the bruises were any indication. To one side they could just see the prone figure of an adult woman, presumably the girl's mother, lying in a puddle of some sort that had formed on the stone floor. The photo was grainy, but every person sitting at that table knew blood when they saw it. The woman was clearly beyond help. Rayne's voice was soft as the words crawled their way out of his throat. "Holy shit. No fucking wonder he was so insistent; have they been threatening him since you came here?" She shook her head. "Possibly since before we even left. Probably from the moment they realized that he'd be coming here since he was paired with me." "You're not responsible for that, Captain." Bill muttered as he grabbed the USB drive that had also been in the envelope. Plugging it into a spare laptop, he navigated the menus for a moment before loading one of the videos and turning the screen to face us. "Let's see what's on this." The face that appeared could technically be considered handsome; golden brown skin, chiseled jaw, strong features, if you could ignore the asshole's expression and attitude. The man was going on about 'opportunity' and 'choice' but you could see the woman chained up in the background. It was the woman from the photo. She'd been beaten, abused and probably worse; her head was hanging limply, twitching only when she heard the whimpers from the cage nearby. Bill scanned through the rest quickly, but as he reached the end, he let it play. The man's nasal baritone was like nails on a chalkboard, and every man in the room wanted to punch him. "I will not repeat my request again, Dr. Morgan. You will get me that variant, or the research. Cross me, and you will never see your wife or this precious darling of yours again. You have been warned. Do not fail me." There was a moment of silence as the words hung in the air, broken only as Grace's phone began to ring. She looked at it and then the Brigadier, who nodded. "Toni? What ..” Her eyes widened as the person on the other end seemed to be in hysterics, and her voice quavered as she spoke. "Oh God. Okay, Toni. Take a deep breath. You need to forward that to me immediately and then go to Mary and stay beside her. Don't let her see it. I'm with the Australian brass; we'll; we'll do something about this from here. I'll be back as soon as I can. We have choices to make." Hanging up, she pulled out her tablet and stared at it for a moment until the telltale ping signaled the incoming email. Just looking at the header caused her to hesitate, but she tapped the screen. She regretted the action immediately, launching up out of her chair and throwing her body towards the wastebasket in the corner. The sound of her heaving was muffled only by the roar of fury as Rayne pulled the tablet to him and saw what had set Grace off. The email contained a single image. A bloody message written on a familiar stone wall,, 'She paid the price for your incompetence.' Below the words was the cage, now empty, save for a large pool of blood. The guilt came crashing down on Rayne like the sky on the shoulders of Atlas, followed by the white-hot anger as what they'd done hit home. Monsters didn't begin to describe them. Both Bill and Barry stared at the image in abject horror, unable to speak. Rayne couldn't help the thoughts that permeated his head. Had he just given Morgan the research; maybe this could have been avoided. The heavy breathing of four people were the only sounds for several minutes after. Eventually, Grace spoke, her voice breaking on her words. "I caused this. They took her because he was connected to me. And now that child, that poor, innocent child;” Bill slapped a hand onto the table, startling everyone. "No! They would have found another avenue if it wasn't him, Captain. Those fucking shitkickers took the option they thought would get results. It's even possible that he was paired with you on purpose. I mean, who's to say Oracle can't be spoofed?" Grace looked startled, but if anyone noticed it, they didn't call it out. Rayne lowered his head onto the table in front of him. More loss. More death. The very existence of this damned virus is more of a plague than the virus itself. "If I had just given him the research; she." "Again, no! Their actions are not a result of yours! You are not to blame! Brigadier, I'm going to get everyone on this. Those fucking animals need to be rooted out and put down." He turned his eyes towards Grace, his military bearing back in full force. "Captain Lawry. You need to call home and get people watching your families. You all need to be open and upfront if someone threatens you. After that, get to the hospital and do what you need to do to protect your people. We'll get them for this. Something like this cannot happen again. We cannot let them get away with it again! Dr. Valiant. Go with her to the hospital and rejoin your family. I'll send you with a double strength escort. One squad will stay with the Captain, the other with you and yours. Captain, your people will be safe here on base, but speak to them first before you go." He stood; his eyes filled with cold determination. "I'm going to get started. I have monsters to hunt." Barry had watched the exchange with sad eyes but waited until Bill had left the room to speak. "The two of you, Captain Lawry, Dr. Valiant. I am recommending you seek therapy after this calms down today. For your whole Team, both of you. Captain, by the sounds of it, this 'Toni', Antonia I presume, saw that image, and if her reaction is anything to go by, she saw the contents of that envelope too. She will need help soonest. I can have the base psych clear time immediately to see her. I'll expect you to avail yourself of her services in the near future as well. You're not in my chain of command, but we both know someone who will be very upset if you're not looked after. Grace nodded, looking worn out. She fished out her phone and began making a phone call, just as the doors burst open again and a pair of crimson whirlwinds came storming through. Lettie threw her arms around Rayne and just hugged him, but Lottie fretted, seeing the bandages. "Ray! Colonel Anderson just told us. Are you okay? Is your family okay?" "I'm okay, you two. Just some cuts. Simone and Trish took a bit of damage, but it's not serious. The others are unharmed, just shaken. Don't worry. If anything, Captain Lawry here is the one who needs comfort. She lost her partner and may still lose another fellow partner." The twins both turned towards the other woman and she took an involuntary step back. Rayne suppressed a sigh, knowing how intense his sisters could be, but both of them just stepped up and enveloped the shaking woman in a hug. Lettie had her hands around the other woman's shoulders and had pulled her down into her chest. "Grace? Can we call you Grace? I admit we don't know you nearly as well as the big guy does, but he very obviously cares about you a great deal. We're so sorry for your loss. If there's anything we can do. Let us know. I'm sure the big guy will also pitch in wherever he can." The woman was flustered, clearly not knowing how to deal with the situation. "Um, you're Leticia, right? Thank you." She shuddered, suppressing a sob, then gathered herself and continued. "I; I'll probably need to talk to him, and for that matter, you and his other partners, very soon." Lettie nodded but didn't quite seem to understand. "That's no problem, when did you want to do that?" "Within the next week." Grace nodded to herself, seemingly thinking out loud now. "I'm probably the closest to my limit, I think, so that should give Mary and Toni enough time to choose; and Tess; if;” Looking up again, she met Lettie's gaze. "Of course, it depends on all of your approvals, but if you ladies and Tiberius are willing, would you be open to me joining your Team?" The twins froze. Neither had heard the conversation from earlier, so the Brigadier spoke up to clarify. "Captain Lawry tells us that they know of a method to 'reset', I believe was the term she used, a woman into an unpaired state. So, women can change partners." Grace frowned, but the Brigadier wasn't technically wrong. "I did also say that it requires the original male partner to be dead. Had; had Ben lived, we wouldn't even be having this conversation yet, since it's not something we want to spread too rapidly, but we were going to let you know soon. From what I know, it's something that we only very recently learned. But that's not what I wanted to talk about. It might sound callous of me, but I've been thinking about my relationship with him a lot over the last few days and I've come to the realization that it was shallow. Admittedly, I thought it was deep, but I think a lot of that was just the 'honeymoon phase' of the relationship. When I went back and actually looked at our interactions, there was no substance to them. It's something I spoke to Tiberius about only yesterday." Rayne gave her a sympathetic look. "Maybe it was because of the pressure he was under? I can't imagine he'd be able to give his all to a new relationship when he was worried about his daughter." Grace looked pained at the thought. "Maybe. I wanted to work on the relationship, but that would be meaningless if he wasn't willing or able. I guess now, I'll never be able to ask which it was. But there are also things that have come to light that make me suspect that I was actually paired with him deliberately. Whether it was something he engineered or if someone else had a hand in it, I don't know. I'll always regret that I'll never be able to ask him." Lettie looked at the woman in her arms. "And yet here you are, asking to be paired to Ty only hours after your partner died. Isn't that a bit cold?" Lettie regretted her words instantly as Grace broke into sobs. "What choice do I have? I've got the Quaranteam serum in my body, so I can't afford to wait. It's already been four days since my last dose. Within a week, I'll start to lose control of myself and need to be dosed. You don't know because you've never seen it. The woman becomes feral, almost quite literally. They need to be dosed, because as much as the man in the relationship is dependent on the women around him for the protection from DuoHalo, the women are dependent on the man's semen to live and maintain their humanity. And now, Ben is gone." "Won't your government step in?" "The US Government will either assign someone new here and pair me to them, or I'll get to make a 'choice' from an Oracle list. Given what I suspect, I'd rather choose to tether myself to someone I know already than have a list of names thrown at me again. At least if Tiberius takes me in, I know I'll be okay. Then and only then will I have time to grieve. But asking now means you have time to think about it, and I'll have time to find an alternative if you decide that I don't fit with your dynamic." Lottie gave her sister a look. "We know our guy. He adores you, Grace, even if he would never say it while you had a partner, so I can guarantee that as far as he's concerned, you're in. Just between us, I'm okay with it, because he trusts you, and has only ever sung your praises. But we'll let the others have their say too." Grace smiled through her tears. "Thank you, Charlotte. It means a lot to know he thinks well of me." Lottie pulled her close again, and Grace just let her tears fall. Ben had been an unlucky man in a bad position. He didn't deserve his fate. Rayne interjected. "Lottie, Lettie, we need to call Ty and let him know now. He can think about it, but we also need to tell him that Colonel Anderson said that the attack earlier was likely done by the same people behind that Connors guy. They could be after him, too." Lottie pulled away and nodded, going for her phone. She tapped the button to dial him, but it just kept ringing. "That's odd. He's not picking up. I'll try Alice, but I doubt she's got her phone on her." Lettie turned, her arms still around Grace, but her face serious. "Try Zoe. She should have hers." Lottie did, to a similar result. "That's very odd. Should I ring the hospital directly?" Lettie nodded; her mouth drawn into a line. She dialed and this time, someone picked up. But Lottie's relief was short-lived as the person on the other end told her the situation. She could feel the blood draining from her face as she turned to her sister. "Lettie, the hospital has a Code Black. Active shooter. Multiple casualties." Grace shuddered and the three women locked gazes as Lottie continued, her voice a whisper. "Ty's involved." Chapter 9. Hospital, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 30, 2020, 2:10 PM Ty regained consciousness and immediately decided that it was the biggest mistake of his life. His head hurt. His side hurt. His; okay, everything hurt. But he supposed pain was a good sign. It meant he wasn't dead. That said, he was going to find whoever it was that had told him his brain had no pain receptors and put a bullet in him, because that was clearly a fucking lie. Fuck. He let out an involuntary groan and tried to open his eyes, only to find that light had been weaponized in his absence. Blinded and disoriented, he squeezed them shut again, and the groan deepened, eliciting a gasp from his side. "Tiberius, chéri. You are awake." The voice was silk personified. He knew that voice; he'd heard it only recently. If only his head didn't feel like it had been kicked by a mob of roos, he might even be able to identify it. "Tiberius? Are you alright?" Finally, it clicked. "Béatrice." He could actually hear her smile as she spoke again. "Yes, darling. How are you? I was disappointed when you were unable to come to get me yourself, but I do understand why." "I'd say it's good to see you, but I can't actually see you yet. How long have I been out?" his voice came out rougher than usual, and there was a rustling beside him before the back of the bed began to slowly rise. "Two full days, from what I understand, Tiberius. And please, call me Béa. Here, drink." Ty felt the gentle brush of a straw on his lips and latched on, taking a short sip of the cool water. It was heavenly. After a moment, he released the straw and spoke again. "Ok, Béa it is. It's nice to hear your voice in person again. I'm sorry I couldn't make it." "Likewise. You have grown more handsome over the years, Tiberius." He took a deep breath and tried to open his eyes again, with greater success. This time, there was no optical assault, but that might have had something to do with the fact that there was no longer a light shining directly in his eyes. He looked at the woman beside him and drank in the sight. Tall, probably 6', with straight, ash blonde hair and delicious curves, lovely blue eyes nestled behind a pair of glasses balanced on a cute nose. A quintessential French beauty, refined by a few years since they'd last met. "And you look lovely, as always. I assume you've been introduced to the others. Are Zoe and Liz alright?" Béatrice brushed a lock of hair out of her face and smiled. "They are both unhurt. Zoe was beside herself with worry when Talia and I arrived, but Elizabeth was calming her. That young woman has quite the level head. Though apparently, you have made a habit of nearly being murdered? I cannot say that is good for you, chéri." Ty chuckled, feeling it send a small wave of discomfort through his body. "I can quit anytime I want." His expression shifted to all business. "Do you know what happened to the gunmen?" Talia chose that moment to come around the corner, twirling the end of her braid in one hand. She looked tired, and he realized that she must have been running around all of yesterday, maybe even all of the previous night, too. "Dead, Tiberius. You got off four shots to center mass in the time it took either of them to fire twice. And unlike them, you did not miss." Ty gave her a look. "This is what it looks like when they miss?" She gave him a small smile but shook her head. "They missed anything vital. The bullets hit you in the stomach, your arm, and your head." Ty's look turned deadpan. "I'm having trouble reconciling the part where my head isn't vital, Talia." Béatrice giggled and Talia's smile blossomed into a laugh. "Clearly, you're not using it, so it mustn't be vital, but at least it's hard. Alice said the bullet that clipped your skull actually deflected off it, or it would have blown past and hit Elizabeth." She sighed and then leaned forwards, kissing him gently. "You worried us, my love. How are you feeling?" "My left side hurts somewhat, but my head feels like it's been trampled repeatedly. I guess I have a concussion?" "A minor one, probably. There's a small crack in that rock head of yours, but otherwise it's fine. The second bullet found a gap below your ribs and just went through a couple of organs, though fortunately it missed your lungs. They fished it out, stitched you up and there weren't any immediate complications, so all you'll have is another scar. Same for your arm, though that was just a graze. You were incredibly lucky." Ty nodded, wincing as the action brought forth a wave of pain. "Figures. Where are the rest of the ladies?" "Zoe was moved to another room. You made a mess of the old one. Elizabeth and Alice are with her, as are a squad of soldiers as guards. They were up most of the first night and all of yesterday, so everyone's getting a bit of extra sleep. Charlotte, Leticia, and Grace Lawry will be here soon. They're just making sure Rayne's and Dr. Morgan's Teams are taken care of." Ty's voice raised in alarm. "What happened? Is everyone there okay?" "Dr. Morgan brought some unknown individuals with him and went to visit Rayne yesterday. Those guards turned out to be muscle for the individual behind Jaxson Connors. They attacked Rayne and his Team in their home, causing the death of Dr. Morgan and injuries to several others. No one from Rayne's team is severely injured, but Theresa, one of Dr. Morgan's partners, is at death's door." Ty felt his stomach drop. "How was Morgan connected to this clusterfuck? I thought the son of a bitch behind Connors wanted; oh fuck. He wanted the variant. Grace was actually telling me that Ben was pestering Ray about getting access to the variant." Talia nodded, her expression grave. "There were circumstances. We; we can talk about them later. He definitely had a reason to want it, though it was not official." "I thought it was because the US Government wanted it under the table. Shit, he must have avoided coming to me about it because I'd have been on alert against anyone looking for it. And it wouldn't make sense for them to ask us for it openly, since what we're doing isn't monopolizing it but suppressing it entirely." Ty paused, trying to run the line of thought out, but something else hit him first. "Tal, If Benjamin Morgan is dead, what happens to his partners? If he's gone then they can't;” Talia paused, looking at Ty with an unreadable expression. "Grace has revealed that there is in fact a way for a woman to change partners. I believe Rayne is getting the details and learning the procedure." Tiberius felt the knot in his stomach tighten a little. "That would have been fucking nice to know before now. Why were they hiding it?" "Well, Grace says it's something they've learned of only recently, and the only reason they're even telling us is because it's become relevant, since it requires the existing male partner to be dead. That's not something they want widely known." The big soldier looked mollified. "Oh. Well, that makes sense. It's a rather unpleasant condition and could invite some pretty unpleasant situations if that tidbit became public. What's their plan?" Béatrice spoke up, patting Talia's shoulder as she spoke. "Chéri, your partners, Zoe, and I, met with Grace last night. She has requested that she be reassigned to you." Ty schooled his expression. He knew he'd take her in if that's what she wanted, but he'd never disregard his partners' opinions on the matter. "I see. And the consensus amongst you ladies was?" Talia shrugged. "Charlotte was convinced that you would be okay with it." "That's not what I asked, Talia. Do you have a problem with it? Do the others?" Sighing, she shook her head. "No, not really; I just wondered what kind of woman would be able to jump between partners so swiftly. It feels cold. Like she doesn't care. Like; Dr. Morgan was just a stopgap for her. Does that mean you are too? Because I could not tolerate that." Ty understood at once. It would seem terribly callous, and in the past, it would have been. But the reality was different. The conditions were different. "She doesn't have the luxury of time, Tal. The documentation makes it perfectly clear that she needs to be dosed at regular intervals, so if she holds off for too long, I can't imagine it has good results for her body. I recall it saying that the longer a woman goes without an encounter, the more her cognitive functions will be impaired. How long after that do their biological functions start to be impaired?" Talia nodded, but her expression told Ty that she wasn't sure she agreed. "The documents said nothing about such things." "They may not know. It's not something that they can easily test. Well, the exact science is beyond me, but until this revelation, the way I understood it was that a woman who loses their partner has little choice but to accept that she'll die. But it turns out that there is another option and Grace is trying to take it. She and I already have an existing friendship, and we know that we're compatible. It might seem callous, but if she's on a timer, then it makes sense. She's taking the steps needed to ensure her well-being. After that, she can take whatever time she needs to process and grieve." The Israeli woman took this in quietly, giving no indication of her inner thoughts. Ty decided this was a positive sign, so he continued. "She's probably also working under the assumption that if we accept her into our family, she'll have the leeway to focus on her fellow partners. You said that one was dying? What's she doing for a new partner? What's happening with the other two?" Béatrice sat herself down on the edge of the bed and put a hand on Ty's arm, being sure to avoid the bandages. "Grace spent most of the day with them, helping them come to terms with the situation. Of the two uninjured women, one wishes to go back to America. The other is fine to be reassigned to someone here. As for the one in hospital, she has not woken yet. Her condition was apparently quite severe. They are considering pulling her Oracle data from the US and running through our system to find a match. If she regains consciousness in time, they will give her the choice. If not; they will go with the highest compatibility. It is a bit heavy-handed, but I think it is a sensible solution." "I don't know that they have many other options, really, but it's not my call to make." Taking a breath and wincing as the wound on his side protested, Ty swung his legs to the opposite side from where Béa was seated and began to rise. "What are you doing? You're going to tear open your stitches! You need to rest!" Talia rushed around to his side, trying vainly to push him back. Béatrice made to follow, but Ty held up a hand. "What I need is to reassure the others that I'm okay. Zoe especially. With all she's gone through, with everyone she's lost, she needs to see me on my feet. After that, I want us all in Zoe's room to address the issue with Grace. I need to hear everyone's opinions before we make any decisions." To be continued in part 9. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 7 Aussie soldier, overwhelmed. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. List of Characters: House Marshall: Tiberius ‘Ty’ Marshall, 35, Lieutenant Colonel Australian Army Special Air Service. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear. Charlotte ‘Lottie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, long hair, service submissive. Leticia ‘Lettie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy. Talia Becker, 27, Major Israeli Defense Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, willful, but devoted. Alice Rai, 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive. Elizabeth Connors, 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student, Finance House Morgan: Benjamin Morgan, 36, Doctor. Little is known about his background. Grace Lawry, 33, Captain, US Air Force. Tiberius' old friend. Partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project. Others: Zoe Evans, 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student. William 'Bill' Anderson, Colonel. Somewhat stiff, but very capable officer. Currently handling intelligence and internal security. Barry 'Baz Davis, Brigadier. Ty's friend, officer in charge of Victoria Barracks. Jonathan Hoffmann, Lieutenant General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the Australian military. Jaxson Connors, Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Was working with foreign parties to develop the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo. Lottie had replaced his lock screen photo earlier, and it made him smile. He'd taken it just before dinner, a simple photo of all four girls in the kitchen, working together. It might feel strange to add more people to the mix, but he knew Grace had told him a dozen. Unbidden, his mind threw Grace into the image, and even Béatrice, and he hated himself for the thought that it didn't seem out of place. The General's next words brought him back from his self-loathing. "But, well, I'm sorry to say this son, but I'm about to make your day a whole lot more complicated." Ty sat up straighter, and the General continued. "Bill, Colonel Anderson has managed to pick apart some of the loose threads regarding Connors. I'm told that the money trail was exceptionally convoluted, but they traced it back far enough to get a good idea. However, upon doing that, we learned that there are still active agents within our borders." The doorbell rang, and Ty leapt out of his seat. No one had told him they were having visitors. "Relax, son. That'll be your door, right? Go down and answer it. Bring your tablet with you so I can explain." Ty did so, striding down the stairs as Lottie opened the door. The General spoke as he did, completely businesslike now. "As of 7:35 PM today, the residence of Jaxson, Wendy and Elizabeth Connors was burned to the ground in what we believe to be a deliberate case of arson. No witnesses to the incident have come forward. We now have solid reason to believe that the perpetrators, insurgents we believe to be from an entity or entities in the middle east, were sending a message, but with Jaxson incapacitated, it falls to us to sort out this mess. So, Lt. Colonel, while we handle that, I will have you handle our other problem." "Sir; you can't be serious." Lottie stepped aside and looked back at Ty; her eyes wide. A young woman stepped into the house, brushing her sandy brown hair back out of her face. Her expression was one of curiosity, at least until her eyes met Ty's and she froze. He knew those eyes, but he'd never seen them in that head. She was appraising him, and he had no idea what she was looking for, but she smiled and nodded, continuing into the house as she spoke with Lottie. The General's voice bored into him, driving home the words. "You are hereby ordered to partner with Miss Elizabeth Connors. She has already agreed and signed the NDA, and it will be up to you to enforce it." Tiberius couldn't stifle the groan. "Sir, all due respect, this is a terrible idea. Does she ..” "Lt. Colonel, this pairing is a military decision and we have established that you have sufficient compatibility, therefore you do not have the right of veto under these circumstances." "Oh, for fuck's sake." Chapter 7. Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 9:15 PM Tiberius sat at the table, watching silently as his partners shared a conversation with a young woman he never thought he'd have to meet, let alone be partnered to. It was surreal, if he was honest; the younger sister of the man Ty would probably have considered the biggest nuisance in his life, sitting at his dining table, having a lively conversation with all of his partners. Shit. She's supposed to become one of them. And then there's Béatrice in the next few days, and Grace's problem to think about too. I'm in over my fucking head. He dragged his attention back to the conversation, and tried to catch up as Elizabeth was speaking. "Well, I never got along with mum or Jaxson. I think it was partially the age gap with Jaxson, and partially that they were both so cold to me since I was closer to dad. I'm pretty sure they actually hated me, so I went with dad when they split." Elizabeth's hands clenched as she said this, and the entire table could feel the sadness in the woman's voice as she spoke. Alice nodded, patting Elizabeth's hand gently as she placed a cup in front of the young woman. "I feel for you, having to be in such a household as a child must have been difficult, and I hesitate to ask, but why did you return?" Giving Alice a sad smile, she shrugged as she continued. "A 16-year-old doesn't have much say in the matter when the parent they live with dies of a brain aneurysm." Alice's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry! That must have been terrible!" Shaking her head, Elizabeth reached for the steaming cup of tea in front of her. "It's okay. At least dad didn't suffer long. They said it was a; what was it? Ruptured; saccharine aneurysm?" Alice shook her head. "Saccular, dear. A saccular aneurysm." She slid a finger across her choker, deep in thought. "I'm sorry to ask, but did your father have high blood pressure? Did he smoke or drink?" Though she seemed taken aback at the sudden question, she answered, shaking her head. "He didn't smoke, and only drank a few times a week at most, and not much when he did. I; don't know about his blood pressure." She gave Alice a long look afterwards, and the doctor felt her face reddening as she realized what she'd been doing. "Look, I'm not offended or anything, but why the twenty questions?" Lottie, sitting next to Alice, nudged the doctor slightly. "Alice is a doctor, so I daresay it's an occupational habit. She's been making a point of getting all our medical histories, and since it seems you'll be joining our family, it looks like she's started on yours." Elizabeth nodded, seeming to understand, but looking wistful. "Family; after dad died that kinda feels like a foreign concept, you know?" Her eyes found Tiberius' own, and she tilted her head slightly as the words tumbled out. "Jaxson and mum only got worse when I had to go back. I was still numb from dad's death, and they made it clear that I wasn't welcome and never would be. I can't say they abused me, though. The housekeeper made sure I was fed and clothed and mum and Jaxson ignored me completely. So at least I got to grieve for my dad in peace." Looking around, she saw the expressions on the others' faces and shrugged. "I was fine. I didn't really want their attention at that point. And since I got my inheritance from dad's estate at 18, I decided that once I went to Uni, I'd never go back to mum's unless absolutely necessary. I can't say I'm completely independent, but in the three years since then, I've been back only once each year, when they close the dorms. And for the last year, I've been in a share house, so I wouldn't have had to return at all, except that the military came to get me." Lettie gave her a pat on the shoulder. "That's a pretty tough call to make when family is involved. Are you sure you're okay? Did you have someone to support you? A boyfriend? Girlfriend? Just friends in general?" "I never really thought of them as family so I don't really regret cutting them out of my life. But it's lonely, you know? I mean, yeah, I had tons of friends at Uni, but almost no boyfriends. I was cautious, since people knew who mum was and a lot of the boys ended up being really fixated on that. Instead, there were a few girls I was really close with, like sisters really, but it's been hard to get in touch with them, and more than one has dropped off the face of the planet. It's terrifying, and as far as everyone knows, there's no end in sight." The young woman paused, looking down at the teacup between her hands before returning her gaze to meet Tiberius' own. "I; I signed all the documents and understand this is all hush-hush, but; is it all true? That there actually is an end in sight? And that this vaccine needs;” She blushed, looking away. "; that it needs sex to work?" The fact that the young woman had gone red to her ears was not lost on anyone in the room, and they got the distinct impression that this young woman, despite her confident demeanor, was rather; inexperienced. Tiberius tried his best to keep a straight face, but he could feel the smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. "Well, I think you'll feel better if the ladies explain the nuances to you, but it's true. I'd like to say that you have a choice, but I don't know that I'd be telling you the truth. For now, I'll leave the room and you can talk it through with the others. Once you've made up your mind, one of them can come get me. I'll just be in the lounge, killing time." Now, she couldn't meet his gaze, but she nodded, and Ty stood, turning and going to his lounge. It had been some time since he'd been able to just kick back and game, so he figured, why not? He had time, and right now he just wanted to shove everything else aside. It was a problem for later. "Um, he can't hear us from where he is, right?" Elizabeth's voice was barely a whisper as she spoke, her eyes darting around the room. The four other women sitting around her were incredibly beautiful, and she felt like a duck among swans. Lottie nodded and Elizabeth was glad the two redheads had differing hairstyles or she'd be totally confused on which one was speaking at any moment. "He's probably gone to play a game or something, so it's fine. Even if he isn't, he wouldn't be eavesdropping. Not his style." "Not even when it's to listen in on the sister of his worst enemy?" This time it was Lettie who spoke, stifling laughter as she did. "Worst enemy? Jaxson Connors? God no. Connors was a thorn in his side, yes, but the title of 'worst enemy' belongs to someone else. That's a story for another time though. Suffice it to say you're in no danger of being overheard." The young brunette relaxed as she slumped a little in her chair. "Ok. Good. He has this; aura, you know? It's big and wild and I have no idea how to describe it, but; he's kinda intimidating, but not in a scary way. It; It kind of draws me in? You know what I mean?" This time Talia did laugh. "Darling girl, he's a soldier, and a very good one. While under the correct circumstances, intimidating is correct, I think the word you're looking for here is 'charismatic'. And he certainly is that, too. But that's not what you wanted to talk with us about. So let us start with what you were told about your current situation." Elizabeth gave a noncommittal shrug. "I know my brother got involved with people he shouldn't have and that he caused problems. I don't know who these people are though, and nobody is willing to give me details. And I'm here because they needed a place to keep an eye on me, and then they thought you guys would be good for that job." Her voice faltered as she continued. "Then they started talking about this vaccine, and the stuff around that was; confusing. Bonding and imprinting. They made me do this really weird questionnaire and if the person asking me to do it hadn't been a woman, I'd have slapped them. I mean, how the actual fuck is climacophilia a real thing?" She paused as they all laughed and Lottie gave her a quick explanation of Oracle. The light of understanding dawned on Elizabeth's face as Lottie wound up her explanation. "So, it's basically like the profile for a dating site, only they turned it up to 11. I get it now. So, after that, the system spat out a couple of sheets of paper with some faces and profiles on them. Each of those profiles had a percentage, which must be that compatibility you just mentioned. Anyway, all the guys on the sheets were military, clearly, and they asked me to choose. A couple of the options looked like the kind of smug pricks that tried to get with me when mum was still alive, so it was an instant no there, and then I came across Tiberius' face on the page. He's got that kinda rugged hunk thing going for him, you know? I didn't expect him to have quite so much presence in person though." She let out a little giggle before she continued and the others smiled knowingly. "After that, I read his name and profile and thought, wow, he sounds pretty fun, and that the name seemed familiar. So, I accepted, thinking it would be okay. It was only when I got here that I realized where I'd heard his name before. I'd been back at mum's once or twice to hear Jaxson yelling about this 'Tiberius' he worked with, and mum telling him that he should just get rid of him. They stopped talking about it the moment they figured out I was there, but I guess he never got around to doing anything since he's clearly still here." "Actually, Elizabeth, he almost did. Twice. Almost ended the big guy's career when he shot him in the leg, claiming it was an 'accident', and the second time by trying to give him the plague when we had no vaccine available." Lettie's voice was filled with anger, but it was clearly directed elsewhere. Elizabeth just sat there with her mouth hanging open, horrified. It was one thing for Jaxson to have talked about it, and another entirely for him to have actually acted on those thoughts. How could he possibly want to be stuck with her after that? "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. He can't possibly think well of me, being the sister of the guy who tried to kill him twice. Maybe I should just leave." Talia placed a hand on her shoulder as she made to rise and gently pushed her back into her seat. "Relax. It is clear to us that you are not cut from the same cloth as your brother. The question is not whether he will accept you, but whether you will accept him. Can you trust that he will judge you only on your merits?" Silently, Elizabeth nodded, settling back into her seat and wrapping her hands back around the teacup. The cup was sadly empty, but that didn't go unnoticed as Alice stood and went to the kitchen to refresh it. For several minutes, she watched the four ladies in silence, still unsure of her own position in this place. "Um. Can I ask what your relationships with him are like? I don't know anything about the dynamics of a poly relationship and I don't want to step on anyone's toes." "You may safely consider our toes untrodden." Alice laughed as she returned to the table, setting a tray of biscuits down along with a fresh pot of tea. "Our relationships are also quite new and it has been a whirlwind for us as well. Additionally, none of us have been in a poly relationship, so we're all learning together. But what we each have with Tiberius is unique. There are similarities and overlaps, but each of us has our own interactions with him." Alice flicked a glance at Lottie and Elizabeth noticed that, like Alice, she had a silken choker on. It was a lovely accessory, especially with the silver embroidery, but it clearly had more meaning than just that; Elizabeth just didn't know what that meaning was. Both women saw Elizabeth's gaze and smiled. "Yes, this is a bit of a hint as to Charlotte and my dynamic with him. It's what we desire, and it's how he approaches us. I'm sure you will see it for yourself soon enough. And in time, you will find your own approach to your relationship with him. His size, in all respects, might intimidate, but that man is always gentle when it is what you desire. He will happily meet you on your terms." "Does; does it have to be sex?" Elizabeth wasn't sure she wanted to do that with someone she'd just met. "I'm still; not sure about all this; but; I don't want it to be about sex the first time." Her body had been feeling warm for a while now, and she was starting to feel restless. She could feel it in her core and wasn't sure if it was the tea or something else. "And, uh, is it normal to be feeling hot after getting the shot? Um, kinda like when you; you know, get horny?" She couldn't help the blush that crept onto her face at the words. "It feels like an itch I really want to scratch but can't. It's not unbearable, but it's persistent." The others looked concerned, but also understanding. Alice continued speaking, the doctor reacting automatically to the situation. "It has been a number of hours since you received the injection, has it not? From what data we have, we have surmised that something within our biology, or something within our environment, causes us to react to the serum faster than others. Normally, I'm told that it should take at least 12 hours before you start to feel the effects, and 48 hours before it becomes serious, but every case I have read involving Australians has been something like one-quarter of that time." Elizabeth just looked confused and Lottie shrugged. "It's normal, Elizabeth. Part of the serum's effect is to increase the woman's libido, so what you're feeling is supposed to happen." Lottie and the others gave Elizabeth a more detailed explanation on the serum and its effects, and the young woman nodded. Smiling, Lottie took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "Alright, why don't we go upstairs and talk to Tiberius. You won't be alone with him, and even when you are, he will not hurt you. That itch will just get worse the longer you wait. But though it will be uncomfortable, we still have time, and I'm sure there will be an option for you to change your mind if that's what you decide in the end." There was a moment as apprehension shot through her, but she agreed. Ty sat on the sofa, leaning forward as he concentrated. Once he left the kitchen, he turned his brain off. Elizabeth and the real world were problems for future Tiberius. Instead, he was tapping buttons and twisting knobs to the beat as he played a rhythm game; one of those niche interests he'd picked up on one of his postings overseas and it had stuck with him. His friends from that posting had even sent him a custom controller, something he still used to this day. It was a fun distraction, and a good one, as he never even saw Lottie and Elizabeth walk into the room, despite the door being within his line of sight. Ty had no idea how long they stood there and watched him, but eventually, Lottie got his attention by pulling his headset off. "Oh shit! Sorry, Lots. Got kinda distracted." Turning towards Elizabeth, he smiled warmly. "Hello again Elizabeth, did you have a good chat with the other ladies? Also, do you prefer Elizabeth, Liz or Beth or something else?" "I'm okay with most options, but if I had to choose? Liz, please. But Dad used to call me Lizzy, so if you can avoid using that, I'd appreciate it. It would be way too weird if you were to call me that." "Understandable. Liz it is. So, have a seat, you two. Since you're here to see me, you must have things you'd like to discuss?" Shifting over to his recliner, Ty motioned for the pair to sit. "Ah, let me start with this, though. Welcome to our home, Liz. I apologize for not being a better host. I was a little blindsided by your arrival, but you are most welcome." She blushed as the big man smiled at her again. "T-Thank you. I'm sorry to impose." The smile rapidly shifted into a grin. "You don't need to be so nervous. I don't bite. Unless you're into that." Her cheeks heated, and Lottie gave him a look. "Don't tease her, Ty. She's here for a serious talk." "My bad, my bad. I'm sorry. So, what was it you wanted to speak about?" The silence seemed to stretch on as Elizabeth gathered her thoughts, but both Ty and Lottie held themselves still. Finally, she looked up at Ty and asked the question that had been on her mind since she'd discovered the truth. "Do you really not hold it against me for what Jaxson did?" Whatever questions Ty had been expecting, that was not one of them, so it took him a moment to respond. "Why should I? You had nothing to do with it. You said that you weren't close, and I have never once heard that guy speak of even having a sister, so I don't doubt you were telling the truth. Why then, should you suffer consequences from me for his actions?" She scrutinized him for several seconds before the tension in her shoulders seemed to subside and her relief shone through. "Ok. Good. The second thing is, can we not have sex for this; bonding thing? I don't want to just leap into that." Her eyes flicked down and then widened before she continued. "I don't mean ever, just; not immediately." "No problem. Go with what you're comfortable with, no pressure. Uh; w..” Ty wanted to ask if she had experience with any kind of intimacy, but Lottie was giving him a look that promised swift death if he was that callous. Fortunately, Liz didn't seem to catch his near faux pas and just continued unabated. "Thanks. I'm okay with hand jobs and I've given enough blowjobs to know my way around. Guys don't really stick around if you don't give them at least something, right?" "I can't speak for all guys, but I've always been alright to wait, within reason. If a girl is gonna blue ball me for years for no reason, then yeah, no thanks, but if it's genuinely because she isn't comfortable, that's okay. I won't necessarily be over the moon about it, but I won't dump her because she isn't ready." "But I do have to do something here, right?" She looked at him accusingly, as if daring him to tell her otherwise. He shrugged. It wasn't going to do any good to sugarcoat it. "It's that, or test your willpower until you can't help but lose your mind with desire? At least that's how I understand it? I mean, if you're simply not attracted to me, there are other options for it, or I could call the General and ask that he reassign you to someone more your speed." She shook her head, slowly drawing her gaze over Ty's form. "No, there's no need for that. I actually think you're pretty hot, but I just don't have the habit of just jumping into bed with a guy on the first meeting. But I do also understand that this is a medical thing, so a compromise would be appreciated." Truth be told, she was out of her depth, but she couldn't admit that. It would definitely change how they looked at her. No, she would tough it out and hopefully he would cut her some slack. If she just had more time to get to know him, this would be so much easier. "Sounds fair. If you'd like, after we get you imprinted and that, we can do the whole wining and dining thing. I'm happy to do that, and it will mean we get to know each other. We can maintain the 'no intercourse until you're comfy with it' stance during it all, though you'll still have to get dosed. We can work something out for it." He thought for a moment, giving her a look. "If you'd like, we can do this first dose the same way. I don't know if you're comfortable drinking it, but I could just do it like a clinical thing; I take care of business off on my own, and when I'm close get you to come in and; well, I guess I'm the one coming at that point." He gave her a goofy grin, but she only blushed at his words. "Never mind, we'll work it out. But once you intake my semen, you'll fall asleep immediately, so we'll get you into a bedroom and whatnot." She schooled her expression but internally she was jumping for joy at her good fortune. It had always been her desire to share her first time with someone she really cared about, and maybe he would prove to be that guy, but at least she'd have time to verify it. She acted as though she was thinking about it for a minute and nodded. "I'm okay with just using my mouth. But I would very much like the getting to know you part. It's just; I really don't want my first time..” The words cut off mid-sentence and she turned crimson. "M-My first time with you to be as strangers. I promise I won't keep you waiting too long." Ty smiled. It was an easy enough thing to do. "Well, it's settled then. Why don't we grab your stuff and get you settled in a bedroom upstairs?" She nodded and stood, heading towards the door. Ty looked towards Lottie, who was watching him with an unreadable expression. "What? You clearly have something to say, so don't just stare at me, say it." Her expression didn't change, but the words became pointed. "After you're done and she's asleep, come back to the kitchen. We need to talk." That elicited a flinch and a spike of concern in the big man. Those were never nice words to hear from your partner. Choosing to remain silent, Ty just nodded and followed Liz to the door. "He'll join us after he imprints Elizabeth." Lottie settled back into her chair at the table as she spoke. Lettie chuckled. "Ooh, is our big man going to get his hands on a virgin?" Shrugging, she shared in her sister's humor. "She wants to wait for actual intercourse until they've gotten to know each other, but I guess she's going to blow him for now. She was pretty hesitant even for that. I have no idea how she got by in Uni being that sheltered." Talia shrugged. "Not everyone is comfortable with sex. From the sounds of it, her mother did not give her the talks parent and child would normally have on the subject, and though it is an unfortunate reality, most fathers do not have the required experience or knowledge to help their daughters as effectively as a woman. But that is also neither here nor there. Leticia, please repeat what you told us earlier." Lettie sighed and frowned down at the table. "It only struck me after we got home, but when he was proposing to me, a part of what he said is setting off a lot of alarm bells. Things Lottie and I never heard about or even suspected. And that worries me." "What did he say? You can't just tell us it worries you without letting us know what he said." Alice's voice was suffused with equal parts concern and consternation. "He said that the injury brought him to a place that he won't ever be happy to admit he was in. That while he was in the hospital or at home alone, he was trapped in his own head. He said the loneliness was smothering him. I; I think he was battling some pretty severe depression, and we weren't even able to see it in him. He's never been able to hide stuff from us, so how did he manage to hide this? I don't know if he's just gotten better at hiding things from us, or if there's something worse at play." "Well, we'll definitely have to talk to him about it. But I think I can answer the question of how he was able to hide it." Alice looked pensive, once again running a finger along her choker. "He was able to hide it because it wasn't there when you two were around. The feelings came from being without you; he's made that clear." She paused, looking a tiny bit melancholy as her eyes fell on Lettie's ring. "But I don't think any of us have seen it in him, so maybe that's a good sign. But if the underlying issue isn't addressed, we'll never know." Lettie saw Alice's gaze come to rest on the ring and knew Ty was planning to get all of them one, but she still knew that something needed to be said. "It's a bit of a segue, but you shouldn't worry about the ring, Alice. It's a symbol of commitment. Exactly the same as your choker is." Looking at Talia, she continued. "The only reason you don't also have one right now is that there probably hasn't been enough time to get it made and the big guy's not going to give you a ring he had made with someone else in mind. It would be just utterly disrespectful." Talia shrugged. "I do not need a symbol to know that he loves me. I can see it in his words and actions every moment of every day." She tilted her head as the grin spread on her face. "However, I cannot deny that I want such a symbol and am impatiently awaiting it." They laughed, their discussion turning towards the future, and potential plans for a wedding or weddings and children. When Ty had led Liz upstairs, he knew the young woman was still watching him intently. He didn't know what she wanted to ask, but it was clearly eating at her. He had assessed her to be an intelligent young woman, if a little sheltered. Now he properly looked at her, noting again her sandy brown hair, a different shade to Jaxson's, but hanging down to her shoulders in waves. Her oval-shaped face held her striking brown eyes and a rather cute button nose above soft pink lips. Her height was roughly in the middle, slightly taller than the twins, but shorter than Talia, probably around 5'6", at best. She was fit, almost military fit, if her frame was any indication, but he knew she wasn't part of the military. But it was a good platform to work from, and all in all, she was attractive. Her age was a bit of a concern, but when he considered it, 21 was an adult, and it wasn't going to be long before he had to consider what was going to happen with Zoe. He hadn't thought Zoe would end up wanting to pair with him, considering their age gap and existing relationship, but with one of those moats filled in the form of Liz, he was no longer sure. More things to worry about. Wonderful. He didn't know if it was a result of the stare or the increasing pressure on him from everything combined, but he spoke a little more forcefully than he'd intended. "Liz, I don't know what you expect to learn by simply boring a hole into my back with your eyes, but you could just ask the question instead? It would certainly get you closer to the answer." He regretted it immediately, as the young woman squeaked in surprise and nearly jumped back, an action that would have been disastrous if they were still on the staircase. She looked ready to sprint away nevertheless, and Ty started to feel terribly guilty. "I'm sorry, that came out rougher than I intended. What I'm saying is, you can ask the questions you've got on your mind. There's no need to bottle them up; I'll do my best to answer them." He watched her for a moment as she relaxed and tried to smile reassuringly at her. Eventually, she uncurled enough to meet his eyes again, looking a bit sheepish. "I; was wondering if that gentleman act was just that, an act. One that would melt away once we were alone, but I was wrong. I'm sorry." "Nothing to apologize for. You're in an unfamiliar environment, about to do something intimate with an unfamiliar person, all for the sake of survival. It's natural to be wary. Especially when you consider there's no going back after you do it." She definitely looked surprised at that. "So that's really true too? I thought it was just a 'you can't change your mind afterwards because we won't let you' kind of thing." "Nope. You're stuck due to biochemical changes in your body. If you try to do anything with any other guy, it could literally kill you. So please think very carefully about this. If you're still unsure, we can call it off and get you reassigned." She looked a little put out at his words. "I guess I'm not good enough. Considering the gorgeous women you already have;” "Nothing like that. It's because I'm considerably older than you, and I just want you to have the option of choosing someone younger if that's what you want." Now she just looked frustrated. "I'll have you know; I chose you. I knew you were older than me. I; guess I didn't know it was completely permanent, but I'm not worried about that. I just don't want to have sex until I know you better. I have no doubts that we'll get along, seeing as the survey thing said our compatibility is like 90%. So, I'm sure of my decision. Questioning that decision any further is just insulting." Ty could only give her a wry grin. "Well then, lady, consider this soldier suitably chastened. And I think I'm going to really enjoy getting to know you if you've got this much fire. Better than the scared kitten you've been until now." "Well, you try realizing you've walked into the home of a guy your brother has tried to kill. How could I know that you wouldn't hold a grudge?" Her voice was filled with indignance, but all Ty noticed was that she was also gaining confidence. That was a good thing. Ty opened the door to the bedroom; it wasn't the biggest room, but it was the one that had originally been his and Damian's. In fact, it still held the pair of beds they had used, and he couldn't stop the small smile at the memory. They had been keeping it clean, but it was still nice to see all of the rooms in the house being used. "Fair enough. Won't hold it against you for being cautious. But how about for now we get you sorted out so it doesn't disrupt your sleep cycle by too much. You'll be out for 10-12 hours after imprinting." "So, I'll wake up alone?" "Nah, I'll be here. The twins and Talia will need to head to the base, and Alice has to work, but I'm currently on orders to stay away from the base, so I'm working remotely. Plus, I have to visit the hospital. I'll bring you along for that." "Is everything okay?" "Someone I know is in for treatment but I'll introduce you when we get there. You'll probably become pretty good friends since you're pretty close in age. But that's for tomorrow. Let's focus on today for now, yeah?" "Ok. Now I'm wondering if that is as impressive as the rest of you. Well, whatever you're packing, I hope you're ready for the best blowjob you've ever had." Ty just grinned. "Guess it's time to find out." As he closed the door behind him, Ty had to admit it, it had been a pretty spectacular experience. The memory of feeling her tongue running over the head of his cock as she teased him still sent a small shiver up his spine. He hadn't expected the tongue stud and it definitely brought new sensations. She'd clearly gone to some lengths to learn and practice, though she was shy about taking the final step. Well, it wasn't a problem. He was no stranger to waiting, and he wasn't going to push her. But now he had to face whatever it was the girls wanted to talk to him about. It couldn't be good, if Lottie's expression was anything to judge by. But he also couldn't recall doing anything to warrant such a reaction from them. At least, not recently. When he reached the entrance to the kitchen, he could hear them talking, though the angle muffled the words. They don't seem too upset. Maybe it's not so bad? They disabused him of that notion the moment he walked into the room. Four gazes turned towards him, and their collective weight saw him drop into a chair silently. Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore. "So;” Lettie spoke over him, clearly also not able to wait any longer. "Let's just get it out there. Ty, during your proposal to me you said something that we can't overlook." Oh shit. Just what did I say to make them mad? But Lettie's next words sent him into a spin. "Don't you trust us? What happened Ty? How did you let it get so bad that you were thinking such things? Why did you never tell us what you were feeling? We're supposed to support each other! What do you think we would have done if something happened to you?" Oh no. Alice jumped in, picking up as Lettie took a breath. "From everything we've heard, it sounds like you were suffering from depression, Tiberius. Did you ever seek therapy? Did you find someone to talk to?" Lottie now, taking his hand and squeezing. "Were you just planning to hide it away forever? What would have happened if DuoHalo hadn't brought us together? Ty, it could have caused a downward spiral." And finally, Talia. "You were a fool to hide it, Tiberius. You could have spoken to them at any time. Alice and I were not present, but Charlotte and Leticia were. You could easily have told them. They would have helped you without question, and you know that. So why?" Tiberius could do nothing but stare. He hadn't expected this. But then, he hadn't been really thinking about the effect the words would have when he'd proposed, and now the truths he'd blurted out had come back to bite him. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! I'd kept it under wraps for this long, too. Fucking hell, Tiberius, your fat fucking mouth will be the death of you! He closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at the twins. "I; I kept quiet so it wouldn't burden you. You were already taking care of a lot of the duties I should have been; pulling extremely long hours. I couldn't let you know what was going through my head and have you worry about that too. I know you two. You would have driven down every night to spend it here. I couldn't do that when you had days that finished at 2AM. So, I kept quiet. It was just loneliness. And now it's not a problem. It's fine." The four women clearly didn't believe him and made it pretty clear. Lottie, especially, was furious. "It wouldn't have been a burden, Ty! We gave you space because we thought that was what you wanted. If we had any inkling otherwise we would have moved in that very day! Why the hell did you have to pick this situation to figure out how to hide things from us?" "Look. It's nothing. It was a few bad thoughts when I was injured and thought I was going to be drummed out. I dealt with it." "How bad did it get, Tiberius?" Talia pressed him. "It wasn't bad. I got a bit lonely and okay, maybe a little depressed. But it's fine now. There's none of that left." He was clearly fooling no one as they just glared at him. He sighed. "I wasn't suicidal, if that's what you were asking. I had dark thoughts, but I wouldn't call it suicidal. It was never that. But I contemplated death more then and again when I was infected than at any time and in any situation before. It was like I was empty, missing the most important things inside. Hell, I knew my life was incomplete, but I was still a coward. I didn't tell them. I wasn't willing to take the risk." He laughed bitterly, and the girls could hear the self-depreciation in it. "Me, the big bad soldier, unwilling to take a risk. I'd jump headfirst into a firefight, run straight towards a bomb, but avoid telling the people I care about my feelings. Even with death placing a hand on my shoulder and squeezing, I almost stayed silent." The pause seemed unending, but Tiberius took a deep breath and continued. "But I realized that it couldn't stay that way. I had to speak up or I'd lose the people important to me. It had already happened once." Lottie looked like she was going to say something, but Lettie's hand on hers stopped her. "No, I needed to say it. And now that I have you all with me, I'm going to do whatever I need to, to make sure you never grow tired of me." For a moment, he thought they were coming around, but it was Alice's voice that cut into him next, her tone becoming forceful as her icy blues locked his gaze to hers. The pressure radiating from the normally submissive woman was beyond intense. "You didn't answer my question, Tiberius. Did. You. Get. Professional. Help?" Ty was unable to look away as he answered. "No. I didn't need it. It passed after I ended up together with all of you. I haven't had a thought like that since then." "Not good enough. You still need to see someone. You are the cornerstone of this family, Tiberius! Your health is paramount. Not just your physical health, but your mental well-being too. Something like this, something you think is small, can become a much larger issue if left unchecked. So please. Please speak to someone about it." Tiberius sighed, defeated. "I suppose there's no way you all will let this go, even if I insist. Fine. If it'll make you happy, I'll look into finding a therapist." "If you'd like, I can make some recommendations. They're all excellent, and the ones I have in mind are accustomed to the military mindset. A couple are vets themselves, so they really do get it." He nodded. "I'd appreciate that." In truth, Tiberius was somewhat relieved. Though it wasn't a lie that those feelings were mostly in the past now, he still occasionally felt the melancholic mood hit him and it was hard to pull himself out of those moods when he fell into one. The last thing he wanted to do was fall apart at a crucial moment. He couldn't afford that. He had been stubborn with himself about seeking help, but he wasn't fool enough to disregard the helping hand now. His family needed him whole, and that meant getting help fixing up the crumbling edges. Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 28, 2020, 10:30 AM Tiberius sat at his desk, looking over the documents Colonel Anderson had forwarded to him. From everything they'd discovered, the Connors had been neck-deep in debt, and to some very dangerous people in the middle east. Specifically, he owed close to $2 Million USD to a Sheikh from the Emirates. They had been trying any number of things to come up with the cash, but it was all falling through. So, when they had come to collect, Jaxson had tried to sell his sister as collateral, completely without her knowledge. When he read this, Ty had been beyond incensed. For someone to do that to their own kin was beyond monstrous, doubly so for someone who doesn't even know it's happening. Fortunately for her, they had assumed that since she had been actively dating that she was 'soiled goods', no longer a virgin and therefore of lesser value. When Bill told him this, Ty wanted to hunt the bastards down and slaughter every last one of them. The fact that Liz was now his partner just added to that feeling. But the fact that they were unwilling to trade in flesh meant that Connors needed another solution, and fast. Eventually, a proposal was reached. The Sheikh that held the Connors debts was looking for a leg up against the 'competition'. So, in return for developing and delivering into their hands a weaponized variant of DuoHalo, his debt would be dropped. He turned his gaze towards his tablet, where Brigadier Davis, Colonel Anderson and Lt. General Hoffmann were in a conference with him. "Colonel, the issue right now is whether these assholes are going to come for Elizabeth, now that they can't get access to what they wanted. I need to know how much danger my family is in. Elizabeth included, I have two civilian partners, which means they are not trained or equipped to deal with a threat situation. Lettie and Talia will teach them self-defense, certainly, but that won't go all that far in a short time. Add Zoe into that mix, and I have three dependents. Hell, four if Béatrice also doesn't have defense training, but I think the DGSE will have that covered." The Colonel rubbed his chin as he thought. "Abduction for ransom, or maybe execution to make a statement. Both are very real possibilities. We do need to deal with the instigator, but again, that's a problem for my team. You've got your hands full with your patch, so just keep an eye out for possible threats. Remember that the unknowns responsible for the fire are in the wind. In the meantime, I can maybe try to leverage some of our international resources to keep tabs on the Sheikh's people and have our own watch for local threats. Brigadier, I trust you've got that covered, sir?" "Yeah, I'll tighten up security at the base, so Tiberius, you can just worry about shoring up around your place. Tell the girls to use alternating routes to come up for a bit. Just so they don't establish a pattern. As for you, Colonel, follow up with our friends and see if any of them have been paying attention to the region." Baz was tapping away at his keyboard he spoke, obviously making notes. Ty nodded at the two men. Though Baz was his good friend, they were in work mode. "Understood, Brigadier. General, do you have any additional instructions for me?" The General had remained silent, his eyes closed and seemingly asleep, but both Ty and Bill Anderson knew he was just thinking. "Your Team is very interesting, boy. Australia and Israel, India and soon France, too. How; international of you. Maybe that trend should continue." The segue was abrupt, but it was obviously leading to something. The crafty old goat was always like that. The business-like mood was broken and the tension seeped away. Eyeing the old man, Anderson shrugged. "I suspect you're going to really become Mr. International before too much longer, Tiberius. You'd best prepare yourself. Japan is chomping at the bit to get an influx of men. Almost to the point where they'll send tens of women for every man they're sent. We might be getting in on that soon, too." Nobody but Baz noticed Ty's flinch at the mention of Japan. "You're still stuck on her, mate? Fucking hell, it was six years ago! She isn't worth your energy, mate. And let's be fair, any of your partners is a hundred times better than that heartless bitch could ever hope to be. None of them would ever do you dirty like that." "What's this about, Barry?" Hoffmann cracked one eye open at Baz's outburst. He sighed. "Not surprised he never said anything. The details aren't mine to tell, but the gist of it is that Ty here was in a relationship with this Japanese girl for a good long while. But suddenly she upped and left. No word, no warning, no explanation. Literally just gone one day. Her sister was the one who ended up telling Ty that she went home, but still wouldn't explain what happened. Ty was really taken with her and I think he was planning to take it further, but she went and ran. Broke his heart, almost to the point I think this dumbass developed abandonment issues." Ty had to defend himself. "It wasn't that bad, Baz. I just didn't like that she just left without any explanation. I mean, seriously, if I did something wrong, at least tell me. Nanami, her sister, was barely able to contain her anger with me, and I still have no idea why. That's the only reason I was stuck on it." "That tears it, boy. I'll look into seeing who we can spare to send there, and I'll send you a whole group of pretty Japanese girls. Hell, I'll send you girls from everywhere I can convince to send 'em. Once again, you will have no right to veto." Hoffmann's voice was light, but there was a note of seriousness to it that alarmed Ty. Ty could feel his soldier's veneer cracking at the words. "Uncle Jon; you can't be serious. You already pushed Elizabeth onto my Team. The whole process is supposed to get the consent of both parties." Jonathan Hoffmann scoffed. While he wasn't actually Tiberius' biological uncle, he had been one of his grandfather's good friends and remained a mentor to both Marshall brothers. "Your consent was given the moment I said so, boy. Strewth, of all the men I know, you are probably the only one who would actually complain about beautiful women being thrown at him. The fuck is wrong with you, boy? I know you're not gay. From all accounts, you have four very happy women in your family. So, what're you complaining about?" Tiberius shot an apologetic look at Anderson before he let loose. "Nothing is wrong with me, ya old bastard! You're just throwing things at me left and right! I need time to adjust! I haven't had time to just sit down and process everything that's already happened, let alone handle you making jokes about sending me fucking boatloads of women!" The silence was palpable as everyone just stared at one another. After a moment that felt like minutes, Bill spoke, the smile beginning to tug at his normally stoic face. "I don't think he was joking, Tiberius. And to be fair, I kind of agree with the idea. It'd do wonders for our political climate." "Well fuck. Not you too, Colonel." The smile showed itself in full force now. "Damn, maybe you're worse off than I thought. Get the stick out of your ass and call me Bill like these guys, alright? I'm not about to kill you for using my name. Might have been a thing when you were in my unit, but far be it from me to stop us from becoming mates now. The world's gone to shit and I'm running out of mates. Wait, I just got a couple of new ones, but they're pretty and I don't reckon I'll be copping a root from you anytime soon, ey?" The atmosphere was broken, sending Baz and Hoffmann into fits of laughter. "Fucking hell, you old buggers will be the death of me. Ok. Whatever. I'll look into updating my security, but I'm also running out of space. I'll need to call Nik and see if I can swing the cash to buy the properties on either side of mine." Hoffmann's laughter cut off immediately and he shook his head. "No need. The Government is paying for your housing, and it's understood that you're going to have a larger than average team. We'll take care of it. Save your money for your family." "Let me get the okay from Zoe first, yeah? One of those houses is her family's property. She's not a part of my Team ..” "Yet." Baz interjected, his grin threatening to split his face in two. Ty just glared at him. "She's not a part of my Team, and I don't think she'll want to be. That being the case, I'm not going to just take her home away without consulting her. I'll do that today, after I talk to her about all of this. And before you ask, she'll be signing the NDA." Baz rolled his eyes. "You can only keep the blinders on for so long, but believe what you want, mate. She's what, 19 now? And she's had a massive crush on you for years. She'll want in." Ty heard a door open, and he checked his watch. "Gentlemen, it would appear my newest partner has woken, so I think it's time for me to head out. As I said I'll start looking into extra security measures, and I'll ensure the girls are aware of the potential threat. Baz, could you let me know when Béatrice arrives? I'll come get her myself." He deliberately avoided bringing the thing with Grace up. If he got the big guns like Hoffmann or Anderson involved this early, it could cascade into something much bigger. Better to ask Baz to use some subtlety in private, especially if it turned out to be just a misunderstanding. He sent the text, and Baz responded by calling him immediately. "What the fuck is that request, Ty?" "I'll explain later, just keep an eye on Dr. Morgan. Grace is worried about it, and I trust her instincts." The voice that came back after the pause was filled with skepticism. "Is it her instincts you're following or her ass? I know you two had a thing." "Jesus, Baz. Even if we did have a thing at one point, this has nothing to do with that. If that woman is genuinely concerned, we should be too. So could you just set it up please? Quietly?" He sighed. "Fine. I'll make it happen. Just promise me this isn't about unresolved feelings." "I promise it's not. You know me better than that." "You dumb bugger, it's because I know you that I'm asking. Don't get too attached. She already is." Ty didn't rise to the prod. He knew better. "Just make it happen please, Baz. I gotta go." He cut the call and left his office, heading downstairs to find Liz sitting at the table with a steaming mug of coffee and a semi-dazed expression. She didn't even register Ty until he started moving pans around. "Oh! Uh, good morning. I helped myself to some coffee. Hope that's okay." "All good, Liz. Make yourself at home. How ya feeling?" She contemplated that for a moment. "Pretty good, all things considered. I didn't expect that I'd get off like that. I've never felt that from giving a guy head. It was pretty special." Smiling wryly, Ty nodded. "Yeah, the ladies all said it's better than anything they've felt before. Both the priming orgasm and the one you had when I popped. Apparently, you'll get something similar every time, but without the part where you fall unconscious." She took a deep draw from her coffee before she nodded. "Good. If I blacked out every time it'd get old fast, to be honest." "Well, that was also part of the serum. It happens when you go into the imprinting state, so that's a one-off." "Ok, I understand. So, we're going to the hospital today?" "In a bit. You've got time. Wake up fully, freshen up. You can use either the central bath or the master, whichever you'd prefer. You're welcome in either, and there are ladies' products in both these days. I'll get some food going in the meantime." "Ooh, a domestic guy. That's refreshing. You wouldn't believe the kind of slobs college boys tend to be." she cooed, throwing Ty a playful smile. Ty grinned, then pointed at himself. "I was once a college-aged guy, though I didn't get the experience until later. But that's a story for another time. I'll get cooking, so you go get dressed." He scooped up the now empty mug and shooed the young woman out of the kitchen. She seemed a lot more relaxed now, which was good. Hopefully she'd be even more comfortable once she was introduced to Zoe and had someone near her age to interact with. [REDACTED] Hospital, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 28, 2020, 11:40 AM Zoe didn't react anywhere near as badly as Ty had expected when he explained the serum and everything it entailed. Her questions leaned more towards understanding the pairing system and how it matched partners. Though he didn't have anything like a perfect understanding, he did know enough to give her the answers she wanted, and she seemed satisfied. "So when will I need to do my Oracle thing? The whole 'Team' thing actually sounds cool." Let alone satisfied, she was eager. "Not until you're out of here, at least, Zoe. No sense getting you into the system when you can't go anywhere or do anything. There's no hurry anyway." She bit her lip, looking a little put out. "It'd be something to do, at least. I'm getting pretty bored, Ty." "Yeah, I figured that'd be the case, so I brought someone with me today. Shit happened and she was brought to me to join my Team, but she's close to your age, so I figured the two of you would get along. Plus, she was also in Sydney for Uni, so you guys should have at least that much in common." Zoe perked up at the news. "Where is she now then?" "Alice is doing a check up on her. She's been going through all our medical histories and getting us up to date on everything." She chuckled. "It pays to have a doctor in the family, huh. At least you don't have to show off to a stranger. It can be pretty embarrassing." Alice laughed as she entered the room. "Please, it's nothing a doctor won't have seen before. With family I'm just doubly motivated to make sure I don't miss anything. Anyway, Elizabeth here is in great health, so why don't the two of you introduce yourselves." As Liz stepped around the corner, both girls' eyes went wide. Zoe's jaw dropped and Liz darted in, throwing her arms around the younger girl, almost sobbing. "Zoe! You're ok! Oh, thank God! You dropped off the planet, girl! What happened?" Zoe was in tears as she hugged Liz back. "I'm sorry, Liz. I tried to make it on my own, but I kinda fucked up. Ran out of money and they cut off my phone. It took weeks to get back here. With my funds dried up, I had nothing to fall back on. At any time, I could have borrowed a few dollars from someone and called Ty, but I was being stubborn." Though he was startled that the pair knew each other, Zoe's revelations took precedence. "I knew something had to have gone wrong, but what happened to Toby and Mattie's bank accounts? Did you lose the cards?" "I don't know what happened to my parents' accounts. I never had the cards. Nobody ever gave them to me. Nobody even told me what happened to the house." Ty's eyes widened. "What? Zoe, what the hell do you mean by that?" "I never heard anything about my parents' will or any assets or anything like that. I didn't know if they had debts or what happened but the lawyer told me he'd handle it and asked me to sign something. I said I wouldn't sign anything until you looked at it, and he didn't look happy, but he left. I didn't hear from him again, so I thought you might have handled it." Ty was furious again, both at the son of a bitch that had clearly tried to take advantage of her, and at himself, for not ensuring she was looked after. Barely able to contain himself, he turned away from the bed so they couldn't see his face. "Zoe, Liz, I'll be right back. I need to make a couple of phone calls. You two; you two should spend some time catching up." He gave Alice a look and she nodded at him before he left the room and stalked down the hallway, yanking his phone out of his pocket. Scrolling through his contacts, he found a particular name and dialed, barely managing to avoid cracking the screen with the force. It only took a single ring before the call connected, and Ty wasted no time. "Juno, I need the name and number of the lawyer who handled the Evans estate, and I need it last week." The person on the other end paused for just a beat before the voice came through, clearly not amused. "Hi Tiberius, I'm good, thanks for asking. Bella and Mars are doing well too. You should meet them sometime. How are you?" Another pause, and the woman's tone shifted, becoming all business. "Let me pull it up, stud. Christ, just how pissed off are you to skip even saying 'hi'?" "Volcanic. Vesuvius is a good approximation. The name, Juno." She snorted. "Very funny. Hold on." "Thanks. And sorry. Hi Juno. You find a break in your busy schedule and I'll happily meet you and the munchkins." Juno Claudius was a lawyer, and a damn good one. Though her normal field of expertise was in criminal law, specifically as a prosecutor, she was more than capable in other aspects, and thus did bits of work for Tiberius outside of that, since her mother had been the lawyer for Ty's family. Two years Ty's senior, Juno and Ty only occasionally ran in the same circles, but they had been friends. They spoke over the phone every so often, just to keep tabs on one another, but hadn't met in person in almost six years. Ty genuinely felt bad about it, since it meant that he'd never had the opportunity to meet Juno's kids, Bellona and Mars, both named after children of her own divine namesake. He sent presents for every event, but Juno was just too busy with her career and the twins' care for them to have time to get together. The perils of single motherhood. Ty was trying to calm himself before she spoke again, having put him on speaker. "Shit. The name you're after is Parker Mason. But it'll do you no good to go looking for him. The arrogant prick died three months ago from this plague. And it looks like he tried to mark the estate as being in escrow, along with the transfer of all the accounts into another; but it never happened. He got sick and kicked the bucket." "Escrow? Who the fuck did this guy try and sell it to?" Ty's fury returned twofold now. There was the sound of frantic typing and a soft curse as the answer came back. "Himself. How arrogant could he be, the prick. Didn't even try to hide it. Had this gone through, it would have flagged immediately. Wait, Tiberius, the Evans estate means Toby and Matilda, right? Which in turn means their baby girl. Holy fuck. This son of a bitch tried to steal from Zoe? How did you not catch this?" "It never went through me, Juno. From the sounds of it, he tried to take advantage of Zoe's desire to be an adult and managed to keep me out of the equation, at least until he tried to get her to sign something she didn't understand. Thank God she had the good sense to refuse." Ty let out a breath, hating his next words before he even uttered them. "Juno, I know you're busy, but can you take over this matter? Her family's estate needs to be sorted out but I don't think I can trust anyone but you. I'll pay double your normal rate." She scoffed. "Go to hell! If you think I'd charge you to help Zoe, you're out of your mind. I actually have a nearly empty workload, so I'll happily chase this up. I'll take other work if you have any too, stud." There was another pause and then her voice returned, now considerably more sombre. "Tiberius, it's probably also about time we had a face-to-face. There's something I need to talk to you about. It's very important, and it's long overdue." This was unusual. Juno was generally a serious person, but this sounded different. "Something private? Should we just meet for lunch?" "No, not today. I; I need a bit of time to; sort myself out. I'll call you. For now, let me suss out this mess with Zoe. And send her my love, yeah? Tell her Auntie J misses her." She was stumbling over her words, suddenly flustered, though Ty couldn't understand why. "Of course. Thanks, Juno. Maybe I can meet the kids at this 'talk'?" "Maybe. That might be a good idea, actually. The kids can finally meet ..” There was a bit of noise as she picked up the phone to hang up and Ty couldn't quite hear the words she mumbled at the end before the line went dead. Feeling confident that Zoe's situation would be handled, he started to walk back to her room, when it hit him and he stopped dead in his tracks, nearly causing an accident as two people swerved to avoid colliding with him. They backed away, watching him warily, but Ty didn't even notice, too lost in his thoughts. Juno hadn't once mentioned her long-time boyfriend, Craig. He tried to remember, but he couldn't recall her mentioning him the last couple of times they spoke either, back in June or even further back in January. Had he really been so insensitive as to not even ask after him? Had something happened between them? Was she okay by herself? And had he really been so stuck in his own head that he was ignoring his friends? Who else had he let fall by the wayside while wallowing? His self-doubt emerged; ‘Some leader I am. Maybe I really do need therapy; fuck.’ As he re-entered Zoe's room, he was pleased to see the two young women chatting animatedly. Alice must have gone back to her rounds, because she was nowhere to be seen. Both of their faces colored as he entered, and Liz beamed at him. "Well, it certainly seems like I don't have to worry about whether I can trust you in the long term, Tiberius. Now it's just a matter of us getting to know one another, and then;” They both burst into a fit of giggles. Eyebrows raised; he looked between both girls. "What am I missing?" The pair exchanged glances before replying as one. ""Nothing!"" "I see." He shrugged, knowing there were no answers to be had here. "But I'm pleasantly surprised to find out the two of you know each other. It's good you'll both have someone of similar age to talk to." Nodding sagely, he let his eyes fall on Zoe. "Zoe, I've gotten in touch with Juno. She's going to sort out the thing with your parents' estate. Everything's going to be fine." Zoe looked surprised "Auntie J is going to help? That's great news!" "She is and she sends her love. And Zoe, I'm so sorry I let it get this bad. I should have paid more attention, even if you didn't want that. I guess I was a bit stuck in my own head." She looked chastened as he said that and looked down. "I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have shut you out. You were always just trying to do what was best for me. Still are." "Yeah, well. I've been pretty self-absorbed this year, it seems. But that's done with. My family is my priority, and that includes you." He scratched at his beard before changing the subject. "So, how do you two know each other?" Liz smiled. "We lived in the same share house. Zoe's in a design program and I'm doing a finance degree, so separate universities, but they're close enough that it was cheaper to share accommodations. And you remember last night, when I said I had a few girls who I was like sisters with? Well Zoe's one of them, and I lost touch with her, for reasons that are obvious to me now." "That's quite serendipitous. Like I said, I'm glad you both will have each other. It'll go a long way towards ensuring your comfort. As for me;” Ty trailed off as the footsteps drew close, and he heard a sound that was extremely out of place in a hospital. Ty's phone began ringing, but he ignored it, already reaching for his own gun as he turned around. After all, to a soldier, the sound of a round being chambered in a weapon was unmistakable. Oh, fuck. "Get down!" Two people in scrubs and facemasks rounded the corner, guns drawn. There was no time for hesitation, and he had barely an instant to realize these were the same two that had nearly crashed into him in the hall earlier before Ty snapped his arms up and fired. Then the world went mad with fire and light and as quickly as it began, Ty's world went dark. Chapter 8. Saegusa Household, Richmond, Victoria, Australia, October 28, 2020, 9:56 AM "White Cypress? You're kidding." There was no measuring the disbelief in Rayne's voice. Across his desk, Victoria Whitlock, a geneticist and another employee of BioWorks sat, giving him a wry smile as she nodded. She was also his newest partner, arriving just as Ty had said she would. They had spent the last hour just chatting and had finally started talking shop. "Specifically, Callitris Columellaris, yes. We tested a great many things, Rayne." Her clipped British accent gave her heritage away as she continued. "Individuals of various backgrounds, our own. We even went through all the protocols and accessed our sample library. Any blood sample exposed to the serum, but not exposed to White Cypress shows a reaction consistent with all of the initial reporting from the Americans." "Victoria, you cannot be telling me that pollen is why we're seeing accelerated effects from the serum? How the hell do you even explain that?" "We're still working on that part. I can't give you specifics, but I do know that it shows its effect most clearly on any sample that has had time to process cypress pollen in the recent past. When an unpaired individual takes in the serum, we know that their immune system receives a massive boost. Something in immunoglobulins regularly exposed to white cypress pollen seems to cause a cascading reaction with the serum, forcing it to accelerate. And by a factor of three to four, just as you've observed." She leaned back, running a hand through her silky brown hair. She kept it in a pixie cut since leaving it long would just get in the way when she did lab work, but the style had grown on her. Her mother had said she looked like a boy, but then again, her mother was more plastic than not these days, so Victoria had limited regard for her opinion. As she stretched, she didn't miss how Rayne's eyes traced the contours of her body and she had to hide her smile. At 31, she knew she was only a few years older than him, but that 3 in her age was starting to make its presence known in little ways. And truth be told, after seeing the women already around him, she had worried a little that the man in front of her wouldn't find her attractive enough. Judging by his current interest, she knew she'd been wrong on that point, at least. Her gaze came to rest on his chest, marveling at the way his muscles seemed to ripple under his shirt as he breathed. To be continued in part 8. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 6 French Tinker, Local Tailor, Aussie Soldier, Foreign Spies? Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 6. List of Characters: House Marshall: Tiberius Marshall, 35, Lt. Colonel Australian Army Special Air Service. Black Hair, Grey Eyes. Big teddy bear. Charlotte ‘Lottie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, long hair, service submissive. Leticia ‘Lettie’, Valiant, 35, Captain Australian Army Special Air Service, Red hair, shoulder length hair, tomboy. Talia Becker, 27, Major Israeli Defense Force, Black hair, long hair, braided, willful, but devoted. Alice Rai, 31, Doctor of Medicine, Black hair, blue eyes, partial Indian descent, complete submissive. House Valiant: Rayne Valiant, 28, 6'10, fit and muscular. Scientist, younger brother of the twins and head of Australian Quaranteam Project Research and Development. House Morgan: Benjamin Morgan, 36, Doctor. Little is known about his background. Grace Lawry, 33, Captain, US Air Force. Tiberius' old friend. Partnered with Benjamin Morgan and the person who involved Ty in the Quaranteam Project. Theresa Miller, 28, Latest addition to House Morgan. Details currently unknown. Others: Zoe Evans, 19, daughter of Tiberius' good friends Toby and Matilda Evans and Tiberius' 'niece'. University Student. Damian Marshall, 30, Captain Australian Army SASR. Smaller version of Tiberius. Currently in France. Jonathan Hoffmann, Lt. General. Friend of Tiberius' and the twins' grandfather. Current highest-ranking member of the AUS. military. Jaxson Connors, Major, currently under arrest for abuse of authority and attempted murder. Is purported to be working with an unknown power in the development of the Assassin Variant of DuoHalo. Elizabeth Connors, 21, younger sister of Jaxson Connors. University Student. Details currently unknown. Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 11:04 AM "You can't." Grace's voice was utterly flat as she stared at Tiberius. He'd finally let her know of his intended timeline, and that simply wouldn't work. She had come down from the base to talk to Tiberius in private, and he had dropped that on her. "You need to give me more than that, Grace. Why? What's so important that I need to wait?" "We can't risk inciting panic by having things leak to the public, Tiberius. The President intends to address the people on the 20th, so we're preventing everyone from going public before that date. That means everywhere, okay? It's not just you." Tiberius just gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah, that makes me feel so much better. Like hell, Grace! The whole point of us talking to the people is so that we prevent panic! Every day we delay means more lives lost, and we only had a fraction of your population to begin with! Why are you sticking us to your schedule when we're going to be good to go well before that?" She was clearly frustrated, pacing the room. "We're also talking about different political landscapes, Ty. The situation in the U.S. is volatile. People are dying, scared, confused, you name it." "People are scared and dying everywhere, damn it! Everybody and their mum are confused! Why does that mean you have to hold us back? My homeland has been absolutely decimated. Seven. Million. Living. Souls." "Australia got hit hard, yes. I've seen the real numbers now. But your political landscape isn't anything like ours. Yours won't go tits up at the slightest provocation." Tiberius snorted at the idea. "If you can say that and mean it, you don't understand Aussies. We're a laid-back bunch, no doubt, but if we feel threatened or at risk, we're every bit as capable of causing an absolute hell of a muck up. Hell, some of these wankers will do it for the shits and giggles because they're fucking bored of being in lockdown. But they're our people and we're trying to get them protected. You're telling me not to do that." "I'm just asking you to give us time to stabilize. I don't have exact numbers, but we're still at barely 20% of our surviving men vaccinated. You can't shut down the internet, so word would get out and people would riot. It'd be chaos." By this point, Tiberius wanted to shout at the woman, but he held it in. It wasn't her fault, and he wasn't about to shoot the messenger. Taking a deep breath, he decided to change track. "Grace, you're talking about having 20% of your male population vaccinated. Nobody else has anything even remotely close to that. If the ball drops on your end, it's the rest of the world that will drop into chaos." He sighed, but there was no real way to 'win' this argument, so he changed tack. "Look, your main concern is that people don't know about the vaccine yet, correct? My intent isn't even to talk about that. What I want is to get a head start on getting people set up in Oracle. If they're registered in the system, then I can use that to speed up the process when we actually do start the rollout. So, I don't need to talk about the vaccine. I don't even need to say we have a solution. I will push back the rollout date though. Fair enough?" The svelte brunette turned to the big man and gave him a wry smile. "I suppose that's fair. Honestly, I don't know what else I can do in the circumstances. Even if you were to go ahead and do it, I can't stop you. I can get mad at you, but the damage will be done. The trust will be broken." There was something about the way she was saying the words that had Tiberius concerned. "I get the distinct feeling you're not exactly talking about the vaccine or preventing riots anymore, Grace. Why don't you grab a seat and tell me what's on your mind?" She sighed, looking worn out as she sat on the lounge. "I'm tired, Tiberius. Tired and concerned and confused and I really don't know who to talk to about this, apart from you." "That sounds ominous, but it tells me nothing, Grace. Trouble at home?" "Locally. I'm feeling uneasy. Something is wrong." "I need some clarity here. With one of us? With one of your fellow partners? With Ben?" She flinched at Ben's name and Ty zeroed in on that. "So, it's about Ben then. I thought you two got along great? You told me you were happy?" Again, the wry smile. " Content. I told you I was content. That's not the same thing. Yes, I connected with Ben pretty well. We do have a decent amount in common. A lot of the same things as you and I do, actually." Grace trailed off; her gaze lost in the distance. "But; ?" Tiberius prompted. "Something is off. For such a high compatibility, it feels shallow. We supposedly like the same things, but no matter what I try to draw him into a conversation on, it's just barely surface level. Sometimes, it almost feels like a rehearsed speech. You and I, we clicked immediately. We could talk about whatever for hours, but we never allowed what we had to get deeper than the surface. But that's because it was always going to be a short-term thing." He nodded; the realities of their lives hadn't allowed for more. "We had our respective careers and families at home, so it was difficult to reconcile that." She gave him what he could only describe as a wistful gaze. "Did you ever wonder if we would have made it work if we had more time?" Ty froze as she said this. He watched her for a minute, not daring to speak until the words were completely formed in his head. She was lovely, smart, capable and emotionally mature. Had he envisioned a future with her? Briefly, sure. But life wasn't so accommodating, and they had just remained friends. "I know we would have. But that's a moot point now. Grace, maybe you need to take a day or two off and just spend time with Ben." Ty gestured off into the distance. "I can recommend some places to visit, things to do that will still be open. Your relationship is still new. You're still learning about one another. I genuinely don't know if I'm one to talk, but I think maybe you just need time." Grace gave him an unreadable look. "I don't know if it's that simple, Ty." "Are you unwilling to give it a try?" The words elicited an ambivalent reaction from the woman. "Grace, I can't help you if you don't want to try. It might just be the anxiety of a new situation. Unless you were already in a poly relationship before all of this, it's a lot to adjust to." He locked eyes with her, and there was something in her expression that gave him pause. "Grace? Grace, what the hell are you not telling me?" The woman hesitated, clearly unsure as to whether she should share her thoughts. "It isn't just about time, Tiberius. I'm starting to think that Ben has a completely different agenda to the one the rest of us have. He's been pushing your scientist friend, Dr. Valiant, hard about getting access to that variant research." "Variant? You mean the one that Connors used on me?" "Yes. While it's not inconceivable that he'd want access, I can't help but feel that there's more to it. I don't know what, but it's worrying me. He's been getting more and more irritable since Dr. Valiant has been stonewalling him." "Ray's under orders to not release that data to anyone. Even if Ben comes to him with signed authority from the President, it's going nowhere." Grace shrugged. "I understand why Dr. Valiant is refusing. He told me about it when he called to complain, actually. But it's got Ben really upset and I think he was counting on getting that data." "Why the hell would he want it? From what I understand, it really isn't all that valuable. It's not viable as a spreader, just as a tool for killing. What good would having that do him?" "I don't know, Tiberius. I don't know, and it worries me. He's been acting really weird since we got here. You remember the attitude he had when you first met? That was the first time I'd ever seen him like that. And the other day, I overheard bits of a phone conversation where he was telling someone that he'd sent the data on the blood sample, but he was still 'working on it'. I thought it was about one of the vaccine simulations he was running, but the phone he was using was one I'd never seen before, and on top of that, he was being really obsequious. Like, really deferential, and that doesn't make sense, since I know his direct superior. They're best friends and have never spoken formally to one another. And yesterday, he demanded something from Theresa, and I actually think he hit her when she insisted that she wouldn't do it. She's not saying anything, but she's been avoiding him and she looks scared." Ty could hear the distress in his friend's voice, but he was at a loss. His one and only interaction with Ben Morgan had been the day they met, and he'd struck him as an easily likeable man. It was difficult to reconcile the image that had set with the man Grace was describing. He once again watched Grace as she sat there, "I; What is it you want me to do here, Grace? If Theresa speaks up and admits he hit her, and we can find proof, we can prosecute him under our laws. We take a strong stance against domestic violence down here, and with the world in the state it's in, I think it's a much bigger issue now than ever before. We don't even know what his objective is. If he is up to something, we don't know if he's got political clout to back him up. To be fair, we don't fucking know anything. But Grace, you need to be absolutely certain before you go down this road. There's no coming back from it. Whether you're wrong or right, it will irrevocably change your relationship with Ben and his other partners. As you said, the trust will be gone, and I think it will be irreparable. For now, I can only suggest you keep an eye on him. Try and keep an open mind." Grace nodded, but her mind was in turmoil. It had been only days ago that she'd thought her relationship with Ben had been just fine. Improving, even. Witty and capable, he had a rare smile that made his pale blue eyes shine, under a head of dark, nearly black hair. While she was generally laid-back, he was serious most of the time, and then almost painfully intense when he was really focused. Over the months she had come to believe that he was a great partner for her, even with their differences. One of those differences, and a major one at that, was his unwillingness to be open about his life. Not so much a secret as he just wouldn't talk about it. For the family-oriented Grace, it stung. She recalled how she'd met Ty's family; via video call while he'd been stationed with her in the States. His mother was wonderful, almost making her feel like one of the family after a single phone call. His father was a lot like her own; rigid and fixated on routine. A relic of his military background, Ty had told her. She could only smile, as she understood completely. He had told Grace that her own family had him feeling extremely warm and fuzzy, and that made her feel good. She had been unable to fly down for their funeral, and it was still one of her major regrets. Glancing over at Tiberius, she let her gaze travel over the big man. His own short-cropped dark hair; the steel grey eyes that even now watched her with concern. He was more laid back than Ben would likely ever be, but there was a similarity to them both, she concluded. They both took their jobs seriously but had a hard separation between work mode and home mode. It struck her that if Ben was more muscular and a bit taller, maybe, or if Tiberius was a little shorter and slenderer, they could almost be related; no. Ok, so I've got a type. Everybody does. It's not like they pushed Ben on me on purpose. It just so happens that the two guys I've liked the most are similar. The more she thought about it, the more it worried her. She hadn't been given many options for partners, and according to the profiles, Ben was the most compatible and did seem to be the most appropriate candidate. Almost as though she was being encouraged to pick him. But wasn't that what Oracle was supposed to do? Find the best options for her? I couldn't have been assigned to him on purpose; She knew it was ridiculous. But she couldn't get that thought out of her head. Rumors of people misusing the system had been floating around, even before she'd left the U.S. on this assignment. She'd spoken to some of the people assigned to the base in California and knew there may be more than a grain of truth to it. The only option was to wait and watch. Throughout all of this, Tiberius simply sat silently and observed her. Grace had indeed never said 'happy' when she spoke of Ben. But wasn't contentment good in its own way? He wasn't sure. When he was with his girls, he felt happiness, a sense of peace, when he wasn't enthralled in passion, anyway. Grace seemed to feel that she'd just; settled. He wondered if any of the women in his life had decided to just settle for him, but he drove that thought away. They expressed their feelings for him regularly. They weren't settling because they genuinely cared for him. But his heart went out to Grace. They were friends, former lovers, and she seemed so lost and confused. He'd probably have agreed to take her in without question, but that was impossible. Unless the Americans had a way to have people change partners they hadn't shared with the world, she was stuck with Ben. He stood as she rose to leave, her mind still elsewhere. He took her arm and pulled her into a hug, and she stiffened as she returned to reality. "Grace. Think very carefully about how you approach this. I've got your back, and you know that. But this has far-reaching repercussions, and I don't know how any of this will play out. Don't do something foolish on a whim." "I; I understand, Ty. I plan to just watch for now, unless I actually see him hitting someone. I have to intervene if that happens. Other than that, I'm going to find out what he's doing. If it's legit, I'll apologize and speak to him about being more open about things. If not;” If she was right, and Ben was plotting something, he needed to know what her options were after all the fires were put out. The only caveat was that he needed to look into things discreetly. It wouldn't do for her to find out he was looking into it without her knowledge. It would prompt some very uncomfortable questions and would paint him in a bad light no matter his intentions. ‘Damned if I do. Damned if I don't. But damn me if I won't.’ he thought. Undisclosed Hospital, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 3:23 PM "I'm not a child, Ty!" The indignant voice carried out of the room as Tiberius raised a cup of water to his lips and drank. He had arrived at the hospital shortly after Grace's departure from his home. He was no closer to a solution to the conundrum, but then, he still had nowhere near enough information to make any kind of assessment. He had put that problem out of his mind though, since his focus needed to be on Zoe. She was out of immediate danger but her body was still weak and Alice had informed him that it would be at least a week before she would be able to be released. The big man couldn't stifle the smile that formed on his lips as the young woman pouted at him. "No Zoe, legally, you're not. But understand, sweetheart, that those words are probably the worst thing you can say if you want me to actually believe that. And right now, you're not able to look after yourself. So please, let me." Zoe had woken up the day before, weakened and confused, but she had nonetheless recognized her 'uncle' before bursting into tears. Ty had just wrapped her up in a hug, trying his best to not cry in relief. She had fallen asleep shortly after that, still lacking energy and Ty had refused to leave her side until she woke again. Now, she looked at the big man with irritation. "I can look after myself just fine, Ty. I made it this far." "Fucking hell, Zoe! You nearly died in my bloody kitchen! If we hadn't come home when we did;” Tiberius couldn't suppress the involuntary shudder that wracked his body at the thought. The diminutive young woman also seemed to shrink into herself at Ty's words. "I; I'll manage. I have to. I'm al..” Ty silenced her with a glare. "If you're about to say 'alone', then I'll really get mad. You have never been alone, Zoe. You merely acted like it. You shut me out. I still don't get why." "That's because you keep treating me like a child! I wanted; to prove;” Ty let the glare drop and his expression softened immensely. "Proving you're an adult doesn't mean doing everything on your own, ya goose. It means doing what you can, but still being able to ask for help when you need it." "Easy for you to say. You never need help, Mr. Super Soldier." "That's complete bullshit, Zoe. I need help every day. Why do you think the twins stick around?" Giving him an exasperated stare, Zoe huffed. "Because they absolutely adore you, Ty. Like completely in love. Anyone can see that. Except you, my boneheaded uncle." Ty chuckled. "Well, that's as may be, but it's still true that they help me every single day. I'm not an island. Hell, I'd be lost without them and they know it. They support me in all the things I can't do, and I'm eternally grateful. And now that you're awake, I'm sure Lettie and Lottie are dying to see you. One of them will also bring Talia with them so you can meet. To be fair, I insisted on being the one to be here when you woke up, and they had work to do at the base today, so they'll be here soon." Zoe looked a little relieved at Ty's words and gave him a sheepish smile. "I was wondering why they hadn't come to see me. I; I thought they might be mad at me since I didn't talk to them while I;” The smile dropped away and the tears slid down her cheeks. "Ty; I was so scared. I felt so alone;” Standing from his seat beside her bed, Ty enveloped the young woman in a hug. The pair stayed like that for a few minutes, Zoe just weeping softly. Rubbing her back gently, Tiberius spoke. His voice didn't waver, but his anxiety was clear. "Zoe, sweetheart, we couldn't reach you. I guess your phone was cut off, so we had no way of getting in touch if you didn't reach out first. Otherwise, we would have moved heaven and earth to get to you. We came so close to losing you;” "Was it really that bad? I mean, I get that it was bad, but after I woke up, it really doesn't feel like it." She pulled away from him, searching his expression. She had felt powerless and scared, but she still had no real grasp of how close she had come to death that day. "Zoe, you were mere hours from dying. It was a fucking miracle that we got to you when we did, and that Dr. Rai was able to help. That woman is amazing and I'll never be able to repay her. Not that I'll stop trying." Zoe grinned at Ty, giving the older man a sly look. "It also doesn't hurt that Dr. Rai is like, crazy hot, huh? Short but stacked? Like, seriously. Oh. Em. Gee. I'm definitely straight, but she always makes me do a double take." Ty's grin matched Zoe's watt for watt. "You should see her outside of work. The scrubs are seriously unflattering. So much so, the word 'Goddess' just isn't sufficient." Zoe's smile faltered. She hadn't expected that. "You're dating her? What about Charlotte or Leticia? You clearly know their feelings for you." Ty scratched at his head for a moment, considering how to broach the subject. His playful demeanor had vanished, giving way to the soldier again. "I guess it's something that's going to come up sooner or later. Zoe, before I can actually talk about a lot of this in detail though, there's red tape to sort out, so I'll have to give you the sanitized version until then. Long story short, I'm with four different women, including Alice and the twins. Before you ask, I'm not cheating; they're all aware and accepting of the situation. Hell, Alice actually was with Lottie for a while before I even met her." Zoe was leaning back, studying Ty carefully. "Can you swear that? That they all agreed to the situation and are actually willing?" "Absolutely. Ask Alice yourself. She's bound to come check in on you very soon. And you can ask the twins and Talia when they arrive. There was no sneaking around." He paused, flashing a crooked grin. "Ok, maybe there was a little sneaky business." Zoe gave him a glare and he laughed. "Lottie knew that I'd run afoul of Alice and semi-engineered the encounter between us. It's not an exaggeration to say sparks flew. But that was the sneakiest we got, sweetheart. I wouldn't lie about this. Even if there was any merit in it, I wouldn't lie to you." "Then why did you say you were giving me a 'sanitized' version? What aren't you telling me and why?" Tiberius' smile was wry as he placed a hand on her head. "I'm giving you the sanitized version because the rest is stuff I actually can't tell you until you sign a bunch of paperwork and promise not to talk about it anywhere. It's embargoed information. Government and military stuff. There are a lot of decisions to be made, and a lot of it hinges on what you plan to do from here on out." The young woman's expression went from consternation to unease in a blink. "What; What should I do? What's going to happen to me?" Tiberius sat there, stroking Zoe's head gently as he contemplated his next words. Zoe, deep in her own thoughts, absently took his hand and held it, drawing comfort as she processed. Eventually, Ty spoke, his words hesitant as his eyes met hers. "If you want, you can come live with us. You'll need to agree to sign the documents and that means that you can't talk to anyone who isn't also subject to those documents about what you learn. But that aside, I want you somewhere I can be sure you're safe. I won't baby you, but I'd really appreciate it if you'd stay somewhat close for my peace of mind, if not your own." Alice chose that moment to walk into the room, smiling at the sight before her. "How are you feeling, Zoe?" When the young woman blushed and turned her head down, she gave Ty a stern look and swatted him gently on the arm. "Don't push her too hard, Tiberius. She needs to rest." Ty grabbed her arm as she drew away and kissed the tips of her fingers. "I know, beautiful. I was asking her to live with us. For both our sakes." Alice's expression went through a range before she addressed Tiberius again. "Ty; are you planning to ..” "No. That's not what this is about. But I want her safe. And if I can do that by keeping her close, then the rest is superfluous. As for; as for that, we'll deal with it when it becomes relevant. There's just too much of a gap for that to be realistic." There was a moment of silence as Alice took in his words, and she nodded, brushing a hand across his cheek in a clear display of intimacy. Zoe, watching the exchange with a complicated expression on her face, seemed to accept that there was something between Ty and the beautiful doctor. Still, she said nothing. Judgement would be reserved for when the twins and this mysterious 'Talia' arrived. Alice fussed over Zoe for a while, taking readings and asking a few questions of the younger woman. She was just wrapping up, scribbling notes onto the chart as the twins and Talia knocked on the door. "Zoe, honey, can we come in?" Lettie's voice carried a note of trepidation. Lettie and Zoe had always gotten along, the pair being similar in their outgoing natures. Zoe had even learned martial arts from Lettie; both Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. It had also been Lettie who was most saddened when Zoe left for university and the most worried when they had lost contact with her after the advent of DuoHalo. Zoe had frozen up, her eyes fixed on the open doorway and the nervous redhead standing on the other side. "Come in;” Her voice quivered, cracking into a sob and Lettie ran to the bedside, throwing her arms around Zoe. Lottie followed, hugging both Zoe and her sister. "Hi kiddo. I'm sorry we weren't here sooner. We had to do some very delicate negotiations, and you know full well that your 'uncle' is about as diplomatic as a hammer. But that's not important now. How are you? We missed you." "I'm okay now, Lettie. I was scared that you were mad at me for staying away and didn't want to see me;” Lettie's tears were flowing freely, and she pulled away slightly to meet Zoe's gaze. "Never, kiddo. That will never happen. We were terrified for you, honey. We couldn't reach you, and it was impossible for us to just go running around searching all of Sydney for you. So, we had to pray you were okay and would reach out if you needed us." Lottie ruffled the young woman's hair and smiled. "You really worried us, Zoe. I know it can feel like you're alone, but we've got your back, okay?" She paused as Zoe nodded, not meeting Lottie's gaze. Planting a soft kiss on the young woman's forehead, Lottie continued. "Just get better for now and we'll sort out the rest after. And please, love, don't run from us. Nothing would break our hearts more." "Okay, Lottie. I; I'll try to lean on you guys more. I just wanted to prove that I could do it. That I was strong and independent. That I don't need to rely on others. But Ty already lambasted me over that." Lettie chuckled at that, finally standing up and releasing Zoe from her embrace. "Did he now? Well, he would certainly know. That big hairball is hopeless without us." She ignored the outraged 'Oy!' from the side of the room as her grin widened. "The point is, he's fully aware of his shortcomings and he relies on us to help him. Before, it was just me and Lots, but now there's two more of us for the big guy to lean on." Zoe jumped, not expecting one of the topics she'd intended to ask about to be breached in such a manner. "So, it's true then? Ty's dating four women? The two of you, Dr. Rai, and that other person near Ty?" She realized at that moment that she had been ignoring the fourth woman. "I'm sorry. I've been rude. Um. My name is Zoe Evans. You must be Talia. It's nice to meet you." Talia, who had gone to Tiberius' side as she entered the room smiled and approached the bed now. "Likewise, and it is good to see you awake, young lady. We were worried for you. And yes, the four of us are together with Tiberius." The young woman continued; the disquiet clear in her expression. "And; you're just okay with it? That he has multiple girlfriends? Isn't it cheating?" "Is it cheating when all of us have approved? He did nothing behind our backs. Every one of us went into this with our eyes wide open, and if we're being fair, we were the instigators. And while I can say little right now, there are other circumstances too." Zoe frowned. "Are those the same circumstances Ty was talking about? Where I have to sign a bunch of paperwork or I can't know?" Lettie, sensing that Zoe would become increasingly recalcitrant if they didn't explain themselves fully, took over. "The very same. We'll be able to explain it to you eventually even if you don't sign, but it will make things very complicated in the short term for very little reason. Just remember that we're not keeping things from you because we want to or don't trust you with the knowledge, but because we legally cannot, Zoe." Zoe was silent for almost a minute before she responded. "So, what, you can tell me if I sign this paperwork? What is it?" "Yes, an NDA. A non-disclosure agreement. Frankly, all it says is that you won't talk about this outside of people who already know until you're told that you can, or the law will come after you." "What else can you tell me? It's really hard to judge with just that." "The best I can do is say that it was what provided the spark for us to get together, honey. I admit, it wasn't the most pleasant of circumstances, but the details of that are inextricably linked to things I can't tell you right now." "So, if I were to say no, I won't sign, how long would I have to wait?" "Probably in a couple of weeks. Was it the tenth of November?" Tiberius interrupted, looking somewhat chagrined. "Actually, it won't happen until the 21st. Grace gave me an earful this morning about some timeline the Americans have going. First I'd heard of it, but what can you do? Well, at the very least we can push contingency plans into place. I'm still going ahead on the 15th to get people set up on Oracle." He turned towards Zoe now. "If you do sign the paperwork, know that the revelations from what you learn do not mean you're stuck here with me. Your life is your own, but I ask only that you don't cut me out entirely. I will do my best for you, no matter your choice, Seamstress." She smiled as he called her by that nickname. Her university major was fashion design. Ty had given her the nickname when she was young, after she'd made her first dress on his mother's sewing machine. A machine his mother had soon gifted the little artisan. "Ok, Ty. I'll sign. I just don't want to be alone again." "Zoe, even if you didn't sign we would never let you be alone. This just means we won't have to choose our words as carefully around you. Which will be a relief in and of itself. It'd be a pain in the ass to have to move rooms just to have a work conversation. Not to mention it'd feel horrible to be excluding you. But once you're home, we'll see about getting you back into making clothes. I bet you and Alice would have loads of fun designing and making things. Her fashion sense is right up your alley. We'll also get you back into fighting trim, sweetheart." Zoe blushed. "I've been a bit slack with my martial arts, but it's hard without Lettie to help. Now that I'm home I hope I can ask for a partner again." Lettie beamed and glanced over at Talia, who nodded, a small smile on her own face. "We can do you better than that, honey. We'll brush up on our skills together, but on top of that, Talia here has offered to teach us Krav Maga, a martial art from her homeland. I think it's a good idea for all of us to get at least the basics down." Brightening up at the idea, the young woman nodded. "That would be awesome! Thank you, Talia!" "It will be my pleasure." The Israeli woman's smile grew broader as she reached out, placing a hand on Zoe's shoulder. "But before any of that, you must recover and put some weight back on. So, for now, get some rest and eat what you are given. Alice and the other doctors are wonderful practitioners and will do their best for you, but you must cooperate. Understood?" Zoe nodded, suddenly feeling the fatigue that she'd been suppressing. Though she tried, she couldn't stifle the yawn, and now it was Alice that cut in, shooing everyone away from the bed. "Enough. We've clearly worn the poor girl out. Let her rest. Zoe, you know where the call button is, and I'll come back to check on you before I leave for the afternoon. Apart from that, you have a phone on the side table, so you can call Tiberius or myself any time." "Thanks, Dr. Rai. I might have some questions to ask you later. I'm still a bit; well, I'll ask about it all later." Alice gave her acknowledgement as she herded the others out of the room. "Just let me know when, dear. We'll talk on your terms. As for signing the paperwork, I'm sure Tiberius or Charlotte will come by with it either later today or tomorrow morning." Lettie pitched in next. "Once you've signed everything, honey, us ladies will have a nice long chat. Then we can explain everything and make sure you understand there's no pressure on you." Zoe felt a stab of apprehension at the word 'pressure'. For a brief moment, there seemed to be a weight to the word, but she figured it was just her anxiety. "That doesn't make it sound ominous at all." "It's not, honey. It just has to do with our relationship with the big guy. We want you to understand there's no pressure for you to accept it. But we'll talk more about it later. Rest for now and don't worry about it." As they filed out, Zoe watched them intently. Tiberius glanced back at her as he left and gave her a wink. She could feel her face heating up as she considered him being the center of that relationship. The four women were chatting animatedly, seemingly completely at ease with one another. No smile seemed forced. No interaction seemed contrived. No jealousy. No awkwardness. That's so; nice. She wondered if she was just overthinking things. If they were happy, what business was it of hers to interfere? Maybe I can think of it as my family growing again, instead of just Ty and the twins. I think; I think I'd like that. Park Near Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 5:15 PM "Lettie, love, let's not worry about work and just enjoy our time together, okay?" Tiberius tried to keep the exasperation from his voice, but he was almost at his wits' end. Lettie was the doer of the family; the one who struggled with the 'hurry up and wait' mentality that was the backbone of the world's armed forces. She looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what your plan is for the call later. You know the French are going to want something from us to get our people home and I don't want you to promise anything insane." "I plan to take it as it comes, Lettie. We don't have much negotiating room, but I did already speak to Colonel Anderson and Lt. General Hoffmann. I can promise to share what we know and provide access to our serum." "Have you planned for other requests? As in, what if they ..” Ty grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "Love, we have maybe two and a half hours before we have to be on that call, and that's going to be a headache in and of itself. Right now, I'd like to just spend the moment with you." Seeing as her head was buried in his chest, the best she could respond with was a pinch to his sides and a dissatisfied whine. "I fully expect that you'll be riding shotgun on the call at any rate, so you'll know what's happening in real time. So, for now, don't worry about it." "Ok, big guy. I just don't want this to get out of control. We've got enough to worry about." The morning after he had placed his collar on Lottie and Alice, Ty had insisted on everyone getting some alone time with him at regular intervals. Everyone had their own ideas, but Lettie had simply wanted to go for a walk in their favorite park. Since it was an easily fulfilled request, they had departed as soon as they returned from the hospital, with Ty only taking a small detour to get a little something from his room. As he released the lovely redhead from his embrace, he took her hand and they continued walking, chatting idly until they were deep in a secluded area. The park had been empty, but while that had been sad, it wasn't surprising. Lettie took the lead from that point, pulling Tiberius towards a particular tree in a small clearing. As they came to a stop, Lettie wrapped her arms around the big man and spoke softly as she enjoyed his warmth, her cheek pressed to his chest. "Do you know what this place is, big guy?" "I can only assume that this is the tree. I've heard you and Lots mention it before, but I've never known the significance of this place." He had wondered about it, but the twins had never been willing to explain when he'd asked, and so he'd eventually let it be. They'd either eventually explain, or not. He wouldn't begrudge them a secret. Reaching up, Lettie pulled Ty's head down and kissed him fiercely. "The tree indeed. I know we've always avoided telling you of its significance, but that time is gone now. This place, under this tree, was where Lottie and I first came to realize that we were in love with you. After we had learned what you did to those asshole brothers;” Ty chuckled. "The brothers dim, yes." "Yeah, them. After we discovered what you'd done, we came here to talk about it. This became our regular conference room when it came to you. It was here that we first worried about how we noticed your feelings for us were changing, and where we came to the conclusion that you wouldn't act on it because of our friendship." She was stroking his cheek again, smiling gently as she stared into his eyes. "It was in this place that Lottie and I let our own feelings for you come to the forefront, and where we did the same as you and suppressed them. We couldn't risk hurting you. We wouldn't risk driving you away by forcing you to choose. Between us, we knew we could share, but we didn't know how you would feel about that. Honestly, I struggled with the idea of keeping quiet. You know me; I can't sit still. But Lottie convinced me that we needed to slowly get you used to the idea. Eventually, I agreed." A lot of things suddenly came into perspective as she spoke. Gestures and words that Ty had thought were spoken carelessly, said in a manner that, while open to interpretations, hinted towards the very thing Lettie was now admitting to. He smiled at her, feeling the smile curl into a cheeky grin. "And then all of this happened and derailed your carefully wrought plans, huh." She smiled back and pinched his cheek. "Well, it just meant we no longer needed to use subtlety as our method of delivery, big guy. We could hit you with our feelings without worry of what society would think. Two women sharing a man, while more common, was still looked at with scrutiny. Two sisters sharing a man; well that was another story entirely. But here and now, I don't care. We don't care. We knew our goal. You were, are, it. You know we dated a lot. Man or woman, we were looking for someone even half as good as the one already beside us. But no knockoff would ever come close to the original. We were actually pretty close to breaking the news to you anyway when everything came to a head. We were just scared." Ty didn't need to hear any more. He leaned down and covered Lettie's mouth with his own, kissing her fiercely. Their tongues tangling for what felt like an eternity, the world around them fading away as they lost themselves in the other's embrace. When they finally came up for breath, Ty showered her face with gentle kisses as he sought the words. "I suppose it's as good a time as I could hope for. It's always something I hoped to say, but this is probably the best time to say it. I love the connection we share, Lets. I love the easy laughter between us. The gentle banter. I love seeing your smile. I love everything about you." He locked eyes with her and he spotted it. The tiniest hint of insecurity in those eyes. It was odd, he knew. His feelings for this woman had always been powerful, but they were so intense now, threatening to spill over and burst from him in an uncontrollable tide. But he hadn't voiced it, had he? He'd never given those feelings a shape. Of course, she was feeling insecure. Giving her another gentle kiss, he continued. "I know I gave Lots and Alice a token of our relationship, but you and Talia have yet to receive anything. That isn't because my feelings for you are any less than what I have for those two. There just hadn't been a good opportunity until now, so;” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the small box he'd retrieved from his room before they left. It was one of a pair of identical items. At the time he'd ordered them, he had been acting on a whim. After the accident that had nearly cost him his career, he had been sitting at home, feeling very alone. The twins had been stuck dealing with the aftermath, and it had reinforced once again how much they meant to him and how much their absence affected his mental state. Even though he'd never intended to use them to propose, the act of purchasing them had anchored him in a time where his loneliness threatened to overwhelm him and set him adrift. A loneliness that he had managed to hide from them for fear that they would stretch themselves too thin for his sake. But it was now, after his recent ordeal that he'd been hit with the very real fact of his mortality and hadn't wanted to go without letting the loves of his life know how he felt. He'd already placed a rush order with the supplier for two more. He would not make the same mistake again. "I kinda guess we skipped the whole 'dating' phase, but there was always that kind of feeling between us, huh. I'll make it up to you for sure, but I need to say it." He took a deep breath and dropped to one knee, eliciting a gasp from Lettie. "Leticia. Lettie. The injury that threatened to end my career brought me to a place that I won't ever be happy to admit I was in. While I was stuck in the hospital or at home, alone, I was trapped in my own head. Smothered by my loneliness. I came to realize how much I needed you by my side. Then when I was infected with that variant of Duo, it was honestly the first time I had ever really contemplated my mortality and the people I'd be leaving behind were the worst to happen. The things I'd left unsaid. Still, I was a coward. I was terrified that breaking the status quo between the three of us would mean losing one or both of you forever. I'm glad that I was wrong. I love you. But now, even with you by my side, I'm letting my greed get the better of me. I tasted happiness and now I want more. And it strikes me that the solution is easy and yet all the more terrifying than any situation I've ever been in." He flipped the box open, revealing an ornately carved platinum band inlaid with small emeralds surrounding the main setting. In that larger setting sat a brilliant solitaire, glittering in the evening light. Lettie was frozen, staring, tears running down her face and Tiberius continued. "Leticia Valiant. I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. I know I cannot profess to be yours alone, but I will do my utmost to make sure that you never feel like a lesser partner under any circumstance. I swear to do everything in my power to see that you're happy." Ty smiled, holding the small box with its sparkling contents out to the enraptured woman as he spoke the final words. "Would you do me the honor of marrying me?" For the briefest of instants, the world stopped. There was no response from Lettie and a surge of fear struck Tiberius' heart. Then she surged into motion, leaping forward and crashing into the big man, bowling him over backwards as she sobbed and screamed 'yes' over and over. As her tears eased, Lettie straddled his lap and kissed him passionately before leaning back and presenting her hand. Ty chuckled and popped the ring box open again, having had enough presence of mind to snap the box shut before he'd been tackled. Pulling out the ring, he kissed the tips of her fingers and slid the band on before moving his face to hers. His heart was light; the anxiety of moments before having evaporated and giving way to overwhelming happiness. The pair sat there, nose to nose, foreheads touching, just smiling at one another. At least, Ty just sat there. Lettie's smile quickly grew into a grin, the subtle wiggle of her hips eliciting a groan from the big man. "Just what are you trying to accomplish, grinding into me like that, love?" "If you can't figure it out, we have a problem, big guy. You know what I want." He planted a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "I want you to say it, Lets. Say it, and I'll make it happen." She stared into his eyes and pouted for a moment but spoke. "Love me. Make love to me here, under this tree. Make this place even more special than it is now." "It would be my pleasure." Ty let his fingers dance across Lettie's body, his tongue fighting with hers as he caressed her curves. Slowly, he undid the buttons on her blouse, laying her onto her back as he slipped it off entirely. Fortunately, the springtime grass was warm after the day, and Ty continued to undress her, kissing his way down her body. Lettie let out a small whimper as Ty's teeth closed over her nipple and spoke in a breathless voice. "Oh God. We should do it like this more often." Ty chuckled, pausing in his ministrations to undo his belt. "What, outside? That's pretty kinky, love. But yeah, our usual encounters are fast paced. Far more raw passion than sensuous lovemaking, but that's nice too. It's amazing, feeling how much you want me and showing you how much I want you. It pushes all of my buttons." Lettie's expression grew lustful as she stripped off her skirt. "You can be a beast when that happens, Ty. Now come, you're taking far too long. Let me get you ready." Both completely nude now, Ty rolled them both over and Lettie slid down his body, her slender fingers running across his pelvis and slowly stroking his erection. He shivered under her ministrations and she quickly lowered her mouth onto him, morphing the shivers into shudders and drawing a groan of pleasure. Lettie slowly bobbed her head up and down, steadily building his pleasure and sending spasms up Ty's spine until he could stand it no more. He stopped her, pulling her back up the length of his body and parking her hips over his face. She was already drenched, but that didn't slow him down in the slightest as he went to work. Her voice rose in pitch rapidly as he ran his tongue over her folds, and he had to work hard to not let her slip away as she writhed. He kept his assault up, even past her first orgasm, the pleasure rolling over her in a tide. "Enough! Please, I need you in me, now!" She gasped as her hips bucked again, her breath coming in short gasps. Repositioning quickly, she lowered herself onto him, unable to stifle the moan as he bottomed out in her depths. Ty started moving, gently, rocking his hips as she rode him. His hands slid up her body, caressing her full breasts. Lettie liked having her nipples twisted, and Ty had gotten into the habit of doing that with all his partners, just to enjoy their reaction. She didn't disappoint, arching her back as the sensations drove her towards climax. Lettie leaned forwards, showering him with kisses as she changed her movements to a sensuous grind. She slipped one hand between them and laid it over her abdomen. "Fill me. I'm sadly still on the pill, but I want to feel it, Ty. I want to bear our children, but I'll let Talia and Alice go first." "Whenever you're ready, love. No pressure." "I want this. Since the day Lottie and I acknowledged our feelings, I've wanted nothing more than this. But there was always the fear that you might not. Now, I know that's not the case, but I can't help but feel impatient." Ty didn't respond, just grinding into her harder and giving her a final thrust, getting himself deep before he unloaded everything into her. Still locked in a kiss, Lettie moaned her orgasm into his mouth as his sperm splashed against her womb. "We've got the rest of our lives to spend together, love. I'm sure we can take our time." Ty leaned against the tree, enjoying the feeling of Lettie's comfortable weight as she rested against him, her eyes fixed on the ring now resting snugly on her finger. "Love, we probably need to head back soon. Should give us just enough time to grab a shower and set up the laptop in the study." She let out a sigh, snuggling deeper into his chest. "I know I was the one fussing about it before, but can we reschedule? I really don't want the downer after this." "I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll probably just mostly be negotiating for information, or perhaps an exchange of resources and personnel." She turned and gave him a deadpan glare. "You're not going to France." It wasn't a question and Ty laughed. "No, Lettie, I'm not going to France. I'm the central pivot of our rollout effort. I can't leave. Maybe we can negotiate to leave Damo there. He did always have a thing for French girls." He pushed off the tree, helping Lettie stand as he did and began looking for his pants. She giggled, grabbing her own clothes and dusting them off. "Lou was kinda right about our relationship, wasn't she? I really did like her." "Somewhat, yeah." Ty couldn't keep the embarrassment out of his voice. "What exactly does that mean?" Damian had always been a bit of a hornball, jumping from girl to girl, but when he had settled down for a while with a lovely French doctorate student, Ty and the twins had 'gently' informed him of the consequences that would befall him if he was ever discovered to be unfaithful to his partner. Damian had reacted as well as one could hope, getting utterly indignant at the idea that he would ever cheat, and accusing Ty of being the two timer. The argument had devolved into a shouting match that had seen the brothers stop talking to one another for almost three months. Damian had shown up on Ty's doorstep after that time, looking contrite. When they sat down for a discussion, Damian had revealed that his then girlfriend, Louise, had overheard their argument and brought him to the table for a discussion on it. She explained she would never abide a cheater, but what he'd said to Ty had been over the line. Damian had argued that despite being completely emotionally involved with the twins, he was still going out and seeing other women. How was that not cheating? Louise had countered it by pointing out that even if they were close, they had never been intimate and never committed to each other. On top of that, the twins were also seeing other people and not just Tiberius. She had insisted that they; Tiberius, Lettie and Lottie, were each other’s emotional anchor. Louise had gone on to talk about how her eldest sister was in a relationship much like Tiberius' own, but more formalized, and actually intimate. Damian had asked her to call and set up some time to communicate with that sister. Ty had been speechless as Damian had related his conversation with Louise. He was even less prepared for the video call he'd set up with the eldest sibling of Louise Martin's family, Amélie. His first encounter with the French bombshell had been awkward, to say the least. As she explained her own relationships, he became increasingly aware of the similarities to his own life. She and her husband were each other's 'primary' partner, the one to whom they would always return, but each had their little side attachments that would occasionally pop in and out of their lives. But the important fact was that they would always go 'home'. They would always return to the place where their partner was, because that's what brought them happiness. Ty had never considered that this might be how he and the twins were viewed, but it did make a modicum of sense and he finally understood where Damian was coming from. He made it clear to his brother, however, that they didn't have that kind of relationship. Damian just called him an idiot. "He told me that even if sleeping around wasn't what I wanted, and let's be fair, it really isn't, I should make damn sure to lock you or Lottie or both down for all of our sakes. Guess he was right." Lettie just stared as Ty related the story. She knew that he and Damian had eventually made up, but she'd never been told the specifics. "You never told us this part." "Well, I was kinda embarrassed, and at the time I was still unwilling to break the status quo." "If Lou had been around, she'd have made it happen, no doubt. Maybe Damian should have stayed with her?" Ty shrugged. "They had to part ways. His career took him in one direction; hers took her back to France. He bounced back alright. Kinda." "Right into the arms of that crazy bitch, Céline." The grin on Ty's face threatened to split his cheeks as he turned to face Lettie. "And there he learned another valuable lesson. Don't stick your cock in crazy." Tiberius' Study, Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 7:45 PM Once home, he and Lettie had hopped through the shower, making ready for the video meeting. They knew the DGSE would ask for this and that, but it really wasn't likely to be a problem. The majority of the world was open to cooperating for the sake of survival. It was only natural. It was just a matter of securing that cooperation without tipping one's hand in the process. Which left Tiberius on the back foot as the video connected and a familiar face appeared on the screen. Tiberius' sigh carried the weight of worlds. "Why am I not surprised to see that you have a hand in this, Amélie? Well, first, let me introduce you to my fiancée, Leticia Valiant. Lettie, this is the woman I was telling you about just before, Amélie Martin." "Bonjour to you too, Tiberius." The voice of the gorgeous blonde woman on screen was like smoke and silk as she greeted the duo. The eldest of three and in her mid-thirties; time and experience had forged her into the embodiment of grace and beauty, and she had made her weapon of choice a smile. "Leticia, it is wonderful to put a face to the name at last, ma chère." Her eyes locked on a point of the screen and Ty realized she was looking at Lettie's ring. "Oh my, that is a lovely ring!" Lettie grinned. "It sure is, Amélie. It's very nice to meet you. I understand you gave Ty some good advice in the past. Thank you for that." The French woman beamed. "Indeed, and it gladdens me to see that Tiberius finally got off his ass and made the correct choice. So much time wasted, you imbécile. Just one look tells me that this woman, and undoubtedly her sister, deserve to be loved properly. At least, I presume both sisters are involved?" "Of course. The big lump will probably present the others with rings soon." Ty grumbled. "The big lump is sitting right here." Amélie laughed. " Obviously. It would be almost impossible to miss you; you fill the room. And 'others'? So, it seems that all the rumors are true." "Ams, how did the DGSE even get wind of this op? It wasn't even sanctioned. The boys would never have cast lines for supplies or info." Ty rolled his eyes as he tried to get the conversation back under control. He held almost no hope for that though. This woman, in all of their interactions since the first, had run rings around him. She tutted like a fretting mother, despite being no older than either Ty or Lettie. " Please, do you not think we would be watchful, when America is making strange movements during such times? And then that we would not discover the defection of Dr. McCallister? After that, we watched him carefully. And then to our surprise, not one, but two strike teams came to get him. Naturally, one, Damian's, never made it. No support, as you well know. The second, well, as shameful as it is to admit it, we do not know who they were working for, and they were a very efficient unit. So, we made contact with Damian's team and helped them cross the borders. Through Finland and Sweden, and then eventually into our beloved France. Now, the entire Directorate is involved, but I am here because of my personal connections." "Of course you are. Ok. Let's talk shop. What do I need to do to get my people home?" She shook a finger at Tiberius, matching it with the motion of her head. "Non non, mes amis, it should not be so; clinical. Let us talk. We need information about this Quaranteam project." Ty just gave her a flat look. "What do you think we could give you that you're not already privy to, Amélie? I know full well that France bought in, so you should have as much, if not more information." She pouted at him and he tried to keep his expression neutral. The woman had an undeniable effect on him, but he knew he'd never actually go after her. "You are no fun, Tiberius. Very well. Though many of our facilities are still intact, our ability to produce the vaccine is limited. We want access to your supplies." Ty didn't hesitate. This had been one of the first things he'd considered. "Easy enough. We're in production as it is. I can have a third of the production designated for your people until we have enough for ours. Should still give us enough time to produce what we need." "Second ..” "Really Ams? There's more?" Amélie continued, looking completely unashamed. "Second, we would like to propose an exchange of personnel. To start with, one person from both countries, as a show of solidarity." "Who did you have in mind?" Ty watched her carefully, but the blonde's expression was unreadable. Probably from her training to deal with assets in the field. As long as she doesn't ask for anyone unreasonable, we can probably make this work. Eventually, she spoke, a small smile fluttering across her lips. "Captain Damian Marshall. To be partnered with my baby sister, Louise. They reconnected after she found out he was here." The smile turned amused. "Though I will not apologize for 'accidentally' speaking of him to her." "Obviously. He's there now, isn't he? Put him on please." There was a small shuffling and a muffled exchange as Amélie stepped away from the screen. Moments later, a young man that could have been a smaller carbon copy of Tiberius stepped into frame, smiling his cheeky smile. "Good day bro. How's it going?" Tiberius took a good long look at his younger brother and internally let out a sigh of relief. Damian was the only blood relative he had left, and it would be a bitter pill to swallow to have lost him to something as stupid as this. But that relief and this anger were two entirely separate matters. "Don't 'how's it going' me, you fucking numpty! What the actual fuck were you thinking? Did you not think to confirm your orders before you went running off? Or did someone skull fuck you so hard that peanut you use as a brain fell out your fucking ears?" Damian flinched, but the smile didn't falter. "Well, I suppose I deserve that, huh." "Fuckin' oath." Tiberius paused, giving his brother a glare, then shook his head and smiled. "Thank fuck you're alive, you dumb cunt. Got all your bits and bobs? Nothing broken? Aside from what's supposed to be in that head of yours?" Damian's smile softened and he nodded. "Ten wigglers on top and bottom, and all dangly bits present and accounted for, Major." "It's Lieutenant Colonel now, Damo." The younger man did a double take as the words registered. "Piss off! Some of us actually have to earn our promotions, you bastard. You get shot, go on leave and get promoted." Ty laughed. "You mean 'piss off, sir.'" "Get fucked, bro." Damian grabbed a glass of water from off-screen and turned to look at Lettie, who had remained silent. "Hey Leticia. Great to see ya. My bro treating you and Charlotte okay?" "Hi Damian. Not just me and Lottie, but all four of his partners." This time, Damian did a spit take. "Four? What the fuck, Ty? You go from 'oh I can't choose', to fucking master of a harem? What, did you call me here to gloat? At least let me meet them then, so I can be proper fucking jealous." Ty barked a laugh. "Nah mate. You're all I got left for blood, so I needed to see you for myself." Letting the smile fall from his face, he leaned forwards and continued. "And I'll introduce you later, but for now I need to talk shop. Captain Marshall. I need your report." Damian's expression went flat and he nodded. "If you'll excuse the expression, sir, it was a fucking train wreck. You're correct that we messed up by not confirming the orders, but it was too late once we were on the move. At any rate, we had no trouble getting into the country since the borders are basically unguarded. But we had limited supplies, and our intel was scuffed. We tried, but someone beat us to the punch." "That other team." "Yes, sir. No real clue as to their identity or country of origin. Nondescript gear, local weapons, nothing to identify them. I made the call to not engage, as we were ill equipped to deal with that kind of force, so the mission was a failure." He paused, giving Ty a look. "Well, since there wasn't really a mission to begin with, I'm not sure it counts." Tiberius nodded, gesturing for Damian to continue. "We were about to enact our plan to exfil, but we got approached by one of Amélie's people, and they smuggled us back here. After that, well, here we are. And hey, turns out that Finland's pretty nice this time of year." Ty just gave his brother a crooked smile. "Good to hear. No casualties, you said?" "No, sir. One of the lads turned an ankle, but he's fine. They're looking forward to coming home." It was time to address the elephant in the room. "And you?" He actually blushed and shrugged. "You know that I always regretted breaking up with Lou. But our careers and that made it tough. You know she works for the DGSE now? Behavioral analyst for their Counter-Terror division. Well, she's still single and we still click as well as we did, and we're both older and wiser too. I'd like to do this, Ty. I'd like the chance to see if this relationship can go the distance." Ty said nothing for a moment, giving his younger brother a deadpan stare, and Damian's expression started to crumble. Finally, Ty nodded, fighting the smile. "Christ, you looked like a kicked puppy, Damo. Yeah. Ok. I don't know if you understand what you're actually agreeing to, but we'll get you filled in and squared away. Amélie, you're still listening, correct?" The blonde stuck her head back into frame and smiled. "But of course? What can I do for you?" "I accept the proposed exchange of personnel from our side. Captain Marshall, you are hereby elevated to the rank of Major. I'll get that signed off tonight. Ams, who did you have in mind for your side?" Ty knew he had put his foot in it the moment her smile began to grow. "We shall be sending you one of our technical specialists. Software and hardware. She is also a very capable systems engineer, but she spends the majority of time tinkering away at her various projects. My only condition is that she is partnered to you, Tiberius." He sighed, knowing this was going to happen. "I won't promise that outright. We'll need to test our compatibility, meet face to face, and both of us will have the right of veto. She'll also be meeting my other partners. If any of them clash too badly, it's not gonna work." "Naturally. I would not expect Damian's brother to act the brute, and of course she will need to get along with your family. But I warn you, if you bring her harm, it will not be pleasant for either country." "I would never allow that to happen. And so? Who is this mysterious woman?" Ty already feared he knew the answer. "Why, have you not figured it out?" There was no mistaking the amusement in her tone. She was in fact, almost cackling, and Ty was certain now. "I know you have met, and since he has reappeared in our lives, she has been asking Damian about you nonstop." Ty felt the weariness threaten to overtake him again. It had been one date, at Louise's insistence, and he had been a gentleman. Her fixation on him was baffling. "Béatrice." Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 27, 2020, 9:05 PM Ty had intended to spend a bit of time afterwards sorting out the details, but the French had already prepared to transport everyone, so it would be as easy as setting out within the next two days. So, he had instead used that time to catch up with Damian and introduce him to his partners. Louise had joined Damian, and eventually so had Béatrice. She was so eager that Ty was taken aback. Fortunately, it seemed that she and his existing partners would get along, but Ty just hoped it would be so easy. Now, he was making his report to Lt. General Hoffmann, and the old man seemed to be holding back laughter. "So, the woman had you completely wrapped around her fingers. You, of all people?" The old man burst into raucous laughter as Ty explained the meeting with Amélie and Damian. "Well, you gave away nothing we didn't plan on sharing anyway, so it's of no consequence. But you seem rather flustered at the idea of this, what was her name? Bea; Bernice?" "Béatrice, General." "That's the one. You seem rather flustered at the idea of this Béatrice joining your family. What's the problem? A lovely French girl for your growing harem of beauties. God, your team is becoming fucking international." Grace's face flashed briefly in Ty's head and he fought back a spike of guilt. Hoffmann's laughter cut off as he fixed a raised eyebrow at Ty. "Is she going to be a problem?" "No, General. It's not even that. She's; she's, well I kinda feel bad about what happened with her. I mean, I didn't do anything wrong. We went on one date, because Damian and his girlfriend, Louise, wanted to do a double date, and Louise's sister, Béatrice, was in town. So, I agreed, since I wasn't seeing anyone and it was just going to be night out. She on the other hand had wedding bells in mind and was struggling to accept that I wasn't going out with her that day as the start of a long-term relationship." Ty tried to shrug but felt his shoulders sag as he continued. "She looked so disappointed at the end of the evening, and I felt pretty bad about it. She was a really nice girl. The next day, I told Louise I was sorry if I led her on, and she told me that it was fine, because I had made it very clear what my intentions were, and I never led her on or took advantage. But I also heard from Damo that Béatrice was pretty stuck on me, and I kinda felt like I had done her a disservice. Speaking to her again after all that; was kinda awkward." The old man snorted. "I don't see the problem, Tiberius. You said it yourself; you didn't do anything wrong. It was just a conflict of expectations. But you both have the opportunity to make something new. She seemed enthusiastic, right? So, roll with it." Ty nodded. He'd been told the same thing by his partners after they dropped the call and he'd explained the odd reaction he'd had. He looked away from the screen and grabbed his phone. To be continued in part 7. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 5 Preparations, memories, pain, resolve. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 5 Saegusa Residence, Richmond, Victoria, Australia, October 26, 2020, 7:15 AM Rayne enjoyed leisurely mornings. A warm bed under him. A warm body beside him. Another gently gyrating on top of him. His eyes snapped open as the final thought registered and his eyes met those of his partner, smiling as she worked her hips, moaning softly. 2nd Lieutenant Simone Jennings. One of the two members of Rayne's security detail. Just 22 years old, she was of African descent, her dark skin contrasting wildly with those beautiful baby blue eyes. He gave her a soft smile as she leaned down, her black hair cascading down around her face, giving him a kiss before slamming her hips back down on his hardness. His hands immediately locked onto her ass and squeezed. "Morning, baby. Trish and Hasumi are already up, so I'm just getting me some of you before I get a shower." When she and her counterpart, Lieutenant Patricia Barclay, had appeared at Hasumi's door, she had seemed a little dispirited, and Ray had learned that she simply wasn't sure if he'd like her; a combination of her skin tone and the fact that she was someone he'd had no option to veto. Rayne had shot that particular notion down on the spot and had made it a point to kiss just about every inch of her skin during her imprinting. It was both to his credit and his benefit. He'd discovered several sensitive spots on her that even she hadn't known about beforehand. She had woken up happy and relaxed, and when she opened up, Rayne found the real Simone a joy to be around. "Morning, Simone. Have you been at this for long?" "No baby, I blew you for a couple mins to get the halfie you were sporting nice and hard for me and now I'm taking it for a ride." Rayne drew his hands up her body, letting them come to rest on her perky B-cups. "My loss. I really love watching you blow me, Simone. And that humming thing you do? Damn." She giggled, "Aww, does my mouth make my ginger giant happy? Well, baby, I'll be happy to teach the girls my tricks later, just let it be something special for me for a little longer, okay?" He gazed at the ebony goddess above him, wondering for the umpteenth time how his life could have changed so much in just four days. "Nah, you don't have to do that, Simone. If they ask you, sure, teach them if you want, but keeping it a little less known means it will stay special. I'd like that." He pulled one hand away from her breast and stroked the leg of the woman 'sleeping' beside him. "How long do you plan to fake sleep, Stel?" Stella opened her eyes, a wry smile forming on her face. "Was I really that obvious?" "Girl, he knew you were awake the moment he realized I was the one riding him." Simone's laughter was contagious and Ray chuckled, nodding. "I didn't want to interrupt." Both Rayne and Simone could hear the quaver in her voice. Stella was still occasionally insecure, and the others had easily spotted this and had been actively trying to reassure her. "Stella, you're not interrupting. This beefcake is our man. All of us, babe, adore him, and I'd like to think he feels the same about us. But you, you were the first, and he absolutely loves you. He isn't going to just toss you aside. Not now, not ever. So, stop worrying about it and let's have some fun. Get up and straddle him. Get him to put that mouth to good use. We can use ours and have a bit of a 'chat' too." She wiggled her hips again, a devilish smile still tugging at her mouth. "Ooh, he liked hearing that." Stella gave a small smile. "You're right. I should know better than anyone here what kind of guy he is. Ok, Sim. Let's wear his ass out." Ray could feel himself growing even harder as Stella spoke and couldn't help the grin that formed on his face. "I don't know what the odds are that three out of my four partners would be bi, but I think I've used up a lifetime's worth of luck already. Come on, Stel, don't be shy." He started to assist as Simone reached down and pulled Stella upright, helping her straddle his face. The moment he got her situated, he clamped his hands down on Simone's hips and thrust upwards, pulling a whorish moan from her lips. At the same time, he began to attack Stella's clit with his mouth and tongue. "Oh fuck, you're so deep! Stella, get over here and kiss me babe, or I'm gonna start screaming." Ray moved his hands from Simone's hips and groped upwards for Stella's tits. He always loved playing with them and this was no exception. Squeezing hard, he could hear as Stella moaned into Simone's mouth and he used his index fingers to flick the nipples. He could feel her entire body shudder at the pleasure and grinned. They maintained their positions for several minutes until he alternately felt both of them orgasm under his ministrations. Stella bucked her hips as she came, and Simone must have seen his grin. "Does this make you a happy man, baby? Groping and devouring your fiancée and railing one of your girlfriends while they're tangling tongues? Making them both cum at your mercy?" "At my mercy, is it? Alright then." Moving his hands yet again, he lifted Stella off him. She voiced her disappointment but it didn't last long as he sat up, grabbed Simone and spun, leaving her in the spot he was originally in. His cock slipped out in the process, but he paid it no mind. "Get on, Stella. Let's get sassy here to work you over and let me make out with you." he looked down at Simone, who was pouting at him. He leaned in to give her a quick kiss and smiled. "In the meantime, I'm going to work you over, sexy. Don't you worry." He lined himself back up but let the tip rub against her clit a few times. Simone groaned, grinding against his erection, and Ray reached down, letting his fingers gently caress her opening as he pushed himself back in. Nothing rough, nothing violent. Just gently pushing, spreading her, driving himself deeper into his ebony-skinned partner. As his tip bumped against Simone's cervix, he felt her squeeze around him and she gasped out, only to have it muffled as Stella bent down to kiss her. Ray started to grind against that spot, making shallow movements as he took Stella's face in his hands and pulled her up to kiss her. The movement gave her room to shuffle her hips over Simone's face, and the younger woman dove in. "Oh god, yes! Eat me!" Rayne continued to grind into her, short, shallow thrusts that kept his tip knocking against her inner doors. He'd found Simone loved that, so he made a point of driving her mad with it. It definitely struck him as odd that he was learning the sexual triggers for women other than his fiancée, but something about the experience felt oddly; comforting, too. The chemical interactions in his body as a result of the serum were still a whirlwind of confusion but there was something clearly pushing them together within that, fostering a sense of closeness not only between himself and the women, but between the women themselves. He knew he'd be protective of Stella and Hasumi. He had history with them. But he was already starting to feel similar emotions for Simone and Tricia, women he'd only really met two days ago. He could hear both women moaning, and he brought himself out of his thoughts, pulling back for a much more powerful thrust as the pressure built. "I'm almost there!" The two women's moans grew in intensity, and Stella went off as Rayne's mouth latched on to one of her nipples while his fingers deftly flicked the clits of both women. With a final, deep thrust, Ray exploded, sending Simone into her own orgasm as he filled her. Their collective moan rumbled through the room and Stella pulled herself away from Simone's face, so Ray pulled her into his arms. It had become clearer with each day that there was a suggestion he could make that might make this entire process easier for his fiancée, and it was something that he would welcome with open arms too. "Stel, I'll never be letting you go, so rather than worrying about something that's never going to happen, you should be planning for our kids." Stella stared at him, wide-eyed. They had certainly discussed children, and they both wanted them, but were going to wait until they were sure their relationship would go the distance. "Ray;” "Stella, babe. What's more permanent than this? We're bonded for life. And you and I both know we were already in it for the long run. So why not? The world has lost an entire generation. We want kids, and our jobs don't need strenuous physical activity. They'll have plenty of family around. They'll have their mom and a bunch of stepmoms, too." Rayne continued. He knew it was getting sappy, but Stella needed this. "I was the luckiest man in the world when you said yes, Stel. And this may not be what any of us originally wanted, but we've been blessed with wonderful people around us. It might be the worst and most self-serving thing I can say as a man in this situation, but let's try and be happy with everyone. One big family." She looked at him for a moment and then down at the woman below her. Simone smiled, raising a hand up to caress her cheek while giving Rayne a complicated look. "It's a bit odd for me to be lying here listening to my partner? My boyfriend? Talk about having kids with his fiancée right after he's pumped me full of baby batter. That said, I'd like to be family, Stella. I didn't have anyone else, until now. Having people beside me, sisters, a partner; that makes me happy. If I got to have a couple of kids too? Couldn't be anything better." Stella let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob. "I; I've just always been so afraid of losing him. I know it's irrational, because he's never given me any sign of that or reason to be afraid. But in most of the relationships I've been in, my partner was taken from me by someone prettier than me. And all of you are just; so beautiful;” Simone sat up, ignoring the liquids dripping out of her and wrapped her arms around the curvy blonde. "Bullshit, babe. You're fucking gorgeous. As far as I'm concerned, you're probably the sexiest slut in this house. And babe, none of us are trying to take Ray away from you. We just want you to share him with us, so we can all be Ray's sluts. Ya hear me? Can you live with that?" Stella nodded into Simone's neck and giggled. "I hear you, and I think I can live with being one of Ray's sluts. Thank you, Simone, Ray. Were you serious about having kids?" Ray grinned. "Damn right. Hopefully somewhere around a year from now, we'll hear some babies around here; or be close, at least. And Simone, I was including you in those words. For now, let's get in the shower and clean up. The other two are probably nearly done making breakfast and wondering what's taking so long." Simone got up and sauntered into the bathroom, leaving Ray and Stella facing one another. Ray smiled as he stroked her cheek. "I meant it. All of it, Stel. If you're ready, throw out those pills, okay? Think about it. Now, you should go and grab a shower with Simone. I need to make a phone call and then I'll hop through there myself." Stella nodded, giving him a gentle kiss as she followed Simone into the bathroom. Ray pulled on a pair of shorts and stepped out onto the back patio as soon as he confirmed that Stella was in the bathroom. October mornings in Melbourne could be brisk and Rayne let the cool air wash over him. Four days. In just four days he'd started to get used to a new 'normal'. Waking up beside multiple women, one literally riding him, was a dream come true for most men, but while Rayne was getting used to it, he felt no less guilty when he saw Stella struggling with her insecurities. He glanced down at the phone in his hand, wondering if Ty would have any advice for him. No. He couldn't keep relying on Tiberius for things like this. This was his family. His problem. Still, Rayne did need to contact him. He hadn't been able to give the man a progress update last night and he was technically scheduled to be offsite today. Best to get it out of the way before he got sidetracked by something or the other. Navigating to the familiar number, he dialed out. It only rang once before it was picked up and Ty's rumbling basso came over the line. "Morning, old mate. What's cracking?" "Morning. Just checking in since I got busy last night and couldn't send you the update. As you know, we ramped up production yesterday. One hundred thousand doses, with us batch-testing random allotments." Ty grunted his approval. "Not bad, but that means it will still take us some time to get enough doses to each state. Are you running at capacity?" "I'd say this is about 50%. I'll have them hold it there for one more day and then ramp up to full capacity, just to make sure there aren't any issues." "Sensible. What else is on the agenda?" "Aside from that, I'm out of the lab today. I'll be heading to the second plant to help get it set up too." "What's that, about 380k plus doses a day?" "And then some, Ty. Once both are running, we'll get around four hundred thousand doses a day." "Good. That should do nicely, mate. I'm overcompensating in my accounting for errors, breakages and other miscellaneous issues, but anything beyond that just gives us options in an emergency." Ray pulled his phone from his ear to check the date. "When are you going to the public?" "The 10th. By then your people will have built us a nice supply of the serum and we'll have organized with the docs for the actual delivery, as well as having the majority of the military dosed up to handle security. The actual rollout will begin as of the 15th of November, enough time for us to make the announcement, have people sign up on the website for their Oracle link and get through that." Ty paused for a moment. "Speaking of websites, how many of your coder mates are still kicking?" Rayne knew there were a few of his friends still hunkered down. "Got a few here and there. What's up?" "Get me their contact info. I got a bit of work I'd like them to do." "What, exactly, so I can point you to the right people." There was another pause and Ray wondered if he'd asked something dangerous. "I need them to pick apart Oracle." "Are you looking into having us make our own version?" Ray could almost see the big man shrug. "As much as I'm happy to work alongside the Americans, I don't want to put all our eggs in one basket. Right now, they're the superpower. They've got all the cards. They made the serum. They designed Oracle. We've got access and they're sharing it freely because if they don't, there won't be much of anything left, but that doesn't mean they're not benefitting from it." "But you're still looking to subvert them?" "It's not the same thing. Right now, if we put everyone in Australia into Oracle, there's nothing stopping them from demanding we hand people over at their whim. What happens if they ask for valuable assets? Our scientists? Or inventors? IT specialists? Soldiers? They can claim good partners for them or offer them benefits and whatnot if Oracle tells them they're unpaired. I don't know how the system works, and that lack of knowledge is a problem." "How do you even know we'll be able to do that?" "I don't, mate. That's why I'm asking you for your code bro contacts. I plan to make it their job to suss that out for us. Now, enough about that. What else's got you worried?" Caught off guard, Ray faltered. "Uh. Nothing." "Don't give me that. You called me early in the day to give me an update a few lines of text could have accomplished. What's bugging you, Ray?" Ray hesitated and Ty gave a monumental sigh. "You're still feeling guilty, aren't you?" "I;” "You have got to be fucking joking, mate. The way I see it, you have two options. One, you stop carrying on like a pork chop and get on with your life. We didn't ask for this situation, but we need to make the best of it. Yes, our families are going to be a hell of a lot bigger than we ever imagined, but if that's the end of it, then we'll make do. If Stella is the one with the problem you can tell her this. The only way she's going to be separated from you is when one or both of you drop dead. And you've got decades before that's a problem, so she's stuck with you." "I've told her that. I told her that she shouldn't be worried about that but about planning for our kids. I'm hoping that helps ease her fears." Ty chuckled briefly and continued. "I've talked to my fam about kids as well, so I reckon that's a good bet. Now, your other option is for you to find a fix for the bonding part of the serum and make it not a thing anymore." Ray winced. "Easier said than done. The serum is insane. Everything we're learning is just leaving us with more questions. I'm certain it's messing with our hormones and emotional balance in some way. I honestly don't know if it's even possible to undo it." Ty's tone was flat as he continued. "Well, if you figure it out then all you'll have to do is tell your existing partners that you're leaving them for your fiancée. I don't reckon the odds of you surviving that particular conversation are any better than an ice cube's chances of surviving hell, but if that's your plan, by all means. At the very least, I'll sweep up your ashes when they're through with you. How's that for motivation?" "That sounds altogether unpleasant." "Well then, answer me this. Do you dislike any of your partners?" "No? I don't know Simone or Trish all that well yet, but I certainly do like them." "Do you wish they were different people? As in, do you feel you're incompatible?" "No!" "Do they make you happy?" "; Yes." "Do you make them happy?" Rayne had to pause before he answered. "; I hope so?" "Do you want to?" A significantly longer pause, but he couldn't lie. "; Yes." "Then there's your answer, mate. Get on with your life. Go bang out some kids with your partners and try not to worry about the things you can do nothing about. Instead, worry about what you can do to make them happy. I told you before that that's your responsibility." Ray couldn't help the wry smile. "Can you stop being right all the time? It's really making me look bad." "Get your head out of your ass and maybe I won't have to be." Ty paused and changed tack. "Hey. Next Sunday. The 1st. Sort out your ladies in the morning and bring the whole fam our way. We'll have a barbie or something. Make a day of it. Maybe get fucking legless once before we get bogged down in the rollout." Ray laughed. It was just like Ty to suggest a barbecue and then use it as an excuse to drink with him. "You don't have to run that by your partners? I know my sisters would give you hell for just inviting a bunch of people without warning." "Well, I'm the man of this household and don't need permission but considering Lettie is the one waving a piece of paper with 'invite them for dinner on Sunday' written on it in my face, I reckon we're okay on that front. We'll see you then?" "I'll let the girls know. Expect us unless something serious comes up." "Good on ya, mate. Oh. Last question. One or two?" "Huh? What's this about?" Rayne could hear Ty's smile. "It's a simple question, Ray." "Ok; one?" There was a moment's pause as Ty muttered something that Rayne couldn't quite make out. Though he thought he could just make out the word 'partner' and didn't like the thought that provoked. His fears proved to be well founded only moments later. "Alright mate, one new partner it is. Wednesday morning. Be fresh and ready by 8 AM and we'll have her at your door." "Ty?!" The line went dead and Ray could only stare at his phone in disbelief. Thank fuck I didn't say two. A short shower later, Ray walked into the bustling kitchen and smiled. The four wonderful women in his life were standing around the kitchen island, putting the finishing touches on their meals. He smiled again at the thought of all four of the women standing. He stepped up behind Hasumi and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned back into him and turned her head, smiling up at him as he leaned down to kiss her. "Morning, Sumi. Looks like you're getting more comfortable on your feet." "I am. They're still a little sensitive, but it's so much better than before." When he imprinted Hasumi, he knew there was a small possibility of her undergoing the 'regeneration' he'd read about, so when she hadn't woken up by that evening, he knew it was happening and called for support. Ty had connected him to Grace and Dr. Morgan, who explained the process and what the next steps would be. Ben Morgan had given Ray a good idea of what to expect and how the Americans had been dealing with it, but with the added caveat that everyone's experiences were different. Hasumi had woken up the following morning, having slept for nearly a whole day, confused and unsure. It had been many years since she'd felt anything below her knees, and suddenly there were sensations like never before, so she panicked. When Ray and Stella had managed to calm her down, they explained what had likely happened and relayed the information they had been given. Ray had asked Hasumi to try wiggling her toes and she gave him a look that would have frozen the sun, until she tried it. Then came the tears, a veritable flood. She tried to stand and managed, but her legs were unsteady, not atrophied as she'd kept her body in shape, but unaccustomed to movement after so long. They were also incredibly sensitive, and Hasumi could have sworn that she could feel every fiber of the carpet with the bottoms of her feet. It was too much stimulation and she became overwhelmed, so Stella had insisted that she use her wheelchair again, at least for the day. Once the nerves settled down, then she could walk as much as she pleased. She had barely waited until lunchtime. They couldn't fault her. After all, she'd spent more than a decade in her wheelchair and now had the chance to walk again. A little bit of sensitivity wasn't going to stop her. Hasumi gestured for Stella to come close and whispered in her ear. Rayne watched as the smile spread across Stella's features and she nodded, pulling out her phone before manipulating it for a minute. "Ray; help me up, please?" Hasumi's voice was soft, hesitant and almost fearful. Ray had wordlessly walked up to her and extended a hand, more than willing to lend his dear friend, now partner, he'd corrected himself, whatever help she needed. He pulled her to her feet and she stumbled, her 5'3" frame becoming completely engulfed in his arms as he steadied her. At that moment, the speakers in the lounge came to life, playing a gentle track. Ray just grinned. "Would you like to dance, Sumi?" The smile she gave him outshone the sun and she molded herself into his arms as they swayed gently to the music. Her full C-cup breasts pressed against Ray's midsection and her head was buried in his chest. He could feel the warm wet tears as they soaked his shirt and so he fought his own arousal as they danced, unwilling to ruin the moment. As the song ended, Ray gestured for Stella to join them, and to his surprise, Hasumi almost leapt towards her, pulling her in for the next song. The two shed tears together as they danced, happy beyond words. Ray just smiled. Back in the now, Ray and Hasumi swayed gently as she finished dressing a bowl of salad. She bore a different smile to the one of their dance, one of contentment and peace. Tapping his arm, she pulled away and walked slowly to the table and Ray couldn't help but notice the bounce in her step. As much as the serum had brought chaos into Rayne's life, it had brought just as much hope and happiness back into Hasumi's. He'd accept the results for that alone. He steeled his resolve at those thoughts, trying to entrench it into his head as much as he could. He felt himself pulled down slightly along with a gentle brush against his cheek and snapped back to reality, reflexively grabbing the arm of the woman that had just kissed his cheek. He pulled the woman to him and she laughed as she pirouetted and stopped in front of him. "Hi Trish. Have a good sleep?" Trish was the tallest of his partners at 6'1", though she was still dwarfed by Ray himself. She flipped her wavy blonde hair out of her face and squeezed Ray's crotch with her free hand. "I was; right up until somebody started poking my ass with their cock first thing in the morning, hun." She gave Ray a sheepish look. "Normally that would have been fine, except I'm still a little sore from last night." Rayne winced at that. "Sorry Trish. I didn't mean to go so rough. I kinda got carried away." Trish pulled his face down again and kissed Ray on the nose. "Hun, you got excited, and to be fair, I didn't expect you to actually put me face down ass up and rail me like that. Seriously, that made me go off hard. If the trade-off is that I walk funny for a few hours in the morning, I'll live. Just don't ask for a repeat performance right away." "Fair enough." Ray glanced towards the others and met Trish's eyes. "I have to ask though. Are you okay with all of this? I know you don't swing that way, and you didn't disagree when the others invited you to share the bed, so I was worried that you were in there reluctantly." Trish laughed. "Hun, as long as you don't ask me to play with the other girls, I don't care. I'm an army girl. I've shared spaces with other chicks for years now. Naked, dressed, awake, asleep. Who cares? I won't get sexual, but I'm more than good with platonic intimacy. But none of that's important right now. Long story short, I'm good with where we're at, hun. Now go sit. Breakfast is getting cold." Ray gave her a pat on the ass as she disentangled herself and reached over to grab whatever dishes were still left on the counter when he remembered Ty's words. Bringing the steaming plates over, he started to speak as he helped serve. "Here's something else to think about then. Ladies, how would you feel about going to a barbecue on Sunday? We've been invited by Ty and my sisters." Hasumi smiled. "I've been so busy I haven't had a chance to talk to Lettie, so I'd love that. I'll call her tonight, after we get back from the lab." Trish looked intrigued. "Your sisters are Captain Charlotte and Captain Leticia Valiant, right? Which means Ty must be Lieutenant Colonel Marshall? It'll be really interesting to meet them." Ray looked at her, confused. "You don't know him already? Isn't he the one who sent you and Simone to me?" Simone snorted into her coffee. "Baby, please, the army has any number of people in it. He may have signed the papers, but I've never met them. Different divisions, different chains of command. They're SAS and I'm regular army. They're also all basically senior officers and I'm a newly minted Lieutenant. There's no way they're directly meeting with junior officers to give orders. Most likely, they got a list of matches for you out of Oracle and then approached us to see who was interested. That said, I do want to meet them. They're pretty famous." Trish nodded her agreement as she ate. "I have to admit, I've wanted to meet the 'Flame-haired Valkyries', not to mention the 'Chainbound Black Bear', but we've never been on the same base." Ray started to nod and frowned, looking back at Trish. "Flame-haired Valkyries? What? And Chainbound Black Bear? They sound like bosses you'd fight in a video game. Who the hell came up with those?" Trish giggled. "It's been making the rounds among the junior officers. It's even on their unit patch. Two redheaded Valkyries leading a chained-up black bear. I think it got started from the sight of your sisters marching their way into their superior's office, where they demanded they not get promoted, since any further bump would cause them to get bumped sideways and into their own units and away from the Lt. Colonel. As for 'Chainbound Black Bear', the general consensus was that your sisters were never going to let him go, and I think they just used a bear instead of Fenrir. I've never formally met him, but I've seen the Lt. Colonel and a bear motif fits him a lot better than a wolf would. From what I've heard, when another officer made an offhand comment about it, he had such a laugh at the idea that he had the artwork for the patch commissioned." Ray grinned now. "Remind me to ask them about that this weekend. That sounds like a real story. I mean, I knew it, but my sisters really have had Ty wrapped up for years." Trish tilted her head. "What's the story with them anyway? How long have they been together?" "Uh, together as in, just as friends or as romantic partners?" Trish looked at Ray like he was an idiot. "Romantic, obviously." "In an actual, romantic relationship? Four days." "Four, no fucking way!" Rayne chuckled. "Yes fucking way. They genuinely only got together when Ty was nearly dying to Duo. But how long have they been emotionally involved? Since high school. The three of them have been playing relationship chicken since high school, the numpties. I got to watch all of the teenage drama growing up." Simone smiled at him now. "Then how about you, Ray? What were your high school years like?" The smile on Ray's face didn't disappear, but it definitely became self-depreciating. "I was the uncomfortably tall, gangly redhead kid. Always afraid I'd get bullied, not realizing that Ty had left a legacy that all but made bullying impossible." He shrugged. "I asked him how to avoid it, and he gave me a look that at the time I didn't understand and said he'd sort it out. Two days later, he came back and told me that we were going to the gym." Stella gave Ray a pained smile; she'd heard this story before. "I still can't tell if you regret that decision or not." "Not. Definitely not. I don't regret it, but it was utter hell. For the first two months, every muscle in my body hurt like hell and I was sure Ty was trying to kill me, but I could see the results happening, so I pushed through. I went from this thin, lanky guy to a reasonably fit tall guy. One of my mates got me into playing footy, Ruck, believe it or not." He chortled at his own joke. "Ty's influence saw me get into gaming too, so I had friends on both sides of the proverbial line. I never had Ty's charisma though, so it wasn't quite the same as the legends from his time. By the time I was in Year 11 and doing my VCE. (Victorian Certificate of Education, basically Victoria's version of a high school diploma) I had dated a bit, but nothing serious. Nobody ever clicked, but then these were the same girls who basically ignored me when I was the beanpole, now fawning over the footy team's 'star ruckman'." There was a note of bitterness in Ray's voice as he said that and they ate in silence for a few minutes before Trish followed up. "What ended up happening? Obviously, nothing good." Ray put down his utensils and closed his eyes. "One of the girls I dated. I overheard her talking to her friends. We'd had a few games where pro scouts had come to watch, and they spoke to several of us. Those girls thought I might go pro, so they were encouraging my then-girlfriend to sink her claws in deep so she could get money from me. They talked about baby-trapping me. I wanted kids in the future and had made no secret of it, so they thought if I got her pregnant, she could run with it." Ray's expression was remote and his voice devoid of emotion now. "Needless to say, I shut that notion down real fast. I'd had the presence of mind to record the conversation once I figured out what they were talking about and made sure they couldn't turn it around on me. After all, I was only playing footy because of my mate. Sure, it was fun, but I had no interest in making a career of it. I was a science nerd." Simone looked startled. "But you were good enough to have scouts come to you? And after that; you were still willing to trust us and tell us you wanted children;” "Hardly. I was good for a high school guy. Not good for a professional athlete. Besides, I hurt my leg in Year 12 and quit playing. No career there, but I'm genuinely happier where I am now, so I don't feel it's a loss. My mate, though. He stayed on, got scouted. Now, he plays center half for one of the big teams." He paused, reaching out as if to grasp something intangible, the expression on his face transforming from that remote coldness to the gentle warmth they'd come to know. "As for children, I want them but with women I trust and care deeply about. Until very recently, there were only two women who fit those requirements, apart from my sisters who were obviously out of the question. Now there are four." Rayne looked pointedly at the four women seated around him. Both Simone and Trish looked taken aback and shared a glance between themselves. Simone broke the silence that followed in the wake of Ray's words with a gentle smile. "Thank you, baby. That means more than you know." Undisclosed CSL Manufacturing Lab, Victoria, Australia, October 26, 2020, 11:40 AM "I doubt there will be too many more delays, Dr. Valiant. Dr. Saegusa has been working real close with us to make sure everything's rigged up right and she's amazing. Our people are the best, but they're not used to manufacturing something this complex. It's got them a bit unnerved." The portly older man dabbed at his forehead with a handkerchief as he led Rayne and Trish through the facility. He had been given orders several days ago about retooling the plant for a new serum. But while they had been light on details, they had needed everyone to work through the weekend, indicating an urgency they rarely saw. Unnerved was the lesser of the words he'd have chosen for the situation. Ray nodded, having trouble keeping the irritation from his voice. This was the third time he'd heard that from as many people. "I understand that Mr. Karstaedt. I'm not here to pick a fight about delays, since some setbacks are inevitable given the short timeline you've had to work with. I also do know that Sumi, excuse me, Dr. Saegusa is exceptionally capable and I'm sure everything will be on schedule. I'm just here to inspect the facility before everything gets underway. You're correct that this serum is complicated, and that's why I'm making sure everything is fine. I'm also here to answer whatever questions I can that your people may have." John Karstaedt knew how to run a manufacturing plant. Thirty-three years of experience could attest to that. What he didn't know was how to deal with bigwigs. He was bad with formality at the best of times and these people, these three scientists and their soldier escorts, while they didn't wear fancy suits or sit in boardrooms, were definitely bigwigs. They had the paperwork, they had the badges, and he'd received numerous calls and emails about doing exactly what he was told. The armed soldiers showing up at his door with a bunch of papers to sign had certainly reinforced that notion. He took only a moment to glance at the attractive female soldier before his eyes fell on the assault rifle she was carrying and he shuddered. Just what were these people into that they needed such hardware? Dragging his gaze back to the towering ginger-haired scientist in front of him, he ventured a question. "If that's the case, sir, can you finally tell me what this thing is even for? It's all cloak and dagger and that gives me some unpleasant thoughts, but I'd rather not make wild ass guesses and find out I'm wrong or stepping on the wrong toes. People get 'disappeared' for less." Rayne gave him a look. This was a situation he'd been briefed for, so he knew just the questions to ask. "You were asked to sign an NDA with the military, correct? Do you have a copy of that with you?" John patted his pockets for a moment before reaching into his coveralls and pulling out a folded document. "I signed it and them soldiers gave me a copy, but they didn't exactly tell me anything, so I don't really get why they needed it to begin with. But they told me to keep it with me, so I did. Guess I know why, now." Ray glanced at it, making sure the proper phrases were in the right place before handing it to Trish. She gave it a more thorough reading before handing it back to the plant manager and nodding at Ray. Rayne gave the old man a grim smile and gestured for him to continue. "Alright then. Let's step into your office and have a quick chat. It's something that will become relevant to you and everyone that works here very soon anyway. Please do keep in mind that you cannot speak of it to others just yet." As they returned to Karstaedt's office they chatted idly, but John could feel his stomach doing flips. But whatever Earth-shattering secret he had expected to learn, the truth was far more outrageous. The old plant manager had just about demanded that he and his people be given access to the vaccine, only to be left speechless as Rayne conceded just that with no argument whatsoever, just the acknowledgment that everyone involved would be required to sign an NDA and maintain their silence until told otherwise. Wiping his brow again, Karstaedt looked flummoxed. "This conversation; really didn't go the way I expected it to, Dr. Valiant. I wasn't sure what you were gonna tell me, and I certainly didn't expect this. And once I wrapped my head around it, I kinda thought I was gonna have to fight to get my people treated." "I can see that, Mr. Karstaedt, but the fact of the matter is, everything we're doing is to save this country. You and your people are making that possible, so of course we'd accommodate you." "But then wouldn't it be better to give people hope? Why stop us from talking about it?" "It's simply that if the people knew at this stage that we have a solution, before we're ready to implement that solution, there would be panic. Hospitals would be overrun as people scramble to get a vaccine that simply isn't ready for distribution yet. That would, in turn, bring about another wave of infections and more needless deaths." Karstaedt nodded, his face twisting in distaste at the thought. "; Yeah; and I reckon that'd just be the beginning. They'd start to riot, wouldn't they? Say the government's been holding out on them. Saying all sorts of bollocks what'd just make everything worse; yeah. I get you. I can't say I particularly like it, but I get it." Rayne nodded. "Add to that the unusual twists the serum has going for it, and we have the sparks of a very large fire. So, we, along with the military, are making all the preparations while keeping it mostly quiet. Containing the sparks before they turn into a blaze, as it were. Some people are already in the know and are working with us to get this all readied up so that when we tell the public, we're ready to handle the flow of people and have good responses ready for the inevitable questions." After looking thoughtful for a moment, the old man let out a grim laugh. "I'm gonna have to answer some of those inevitable questions myself when my missus finds out." He fixed Rayne and Trish with a speculative gaze. "The two of you are; 'bonded', was it?" When they nodded, he grinned. "Can I speak freely?" Another nod. "You're both youngsters, so I don't doubt that you’re going through what they call the 'newlywed phase'." His grin widened as Trish and Ray blushed. "But there'll come a time in your life, Dr. Valiant, when your missus will start to take her wifely duties with a little less enthusiasm and more as a burden of love. It happens. Just don't take it to mean they love ya any less. At least your missus; missusses? Misses? Bugger it, I don't know what the word is, but at least your partners can share that load." He laughed at his own words, and Trish let out a chuckle and fixed her gaze on Rayne. "Well, there's enough variety in the house that Ray here won't be starved for choice, and we won't get to the point where we're being asked so often it becomes a burden." Trish's gaze sharpened, becoming somewhat predatory as she continued. "I rather think he's going to be the one feeling burdened. Any number of women, and just one of him." She punctuated her words with a feral smile and burst into laughter along with Karstaedt at Rayne's expression. Karstaedt had relaxed a bit, and his original good cheer was coming through. "Well, looks like this one's got you all figured out as it is, Doctor. You're in for a wild ride, I reckon." Rayne's smile couldn't have been more genuine. "It gets wilder than this? Alright. Bring it on." "Hasumi, Stella, the others should be just about done with their inspection. Are you close to wrapping up here?" Simone was leaning in, her eyes taking in, but not comprehending the formulae on the screen in front of her charge. The others in the room barely looked up as the lithe soldier turned back to face the rest of the room. Unlike Trish, Simone held her rifle more loosely, but she was no less alert. They really didn't expect any trouble here, but Simone wasn't going to be caught flat-footed. Hasumi nodded and sighed in relief as she hit the last few keystrokes. "Done. A couple of seconds to process and then we run the test batch. We'll stick around for that one and if it's all good, we'll go and let these guys do their jobs." Stella indicated her own assent, still typing away on her laptop. Her work wouldn't start until after that test batch was ready, but she was killing time by looking into the virus again. "Let's call Ray and see if we can get some delivery here." Rayne's voice came from the doorway and they both turned to see him walk in, followed by Trish and the plant's manager. "No need to call, Stel. We're right here, and lunch sounds like a good idea. Would you care to join us, Mr. Karstaedt?" The older man gave the group a smile and nodded as they turned and left the room. "If ya don't mind having an old geezer like me around, then by all means. Reckon we should either go back to my office or use one of the meeting rooms. Then maybe you'll be willing to tell me more about your family. I haven't met any of your other partners, right?" Simone grinned at the older man and gestured to the four women. "Actually, you have. Everyone here is a part of Team Valiant." Karstaedt's eyebrows climbed almost to his hairline as he gave Rayne an appraising look. "Well damn Doc, you sure have excellent taste in women. A real bevy of beauties." Rayne smiled, his expression turning playful. "All of whom should normally be considered highly intelligent, except when it comes to having chosen me. I hardly deserve them, but I'm very happy they did." He pointed at each of them in turn, laughing at their growing anger. "And now, they're all stuck with the likes of me. So, I can only say that I'm the winner here." Karstaedt laughed. "So it'd seem." Lunch wasn't extravagant. A simple meal from one of Melbourne's many take-out places and some light conversation. It was after lunch that the real fun began. Stella and Hasumi took only a few minutes to confirm that the serum was working as advertised, so Trish had made a call. Within an hour, a task force had arrived, ready to bring everyone in the facility onboard. Karstaedt had been astounded at the speed, but Ray explained that time was of the essence, and they weren't taking the risk of something leaking because they delayed it and accidentally said something in earshot of someone else. The plant workers were confused, but after a brief explanation, they all signed the documentation. They were not, however, prepared for the revelations afterwards. They had hundreds of questions, and much of the afternoon was lost in answering. People were understandably angry, but when they were informed as to how long Australia had known about the solution, they began to calm down. "We need you to understand that your silence right now is imperative." Ray stood before the assembled crowd, watching carefully as he spoke. "As you've been told, we're here to manufacture the serum. We've told you the restrictions, and we've told you the intended timeline. We can't have people breaking down hospital doors to get to a vaccine that isn't actually available in enough quantity to help everyone. It would cause chaos. Riots. Deaths from this pandemic that are now almost preventable." "What about all those children? The teenagers. Did they die because whoever made this was slow? Did we lose an entire generation to someone's ineptitude?" The voice from the crowd wasn't loud, but in the utter silence it carried and dug its way into Ray's heart. It was something he'd looked into, and he'd not liked the answer. "No. As it turns out, DuoHalo was utterly lethal to anyone in that age bracket; as is the serum. In the same way it is not able to be given directly to men, it is also not able to be administered to those within that specific age bracket. Even if we'd had the serum from the very beginning, those individuals were beyond our ability to save. We're still trying. We're still making every effort to understand the serum and make changes, to limit the; eccentricity of it." "What about those children who are going to enter puberty? What happens to them?" That same voice, now choked with emotion, came back. "There's some good news there. They're safe. Any child currently alive is most likely already immune to DuoHalo and will carry that immunity with them throughout their life. They will not need the serum, though it won't hurt them if administered in the appropriate manner. We have all felt the effects of this pandemic. Some more than others." Rayne paused, having found the man in the crowd who had spoken. He met the man's gaze, not surprised in the least to see the tears streaming down his face. "Sir, I'm sorry for your loss. I don't know who, but I also don't know how to say it any better than that. But believe me when I say that I know words simply aren't adequate. But we have hope. Those that are young are safe. Those unborn, from what I know, are safe as well. After vaccination, the protection extends to them and they will be born immune. That's something we will test extensively once we have the opportunity, but what we know is from the reports we have been given. We will bounce back from this tragedy. I understand that it might be a cold comfort, but it's what I have; It's the legacy I have to live by." The man stared back at him, expression shifting between despair and understanding for a few moments, before he nodded and sobbed; heavy, wracking sobs that carried the utter weight of his grief. Ray could only watch as the man broke down, his heart twisting at the sight. Others, too, were teary-eyed, and it was all he could do to close out his speech without collapsing into tears himself. He briefly had a vision of another young woman, wailing three names; her husband and children's names, as she curled into herself on the cold ground. A letter, delivered to his condo later. The emptiness that followed. "I; I want everyone here to remember that we're doing this to protect our homes. Our futures. Please keep this quiet for now. Remember that we're not hiding the vaccine in order to gatekeep it. We're keeping it quiet until we have enough ready that everyone can be given it in a timely manner. So, we can maximize our coverage while minimizing collateral damage. Thank you, for what you're doing. You are among the front line of those fighting to keep Australia safe and put her back together. With your help, we can prevent any more senseless loss of life. We've suffered long enough for a mistake that wasn't ours. T-Thank you." It was too much. Ray couldn't take it anymore and strode off the platform, pausing only long enough to tell the girls to get him when they were ready to go home. He locked himself into a bathroom stall and just stared at the wall until Trish knocked on the door to let him know they were ready to go. He got up to follow, but his mind was far, far away. Saegusa Residence, Richmond, Victoria, Australia, October 26, 2020, 5:30 PM "How's he doing?" Simone spoke up as Stella returned to the kitchen table where the others were sitting. They had returned from the lab a little over an hour ago, but Rayne had just asked Hasumi to use the study and had locked himself in. "I can hear him. I think he's talking to some of his friends, but I can't tell what about." Stella looked back at the others and felt a sense of calm come over her. She'd only known Simone and Trish for a few days, but they were wonderful girls and treated her so well. As for Hasumi, well, she adored Sumi. She was wonderful and friendly and Stella knew she adored Ray. And in all their years as friends, she'd never pushed the boundaries. Never treated Stella as an obstacle. They'd become friends and close friends, at that. It was like an epiphany. These girls won't hurt me. They're in the same position as I am. It was almost like the realization broke something free in her head, because the headache that had been building began to dissipate. "Girls, thank you. I know I've been difficult, what with my insecurities. It's strange. I look at all of you, and before, I would have seen a group of beautiful women that I'd be scared would take Ray away from me; but right now; I can't feel any of that fear. I look at you and see friends. Sisters. Simone, you said it earlier, we're all his, and I think I'm really okay with that now." Simone laughed and gave Stella a beaming smile before kissing the other woman on the cheek as Stella sat. "His sluts, yeah, babe. And you're his Chief slut. First slut? Sluttiest among equals? Damn, those all sound terrible. I vote we figure out something to call you, but that can wait." Hasumi smiled and said nothing, simply standing up and embracing Stella. Trish smiled and let her gaze flicker back towards the hallway. "We're in this together. I don't want to throw the 'L' word around so readily, but he's really easy to like, as are all of you, so that word is getting closer and closer to the tip of my tongue. But right now, I'm worried about him. That Q and A from before really rattled his cage, but I don't have enough background to understand the specifics of why." Stella fixed her gaze on the table as she searched for the right words. "I suppose; I need to talk about what set him off. Though in saying that, I only know about half of it." When they had returned home, Rayne immediately shut himself away in Hasumi's study. The question about losing children had hit close to home. Naturally, he didn't have any children of his own, nor any nieces or nephews; yet. But one of his best friends, another friend from his school days, had. Stefano R. Scarpelli, "Scrappy", to his mates, had been one of the nerds. Though he was a couple of years older, he and Ray had done the same STEM units, and Ray had requested a tutor as some concepts had been eluding him. The tutor turned out to be Scrappy, and they'd gotten along like a house on fire after that first meeting. Within a week, they were fast friends. Once he had been introduced to Ray's other friends, it was as if he'd always been there. It had actually been Ray that had encouraged Scrappy to ask out his classmate, Jenny; the woman who would eventually become his wife. They'd married right out of high school, but they'd been one of those couples you just knew were going to work out. The presence of the toddlers didn't hurt things at all, either. Twins. Pregnancy at sixteen had certainly been an accident, but a happy accident and Scrappy and Jenny had been more than ready to take responsibility. Their parents, though not altogether pleased, had approved of Scrappy's willingness to do the right thing. They had, however, insisted that the couple do their degrees, and both sets of parents had helped with the twins until that point. Scrappy had achieved his dreams, becoming an aeronautical engineer, and Jenny had landed a job as a forensic accountant. For twelve and a half years, it had been a fairytale marriage. At least, until March 2020. Jenny had been away for work in Sydney and had learned that things were going to be locked down, so she'd hastened home. It was a little under two weeks later that she'd begun to feel ill. Jenny isolated herself, but the damage was done. Scrappy and the kids could only watch as his wife; the children's mother, wasted away, her internal organs succumbing one by one. It was barely two days after their mother's hospitalization that the elder of the twins collapsed. Her younger brother followed only minutes later, and Scrappy panicked. When their mother had become sick, he had started to do some real research on the plague. While what he'd learned hadn't been sunshine and roses, he had been hopeful when he'd learned Jenny was likely to survive. Then he'd come across the words that threatened to send him into a tailspin. Kill Zone. When his daughter started coughing uncontrollably, he knew instantly what had happened to his children and rushed back to the hospital. The doctors had taken just one look before their expressions had shut down and the children had been taken to an isolation ward in the ICU, leaving Scrappy with nothing but despair and solitude. Ray had been at the sidelines, in constant contact with his friend, but unable to do much to help directly. The restrictions and Scrappy's own refusals saw him kept at arm's length. Ray did what he could though, sending food and organizing supplies, but when he heard next to nothing from his friend for nearly a full day, he called it in. Ray would have given anything to have been wrong. To have just called in a false alarm. The hospital called him the next day. Rayne was beyond horrified to learn that his friend and the children had succumbed to DuoHalo overnight. As it turned out, Scrappy had been hiding his deterioration, outwardly displaying strength for the sake of his family. He had known he was doomed, though, and had left instructions with the hospital that Rayne was to be informed immediately, though his wife was only to be told once she recovered. His wife hadn't seen him in person in several days since she was in an isolation ward herself. Protecting her from the knowledge while she convalesced was a sensible course of action. When he'd called Jenny to check in, he'd been trying his best to keep the news from leaking into his expression. He'd told her that Scrappy and the kids were resting. It had been a busy weekend, preparing this and that for when she was released. All of it was true; to a point. Ray had been busy, organizing the burial. It was done, as medical professionals had insisted on cremation immediately, and Ray had no choice in the matter. He had subsequently buried them in their family plot. The house had been cleaned, challenging as that was wearing a hazard suit. He truly thought he'd had at least some measure of success. He was just dreading telling her the truth. Jenny, it turned out, was a better actress than he would ever be, as she gave him a small smile and said she was looking forward to seeing her family. Rayne suspected nothing, but the smile unnerved him. She had just been moved to a regular room, though she was still several days from being released. His fears were once again founded when the hospital called him at 2AM, panicked that she'd disappeared. Rayne knew where she'd be. There was only one place she'd go. He ran through the graveyard, the light mist making it just aggravating enough that he had to slow down to not slip on the cobble path. Still, he could hear her wails. The heart-rending sobs of a broken woman from his destination. As he reached the grave, he had a sinking suspicion and knew it was too late. He'd told the hospital to send an ambulance, but they'd never make it in time. Jenny had heard him coming, but never turned as she spoke. "Thank you for taking care of them, Ray. Stefano and the kids loved you. If you have any messages for them, let me know. I'm going to meet them now. Like I said, I've been looking forward to seeing my family." "Jen, don't do this. This isn't right. None of them would want this for you. Please stop." Rayne approached slowly, trying not to set her off, but her head whipped around and there was true madness in her eyes. There was a scent in the air that was somewhat out of place. Familiar, but alien nevertheless. "No, Ray. This is my fault. I brought death home with me. Brought it to my children. Brought it to the love of my life. It was me!" She screamed the last word, her hands moving erratically, though he couldn't see them clearly from his angle. The scent grew stronger, and Ray thought it was metal, but dismissed it. There was plenty of it around. Brass statues, grave plates and the like. The misting rain was messing with his sense of smell. "Jenny, it isn't your fault. You couldn't know you had it. You had no idea. None of us did. Scrappy wouldn't want this for you. He'd never blame you." Her wails reached fever pitch again as she cried. "Stefano is gone, Rayne! My children are gone! Maria and Max are gone! I brought it with me! I lived because they died! I; paid for my life with their blood! Now I have to share mine with them." She seemed to have a moment of clarity, meeting his gaze with her own desperate stare, but it passed and her eyes returned to their unfocused state and she looked through him once more. "You; you need to fix this. Help; children; Help; parents; not suffer. Find; a cure; Promise; me; You; can't; give up; I; I'm; coming, my; darlings;” Her eyes began to glaze over and Ray circled around her, getting closer. What he saw nearly made him throw up. The metallic smell made sense now. Blood. Blood in quantities that only belonged in a body or a blood bank. He really was too late. He had no idea what kind of painkillers Jen must have been on, because the sight he was seeing should have been painful beyond words. The grieving woman had slashed both her wrists. She'd clearly stolen a scalpel from the hospital, because it was discarded, glinting in the light of his flashlight. No, what really caught his eye was the growing puddle of blood gushing from the woman in front of him. She'd slashed herself open, her lifeblood spilling out onto the ground before the grave. How she hadn't slipped into shock already was beyond his comprehension. The woman let out one final wail, crying out her family's names, curling up on the cold ground, her body going still. An image that would haunt him forever. "Oh God. Jen!" He heard others making their way in his direction and raised his voice screaming for help. Help that would do her no good. That night haunted his dreams even now, months later, and Rayne shuddered at the memory of it. He hadn't done enough, in his opinion. He could have done better. He could have done more. He -- His phone rang as he spiraled into his head and he looked at the caller ID. Seamus McLachlan. One of the coders he'd texted that morning. He shook his head clear, banishing the specter of Jenny Scarpelli from his thoughts. He had failed her then, but he had kept his word since, dedicating himself to finding a solution. One had been thrust upon him, but that made it no less viable. He certainly didn't like everything about it, but it was something to work from. Ray answered his phone, still shaking himself out of his gloom. "Hey Seamus. Good of you to get back to me." The Scotsman's booming voice was quite the comfort with Ray's current mood. "Heyo mate. You gave me a right surprise when you texted me this morning. You don't usually come to me with work opportunities, after all. Not really your neck of the woods." "Yeah, I know. But another mate of mine came to me to ask if I had coders on tap. I thought of you, Benny and Derek. He'll probably need all three of you, to be honest. The thing he wants you working on is big. I can't talk about the details directly, but I'll put you onto him." "Private?" "Military, but you can consider it a government project." "Alright, give me his details. I'll ring him first thing tomorrow." Rayne shot Tiberius a text, and the response came back in seconds. "Hold that thought, Seamus. I'll see if I can get a hold of Benny and Derek and then I can put all three of you through at once. Might be a good time to conference. Let me call you back in five." He made contact with both of his other friends and set up a voice call with all five of them in attendance. After he made his introductions, however, he fell silent, letting his thoughts drift again. The letter had reached him almost a week after Jen had been laid to rest alongside her family. Postal delays had become common, but it was irrelevant. It was far too late. He opened it, and Scrappy's familiar hand greeted him. Hey Ray, If you're reading this, I'm too far gone. Duo's got a hold of me, and that's why I prevented you from visiting to help. I couldn't put you at risk too. The kids; when I read about the Kill Zone, my heart nearly stopped. I knew. I knew if they caught it, they were doomed. No parent should outlive his kids, Ray. If they do somehow survive, please look after them and Jenny. They'll need you. I know Jenny is probably out of the woods, but don't let her know about me until she's out of the hospital entirely and you can keep an eye on her. I stopped the doctors from letting her know that the kids are in the ICU near her, since I know she feels guilty and has been afraid that she brought it to us. I'll make it up to her if I pull through, don't worry. But if I don't, do me a favor. Protect her. I know you've got your girlfriend, but Jen's going to need you too. Be a friend to her, okay? I'm entrusting her to you. I never said it enough, but thanks for getting me off my ass about her. It was the best decision I ever made, with taking your request for tutoring coming a close second. One last thing. Promise me you won't let this situation put you off starting your own family. I know you'll work the problem and find a way through, so do it. Thanks mate, you're a legend. Stefano Ray was in tears at the first line, but by the time he finished, he was nigh inconsolable. Stella had found him curled up on the floor, sobbing over the letter, and he'd just clung to her. Hours passed with them holding one another, no words, just tears. Eventually, she'd managed to get parts of the story from him, but he still baulked any time it came up. It had left an indelible scar on his heart. Everyone just stared as Stella finished talking. There wasn't a dry eye at the table, the four women reduced to blubbering messes. "How? How can he just pick up and keep going? How can he talk about having children of his own after that?" Simone was bawling, her face in her hands. "Because I must. Because if I just gave up, we wouldn't be here. And because I made them a promise." Ray's voice carried into the kitchen and he walked in, still looking a bit haunted. "I take it Stella filled you in?" As everyone nodded, Rayne walked around the table and kissed everyone's temple. "Thanks for shedding tears on my behalf. I won't lie and say it doesn't hurt. I miss them. But they're my foundation. The legacy I'm working to fill." He walked to the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of water as everyone watched. Seeing them all worried about him brought him an odd sense of calm, and he could feel the demons in his mind receding. "You're not upset with us for discussing this?" "Why would I be? It's definitely something I need to talk to all of you about. I was actually going to do so tonight after I finished in the study, but you've beaten me to it, so I guess we'll have to talk about something else." There was a soft smile as he said that, so the girls all relaxed. "For now, I should go and make sure Ty doesn't drive my friends insane. I'll explain that one later too, so don't worry." As he vanished down the hallway again, Trish looked contemplative. "He looked a lot better leaving than he did walking in, I have to say." Hasumi nodded. "I guess really seeing he's got support and knowing the people around him care helps. Can I recommend we love bomb him tonight? It doesn't have to be sex. Just show him how much he's loved." Everyone agreed. It was a simple choice. They spent several minutes making light plans, but no one was getting too serious about it. They'd just show him every drop of love they could squeeze out. Eventually, Simone was the one to change the subject. "I also hate to be the one who brings it up with this timing, but Trish, one of us needs to stay on our birth control, or we need to put in a request for additional security. Can't have us both getting knocked up at the same time." Trish nodded. "I'll stay on my BC so you go first, hun. You've wanted this for a long time. I got a heads up from HQ today as well. We're getting another team member during the week, and probably a second near the end of the week. One of them will be an additional security member, so we're good either way." "It's gonna get crowded, huh." Simone glanced at Stella, who smiled back. "We'll make it work. You guys will help, right?" Simone grinned. "The Chief Slut has spoken. We can but obey." To be continued in part 6. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 4 Adjusting to home. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Ty comforted Lottie; "Come on, sweetheart. We're gonna get you some help. I know I wasn't there for you until now, but that won't ever be the case again. I won't let anything else happen to you." He laid her gently in the back seat and climbed in beside her, Lottie sitting shotgun with her sister behind the wheel. Talia stared intently at the girl and helped buckle her in, and Lettie set off, clearly considering speed limits to be a minimum number rather than a maximum. Talia remained silent for only a few moments more before she spoke. "I take it you know this child?" Ty nodded, his eyes never leaving Zoe. "Her name is Zoe. Zoe Evans. We went to school with her parents, though they were a couple of years older than us. They lived in the house next door until this past April, when they succumbed to Duo. Zoe had left home for Uni, but I believed she was still in Sydney. She; she shut me out after her parents passed. I; I should have tried harder to be there for her. Now look at her. She's starved. Almost to death. How can I ever face her parents?" Talia's hand reached over and took his. "From what I surmise, she is of age, and she is not technically your relative. Meaning that you are not actually obligated to do anything for her. I fully appreciate that you have and will, since that is the type of man I know you to be. But I digress. The point I am trying to make is that you cannot force her to rely on you, and try as you might to support her, if she herself does not wish for that support, then there is nothing you can do. You are here now, and you are doing what you can to save her life. Perhaps when she recovers, she will better understand the need for such a support structure." When. Ty locked onto that word like a lifeline. He brushed a hand through Zoe's hair and took a deep breath. She looked so frail. He could just imagine Toby's expression if he could see her. Mattie would have already laid a beating on him for letting their little girl reach this state. "Ty! Ty we're here!" Lettie's voice brought him out of his thoughts and Ty began to move. Clearly, he'd been lost in his own head, since it was a ten-minute drive to the nearest hospital and he could recall nearly none of it. It must have been quite the scene from inside the nearly empty ER; two redheads in military uniform bursting through the doors, holding them open as a huge man in uniform carried an unconscious form in his arms, followed by another woman in a different uniform. "I need a gurney and a doc immediately! She's starved and unconscious! I think she's dying!" Every available hand in the room sprang into action all at once. A couple of nurses wheeling a gurney while others handed the four intruders masks and began asking questions about Zoe's medical history. Naturally they had no idea that Tiberius and co were at least reasonably protected, but none of them said anything and simply donned the articles. As they were shouldered aside by the doctors, Ty pulled a matronly nurse aside and spoke quietly in her ear. "Once we've got Zoe sorted, I need to speak with Dr. Rai. Could you please tell her Tiberius Marshall is here to see her? It's urgent." The nurse gave Ty a strange look, but nodded, heading towards the nurse's station before picking up a phone and speaking to someone in hushed tones. She looked back over towards him, obviously looking him up and down to give a description, but that was odd. Dr. Rai knew exactly who he was. She was his doctor and had been for years. So, what was happening? The nurse gave him a decidedly cold look as she hung up and marched back over to him. "Dr. Rai will be down shortly, but I don't expect the conversation will go the way you intend. She'll never date a man like you." "I know it won't, ma'am;” Ty was thrown off balance as the words registered. "Wait on, what the hell are you talking about? Date? What?" It was just then that an inner door opened and a woman flounced in. It was a genuine, 100% unadulterated flounce. Ty would have been in awe at that alone, but the woman that was responsible for the move made the breath catch in his lungs. Clearly just above 5', maybe 5'2", with long straight black hair held back by an honest-to-God Alice band, Ty hadn't seen anyone wearing an Alice band in at least a decade. Even in her scrubs, Ty found his eyes following the contours of her body, and what a body it was, all curves in all the right places, right up to her chest. There was a name badge pinned to the front of her clothes, but Ty barely had a chance to read it before they asserted their presence to his brain. Those had to be at least F cups, if not bigger. He almost couldn't look away, but he forced himself to continue bringing his gaze back upwards. Her light brown skin was flushed with anger and her eyes were an icy blue, almost luminescent when framed by her dark lashes. Ty focused his gaze on her heart shaped face, and felt those frosty eyes fixate on him. Her steps faltered for an instant as she registered him and Ty had more time to appraise the woman. She had a certain aura, but Ty had to shelve that thought as he had the belated realization that there had been a gross misinterpretation of his intent, and even of the target of his request. Her name tag read Dr. A. Rai. Oh, Fuck. He put his hands up as she stormed towards him and tried to speak. "Hang on, wait just a mi ..” She stomped right past him, and Dr. Rai; the younger, incredibly attractive Dr. Rai, Tiberius corrected himself, immediately went into work mode and stepped over to examine the patient the other nurses and doctors were once again fussing over. He couldn't help himself as he watched her. She was clearly a consummate professional, immediately directing the others and taking notes of Zoe's condition, but Ty was again distracted by her form; she had an ass to die for, on top of that chest. Ty caught his line of thinking and mentally lashed himself. He had literally just taken on three gorgeous women as partners; what was he doing looking at other women? Especially under the circumstances. Lottie's words came back to him and he turned her way, only to see that enigmatic smile back on her face. Uh oh. There was a shuffling as the work around Zoe began to die down, and Ty turned back towards her when he heard the gurney being wheeled away. The shorter woman was now in front of him, hand raised. The slap resounded through the room and all movement and noise stopped for a moment. Ty reeled for a moment as she launched into her verbal tirade but caught her wrist as she went for another swing. She froze for a moment, as if only just realizing he towered above her, then tried to pull away, but couldn't. "You utter bastard! Let go of me! I don't care who you are, using an emergency to ..” "Stop!" Once again, the woman froze, an almost unreadable expression etched on her face for just an instant and Ty could swear he saw her eyes glaze over for just that fraction of an instant. "You're mistaken. You are Dr. Rai, correct? What's your full name?" She nodded, her cold eyes still fixated on him, but Ty now thought he saw something else there. Uncertainty. "Dr. Alice Rai. Now unhand me!" Ty stared her down for just a moment before he released her wrist and took a single step back. "Well, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Tiberius Marshall, Australian Defense Forces. And while yes, I was looking for Dr. Rai, I was intending to speak with Dr. Narmada Rai and you're about three to four decades too young to make that particular claim. So, I presume that some grave misunderstanding has occurred here, because I was definitely not expecting to see you come out those doors. I do not know where either of you got the idea that I was here to ask the doctor on a date; even if it wouldn't be utterly crass, it's not something I would consider doing to a woman I'm meeting for the first time. Especially under the circumstances." Both the doctor and the nurse's face colored as Ty spoke, and the nurse realized that she was responsible for this. "Since you're so young I thought; I didn't realize you were talking about Administrator Rai. And since you brought in that child, I; I'm so sorry!" Ty paused, frowning. "Administrator? She's the hospital administrator now?" "Yes, sir. She took up the post several months ago now." The matronly nurse now looked completely contrite. "Dr. Rai joined us here at the start of the year, and it was decided that Administrator Rai would, well, become the administrator around June. It certainly saved us some confusion." "Well shit. I guess I'm a bit behind. When she was still doing the rounds, she was my physician. If the circumstances hadn't been so dire, I'd have called ahead and would have known this. So, I suppose it's my fault for not asking beforehand and causing confusion." The doctor, who after the interruption hadn't said a word, was now looking positively mortified. "No, it's my fault. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I should not have acted so rashly. I ..” Ty waved it off. "Enough apologizing." Alice paused, mid breath. "It doesn't take a doctor to work out what you must have thought and if it were the case here, you'd be pretty justified in getting angry." He gestured in the direction Zoe had been taken. "Right now though, my priority is to make sure Zoe gets the best possible treatment. I don't know if she's insured anymore, but I'll cover whatever costs Medicare doesn't." One of the nurses approached the doctor just then and she turned away to speak to her. Ty's eyes never left her and he just couldn't figure out why he couldn't draw himself away from this woman. He'd seen any number of beautiful women before, but something about this one was quite literally causing his instincts to run amok. So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice when Lottie approached him from behind. Her voice was almost a purr as she spoke. "So, what do you think? She might not be a random doctor, but she's certainly a good one; and quite easy on the eyes." He leaned down to whisper in Lottie's ear. "I think you knew how this would go down, my sweet, and didn't warn me. So, I think you can expect a punishment tonight." He traced a finger down her cheek, watching her visibly shiver in delight, so he pulled away, turning around just in time to see Dr. Rai's eyes flick away from them. For an instant, he thought he could see a blush on her cheeks. "Charlotte, I hadn't realized you were here. If this gentleman was a friend of yours, you could have warned me." "You were rather focused, Alice, but even if you weren't, where would the fun have been in that? If it makes you feel any better, I blindsided Ty too." "Well, it would have allowed me to keep my calm instead of attacking this behemoth of a man with my rather embarrassing misunderstanding." Lottie giggled, and her eyes flicked towards Ty, and he could spot the hunger in her gaze, along with something; else. "He certainly is quite imposing, isn't he? You'll positively love him, Alice. I daresay he's just your type." Alice's gaze fell on him, the expression in her eyes no longer cold; her face now filled with calculation. She raised an eyebrow at him in a gesture he found oddly familiar. "We shall see, Charlotte. Excuse me, I must continue examining Miss Evans." "I'm coming with you, doc." Once again, his words gave her pause and Ty fell into step with Alice as she began to walk away. He kept his eyes focused forward and made sure to avoid staring at the stunning doctor. "So, what's the sitch, doc? How bad does she look?" She let out a breath. "Even without any blood work it's clear she's in dire straits. She must be on the very outer edge of her body's limit, as we're unable to bring her back to consciousness." Ty glanced towards her and she met his gaze. The ice was now completely gone from her eyes, but they were now suffused with determination. "A few more hours, and it is very likely she would be dead. We're moving her to intensive care immediately, but we must get several tests done to determine if there's been any organ damage. One way or another, this young woman is going to be laid up for quite some time, Mr. Marshall. How did she get to this state?" Ty waved a hand out like he was trying to grasp something just out of reach. "I don't know for certain how she got that bad, or even how she got here. She's the daughter of my friends who passed from Duo. I tried to stay in contact, but she; well she shut herself away and she was in Sydney. She stopped taking my calls, and eventually her number became unavailable but I never stopped trying. I'm starting to put it together, seeing her state, I found her collapsed on my kitchen floor. I've been away from home for the last several days, and when I got back, there she was. She knew where the keys were and the code to the alarm, so it wouldn't have gone off, and I wouldn't have been notified unless she touched my gun safe." Ty paused, trying not to let his voice waver. "Dr. Rai, please take care of Zoe. She's the only remnant of my friend's family, and I'd never be able to forgive myself if I let her die." Alice let her gaze linger on him for a moment. Where there was once only cold, now there was a glow of something else, but Ty couldn't place it. "I will do everything in my power. It will take some time, but I do strongly believe she will be fine. She's here, she's still breathing and modern medicine can do wonders. Just don't forget to come visit." "I'll be here any chance I can. I'm involved with a major government project at the moment, something critical to the future of the country, in fact, but if I'm not here, someone from the household will be." Ty knew he may have said too much, but it seemed Alice didn't notice, or interpreted it differently. "I assume I can reach you through Charlotte?" "That's right doc. You can tell her anything I need to know." She gave him another look, and this time he grinned. "I'm not going to ask for your number right now. Not after that first display. If you want to contact me directly, get my number from Lottie. She'll happily share it with you. Otherwise, the next time we meet, I'll be sure to ask you myself." She gave Ty a decidedly flirtatious smile and turned back to her duties. Ty reached out and placed a hand on Zoe's cheek before silently retreating. The girls were waiting near the door, along with the matronly nurse. "Would you mind showing us to Administrator Rai's office now, please? I assume you've let her know we're here?" "Of course, sir. I really am sorry about what happened before. Since Dr. Rai joined us, so many young men;” "Tried what you thought I was? Bringing in someone sick just to ask her out? If you'll pardon my language, that's fucking disgusting. I hope you sent them packing." "Well, nobody has tried that in particular, but still. It's been something of a circus with young men, even other doctors and nurses, attempting to ask Dr. Rai out. It's the middle of a pandemic, for God's sake!" "I suppose love goes on even in the middle of a pandemic, ma'am. And objectively speaking, Dr. Rai is a very attractive woman." "Isn't she just? It's been quite the headache for the Administrator, too. What with her granddaughter being the source of such things." Ty stopped mid-stride. "Granddaughter? Oh, hell. Of course she is." "You didn't realize?" "Rai isn't a completely uncommon surname. I probably should have put it together, but I might have been a bit distracted." The nurse looked at Ty, an eyebrow raised. "Uh huh. Distracted. You certainly were." "I don't mean by her, alright?" The smirk on the older woman's face as she opened a door for them drew a sigh from Ty. She'd obviously caught him staring. The nurse leaned in and said in a barely audible whisper. "I've been married for 23 years and her assets occasionally have me staring too. I can't blame you." Ty was left speechless as he stepped into the simply appointed office. Behind the desk, an elderly woman sat, her face weathered from age, making notes on a tablet before glancing towards Ty and smiling. "Hello, Tiberius. It is good to see you well. I trust you have been taking every precaution before coming here?" She paused, looking towards the ladies. "I see you've brought some companions. You must know that this is risky, young man. More vectors, more chance of you succumbing to this awful disease." Ty let her finish before he began. "Dr. Rai ..” "Narmada, young man. I told you the last time you saw me, that I would like you to call me by name." "Narmada. I'm well. A few things have happened, but I'll go over those later. I'm here today because I, we need your expertise. But before I can ask anything of you, I need you to agree to sign an NDA." The elderly woman raised an eyebrow at him and Ty realized where he recognized Alice's gesture from. Of course she'd share some mannerisms with her grandmother. Ty placed his tablet on the table in front of her and she looked over it, scrolling through the document quickly. "This really only says that I cannot speak to the media about anything I'm going to learn, Tiberius. So, I will be free to discuss it with my colleagues?" "By the end of the day, we intend to have just about every medical practitioner in the state covered by one of these. It won't be for very long anyway. We just need to get some things sorted out before we get our project into high gear. After that, we'll be going to the public anyway, so it won't matter." "Give me some hint, young man. Something to let me know what this is all about." Ty nodded. He knew just the word for the situation. "Hope." Dr. Narmada Rai stared at him for a moment before it registered and she shot up out of her chair. "Truly? If you're pulling this old woman's chain, boy;” "Truly, Doctor. I'd never do that to you. Just sign, and I can show you everything." She gave the document another once over, as if checking for anything that would expose Tiberius' words as lies, before adding her signature and passing it back over. "Before you begin, I'd like you to prepare another of those documents immediately. I will explain why soon, so tell me, what 'hope' could possibly be so important that you risk coming here? This may be a place of healing in good times, but for men right now, it is little more than a place to seek death." "You needed all of us here for this, doc." Ty looked over at Talia, who handed him a file. He in turn passed that file over to the doctor and she opened it. Her eyes went wide as she read the first few words, and Ty began to explain. He spent the next hour explaining everything they'd learned over the past few days to an increasingly agitated doctor. She interrupted a few times, asking one of the girls for clarification on this or that, but otherwise remained silent, absorbing the information. "So, what exactly is it you need from me?" "Your wisdom, Narmada. You are probably the most capable doctor I know. You're also a respected name in the medical community, and I hoped you would be willing to help us disseminate this information to every medical practitioner in the state, and subsequently the country as a whole. I'm still the one who will end up doing the talking as it's my responsibility, but I wanted someone with strong medical knowledge to help get the words said in a way that will resonate with doctors, nurses, EMT, and everyone in between. I'd also be asking you to field technical questions that I wouldn't have the first idea about." She remained silent for a few minutes, pondering the request. Ty watched her head turn towards the pair of picture frames on the desk, but he couldn't see who was depicted on either from where he was seated. Narmada looked over towards the ladies and addressed Ty. "Would you give the four of us the room please, Tiberius?" Ty stood up without a word and left. Once the door was closed, the elderly woman began speaking again, looking at each of the younger women in turn. "How do the three of you feel about being bound to Tiberius?" Lettie smiled. She'd not had much to say since they'd arrived, but she disliked hospitals. Even now, they brought back the memory of seeing her parents' broken bodies covered by white sheets. "It's everything we could have hoped for. The big guy's always been there for me and Lottie, and I know he was always very fond of Talia. He tries to cater to our needs, and we try our best to see to his." "And do you believe this will continue with more partners?" Talia fielded this. "I know he will do everything he can to remain the caring man he has always been. I do not doubt that it will be difficult to show equal affection as more partners join in, but we will be there to support him." "And you don't feel jealous of one another?" Narmada pressed, her face getting more serious as she looked at Lottie. "Lettie and I have been in love with Ty for years. Our issue was never jealousy but overcoming the man's resistance to the idea of hurting us." Lottie took her sister's hand in her left and found Talia's with her right. "The three of us have talked about how we want to approach this at some length. None of us are against sharing him. That's the new reality, and even if it was just Lettie and me, we'd have to share. Add in Talia, and it makes for some fun times since we're all bi. Well, except Ty. So we figure that nobody will ever be alone with all of us around. So, while nobody can have all of him to themselves, neither are they going to be isolated." "Sooner or later, someone who isn't bisexual is going to join you, don't you think? What then? Won't they become isolated?" "Then while Ty's encounters with that woman will be one-on-one affairs, that doesn't mean we can't be their friend. We may not be intimate with her, but that won't stop us from being there for her in other ways." Narmada sat back in her seat, letting out a breath. "I must confess that I genuinely do not understand bisexuality, but perhaps it is because I come from an older school of thought. I understand all of this polyamory business even less. I was already bending the rules when I married my husband. He wasn't Indian, and I thought my father would have a heart attack when he found out. My own son found himself a wonderful Australian girl, and the result of their union was my granddaughter. Which brings me to a condition I have for my support and assistance. I am an old woman. My husband is gone, and I'm far too old to even consider being bound to a younger man. But my granddaughter, Alice, does not have a partner. I would like Tiberius to take her in. I have been his physician for over twenty years, so I know very well what kind of man he has become in that time. Alice would also be of just as much, if not more help as your medical liaison than an old woman like me. I can certainly get you in the door, but a younger face would certainly turn more heads and she would be better equipped to travel. Besides, that girl needs a good partner. I think she's rather tired of the dating game as it is." Lettie laughed. "Ah, we can certainly understand that. She's almost too attractive for her own good, Dr. Rai. She must attract no end of men who are only interested in her looks, and not who she is. So, I suppose it makes sense that you'd want Tiberius." She looked at her companions, who nodded. "We have no issue with it. As for the big guy? I can guarantee you, his first words when you ask him directly will be 'Only if it's what she wants'. He's just that guy. But it really will come down to her opinion on the matter, and then it's just the formality of having her do her Oracle profile and comparing it to his. All three of us could see his attraction to her." Lottie giggled. "And I could see her attraction to him, though she hid it better than he did." Talia shook her head, but the smile was unmistakable. "The only person in the room who didn't realize how obvious it was, was Tiberius himself. I cannot say our man has an easily identifiable 'type'. But he certainly is easily identified as a typical man." Narmada smiled at this. "Have you all considered marriage? Who will be the one to marry him?" Lettie shrugged. "Any of us who wish to, I'd imagine. By the time we need to know exactly who or how many, there will be a change in the laws." "And you know this for certain, dear?" Lettie gave a solid nod. "Dr. Rai. These Teams are the way forward, at least for this generation, so I don't see any way to keep monogamy as the standard. Basically, every surviving man is guaranteed to have multiple partners. So quite simply, the laws must change or it will breed unrest." The elderly doctor nodded, looking pensive. "And the traditionalists will simply have to get over it." Talia shrugged. "Everyone is going to have to adapt, administrator. Even those who are more open-minded about such things." "And children? If at all possible, I'd like to meet my great-grandchildren before I pass." Lottie giggled. "Would you believe that we actually discussed that this morning? Ty said whenever we're ready, he's okay. That said, for you to see those great-grandchildren, Alice has to say yes. I am acquainted with her and she's someone who has similar tastes to myself, so I know she'll love him if she does, but I fear she might be feeling a bit awkward after their encounter earlier." Narmada had heard about the miscommunication but hadn't heard any details. Lottie gave a quick rundown of events and the old woman burst into laughter. "That poor girl. She's had so many bad experiences that it's become the norm for her to assume the worst." She stopped laughing and sighed. "I suppose we should call that boy back in and continue our discussions. I assume you still have a great deal to do today." Once Tiberius had returned to the room, Narmada presented her condition, and while Ty was surprised at the suddenness of the request, he just took a deep breath and responded exactly as Lettie predicted, drawing another peal of laughter from the administrator. Before Ty could recover from his confusion, she had picked up the phone on her desk and placed the call to have Alice join them. "Please have another of those NDAs ready, young man. I doubt she'll make any trouble regarding it, but I suppose she has had quite the morning." "Sure. It's not the NDA I suspect she'll react badly to in any case. By the way, is someone going to tell me what was so funny about what I said?" She patted his arm gently and smiled. "No, dear. Allow us women to keep a few little secrets." Ty shrugged and sat back, remaining silent as the four women made small talk. It only took a few minutes for Alice to join them, and when they repeated their explanation to her as well as the suggestion she join Tiberius' team, she threw a burning glare his way. "Hey, don't give me that look! I'm not the one who suggested it. Point that sword at your gran. Though I think Lottie had this end in mind from the moment we brought it up, so maybe some of it should go there too." Alice deadpanned. "You don't seem particularly against the idea." "Doc, if you'll pardon the crudeness; last I checked, I had a couple of bits dangling between my legs. That generally means I'm going to be receptive towards attractive females, of which you are one spectacular specimen. Every woman in this room is, in one way or another." He gave her a wink and a smile as he continued. "That said, the choice belongs to you here. If I'm not someone you'd be interested in being partnered with, then that's the end of the discussion. We'll still get you to do your Oracle profile, so it's available for later, but all we'll ask of you otherwise is your assistance in preparing for the rollout." Alice continued to stare at him, almost expectantly. Ty's expression turned blank as it clicked in his head. Lottie's comments; her acquaintance with Alice. Alice's own reactions to his words; his tone. It all fit. No wonder he was drawn to her. Ty put his phone in front of her, unlocked. "I did say I'd ask you for your number when we next had a chat, didn't I, doc? Why don't you put it in there for me?" She stiffened for a moment, flushed crimson and fixed her gaze on Lottie, who just gave her the same enigmatic smile she'd given Ty earlier. Hesitantly, she took up the device and began entering data. "Is he always like this, Charlotte?" "He's new to this, Alice, like me. But he's also quite perceptive and he's used to being a leader, so it does make it a great deal easier for him." "Will he; ?" "I'm quite sure. But I'll be around to help in any case." Narmada was watching the interplay with curiosity but seemed to take a different route with her words. "Darling, I have watched Tiberius grow from a young boy into the man he is now and I know he would be a very good match for you. Perhaps the circumstances are not what I would have hoped, but it is certainly true that the reality of the world is now thus." Alice stood and rounded the desk, throwing herself at the old woman and suddenly Tiberius wasn't looking at a confident and capable doctor, but a young woman exposing her fears in the embrace of her grandmother. "It is a terrifying decision to make, grandma. Please, what do I do?" "This will determine your very future, darling. I cannot make this choice for you." "Please?" Alice's tone had become pleading, almost desperate. "Alice;” Ty knew that this would become an infinite loop if he didn't intervene. Now that he had it all worked out, he spoke in his command tone, drawing a flinch from both Rai women. "Dr. Rai; Alice, listen to me. Do the Oracle questionnaire. Lottie will stay here with you to help guide you through it. Once you're done, she'll run the test against mine and you can see the results of our compatibility. At that point you can make a final, better-informed decision. Understood?" Face still buried in her grandmother's neck; Alice nodded. Ty looked at Lottie, who also nodded. Narmada was just staring at him now; an appraising look on her face. Ty met her gaze, then smiled gently. "Doc, damn. I can't use that when both of you are here. Narmada, I'll take Lettie and Talia and go sit with Zoe for a little while. Could you also give us the use of one of your conference rooms so we can start preparing without you. I think it'd be a good idea for you to stay and see what the questionnaire is about, just to give you an idea. It might help us plan for this evening. While you're watching, could you send out a message to all the hospitals and clinics requesting everyone's attendance at 8PM tonight, with a follow up at 9:30PM for those personnel who cannot be called away while watching emergency cases and the like." He turned back towards Alice. "Alice, I'm sure Lottie will tell you, but be completely and totally honest in your responses. No living person aside from the three of you will ever see them, so you don't need to feel self-conscious. But if you're not honest, you won't get an accurate result, so it's in your best interest to do it right. I'll say it again. Do the Oracle survey. Be completely honest. Once you're done and get the compatibility results, discuss them with Narmada and Lottie and make your decision. You can take your time. Lottie will inform me of the outcome. Should you choose to join our family, anything further regarding; us; will be a matter for us to discuss in private. But no matter what path you choose, I would like to request your assistance in our planning, so no hard feelings no matter what you decide. Am I clear?" Alice's muffled, 'Yes, sir' took her grandmother by surprise and her eyes widened when Alice pulled away, looking far more comfortable now. Since Alice had reached adulthood, Narmada had never seen that expression on her granddaughter's face, and she turned towards the big man with a questioning look. He met her gaze with an unreadable expression of his own and spoke. "Sometimes, doctor, even those individuals that appear most in control of themselves need a push from the right words said in the right way. Some can look in the mirror and do it. Others may need outside help. I'm starting to learn to see the difference for myself. I won't go into any further detail, but I'm sure you'll understand if you listen to them." Leaving those words behind, Ty turned and left the room, Lettie and Talia at his side. From the moment she'd pulled away from her grandmother's body, Alice's eyes had remained fixed on him. "What on Earth was he talking about? What did he do to you?" The wizened old woman looked both confused and concerned, watching the two young women speculatively. Hesitantly, Alice began to confide in her grandmother about her interests and her friendship with Lottie, born of those interests. She explained how she had done basically exactly what Tiberius had mentioned, telling herself each morning about how she was going to conduct herself. A form of self-suggestion, she said. But it wasn't enough, and it showed in her attitude. She became harsh towards others in a bid to protect herself, and it was creating a destructive spiral. Lottie had helped her control it better, but sexual curiosity aside, Alice wasn't willing to submit completely to another woman, so it wasn't a long-term solution. Tiberius had given her something to focus on for the immediate present, and that made everything easier. Narmada sat and absorbed all of this, trying her best to understand. Lottie waited patiently while grandmother and grandchild had their discussion, offering comment only when prompted. Lottie felt Alice would be a very good match for Tiberius, but the other woman needed to let her armor fall for it to work out. She did her best to reassure them both that Tiberius wouldn't abuse the power he seemed to have over Alice. Lottie had been surprised when Ty had started using his command tone, but when she saw Alice's reaction to it, she couldn't help her smile. Despite telling her what to do, he had still left her enough autonomy to choose for herself. After a few more minutes, Lottie placed the tablet in front of Alice, gently nudging her to get her attention. Both doctors shifted their focus towards it, showing quite a bit of surprise at the depth of detail the questionnaire demanded. Lottie simply watched as Alice filled it in, hoping things worked out between her friend and her lover. Ty strode out of the room, his mind racing. Fuck. If I pushed her too far; He had taken the leap with his assumptions and they had been correct. But he didn't want that to be the driving influence behind her decision. "Was that what I think it was, big guy?" Lettie didn't sound confused so much as curious as they walked back down the corridors. Ty tried to play dumb. "That would depend on what you think it was, love. If you're asking whether I just basically ordered the good doctor to complete the Oracle survey, the answer is yes." Lettie looked somewhat frustrated. "I think I'm more asking whether you just laid claim to that woman, Tiberius. I watched her entire body tense up and then completely melt when you started in your command voice." Ty's steps slowed almost imperceptibly. "She's Lottie's friend, and that fact and a few of her mannerisms gave me some clues. But as for 'claiming' her? No. She was foundering, so I threw her a lifeline." Talia spoke, her tone contemplative. "And if she interprets that as you claiming her, Tiberius?" He said nothing for a good minute as they walked. "I don't know. I've done a lot of reading on this, but it's a different kind of responsibility when compared to shouldering the lives of other soldiers." The words seemed to come slowly, with more deliberation than before. "I don't know for certain that she's that type. It seems more and more likely that she is, so you might be right. If; If I've done something that we deem irreversible, I'll take responsibility." Ty kept walking, but Lettie had stopped, staring at his back in wonder. So, it was no surprise that he never heard her whispered words. "You still have absolutely no idea of the effect you have on people, you big lump." Marshall Household, Melbourne Southeast, Victoria, Australia, October 24, 2020, 3:30 PM Team Marshall spent the next few hours going between Zoe's bedside and one of the conference rooms on the upper floors of the hospital. Lottie, having told Ty that Alice wanted a few hours to mull over her decision, also reminded him not to say anything about it while they worked on the presentation and Ty had done his best to abide. Ty was inordinately glad that Lottie could stand on both sides of the wire on the subject. She understood Alice's needs and could keep Ty from inadvertently pressuring her into a decision. While he had correctly guessed that Alice was also of a submissive nature, he had also grossly underestimated how close to the brink Alice was. His research into the lifestyle had certainly made him aware that there were those, mostly those without partners, that regulated their lifestyles with almost fanatic fervor, all to prevent anything of their natures from leaking to outsiders. While this information had certainly sunk in, what hadn't was that some of these individuals tended to gravitate towards those others who could act as their release valve. Ty, though he'd certainly been trying to ease her burden, he hadn't realized that the act, even such a minor one, could spark a bond between them. Lottie, understanding how tenuous their situation was, decided to keep the pair apart, asking Lettie and Talia to return to Tiberius' house with him. So, Ty, Lettie and Talia found themselves in his home, doing a little bit of rearranging before they had to return. Lettie's dislike of hospitals had gotten her more worked up than she'd let on, and so she had unleashed her frustrations on Tiberius, dragging him to the bedroom and mounting him. She rode him hard and orgasmed once while she let off steam and again when he deposited his load in her. Leaving her to take a nap, Ty hopped through the shower before heading back downstairs to check in with Talia. He could hear her speaking to someone in the living room as he entered and she smiled and tilted her phone towards him, showing Zeke and Miriam. They both greeted him as he waved and came to sit down on the sofa next to Talia. "Good afternoon, Tiberius." "Good morning, Zeke; Mum. How are you both doing?" Ty slid an arm around Talia's shoulder as he greeted the pair. Miriam beamed at him at the use of 'mum' and she could hardly contain herself. "I'm overjoyed to see the two of you getting along, dear. It does seem you took my advice to heart." "I'd never thought about love that way, so yes, I definitely did. In fact, I've already shared that pearl of wisdom with a good friend too, mum. Thank you, on his behalf as well. How about you Zeke?" "Well, Tiberius. As you know, I'm scheduled to retire at the end of this month, so the days are not as complicated now. And you call Miri 'mum', but I am not 'dad'?" Ty stifled a laugh as he asked. "Would you like to be?" He thought about it for a moment and then grinned. "It would feel incredibly awkward, wouldn't it?" "Probably, Zeke. If you really want me to call you that, I can, but you and I both know we'd die of cringe. Mum's a different story entirely though. It feels really natural and it certainly puts a smile on her face. Oh, and I was meaning to ask. What are your plans for after retiring?" Zeke glanced sideways at his wife and shrugged. "Relax. Spend time with Miriam. Find a hobby." Ty met the couple's gaze as he smiled. "If that's the case, would you guys like to move down here? It's going to be some time before we have the freedom to travel to you, and Talia told me just earlier today that she's not on her birth control anymore and hasn't been for a few months now. So really, I suppose I'm asking if you'd like to come live here for the inevitable advent of your grandchildren? You can skip being 'dad', Zeke, and become 'Pops' or 'Gramps', or whatever you'd like to be called." Miriam sat up straighter at his words and Talia's eyes widened. She had wanted to ask Ty about this, but he'd clearly beaten her to the idea. "You are already planning for children? Did that daughter of mine spring that on you?" "No, no. Mum, I adore kids. I've always wanted my own, but I've never had a partner for it. I told the girls that whenever they're ready, I am too, and Tal told me that she's ready, so I guess we're going for it. Plus, you know that my parents are long gone, and the twins lost their parents only a few years ago. Of my existing partners, you're the only set of parents still around, so I'd definitely appreciate having a set of grands around to give us advice." Talia sniggered. "Are you not forgetting Dr. Rai?" "She's not my partner yet, Tal. And I did say 'existing' partners." "Please, you and I both know she's going to say yes, so as far as I am concerned, she is an 'existing partner'. Her heart and mind are already bonded to you and you know it. She simply hasn't bonded to you through the serum yet." Miriam looked concerned, but Talia could see the smile behind her mother's eyes. "Who is this Dr. Rai? Tiberius, are you already looking for new women?" Ty tried to look offended. "Mum! I wouldn't do that!" Talia nudged him, the grin threatening to split her face. "No, mother, women seem to come looking for him. I'll tell you the story later but suffice it to say your soon to be son-in-law has basically charmed his way into this woman's heart within a few hours of meeting her. And all of it, he did entirely unconsciously." "Hey, I was trying to help!" She burst into laughter. "Help her or help yourself to her?" Ty could feel his cheeks heating and Miriam finally laughed. "Darling, you shouldn't laugh. You were in exactly the same position when you met him too. We nearly had to peel you off him. Do you remember that, Ezekiel?" Zeke had been silently watching since the first exchange, but he smiled now. "I was worried at first that Talia would tear his clothing off right on the ballroom floor. I am still thankful that your tuxedo survived the event, Tiberius." It was Talia's turn to blush, and Ty chuckled, pulling her close. "Me too Zeke. That tux was a rental." "At any rate, Tiberius. Miriam and I shall discuss your offer." Miriam slapped her husband's arm, amused. "Ok, okay. It would appear that my wife is again wiser than I. She predicted you would ask us this, you know? We will make our preparations, so if there is anything you must do from your side, please do so." "That's wonderful news. I'll have a word to the Baz and the General about it tonight or tomorrow. There shouldn't be any hiccups." He kissed Talia on the forehead before pulling away. "My dear, I need to place a grocery order so that we'll have things for tomorrow. Is there anything specific you want?" Talia indicated there wasn't, so Ty bid Zeke and Miriam farewell before heading into the kitchen. The order only took him five minutes, but then he had a thought and went to his study. He had to see if had the right items. Might be a good idea to prepare for tonight. I think a little bit of ceremony is in order; En route to Marshall Household, Victoria, Australia, October 24, 2020, 10:40 PM Charlotte ‘Lottie’, breathed a sigh of relief as they pulled off the freeway ramp. The presentation, for lack of better phrase, had gone as well as anyone could have hoped. Certainly, several doctors had complained about the ethics of the idea, but that had been shut down immediately when Talia pointed out that no one was being forced to accept a pairing. Every part of the process was voluntary and had oversight attached to it. Others had worried about how to prevent mass stampeding from the public for the vaccine, and Ty had outlined his plan for the rollout, starting in the central business district (CBD) for each major city and gravitating outwards, using mixed military and medical personnel as combined teams for deployment. As more military and medical teams were established, the speed could increase proportionally to the number of doses available. Both Drs. Rai had proven to be invaluable once the talk became technical, fielding the lion's share of the questions where Tiberius could only refer the others to the documentation. Glancing to her left, Lottie watched Alice as she tried to regulate her breathing. The pair had attended the conference from Victoria Barracks, Alice having indicated her acceptance even before the results of her compatibility had returned. Lottie had expected the yes, but she had also expected Alice to at least check the results first. Instead, the voluptuous doctor had simply looked Lottie in the eyes and asked a question. "Can I trust him with my life, Charlotte?" The redhead had not hesitated. "Absolutely." "Then nothing else matters." "What do you mean? "Before Oracle, men and women had to determine their compatibility on their own. For those of us in the lifestyle, it was even more important that we obtain the ability to discern our partners' natures. Sometimes it takes months or years to find out. On rare occasions, you can just tell. Today, I saw him and just knew. Admittedly, I fought it since I believed he had bad intentions, but it was there, and it was real. Now, well, anticipation is too shallow a word for what I'm feeling." Lottie nodded at that. That first night, when she and Tiberius had bonded, had been magical for her. It wasn't anything extreme, that wasn't what she wanted at all, but it had been carnal. Ty had answered her call and thrown his raw, unfiltered lust at her. The memory alone sent a wave of euphoria down her spine. Alice had been injected shortly before the start of the conference. She could feel the serum's influence feeding her libido; eating away at her self-control, and Lottie could quite frankly smell the woman's arousal. Rayne had very likely been onto something when he suggested the serum impacted Australians differently, as it had only been a couple of hours and Alice was clearly ready to climb the walls. Lottie would forward her observations to her brother later, but for now, she needed to bring their newest family member home. "You ready, Alice? We're almost home." "Charlotte, can I ask a favor?" "What's up?" Alice's voice wavered just a little as she spoke. "Will you; join me tonight?" "Just to be there?" Lottie could feel Alice's gaze come to rest on her. "Maybe play too? It would help me relax." Smiling, Lottie nodded. "Ty did say he was going to punish me for keeping things from him. That should be fun." "Ooh. You kept me a secret, didn't you? Of course you did, or he'd have known to ask for Grandma and not Dr. Rai." The two laughed and the tension was broken. It was good timing on their part, as Lottie pulled up to the house just as they got their laughter under control. Ty was waiting for them in the living room, book in hand. He hadn't heard the car pull up, and though he had the book open, he wasn't actually reading it, fully absorbed in his mental preparation, though having headphones in certainly didn't help matters. After the conference, he had given Talia some love too, and now, both she and Lettie were sleeping in one of the spare bedrooms. He had cleaned up and gone downstairs, trying to get himself into the appropriate mindset for the events to come. He was so focused that he never noticed when the pair entered the house. It took Lottie sliding over the armrest of his recliner and depositing herself onto his lap to bring him out of his head. He reacted smoothly though, dropping the book and wrapping a hand behind her head to draw her into a kiss. "Hello, my sweet. Glad to see you got home in good time. Where's; ah." Ty turned his head to see Alice fidgeting in the doorway. "Welcome, beautiful." Lifting himself and Lottie out of the recliner, he set her down on her feet and strode over to his newest partner. He reached out, and Alice tentatively took his hand, only to find herself pulled strongly into his arms. She wanted to bury her face in that broad chest, but one of his hands pulled her chin upwards to look at him. "This is your last chance to change your mind, beautiful. If you continue, you become mine. That means forever, beautiful, so think very carefully." Alice felt her body quivering at the word 'forever'. "You understand who I am, correct? I don't mean my name. I mean ..” "I do. Unless I have read you completely wrong, your desire is for me to control you fully. Which is why I will establish certain directives for you. These directives override everything else. Any other order you are given will be executed within the bounds of them, but I won't go into any more detail until you give me your answer." Alice mulled it over for a moment. "Can I ask you to promise me one thing?" "Depends on what it is." "Can you promise that you won't stop me from doing my job? I love being a doctor. I love helping people. Please. Please don't take that from me." Ty stared at her for a moment. "Why would you even consider that a possibility?" "Because my last partner wanted that. He tried to order me to quit. He wanted me to stay at home all the time so I could service him whenever he wanted. He wanted a prize." "I'm not that guy. I want you to continue your work unless it becomes detrimental to your own health. I do understand how much stress the job puts on you, so I will keep an eye out for that." She finally broke eye contact and buried her face in the big man's chest. "Then I accept. I submit to your care, sir." Ty shifted his hand from her chin to the back of her head, pulling her into a powerful kiss. He could feel her melting against him and moved his other hand from her back to that delicious ass. He gave it a squeeze as he pulled away from the kiss, grinning at the raw lust in her eyes. "I should ask, how do you feel about children? I'm sure at some point we will be required to have them, but I won't make you until you're ready." "I want children. I'm not currently on birth control either, since I was between partners and, well, my last few partners were women. I want to show my grandmother my children as soon as I can, so I am ready." "Then let me tell you those directives I spoke of, beautiful. First and most importantly, at no time will you obey an order that will cause you harm. You will immediately tell me if that is ever the case and I will correct it." "I understand." "Second, while I understand that you wish for me to have complete control over you, I am requiring you to handle your most basic needs by yourself. That means eating and drinking, going to the toilet and sleeping, do not require my permission. You may still ask if we are together, but I expect that for the most part, you will take care of those things on your own. If it helps, consider it a standing order to take care of those needs autonomously." "Yes, sir." "Third, I don't know how much weight you give to the use of title, but I don't particularly care for it outside of moments of passion. So, you will address me by name unless we are in private. I will consider your using my name as the equivalent of you calling me 'sir' or 'master'." This made her smile. "Yes, Tiberius." Lottie's eyes went wide as it dawned on her. Other than the first time Alice had called him 'Mr. Marshall' in the hospital, she had not once used his name over the course of the day. "Alice; you knew from the very beginning you were going to say yes, didn't you?" The shorter woman smiled. "If he had not shown any inclination for the lifestyle, I wouldn't have. But he did, and I am tired of looking in the mirror for my collar, Charlotte. Like I said to you in the car, sometimes you just know. I think, once Tiberius realized what I was, he knew too." She turned her head back to look at Ty and spoke again. "Tiberius, may I make a request of you?" "Ask." "May I have Charlotte join us tonight? For my first session with you I would like to have her beside me." Ty smiled and extended a hand towards Lottie, who rushed into his embrace. "Lottie is always welcome in my bed, beautiful. I won't ask about it now, but I'd like the two of you to tell me about your relationship sometime. For now, let's go upstairs. I have no plans to imprint you here in the living room." Upstairs, Lettie and Alice found something they hadn't quite expected. On Ty's dresser lay two boxes, each with a card bearing one of their names on it. He nodded his head towards them, and the pair moved to the dresser, opening their individual boxes. Inside each box lay a silk band with a shining silver clasp. Lotties was a deep forest green with silver embroidery, while the one in Alice's hand was a perfect azure blue, likewise with silver embroidery. "Colors to complement your eyes, and silver to mark you as mine." Ty had stepped up to them, placing a hand on their cheeks. "I understand the desire for formality in these things. Those bands are ones you can wear in public. They're stylish enough to be considered chokers, though those within the lifestyle will understand them for what they are. I won't insist you wear them during work, but you may if you desire. As for something more functional, we'll consider that as we explore one another." Alice simply stared at the silk before closing the box and holding it close. "Once you put it on me, Tiberius, the only time I will ever take it off is to bathe or clean it. Thank you." Lottie was still looking between her own box and Tiberius. "Since I'm not a complete submissive, I wasn't sure you wanted this from me, Ty." "What I want is for you to understand that I want you beside me until the day one or both of us pass on. That goes for every member of this family, but with you and Alice, I can show it more tangibly with this. Don't worry. I have something else in mind for Lettie and Talia. They won't be left out." The pair of smiles directed at Ty could have powered a small city and he smiled back, before letting that smile turn wicked. "Wonderful. Now, undress each other. Slowly." Ty would have considered it a win if clothes had just gone flying. Instead, he was treated to the sight of two drop-dead gorgeous women locked in a sensual dance. They were clearly very familiar with each other as the hands roamed and clothing was shed. They exchanged several gentle kisses every time their faces came close to one another. He had already been able to smell Alice's arousal; now Lottie's was added to the mix, leaving a heady musk in the air that brought him to full attention. As the last scrap of clothing left their bodies, they stood to attention in front of Ty and waited. Ty got a good eyeful of Lottie but focused on Alice. As he'd suspected, the doctor, while not soldier fit, was healthy, with a bit of extra flesh here and there. There was a small tattoo just at the edge of her bikini line, a flower of some sort. He'd ask about it another time. When his eyes reached her chest, they stopped. Her breasts were proudly on display, with only the smallest amount of sag despite their size. Each was crowned with a small areola, about the size of a fifty-cent piece, tinted slightly darker than her pale brown skin. "Next, undress me. Alice, you start from the bottom. Lottie, from the top." Hands continued to roam, but now Ty added his own; stroking and prodding, pinching and flicking. Lottie eventually stiffened and began to shudder as he rubbed her clit, but Alice found herself unable to reach that peak. Fully naked by this point, Ty was stimulating her relentlessly, driving her into a frenzy. "Tiberius, please. Sir, Master, let me cum!" "You won't be able to, beautiful. The serum, for whatever reason, blocks it until you get that little bit of me to start the process." He kept his voice gentle as he said that, then shifted into his command tone, the words snapping out. "Both of you, on your knees. Side by side. Alice, keep playing with yourself. Lottie, pass me the boxes first." They both jumped to obey and Ty took the green silk band in his hands, looking down at Lottie as she gazed up at him with those spectacular green eyes. "There are a number of ways I could go about this, but I think simple is best for now. Charlotte. My Lottie. I will ask you one final time. In your own voice, with your own words, answer me. By the act of placing this mark around your neck, I take up the responsibility of your care. Your happiness and well-being become my responsibility, as mine becomes yours. Do you accept my collar and what it entails?" Her gaze never wavered. "I accept. Mark me as yours, my master, my love." Ty had made sure he could close and open the clasp on the chokers without looking before the pair had arrived home. As much as neither woman would have blamed him for fumbling, his own pride prevented him from letting that be a factor. He bent, sliding the silk around her neck and adjusting it until it was just the appropriate length. As Ty brought the ends of the choker together, it was as though all sound in the world ceased. Alice stopped her fingers, her eyes fixed on the moment. Lottie stared into Ty's eyes as the click of the clasp signaled the binding of their fates. Ty pulled Lottie to her feet and kissed her savagely, groping her breasts and twisting both nipples gently as he did. "You are mine forever, my sweet. And now, I promised you a punishment, but anything detailed will have to wait until I am finished adding your new sister to our family. So;” Ty picked her up bodily and threw her onto the bed, drawing a small shriek from her as he mounted her afterwards. He grabbed her wrists and raised them over her head, her eyes going wide as she heard another click and the cuffs locked and held her. Ty's wicked grin had returned. He reached over to the bedside table, pulling something small and pink out of a drawer. Three small bullet vibrators rested in his hand and his grin widened as he pressed one into her and attached the other two to her nipples. She was squirming instantly, letting out small moans. "Let those titillate you until I am done here. But it wouldn't be much of a punishment if I just left you there, now would it? You're not allowed to orgasm until I give you permission, love. Enjoy." Ty leaned down and gave the squirming redhead another savage kiss before returning to stand in front of Alice once again. He took the azure band in his hands, running his fingers over the fine silk as he stared down at the woman who was about to turn herself entirely into his possession. "For you, Alice, I think the words we exchange should be slightly different, but no less meaningful. Alice Rai. In your own voice, with your own words, answer me. By the act of placing this mark around your neck, I take up the responsibility of your care. Your happiness and well-being become my responsibility, as mine becomes yours. To the outside world, you will ever be the beautiful, capable doctor, but in private, you are mine and will obey me in all things except that which would violate the tenets I have set before you. I will do my utmost to be the master you desire. Do you accept my collar and what it entails?" Alice shuddered, the spikes of pleasure still overwhelming her senses. "I accept! You were my master from the moment you laid eyes on me! Claim me, sir." Ty brought the choker down towards her neck, brushing the tips of his fingers across her lips as they passed. "Alice. When the clasp of this choker closes, I want you to take me into your mouth. No need to go deep, just enough that you get my pre-cum on your tongue. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir." Ty had brought the ends together as he spoke, and Alice opened her mouth, lining up with Ty's throbbing member. "As of this moment, you are mine, Alice." He put as much gravitas into his voice as he could and the clasp clicked shut. The frenzied woman drove forwards, taking the tip into her mouth and licking at the head, only for it to pop back out as her legs spasmed and the titanic orgasm took her, crashing over her again and again as the piled-up pleasure released all at once. Her back arched and she squirted, screaming her satisfaction. "Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Tiberius, I have never cum that hard in my life. Thank you! Thank you!" "I wish I could take the credit for that, beautiful, but the serum did the heavy lifting and from everything I've been told, the next one will be even better. Now, once your legs stop shaking, get up and you can help me torment Lottie. Am I correct in my assumption that the two of you were more than just friends?" "Yes, sir. It wasn't for very long, but we had plenty of fun together." Ty felt the smile on his face grow wicked once more. "Good. Then you'll know exactly what to do when I press your face between her legs. Do not allow her to cum without permission." He watched as Alice got her feet under her and reached down to pull the diminutive woman up. He repeated the same thing he did to Lottie, kissing her and twisting her nipples gently before pushing her gently onto the bed and between Lottie's legs. "Retrieve the vibrator I pushed into her. You're not allowed to use your hands, beautiful, so you best put that tongue to work." Ty gave her ass a quick slap to reinforce his words and then reached around to give her nipples another, sharper twist. All the while, he ground up against her, teasing but not penetrating. Alice gasped at the sudden sensations, but dove in to obey. Ty was pawing away at her breasts, pleased to finally be getting his hands on them. As Lottie's moans grew louder, the sound of the vibrator grew too as Alice finally got it to pop out. Ty grabbed it and pressed it to Lottie's clit, leaning over Alice and nibbling at her ears. "Very good, beautiful. Make her squirm. Make her scream. But don't let her peak, or it'll be you I end up punishing." He pulled the vibrator away just as Lottie's screams reached fever pitch and almost laughed as the scream turned into a cry of frustration. "Not yet, my sweet. Endure it." Her voice, interrupted by gasps and moans, was hoarse. "Ty; please! I'm; going; m-mad!" "Not yet. You may orgasm when I finish inside Alice. Alice, you as well. Restrain yourself until I finish." He took the soaked vibrator and brought it to Alice's clit this time, pressing down as he lined himself up. "Take a deep breath and relax, beautiful. It's time." He didn't wait, driving his hips forward and eliciting a sonorous wail from Alice as she fought to not orgasm all over his invading cock. She stiffened, but Ty didn't give her any time to recover before he drew his hips back and slammed them in again. He punctuated his thrusts with a few slaps on Alice's luscious ass. "Keep going, beautiful. This is the final step. The three of us will reach the peak together and then, when you wake, you will be mine for life. There is no more room for doubts. There is no going back. Ride or die, beautiful." Alice's voice had gone husky, her breathing rough as she tried to speak through a mouthful of cunt. "Fuck me, master. I am happy beyond words right now. Please, take control of me and make my life complete." The vibrator now discarded, Ty let his hands and mouth roam, showering Alice with touches and kisses as he hammered away. He was close, the entire scenario having aroused him more than he realized. It wasn't anything hardcore, he knew, but damn if he wasn't having fun. "Ok, my darlings, I'm about to blow. Lottie, Alice, you may cum. Let it all go!" He erupted, driving his full length into Alice's depths. Both women screamed for a moment, Lottie's hips bucking and her back arching like a bow before Alice's voice cut off and became a silent shudder. Moments later she went limp, her face still buried between Lottie's legs, and both remaining participants could hear the muffled words. "Imprinting; Imprinting;” Ty was seeing stars. He hadn't cum that hard in a while, and even then, it was his third shot of the day. He pulled out, chest heaving, but he felt good. Scooping up Alice, he gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek before laying her back onto the bed, now with her head on a pillow instead of Lottie's mound. He retrieved a cloth and wiped her face before turning to face Lottie. Lottie's breathing was also heavy and her face was flushed. "That was amazing. Would you do me too, Ty? Please?" Ty crawled his way up her body, dangling his still soaked cock in front of her. Somewhere along the way he'd retrieved the vibrator and was leaning back, pressing it against Lottie's clit again. "Clean me up, my sweet. If you can get me nice and hard again before you cum, it'll be your turn. If you can't, well, you'll have to go without tonight." She giggled. "You delicious bastard. Challenge accepted." It was a hard-fought battle. She won. To be continued in part 5. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 3 Returning Home. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Lottie continued her briefing; "Ok, so going back to the production of the serum, we need it expedited. We're still going to get shipments from the US for the immediate future, but they're also supplying it to other countries, and we don't want to be stuck on their timeline any longer than we have to. So, our first priority is securing our own supply line. Once you let us know that the serum is in production, we will alert medical personnel around the country and begin distribution of the serum to them, before we gear up and present the solution to the whole country. As much as we're not fond of it, there will be a priority system. Military to a certain threshold. Then medical personnel, followed by construction and labor, then onwards from there." Rayne interrupted, not understanding the significance. "Sis ..” Lottie raised an eyebrow at him and he paused. "Sorry, Captain, what is the significance of inoculating construction and labor crews that early? Now, I don't mean to say they're non-essential or anything, I just want to understand the significance." She nodded at him, smiling. "It's a perfectly valid question. The construction crews will be involved in mass renovations. For example, your current lodging is what, a two bedroom condo? How many other units are on your floor?" Rayne thought about it for only a moment. "I think ten or twelve? Though I think most of those are currently unoccupied; for obvious reasons." "Well, once your Team expands beyond yourself and Stella, as it will very shortly, what do you plan to do for space?" "I hadn't really considered that since I wasn't originally planning on having more than one partner. However, I assume everyone would continue their current living arrangements." "Not quite. When we said that Teams are like a family pod, we were serious. We plan to consolidate all of the units on your floor into one, or at the most two large condos. For that we'll need the support of construction crews and the like. Part of our operating plan involves consolidating as much of the population as possible towards the city centers for the foreseeable future, except for those communities providing vital services, like agriculture and the like. That, however, is something for us to worry about. Just know that that's part of the plan." Rayne could see Hasumi suddenly smile and start typing away, and he half expected to see either his Discord or phone light up, but nothing came. He watched her for a moment before Annabelle spoke up again, her eyes flicking back and forth across one of her own screens. "Captain, I don't see any manufacturing data for the serum. Are we going to have to work that out ourselves?" "No, Miss Periera. We have that data but didn't send it with the initial info packet as it's deemed too sensitive for the moment. Everyone here is cleared for it, but we aren't going to provide that over an open line. It will be provided to you once your roles are established and the project is officially underway. Any other questions?" Hasumi spoke up, sounding somewhat more eager than Rayne was comfortable with. "How soon can we expect to begin our own, uh; integration into this 'Team'?" "We have already set aside the doses required for you but will be staggering the introductions so as to avoid overwhelming Rayne. Most likely scenario is you will be introduced in pairs. In addition, it will be contingent on the results of the Oracle testing. So please ensure you complete the survey immediately. And I do mean immediately. Anything else?" A few others asked regarding the timeline for the project and were given a fairly simple answer, As soon as humanly possible. At that moment, a text came in on Rayne's phone and he checked it. Get your survey done now, Ray. Tell Stella to do the same. I expect you two will have a very high compatibility, but we'll send someone around to pick Stella up shortly. She'll be held for a couple hours for observation and then we'll bring her back. Tomorrow, we'll be moving you to your second partner. Pack your stuff. Only things you can't do without and any valuables. Clothing and essentials. What Lottie mentioned about the renovations is actually already underway. You'll have the whole floor and the one above it once we're done, but we'll be relocating you to a temporary home for the time being. He slid his thumb across the screen and formed a reply, confused. Why are we being relocated already? There's still room, and if you haven't started the Reno work then we should be fine, Lettie. No good, Ray. They'll probably be knocking down walls by day's end. Pack for Stella now, and you can pack your stuff after. Just do the survey first. And don't baulk at answering! Rayne knew that was an exaggeration, since the crews wouldn't even have had time to look at the building plans in that short a timeframe. What aren't you telling me? A lot, Ray. But when hasn't that been the case? Just trust me. Remember, we've met a number of these girls before and we know you. We'll try to make sure the process is as painless as possible, okay? Fine. I can't say I dislike any of these ladies, so I'll have to figure it out. If Ty can handle my two firebrand sisters and that Israeli beauty, I can manage a menagerie of my own. That's the spirit. Now get that damned questionnaire done. Rayne looked back at the meeting, and watched as it began to wrap up. He realized he'd probably missed a few details, but he was sure Stella would let him know if there was anything crucial. He let her know about the evening pick-up and they both made fresh cups of coffee as they opened the questionnaire. Neither of the pair had any idea what they were in for, and Rayne nearly did a spit-take when he had to search up the meaning of Abasiophilia. Humanity was absurd, and it didn't help that a certain face popped into his head the moment he read the definition. Rayne felt the shame wash over him. He'd never defined Hasumi by her disability. But at the same time, he couldn't deny she was attractive. Not to mention she was probably his closest friend, after Stella. He sighed as it struck him. Grabbing his phone, he typed out a message to Lettie. You're planning to circumvent the process and pair me with Stella and Hasumi, aren't you? There was barely a moment before he could see the dots on the screen indicating she was typing. How'd you work it out so fast? You're moving us. No construction crew would start knocking down walls until they'd done their surveys and planned out the build, so there's no need unless the other person you're pairing me with has needs that can't be met here. Under the circumstances, the only needs I can't see being met here are mobility. Which means Sumi. Are you sure she wants this? Hah. She's the one who suggested it. We became friends when you brought her to that last barbecue, and we talk pretty regularly. You and she get along like a house on fire, and if Stella wasn't so amazingly perfect for you, I'd be pushing her at you instead, if she hadn't already thrown herself at you. So that flurry of activity from her near the end of the meeting was her texting you? Sure was. Enough of this discussion for now. You can get the details directly from her tomorrow. Finish the survey and message me when Stella's done too. We'll process it, though the two of you would get paired anyway since you have a pre-existing relationship, but it never hurts to know. Thanks Lettie. I'm just about done so I'll check with Stel. Stella was indeed done and he finished his own only minutes later, so Rayne sent one last text to confirm and then began helping Stella pack her things. From what they understood, she wouldn't be able to help after he imprinted her, so they'd get her sorted and then Rayne could handle his own. When the military came knocking, Rayne greeted the Corporal at the door and was told that he could expect Stella back within a few hours. He figured there was no sense in getting bogged down in thought, so he set out to prepare for dinner. As for Hasumi, he'd get in touch while he cooked. He needed time to think about things, but he knew he wasn't mad. If he had to choose anyone to be his second partner, he never would have hesitated to mention her name. He just didn't know that she'd be so open to the idea herself. It was definitely something to consider. Richmond, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 5:26 PM Hasumi had already begun to panic. She'd put forward the idea of having Rayne and Stella stay with her while the renovations occurred, but now that she'd had time to slow down and think about it, she was terrified. Hasumi knew Ray. She knew that he was head over heels for Stella. Oh, she had tried to find a partner for herself, but she always compared them to the man in her heart, and nobody measured up. She would love for Ray to reciprocate her own feelings, but now was utterly terrified that this move might push their relationship in precisely the wrong direction. If he ended up resenting her, she had no idea what she'd do. She grabbed her phone and was about to send a text when the doorbell rang. Wheeling herself over, she looked through the doorbell camera and realized the person she was just about to contact was already here. "Lettie, I didn't expect it to be you coming to get me. It's nice to see you in person though." "Hey Sumi, we're not going anywhere just yet. I'll be taking you to the base in the morning, since we only need to keep you in observation for a few hours. I just figured you'd be freaking out by now and could use a sympathetic ear." The pair retreated into the house and made small talk while Hasumi prepared a pot of tea. It gave her a moment to collect her thoughts and she launched into it as soon as she placed the cup in front of her friend. "Lettie, did I make a mistake? Rayne's my best friend and this could ruin that." Lettie took a sip of her tea and smiled, shaking her head. "I doubt that. Rayne loves you too, you know. It might not be a complete romantic love right now, but he does. Aside from Lottie and me, and maybe Tiberius if it ever came to it, there are only two people in the whole world that my little brother would drop everything for. Stella is obviously one. You are the uncontested other. I don't think I need to say more than that." "I get it, but he just seemed so against the idea, you know?" "It was the timing. With everything he learned today he went from very confused to utterly happy to completely furious over the course of a few short hours. My brother isn't prone to that kind of mood swing, so the news really had him unbalanced. You remember Tiberius, right?" "Your friend? Yes, of course." "Well, I got to see his reaction to all of the news firsthand, and he's a traditional kind of guy, most of the time. Lottie and I telling him we both wanted him almost made his head blow up, but he already loved both of us so it was really just a matter of accepting that there's a new normal. He's still not exactly happy with the situation as a whole, but it's not us that he has a problem with. Rayne's in the same boat. He hates that the situation is forcing this, and more so because of the timing. But he absolutely doesn't hate you. So don't worry. In fact, I bet he's making dinner prep and planning to call you while he cooks. That feels like a very Ray thing to do." Hasumi giggled. She could actually picture the scene. "It is a very Ray thing to do. Thank you, Lettie. I do feel better. And if he doesn't call, I'll call him." The pair spent some moments in silence before Lettie spoke again. "There's another thing I wanted to ask of you, Sumi. Once the actual project starts, Ray's going to be really busy. We're going to have him overseeing both projects due to his background and the fact that he has the highest level security clearances. That will mean he's basically inundated in paperwork most days. Because of that, I'd like for you to be the one actually leading the production team after tomorrow. We weren't exaggerating when we said we need everything up and running as soon as humanly possible. Once we have a stable supply, we can expedite vaccinating the whole country." "I can certainly do that. Why after tomorrow? I assumed you wanted us to get started yesterday?" "Well, you won't be able to do much of anything tomorrow, since you're getting paired up. It's likely to knock you out for around eight to twelve hours, maybe more." "I see. Is Annabelle going to be leading the research team again?" Lettie nodded, looking a little awkward. "That's right. Miss Periera is good at what she does. I do feel that she might be the one to throw a bit of a wrench in the works as far as the Team goes though;” "What do you mean by that? Is she against the idea?" Lettie managed to look contrite, while still openly chagrined. "No, no. Nothing like that. Surely you picked up on the tension between her and Rayne earlier?" Hasumi looked thoughtful as she replied. "Yes, but they're always like that. Their relationship is something unique to them. They're not exactly hostile to each other, but they'll never be best friends." She paused, taking a sip of her tea. "In my homeland, we'd call what they have a kusare en. Translated, it's something like, 'rotten relationship'. They've known each other for a while so they tolerate one another and can work together when necessary, but they'll never be genuinely close unless something really forces the issue." "I feel like there's more to it than that, but I can't put my finger on it, exactly. Do you know if she's ever made a move on Rayne? Has he ever spoken about that to you?" "I've never heard him mention anything like that. Is Annabelle a danger to Rayne?" "I don't believe so. But I don't know her like I know you, so just be careful." Their conversation rambled from there, but Hasumi was feeling more at peace now. It was the ringing of Hasumi's phone that brought their discussions to an end, and she let out a giggle as the caller's name popped up. "Just like we thought." Lettie laughed. "You best answer that before he gets fidgety, Sumi. I'll let myself out. See you in the morning." Taking a deep breath, Hasumi tapped the button on her phone. "Hi Rayne. Should I bother to ask what's up or just throw myself at your mercy?" He sounded almost taken aback. "Why would I ask you to do that? Hasumi, you're my best friend. You're a wonderful woman, and I'm beyond honored that you want to be with me. I mean, I was utterly oblivious, but I get why you never said anything; I was with Stella. So, I suppose it's on me to say, I'm sorry I hurt you with my blindness. I never intended that." "You didn't hurt me, Ray. You were simply you. But I need to know. Do you feel anything for me? I mean beyond our friendship? Can it be as I hoped, even though you already have Stella?" There was a pause as Rayne considered her words. Hasumi held her breath, feeling her stomach drop further with each moment that passed. "If I'm being honest, Hasumi? Yes." She gasped, overjoyed at the response. "But?" "There is no 'but'. It just may not be an instant thing. I already love you as my friend. You never have to fear that. But am I in love? I'm certain that will come. Anything else is a consideration for future me." "Thanks for being honest." "Thanks for being you. Thanks for offering your home. I don't know if they actually plan to start construction as fast as they say, but it's good to know we have somewhere to go. But above all, thank you for just being there, Sumi." "Just promise me one thing. Promise you won't let this take anything away from Stella, except exclusivity." Rayne actually chuckled. "My good friend told me earlier today that love isn't finite, and he laid down quite the compelling argument for that. So, I plan to see if I can give life to those words. I'm glad I'm starting off easy." "Easy?" "Easy. After all, I'm already more than half there with you. The onus is on me to open my mind and give you the love you deserve." She gave that a moment in her head. "Can you answer something for me?" "I can certainly try." "If, and I do mean if, things hadn't worked ..” Rayne didn't wait for her to finish. "You. I was actually thinking about that after the meeting. I admit that I get along alright with everyone else. But I don't have anything like the connection I have with you or Stel. That's why I said I got the easy start." Hasumi laughed. Rayne knew her too well. They continued chatting, planning for the upcoming days. Hasumi dropped an extra bombshell when she said that they'd both be moving into the master bedroom with her. Rayne sputtered until she reminded him that she was openly bi and knew that Stella was too. It was almost 8PM when Rayne suddenly stopped speaking for a moment. "Looks like Stel's back, Sumi. Just got a text saying she's in front of our building. I'll get going, but we'll talk more tomorrow, okay?" "See you, Rayne. I'm glad I can openly say this now. I love you. Goodnight." Hasumi hung up and leaned back. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Maybe they could make it work after all. Rayne's Condo, Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 7:51 PM Rayne hung up and let his body fall forward onto the table. When he said got an easy start, he hadn't lied to Hasumi. Not really, at any rate. It was certainly going to be easier to come to terms with any feelings he developed if it was with her. But was he going to feel guilty about developing those feelings in the first place? Damn straight. Stella had always been entirely onboard with his friendship with Hasumi, but how this would pan out he couldn't say. He even knew that Stella was technically bisexual. She'd opened up to him when they first started dating, and Rayne had been aware even then that she had been offering the option of a threesome if he'd just promise to stay with her. To his credit, he'd never even considered taking her up on the offer and told her that if she still wanted to experiment, that wouldn't bother him, so long as another guy wasn't involved. He was still lost in thought as the door opened, and a rather flushed Stella stepped inside. She was clearly uncomfortable, and Rayne was immediately concerned as she launched herself at him. She'd already undone his belt by the time he realized what was happening. "Stella?!" "No time. Bed. I need you to fuck me. Now." Her clipped speech was getting Rayne's hackles up. He'd seen her horny and worked up, but she was never like this. "What the fuck, babe? What happened?" Stella stopped pushing Rayne long enough to give him a look loaded with more lust than anything else, but she replied. "This vaccine. They said it'd make me horny. They never said by how much. God. I can barely think straight. Ray, please, just take me!" Rayne was concerned. He remembered the documents, they did indeed say that the woman's libido would increase after being injected, but they also said it was a gradual process; something that got worse over days, not hours. This was distinctly alarming and he made a mental note to look into this, or he would have, if he didn't have an insistently horny fiancée groping him at that moment. "Babe, you are making it very hard to think." She didn't miss a beat as she pulled off her dress. "Then stop thinking and just make it very hard!" What could he say to that? Rayne shrugged and decided he'd just go with it for now. Stella had already gotten his pants and boxers around his ankles, so he stepped back, separating from her only long enough to step out of them and kick them aside, while fumbling for the buttons on his shirt. It was infuriatingly slow progress but he managed, and when he looked back up, she stood in front of him in all her naked glory. Stella didn't wait any longer. She dove towards Rayne again and wrapped herself around him. Instinctively, he kissed her, one hand gripping her ass while the other slid between her legs. Two fingers probed her slit and his eyes widened. "Jesus fucking wept, you're utterly soaked!" Rayne pulled his hand back, sticking one pussy-soaked digit into her mouth. She obliged, her lust-maddened eyes fixed on his own. Retrieving his hand, he stuck the other finger into his own mouth and savored the taste. Rayne loved oral, both giving and receiving, but Stella was clearly in too much of a hurry for him to work his magic. He'd never felt so desired and now his own lust was going out of control. He sat down as he felt the back of his legs hit the bed and Stella crawled on top of him, her bountiful chest heaving as she broke their latest kiss. "Claim me, Ray. I'm all ready for you. Ready to be yours forever. Stick that fat log in me and mark me. Fuck me senseless and put your baby in me, baby. I don't care how many others you have, as long as you never let me go. Now fuck me!" He didn't need any more invitations as he lined himself up. He may not have been the biggest man, with roughly 8 inches to his name, but he had girth and he'd never had complaints, always leaving his partner satisfied. He was at full mast now, and as he lined up, Stella felt it and slammed her hips down. When her hips met his, she froze, her eyes going wide. Stella went haywire. Her entire body spasmed and she let out an ear-piercing wail as the orgasm shook her harder than anything she'd ever experienced before. Rayne leaned back and rolled, leaving Stella on her back as he drew his cock most of the way out and then slammed it home again. He vaguely recalled something about a 'priming orgasm', but the through fled as Stella clawed at his back, still in the throes of it. "Don't stop. Don't. Ever. Stop. Pound me into the mattress. That was the most amazing thing I've ever felt, and it was because of you, my love. Now rail me and claim your slut wife. I'll do anything for you. Just mark me, baby. Make me forever yours." Rayne grunted as he thrust, interspersing it with kisses as he brought himself towards the inevitable end. He slowed for a moment and pulled out, eliciting a whine from Stella before he pulled her up onto her knees and drilled his way back in from behind. Taking one of her tits in each hand, he railed his way into her, grinning as her voice jumped an octave with almost every thrust. Finally, after several more minutes, he couldn't hold it any longer and pulled her into his arms, whispering into her ear as his ejaculation overtook him. "I love you. We'll make this work Stel. I promise." As his load painted her insides white, Stella shuddered violently and her screams reached a crescendo, clawing at him even harder before everything suddenly cut off and she fell limp in Rayne's arms. His heart thundered in his ears after the exertion, and as he lowered Stella to the mattress, he could faintly hear the whispered words, ones that would come to haunt his dreams in weeks to come. "Imprinting; Imprinting;” Rayne sat on the sofa, a drink in hand and a notepad discarded to one side. He was looking at his phone, having just sent a text off to Tiberius. All of his concerns had come flooding back after he'd left Stella in the bedroom, and he needed advice. Fortunately, it wasn't seconds before the phone began to ring. "Hey mate. I figured you'd be messaging me soon. Done with business?" "I dunno whether to be insulted or laugh." Tiberius' laugh was almost maniacal in its vehemence. "Not my fault if you were a one and done guy tonight, mate." "Very funny. I mean, I read about it, but that whole 'imprinting' thing is creepy as fuck, Ty." "Tell me about it. I went through the process three times in quick succession. I mean, I basically passed out shortly after the third myself, but still, it sent shivers down my spine. But I take it that's not the only reason you messaged." "Yeah. You've got a contact with the US team, yeah?" "Of course. She's my old friend. Why?" "Is she a scientist? I need to discuss something with them. I don't know if it's an outlier case, but Stella's libido was supercharged tonight. She basically attacked me once she got in the door, and it really seemed like she was struggling to maintain control of herself. I know that the woman's libido is supposed to be raised, but the paperwork also led me to believe that was over the course of several days. Stella had been gone for a number of hours, Ty. Either the serum they're giving us is different, or we Australians have enough differences in our biochemistry that it's affecting us differently." Rayne paused, taking a moment to prepare himself for what he knew would be an awkward question. "I can't believe I'm asking this, but can you tell me if my sisters and Talia presented similar symptoms? Were they aroused beyond normal, barely coherent and such?" Tiberius' voice had no trace of humor in it now. "Ray, I can tell you for certain that all three of them were highly aroused, but I don't know for certain whether that was out of the ordinary or not. As for them being coherent? Yes. They seemed to all be in control of themselves for the most part, I think? It's not like I'd ever slept with any of them before yesterday." "Oh. Right. Ok, can you ask any of the women from the other pilot Teams? We need data. And I really need to talk to the Americans." "Mate, right now there are a grand total of eight women that have been injected. Two other Teams have been formed, with officers on base as their central pillar. That number will double tomorrow, and then I can ask the others about it. Those women are probably in the imprinting state right now, so asking them anything will be impossible until then. But I'll tell ya what, mate. I'll ask our medics to keep an eye on it, and I'll let Grace know. I'll give her people your number, so they can get in touch. Because if what you're telling me is legit, then even after we stop our rush measures, we may not have the same kind of leeway the Americans did in getting people paired up. That's going to seriously fuck with our timelines and planning, so it's important to know." He chuckled, but there was something derisive in it. "We need to change our planning because people might be in a hurry to get laid. What the actual fuck are we doing, Ray?" "Science can be fucked up sometimes, Ty. There are too many unknowns with this serum. The paperwork tells me a lot, but there's still so many holes to fill that I don't even know where to begin. I'm hoping Sumi or one of the others has some ideas, because I sure as hell don't. To be fair, this whole DuoHalo situation is completely fucked up. So much about the virus makes no sense whatsoever, and now this asinine solution is going to leave us with severe long-term repercussions as a society." "Hah! Asinine. Pretty nice arses, easy nines." Rayne smiled at Tiberius' attempted levity. "Either way, we need you to do what you can to fill those holes in, and maybe make this thing better for everyone. If you can unlock the serum and remove the part where people are bonded together permanently, I know you'd probably win a fucking Nobel prize. If you can tell us more about DuoHalo and all that, like where it came from, you might still win that goddamned prize." "Wait, you don't know? I know your clearance is better than my own, so I'm safe in saying this, but CSL had a good idea of where DuoHalo actually came from months ago? I mean, Sydney International is confirmed to be Ground Zero, but Australia's not the origin. They were given a gag order at the time, though. I don't understand why." "Don't say any more, Ray. Even if I'm cleared for the knowledge, it's better not to talk about it openly. I'll let Baz know that you're aware of that and see if he or the other brass need the info. The gag order was probably to prevent it from seeming like we were just blaming others. Better to keep quiet and pretend we know nothing until there's a better way to let the information out. Ignorance is bliss." Rayne snorted. "Ty, ignorance is only bliss when you don't know you're ignorant. For everyone else it's just torture. Either way, I get what you're saying. For now, I'll keep it under wraps, but if someone starts openly blaming us, I'm not going to stand by and let the world condemn us." "Good man. Just give it some time. We've all got our work cut out for us as it is, so there's no need to go and add more. You got your stuff packed? I heard you're getting moved in the morning." "I've got a bit to sort out, but I'll do that before I go to sleep. Thanks, Ty." "What are mates for? Oh, one final thing. Your next two partners, after Miss Saegusa, are already confirmed. Those two will be acting as members of your security detail. Expect them either tomorrow night, or the day after, at the latest." "What? I have no need ..” "Rayne, you are now a national asset. Not just because you're one of the few surviving men, but because you're the project lead on what is probably this country's most important endeavor in decades. You need security, and they need to be in place before anyone figures out that you're important." "You can't. I'm already struggling to deal ..” "Just shut up about it for a minute, Ray. I know how you feel about it, but you have no say in this. It's a matter of security. You're just going to have to learn to live with it." Rayne could hear the frustration building in his friend's voice. "Keep one thing in mind about the whole situation, mate. The more you resist, the more you hurt your partner. You might have your reasons, but they do too. They're choosing you, and if you reject them out of some sense of propriety, given the state of the world now, you're doing everyone a disservice. Remember, silver bullets, mate. Anyway, I've gotta run. The ladies are getting impatient." Rayne let out a sigh. "Fine. I give up, Ty. And I'm not going to ask. See ya." Tossing his phone onto the sofa, Rayne threw back his drink in one gulp. Ty was probably right, as usual. The situation had already escalated beyond his personal wants, and Rayne realized he should just be rolling with the punches now. Two more partners, on top of Hasumi. That was going to take some getting used to. Even if he wasn't already going to feel physically inadequate when compared to some of the super-fit military women he'd met over the years, now he'd be their partner sexually too. It was enough to give a guy performance anxiety in a big way. But he realized, they were probably anxious too, for their own reasons, not to mention they were binding their lives to an unknown man's. "Silver bullets. Fuck. Fucking fuck. Of course, he has to be right." Silver bullets. He debated pouring another drink but thought better of it. In his current mood, he wouldn't stop. He wasn't a big drinker at the best of times, but Rayne remembered what had happened when his parents died. He'd been so angry. Tiberius had found him at the bottom of a bottle, almost ready to do something very stupid. The big bear of a man had organized therapy for him. Driven him to and from it. Kept him in check and told the twins that they were grieving as two close friends. It had been a genuine accident, after all. The man involved hadn't been drunk or incapacitated. His brakes had simply failed and his parents' luck had run out. It took a long time to come to terms with it. To the best of Rayne's knowledge, Ty had never told his sisters the truth about the night. Rayne had done it himself, two days after Ty had given him a gift for overcoming his anger. He still remembered the stinging slaps he'd gotten from both his sisters after he'd told them, right before they pulled him into their arms and sobbed. Tiberius had one of the bullets from the gun he'd planned to use on the man that had caused the accident, emptied of powder and primer and plated in silver. It was encased in resin, almost like a trophy. Rayne had made sure to pack that away immediately. It was possibly his most valued possession and he vowed to meet the coming days with the phrase forefront in his mind. Silver bullets. The engraving on the resin said it all, A bullet shows no empathy, but you have. Never forget it. Chapter 4. Officer Housing, Victoria Barracks, Victoria, Australia, October 24, 2020, 6:15 AM It was the sensation of fingers running through his hair that brought Tiberius out of his slumber. That alone would have been unusual, but there was also a warm body in his arms, most likely Talia, and somehow, it all felt right. The last two days had been a whirlwind of activity, and he'd woken up every day since he'd imprinted his three wonderful partners with a different one in his embrace. "You awake, big guy?" Tiberius opened his eyes and looked up. Lettie smiled down at him as her fingers continued to brush his head. "Morning, love. Care to join us? And where's Lots?" "As much as I'd love to, you and Talia need to get up. Lottie's in the kitchen making some food. We have to vacate here soon." "Ah, the next Team's ready to be sequestered for a bit?" "Pretty much. They said since it's been a couple of days, you should be good to go. We'll probably have time to head back to your house. The fridge is probably in a bit of a state by now." "Yeah, that state being 'empty'. I was cycling everything out since it was getting to its use by date. I was supposed to do a grocery run the day all hell broke loose." Ty felt a pinch on his side, and Talia spoke, her voice muffled since she still had her head buried in his chest. "Do not call the day we were finally joined as such, my love." The laugh rumbled in his chest and he pulled her arms away. "I'm sorry, my dear. Aside from that, the day had been one evoking some pretty extreme emotions, but you're right. It was definitely the day that we were brought together, so it should be something for us to celebrate." Stretching lightly, he rolled away from Talia, eliciting a displeased growl from the younger woman. Lettie watched his naked form as he moved, noting that all of his movements seemed to be smoother. There had been a bit of hesitation or discomfort in those movements over the last few days, but it wasn't present now. "Are you finally back to full strength, Tiberius? Does anything feel off anymore?" "Now that you mention it? Yeah, I think I'm good." He took a deep breath, feeling his chest inflate without the tightness he had experienced only a few days past. "Yeah, definitely. I think I'm over the hump. Whatever happened on the first night seemed to have taken care of most of it, and that phantom twinge I used to get in my leg when I woke up hasn't hit me for the last few days." "That's good news. I'll let Dr. Morgan know, so you and Tal get in the shower." Ty nodded and extended a hand to Talia, who finally, albeit reluctantly, began to move. "Remind me to buy the guy a drink sometime soon. Any word from Ray?" "He says they'll be starting production today, barring any major holdups. The Americans provided everything they needed, so it's just a matter of setting everything up." Lettie shrugged. "He also says it's way too soon to expect any results regarding the serum itself though." "That makes sense. If it were that simple, the Americans wouldn't have missed it. Ok. We'll forward that to Sophie and move on then. We'll suss out the proper timeline once we get our heads around how many doses the labs can reasonably pump out a day. Given that, I suppose I'm on the hook to talk to the docs and nurses sometime today? All at once or State-by-state?" "State. Starting with Victoria tonight. Lottie will send out meeting information while we head towards your place. The plan, for now at least, is to make a big circle of it. Start here, go up to New South Wales, and onward and around until we finish with Tasmania, so we'll inform the states in that order." As Ty and Talia stepped into the bathroom, Lettie continued to follow, occasionally checking something on her tablet. Tiberius found himself lost in thought for a moment as Talia turned the shower on. "Ok. So we're good on that front. Did Baz get the go ahead to have each state plan out its military rollout?" Shaking her head, Lettie turned her tablet so he could see the screen. "Lt. General Hoffmann told him he's leaving it in our hands and has ordered the other star ranks to stay out of it. You have priority authority on all deployments regarding the vaccine. Only the Lt. General himself can overrule you." On screen was a digital copy of the signed order and Ty gave a cursory nod and a sigh of relief as he read it. This would go a long way to cutting down red tape. "It seems we still have to report as normal. Great. More work for us, but at least nobody's going to sideswipe us in the name of 'helping'." There was no mistaking the sarcasm in Ty's voice. "Actually, can you pass the prep work for the other states to Brett Whittaker or Danny Thomson? Split the remainder into three, so two apiece. That'll ease it up enough to make it less of a nuisance, I reckon." "I'll get Captain Whittaker on it today. Captain Thompson is scheduled to begin his team today, so he'll be indisposed." "Ah. That would mean that his Team is the one replacing us here. Fair enough. Back on the topic of the docs, I might need someone to help me figure out what needs said. I might be okay at saying it, but knowing how to say it so the docs get it is a different matter entirely." Talia spoke up now, seeming to have finally woken up properly under the rush of the shower. "I will assist you with the explanations to the various medical professionals, Tiberius. As well as anywhere else you feel that I could be put to use." She put a hand over her heart. "This may not be my homeland, but it is now my home. Let me do my part." "I appreciate it, Tal, but I did also mean an actual doc or nurse to bring in as an adviser. I'm pretty sure neither you nor I are familiar enough with the vernacular to be really talking shop with a doc. We'll worry about that in the arvo. I've got an idea for who to talk to, but it'll have to wait. Lettie, could you ask Lottie to prep a standard NDA for me? Digital signature will do. We'll need something we can mass drop for tonight, but I need one in advance. As for you, could you and Talia start prepping the info packet we'll send tonight? The one we got first had plenty of info they won't need, and the secondary one had a lot of info they will." "Sure thing, big guy. I'll let her know, so get your hairy behind in the shower." She laughed and slapped at his ass before pushing him into the now-vacated stall. Tiberius showered, knowing that there was still one topic he hadn't addressed, but he wanted to at least have a cup of coffee before he started down that particular road. For now, he pulled out his phone and opened his streaming app, wondering if that person would be active today. It had been some time, after all, and anything was better than dealing with that. Sure enough, he found the stream and was surprised to see that it was actually a collab stream, so he jumped in, immediately saying hello to chat and greeting his streamer friends. Marshall Law, Hey Princess, Hey Foxy. It's been some time. Sorry I've been out of touch. Got busy. You two doing okay? Purple Paw Princess, or Princess as he called her, was a US-based variety streamer named Shannon that he had run across in the days shortly after his accident. They'd connected while playing a game, and he'd watched her streams every so often. She was an excellent artist and generally fun person to talk to, so he'd easily made friends with her. It had even been at his recommendation that she'd gotten a VR set during lockdown. Shannon, for her part, greeted Ty warmly, happy to see him. She explained that she'd settled down after overcoming her medical issues and Ty congratulated her on that, glad to see that she was happier and healthy. Foxy; Doodle Fox on screen, was an artist based in the UK. He was less familiar with her, but her art was outstanding and they'd been chatting for some time on and off. Another fun, generally upbeat young woman, she seemed somewhat distracted, almost a little evasive in her replies, explaining that she had a very important meeting the following day and was rather nervous about it. Ty wondered if the UK had begun its own vaccine rollout but knew better than to ask that directly. When they asked about him, he couldn't help the response. Marshall Law, Yeah, the last few days have been a bit hectic. Learned a bunch of things that changed everything I thought I knew. Nearly Died. Got into a poly relationship I never dreamed of having. Yeah, just a bit busy. Their alarm as they processed his words was almost comical, but Ty channeled his inner Monty as he placated them. Marshall Law, I got better. XD When Lottie placed the plate in front of him, she paused to look over his shoulder at what he was watching. "Ty, is that; a purple cat avatar? What are you watching?" "Purple tiger, actually. And this is a friend's stream. Someone I ran into online last year and got to know, along with another artist streamer that I stumbled across. They're both fantastic artists and really lovely people, so I watch their streams every now and then when I get the opportunity. Time zones are a bitch, so those opportunities are few and far between." "I; see?" "I also commissioned a bunch of art from her a while ago for one of my tabletop campaigns and we got to chatting. Shannon's good people, and I'm just checking in to see how she and Foxy are doing. Geek family sticks together." "Fair enough. I was wondering if you were planning on adding her to our little family." Ty was silent for a moment as several things fell into place in his head. "No, that's not going to happen. We get along, but I don't think it'd ever be like what any of us have right now. Also, looking back, I think she's already Teamed up, maybe as early as July, even. I just never put two and two together until now. Maybe I'll ask her next time we talk. I figure by then it'll be public knowledge, or near enough anyway." Ty continued watching as he ate, occasionally leaving comments, until Foxy had to leave, citing an early morning. Ty signed off too, reminding Shannon to stay in touch. It had been a nice diversion, but reality was still knocking at the back of his mind and he sighed. "I wanted to put it off some more, but has Colonel Anderson managed to get anything out of Connors?" Lottie had already begun cleaning up as she replied. "The Colonel wants you to call him when you get a chance today. There have been a few developments and he's got to brief you before we bring things to the Americans." "Got it. I assume my presence will be a distraction so I'll ring him as we head out." Lettie had wandered out of the room at some point and now returned, placing some papers on the table next to Ty. "Have a glance through those and sign off on them before we leave, big guy. They're just personnel assignment docs, but they include the orders for Lieutenant Barclay and 2nd Lieutenant Jennings. They've already linked up with Ray, so the documents are backdated." "They're Ray's security? No worries. I'll put my mark on it in a sec. Just let me clean up." "I've got it, Ty." Lottie gently brushed his hand away and went to take the plate from the table before he could even reach for it. Instead, he pulled her towards him and kissed her fiercely before giving her ass a not-so-gentle squeeze and growling into her ear. "We'll play again tonight, my sweet." Her expression was filled with anticipation as she straightened up and Tiberius felt a tingle run up his spine. He and Lottie had discussed their experience the day after she'd been imprinted, and Lottie had given it a lot of thought. She was very pleased with the encounter and impressed upon Ty that it had been everything she'd hoped and more. Tiberius had emphasized to her that he'd never degrade her in public, and she'd smiled at that. That wasn't what she was interested in anyway. She enjoyed surrendering control to him, but also wanted to take care of him. She'd read about it and told him that she guessed she was somewhere between a service submissive and a bedroom submissive, and Ty had suggested that they explore both slowly and get used to it together. The discussion had carried on until both Lettie and Talia wandered in, and Lottie confessed her inclinations to her sister and their new friend. Lettie had just grinned and shrugged it off, saying that she'd realized that ages ago. While she hadn't known that they'd visited a BDSM club, she'd seen the hints of her sister's inclinations growing up and had tried to keep an eye on Lottie's partners to make sure the relationship didn't devolve into abuse. Talia seemed curious and did some quick reading but concluded that the major aspects of submission didn't appeal. Ty had chuckled and said that made perfect sense; she appeared to like an aggressive partner, but that didn't necessarily translate to liking being dominated. There were plenty of methods in between, so he made it clear that she didn't need to worry. The four left the living quarters shortly afterwards, passing through the base only long enough to drop the paperwork off with the Brigadier. They had a lot to do, so Ty still felt odd to be taking what amounted to a half day just to sort out his house and living situation. Especially since he was going to be relocated closer to the city center. But Dr. Rai worked at the nearby hospital and she was certainly going to be easier to convince in person, so there was no loss in using the house as a base of operations. Lettie was driving, so Ty waited only until they were clear of the base to place the phone call to the Colonel. It was definitely going to be an unwelcome conversation, even if he hadn't been feeling increasingly bad about driving Connors into his own head. He knew it was bad form, and knew even more so that they needed info, but Ty had been angry. If it had just been insults and words thrown at him, or even the syringe filled with death, no problem. He could handle that. But the pressure of everything he'd learned and Lottie's tears had left him reeling and he'd lashed out. "Hello, Colonel? You asked that I get in touch?" Colonel William Anderson's deep basso voice flooded out of the phone's speaker, measured and smooth. The man was a paragon of military efficiency, but everyone knew "Bloody" Bill Anderson was dangerous. His nickname, adopted from the US Civil War fighter of the same name, held true. Ty had served in his unit for a short time, and the man's tactics in guerrilla warfare were borderline insane, but his skill as an interrogator was without equal. "Lt. Colonel. Yes. We've managed to stabilize Major Connors and get a bit out of him. I will CC you in on the report, but I'll give you the gist of it. Connors wasn't working alone. A raid of his family home was conducted two days ago, where we found sufficient evidence to try him for a host of additional offences. Suffice it to say that Jaxson Connors has likely been working with as yet unidentified foreign powers. MP Wendy Connors was also clearly complicit in these acts, but she was discovered to have been deceased for at least a week at the time of the raid. Testing indicates that she was afflicted by a strain of DuoHalo very similar to the one that the Major used on you, so we are operating under the assumption that Major Connors was the responsible party. It is likely the guilt from the event, whether deliberate or accidental, played a part in Major Connors condition." Ty had tremendous respect for Bill Anderson, but he wasn't close to him like he was with Baz, so his tone remained formal. "That would indeed go a long way to explaining his instability, sir. Did we find links to any other local collaborators outside of those from the CSL labs that we have in custody?" "Negative. We're looking into the extended family but as of now, there is no evidence that Miss Elizabeth Connors had any awareness of events or any complicity in them." Ty had no idea of the Connors' family structure outside of the relationship between Jaxson and Wendy. "Elizabeth Connors? Is she Jaxson's partner?" "Sister. I understand that she is a university student and living away from home." "Hm. Well, if she's not germane to the investigation then I suppose there's no reason for us to bring her into it. I assume however that someone is assigned to keep an eye on her? She might start asking questions or turn up unexpectedly when she's unable to get in touch with her family." "We will be bringing her in for her own protection. If outside actors are involved, we do not need them complicating matters by abducting her. We will also be informing her of her mother's death and Major Connors' condition at that time. We need to try and keep Major Connors as cooperative as possible. And stable." Ty winced. "I do apologize for that, sir. I can offer no excuse for my behavior and will accept any reprimand." Anderson scoffed. "Never mind that. You were under tremendous stress and the circumstances were rather extreme, after all. I probably would have throttled the man, were it me. I will, however, stress that you are to avoid any interaction with him wherever possible." "Yes, sir. I understand completely. Going back to the foreign power you mentioned;” He cut Ty's question off. "We know next to nothing yet, except what Connors himself believes to be true. According to him, he was supposed to either abduct Dr. Marcos from the Americans or snatch this Dr. McCallister from the Russians and hand them off to an agent of these people. I'm not sure who the latter individual is." "McCallister. I've seen that name recently; Ah! He's the individual responsible for the bonding effects within the serum along with several other details. I believe he defected to the Russians. It was within one of the documents with the details about the serum itself." "Not my wheelhouse, Lt. Colonel. All I know is he didn't hold up his end of the bargain, and that is one of the reasons Miss Connors will be in protective custody. It was a tremendously foolish decision." "Yeah, the entire thing put my brother and his entire unit at risk. Not to mention nearly causing an international incident. Colonel, what are the odds we can get Damian's unit back into the country soon?" "Nil. First, even if flights were going out of Europe, they wouldn't be heading our way without good reason, and second, from the reports that have come in, they're in safe hands at the moment. The French, specifically the DGSE, has them put up in several safe houses, but under guard. We should be okay to establish contact with them in the next few days." Ty almost dropped his phone at the mention of the French intelligence service. "France? They're in France? How the hell did they get all the way there from Russia, sir?" "We don't have the report as of yet, Lt. Colonel. I suspect we'll find out when we're given the green light to establish contact." There was a pause and some muttered conversation that Ty couldn't quite make out. "Lt. Colonel, I've just received some information about Miss Connors. I will cut the conversation short here as this matter requires my attention, but I will have someone on my staff keep you informed." Ty wanted to ask, but the urgency in the Colonel's tone stopped him. "Thank you, sir." The line cut out and Ty took a breath. Lettie glanced over at him as she drove. "I can't tell if that went well or not." "Bit of both, love. At least we know for sure that Damo's crew is safe." "That was certainly unexpected. I mean, Zeke told me he was safe, but even the documents Tal had with her said nothing about France." Talia giggled from the back seat. "Well, I suppose at the time father collected that information, they may not have been in France. It was all preliminary reporting from immediately after their attempt, and if you were the one to give them their SERE training, it makes perfect sense that they would go undetected." Ty turned his head and glanced towards the back seat. Talia was smiling as she looked out the window, but Lottie seemed lost in thought. That wasn't unusual, but the expression on her face told him there was something more at play here. This happened with her occasionally; she'd quietly contemplate a subject before expressing a view that was completely out there. "Lots? Have you sorted out whatever it is you've had on your mind?" She closed her eyes for a moment before turning her head towards Ty and giving him a gentle smile. "Mostly. I admit it's a bit of a tangent on what we have been speaking about. Obviously, you don't need any additional security personnel, you already have three. But I was thinking we do need a doctor or at least a nurse added to our ranks. It would help us as we go around the country for the rollout, and having one in the family would be a reassurance for when we start popping out kids. I was just wondering; no, I think I'll wait until we get to the hospital to voice that thought." "Well that certainly came out of left field. I suppose I'm somewhat reluctant to add too many new faces too fast, I do think you're right. As for kids, each of you can tell me when you're ready, if ever, and we'll make a go of it. You both know I adore kids and I'm sure Talia would figure that out soon enough. But let's cross that bridge when we get there." She smiled an enigmatic little smile that had Tiberius' heart in knots. "Aren't we getting "there" in a few hours, Ty?" Lost for words for a moment, Ty simply shrugged. "If you're expecting me to just ask a random doctor to join us, I don't think that's going to go how you envision it." The smile on her face grew, shooting right past smirk and straight into leer territory. "Don't be so sure." Melbourne Southeastern Suburbs, Victoria, Australia, October 24, 2020, 7:30 AM Zoe Evans was starving. Literally. Her stomach had long since ceased any audible protests, seemingly having decided that such things were a waste of energy. At least water wasn't in short supply. As for food; well the last time she had eaten something that wasn't at least half rotten; she couldn't even remember. It had to have been weeks ago. Her funds had run out around then, and she had felt the despair creeping in. For a 19-year-old girl, living up near her university in Sydney was all well and good when times were good, but during a pandemic? And having learned that your family died to it? Well, it became a burden. Zoe had heard that almost the entire neighborhood had succumbed, so going back hadn't been an option. Only now it was her only option. With her accounts empty and the universities shut down, there was no meaning in staying in Sydney, as food had become harder to come by. So, when she decided to come home, it was in the hope that someone in the neighborhood had survived and would be able to help her. It was slow going. She'd had to stop every few hours as her concentration waned and dizziness threatened to take her off the roads. But when she finally reached her family home on the 21st, almost the whole suburb was deserted. Houses empty; stripped of goods and foods. Bereft of life and now of warmth. Those that remained had little they were willing to spare a young girl, at least without taking something she wasn't willing to give in exchange. So Zoe was on her last legs now, no food, and water alone would only get her so far. She was now constantly dizzy. Her last possible resort had been the houses of her neighbors; but nobody answered the doors even though the houses didn't appear abandoned. Zoe was inside a neighbor’s house, having known where the spare key was kept for years. It wasn't something that she had learned by accident. The householder had actually told her parents where to find the key in case of an emergency, and eventually he had let her know too, along with the alarm code. She had hoped the owner, a man she treated like an uncle, would be there, but the house appeared to have been empty for several days at least. Well, empty of people at any rate. All the contents were still there. He had reached out to her after her family's passing, but she had been too wrapped up in her grief to let him in, and she'd let her contact with him lapse. Now her phone was dead and he wasn't here. Her eyes fell on a picture of a young man and a tiny child curled up on a recliner together and a memory flashed in her mind, vivid colors but muffled sounds. A young adult. Dark hair, steel-grey eyes. A small child on a bike, nearly pure white hair and purple irises standing out even with her pale skin. Everything else was blurry; irrelevant. She was drifting, but the memory of his voice anchored her; gentle, even if the words were unclear, and the hand that patted her head filled her young mind with confidence and a sense of security. An older brother figure. An uncle figure. But that was then. She knew she was in trouble. She was so tired. Her violet eyes filled with tears as she came to terms with the reality of her situation. The fridge was empty and the pantry had so little of use that it may as well have been too. Zoe could feel her vision closing in and her head was spinning. Her hunger was overwhelming her; gnawing at her sanity, stripping away hope and there was nothing left that she could do. She didn't have the energy to go anywhere else, and even if she did, the likelihood that there was anything to eat was beyond miniscule. Her legs finally gave way in her exhaustion and despair and she couldn't muster the energy to get up again. Curling up on the tile as the darkness was creeping in, Zoe knew it was over. No one would find her. No one would know she was here. She was alone. She was going to die, and not even of the damned plague. And then the darkness claimed her. After Lettie's cryptic comment, Ty had chosen to remain silent. Though he understood her point about adding in a medical professional, like Rayne, he was hesitant to add unknowns to their family. It had already grown beyond any scope he'd imagined, and he was expected to take on at least a dozen. Grace had let him know that a dozen was the recommended number, but she had also informed him that it was rarely where they stopped in the case of prominent or critical individuals. It was going to be quite the effort. Ty had already had more sex in the last three days than he'd usually have over a month. Physically, he was fine. His age, fitness and the serum were seeing to that. But mentally, handling the needs of that many women would be a challenge. He looked out the window with a feeling of melancholy. The neighborhood was bleak. Houses sitting empty, lawns unkempt and overgrown. They passed by the twins' family home; it had been sold shortly after their parents' passing. The twins had long since moved into a condo of their own, a little further away, but now, with everything happening, his house would be their base until they set up whatever condo or complex they had in mind for his family. That thought brought him pause. Family. They were supposed to consider themselves that, but when had he actually stopped having to consciously think about it? Was that him, or was it the serum, playing with his mind. He had to push that thought away. He knew the depths of his feelings for the girls. Their connection felt right. There was nothing forced in it. Nothing that felt artificial. He knew Talia would get along with the twins, even if she was several years their junior. Their bisexuality was really just going to smooth things along. Hopefully, even in the future - That thought was cut off as Lettie pulled onto his street, and the sight of another house brought with it a fresh wave of pain as he mourned its occupants. Toby and Matilda Evans. Two years his senior, they had married out of high school when Mattie had gotten pregnant with their first and only. For eighteen years they had raised a happy family together, fought through good and bad, and raised a wonderful little girl. They had been Ty's friends, but they had passed away in April, both to DuoHalo, with no opportunity for a funeral, just two more bodies on the pile. Though he said DuoHalo, Ty was still certain that Mattie had died of a broken heart when Toby had passed. He had a momentary vision of a young girl, her sparkling white-blonde head bobbing as she pedaled away on a bicycle, training wheels and all. He'd been in his 20s at the time, home for leave and Toby had been called into work on an emergency. Unable to get a sitter on such short notice, Ty had offered to watch over her since Mattie was also at work. Zoe had enjoyed spending some time with 'Uncle Ty', and quickly tired herself out. Ty fed her and let her take a nap on the sofa while he relaxed in his dad's recliner. He had no idea when he'd fallen asleep, but he woke to the sound of a camera and Mattie's giggling. To his surprise, Zoe was curled up in his arms with her blanket spread haphazardly over them both. He couldn't help the smile as he asked for a copy of the shot. He still had that photo, framed and mounted on a wall in his kitchen. He'd not been able to get in touch with Zoe much since her parents' passing, and now that the number had been disconnected the worry was constantly in the back of his mind. It would be a straight up abuse of power to use military resources to search for a single person unless they had some good reason to do so, so he'd refrained from asking. He'd have to use his personal assets. That was fine. It was for a good cause. If she was alive, he'd reach out again and take her in. Otherwise; it'd be closure, at least. They pulled up to the house, and at first glance, everything appeared to be fine. But it wasn't. The front door was unlocked. He reached for his Browning and the girls tensed. Signaling for the twins to head upstairs, they drew their own weapons and Ty silently opened the door. Naturally, he wouldn't shoot if he didn't have to, but if the intruder attacked, he might have no choice. Talia followed him, having drawn her own Glock. There was no noise from inside as they entered, but that meant nothing. The entry hall was empty, and Ty could clearly see into the living room as the twins silently ascended the stairs. Even further inside, nothing seemed to have been moved, but Ty spotted a bag on a dining table chair that certainly didn't belong to him. Passing through the arch and into the kitchen, Ty froze, immediately putting his weapon away as he took a deep breath and dashed forward. Talia could just barely see a head topped with silvery-white hair laying on the floor before the shout nearly deafened her. "Lettie! Start the car! Now! Emergency evac! Hospital!" He slid the last few feet on his knees, his voice wavering as he sought a pulse. "Oh fuck! Please be alive. Zoe, sweetheart, hold on! Lettie!" He could hear the twins thundering down the stairs, and while Lottie came towards them, Ty could hear the security door bang open as Lettie bolted out of the house. His shaking fingers finally found the unconscious girl's pulse, weak as it was. Ty scooped her up and he could feel the icy fingers gripping his heart. She weighed nothing, almost literally. Her frame under the horribly baggy clothes was so emaciated it was a wonder she had enough muscle mass left to keep moving. Ty cursed himself silently, tears running down his face now. He should have done more to stay in touch. After her parents' death, she was alone. He was their friend so he should have done more. She had come to him for help, and he hadn't been there. All the thoughts crashed into him as he rose and he had to choke back a sob. Lottie let out a gasp when he turned around and bolted towards the door, pulling Talia with her. Zoe hadn't stirred at all, and Ty could hear how shallowly she was breathing. It took all of his willpower to not sprint for the door, but he had zero confidence that this poor girl's battered body could withstand it. He paused only long enough to grab her bag before leaving. To be continued in part 4. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 2 Aussie soldier learns what it means to Quaranteam. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Just off the East Coast of Australia, October 21, 2020, 11:05 PM Talia Becker had gotten no rest since Grace's last contact with Tiberius. Not that she'd tried. Learning that Ty had been exposed to something had set her on edge, but it was the message that had managed to arrive a few hours later that had her truly worried. Even though she knew they'd arrive in time to help him, she couldn't help it; she wasn't there now. After everything else, she couldn't afford to lose him. Tiberius had swept into her life relatively early in her career, in 2017, and the maelstrom the Australian had left in his wake had left her reeling. Her father appeared one morning at their training grounds, smiling, and simply told them that they were about to embark on a survival exercise over the next seven days. Talia's unit was to hunt down and capture Tiberius, who would evade, and in return attempt to 'kill' his hunters. Talia thought it would be a simple task. It took all of three days. In just a mere three days, every member of the unit found themselves back at base, 'killed', and to a man or woman, had never actually seen their adversary until it was too late. He appeared again as they were gathered in a training classroom and began to explain where each member had gone wrong and why they had failed. Talia never even had the opportunity to look at his face before she'd been killed, late on the second day. He had simply melted back into the environment after his training knife had appeared across her throat. For the first time she could recall since joining the IDF, Talia was interested in a man. It wasn't an attraction. Not exactly. Not then. Curiosity, perhaps. He showed up at Talia's dinner table that night, a guest of her father. The easy-going demeanor, even in the presence of her father, was utterly foreign to her. Even her mother, usually quiet and withdrawn among her father's guests, was smiling and telling stories. A sort of charm, she'd supposed. A natural charisma that drew people in and made them feel comfortable. She looked at him again and it clicked. He was like an oversized teddy bear. Large, occasionally imposing, but ultimately a comforting presence. The only comforting male presence aside from her father, she realized. Until that point, the men in Talia's life, aside from her father, had come in two varieties; those openly attempting to get close to her to use her father's influence, and those who were lying. Every single one had been repulsive; if not physically, then mentally. She wasn't simply a means to an end to them; she was just a trinket to acquire on the path. To them, she didn't matter, and that infuriated her. She rarely dated men as a result, spending her time with her female cohorts. It had gotten to the point where she almost believed she couldn't be attracted to a man and was trying to figure out how to explain that to her parents, when Ty's appearance made her reevaluate herself once again. Even though he was eight years senior to her then age of 24, Tiberius had never made her feel insignificant or unimportant. When they spent time together, she felt like was the center of his universe. He wasn't overbearing and he never pushed her for intimacy. She realized it when Ty escorted her during her parent's 40th anniversary party a year later; it wasn't that she couldn't date men; it just had to be the right man. She had asked her father if he would be open to that idea, and he had seemed thrilled. Then they had learned of Tiberius' injury, and her father had asked her to wait until he was healed. Talia was furious. She believed her father was acting the same way towards Tiberius as all the suitors had with her; interested in Ty until he was no longer useful. But Ezekiel denied that instantly. It wasn't that her father was reluctant to have a potentially crippled man as her husband, but that he wanted Tiberius to be able to recuperate without the added pressure of a long distance, potentially political relationship. Zeke actually kept in constant contact with the younger man and admitted to Talia that both he and her mother already loved the man like a son. Zeke had planned to ask him to visit Israel again at the start of 2020, when COVID had slowed travel and then DuoHalo had shut the world down entirely. Now, when Talia finally had a chance to be with him, the man she wanted more than anything was in danger of dying. She couldn't help herself and paced up and down the aisle of the plane. "Talia, your pacing isn't going to get us there any faster. You're just wearing yourself out and you're going to want that energy." Grace opined, a wry smile on her face. She understood the Israeli woman's feelings; after all, it wasn't that long ago that she had shared a similar longing for the affable Aussie. Now that she had her own partner, though, she was content. She looked over at Ben, currently curled up under a blanket alongside Theresa, their Team's newest addition, both asleep. Ben was a doctor, and while he was someone Grace had never expected to get along with before, Oracle had them matched at around 93%, and it showed. She'd been through a lot of short-term relationships in the past and had never found anything that really clicked, except Tiberius, and now Ben. With Tiberius, it had been a whirlwind thing, and they both had known that it was temporary, what with their relative roles. With Ben, it was slower; more organic. She connected with Ben far more deeply than she'd anticipated and she found that he brought her a sense of comfort and peace that she'd never realized was missing from her life. Grace hoped that Talia would find the same peace with Tiberius that she now had with Ben. God knows she liked the young woman enough. Her thoughts were interrupted by the copilot sticking his head into the cabin. "Captain, we're back in communications range." She nodded at him and pulled her tablet out, expecting a barrage of messages to hit. She wasn't disappointed. No, she was now very worried. The Valiant sisters had sent updates on Tiberius' condition, and it looked to be bad. From one of the earlier messages, they said he'd already started to have trouble breathing. As if that wasn't bad enough, the most recent, however, said that he'd been trying to hide a bloody nose. The Valiants had informed her that they, along with a pair of Chinooks, would be waiting at the Point Cook airbase and she began to prepare her team. "Do we have the results back from the Oracle tests we asked for?" Grace called out to one of her lieutenants. "Yes Captain. All three results are above a 93% match. You almost couldn't ask for better." Talia smiled. "I knew it would be fine. He is the man I chose, after all." Grace laughed. "You were planning to ignore the results anyway. What does it matter?" "Because it's always better to know that you will mesh with your partner, right? If we are to be bonded, I would prefer it to be in both heart and body." Talia blushed, and Grace laughed. "You're definitely right. Ben, did you get a look at the bloodwork analysis they sent?" Ben, a slight man of around 5' 9" nodded, keeping his expression neutral, but it was clear he wasn't happy. "Whoever made this was a complete and utter bastard. This variant has had all of its characteristics, aside from its transmissibility, jacked up to 11. They clearly had to tone that down since it wouldn't survive otherwise. Grace, this isn't a bioweapon; it's a murder weapon. It's made to kill individuals, not communities." He paused, looking at the data again. "As for your guy here, it's not good. If you're telling me that he's already had at least one bloody nose, then it's working faster than anticipated. He's got maybe; six hours before his internals start to go. It's a good thing you got a few partners lined up for him. One shot absolutely will not be enough. I recommend you inject all the prospective partners immediately. It's the girls coming to meet us and the Major here, right?" Grace nodded in the affirmative and he continued. "Good. We can use the time it takes us to load the helicopters and get the teams on boarded to get the ladies prepped and injected. Then the flight time to monitor for abnormalities. That should save us a bit of time on the back end. Major; Becker, right? Are you absolutely certain you want to do this?" Talia nodded vehemently. "That man is the only one to whom I would consider being bound, Dr. Morgan." "Very well then. Grace, I recommend we begin the inoculations as soon as we land." Quarantine Lab, Victoria Barracks, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 1:35 AM Ty was actually really enjoying his book. Admittedly, he'd glossed over a few things the first time around; and the second. But this time, it had caught his interest. Maybe it was just a little deeper than the other entries? Or maybe his impending mortality had given him a different perspective. He knew his senses were beginning to dull. The metallic taste from the blood he'd begun to cough up occasionally had faded, telling him his nose had stopped doing its job. He gave it no thought, choosing instead to contemplate the literary work before him. Before any further thought struck, Tiberius was startled out of his focus as the intercom buzzed and Baz's voice boomed into the room. "Ty, they're almost ready, mate. How are ya holding up?" "Like someone punched me in the chest a couple dozen times. Pretty sure all this coughing has bruised a rib." Ty chuckled as a thought struck him. "Hey Baz, with all this shit that's happening, can I claim hazard pay?" "Get fucked, mate." "I'm about to, ya old bastard. And no, you can't watch." This set Ty off even more, causing him to laugh uproariously before it devolved into a coughing fit. "If I don't spit up a lung first, that is." Baz sighed in relief as his friend regained control and his phone beeped. Looking down at the text, he nodded towards Ty. "Alright mate, I'll unseal the door now. Can you suit up and make your way to the officer suites in block B? One of those is set up for you for the night. I've already made sure the corridors are cleared, and that entire building is empty, aside from you." Ty hesitated as the door opened. "Baz. Is this the right thing to do? This vax. The whole binding thing? Are we jumping headfirst into a mistake?" "It's proven to work. It may not be the best solution, but it's the one we got. They want this. All three of them. They want to save your life. Your job will be to treat those girls right after the fact. They deserve nothing less than your all and you damn well know it." "That part still doesn't feel real, you know. Three, including the twins;” Ty coughed, and his face flushed. "Get over yourself, you lucky bastard. If I wasn't head over heels for Sophie, I'd have killed to be in your shoes." "How does she feel about sharing? You do realize that's going to be a thing, right?" Baz blanched. "Fuck me. I hadn't thought about that; I'm a fucking dead man." "Not like you had anything to do with the situation, Baz. She'll get over it eventually. Or I'll get your job after the funeral." Baz threw a glance at Ty as he walked out. "Cunt. Go on. And don't come back until you're well again." His chest tight, Ty made his way towards the officers' suites and was met along the way by a familiar face. Grace and her Team were waiting for him just inside the building. She looked concerned but tried to smile as he approached. "You looked better this morning, Ty. You can remove the suit. We're safe." "Felt better too, Grace. Good to see you. I don't think I've met most of your friends here?" "There's time for that later. I just needed to introduce you to Ben, and he's going to take a small blood draw from you. He's a doctor. Is that okay?" "Sure thing. Nice to meet ya, doc. I'd shake your hand, but I don't reckon that's in anyone's best interest right now." The smaller man smiled broadly and reached out, taking Ty's hand and giving it a solid shake, much to the big soldier's surprise. What surprised him more was the small blue pill he'd left in the bigger man's hand. "Nonsense! I'm safe, and Grace has been very worried about you, so I know you must be a good friend and a good man. It's a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know you. Let me just get my souvenir, and we'll send you on your way." He leaned in close as he was preparing to draw blood and mumbled under his breath to Ty. "Take that right now. You're going to need it. It'll kick in by the time you're ready to rumble, so you'll be able to go all three rounds without having to worry. After the serum kicks in in your own body it won't be necessary, but this first time, with you under the effects of this monster strain of Duo? There's no shame in it." Ty liked him immediately. The man was pleasant and clearly easy to be around. He turned his head and faked a cough, slipping the pill into his mouth. Ben had a fresh bottle of water within arm's reach and handed it over to Ty, winking. He glanced at Grace as he drank and she nodded, blushing slightly. Another woman tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear. Grace laughed and nodded, taking the proffered clipboard and stepping up to Ty. "I'll need you to sign this for me. I forgot that it's procedure for handing off partners." Ty looked at the form, immediately confused by the header on the page. Army and Army National Guard Oracle Program Delivery Form. He glanced over the form, seeing that it really was just a simple asset handover confirmation before he got to the admin code at the bottom of the page. DA 6969-R. Some bored paper-pushers must be getting their jollies on that one. "Grace? This says National Guard." The grin on her face threatened to reach her ears. "And?" "You're Air Force? And the 'assets' aren't even in your jurisdiction? Why am I signing this again?" Her grin continued to grow and he rolled his eyes as they both spoke at the same time. "Bureaucrats." He shook his head and waved as they departed, before turning back around and looking at the key Grace had left in his hand. Beyond that door, everything would change. His life, their lives, would be forever intertwined. He felt the tightness in his chest fought back another cough, knowing that even if his time was limited, he needed to confirm their willingness and understanding one last time for his own peace of mind. He stepped into the room and was met with a sight he'd probably never forget. He'd seen the twins in swimsuits more than once, but lingerie; that was an entirely different beast. Lottie had let her hair down and was sitting at the edge of the bed, luscious D-cup curves enshrined in a black set of lingerie, complete with a garter and stockings. Ty had never known she wore those, and he felt the blood surge towards his cock. He gulped, shifting his gaze towards Lettie, who was dressed in an almost identical set of garters and stockings, but instead of the bra, she had on a black bustier. He let his eyes linger there for a moment too, drinking in the twin goddesses before him, before the third goddess in the room commanded his attention. It had been nearly two years since he'd last seen Talia and the young woman had truly grown into her own. Raven black hair, pulled into a long braid that stopped just shy of her pert ass. Here and now, her lovely olive-skinned frame stood tall and willowy at 5'10", all grace and sensuous power coiled into that fit package. A package shielded from the world by only a pure white teddy. Even through the garment, he could see the pointy tips of her C-cups, rock hard beneath that sheer fabric. If Ty had been semi aroused before, he stood at full attention now; a respectable seven and a half with solid girth. They all smiled as he adjusted himself and Talia took his hand, pulling him further in. "Getting uncomfortable there, Tiberius? Come, sit. I know you will wish to talk before we do anything. It will do for us as well, though I think the three of us are quite ready for you." She paused for a moment and Ty realized that the scent of female arousal was permeating the room, strong enough for even his currently diminished nasal capacity to detect. "Doctor Benjamin did say that the serum would 'rev our engines', but I think he rather understated just how much so." She spun as he reached the edge of the bed, pulling Ty's head down and into a ferocious kiss. Ty was lost in it, hands running up and down her sides before she pulled away to look him in the eyes. "Finally. For two years I have wanted to do that. I wish only that the circumstances could be different, but this will suffice. We will make it work. I will have two wonderful new sisters by my side for the journey." Ty was staring into her eyes when a pair of pale hands pulled at his face, Lottie drawing him in for her own hungry kiss. The repressed passion asserted itself clearly here, and the lovely redhead molded her body into the big man's, her thigh grinding wantonly against his straining bulge. Ty lost track of time in the kiss, his hands roaming unconsciously. When they eventually separated, he was unsure if it had been a few seconds, or several minutes. He wasn't entirely sure he cared. At some point during the kiss, Lettie had slipped in behind him and had begun undoing the buttons on his uniform. "She's not wrong, big guy. Though for us, I think without this, we'd have danced around one another forever. I do wish it hadn't taken you nearly dying for it, but we'll take it." Lettie now stepped in from behind her sister, gently nudging her out of the way before making her best effort to devour Tiberius' lips and tongue. Once again, he lost himself in the sensations of her body, stopping only as he realized that Talia and Lottie were busy sharing their own kiss. He was gob-smacked. Oh, he knew the twins were bisexual. He'd been around them for more than long enough and seen plenty of their dates firsthand. He just hadn't realized that Talia was too. Her father was fairly traditional in some ways, so he had never suspected it would be a thing for her. "I didn't realize you swung that way, Tal." "Before I met you, my love, the men in my life were trash. Savages and schemers, save my father. My closest companions were women, and in them I both sought and found solace. I had not been with a woman since you and I met, though it struck me that in this situation, it would not be a bad thing. I was discussing it with these two when they told me that they too were bi. It does not hurt that I find them very attractive. Do you disapprove?" "Hell no! Two of the three hottest women I know making out not two meters away from me wearing damn near nothing? I'd love an encore!" Ty was certain he'd have managed to stay at full attention even without chemical assistance under these circumstances. Lettie kissed him again but gave him a stern gaze. "One very important detail, big guy. While Lottie and I might play with you together, we won't ever be playing with each other. Our focus will only ever be you or another girl." "You know damn well that I'd never ask that of you. What's happening in front of me right now is already crazy hot." He paused, the lopsided smile falling from his face. "But while we're being serious, I need to confirm it from each of you one more time. Last chance. Are you all certain this is what you want?" Three heads turned to face him and nodded in the affirmative. Ty took a deep breath and nodded back, the smile now back in place on his face. "I'm glad the three of you make it so easy to love ya. So, how do we want to do this?" The three women giggled and dragged him onto the bed, rapidly pulling his uniform off his body while showering him in kisses. Ty, for his part, managed to divest the trio of their undergarments in short order and planted his own kisses on their newly exposed flesh. Lettie giggled as she pulled his boxers off. "Well, that's a big winner, sis. We had always wondered how; endowed you were, Tiberius. Those board shorts you insisted on wearing whenever we went to the beach never let us get much of a look." "Well, I sure as hell wasn't going to put on that pair of budgie smugglers you got me that one time. Even if they weren't like two sizes too small, they were bright fucking yellow!" Ty laughed, remembering the too small swimwear clearly. The present had been a joke, and they'd never actually expected him to wear it. Ty kissed all three women again and then shuffled up the bed. Lottie was nearest to him as he lay back, and she let out an adorable squeak as Ty picked her up, planting her legs firmly on either side of his head before letting his tongue go to work. That squeak rapidly transitioned into a moan, before being muffled by a kiss Talia, who perched herself on Ty's chest, playing with his nipples while he reached up and teased hers in kind. Lettie, in the meantime, had begun stroking Ty, kissing her way up the shaft until she reached the tip, parting her lips before taking him in as deeply as she could. The moment the first drop of pre-cum touched her tongue, the fireworks went off in her brain and she let out a guttural moan from around the shaft as she shuddered and bucked in what Ty realized must have been an absolutely immense orgasm. He vaguely remembered reading about this, but his thoughts hardly had time to coalesce before Lottie had her own orgasm, nearly drowning him as she gushed. Lettie pulled off his cock for a moment as she regained control and shuddered for breath. "Oh. My. God. That was the single most intense thing I've ever felt." Talia laughed. "Leticia, Grace was saying that the real thing is even better. That first one is just known as 'priming'. I am certainly looking forward to it. That said, Charlotte, would you switch with me please?" They shuffled a little, Lottie replacing Talia on Ty's chest and Talia straddling his head, though in reverse so she could continue to kiss and grope Lottie and Lettie. Lettie, after making sure Ty's cock was nice and wet, raised herself and straddled his hips, pointing him at her opening before guiding him into her. Her moan of pleasure was punctuated by the words she'd held back for years. "I love you, big guy. Fill me. Claim me." "I love you too, Lets." Ty was seeing stars as she enveloped him fully, and he knew it wasn't going to be long before he blew as she ground into him. He was breathing heavily, somewhat hindered by the effects of the virus within him, but like the good soldier he was, he fought through it. To be honest, it actually felt like it was getting easier with each breath. His body and brain went into overdrive in the next few minutes, drowning in the sensations, and a couple of orgasms from Talia, as three women straddled him, each now lost in their own desires. Talia had swapped back into the middle, and was now alternating kisses with both sisters, clearly maddened by lust. Ty had fingers buried in both Lottie and Talia, rubbing away both inside and at their clits. It all came to a head as Ty groaned, pulling his hands away from the other two and pinning Lettie's hips down onto him as he fired off round after round into the younger twin. Lettie immediately seized up, body going completely rigid, her voice peaking as the orgasm crested over her in a tsunami of sensation before she fell limp, completely unconscious. Talia and Lottie caught her as she crumpled, laying her gently down as she began to mumble almost imperceptibly. "Imprinting; Imprinting;” Ty on the other hand felt an immediate surge of something as his own orgasm hit him, sending a wave of endorphins through his body. More importantly, he felt that subtle weight in his chest genuinely begin to clear, and the light fog that had begun curling around his senses dissipated, bringing with it a renewed sense of lust as all the smells stimulated his primal instincts. With just a glance to make sure that Lettie was safely tucked to one side, he picked up Talia and Lottie both, repositioning them before taking his still hard cock and pointing his hips towards the absolutely soaked nethers of his Israeli princess. He leaned down past Lottie, whispering in Talia's ear. "You came here thinking to make me yours. Well, the tables have turned, my dear. I am going to. Make. You. Mine." "Please! Yes! Do it!" Talia warbled the last, overwhelmed as Ty's domineering words drilled their way into her consciousness. Still wet with a combination of love juices and semen, he slid in smoothly, triggering Talia into another orgasm, stronger than any she'd experienced before, courtesy of the priming phenomenon. He reached down, taking a hold of Lottie's head and pulling her up sharply, sealing her lips as she once again squeaked in surprise. This time, she was positioned above Talia's head, and the younger woman wasted no time once she'd recovered from her orgasm and began devouring the voluptuous redhead between gasps as Ty pounded into her. He was careful not to be too rough with them, but his instincts said that this was fine for these two, and he'd always trusted his instincts. He flipped Lottie around and the pair kissed again, breaking apart only as Talia screamed her pleasure into Lottie's mouth every few minutes. The first release had allowed him some leeway, and since he was no longer on edge, he was able to take long, powerful strokes for several minutes before the urge overtook him once again, and he hilted himself before the inevitable explosion. Talia's back arched wildly as it happened, and Lottie was nearly bucked right off before Ty caught her and held her tightly to him. He nuzzled into Lottie's neck from behind as he deposited his load into Talia, finally clearheaded enough to hear the words being uttered by Lettie and now echoed by Talia. "Imprinting; Imprinting;” "Well fuck me. They weren't lying;” He pulled his still-hard member out of Talia, wondering briefly if he'd made a mistake in taking the pill given him by Ben. As it slipped out from Talia, it slapped Lottie between the legs, prompting her to release another squeak of surprise. Nibbling at the lobe, Ty whispered in her ear. "You and I, for once, share a secret, don't we Lottie? One you never told Lettie about." His hands were still wrapped tightly around her, and he shifted them now; one to cup her mons and other wrapping gently around her throat. All the while he was rubbing his erection between her legs. "Would you like to explore that lightly now? Your sister is out, and there is no audience. She won't wake while we do this. So, shall we have some fun of our own, pet?" Lottie shivered in his arms, almost achieving an orgasm simply from the words. A few years ago, she'd developed a curiosity towards the BDSM scene and had asked Ty to go to a club with her so she could observe it. She'd known that Ty would be the safe option, instead of her sister, who had expressed disinterest in the whole thing beforehand. They had gone, and while neither of the pair had been unable to take their eyes from the scenes of domination and submission, both had been looking at different things. Lottie had asked to speak to one of the participants after, and the three of them had a long discussion about the subject. She loved the idea of relinquishing control to a trusted partner; letting them own her fully, at least during that intimate moment. Her inner heart, betraying her head, had Ty in that position of power. She had known she would become aroused at the thought but hadn't anticipated completely flooding the liner she'd put in earlier. For Ty, he was naturally drawn to the dominant side. The responsibility, the control. The fact that his partner would need absolute trust in him to leave herself at his mercy. He felt a little bad that it was Lottie who appeared in his mental images, but here that only served to arouse him further. Now, they could act on it, and it seemed to Ty that she was still a fan of the idea as she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, sir." Chapter 3. Melbourne CBD, Victoria, Australia, October 22, 2020, 5:43 AM Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! The rapid stream of incoming messages cut through the silence, soliciting a groan from the room's two occupants. "Ray, if that's Annabelle I swear to God I'll cuntpunt the bitch. It's not even six." The feminine voice carried no small amount of irritation as she nudged her bed mate. Rayne hated it when he was roused from sleep by Discord. It was never a good sign. He mumbled something incoherent as he reached over and grabbed his phone, squinting at the bright screen as he attempted to read. Problem. Big Problem! Someone's been hijacking our research. They weaponized it. It's bad. Really bad. The military is putting a stop to it, but they want us to shelve our research and do something else. Call me ASAP. This isn't a joke. Rayne sat bolt upright, almost throwing his girlfriend, Stella, clean off the bed. "Holy shit!" "What happened? What the hell does she want, hun? She knows we were up crazy late yesterday." Stella sat upright herself, running her hands over Rayne's muscular form as she tried to look at the screen over his shoulder. "Belle's saying somebody weaponized our research, babe. We need to call her." Stella's eyes widened at the news. The pair worked for a think tank called BioWorks, affiliated with one of Australia's biggest pharmaceutical companies, CSL. With his biochemistry and pharmaceutical background and Stella's expertise as a virologist, they had been busy researching and breaking down the individual aspects of the DuoHalo virus. They were looking for clues to help create a vaccine, and for someone to willingly take that research and weaponize it was a gross violation of ethics. "What do we do?" She got out of bed, stepping over to the dresser to find some clothing. "Have a quick shower. Get coffee. Call Annabelle. In that order." Rayne's gaze swept over the 5'6" blonde, eyes dancing over her naked double Dees as he stood to follow her. Matching his own age of 28, Stella Andersen would never be a supermodel, but Rayne found her completely gorgeous and she almost never failed to turn heads. Blue eyes, pale skin, perhaps a little heavier than the average, but not fat or obese by any means. They had been together since before the pandemic, though they'd worked together for almost a year before that. They'd been lucky. The lockdowns and stress had never gotten the better of them and had served instead to bring them closer together. She was brilliant, funny, generous and capable and everything he wanted in a partner, and to the best of his knowledge, she found him adequate as well. He was ready to propose, but he'd wanted to wait until they were past the pandemic. He'd long since sourced a ring; it was sitting in a drawer Stella never went into, safe. He turned on the coffee maker and followed Stella into the bathroom. They showered together, normally a very sensual experience, but right now they needed simply to be clean and awake for what was likely to be a very awkward call. The couple dressed swiftly, heading into the kitchen without any delays. Armed with mugs, Rayne sat on the couch and called Annabelle. She answered on the first ring, clearly expecting him. Annabelle Periera had worked with Ray and Stella for their entire time at BioWorks and was one of their closest friends. If Stella was amply curved, Annabelle was petite and slender. Where Stella was pale, Annabelle's caramel skin tone gave her an exotic look that matched perfectly with her ebon locks and chocolate brown eyes. She was fire and passion, compressed into a 5'1" frame. Annabelle clearly hadn't slept and gave the pair a tired smile before Rayne launched into the conversation. "Belle, what the hell happened?" No time for pleasantries; they needed info. "Hi to you too, handsome. Morning, Stel. Sorry to wake you guys. It's just like I said. Someone at the lab was messing with our research. They used it to create a weapon out of Duo." "What do you know about it? How bad is it? Characteristics? Transmissibility? How fast does it spread?" Stella was furious. She'd lost her parents to the pandemic and it was still raw for her. "It's not a spreader. It's a killing tool. The thing is completely fucked up, Stel. It's super accelerated. 24-36 hours from infection to death. There's no phase where it can just spread undetected. I don't understand the point of it, but someone in the lab made it, using our research to figure out where to twist it." "How did the military learn about this before us?" Rayne had plenty of respect for the military, but this was out of their wheelhouse, so his curiosity took hold. "It was yesterday evening. Apparently one of the officers went loopy and attacked another. The crazy guy had a syringe with this; I don't know what to call it. Assassin Variant? Jesus, that's a horrible concept. Though, there is one really bright side to all of this though." "How the fuck is there a bright side here, Belle? That poor bastard has barely a day to live!" "Slow down, Ray. I also learned that there's a vaccine. The US has apparently got one working and is ready to mass produce. I've been told they were already on their way here and the military wants us to head up production since they don't trust the people in the labs right now. Your name came up." Stella and Rayne sat there, staring. A vaccine. So many months of horror, watching friends and loved ones die. Watching an entire generation of children succumb with no hope. Stella had tears running down her face. "How can receiving a vaccine after infection help him? That doesn't make any sense!" "I honestly don't get it either, Stella, but they say it works. We're gonna have to trust it for now." "What do you need from us?" Rayne's voice took on a hard edge. It was a habit learned from a friend when it was time to get serious. "They didn't supply us with any details yet. Can you call your family for answers? They'll be in the know, I bet. If we can get a head start, it'll be to our credit." "I mean, sure, but I don't know how much either of my sisters is going to tell me, or even if they know, for that matter. It's still crazy early, so let me get back to you when I have something, okay?" "Sure Rayne. You two be careful. If this is legit, it means the end is in sight. First thing I'll do once I'm vaxxed is hug the two of you, so don't get sick on me before that." Stella smiled through her tears. "Love ya, Belle. You be safe too." They hung up and Rayne pulled Stella into his arms. This was big news, but it left them with a sense of bitter defeat. If only it had come a few months earlier, so many lives could have been spared. Stella sobbed, the grief now overwhelming her. She had been numb to the loss of her parents, detached from reality since there had been no hope at the time. Nothing they had tried had shown merit and all she could do was watch her parents pass. She wasn't even allowed to organize a funeral. Rayne's parents had died in a car crash several years ago, leaving him and his older sisters devastated. For a few months, they had all been in a fugue, supported almost entirely by a family friend; his sisters' best friend, Tiberius, to be exact. He'd organized everything and kept them all going. Rayne loved him like a brother and often wished that one of his sisters would marry him. He'd never understood Ty's hesitation to date them. Rayne decided to call him too, later today, and tell him to get off his ass and finally ask one of his sisters out. Get a ring on her, so he'd actually be his brother-in-law. Get a ring on her. The irony of that thought struck him all at once. He needed to practice what he was preaching. Rayne knew he was ready. The timing could be better, sure, but they were about to be swamped with work. If she said yes, and Ray desperately hoped she'd say yes, they'd be able to go into this thing comfortably knowing they had each other, and he'd have great news for his sisters too. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Hey babe? You know I love you, right?" Rayne kissed the top of Stella's head as he spoke, taking in her scent. "More than anything and anyone. You're beyond amazing. How a guy like me got lucky enough to land you is something I've never understood, but I'm not looking the gift horse in the mouth here." Stella turned her head up to look at him, wondering where he was going with this. Rayne knew he wanted to do this better, but something in his heart told him that this was right. "I love you too, you big dork. And I'm the lucky one. You don't really know how many of the girls at BW are hot for you, do you? You could have any of them, but you wanted me. Why all of a sudden?" "Because, I felt that this was the time to say it. I don't want anyone else. You're my one and only, and with this news, our lives are going to become really hectic and I don't want to miss the opportunity. So, I'll say it." He released her and stood, stepping over to the side table where he'd hidden it. He stepped back in front of her and dropped to one knee, holding the ring box out. "The time I've spent with you has made me happier than I've ever been and I have realized that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Stella Annika Andersen, would you marry me?" Stella just stared, her jaw dropping open as she saw the ring. She had hoped for this, prayed for it, even. Rayne Valiant had been a beacon of light in her darkness. He'd won her over from the first goofy smile he'd sent her way almost two years prior, at the induction party for the new hires. He'd been making conversation with some of the higher ups in the company, and she'd spotted him when she'd looked over and seen his nearly 7 foot tall body and deep red hair towering over the others. He'd seen her looking and he'd smiled her way, breaking off his conversation to come speak with her. In her own mind, she was, if not fat, chubby at the very least. She'd had a hard time with it in high school, and though it had gotten better during university, she was no model and had no confidence in her looks. She was the introvert who only had her big tits going for her. Boys were all too eager to try and cop a feel, but actually have a relationship with her? 'Nah, no thanks' was the general consensus. Even the few girls she'd been with had left her feeling used. It was almost enough to make her quit dating entirely. But Rayne never thought of her in those terms. After all, he'd been a gangly science nerd in school, one step from being bullied. It was only his association with Tiberius that had seen him get interested in fitness, and since he'd stuck to the training regimen that had been made for him, he filled out and became less of a target for the bullies, and more of a target for the ladies. No one had ever thought to tell the young man that the regimen Tiberius had devised was harsh even by military standards. In his own head, however, he was still the gangly science nerd. He'd spotted Stella from across the room, looked into her eyes and was smitten. The next instant was a keystone moment in his life, to be sure. He went and spoke to her. Lightning struck. Sparks flew. Lives changed. For him to hook up with a woman as beautiful as Stella, and Rayne had no doubts that to the general public, Stella was considered beautiful, was a dream come true. He knew most of the women around that day were absolute knockouts and he appreciated their looks, but he never expected them to have any actual interest in him, and now, genuinely didn't care even if they did. But Rayne and Stella clicked. It just worked. So, for Stella, this proposal only ever had one answer. "Yes!" She dove into his arms, tears once again flowing as she kissed Rayne all over his face. "Yes! Yes! A thousand times, yes!" They cuddled for a few minutes, right there on the sofa and Rayne slipped the ring onto her finger, smiling broadly. "I promise I'll do right by you." He kissed her again. "We can start thinking about wedding stuff soon, but for now, shall we call my sisters and tell them the news? I can see what they know about this vax business too." Stella nodded, her eyes wandering down to the ring now securely on her finger. It wasn't some enormous rock like some celebrities showed off, but it was hers. Rayne had dialed his eldest sister, Charlotte, but the call rang out, eventually going to voicemail. He tried again on Leticia's and got the same result. That was odd. Both of his sisters should have been awake by now, and even if they'd been indisposed, one of them should have tried to call him back immediately. Slightly worried, he set the phone to speaker and called the base directly, something he only did in an emergency. "Brigadier Davis' office. How can I help?" Rayne immediately recognized the voice of the Brigadier's assistant, his wife, Sophie. She sounded tired, but he attributed that to the early hour. "Colonel Davis? Sophie? It's Rayne Valiant. How are you?" "Hello Rayne, I'm doing well. It's nice to hear from you. Is something the matter?" "Actually, I can't reach either of my sisters. Do you know where they could be? If they're out on some operation, they forgot to let me know they'd be away." There was a pause on the other end as Sophie spoke to someone else in the room, before she let out a small 'oh!' and returned to the phone. "I'm sorry Rayne. We forgot to tell you. They, along with Tiberius underwent a medical procedure. They're entirely okay, but it was something of an emergency situation." "They're okay? And why is Ty there? Wasn't he discharged? Hang on, does this medical emergency have something to do with this problem happening at CSL?" "How do you know about that?" "I'm part of the team that is breaking down the virus. It's our research that was subverted. Was the victim really Tiberius? Is he really okay? Does that mean the vaccine is real?" There was a shuffling on the other end of the line and another voice came on. "Rayne? It's Barry Davis. I assume you were informed of events by Miss Periera, so I'll give you the short version. Yes. It was Tiberius that was the victim. He should be okay now. The vaccine; well, your clearances are up to date and you're going to be brought onto the project later today anyway. Yes. It is also real. He was already slated to be the first in our pilot program for the vaccine but the timeline got moved up thanks to this fiasco. Right now, he and your sisters are probably asleep; an aftereffect of the serum. You'll receive an explanation later today, and your people will be among the first to get treated, probably in the next few days, once an actual shipment of the vaccine arrives. Just understand that there are some very unorthodox aspects to this, okay? And don't get mad at Tiberius, he was unsure about the whole thing until the very last moment." Rayne frowned at that. "What does that mean, sir?" The sigh that came back was heavy with frustration. "We're sending all members of your team an info pack soon, but I'll have Sophie forward it to you right now. Read it all, and you'll understand." The Brigadier paused, as if considering something. "I can't recall, was your relationship something long-term? I don't remember you being married." "Uh, yeah. I, uh, actually just proposed. I was calling my sisters to let them know and find out what they knew about this bad business." "Oh! Congratulations! But, uh, shit, this might make it a little awkward for you, Rayne. Read the paperwork and talk to your partner. I mean really talk to them. What you'll learn today might irrevocably change the dynamic between you and it is imperative that you go into this thing with both eyes wide open. You hear me, son?" Rayne's confusion was growing, but if info was on its way he'd hold off on further questions. "And my sisters? They're going to be fine, right?" "Perfectly. They underwent the vaccination process with Tiberius. Again, read the paperwork and it'll make sense. Ok, we've got to go, Rayne. Too much to do. Sophie's sending the info now. I'm sure your sisters will be in touch when they wake up later today, so don't worry. We'll speak in the afternoon." The call ended, and Rayne just stared at his phone for a moment. The Brigadier was usually very laid-back, but today he seemed so; frazzled. "Stel, I'll go get my laptop. That info pack is probably already in my inbox, knowing the Colonel." Rayne retrieved his laptop from the condo's small study and returned to the dining table. Stella had refilled their mugs and they pulled up the documents that had arrived from Colonel Davis. Rayne could feel the world closing in around him as he read. What was being asked of women was already hard to accept, but he had literally just proposed to the love of his life. This was unacceptable. Stella seemed to believe the same as she gripped his forearm. "Ray;” "No. There's no way I'm doing it. I won't betray you like that. You're all I need. I'll just be careful." Stella looked conflicted. "But it says the protection isn't strong enough with just one person." Rayne was furious, almost yelling. "I will not let the first thing I do after proposing to you be to accept that I need to sleep with and; what is it? Bond? Other women. I won't start our life like that!" She threw herself at him, burying her face in his chest. It was beyond unfair. She had worked so hard to get him, to make him hers and hers alone; terrified that at any time, he could fall for another, prettier woman and leave. She hated the idea of sharing but losing him forever scared her more. But there was also the part of her mind that whispered to her; said that this was better. She could be bound to him forever, and even if he had other women, he was stuck with her. It wasn't like she was 100% straight anyway. She squeezed Rayne hard, and he spoke, cutting off her own words before she could utter them. "Don't. Don't you dare even think it. It's not me that's stuck with you, it's you that's stuck with me. The only woman I want is you." She flinched. She hadn't expected him to read her so cleanly, but she knew she'd have to make her position clear. She leaned up and kissed him, looking him in the eyes. "Ray, you have to. The documents; the research is clear. One partner isn't enough. Don't be stubborn. I; I know I'll still have you. I just have to learn to share. It scares me that I could lose you, but I do understand why this is. It all makes sense anyway. There are far fewer men around now. The ones left are a resource. And good men like you are going to be a rare and sought-after resource. So, within this new 'Team', I'm going to be proud to be your first. Just promise me you won't lose sight of me. There's a lot of women in your future. It's what men dream of." Rayne was nothing if not stubborn. "I don't want a lot of women, and my dreams are filled by you." "And you have me. Now and forever. But you also get to have others. Don't be stubborn. I'm accepting this. I don't like it, sure. But there's nothing to be done for it. DuoHalo has changed the world and we're left to pick up the pieces." Stella giggled as a thought struck her. "You know, I think you and your friend Tiberius are just about the only men I've ever met who would complain about getting an entire stable of women for themselves." That startled Rayne. "Oh shit! That's what the Brigadier was talking about! My sisters bonded to Ty with the vaccine! Both of them!" The thought of his older friend's face as his sisters laid down the law left him with a smile and he couldn't help himself; he laughed. "After all that fuss about not picking on his part, they probably forced the issue. I'll have to ask him how he's going to cope." Stella, looking over a few files, pointed towards a few lines and charts. "Ray, I think this explains why they used the vaccine as treatment; the antibodies created when a woman is injected are extremely aggressive towards the virus. When it transfers over to the man they go to work immediately. There's also this thing about healing, or regeneration. I have no idea how this can happen. Babe, we need to study this! I bet that's what they're going to ask us to do." Rayne nodded, thinking now. "That, on top of having us manage the manufacture of the serum locally, like Belle was saying. The military won't want us permanently reliant on the US for supplies of the vax, so I suppose they'll have us make use of CSL manufacturing sites. Stel, let's work from that basis and figure out a plan. We can present it later today if it turns out we're right. If we're not, then we can put a pin in it and work on it on our own time later or present the idea ourselves." It was just around 11 AM when Rayne's phone rang, and he answered the video call to the somewhat sheepish faces of his sisters. "Hey, baby brother; Stella. Have you two been good?" Lottie gave them a wink. He smiled at the pair, noticing that they kept the camera from turning further into the room as they spoke. "Oh, just grand. I should ask you that, to be fair. Have a guest, I take it? Though that doesn't look like your place, so should I ask a different question?" His sisters made a quite reasonable attempt to have their faces match their hair color and he couldn't help the laugh. "Don't worry. We heard from the Brigadier. You finally got him huh? Ty okay? I've heard some of the details, but not enough to say I'm satisfied." "The big guy's going to be okay. He has to recover from; well, us, as well as Duo, so he might be out for a few more hours. He's going to be just fine though. Now let's put that aside. I can see that Stella is positively bursting with excitement, so what's happened?" Lettie grinned as she spoke, a blush creeping into her cheeks for a moment. Stella raised her left hand and flashed her ring. The twins looked at it in stunned silence for a moment before they let out ecstatic squeals. "Congrats! Oh my God, way to go, baby bro!" Lottie was bouncing up and down, overjoyed. Lettie's grin got wider and she gave him a thumbs up. They'd met Stella many times and knew she was a great match for their little brother. Rayne noticed motion behind and was stunned to see a third woman come into frame wrapped in a towel and little else, clearly having heard the commotion. "Is something the matt, oh my, that's a beautiful ring!" The raven-haired beauty gazed at the screen over the twins' shoulders. Rayne could hear the accent in her voice but couldn't place it. She was clearly of Mediterranean descent, but he couldn't imagine why she'd be there of all places with this timing. "I take it some congratulations are in order, then? Charlotte, Leticia, would you be so kind as to introduce us?" Lottie smiled at the newcomer and spoke. "Talia, this is our younger brother, Rayne, and his girlfriend, excuse me, fiancée, Stella Andersen. Ray, Stella, this is our new friend Talia Becker, from Israel. She's a long-time friend of Ty's, and now a part of this; uh Team?" Rayne's mind went into overdrive. Was he supposed to take that to mean that all three of them were partnered to Tiberius, and not just his sisters? "Uh, nice to meet you? And seriously? All three of you? At once? That's; um; wow. I guess I need to speak to him when he wakes up. I have some questions; and I suppose some things to say." "I; I wouldn't have taken Tiberius for that kind of guy. He always seemed so strait-laced." Stella muttered, but it was clearly heard by the trio on the other end, because Lottie spoke up immediately. "Ty was very reluctant, Stella. And even then, he made sure again and again that this was what we wanted. In the end, all three of us convinced him that we were doing what was necessary to get exactly that." Lettie laughed. "Let's be fair. He had no choice in the matter once we learned what was required. Even if he hadn't been infected with DuoHalo, we were going to claim him. Though we didn't know Talia here was out to do the same." Talia laughed and stepped back out of frame, but Rayne could hear her as she spoke. "There's quite a lot to tell of my relationship with Tiberius, but we can save that for another time." She reappeared, buttoning up her uniform top. "I would like to offer the two of you my sincere congratulations and, though it may not be my place, a word of advice to you both. Being the younger brother of these two, I can surmise that you are a young man of good character. I believe that you will understand when I say the times ahead will be trying for you both. Speak openly to one another about what you are experiencing." Rayne nodded at her, wordlessly and Stella voiced her own agreement, before they made some small talk and signed off, the twins promising to have Tiberius call him later that day. While they had been distracted by the call, they'd received a message in their company's Slack channel, informing them of the meeting to take place at 4 PM. The pair spent the time spit balling ideas, working out plans and contingencies, right up until the meeting began. It was as they connected via their individual terminals and the video feeds smoothed out that Rayne felt a shudder go down his spine. He couldn't place it at first. Stella greeted the room, followed by himself, but it felt almost as though the gazes on him lingered. But that couldn't be right. It was a screen. There should have been no way to feel a gaze through a screen. But he did. Most, if not all of the others in the call were staring at him, and he could tell. A quick glance through the various feeds made Rayne acutely aware of the fact that by now, he was the sole surviving male member of the think tank. He felt his face become ashen as the thoughts slammed into place. I'm the sheep among the fucking wolves. This is bad. Annabelle cleared her throat, breaking the silence and drawing everyone's attention. Rayne could almost feel the fangs retreating from his neck as she began speaking. "I know most of you have spent the morning reading up on this serum and have plenty of questions. Hold onto those for the moment. I'll also take a moment to formally introduce the members of the military who will be our points of contact for this project. Colonel Sophie Davis will be the officer in charge of the project. All of our reporting will end up on her desk and she'll, for lack of better phrase, give us our marching orders. We also have another contact, whose name you might find familiar. Captain Charlotte Valiant, who will be acting as our liaison for just about everything else. She's currently acting on behalf of her partner, Lieutenant Colonel Tiberius Marshall, who has as of this morning been made the head of Australia's vaccine rollout program. He is also one of the pilot 'Teams' for the vaccine itself, and it has been determined that we, or most of us anyway, will be a part of another pilot Team." Rayne couldn't help himself. "Oh, fuck." A chorus of giggles could be heard over the call and every eye turned back on him, even as Annabelle's wry smile filled his screen. "You aren't wrong, handsome. You're the central pillar for this." The others in the call could see Rayne's face going through a range of expressions before he turned his head and looked directly at Stella. "I; I have to decline. I've only just proposed to Stella. I can't possibly do this to her! I'm sorry, but please, find someone else." His objections were lost in the cacophony of gasps and shouts as his words hit home. Rayne stood up and left the room, locking himself in the bathroom for a minute as he tried to rein in his emotions. He knew what Stella had said, but that didn't necessarily translate directly from what she wanted. He was more than happy with just her. Why did this have to come in - The ringing of his phone interrupted the downward spiral of his thoughts, and he looked at the screen. Tiberius. Interesting timing, or it would be if Rayne hadn't guessed his sister had told him. He picked up, figuring it would probably be better to get it sorted sooner. "Hey Ty. How's things?" The snort of laughter from the other end was unmistakable. "Really? With everything you've already heard, and that bomb you just dropped in the meeting, that's how you greet me? I'm alive, cobber. Nearly wasn't. Still feeling' a bit crook, but it'll get there over the next few days, I reckon. I guess congrats are in order, but damn if you didn't pick your time poorly." "I know, I know. It just felt right. And cobber? Who even says that anymore?" "All of the old diggers do." Rayne could clearly hear the grin on his older friend's face. "And now you're messing with me." "Sure am, mate. I spend a lot of time with the old buggers in the brass, a few of whom actually were diggers. It rubs off. Look, let me get to the point. We need you and yours vaxxed and sorted. I know you're not happy about having to take on multiple partners. I wasn't too enthralled with the idea myself, but damned if the ladies gave me much of a say in it, and I've come to the conclusion that if there was ever a way to prevent any of them from being hurt, this was it." "I don't know Ty. How do I handle having to take on other women after just proposing? That feels like I'm cheapening my feelings for Stella." He sighed, knowing neither of us would like the response. "I understand you met Talia earlier. I actually had a chat with her mum just after I woke up today about just that sort of thing, and she gave me a bit of advice I don't think I'll ever forget. She said, 'There's no limit to love'. It isn't something finite, it's something multiplicative. The more you have, the more it can grow. She said she was giving all her love to her husband before she had Talia. But once she gave birth, she found she didn't love her husband any less. Miriam just found she had more love to give to her daughter. It struck me that I was already in the same situation. I don't care for your sisters or Talia any less because I've got all of them with me. The love and care they've shown me has only grown my own for them. So, you box up those doubts and carry on, mate. I gotta do the same. But look on the bright side. We're family now. Stella's a wonderful girl and I know the two of you are strong enough to get past this. But when you have doubts, you'd do well to remember those words. But if you're still struggling, you ring me and we'll talk. I'll do what I can to help my lil' bro. The same goes for Stella." Rayne could feel the smile pulling at his lips. "You're not exactly my brother yet. You gotta put a; some rings on 'em first." "You think that wasn't one of the first thoughts to jump in my head when I got up? Only one problem. 'Straya is still not particularly fond of bigamy." "And mister bigshot military man doesn't think the rules are about to change in the face of all this new info?" Tiberius chuckled over the line. "Too right. Don't reckon I envy the poor bastard who's gotta tell the mob, but I suppose that'll come soon enough, right? Anyway, I've got to get back. I'm only partially listening to the meeting since that's Lottie's domain, but you need to get back. They're gossiping and you probably want to stop it before it gets out of hand. Again, I know you don't like the situation but there's nothing to be done. It's the way forward unless you and yours can crack the code and pick this serum apart. The best I can offer is that Stella will be your first, and we'll try to not overwhelm you. Much." "Much? Ty? Much?" Rayne knew from experience that Ty's idea of overwhelming was completely different to his own. Even now, almost ten years down the line, the trauma of having a high school boy undergo years of grueling military-grade physical training spoke for itself. The man's raucous laughter as he hung up rang in the bathroom and Rayne just groaned, defeated, but couldn't help the smile that formed. He felt better, if only because he knew he'd have an understanding ear nearby. When he returned to the table, there was still a ton of chatter going about the engagement, and Stella was bright red. All of that chatter died down as he returned, leaving a strange silence in its wake. "What'd I miss?" Rayne asked, kissing her cheek as he sat down. If it were possible, Stella turned even redder and made some flustered motions as the other participants just watched. It was a voice that rarely spoke up at these meetings that was the first to break that silence. "Stella was telling us about how good of a lover you are. Possibly to give us something to look forward to?" Rayne just sat there, somewhat dumbfounded. He glanced over at his bride-to-be, only to find her with her face in her hands, steam almost visibly coming out of her ears. The speaker, Doctor Hasumi Saegusa, giggled at his expression and continued. "Oh come off it, Rayne. You've read the documentation. You know you need multiple partners and there are only so many of us left. Just enjoy the attention." Hasumi had joined the company at the same time as Rayne and Stella, a recent graduate of her own Doctorate program. A first generation Japanese immigrant, she had naturalized and earned her citizenship after leaving her homeland behind. She didn't speak of it much, simply citing issues with her family, but Rayne had heard the story from her directly once, when she'd been struggling with depression and loneliness. The issue, it seemed, stemmed from her disability. Hasumi had been in a car accident when she was in middle school and had lost the use of her legs from the knee down. She had told Rayne that there was still a lot of discrimination towards disabled people in Japan, and she had sought international study as a way to escape it. She had escaped the discrimination, certainly, but then it was loneliness that plagued her. Her family had basically disowned her after they discovered she was not only disabled, but bisexual. Rayne had done his best to be her friend and she was a regular visitor to their home, but since he'd already been seeing Stella at that point, he also tried to introduce her to others and set her up with some coworkers. Once or twice, she'd take them up on it, but they just never seemed to stick around long-term and Hasumi would never give him a clear reason for why. Rayne took a deep breath, bringing his expression and emotions in check. "Ok, let's table that particular discussion for the moment. Have we made any progress in discussing the project?" "Considering we were waiting for you to have your little tantrum? No, handsome." Annabelle was laughing as she wagged a finger at the screen. Rayne frowned. "So, you're going to blame me for wanting to be loyal to my fiancée instead of thinking with my dick or succumbing to your lusts? Fuck off, Annabelle." She dismissed his words with a wave. "It is what it is, Rayne. So given that we're now behind, I would like to turn the meeting over to the Colonel and Captain." Rayne glared at her, but she ignored him. Both the Colonel and Rayne's sister had been mere spectators until then, seemingly bemused at how the situation had been playing out. Colonel Davis waved her consent and Lottie launched into her explanation. "Please understand that your discretion in this matter is paramount. No one outside of this meeting can learn about this project just yet." After watching everyone nod their assent, Lottie took a deep breath before she continued. "So, basically what we've gathered you here for, is to discuss the mass production of the Quaranteam serum, as well as the research and breakdown of that serum. Right now, we're relying on the data provided by the Americans, but we need our own. Trust, but verify, as it were. We are going to ask the eleven of you to split into two teams; one focused on production, and the other focused on picking this thing apart and trying to figure it out. We will be assigning a second team to this down the track; that team will have no access to your research and conclusions, so as to give us blind data from multiple sources." She paused, manipulating something on her end and sharing her screen. On it appeared a small list of items, as well as a web address. "As you have all likely read, the serum pairs men and women through sexual contact. Yes, it's not ideal. That is part of what we'd like for you to attempt to address. The Americans have been looking at it for some time, but we're a fresh set of eyes. Maybe we can spot something they missed. In the meantime, however, to protect you, we are going to ask you all to form a Team. That is now the official name for the family pod created as a result of the serum." Once again, Lottie manipulated something on her computer, and a series of soft pings could be heard from the various participants' devices. "If you will all check your emails, a link similar to the one on screen has been sent to each of you. We would like for you to fill out this questionnaire as soon as possible and be utterly and brutally honest. You needn't fear, no human will ever see it. The questionnaire, as you might surmise, is part of the Oracle system mentioned in your paperwork. It will allow us to get an idea of how compatible you will be within this family unit. It will also tell us if we need to introduce additional men into the mix and split the Team into two or more. If there is a specific man that any of you would like to be paired with, please respond to the email you just received with the individual's name, affiliation and contact details. We will need to vet any non-military personnel before introducing them to this project. In this case it's 'don't trust; verify.'" There was a nervous titter of laughter and Rayne once again felt the weight of all the gazes in the meeting on him. To be continued in part 3. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam Down Under: Part 1 Aussie soldier learns what it means to Quaranteam. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. This is a spinoff of CorruptingPower's Quaranteam Universe. Reading his outstanding work and the spinoffs by others within the community finally managed to break through my writer's block, and so, here we are. Though set in the main universe, things might seem a little upside-down or out of the ordinary, as the 'realities' of Australia, yet untold, come to light. Thanks to Agathon, Birches, Otterly and Corrupting for the advice and keen eyes. Check out their work, QT and otherwise. This work is written with the consent of CorruptingPower. This book was based on the book, ‘Alternating Uncertainties’ Chapter 1 Melbourne South-East Suburbs, Victoria, October 21, 2020, 08:30 AM The ringing of his phone brought Ty out of his focus but did nothing to improve his mood. Sure, it was already his third time reading this book, but what else could he do with so much spare time? Over the course of the last ten months, the only times his phone had gone off was to inform him of the passing of friends; victims of the pandemic. No, a phone call had long since become the harbinger of another friend's fate. He pushed the empty coffee mug aside as he closed his steel gray eyes and stretched his large frame across the desk, letting the cool wood play across his forehead. DuoHalo. The pandemic that had swept the entire world from the start of the year and had left mountains of corpses in its wake. Tens, no, hundreds of millions dead; men more so than women. For every two women that succumbed, eight men perished. Numbers like never before, all over the globe, at least from what news was going around. At least for Major Tiberius Marshall, Australian Armed Forces SASR (ret.), the lockdowns had hit after his physical therapy had concluded, so he didn't have to risk venturing out beyond his local neighborhood to get some exercise or air. Not that his 'neighborhood' actually had that many neighbors left in it. All gone. Dead. He'd watched from the safety of his window as the hazmat-equipped paramedics loaded literal dump trucks with bodies. A sight he'd never forget, no matter how much he wanted to. A sight almost more traumatizing than the battlefields and blood he'd waded through on duty. Absently, he brushed his free hand across his left thigh, ignoring the twinge of the muscles. An accident during an op had brought his career to an early end, and maneuvering from a politically connected colleague had seen him get a discharge instead of a sidestep into a staff role. Not that Tiberius minded that part. He had taken to teaching between ops even before his accident and could pivot now into full time teaching, though recently his work had been through remote classrooms. In the end, he hadn't really left the military circle, thanks to friends looking out for him. It had even allowed him to maintain his security clearance. He sighed, knowing that he'd best stop delaying the inevitable. He flipped his book shut and answered the call without looking at the display. "Hello? This is Tiberius." "Hello Major. This is Captain Grace Lawry, USAF. Remember me?" Sitting bolt upright, Ty certainly had no difficulties in remembering the svelte Captain. Though when they'd last met, she'd been a Lieutenant. A complete hellcat, even now, he could picture her in his mind's eye. Tall and slim at 5'7", with her long oak-brown hair always pulled back into either a ponytail or a bun and an easy smile on her face belying her fiercely capable nature. She had acted as an assistant to him during a secondment to the USAF, one of his earlier ventures into training others in SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) tactics. Though the doctrine used by the SAS was different to that used by the RAAF or even the USAF, the powers that be seemed to prefer his version, and he wasn't about to complain. "Grace! How the hell are ya? I haven't heard from you since; shit, it's been nearly a full year now hasn't it? Congratulations on the promotion, I hope." "Thank you, and it has Ty, though I expect you understand why. The last ten months have been;” Ty snorted and ran a hand through his short black hair, knowing full well that words didn't do the situation justice. "Fuckin' chaos? Yeah, you're not wrong. This bullshit with COVID, right before some ass-wipe drops this bastard DuoHalo on the world. The death tolls alone; I hesitate to ask; your people come through okay?" She sighed, a heavy sound and Tiberius knew what was coming would not be pleasant. "Mostly. My nephew, Jason, he didn't make it. He was in the Kill Zone." The 'Kill Zone'. Whichever soulless bastard had deigned to call it that had got it right, though. Anyone, male or female, from ages 12-18 who got DuoHalo, died. It wasn't a possibility. It was a guarantee. An outside observer could visibly see the burly 6'4" man deflate like a popped balloon. He'd met Grace's sister Temperance and nephew Jason at a small gathering before he'd finished that assignment. He'd really liked the kid. Smart and assertive, but kind. He was showing all the signs of a good leader and a capable young man. He'd forgotten that Jason would be turning 15. Now the poor boy had become just another statistic and his family would grieve for something they had no hope of changing. "Oh fuck. I'm so sorry Grace. How's Temperance holding up? And Martin?" "It's okay. From what we know now, it was inevitable. Jason was right in the middle of the range. As for Tempe, she's slowly recovering. Martin has been her rock and we're all thankful for it." "Everything I saw of Martin inspires me to agree. He's good people. Still, losing family hurts." Ty thought about his own family. Parents passed away long ago, and his brother called so infrequently it may as well not happen. "I haven't heard from Damo in months, but the big wigs haven't come knocking to tell me he's dead, so I assume he's just laying low and can't be arsed calling. But putting that aside, the way you addressed me tells me that this wasn't intended to be a social call. What's up?" "A couple of things Ty. Are you aware that the US has developed a vaccine for DuoHalo?" Tiberius nearly dropped the phone in shock. A vaccine, after ten goddamned months. He briefly wondered how many of his people were even left to save, but every life mattered, and now there was hope. Australia had been devastated, beyond the scope of just about any other country on the planet, save maybe Russia or China, but nobody knew the real numbers there. Or if they did, they weren't telling anyone else. "No! Holy shit! Is it viable? Mass production? What are we looking at for a distribution timetable?" "Viable? Yes. Mass producible? Yes. Our timetable; we planned to open international negotiations tomorrow, to be honest. We started baseline discussions back in July, but there were still some things to iron out. In all fairness, there are still some finicky bits to it, but it works. I wanted to check in with you and see if you'd be our point of contact for rollout within Australia? Our higher-ups like you, and we'll ensure you're one of the first to get it, after whatever your bureaucracy decides during our negotiations." Grace paused, and her tone became just a tiny bit more hesitant. "Just be aware that there are some conditions and some; things, you'll need to understand that are absolutely essential to your continued protection. That'll be explained later. However, that brings me to the second thing, and that could be a hitch in the works." "Making me your contact is no drama. Just make sure you pass that tidbit on through command and I recommend you do the negotiating through the Army. Parliament is on permanent hiatus, mostly due to everybody being fucking dead. But telling me there's a hitch: that does not sound good. I don't like hitches, especially not put like that. Lay it on me." Grace hesitated only a moment before plowing ahead. "So, earlier today, our time, one of the project leads on our vaccine program, Dr. Phil Marcos, was attacked. Drone payload and a two man strike team. Whether the objective was snatch or kill remains unknown, since the attempt was thwarted." The implications of that clicked instantly and Tiberius felt his spine grow cold. "Oh balls, you think we're involved." "Do the names Kerry Butler or Paul Isaacs mean anything to you?" "Ker and Paul are Damo's squad mates. Operators. Fuck. My. Life. Grace, I need to make some calls. This can't be a sanctioned op. That means they've either been given some unsanctioned orders by someone jumping the gun, or they've gone rogue. Both options are bad news. That said, my bets are on unsanctioned." "You're certain?" Unconsciously, Tiberius' hand slammed onto the table, anger coming through clearly in his next words. "Certain? Fuck no. You know full well that there's no accounting for stupid leadership. You had a fucking brain-dead carrot in office until his own stupid claimed him. Likewise, we had a completely useless fuck-knuckle as our Prime Moron until he went the way of the dodo himself. Him and that fucking Binchicken bitch. Her refusal to lock Sydney down for a full fucking week after people started dropping dead may have destroyed this country. But I digress. Something this monumentally stupid, against an ally? Not bloody likely. Nobody smart enough to still be alive and high enough ranked to actually order something like that would. It'd be political suicide." "What are the odds this is black bag beyond your clearance?" "Sure, it's possible. I can't imagine why they'd do it though. I don't claim to have complete knowledge of our black ops shit or anything, but nothing about this makes sense." Ty scratched at his beard, knowing that he couldn't solve this without external help. "Hold on, you said discussions about the vaccine started back in July; did they just go quiet or have you been feeding us info?" "I think we asked the countries we spoke to, to hold on until we had everything ready, why?" "Because if there was no communication for some time, it's entirely possible that some mid-level officer panicked that we'd been forgotten and decided to get creative. Despite our best efforts, even our chain of command is a little disrupted, so I'll try to let you know what I learn as soon as I can. I'm certain Baz, sorry, Brigadier Davis will have a better idea and he needs to know about the vaccine as soon as possible, so he can let the bigger wigs know." "Okay Ty. I can have someone get in contact with official channels, but we'd prefer to go through the military for distribution. That's how we've been handling it. And whoever contacts your people will insist we go through you. Your name still holds tremendous goodwill with us." "That's good to know. You take care, Grace. I'll be in touch ASAP." "I'll get the ball rolling over here. You do your part." "Sure thing. We'll catch up in person once this shitstorm blows over, yeah?" "Count on it. Though, it'll just be drinks between friends this time. I've got a partner." "No worries. I can always use more friends. Is it getting serious?" "Huh? Oh, right. You'll understand soon Ty. Welcome to the New World." Slapping the phone back onto the table, Tiberius sighed, head thudding back onto the desk. This, this was worse than learning someone was dead. If Damian was actually involved in this circus, what would that mean for him? Death? Charges of treason? War crimes? Did Tiberius' clearance even cover the kind of op that this would fall under? "This day went from bad to good to utterly fucked in less than five minutes. How the hell do I call Baz and ask that?" His muffled voice carried clear notes of his distress, not that anyone was around to hear it. As it turned out, the decision was made for him as his phone began to ring again. Tiberius just stared at the caller ID, Barry Davis, Brigadier Barry Davis. Baz. Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone. "Speak of the devil and he rings ya on the phone. What's up Baz?" "Prep for exfil Ty. Someone's done fucked us good. You been in touch with Damian at all?" "Nice to hear from you too, mate. And nah, not for months. You know the bastard doesn't call me unless he has to. And you haven't told me he's dead, so does this have something to do with why the USAF called me earlier?" "They did? Well fuck. Most likely Ty. Fucking hell, they fucking called you before us? Alright. Fine. Whatever. Helo is inbound. ETA twenty. I need you here." "Yeah, alright. I'll put something clean on. The other thing, Baz. Grace was pretty fucking concerned. Did we really ..” "This line is insecure Ty. We'll talk about it on base." "Jesus fucking wept Baz! You do realize I've already fucking talked about it on this line. Just fucking minutes ago mate. It's a bit too fucking late to worry about secure, but fine. Let me give you the short version. US. Vaccine. Negotiations. Us. Well, me. But the point stands. The rest we'll discuss in person, like you wanted." "You're sure? Oh crikey. Sophie has just handed me a report confirming that. Ok mate, effective immediately, you are reinstated to active duty, and I'm promoting you. You're on my staff now. Welcome back, Lieutenant Colonel." Baz paused, considering something. "I'll have Sophie file the paperwork now. It'll be sorted by the time you get here. Think you can still fit your Service Dress?" Tiberius started at that. Something didn't add up. "File the paperwork? What? She has to do it all first, right? It'll take weeks before it's all sorted." "Don't be stupid. The paperwork has been ready since January. Nobody with a brain actually wanted you gone, so nobody actually filed your discharge paperwork. We've basically been treating the whole thing like you've been on a long-ass sickie, so the only thing we need to file is a return to service form. So, your uniform?" Tiberius laughed, though there was little actual humor in it, if anything, he'd become even more fit than he'd been while active. Most likely something to do with the lack of paperwork and extra time to work out, he mused. "They'll fit, Baz. Wait, it's 'sir' now you've gone and dragged me back in, Brigadier Davis." "You fuck right off cunt. You don't call me that until you're here and in uniform. And if you call me that off base I'll gut ya." This time Ty did laugh, and it felt good. Barry was one of his closest friends and was known to be a bit of a bleeding heart, so Tiberius had been utterly terrified that he'd pull some nonsense to help a stranger and catch the plague. So far, he'd been smart about it. Or lucky. Or both. "It's all good Baz, I haven't changed shape. Not really. Who else is on base?" "One hundred and twenty-five personnel are on base right now. That said, among our male officers, only Major Connors. Captain Whittaker, Captain Thomson, Captain Brown and Colonel Anderson are actually still alive. And myself, naturally." Tiberius spat, the disgust evident in his tone. "Six. When there were originally twenty. And really? Major Connors? Just my fucking luck that that fucking knob survived. I suppose he got promoted in the wake of me getting the supposed boot?" "Right in one, mate. I'd say he's as useless as tits on a bull, but oath, he's worse. Mummy's little princeling. Spoiled fucking wanker. He's going to ask to get the negotiation bit, you know." "Fuck him. They've specifically asked for me. Especially after last time." "Too right. Anyway, forget about that for now. Just get cleaned up before the bird arrives. Cover up. If we go through all this fucking trouble, just to lose you to Duo;” "Right, right. I'll go get sorted. See you in a bit, mate." Hanging up again, Tiberius stood and stretched, feeling like he'd aged ten years over the past ten minutes. Barely past noon and the sheer rollercoaster of emotions had taken its toll on him. He grabbed a notepad and pen, scrawled a quick note and stuck it to his front door, telling whoever was coming to get him to just let themselves in if he didn't answer. There was coffee on the counter and mugs above the machine. They'd manage. Immediately after, he sent Grace a text, asking if she could forward any documentation regarding the vaccine and threw himself into the bathroom. While Tiberius habitually kept himself groomed, it was still worth the time to clean up, at least a little. Propriety. That's what he told himself, and not that he was looking forward to seeing several people in person, even if he couldn't actually come into contact with them. Not yet, anyway. As he trimmed his beard, he glanced down at himself in the mirror. Mixed features, strong jaw, distinctly European eyes, courtesy of his great-grandmother's Italian heritage. Muscular, but not grotesquely so. Quite a bit above average for a man in his 30s. A nice tan, courtesy of the Australian sun, interspaced by paler skin stretched across various scars. He had earned each and every one and was proud of them. Each one had a story, and he knew what he was fighting for when he earned them. Except one. Stepping into the shower, Tiberius realized he'd still never shaken the suspicion that the shot that had crippled him had been purposeful friendly fire, but all of the after-action reports he'd seen carefully avoided the subject. Don't want to accidentally ruin careers with wild accusations, they said. Fucking politics. More like mummy didn't want her baby's name tarnished. Jaxson Connors was a snake, and his mother Wendy, a powerful MP, was an entirely different breed of pit viper. At least Jaxson was, for the most part, incompetent. Wendy Connors was smart and vicious. She wanted power, and she didn't care how. He'd have to make sure that Grace's people steamrolled right over any of her objections, or they'd gain traction and everybody still alive would suffer. After everything else, Tiberius was not ready to let Wendy Conners and her hellspawn son be the end of Australia and her people. Assuming she'd survived. He briefly wondered at the morality of hoping someone had actually succumbed to the plague, even if they were a power-hungry harpy. With his ablutions out of the way, Tiberius donned his uniform, running his hands over the epaulets as he remembered Baz's words regarding his rank. If the Brigadier's words were serious, he'd be a Lieutenant Colonel the moment he stepped onto the base. As he grabbed a fresh mask and his shoulder bag, voices from down below made Tiberius smile. He knew those voices, and he spoke to them over the phone every so often, it was damned good to be able to see that they were safe. "Well well, if this ain't a sight for sore eyes. Lottie, Lettie, it's great to see ya. I'd give ya a hug, but distancing and all that." Two identical young women stood in his kitchen, each holding a steaming mug of coffee. Well, mostly identical. Captain Charlotte Valiant, or Lottie as she preferred, had her deep red hair pulled into a ponytail, while her twin, Captain Leticia Valiant, ‘Lettie’, had hers in a stylish bob. Standing at 5'5" on the dot, the graceful curves on their lithe frames were a treat Tiberius had struggled to keep his eyes (and hands) off of for years. Even without his personal attraction to them, Tiberius had to admit they looked positively stunning in uniform. "Too right Ty. We didn't stay away from our best guy for 10 months to accidentally kill you now. Are you good to go? Brigadier Davis said to come get you, but he was kinda light on details except that we go fast. Oh, and a bunch of messages just came through on your iPad." Lottie called out and smiled as she rinsed out her mug. "Yeah, I'm sorted. Just let me lock up. Can you get a couple travel mugs from that cupboard for the flight crew? Sure they'd appreciate a cuppa that isn't that shit they serve on base." Lettie smiled, holding up two travel mugs. "Only a pilot and co-pilot on this flight, so already got it sorted. What was with the stream of messages?" Swiping through his inbox, he was gratified to see that Grace hadn't hesitated to give him what looked like an encyclopedia worth of data. He nodded and put it in his shoulder bag, along with the battered copy of the Blake Conrad novel he had put down earlier. 'The Trouble With Werebears' was certainly not Conrad's best work, but Tiberius was determined to like it. Third time's the charm, right? He'd most likely get through the whole series again before the next book was released anyway, but that was fine. It was something to do, and he very much enjoyed the rest of the works, even that sad spy thriller he couldn't bring himself to read again. He locked the door and moved to join the twins. "I asked a contact in the States to send through some data;” He looked at the twins, unsure of what exactly he could tell them as they boarded the Black Hawk awaiting them in the middle of the street. Another thing that would never have passed muster back in the day. Cutting off traffic in the middle of a suburban neighborhood to get a single person? Unheard of. Pity there really wasn't a neighborhood anymore. "What do you guys know about why I'm being dragged in?" "The Brigadier was being vague about it, but then we got messages while inbound. A vaccine? Is it real?" Ty nodded, trying to smile behind his mask. "Looks like it. What I've got now is a data dump. I don't know if it's everything. I rather doubt it, in fact. But the Americans want me to run point on the rollout, so I guess I have to know things about the vax and how it's gonna work." A frown crossed his face as a new message popped up from Grace, telling him to not do anything else first, but read the email and fill out the questionnaire on the attached link. "Oracle? An algorithm-based system designed to; you've got to be fucking joking." He pulled his phone out and called the number Grace had reached him from. She answered immediately, clearly having anticipated the call. "Is this for real, Grace? Does this, Oracle actually do what you're fucking telling me it does? And why is this even relevant to anything about the vax?" "See, I told General Bonner that leading with Oracle would cause confusion since you weren't a part of the initial discussion group. Ok, my end of this is secured, so it should be fine. Long story short Ty; the vaccine? It works by pairing men and women. Sexually." "Why? What benefit does that bring? Aside from potentially being a hidden, or not so hidden fantasy of men worldwide." You could almost hear the smile on Grace's face as she responded. "It's not so much about the benefits as it is about it being a necessity. You see, we cannot administer the vaccine directly into men. Well, not without killing the man. Instead, the woman is injected with the Quaranteam serum ..” "The what?" Ty wasn't sure if it was disbelief of humor that colored his tone at that moment. "That's what we're calling it. Don't ask me; I don't know who named it. That's just what we're calling it, okay? Just roll with it. So the process is something like this. Both men and women fill out the Oracle questionnaire, everybody gets run through and Oracle runs the numbers to see if you're a match. Anyway, after the numbers come back, the woman is given a choice of a list of partners. That's important Ty. She's given a choice." "You don't have to tell me twice. Continue, please." "Well, the woman is injected with the serum, and she is held for a few hours to ensure there's no adverse reaction. Afterwards, the woman is brought to her selected partner and well, sparks fly." "What if there is no spark? This sounds like a fast track to a series of disastrous relationships." "That's what Oracle is for, and so far it has done an absolutely remarkable job of being right. Well, that and the fact that the serum severely stokes the libido of the woman, so that short holding period makes for very eager partners. The caveat is that the woman is bound to the man. She can't look elsewhere for some strange, or it will end very badly for her. That said, the protection needs to be updated regularly or it will fade from the man's body, so nobody's going to go without. Look, most of that is in the paperwork I've forwarded and it's all very clear. What I wanted to stress to you was to do the Oracle questionnaire ASAP. Use the link I sent and be absolutely honest. About everything, Tiberius. That is vitally important. Honesty above all. Don't get embarrassed. Everybody answers the same questions, and that is how we make matches. You got it?" "I can't help but feel you slipped one hell of a whopper in there, but sure Grace. What else can you tell me?" "Right now, just get the Oracle part done. We need that sorted so we can get the ball rolling. We're sending similar links to every person on your base with similar instructions. Remember, honest answers. I'll stay on the line." He heard the pings from the twins' own tablets, and he looked back down to his. Bringing up the link, Tiberius entered the password he'd been given and stared at the screen. To say that Tiberius was confused would have been an understatement. The first few questions alone would have given him pause before all this. Sexual orientation, age ranges of acceptable partners. They were asking him for details on what he found attractive. Then he got to the proclivities sections. "Grace ..” "Don't panic. Those questions are so that we can match you with like-minded women. It's a mostly anonymous process. They answer very similar questions too, so you're not the only one." "Grace, I work with these women. Won't this cause problems? Wait, when you said you have a partner now, you meant this? And that thing about being bound? Is that why this questionnaire is so; invasive? These bindings, are they permanent?" "Yep. Besides, the process hasn't been disruptive for us. Not really, at any rate. Once people realize that this is the new dynamic and that anything personal just stays personal, things smooth out. But as I said, Oracle has been positively outstanding for this. We've got it worked out and have been testing since May." "And how many hiccups have you had?" "Almost none. The point is, Ty. It's not an ideal solution. But it works. Ty. Your base will be given first go at this. We've already got assets on the move. They'll be there by tomorrow, with a volume of the vaccine to administer to the Teams working with us." "You expected I'd agree? Just like that?" "As long as you hadn't died, yeah. You're too smart to let this go by. And since Australia has had decent luck with survival rates ..” "We fucking what? Who the hell fed you that line of bollocks Grace? We've been fucking hammered out here." "That's the intel we've been getting from the reports. 50% survival rate in men who contract. Hard quarantines that have done great work in keeping people safe." "And you believed that? Someone's been feeding you folks a line of bullshit, and you've been eating it up. Wait one." Tiberius looked up at the twins, who were staring at him, a mixture of horror and embarrassment on their faces. He asked them if either had recent numbers for casualties, and Lottie glanced down at her tablet before tapping a few times. Her expression flickered between sadness and anger as she turned it towards him. "Grace? Death toll is around 17.5 million dead." "That; oh my god. Australia's total population is only around 25 million isn't it?" "It was. Now it's closer to 7.5 million. Our government, props to some states, tried. Northern Territory, Western Australia and Victoria? They shut down immediately. The Premiers figured out something was wrong and took the iron hand approach. The others, Queensland, Tasmania and South Aus. took it a little easier. Checkpoints, testing at the airport. Not enough, but a good start. Then there was that bitch in New South Wales I was raging about before. She tried to downplay it. Convinced people we had it under control. We fucking didn't. She had to drop dead on national TV before people got the message. By then, it was too late. As for ACT, well, Scummo was squawking about this and that and following instructions from the government. As if the moron had any suggestions aside from going on holiday whenever a crisis rocked up. Then the binchicken went to visit parliament. From what we understand, she managed to pass Duo onto just about every member, who brought it home and nearly decapitated our entire leadership. So no, Grace. Whoever has been sending you those reports has been doing the same thing to you that you've been doing to your people, and if that has been influencing your delay in contacting us about a possible vaccine, then it may have killed us." There was silence on the line as this news was digested. "I'll update HQ with this. Can you get someone to send us an accurate tally and update?" "No worries, I'll get someone to sort it out. Can you tell me who signed off on those reports you were sent? And when the most recent one you got was?" "Lieutenant General Douglas Walters. And the last one was just a week ago." "That's impossible! Doug Walters has been dead since April. How did this get no oversight? No, scratch that. We've been focused on getting our heads on straight. Looking internally. Nobody at star rank is worried about other countries right now so why would they notice a single report going out automatically? No, if it isn't news about a solution they wouldn't give a fuck." Tiberius glanced at the twins again, and saw that Lettie was speaking rapidly into her phone, while Lottie held her tablet out to her sister. Clearly they'd been listening and were taking the initiative. "Ok, it looks like someone on my end is making pointed inquiries, but I think we have a lot to sort out here. You said you had assets inbound. How many doses? And what do you mean by 'teams'?" "Ten thousand doses are in production for first wave inoculations. What we've sent with our advance team is enough for about five hundred women. Those are for the primary governmental body, the servicemen and women on your base, and their immediate families, like spouses. Instructions for how to set up and run the Oracle code generator are in one of the info dumps. Make sure that goes out today so we can have Oracle start running names. Teams are what we've taken to calling the new family units that are established by the pairing process. You and your partners ..” Tiberius began to realize that he was making a habit of interrupting Grace, but he couldn't help it; the woman was throwing bombshell after bombshell at him and had no time or room to fucking breathe. "Partners? Plural? As in more than one? Grace what the actual fuck? This on top of the 'bonding' thing?" "Think about it, Ty. With the death rate for men being what it is, there are a lot more women than men now. On top of that, we've learned that sexual contact with a single partner doesn't convey enough antibodies regularly enough to give the man more than an approximately 60-70% resistance to DuoHalo. More partners increases that percentage, right up until around 99.7% at a dozen, where it starts to plateau." "A dozen? You can't be serious right now." "Deadly serious Ty. Isn't that what you men dream of? A harem of girls devoted to one man?" "Fuck me dead, dreams are dreams because they're not fucking real! This; how does this work on any sort of scale? You know what, don't answer that. I'm sure I'm about to get a front row seat to this circus. Now, what is it that you haven't told me? The part about women not being able to get some from another guy?" "It's in the paperwork. With pictures. I'm not saying it over a call, and you need to think about everything I've already dropped on you first. I'll see you tomorrow Ty." "Wait, tomorrow? Wha..” The line went dead, and Tiberius let his head roll back until it hit the helicopter's wall. Just how the fuck was he supposed to take this? Sexually transmitted vaccines? Harems of women for each man? Tiberius never took drugs, so he knew there was no possible way this was some sort of drug-induced delusion. But what if this was a bad fever dream? Had he caught DuoHalo and was he just laying somewhere, dying? No, that couldn't be right either. That headache pulsing right behind his left eye and threatening to turn into a migraine was a little too real and far too persistent to be anything but reality. He turned his attention back to the questionnaire, trying to tune out all of the revelations and their implications in favor of something a little more mindless. It wasn't working. Flashes of the twins' forms kept fluttering through his head, and his imagination was running wild. Thoughts of one of them; or both; partnered with him had him riled up and not a little hot and bothered, and feeling very guilty about it. They were his friends, and though he knew he had been crushing on them, he never imagined them reciprocating it. "Ty, just; what was that all about? You seem really rattled." Lottie's voice cut through his thoughts. "I've learned a bit about the vaccine, and I'm not entirely sure I like what I've heard. Oh it works, according to the Americans, but there are conditions and restrictions on those who take it. Some of it is literally bat-shit crazy, but Grace tells me there's no other choice." If he'd thought to look up, instead of angrily ticking boxes on his tablet, he'd have seen the blush on Lottie's face as she asked. "About partners? I mean, either of us would be fine to partner with you for this." Tiberius flinched, more images flickering through his mind. He shook his head to clear it. "I don't think you quite understand what you're offering, girls. Men cannot directly receive the shot. Women can. This vaccine is sexually transmitted. Meaning that you'll have to have sex with whomever you're partnered with on the regular. On top of that, there's apparently some binding that occurs that means you can't partner with anyone else. Grace made it sound like it was a permanent thing. Which means that if you did do such a thing, you'd be completely stuck with me, forever. On top of that, men need to take on multiple partners because their protection is second-hand. Grace said around a dozen to get maximum protection, which I frankly think is absurd. That'd mean you'd be required to share your partner with up to 11 other women and this would become the new norm. So you need to think very carefully before you offer that, though I'm honored and frankly happy that you'd think so highly of me." The look that passed between the twins would have raised the hairs on Tiberius' neck if he'd been watching, and now both sisters were staring at him with unabashed hunger in their expressions. They exchanged another look before going back to their own questionnaires, now eager to get them completed. Unbeknownst to Tiberius, the email that had gone out to the female members of the base had been slightly different to his own. Women got the option to choose someone to have their tests run against immediately. "I see." Lottie's voice had an odd lilt to it that finally got Tiberius' attention. She glanced up at him and smiled from behind her mask as their eyes met. "It might not be one of us partnered with you, then." Tiberius nodded. They were his friends, but he hardly expected them to be into him beyond that. He understood, but he couldn't help the pang of regret at her words. At least, that was until Lettie dropped her own bombshell. "It might, in fact, be both of us, big guy." Chapter 2. En-route to Victoria Barracks, Victoria, Australia, October 21, 2020, 9:30 AM "It might, in fact, be both of us, big guy." Lottie elbowed her sister playfully as she added, "There's no might, Lettie. We do, after all, love him." Tiberius was certain his jaw was on the floor. Even from behind her mask, Tiberius could see the smile on her face and there was no mistaking the expressions in those emerald green eyes. Tiberius knew it well, because it was the same expression that he hid from them. Love. To say that the Valiant siblings had been close to Tiberius since they were young would be an understatement. The sisters and Ty had attended the same school since primary, though they only really began interacting near the start of high school, when they were seated together for several classes. He found a strange sort of comfort when he was with the pair, and for the twins' part, they had immediately latched onto Tiberius like a pair of crimson-haired limpets. It wasn't long before they spent all their time outside of dates together, each seeking the others for support when they needed it. He never pursued them romantically, mostly because at first, there was the fact that they had, at least at the time, been on a spree of dating women; experimenting and discovering their own sexuality, which had given Ty the very mistaken impression that he was of no interest to them. He was entirely fine with that. The twins were an invaluable source of insight into the female mind and fiercely protective of their friend. He'd avoided no small number of bad dates thanks to their keen eye for women. Lottie was always calm and analytical in her observations. Lettie let her emotions and attractions drive. Either way, they very rarely led him astray. Yes, he'd occasionally wondered what it'd be like to date one, or both sisters, but it was only after an evening spent with both Lottie and Lettie crying in his arms that he learned that they in fact were happy to play for both teams. They had both been dating guys, brothers, in fact, at the time, ones who wouldn't stop asking for a foursome. They learned that the two assholes had taken videos and threatened to release them if the girls wouldn't comply. Tiberius had visited the 'brothers dim', as he called them, the next day. He still chuckled occasionally when he remembered the elder brother's reaction to seeing Ty at his door. The dismay on his face as Tiberius' fist closed the distance. The 'Oh, fuck', an instant before he crumpled to the ground in the face of the enraged hulk. The younger of the two folded and complied with Ty's 'requests' to delete the videos with only a little twisting of an arm. That the twisting may have resulted in a torsion fracture was something of an afterthought at the time. It was a week later that the idiots returned to school, bruised and battered, one with a nose clearly broken and the other with an arm in a sling. The pair never approached the twins or Tiberius again and subsequent suitors were sufficiently warned not to poke the bear. He'd made zero mention of his involvement and so the twins hadn't realized he'd done anything at all until that moment. They loved him for it. Once disabused of the notion that he was out of the picture, however, he had fallen for them both so thoroughly that he'd realized he'd never be able to pick one over the other. The risk of damage to their existing relationship had simply been too great, so he had maintained the status quo and let his feelings remain hidden. The twins however, had known of his feelings almost as soon as he'd developed them. They had thrived on his friendship with them, adored him for his protectiveness of them, and so were almost wary when they realized the change had occurred. Needless to say, they were stunned when they realized that their friend had buried those feelings for the sake of that friendship, and that's when they started to really look at him. Reciprocating his love and affection was inevitable. They, like him, just had never figured out how to deal with the whole 'choosing' dilemma, but it seemed now that the obstacle had simply disappeared. Tiberius, despite being a highly capable athlete, was never conceited about it and had friends in all of the school cliques. His ability to bring people from different worlds together was unparalleled, mostly because he somehow fit into all of those worlds. It was funny, sometimes, watching the hulking form of Ty and a couple of the other sports club members hunched over a table rolling dice for Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of the school's computer geeks and even a couple of the goths and punk rockers. He made sure everyone would be laughing. He made sure everybody felt equal. He treated them that way unconsciously, and so they followed his lead and treated each other that way. The twins found out later that the legacy of his D and D club reduced the reported incidents of bullying in the school by something close to 80% even after they graduated. It was actually Lettie that convinced the other two to join the army, at the twins' grandfather's funeral, in fact. Their grandfather had been military, and she loved his stories, the thrill and activity, and knew her sister would enjoy the analytical side of things while Ty would thrive in both. They tested for the SAS together and were assigned to the same unit, which Tiberius eventually led. They would have quit when Tiberius was injured, but the Brigadier had quietly informed them of the plan to keep him onboard, and so they stayed, taking their sidesteps into admin before Ty's own return. Tiberius, staring at them, struggled to form words. "I never, That; You ..” "We know, Ty." Lottie's voice was gentle, but firm. "We always knew, you big goof. You were never good at hiding it. We never told you because just like you, we never wanted you to have to choose between us. It looks like now we won't have that problem, and Lettie and I have always been good at sharing, so you'd best prepare yourself. We're going to insist, after all." This was beyond unexpected, and his brain simply could not catch up after everything else that he'd been subjected to in such a short time. They had never led him to believe that they had anything but friendship on their minds for him. Both women were wicked smart and had no shortage of suitors lined up for either of them, so he was, if not content, resigned to step aside for their happiness. "Give up, Tiberius. You know how stubborn we are. And face it, big guy. You're dying to get your hands on us. Now you can." He didn't need to look at her to see Lettie's smirk in his head. He could feel his face heating up and the wave of chagrin hit him at how easily they'd seen through him. "I, " Any response Tiberius would have made was interrupted by his phone, playing a tone Tiberius had reserved for a very specific individual. Major General Ezekiel Becker. Another friendship born during a secondment, this time to the Sayeret Matkal in Israel. The older gentleman had been invaluable in bridging the gap between the two countries and had taken Tiberius under his wing during his time there. He glanced down at his phone, then back to the twins, who nodded at him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to give them anything like a coherent response right now anyway. "Shalom, Major General Becker. It's been some time." "Shalom Tiberius. It would appear you have forgotten my words to you from the last time we spoke?" "No, Zeke, but it never hurts to start with some formality. How are you? Miriam and Talia doing well, I hope? Though given the timing, I doubt very much this is a social call. It must be what, 2 in the morning?" "Indeed, my friend. However, there is time for a few pleasantries. I have been well, and Miriam too. Israel was not hit so hard as your homeland, I think. As for Talia, well, I rather think you will be better suited to telling me how she is after tomorrow. She's on her way there as we speak. She was assisting the Americans with a joint project when DuoHalo struck. She stayed to help, and not hours ago, I was informed that she insisted on joining the team heading out towards you. But how about you? How is Damian these days? If that boy has kept to form, he has not been in touch, am I correct?" Tiberius laughed, knowing how what the older man hadn't said was far more important than what he had. "We'll come back around to why Talia's coming here in a moment. What do you know about Damo, Zeke? What's my little brother got himself into? More importantly, is the stupid bugger still alive?" "Well, we have the answers to many of the questions you probably have right now. I cannot speak of them openly, but I will, however, say that Damian and the remainder of his unit are safe. I just wished for you to know that Talia has the documents pertinent to this discussion and will pass them to you when she arrives. As for why she is going to Australia? I thought that would be obvious with all of the information that has just been dropped into your lap, my friend. Quaranteam." Zeke's voice grew heavy with emotion, and Tiberius realized that the older man had dropped his military bearing. "I am not asking you for information or any insider knowledge. We will get that through official means anyway. What I want is for my only daughter to be with a man I respect and who I know will treat her well. I do not care about what the Americans' Oracle or whatever it is called has to say on the matter. She wants to be tested against you, and that is fine, but irrespective of the results, I would like for you to take her in, as a favor to me. Would you do this? The two of you have always gotten along, so perhaps it could be something more than friendship?" Long gone was the measured tone of Major General Becker of the Israeli Army. In its place, the pleading tone of Ezekiel Becker, friend to Tiberius and father of one, was beyond mistaking. Tiberius felt the bottom go out of his stomach as he realized what this would mean. "Zeke. Mate. You know I'd lay down my life for Tal. But do you know what exactly it is you're asking me? I mean, how much do you know about the vaccine and the effects? I can't just drop a unilateral 'yes' without you knowing that, among other things." He sighed. "You mean the bonding? And the multiple partners? I have been informed of these things. I cannot in good conscience tell you not to take others. Just; do not neglect my Talia." "Alright. Look, Zeke. I won't outright say no. I wouldn't do that to you. But I won't say yes either without first speaking to Talia herself. This whole business got dropped on my head not hours ago, and I have yet to come to terms with the situation, let alone the fucking implications of this serum, and I'll be damned if I simply go, 'yeah alright, I'll chain your daughter to me for life and damn the consequences if she didn't really want that'." Ty pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that his headache was only going to get worse now. "It's not even noon and I've already been hit with more nuke-level shit than fucking Maralinga. It has done my head right the fuck in, Zeke. So, I need to think. I need to process all this. And I want you to get some rest. Call me again when you wake up and have a clear head. Let me know what Miriam thinks of all this too. I won't have her coming after me because she wasn't told. And please, respect that in the end, it'll be Tal's decision. And mine; I hope." His phone buzzed and Tiberius sighed, pulling it away from his ear long enough to read the text. Come tomorrow, you will be mine forever, Tiberius Marshall. Though I will share you because I must, never forget that you are mine, as I will be yours. -Talia. A groan escaped his mouth. He'd known his fate was sealed the moment Talia got the idea in her head, but he had hoped that Zeke was exaggerating and that she just wanted to see him in person. There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line before the words came back, carrying more than a trace of amusement. "Thank you, Tiberius. Though I have tremendous pride in everything my daughter has achieved, I will be honored to have you as a son as well." "Hey now, don't go ringing wedding bells already." "Do not bother denying it, son. You and I both know that when Talia or Miriam wants something, they get it. You may as well not fight it. We will speak soon." "Goodnight, old friend, send Miriam my regards and please excuse my earlier language. It was improper of me." "You have had much dropped upon you today. Think not of it." The call ended; Tiberius turned his gaze back towards the twins who were watching him expectantly. In a moment of brilliance, or possibly a moment of abject stupidity, Tiberius would never really know, he chose to look back down at his tablet and start reading. The materials Grace had sent would take him hours to digest, if he could even bring himself to focus on them. "Really? You're going to ignore us? After what we just said to you?" Lottie's exasperation was clear. "I'm not ignoring you. I could never really ignore you. But I also need time, Lottie. Barely over an hour ago, I knew nothing of a vaccine for this mess. I knew nothing of how it functioned. I still don't. Not really. All I know is that it bonds people together permanently, and the three most important women in my life, women that I would die for, no questions asked, have just told me that they want to be bonded to me. All this time, I chose to remain your friend because I could never bring myself to hurt one or the other of you by choosing. How am I, as a man who until now understood cleanly that monogamous relationships were the absolute, supposed to react? How am I supposed to feel?" "Most men would jump for joy-? Three? Who? Talia. You must mean Talia." Tiberius nodded, rehashing his conversation with Zeke and the text from Talia herself. Though neither twin was particularly at odds with Talia, it was clear to Tiberius now that they saw her as a rival, and a front-runner with none of the pressure that a decision regarding them would require. Neither twin looked any too pleased by the situation, but they eventually realized that with what he had told them earlier, this was apparently going to be the new normal. Tiberius decided not to fight the situation and suggested that irrespective of his own concerns right now, they have a discussion amongst the three of them. As long as they all agreed on something, he'd abide. Having mollified the pair, or at least forestalled any further arguments on the subject, he forwarded some of the vaccine documentation to them, requesting that they start to get familiar, as he would request that they be added to his unit for the whole project, whether or not they ended up as partners on his 'Team'. He was going to need their help, and they were glad to offer it. Tiberius' arrival at the base didn't have quite the fanfare it might have before the pandemic, but it was close, if lacking in the otherwise obligatory backslapping and hugs. He made his greetings, and then was about to requisition a conference room to continue digesting the new material when he spotted the unfriendly face. Jaxson Connors, though generally incompetent, had never lacked poise in the past. The man before him, however, looked as though he'd slept in his uniform. Twice. Without showering. His skin looked almost waxy, but he didn't look like he was ill. Just badly rumpled. He said nothing, but the glare on his face spoke volumes as he turned and stalked away. It was out of character for there to be no comment, but Tiberius didn't want to waste time or effort worrying about him. Baz said he'd stop by to check in with him, but if he did, Ty was too focused on the reading and the older man probably decided not to interrupt. It was six hours later when Tiberius sent out a request for all available officers to join him. Baz followed up, turning the request into an order and mandating attendance. Ty was finishing up his notes when Sophie, Colonel Sophie Davis, Baz's wife, greeted him at the door to the conference room, smiling warmly as she handed him his new rank insignia. It was something that did not go unnoticed as others arrived. The realization that he was officially back, and being promoted as he should have been long before this brought about a new wave of cheering from almost the whole room. Almost, except for a small cadre of officers now tucked into one corner. Connors and his lot of sycophants. Aside from the man himself, they were all junior officers, Tiberius just ignored them, despite the glares burning their way into him. But he let his attention linger on Connors himself. He was still looking haggard, only now he also seemed; tense? Lettie had discovered that it was Jaxson Connors that was responsible for the outgoing reports, and they'd call him out on it here. As for the others, they didn't matter. Not really. Connors was the problem, even if his mother was a bigger problem. A nod from Baz after everyone had settled in and Ty started his explanation of the vaccine and the Oracle system. It wasn't hard to notice that of everyone in the room, only Connors wasn't stunned by the revelations, and that was telling. Some of the info Grace had sent him indicated that they should already know this, and initially, Tiberius had put it down to information lost after the decimation of parliament. But now, it appeared more likely that the information had been suppressed by individuals looking to secure themselves advantage. It was just the kind of power play a certain Major's mother would make. Connors himself was trying to look nonchalant, but something about the man wasn't quite right. More so than usual, at least by Tiberius' reckoning. It wasn't just his appearance. He hadn't interrupted even once. Not to make a sarcastic quip, not to tell Ty he was wrong, nothing. He looked; jittery, was the right word, Ty decided. He kept an eye on the man as he continued his explanation, and the odd feeling never went away, and neither did he interrupt, right up until Tiberius announced to the room that he was to lead the rollout process. "From the documentation that we have received, the rollout process will be time and personnel intensive. We will need to establish Teams, as they're being called, in-house first, and then organize those teams into units. I know the Oracle questionnaire will be daunting, as its extremely personal, but a smart friend made a good point to me; only the people you're teamed up with will have any idea of what you put down on it, and they're of a like mind to you, so who's gonna judge? Secondly, a Team stays together and cannot be separated for great lengths of time. I have been requested by the USAF as the liaison for this, which means that while I will eventually be heading up a rollout Team, I will be coordinating our efforts until that time." "Why would you get to do that? You haven't been a part of the military for over two years! Your clearances will have all lapsed! You can't just put on a couple of extra pips on your shoulder and pretend to have a promotion! I won't accept that!" "Well, as it turns out, I was never discharged from the military, Major. I was instead put on extended medical leave while I recovered. The promotion was decided by Brigadier Davis, so you really have no say in it. As for my clearances, they were maintained since I was still teaching SERE training courses remotely." "You can't have recovered enough to pass evaluations! That's impossible! That injury should have totally ended your career. Permanently!" "In point of fact, I have not only passed equivalents for my fitness evals, I have exceeded the eval requirements to be fully reinstated within the SAS. I will obviously not be doing that at this time." Jaxson's face was growing redder and redder with each passing moment, and clearly, he couldn't control himself anymore, because he exploded. "You were supposed to have been given the boot! Mummy promised me you were gone! I've been sending the reports to the Americans, I've been protecting us from invasion by them! So, I'm the one who's supposed to get promoted, not you! I was the one talking to them about the vaccine! This is unacceptable!" The silence in the room was deafening, and Tiberius was completely gob smacked. Was this fully grown man throwing a tantrum? In front of all of his peers? And on top of that, outing himself in the process? "So, Major Connors. Would you like to explain why you have been sending falsified reports to the US about our survival rates? Especially considering they were going out under Major General Walters' name? And explain what you mean by protecting us from invasion?" Connors face was so red by this point that everyone in the room thought he might have an aneurysm. He got up from his seat violently and it crashed backwards into the wall. He began stomping his way towards the front of the room, shouting like a madman. "I don't have to explain myself to you! My mother was always demanding explanations too! She was a world class bitch, and now that she's out of the way, I don't have to explain myself to anyone anymore! I did what was necessary to stop us from getting invaded by a foreign power! I even organized things to get us the vaccine early! It's not my fault those worthless assholes failed! I should be praised for trying, not accused of stupid things like false reporting. How is it that you get promoted for doing nothing! For once, I know you got it wrong, mummy. I should have shot him through the spine and not the leg. At least then I'd have been certain you were out!" The entire room froze. Even Tiberius couldn't find words to express his shock. After all the reports and other rigmarole that had gone into obfuscating the issue in the first place, this idiot had come out and admitted it. But Tiberius had also alerted to something else in the man's words and behaviors. He was coming unglued. In the silence, it was the Brigadier that found his voice first. "Major Connors, are you saying that you deliberately injured your fellow soldier during a critical operation? That you deliberately attacked him with the express intent of ending his career? And that you organized to abduct an individual from an ally? You had no authority for that!" "Why wouldn't I? There was no other way to get him out of the way without killing him! He was an obstacle, and so I removed him! Only obviously it wasn't enough. Clearly not enough. And who cares about the scientists now? Only one was even with an ally. Now we're getting what we need! Isn't that what matters?" Tiberius exchanged a glance with Baz before his gaze flicked up to the surveillance camera in the corner. They might be able to sort out the drama with the Americans sooner than they'd anticipated, but right now there were more pressing issues. "It's a problem because you had no authority to order that action! How did you even send them orders they'd accept?" "I used Doug Walters' name, of course. Those guys were still overseas. They had no idea he was actually dead. I had Damian's unit go after Adam McCallister. They tracked him to Russia, but they had no good way of getting to him. As for Kerry, the guy he was after had less security. It was a simple snatch and grab. It should have been ten minutes in and out." "You can't be that stupid Connors. What did you think would happen if you tried to take one of the project leads for the vaccine effort? Do you think they'd just have him walking around unguarded? On top of that, you sent valuable assets against an ally. Even if it wasn't an ally, they had no support available if the op went tits-up. They could have ended up dead and they'd never know they were being misled. You would have started a gods-damned war!" "Fucking get over it! They're just hunting dogs anyway. They do what they're told. But like the stupid mongrels they are, they fucked it up!" Spittle was flying from Connors mouth as he screamed, eyes wild with fury and; something else. Tiberius bristled. One of those so-called 'mongrels' was his little brother, but he ignored the comment. "You think they wouldn't get as much intel on who made the attempt as possible? You've brought down a complete shitstorm on our heads, and nearly cost us access to the vaccine. You didn't have the authority; you abused the name of a ranking officer; a deceased ranking officer, in a time of crisis; and you may have very well fucked us completely. I can only assume Grace and some of the other American officers insisted to their brass that the op was unsanctioned, or I doubt I'd have received any info about their solution." "Fuck off! It's always you! Why? Why you? You swinging that cock around? Making friends?" His gaze flickered off to one side for an instant. "Shut up! Shut up! I know!" Now, those eyes were even more bloodshot than an instant ago; framed in a face that was twisted in rage. Connors' breathing had become very erratic now. "You're wrong! I was doing it for the country! I should be a hero!" As he continued to stomp towards Tiberius, he became certain. There were clear signs of a psychotic break in his movements and actions. This was a trained operative, but even the best can crack with the right stressor. Before the situation could devolve further, Ty tried to placate the man, but he wasn't about to call him crazy directly. "Connors. You need to sit down. You might be having a panic attack. Take a deep breath and try to focus on something else." "Don't you fucking tell me what to do! Nobody can tell me what to do anymore! I'm in charge!" His gaze flickered over to the side again. "Shut up mum! You went and got sick all by yourself, it's not my fault!" That same gaze, even more manic now, returned to focus on Tiberius. "And you, you just had to come back, didn't you? You just had to get in the fucking way!" He was almost within a meter of Tiberius at this point and clearly not in his right mind. His hand reached into his uniform pocket, and Ty tensed. There was no way he could fit a gun in there, but that didn't preclude a folding knife or something equally deadly. "Stay where you are, Major. That's an order. Do you understand me? That is an order!" Baz's shout, for his good intentions, may have been the final straw, because Jaxson Connors lunged. Connors' hand came out of his uniform and Tiberius realized in the fraction of a second he had that the situation might be worse than a knife. He was too close to dodge, so he grabbed for Connors' wrist, but the man's movements had become far too erratic. Ty missed, and the other officer barreled into his chest, plunging the syringe he'd pulled out into Tiberius' pectoral muscle before he could swing a fist up in reaction. That fist landed a blow on Connors' chin that had him staggering backwards before the second strike hit his temple, felling him. Ty grabbed at the syringe, dismayed to see that the plunger was nearly fully depressed, having deposited whatever was in it into his body. He had a sneaking suspicion, and the thought sent a chill down his spine. "Leave him and get everyone out of this room! Now! Get a medical team suited up and here with an additional suit for me and Connors. Make sure they bring a biohazard container too! We need to know what was in that syringe. While that's happening, I will suit us up and take the two of us into the quarantine lab. No risks. Go!" Tiberius whispered a prayer of thanks for military professionalism as everyone in the room sprang into action. He asked someone to bring him a set of cuffs, and one of the Military Police members in the room threw him his set, along with the key. He wasted no time cuffing Connors to the conference table, only pausing long enough to ensure the man was still breathing. Slumping into a chair, Ty pulled out his tablet and prayed that Grace and company weren't flying over a dead spot. Grace's face appeared on the Tablet as the call connected. "Ty? We'll have to talk fast. We're not going to have a signal for long." "Figured. Ok. Here's the long and short. I can confirm the attempted abduction was an unauthorized op. The officer responsible was using a deceased senior officer's name to send orders. In exposing him, he snapped, and I've been exposed to what I suspect is DuoHalo, but unsure as yet. Unknown if variant strain or otherwise. Going into quarantine as soon as bio suits arrive for me to get to the lab. We have the video footage of the event for your brass." "Oh God. You might be infected? Understood." There was a sharp intake of breath and Grace paused, looking over at the source. "Ty, I should probably let you know. Major Talia Becker of the IDF is with us. She's uh; here for you." "I was informed. Let Talia know what's happening. I'll have one of the Valiant sisters keep you updated if I can't. I have a bad feeling about this." "DuoHalo doesn't kick in anything like that fast, Ty. You should have at least a week before you even see any symptoms, so you should be okay. Our ETA is around 10 hours. See you then." Ty just stared at the blank tablet screen for a few minutes after the call ended. It was too much, too fast already, and now this. He hadn't collapsed immediately, so it wasn't a fast-acting toxin or something of that variety. If it was just a standard strain of DuoHalo, that would be annoying, but survivable, given the incubation time. But if Connors, damn him, had gotten his hands on one of the more dangerous variants, there was no telling. That was the worst part; not knowing. Ty wanted to bury his face in his hands and scream. He was doing his best. There was so much information; so much to do. So much planning that needed done. Others would help, of course. He wasn't alone. He wasn't alone, but he was feeling overwhelmed. It wasn't long before the medics arrived and they were escorted to the quarantine lab, with Connors ending up handcuffed to the bed. They did a blood draw on Ty and retreated, leaving him alone with the unconscious man. He wanted to pace the room, but knowing that would be of no help, he focused back on his tablet, trying not to let his frustration overcome him. There was no sense in wasting time, so he began planning the rollout effort. He let the hours flow over him and was trying not to let himself fall into the trap of panicking when it felt like his breathing was beginning to become labored when Lottie's voice came through the speaker overhead, clearly sounding flustered. "Ty?" "What's wrong Lottie?" "Ty, we know what was in that syringe. It;” "Out with it Charlotte. I'm not dead yet, so how bad could it be?" "It was DuoHalo, Ty. But this; this is a man-made variant, and it's even more monstrous than the original. It has no incubation period, so it has almost no transmissibility. Symptoms will start to show up around four to six hours after exposure and the effects; accelerate; from there. 24 hours after exposure and organs are supposed to start failing;” The quiver in her voice strongly. "Ty, are you okay? The lab techs are saying you have to be feeling it by now." This time, Ty was sure the bottom dropped out of his stomach. That tightness in his chest wasn't his imagination and he fought to keep the dismay from his expression. "Fuck." He couldn't tell Lottie the truth. Despite her usual calm, she was the worrier of the sisters. "I'm OK, Lottie. Just take a deep breath. I'm gonna be okay, alright? Grace and her team are on their way. Look at me, Lottie." She met his gaze through the glass and Ty could see the tears in her eyes. "Lottie, babe, it hasn't started to hit me yet, so we're okay. You hear me? It's gonna be fine." Lottie looked at him, and for once, she couldn't smile. This was the problem with being too close; the twins always knew when Ty was lying. She choked back a sob and nodded. "Just a few more hours, Lots." Ty almost never called either twin by his personal pet name for them. At their age it felt almost too childish, but right now he needed her attention. "It's gonna be okay, darling. I promise I'll hit the alarm if things get bad, so I want you to go and stay beside Lets." She nodded at him, no longer able to form words. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ty cut her off. "Don't say it. It'll be fine. Go." She turned and fled, and Ty slumped to the floor, head in his hands. His breathing wasn't too labored just yet, but now that he was conscious of it, the fear was beginning to set in. He wanted to scream, to yell, to get up and put a bullet between Connors' eyes for this, but none of those things would help him, and at this point, he doubted they'd even make him feel better emotionally. It was just too much. "You're going to die, you son of a bitch. Nobody will be able to help you in time. I had that strain modified for this. You're a dead man, and then I'll make it all your fault." The voice was filled with scorn but was heavily slurred. Tiberius didn't move from the spot, but he raised his head to meet Connors' gaze and couldn't stop his own vitriol. "So, the worthless mummy's boy is awake. I can't bring myself to treat you like a grown man after your previous display, so did the baby enjoy his nap? Shall we call mummy to come give you some milk?" "Shut up! Don't talk about mummy! She's not here!" "Oh, I know. You weren't quite as stupid when she was. Which is why you'd have known that I'm not going to die. The Americans have been on their way for over 10 hours already. Barely another half a day and I'll be clear of this virus, and you'll be subject to an inquiry and then tribunal. Your timeline was too long, you prick. Once again Connors, I win." Jaxson flew into a rage and started screaming incoherently. Tiberius knew it was wrong of him to provoke the already unstable man. He'd worked it out by that point. Wendy Connors had clearly succumbed to DuoHalo or some other illness and the loss had sent her son over the edge. Though there had to be other stressors, those would likely come to light during the investigations. Ty knew he should feel bad about driving the man into his madness, but there was no sympathy in him. Connors' actions could have doomed them, and it was only luck that had said otherwise. It wasn't even a minute before the medics re-entered the room frowning at Tiberius and sedating Connors before transporting him, bed and all, into a different room. Though they told Tiberius that it was probably better for him to be moved to a different lab too, he chose to stay. What was another couple of hours in the grand scheme of it all? He couldn't torment Connors anymore; there was no point. He simply had to wait until Grace arrived. He could do that just as well from here as anywhere else. Though, it would have been nice if the coughing and bloody nose hadn't arrived first. To be continued in part 2. Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 12 Consequences. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. List of Characters: David Belsus; 46, physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair. Lupie Ramos; 32, former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupie has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile. Esme; 9, daughter of Lupie, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave. Becca; 18, Lupie's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupie, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small tits, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends. Janice Wheeler; 33, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Jance is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home. Shawna Cooper; 36, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from O U, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog sci-fi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large tits, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow. Olivia Tyler (Liv); 21, senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large tits, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile. Melanie Ustanich; 22, graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile. Kareena Agrawal; 18, classmate of Becca's. Popular, not always nice. She's taking this radical change in life as an opportunity to improve herself. 5'6", dusky skin, long raven hair, dark brown eyes Vanessa Worton; 38, realtor, assisting with the re-housing project in Dallas. 5'6", medium length bleach blonde hair, blue eyes. Nicole Lassiter; 28, computer security expert, imprinted to Dave the night before the raid. Formerly a high school and college track star, she only recently worked her way to walking independently after a car accident crushed her legs. 5'6", dark skin, dark brown eyes, dark hair in long thin braids that reach down to her ass Carmen Verratti; 31, Dallas police detective, took one class with Dave ten years ago. Carmen informed Dave of the location and prior actions of the men that attacked his home. 5'4", pale skin, raven hair, brown eyes. Chapter 14; Consequences. October 29, 2020 11:15am Just before the Blackhawk transitioned to forward flight, Dave's mind finally made the leap beyond events and people in the compound. He pulled out his phone, noticed he still had a few bars, and sent a quick text to Shawna. -Liv and I are fine. Being taken to Dallas. Think PD or AF want to have a little talk. After maybe ten seconds, the little dots started bouncing. Oh, thank God. Listen, Lupie is leading a charge of pissed off ladies that are not happy with you or me right now. They'll be relieved you are ok, but emotions are high. Get back here soon baby. I love you. And so do they, they're just a bit worried right now. He lost signal before he could reply. Thankfully, the Air Force troops let the medics stitch Dave up before they 'talked' with him. One suggested he not get anesthesia. One look from the nurse cut that talk off in a hurry. Dave was fairly certain they were joking anyway. Mostly. The nurse kept him under observation for half an hour. She advised him to use acetaminophen once the local anesthetic wore off. The nurse was especially careful to emphasize not exceeding the labeled dosage instructions. The guards escorted him from the hospital, into a sedan. They drove a few blocks to a nondescript looking building that was bustling with activity. The guards walked him into a room containing a table and three chairs. Two of the chairs were on opposite sides of the table, while the third was against one wall. The guards walked him into the room, stepped out, then closed and locked the door. Dave wandered around the room. Whoever cleaned it did a great job. There wasn't even any dust to tell how often the room was used. It was slightly larger than a purpose-built interrogation room; well, the ones Hollywood used anyway. No windows anywhere. Examining every detail he could focus on allowed Dave to stretch out his inspection of the room to forty-five minutes. Roughly speaking. The guards had taken away his phone, so he no longer had a way to objectively measure time. By then, his arm was beginning to ache again, either from getting shot, or getting sewn back together. Dave took a seat in the chair that faced the door and rested his arm on the table. Taking the weight off helped. He faced away from the camera in the back corner of the room. With few other distractions available, Dave studied the surface of the table. Amazingly, it seemed to be a real wood table. Not a terribly expensive wood, he noted, but it was still wood. Thinking back to middle school shop class, it looked a lot like the white pine he'd used to make a cutting board all those years ago. The sanding and finishing were of higher quality than what his fourteen-year-old self-produced way back then. Small scuffs and scratches were evident, more so when Dave moved his head to view the surface at oblique angles. No coherent patterns, though. No messages. Not even 'Tom hearts Jane'. His shoulder was throbbing now. It was beginning to eat into his concentration. To occupy his mind, Dave began sorting through which of his partners would need dosing once he got home. Assuming he went home today. Becca. with her bright young face, was good for four, maybe five days. Reena, her friend, might be needy by Sunday, but should be fine until then. Vanessa was both more recently dosed and older, so she was good for at least a week, week and a half maybe. Niki. Holy hell. She's probably out of imprinting sleep by now. Waking up into a madhouse and wondering what the hell she signed up for. I better think up some great soothing one-on-one activities to help her settle in with all this crap going on. Too bad I can't invite her along on a run . Melanie, red-headed computer science grad, would be getting itchy soon, if she wasn't already. Not so much she'd jump him when he came in the door, but that would be partly due to her self-control. Maybe he should have made time for her before he left. This serum shit was not easy to get used to. Well, in some ways, yes, but damn. The throbbing in his shoulder was growing. Cutting into his thoughts. He really should have better self-control than this. The door opened. A man and a woman in plain clothes entered, closing the door after them. The man took the chair across from Dave. The woman leaned against the side wall to Dave's left. Both wore professional clothing. The man was clean shaven, his hair short and off his ears. The woman's hair was pulled back in a tight bun. Her features were severe. Combined with the bun it looked as if the tie for the bun was pulling the skin of her face back. Dave canted in his seat slightly to bring the woman solidly in his field of view. She'd parked herself in a place right on the edge of his vision when she came in. The man and woman stared at Dave for over a minute before saying anything. "So, Mr. Belsus," the man began, "you've been a busy boy. Between yourself and Miss Barnes, you killed thirteen men in less than an hour. For a soldier in combat, that's quite a lot of action. For anyone else, it's alarming." Without a question being asked, Dave decided not to respond. "What is your association with Andrew Bilk?" "Don't know the guy. I only recognize the name because the Air Force Tech Sergeant mentioned it. He's the rich guy the raiders hit last night, right?" "And that's the only time you've heard his name?" "Correct." "No other interactions between your family and Mr. Bilk?" the man pressed. "Nothing I'm aware of. He's one of those Las Colinas types? Those folks and I don't swim in the same seas." "Not Las Colinas. One of those 'tucked away' rich neighborhoods in the southern suburbs. That's how the boys from the compound got away so quickly. They were already on the outer edge of the quick reaction force's reach, and they didn't stay long." The woman against the wall cleared her throat. The man immediately switched topics. "You say you have no prior involvement with Andrew Bilk?" "No sir." "So you didn't hire the Brotherhood to take him out for you?" "What? Why the hell would I?" Dave was puzzled and offended and it showed all over his face. No one with any experience in interrogation techniques; or poker; could miss the obvious signs of surprise etched in Dave's face. "You know of no reason why you would want Mr. Bilk dead?" "Never heard of the guy until this morning when your sergeant mentioned his name at the compound." Now the woman spoke. "You take satisfaction in his death Mr. Belsus?" Dave looked at her like she had a screw loose. "The only time I ever saw this guy, he was lying dead against a wall and a nurse was siphoning semen out of his balls." It occurred to Dave that the woman was the senior partner here. He kicked himself for not realizing it earlier. She wasn't learning and observing, she was supervising and lying in wait. "Indeed," she intoned. "And why was that?" Dave knew this was a leading question, but figured honesty was the only thing that would get him out of here. It wouldn't be quick, but it would get him out. "I didn't know she was a nurse until later. I also wasn't quite sure where she stuck the needle. I saw the syringe go from green to purple, and then she stuck the needle into a woman's arm and one of the; Brotherhood?" the man nodded, "; guys imprinted her. I figured it had something to do with the reason the guys at my house had their nuts cut off." Both the man and the woman looked uncomfortable. With a stern, judicial sounding tone, the woman spoke to Dave, her eyes attempting to rivet him to his chair. "Mr. Belsus, you will not share with anyone what you saw or what you think you know because of what you saw. Nor will you share anything shared with you by the detective or the nurse. Failure to guard this information will result in severe penalties including confinement. Even after the serum itself is made public, you will not discuss the nature of what you have learned. Am I perfectly clear Mr. Belsus?" "Yes ma'am, crystal clear." A pregnant silence hung over the room. Dave fought the urge to look up for a sword dangling by a thread, or a swinging axe slowly dropping with each swing. After more than a minute, the man started asking questions again. He prompted Dave to lead them through every step of his actions since waking up yesterday in the early hours of the morning. Dave did so, his shoulder throbbing more and more until he finally relented and asked for some acetaminophen and a drink. After sharing a look, they acquiesced. The man stepped out for a few seconds and then returned to his chair. A young airman entered a few minutes later with one of those small hospital paper cups and a bottle of water. Dave quickly downed the pills with a large swig of water. Then a second swig. He was getting dry. Then he continued answering the man's prompts regarding his and Olivia's actions. It took another half hour to finish. Well, sort of finish. "You skipped over the part about how you knew where to intercept the Brotherhood's convoy, Mr. Belsus." The man continued to stare at Dave, who remained silent. "We already know Detective Verratti is involved in this. Don't bother covering for her. She's been getting her ass chewed since about 8am this morning. She'll be lucky if she still has a job by the end of the day." Dave just blinked at the man. Outwardly. Inwardly, his mind was racing. What if she hasn't confessed? What if they only have suspicions? If I fess up, then that blows things for her. Sighing, the man pulled out his phone, scrolled for several seconds, then turned the screen towards Dave as he pushed 'play'. On the screen was Detective Carmen Verratti outlining her conversation with Dave at his house and the text messages while he was on the road. "Yes, that's how it happened. Olivia and I left the house knowing only that the attackers were somewhere east or southeast of Athens. Verratti texted that the attackers had struck again, and were coming down 287. We got to the junction of 287 and 19 and waited for them. Once they passed, we followed with our lights off. At their compound, we saw them hauling women out of their suburbans; like I said before; and that confirmed these were the guys. What I saw through the window sealed that certainty." "And then you started killing them." "I didn't fire on anyone until life was endangered. Those first two were going to kill that woman with their cum." Dave was deliberately vulgar in his choice of words here, and it worked. The man sat back in his chair and the woman was unable to control a shiver that ran through her body. "Self-defense includes defending the life of another. Natasha's life was in clear and present danger. Law enforcement or other official responders were at least half an hour away. I removed the threat." Dave had his eyes locked on the man as he spoke. He held no menace, no glare in his eyes, just a firm certainty that he'd done no wrong and wasn't going to roll over for some witch hunt. Which is what this was beginning to look like. Either that or an anal-retentive version of 'be sure you know everything.' Maybe both. A minute or more passed, and the man broke eye contact with Dave and glanced at his partner. Some form of silent communication passed. Then the man turned to Dave. "Okay, let's go through this again, to make sure we have all the details." Dave's arm was beginning to throb again. He'd lost track of any sense of time by this point. He wondered if it was getting dark yet. Or already was dark. As the latest interminable run-through of 'all the details, just to be sure' wound down, the man switched topics. "What do you know about the Oracle system, Mr. Belsus?" "Oracle? Oh, the survey I filled out? That's all I really know. Fill out the survey. Women fill one out too. Then some program runs the results and says we could be a match. The ladies that were sent to me say they got a page with several matches, and a 'percent match' number for each one. The ones that picked me, came to my house." "And you haven't had someone in the system steering women to you?" "No." "You have several requests in the system. Looks like five out of your nine partners were by request." "They each reached out to me, asking that I choose them. According to the CDC guy that first came to my house, I had to request them for the system to work. I only asked for women that explicitly wanted me to do so." "Four of those five are young women. Two college upperclassmen, and two recent high school grads. You tellin' me these four young women have a thing for older men, and specifically you? From where I'm sitting, it looks more like you're a pervert with power." "Rebecca was my neighbor's long-term babysitter. We got through lockdown together. At a distance, but together. She and Lupie asked for me immediately when the CDC guy came around. Olivia is my goddaughter. Her parents were my best friends since college. She's been; interested in me since she was a teen. Melanie was Olivia's roommate for years. Kareena was a high school classmate of Rebecca's and asked to join our house. I initiated requests within the system, because that's how we were told it worked. I never made such a request without prior prompting from the woman." Throughout, Dave's voice was cold and analytical. Mind-numbing repetitions of what happened when thirteen men were dead was one thing. Pinning a 'pervert' label on him was a whole other matter. A knock at the door interrupted any response from either inquisitor. Without pause, the door opened, barely. Dave could not see the interloper. The woman came off the wall immediately. On her signal; a subtle hand signal that Dave nonetheless caught; the man rose and met her and the visitor. The door closed after a few minutes of whispering. The man and woman kept their heads together, their backs to him, whispering further. The only thing Dave was sure of was that they were not happy with whatever they'd been told. He cleared his throat. "Am I free to go? I've been here quite a while. I've answered all your questions three times already. I even kept an even keel when you decided to smear me. Unless you're going to charge me, I'd like to leave." The woman faced him. She wore her displeasure on her face. "We can charge you with murder, Mr. Belsus. We do have several dead bodies in the morgue, all tied to you and your young partner." "That was self-defense." "All the witnesses are dead. We only have your word, and the word of your partner. Rather convenient." "Wrong, Natasha was there. She can testify after she comes out of her imprinting sleep. She's probably matched by now, so it'll take a day. Also, the women in the compound can testify to their conditions." "But they didn't see any of the shooting." "They can verify the mentality of those men towards women and how they abused the serum." The woman deflated. "Fine. We are releasing you Mr. Belsus. You have a date of sorts." "Excuse me?" "Miss Larmonov is indeed ready to be imprinted. She has asked for you. The guard outside will take you back to the hospital." "Larmonov?" "The woman you rescued, Natasha." "Oh. Holy hell." Under his breath, he muttered, "Sometimes gratitude can go too far." The man must have heard him, because he started snickering. Dave rose and walked out. Just as the door closed behind him, he heard the man asking his partner in a not-quite-low-enough voice, "Does this give us anything we can use to get around Jefferson?" The same young man who brought the water and pills waited just outside. "Are you my guide?" Dave asked. "Yessir," the young man replied, then headed off down the corridor at a respectable clip. He remained silent as he made his way to an attached parking garage and an unmarked sedan. He motioned for Dave to take the shotgun seat while opening the driver's door for himself. "So, any idea what's going on?" "I've been instructed to take you to the Vaccination Center in the hospital complex. They've repurposed a whole wing for this project. Someone will meet you at the ground floor entrance and guide you further. I'm to return to the command center." That shut down conversation rather effectively. Especially considering the bored tone in his delivery. The rest of the trip passed in silence. As they entered the hospital district on Harry Hines, Dave had to suppress a chuckle at the contrast of the kind of life-giving care on this end of the boulevard as opposed to the kind of life-giving happening several miles down the same road when one does not take precautions. And only for a price. Pulling into a circle off Forest Park, Dave noticed Olivia's truck parked in the circle. Probably. Granted, old pickups are not uncommon in Dallas, but the stickers in the back window, and the pattern of scratches on the side of the truck bed looked the same as Liv's. There were two people waiting at the entrance of one wing of the UT Southwestern Medical School complex. One was wearing scrubs; not a surprise, given the location. The other was somewhat shorter, with black hair, and a small smile. He got out quickly so the young man could get on his way. "Detective, good to see you again. Does this mean I'm still in trouble?" "Well, there are folks still pissed at you, but that's not why you're here. I'm here because people are pissed at me." The grin never left her face, presenting Dave with the dichotomous image of 'happy goth'. In response to his querying look, Carmen continued. "That's a story for later. For now, just know that I'm actually happy to be here and you will be as well, soon." "Oh, that's so much less cryptic. Thank you for clearing that up." Verratti's face turned radiant as she gave Dave's shoulder a playful shove. The nurse allowed herself a small grin before speaking. "Mr. Belsus, before we enter, I'm going to have to lay out a few requirements for you. Just inside the outer doors is a rack of isolation suits. You will don one, and then we will proceed to our destination. You will say nothing while in transit. Not one word. Look straight ahead. Do not look to the sides. Once we get to the destination room and close the door, you may speak in whispers, or normal tones, but do not raise your voice for any reason. The detective will remain with you as will your other partner. One of them may step out to inform the staff that your business is completed in that room. Any questions?" "No ma'am." All business, the nurse turned on her heel and proceeded inside. Dave cocked an eyebrow at the nurse as he suited up, noting that neither the nurse nor the detective were putting on an isolation suit. She looked on blankly, her look conveying only 'We're waiting'. Once Dave was suited, the trio headed down the hallway. Several yards from the suit rack they waited for an elevator. They rose to the third floor. Just before the doors opened, the nurse stepped ahead of him, saying, "Not. One. Word. Eyes forward." They turned immediately upon exiting. The left quickly opened up into a waiting area. Several people were seated in the space, though Dave had only his peripheral vision to tell him that. Following her through a few turns, Dave was ushered into a room and came to a halt inside. The door closed behind him as he took in the people in the room. Except for the nurse, he'd met them all before. Natasha, the woman he'd rescued, stood beyond the halfway point in the room. A controlled nervousness flowed from her. Dave took in her high, perfectly sculpted thin eyebrows that managed to avoid the cartoon arcs that so many did not. Her narrow, elongated nose added a distinctly aristocratic air to her piercing blue eyes and high cheekbones. Her perfectly proportioned mouth was set in a neutral smile, a balance of hope and concern. Olivia looked at him oddly, until she got a good look at his face through the face plate. She rushed to hug him. "You can remove the suit," the nurse said from behind him. "Just make sure you put it back on before you step outside this room. I'll be just down the hall. Send one of your partners to get me when you make your decision." Dave didn't think it was worth the time to correct her that he only had one partner in the room. It seemed; overly pedantic. Besides, he was busy getting the headpiece off so he could kiss the very anxious Livy. The interfering suit part went flying and his sweet Olivia was in his arms, pressing her lips against his and her tits into his chest. Lips and tongues tangled, familiar, reassuring, reconnecting. Dave pulled back. "I don't know if I would have been successful without you on overwatch." He paused so her eyes could twinkle in 'I told you so'. "Even so, I'm worried. Liv, I; " "Don't start. I went in with my eyes open. Yes, shooting men is different than shooting deer. These men weren't innocent like the deer. If I'd somehow been tricked into shooting an innocent person, yes, I'd have a problem. That's not what happened." She took a breath before continuing. "Now focus. You have duties to attend to." Olivia helped him shrug out of the suit, then stepped to one side. Dave noted the chair dominating one side of the room. With that design, it must be from a gynecologist's office. Well, he considered it might be used for childbirth, possibly, but the one time he'd observed a birth, they'd used something resembling a reclining tabletop. Dave smiled for a moment. He remembered who he'd seen being born. Then he remembered what had happened to that precious young man. A flood of memories came flying at him, ending with a dry, written notice of his son's death. Dave stumbled, catching himself against a wall, then took an unsteady breath. Three sets of eyes, one light brown, one a deeper brown, and one pair blue as the deep ocean locked on him with concern. He raised his hand to hold off any approach. "I'm alright. I just; I'm fine, sorry to upset you ladies. Could someone explain why I'm here, please?" Natasha, dressed in a hospital gown, with paper slippers on her feet, came closer. "David, I have asked to be imprinted to you. Once I expressed my interest, Olivia was brought over to speak with me." She shared a grin. "We have been having a bit of girl-talk about you and the family you have drawn to yourself. I must say, I am even more comfortable with my decision now than before we started." Dave's eyebrows knitted with concern. "Natasha, there's no expectation on you to do this. You can choose anyone you want." A soft smile spread across Natasha's face. She lifted a hand to cup his jaw. "Oh David, I cannot possibly pick another. Just as you could not have let those men kill me." She put a finger to his lips to forestall his objections as she collected her thoughts. "You were not on my initial list of twenty. I asked that they compare us. It seems that's not customarily done at the woman's request, but my social status and the situation allowed for the irregularity. Our match number was not high, but I liked what I red in your profile, as well as the attached letters of four of your partners." "Four?" Dave recalled Jan, Lupie, and Becca mentioning writing letters. Olivia interjected. "It's been a month since Shawna arrived. Maybe she got her letter in yesterday during her downtime." "Maybe. Knowing her, she started on her letter as soon as the other three mentioned writing theirs and kept editing it to perfection until all she had to do was hit 'send' when the prompt arrived." "That does sound like Shawna," Liv replied, nodding her head. Dave turned his attention back to Natasha. "Sorry for the side-track. You said something about; social status?" "I spend much of my time organizing or attending charity balls and black-tie fundraisers. I have a few causes I champion. That is how I came to know Drew in the first place. I thought he was a pleasant enough man." Her face darkened again. "He; we ran in the same social circles, attended the same charity galas; I thought I knew him. When he asked for me, I said yes. The Oracle survey even said we were a ninety-eight point five percent match." She paused, clearly troubled. Once I got there, I learned what he was truly like. Each woman bonded to him was merely a trophy. I was the 'older, still fit, blonde'. Peggy was the 'celebrity athlete blonde'. We might as well have had data plates beside our bedroom doors, like animals in a zoo." She took a shuddering breath. Liv reached out to lay a hand on Natasha's wrist. Olivia attempted to draw her off the painful topic. "Charity balls and black-tie events? Are you an heiress or something?" "No, dear, I came to the United States with very little. I modeled in my teens and twenties, and like most, I got tossed on the heap shortly before reaching thirty years old. While I was working, I saved my money and I made a lot of connections. By the time I was tossed aside, I had savings and investments that could sustain me indefinitely and connections that would allow me to grow my financial base further while giving me an opportunity to remain relevant in wealthy society as a charitable socialite. In the past decade, someone decided that older women were keeping themselves in shape and still liked showing themselves off, so I have begun modeling again." "I believe that." Dave blushed as he recalled her exquisite exposed figure from this morning. Natasha kissed his cheek, then turned his face back to her by means of one gentle finger under his chin. "Do not be embarrassed that you remember seeing me nude. That will forever be one of my happiest moments. I was naked, terrified, about to be murdered, and a man I had never met stepped in to save my life. You were a strong defender, and a perfect gentleman. There is nowhere I want to be but in your arms. I am safe, completely nude in your presence." Dave exhaled audibly. "You sure about this?" Natasha nodded. "You come across as a very cultured lady, and, to be brutally honest, the most cultured thing in my house is the cheese." In a corner behind Dave, Carmen busted out laughing. Livy developed a wicked grin. "Oh, I am so ratting you out to Jan and Shawna." Dave blanched. "Okay, that's fair." He returned his focus to Natasha. "My instincts are still pre-serum. I should probably take more time before I speak because of that. Every woman that has entered my house made it classier than it was before all of this." He looked pointedly at Liv. "Including Miss Kadiddlehopper there." Olivia blew him a kiss and bowed. Natasha kissed Dave gently on the cheek. With tears riming the bottoms of her eyes, she said, "This is what I want to be a part of. This; acceptance, this love bond. Please let me join your family, David." He still knew very little about her. What he did know was not negative on its own, it just seemed incompatible with the state of his family. Yet, the look in her eyes was pure and honest. Even as he paused before speaking, he knew there was about as much chance he'd turn her down as there was of him kicking a puppy. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime decision, Tasha. Oh, sorry; " "No, that is fine. I like the way that sounds." Her grin widened. "It is a signal that I am starting a new life. A life I want, now and forever." "Okay, then. I should talk with my other partners. Everyone else that joined us took an hour or more to talk with the family, get to know the other ladies before we made things permanent." Olivia held up her phone. "We did that. Speakerphone on the other end. The Belsus Babes unanimously approve the addition." Dave narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "No. No, no, no. Please tell me that's something you just made up." Tasha smiled, a twinkle in her eye while Liv cackled, clapping her hands and leaning halfway out of her chair. Dave continued to stare, as stoically as he could manage. Liv calmed herself, but one look at Dave's face and she burst out laughing again. "Well, our young friend seems a bit occupied," Tasha said with a gleam in her eye, "so let me just say I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with your other partners. It was a video chat, so I got a chance to see as well as hear them, and vice versa. I must say, I would rather like to be part of such a; heterogenous group. I can say I have at least one quality common to several of your partners." She paused for effect. Dave waited. After a few moments, he raised an eyebrow. "I enjoy a good book now and again. I prefer to read poolside, whenever possible, but a nice chair in a quiet room is good too." Dave chuckled. "Well, that's not a requirement, but you're right, it's a common trait among those close to me." He paused, pensively. "You know, Tasha, we don't go to high society events. We are financially solid, but none of us have ever run with the mansion set." "The 'mansion set' let me down, David. Please remember, I came from nothing. I became financially secure through work. Not hard labor, but work nonetheless. That work gave me connections among the wealthy. I've used those connections to host fundraisers for a few cherished causes. In return, I've been invited to similar functions hosted by others. I adore being able to help others, David, but it has become exhausting. Lately, I've had to retire home to rest myself from the strain of so many fake people. Oh, not all of them to be sure, but too many." She paused. "David, the society circles I ran in let me down. Oracle let me down. You were there when I most needed someone, anyone. After speaking with your other partners, I would like to be a part of your family. Shawna and Lupie were very welcoming over the phone. It's been a long time since I've cooked or cleaned my own home, but I would gladly pitch in with housework to be with you, to be part of your family." Dave continued to examine her face. admittedly, he was never the best at discerning hidden intentions, but he saw no deception. What he did see was more than desperation - although that was clearly present. He turned his gaze to Liv. "Who all did you two speak with?" "Everyone, really. Though she spent the most time with Lupie, Shawna and Jan." "How'd that go?" "Everyone was in favor of accepting her." Dave watched her carefully. This was, after all, a face he'd known for 21 years. "What are you holding back?" "Nothing with regards to her." Dave saw the truth of it as she spoke. He took a deep breath. Whatever she held back worried him, but he knew very well when she was lying, and this wasn't it. Once more, he fixed his gaze on Tasha. "And you're absolutely sure about this?" She nodded in response, a small, hopeful smile on her face. Her eyes grew watery. "David, you were the only one there when I desperately needed someone." She choked up. "They were going to melt me with their cum. You stopped that. No one else. I only have a life to live because you gave it to me." Noticing the concern on his face, she collected herself quickly and plunged on. "You were there for your own reasons, but you were there . You could have let them go on with their plans and waited until they were satisfied, or waited until you had more time to prepare, but you acted when I needed you and no one else would. Please David, after all that's happened, I don't think I can feel safe anywhere but with you." Another deep breath. Dave stared at her. The twitches of her facial muscles surely told a tale to someone more discerning. What settled it for Dave was the look in her eyes. Utter desperation made him concerned and protective. Utter trust sapped his will to protest. He reached out a hand to comfort her. "Okay, then. Welcome to the family." He looked around. "So, what next? Do we call for the nurse?" "I'll take care of it," Carmen said as she slipped out the door. She returned a few minutes later with the nurse. Dave finally noticed her nameplate 'Kittiwake'. "Both parties have agreed to this reassignment?" Dave and Tasha both nodded. "You both need to understand that as a consequence of reassignment, your 'latency period' will be reduced by a day, possibly two. That may not be much of an issue, given that older women generally have a longer cycle time to start with." "I was told at the start that I could possibly go two weeks without having an uncontrollable need. My prior partner never put that to the test." "Right, so now instead of twelve to fourteen days, you're looking at ten or twelve days between encounters as your maximum. That would put you on par with a woman in her thirties." Tasha looked at Dave. "Are you ok with that?" "Yes. I've been keeping up pretty well so far. If they keep sending women my way though, I may need to set up a spreadsheet or something." Dave shook his head. "But, you'd be my tenth partner, so surely that's maxed out." The nurse looked at him, sadly. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. You can expect a slowdown as more men are brought into the system and need to reach the minimum number of partners, but you could likely be assigned more partners as the weeks roll by." A young woman wearing lab whites that appeared to have been crisp sometime in the past few days entered. She held a small rectangular box. On a look from the nurse, she flicked open the lid, revealing a syringe with a distinct purple liquid in it. It was the same purple Dave noted when Parker was reassigning women in the community building. Then she closed the lid again. "Alright," ordered Nurse Kittiwake, "Ms. Larmonov, I'll need you to hop into the chair. We will restrain you once you are in position. This is necessary because of the effects of the reassignment serum." "I understand. I was informed of that requirement previously." Tasha spoke as she strode purposely to the chair. She climbed in quickly. The nurse and the lab tech strapped her in. Tasha waved Dave over to her. He approached and stood near her head, taking her hand. She puckered her lips and Dave obliged. They held a slow comfortable kiss until the nurse cleared her throat. "Mr. Belsus, the straps are for her safety as much as anyone else's. Once injected, she may enter a; feral state. The exact reaction varies. She will need to be imprinted immediately. Nothing fancy. She won't be able to appreciate any special care you might prefer to take, but she will be; energetically aroused. Get yourself to climax, inside of her, as quickly as possible. She'll fall into the normal imprinting sleep. Once she wakes, the two of you can carry on as you choose." "We'll need to take her home while she's unconscious?" Dave asked. "That's covered," Carmen interjected. "You'll have the hands and vehicles necessary." Dave nodded his thanks. He bent down once more, kissing Tasha firmly. Then he stepped back. Tasha locked eyes with the nurse and nodded. Nurse Kittiwake opened the box that the tech had brought in, removed the syringe, and positioned it at Tasha's arm. One last look for confirmation and the nurse inserted the needle and pushed the plunger. Tasha surged against the restraints. Her breathing accelerated and her skin flushed. "Oh, David, do it, now David, do it now, now, now, now." Slightly shocked, but intellectually registering his role in this ritual, Dave walked away from Tasha's head and around to between her legs. He had been studiously avoiding looking at her exposed sex with the paper gown shoved up to her hips and her legs strapped into the chair attachments. Now he had trouble seeing anything but her bucking hips and her engorged and glistening nether lips. A body pressed up behind him and a hand snaked around to rub his crotch. Olivia's voice purred in his ear. "She's all yours, Dave. She's chosen to spend her life with you." A second hand reached around to unbuckle his belt. "This classy, beautiful lady wants to join your band of sass mouths and get addicted to your cock. Look at her writhing in lust. You know you want her. You know she wants you." The young woman's hands freed his hardened cock and lowered his pants to mid-thigh. Dave took three shuffling steps forward and laid his cock head against Tasha's wet entrance. "Please, David. Oh God, please make me yours. I'll fold towels and clean bathrooms, just please keep me, bind me to you. Fuck Me David, Please!" Dave grasped her hips and drove himself full-length into her soaked passage in one rapid thrust. He must already be leaking pre-cum because Tasha went into a different, and very familiar convulsion before settling into an agitated peace. She looked Dave in the eye, grinning broadly. The hunger in her eyes abated, slightly. "I'm yours now David. No other man may have me. Finish me off. Knock me out with your semen and let me wake up a new woman." Liv came up behind him again, stroking her fingers of one hand in the shaved area above his shaft and the other hand under Dave's shirt tracing erotic gestures across his chest. Dave pounded away, feeling like a god and a turd for not doing anything for Tasha's enjoyment. His mind knew better, but his instincts chided him anyway. The writhing woman in front of him, and the ministrations of his partner behind him slammed the door on the naysaying part of his brain. Reveling in the feel and view he experienced from a gorgeous lingerie model socialite bucking on his cock and begging to be his forever sent him over the edge and firing rope after rope of cum deep inside her. It had been nearly a full day since he'd ejaculated. Under pre-serum circumstances, that would have been fine. With multiple women bound to him, almost twenty-four hours without release meant a notable backup of waiting man cream bursting out once finally released. Tasha's body arched to the extent possible within her restraints as she howled a cry of primal satisfaction. Then she collapsed in the chair, utterly spent. "Imprinting, imprinting, imprinting,;” Dave retracted about an inch of himself before realizing the torrent that would pour from Tasha's vagina if he continued. Just then, a hand appeared with a small towel. He took it and held it in place to staunch the flow and squeegee himself as he pulled out completely. He held the towel in place against her to catch any additional leakage. A second hand came around from his other side with an additional towel and finished wiping him clean. That's when he realized the hand that delivered the first towel was not Olivia's. Dave's head whipped sharply over his left shoulder. Carmen just looked at him bemusedly and shrugged. "Uh, I thought you went outside for this. I mean, I've gotten accustomed to one or more of my other partners in the room sometimes, but uh, you're not bound to me, so that's a bit different." Verratti turned her back. "Is this better?" she asked with an impish tone. Dave let out a soft grunt, then maneuvered to put himself away and secure his pants. "For now. I don't mean to be rude, detective, but sex is a private thing for me. Not shameful, just very personal." "I can appreciate that. I'll keep that in mind for the next one." "Next one?" Dave barely managed to keep his voice down as the nurse instructed. "Uh, yeah, so, the first lady imprinted by the redneck crew woke up and talked to Natasha," Olivia explained. "Apparently, they had a friendship while they were partnered with the rich guy. After talking with Natasha, she spoke with me. She said she was inclined to ask for you as well, but she wanted to think about it for a bit." "Well, we should check in with her before we leave then." Dave's tone indicated he'd be just as happy if the next lady changed her mind. "Oh, I got a text from the nurse while you were busy." Carmen said. "Peggy's ready." "Peggy?" "Yes, Peggy Spears. The name might be familiar." "No, not really." "Golf." "Huh? I don't really follow;” An image flashed in Dave's mind of a young lady with respectable golf skills and frequently in the news for her attire and figure. "Oh, shit. That Peggy Spears?!" With a wolfish grin, Olivia said, "The Dave Belsus Big Titty club gets a new member." Dave shook his head and looked at the unconscious Tasha, who had just ended her Litany of Bonding. "You see what you're stuck with now?" "I saw what she got stuck with. Rather nice in my estimation." Carmen's comment turned Dave a dark shade of red. Olivia laughed and gave the detective a high five. Dave tried to scowl at her, but she smiled sweetly, holding her hands behind her back. "Let's just go to her room and check in with her," Dave suggested. "I'll get the nurse," Carmen volunteered. While she was out, Dave convinced Olivia to help him give Tasha some modesty. The two found the pins locking the leg attachments in their current spread position. With a bit of careful teamwork, the two got her legs together. They pulled the gown as far as it would go, then found a thin hospital blanket to cover her. Kittiwake and Verratti entered as they finished. "Ms. Larmonov will be safe and comfortable in that chair for now. The detective mentioned that you wish to speak with the other woman who is considering bonding with you?" "Yes ma'am." "Got a thing for blondes, huh?" Dave leaned back for a moment, perturbed. "Not particularly. They asked for me, remember? Actually, I kinda have a thing for redheads. Not that Oracle sent any my way. I have one redhead in my family and she asked me to ask for her." The nurse smirked at him. "Well, regardless, you need to suit up again." Dave moved to the crumpled suit on the floor. Olivia and Carmen posted up beside him for support and assistance. Their help greatly sped up the process. "Thank you both," he said. He sent a curious, but grateful look towards the detective. She replied with a small, enigmatic grin. Once the headpiece was in place, Dave turned to the nurse and nodded. "Same rules apply, sir." She waited for Dave to nod in acknowledgment before she turning and heading out the door. The trio followed her a few doors down the corridor before entering an identical room. Except for the woman waiting for him. Dave removed the headpiece to make it easier to talk; and look. This woman was more pensive in her facial expression. Her broad, rectangular face and generous lips bore a distinctly more Waspish loveliness, in contrast to Tasha's Slavic noble looks. Where Tasha's tits hinted at their size within the awkward hospital gown, the early thirties woman facing Dave now stretched the gown to its limits. Honestly, a bit past the gown's limits, judging by the way the gown was creeping up her shapely hips. Dave did his best to focus on her eyes. "Hi," the woman said, "my name is Peggy Spears. My friend Natasha suggested I should consider you as a new partner. I have to say, after hearing from her and from your partner, Olivia, and reading the letters of your other partners, I really like the idea." "Ah," was all Dave could say. At first anyway. His brain began warring with itself. Time to sound intelligent, or at least competent now. "Yes, the nurse mentioned your interest. I, uh; this whole situation is even weirder than the weirdness of the vaccine." Dave started stripping off the suit, with help from Olivia. She smiled. "I agree. I just woke up from my imprinting sleep; my second imprinting sleep; a few hours ago." Her face darkened, but the supportive sounds of the three women in the room helped drive back the painful memory, for now. "Natasha recommended I speak with Olivia. We had a good conversation. Honestly, seeing your face, your; demeanor. It confirms so much that others have said about you. If you're willing, I would like to partner with you." A deep breath allowed Dave to temporize before responding. "I'm flattered you would consider me, much less choose me. This vaccine makes relationships rather permanent, the way things were decades ago. That you would want that with me is staggering if even one woman were to make that choice. Knowingly becoming the eleventh woman tied to me is beyond description, even if your friend was the tenth." Peggy's warm smile helped steady Dave's nerves. "After everything that has happened, staying close to a friend is certainly a factor in my decision. I loved the picture of you and the others formed in the letters of your partners. The way you approached me when you came in, the way you've treated me;” her voice broke. "I want to feel safe. I feel safe with you." Dave straightened his back, building a small distance between them, while a troubled look spread across his face. "I understand your desire to be safe. You certainly deserve someone that will treat you like a person, not a possession, the way those rednecks did. My question is, am I truly the one you want for that? I have no illusions about being the 'last good man', or anything like that. So, I ask you, are you sure you want me ?" "You know, you're making me more certain you're the right choice by asking these questions?" She smiled at him, adding a small chuckle when he hung his head. "And no, I'm not a hundred percent certain. Neither is Oracle. It only gave us something in the mid-seventies. According to the worker there, some married couples register that low, or even lower. I think there's good hope for us. Besides, When Drew asked for me, Oracle said I had a ninety-eight point five percent match with him. So, I went to his home with a lot of hope. I was a trophy. Something to be shown off, and fucked. As far as I'm concerned, the Oracle percent means nothing. I have no faith in Oracle." She waited, her eyes locked on Dave's. "More so, I want this. And I think I can make you happy. Not just in bed." She added quickly when his eyes narrowed in concern. "Some of the things you mentioned as entertainment interests are things I've thought could be fun, I just never tried. And you mentioned you never played golf, and you thought that might be a mistake. Well, I can teach you to play golf." Dave gave a light snort in response. He let his mind sift through everything he'd heard. It wasn't a lot to make a life-altering decision for his entire family, and for this woman. This very pleasant woman, who was looking at him. She didn't have Tasha's desperation, or at least not to the same degree. Then he looked towards Liv. Her eyes held excitement, and no reservation. He'd rather have the more mature council of Shawna, Lupie, or Jan, but that wasn't available. Olivia may be a kid in several ways, but she isn't a dumb kid. And she'd grown up knowing him. In many ways, she may understand him better than the older women. "Ms. Spears, um, Peggy, I just want you to understand, I'm not doing this just to.. um, I mean; you're more than just a pair of; uh;” Peggy laughed, a wide, radiant smile on her face. "God, you're adorable. Yes, I do understand. You've already made that quite clear." Then she leaned closer, her face troubled. "There are; things I used to enjoy; with my boyfriend - when I had one - you know, before all of this, that I; I want to do again; but; I need some time; after; after everything that's happened." She took a shuddering breath. Dave's voice caught in his throat briefly. "I won't push you for anything you don't want to do, Peggy. That's never been my way." She smiled broadly, though tears rimmed the bottom of her eyes. She blew out a cleansing breath. "Thank you. I'd hoped you would say that. It was something I thought I was reading between the lines in your profile, and the words of your partners. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't reading too much into it, filling it in with my hopes, you know?" She wiped away her tears that were forming. "I know you'll have bad days, David. I'm not under any illusions of you being a perfect man. But your good days, and your average days, will be better than the average and few good days with Andrew. I'll accept the bad days, so long as a get some good days with you." Dave grinned wryly. "Don't start singing Billy Joel on me." "Billy Joel? Oh! that 80's singer, right? My dad loved him!" When Peggy saw Dave's flinch, she recognized her faux pas. "Um, I mean,; oh shoot. I didn't mean it like that. But I recognize that song. It's actually kinda nice." She paused again, for a moment. "I'm going into this with my eyes wide open Dave. I don't need you to be the best man in the world. I just need you to be good." Dave merely nodded, not trusting himself to speak, not knowing the right words. Both remained silent, staring at each other. In the stillness, they made their pact. They nodded in unison. "That's my cue," Carmen said as she grasped the door handle. She slipped out quickly, heading for the nurse's station. While she was out, Dave and Liv began helping Peggy into the chair. The hospital gown covered most of her body. The lower portion kept her sex in shadow. The trio left her covered, but the hem could be slipped upward easily when needed. Carmen returned with the nurse, who carried a small rectangular box. "Ms. Spears, have you made your decision?" Kittiwake inquired. Peggy nodded. "Yes ma'am, I have asked David to accept me as a partner." "And I have accepted her request, Nurse Kittiwake," Dave replied without waiting. "Very well then, both parties being amenable, let's complete the process." As with Tasha before, Dave stood near Peggy's head and held her hand as the nurse prepped the injection site and the syringe. Within moments of Kittiwake pushing the plunger, Peggy's eyes rolled to the back of her head. She refocused on Dave in short order, though her pelvis began moving, as if seeking out a joining. Her breathing picked up. "Oh, David. Wow, this is intense." She panted several breaths. "David, I need you. Please. Now." Dave leaned down and kissed Peggy on the lips. Once he broke contact, he moved around to a position between her knees. Her heavy breathing, and the way her tits jostled within her gown had Dave hardening rapidly. His hands on his belt buckle, he looked at Peggy's face. She nodded, urgently, emphatically, her eyes pleading. He quickly went about opening his belt and pants, and getting himself disrobed from his waist to mid-thigh. Peggy's hips were rolling and her legs strained against her restraints as if she was trying to clutch Dave and draw him in. He stepped forward. As his cockhead touched her labia, Peggy stilled her hips. Dave pushed forward, spearing her throbbing, hot, wet sex until their pelvises met. "Oh, God, yes. Oh yes. Fuck me, David." Peggy moaned and groaned until her body seized up in one great arc; as much as possible with her restraints. After her lungs drew a deep breath again, she cried out, "Oh hell yeah. That's good. That's damn good. Now give me the real blast." Dave grasped Peggy's hand, avoiding the wrist restraint. She immediately clasped him back. Then he began thrusting into her, pounding in search of a quick climax. The whole time, their eyes remained locked together, her look egging him on as he worked to claim her. Dave felt the familiar urge rising and accelerated his thrusting. Peggy's hungry look of recognition pushed him over the top and he fired off spurt after spurt of cum into her waiting chamber. Peggy's body seized in a manner Dave had seen several times now. A manner that Peggy was now experiencing for a third time. That fact, and the reasons, sobered Dave from his post-nut haze instantly. Carmen cleaned up Peggy while Olivia wiped Dave clean and pulled up his pants. "You know," Dave said as he fastened his pants and buckled his belt, "this is way beyond what can be expected from a guard, detective." The nurse, trained in being unobtrusive at times, had once again slipped out shortly after giving the injection. "Just helping move things along," Carmen smiled sweetly. "I'm here. I might as well be helpful." Carmen and Olivia adjusted the leg positions of the chair to give Peggy a bit of modesty, now that the deed was done. "So, are we clear to leave now?" Dave asked. "Yes, the instructions I received from my superiors were to guide you through checking in with these two and imprinting them if necessary. Then, I was to get you two and your two new partners home. "Good, we need to get outta here. Liv looks like she's been awake for thirty-six hours. How are we going to transport Tasha and Peggy? The truck doesn't have much horizontal space, except the bed, and I'm not sticking them back there, especially in this weather." "Speak for yourself, old man. I'm doing just fine." In reply, Dave stuck out his tongue and wagged his head at Liv. She responded in kind. "Well," Dave said, "now that we've covered the intellectual part of the evening," both ladies chuckled at his assertion, "how about we come up with a way to move these two ladies?" Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 11 Cleanup: The Air Force arrives with a mop. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Dave's second quandary was his position, nearly on the middle of the pad, left him seriously exposed. Applying the aggressiveness taught by Carter, he knew Liv had him protected to the right, so he closed with the occupied building, moving to the far corner. A quick look showed him there were again two doors, like the other building. And two men emerging from the far door. Turning their backs to him as they followed a third man who was just rounding the opposite corner. That put him out of Dave's sight, but into Liv's. As the men receded, Dave fired into their backs. Neither was at a sprint, so they fell forward without the dramatic tumbling of the earlier target. A simultaneous rifle crack announced the death of the lead in that trio. He paused. Dave couldn't hear any sounds coming from the building. He remained wary, uneasy. How many more will it take? He waited. An eternity later, the door on one of the smaller buildings slowly opened. Two hands held high and outward came into view, followed by the woman they were attached to. She moved slowly. She was too far away for Dave to read her facial expression but she was giving all the big outward signs of surrender. Two more women exited another of the smaller buildings. One was an average build, the other rotund. The latter's feet seemed reluctant to move. Great. Don't know if there's anyone left in the big building, and now I have unknowns coming in from the houses. Other women began issuing from what must be the dwellings. Eight in all. As they neared, most had curious, guarded expressions on their faces. The big one had a look like she rarely smiled, ever. "Alright, that's close enough! Just stop where you are. Pick a leader and send her forward." There was a brief discussion which resulted in a medium height brunette walking towards him. The third woman out glared daggers into the back of the brunette's skull. The angry one argued hard with all of them, but none seemed interested in anything she had to say. Dave waited until the brunette reached easy speaking distance. "Stop right there. What's your name?" "Sandy." "How many of you are there?" "I don't rightly know." She looked thoughtful. "All the men were in the community building. Us women and our kids were in our homes. Jeb, the man that bound me to him, came in awhile ago with a new woman. She was out, like from the shot he gave me before." That confirms they're using the QT serum . "If he bound you to him with that shot, why are you awake?" "Oh, that was a few weeks back for me. I knew him a little bit before lockdowns started. Then he just shows up and says he has this safe place to stay and we can both be safe from the virus runnin' round, but I have to take this shot and sleep with him. He's been an okay guy, and I ain't had no boyfriend in several months anyway. 'Sides, he didn't tell me that I couldn't be with anybody else after that. Which sucks, but mostly he's been okay. Only been an asshole a few times, but that's pretty fair for most guys I've met. No offense." Dave smirked. "Sandy, how many men are there in your community?" She stopped, looking off to the side, thinking. "Well, there was the ten that left saying' they's gonna raid a rich man's house for somethin', never told us what. Now we know why. They were out collectin' poon like we's just a bunch a deer and no tag limit." Sandy paused. "Is that why you're here? You come to scoop us up and make us your whores?" "No, ma'am." We killed more than ten, so that can't be all . "If you ladies were bound to these men, we'll need to take you to the people that hand out the vaccine to see what they can do for you. But ma'am, please, how many men total are there?" The far door of the community building opened slowly, and a woman stepped out. It was the one Dave had seen inject one of the women right before she got raped. "Get over with the others. Is anyone else inside?" The woman shook her head no and moved swiftly to join the pack. "Oh, right. Well, after the ten left, all six of the others took off saying' they could do just as good somewhere else. But only three of them came back, including Jeb. As soon as they's back they took the nurse, that's the woman that just came out, well they took her and the two women bound to two of the guys that didn't come back and a bit later those women are out cold again. I thought the whole shot thing was permanent, but maybe not if the guy's dead? I hope so, 'cuz we're about to be in a bad way aren't we?" Thirteen. Thirteen men here. Dave counted off in his head. He thought they'd taken out thirteen, but he wasn't going to make assumptions. Especially when one part of his brain was parodying an old farcical movie about how many bullets had been fired from a gun. An 80's flick set in the 50's. "Alright Sandy, is there anyone else left in the houses?" "Just the kids, and some unconscious women. The men said they'd gotten them; reassigned?" She looked frustrated. "Guess I still wasn't good enough to keep that asshole by m'self." Dave deliberately gave Sandy an appraising look. "I think that has more to do with his greed than your looks or personality." "Well ain't you sweet?" Sandy licked her lips and looked Dave up and down. "Easy, I meant every word I said, but I already have several partners. Those six that left attacked my house." Sandy's face dropped. "I don't know if I should hate your guts for killing Jeb, or thank you, for the same thing." After a pause she spoke again. "You should be careful of Debbie. Her husband brought her here for some kinda rebel nation shit. She's already pissed he came back with some hot blonde from a rich man's house. But not so mad at him she's just gonna let you killin' him slide." "Is she the rather large woman that looks like she sucked on an entire lemon tree?" "That's the one." "How 'bout we settle on neutrality for now? Look, let's get all of you back in your homes and warm. I'll need to call the authorities to make sure you all get taken care of before that serum starts doing ugly things." Sandy walked back to the assembled throng. Another debate broke out. Debbie leading a third of the group in angry objections. Then she turned to face Dave. "Where's our men? What gives you the right to come bargin' in here?" She headed for the far end of the building. Several others followed, more than just the ones that had agreed with her. Dave knew things would turn ugly as soon as these women saw the dead bodies. His fastest route into the open yard space was behind him. He sprinted the way he'd come, entering the yard through the gap just as the women began kneeling near selected bodies. By the women's placement, some of the men must have sprinted from the building's edge. Instead of a clump near the corner, there was a line of a few reaching towards the tree line. Dave felt a cold turn inside. Rationally, he could see the line ended well before the trees, suggesting Liv had taken all of them down before they got close. But could one have gotten through? That thought was interrupted by Debbie leaving the line of dead, beginning to search the yard and moving as quickly as her thick legs would carry her. Dave moved to get clear of the gap and the bodies just beyond it. Several of the other women left the line of dead as well. They slowly swarmed about the open space while Debbie made a beeline for the gap. Then she noticed a body in the grass. Fury returned to her face after a brief look of relief. Then she paused. Her chest was already heaving from exertion. When she faced Dave, the anguish was obvious. "You fucking coward! You shot 'em in the back! You shot my husband!" She began a slow charge at him. Dave sorted through his options. The only sure way he had of stopping this woman was his weapon, but he had no desire to shoot an unarmed woman grieving her husband. He could outrun her easily, but he needed to stay in the area. For a moment, Dave's brain played an image of him making short sprints and the woman chasing after him like some schoolyard game. Not helping dammit . Dave took a few steps backwards, bringing him near the back wall of the community building. He noticed the dryer vent again, which meant the pile of pipes wasn't far. He'd have to be careful if he backpedaled any more. Falling on his ass would not engender obedience or respect. Debbie's tirade ended in a screech as she reached into her pocket. Her hand came back out with a small revolver. Shit. Shit. Shit. Dave brought his weapon up faster than her and pulled his trigger. Click . No round fired. The weapon jammed. Shit . Dave dove sideways and backwards just as Debbie fired. He felt a smack on his shoulder as he fell. His hand landed on the pipe pile. He grabbed and rolled away from the wall as another shot spanged off the brick. As he rolled, he swung one arm, releasing one of the two rods he'd snagged. He threw one leg out and came up from his roll, facing Debbie as she recovered from the rod that hit her. Her motion and his brought them in close proximity. On instinct, Dave snapped out with the remaining rod, striking Debbie's wrist. She shrieked in pain as she dropped the pistol. Dave followed up with two strikes to her knee before stepping back into a ready stance. Debbie cried out, but still managed one step forward before the side of her head exploded. Dave turned from Debbie's corpse to scan the area. All of the other women were on the ground. Clearly, they'd done the math in their head and figured out he had a partner in the trees. "Don't make us shoot anyone else. We only came here because we were attacked. The people that attacked us and another house are now all dead. We've done what we came for. We are not leaving you hanging. We know you've been given Quaranteam doses so your lives are bound to these men. There is a way to free you from that bond." Dave decided a bit of vague spitballing could be useful here and played it fast and loose based on what he'd learned in the past 24 hours. "Well, not exactly free you, but transfer that bond to someone else. This time, you will have a choice in that bonding. But, I will not countenance any threat to myself or my partner. And as you can see, she is very protective of me as well. You can also see she is a damn good shot. I want all of you to gather over here, in the lee of this building, while I get someone here to help." The women got up, moving slowly so as not to provoke Dave or his hidden partner. Once they were all clumped together, he pulled out his cell phone. Time to call Detective Verratti. Chapter 13; Cleanup. October 29, 2020 8:20am "Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean you and Olivia are at the compound? Didn't you say you and your special forces friend; Carter? That the two of you were heading to the compound?" On another call, Dave would have switched ears by now. The burning in his left shoulder threatened to make that shift a very painful decision. "No, detective, I simply said we." "Dammit, professor, why the hell wouldn't you take the trained spec-ops guy on something; oh, fuck." "Exactly. Carter and his wife have been dead for two months now. Carter was the security expert in our prepper community. He ran us through many drills on how to protect ourselves and those around us. Olivia is an excellent long-range shot. She proved it again today. Took out half the compound with her sniping. Shot one that was coming at me with a.38, when my gun jammed." "Okay, okay. Damn. Look, I contacted the Air Force when you sent me the text saying you were there. As soon as the liaison red off the coordinates, whoever was on the other end of the phone got pissed. If I overheard correctly, they gathered a small force and headed that way by chopper. I think they lifted off about twenty minutes ago. Expect them in less than an hour. If they arrive in the same mood their boss was in, keep your head down. I know I'm already in deep shit. After getting shouted at over the phone, the Air Force liaison went into my boss' office and shouted for ten minutes straight. Professor; I'm sorry I got you into this." Dave signed off that call, then texted Liv. -Sling your rifle, come into the glade with pistol drawn. He stuffed his phone back in his pocket and waited. Half his energy was devoted to ignoring the pain in his arm. The adrenaline and other wonderful bio-chemicals the body produces during high stress situations all drained out in the past ten minutes so nothing got in the way of his arm screaming at his head for doing damn fool things. On the plus side, the bleeding had stopped. Mostly. As long as he didn't move it. The blood that had come out was enough to stain most of his sleeve, but not significantly impair his thinking from blood loss. Liv emerged from the tree line with all the charisma of a warrior queen. As Dave requested, her rifle was slung cross body, and her 10mm pistol was in her hands, held low, as her eyes scanned her surroundings. She took a bit of extra 'dwell time' when her eyes passed over the assembled women. Liv strode purposefully across the ground, halting at a position within easy talking range, yet too far to make them both a single target. Dave looked her over, examining her face and posture. Concern for the psychological impact of this on Olivia was uppermost in his mind. Great time to be worried about that, huh? After all the fighting is done. Genius . He snapped himself back to reality. There would be time later for self-recrimination. Liv's visual scanning kept lingering on Dave's left shoulder. "We need to treat that. It'll be tricky to do while maintaining security." "There's an Air Force team on their way. Detective Verratti said they may be unhappy, but I'm sure they'll have a medic. Or at least a first aid bag." "How long?" "Less than an hour. Sounds like forty minutes, most likely." "That arm shouldn't wait that long. You need stitches." "Got any in your back pocket, Liv?" Dave hadn't meant to get testy, but the pain was eroding his 'nice function' and the conversation felt like it was spiraling already. The flat look from Olivia carried a tinge of hurt, and forgiveness, and her own self-restraint. "Sorry, Olivia." She nodded in response, her eyes once again on their charges. One of them stood and moved slowly towards Dave. Livy squared her shoulders to the woman, but made no other change in her focus. When the woman was halfway to him, Dave recognized her as the lady that came out of the building as he spoke with Sandy. The one Sandy identified as a nurse. "Sir, would you let me look at your wound? I'm a nurse." Liv looked at him cautiously, then gave him one slow blink. Dave restrained himself from chuckling. From her, the slow blink meant anything from 'sure' to 'don't make me say I told you so'. Dave nodded at the woman. She approached slowly, then cautiously brought one hand up to examine his wound. She pulled back on the shirt to ascertain the extent of the injury. "I can treat it temporarily for now. You need stitches; which we don't have. And a painkiller. All they have here for that is alcohol, marijuana and meth. None of which I would recommend." Dave chuckled. With her finger so close, his shaking caused her to jab the side of the open gash. Dave flinched and gritted his teeth. "Oh, I'm so sorry." The nurse jumped back, pulling her hand back to her chest. Her other hand clasped the offending one closely, like she was putting it in time out. "It's okay, ma'am. I'm the one that moved suddenly." "Parker. My name is Parker." "Dave." "Well, Dave, you've got a decent flesh wound that will make a good reminder scar once it heals. You need to get stitches as soon as possible. Like today. Wait too long and it won't do any good. In the meantime, I can bandage it up. I'll need to go inside to get some clean cloth, though." Her eyes held the obvious question of whether he would let her. "How did you wind up here?" "I was on a transport from the vaccine center on my way to my Oracle designated partner when the bus got hijacked. Fifteen of us were diverted from someone we'd chosen to these guys that made their choices just by looking at us. They went in order, so whoever had priority got first pick, and so on." That matched what Verratti told Dave. More importantly, she didn't hesitate and there was no sign of falsehood in her eyes or face. Carter taught him to be careful who you trust, but you have to trust someone. There was a haunted look in her eyes, but no deception. "Liv, can you escort this nurse inside so she can get something to bandage me with?" The young brunette that had known him longer than anyone left alive gave him a funny look. "Or maybe you escort her, so you can sit down and put your arm on a table while she does her work. Should be easier for both of you that way." The nurse's face immediately took on a restrained, but amused look. "Don't say it, let's go," said Dave with a sigh. He followed her back around to the front of the building. She entered through the first door. It opened into the kitchen area. In short order, she scooped up the first aid kit and led Dave into the dining space. The room still smelled of the recent nonconsensual ruttings. Parker visibly flinched when the smell hit her. She came to a dead stop when she saw the body lying against the wall. The look on her face suggested her desire to not be here, and not be reminded of the events of this morning and her part in them, was warring with her professional instincts. Dave watched as she composed herself and ushered him to take a seat with just a hand gesture. Dave sat so Parker's back would be towards the body. As she tended his wound, he searched for visual clues. The man was older, at least fifty, likely over sixty, judging by the condition of his skin. Prominent wrinkles and liver spots, and a leathery look of someone that spent much of his life with a heavy tan. A distinctly aquiline nose and patrician features shouted 'man of money' even more so than his silk pajamas. Necessarily, Parker - more specifically her face - lay in Dave's line of sight as he looked about. Underneath the mien of professional concentration lay clear signs that removing the visual cue of the dead body was barely tamping down her anxiety. When she reached into the kit to find the scissors; so she could trim the excess off the bandage; her fingers first brought out the razor. The way she stared at it was unsettling. She paused to wipe away newly forming tears before finishing with Dave's gauze. As she neatly placed each piece of unused equipment in the kit, he gently took her chin in his right hand, turning her head to look directly at him. "Parker, you've had to make some tough choices here. You did the best you could with what you had. You're an ER nurse, right?" He recalled that tidbit from the detective's discussion. Parker nodded in affirmation. "Okay, so your training and experience is to do everything you can to get your patient that next heartbeat, to take the next breath, and another, and another. Just keep them going, and let someone else do the fancy work once you're sure the patient is alive right?" Her face contorted further as she nodded. "But I didn't. I didn't keep her alive. They took her outside ;” Parker's voice trailed off as she wept, her chest heaving. "An older blonde woman, probably in her mid-forties right?" She nodded, still weeping, not looking at him. "Her name is Natasha, and she's alive." Parker's head snapped up. Her eyes were wide in astonishment and hope. "But; how?" "I killed those men with a silenced pistol. She's hiding in my truck. Actually, I need to check on her. My partner had some spare clothes in there. Hopefully she found them." "Can I see her? Please? I just ;” The wild, desperate look in her eyes was impossible to deny. Dave gave his arm a few careful motions, testing out the pain level for various directions and ranges. It gave him an excuse to delay answering and drew her attention back to occupational concerns. "Yeah, we can do that. First, I need to touch base with my partner though." Gesturing he said, "Let's go." Parker quickly rose, snatching up the first aid kit. She deposited it back in its secure place in the kitchen before exiting, with Dave right behind her. She glanced over her shoulder several times to check that Dave was still with her as she walked around the building and straight towards Olivia. Over the last few steps, she veered off, giving Dave and Liv enough space to talk privately while she remained close by. Dave filled Livy in on what was happening. "Maybe you should escort her though, in case Natasha has not found your clothes. Besides, it would give you a chance to move about instead of standing here, getting cold." "Are you sure she saw me well enough to be comfortable when I approach? You, she got a good look at. And vice versa." Liv added a wink. Dave looked at her, his face flat and unimpressed. "Oh come on, David, you have nine women at home, came out here to dispense some justice on the assholes that attacked us, and picked up a groupie." "For crying out loud, Liv. She's not; Okay, fine, I'll escort the nurse. That woman's been through enough trauma without being exposed to your humor." Liv gave him an enigmatic smile as he walked away with Parker. Dave pointed to the gap in the trees he'd used for entry and exit previously. Once inside, the nurse stopped him. "David, I; I'm not sure if anything can be done for her." "What do you mean? "I mean, I; um, I'm not sure how much I can say. She needs something that I'm not sure is possible anymore." "You mean you couldn't extract any more semen from the dead guy's balls?" "How the hell did you know that?! That's confidential information! No one's supposed to know!" "Parker, these guys attacked my house. We killed three of them. The bodies were on my back deck and driveway with their balls cut off. Later, we get here and I see you jab the old guy in the balls with a syringe and the shot changes color. You're reassigning these women from the dead guy to the attackers using the dead man's cum, right?" She hung her head. "It was the only way to keep them alive." "And as long as they're alive, there's hope. There's a chance to fight another day, right?" She raised her head again, eyes watery, looking as if she really wanted to believe in the thin reed he offered her. "But, what about her? She's bound to that guy, and I couldn't get any more cum out. Depending on when she last slept with him, she's got a week or two before this stuff eats her up from the inside. It'll be like what they wanted to do to her, but in slow motion." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "Parker, I want you to consider something, and this is not a knock on you, but the conditions. You are an ER nurse, working under field conditions. If we take his body back to a hospital, or the vaccine center, do you think maybe a lab tech with precision equipment and ideal conditions could manage to eke out enough semen to let her switch partners?" She smiled again, taking a shaky breath. The suggestion relaxed her enough to acquiesce when he motioned her down the trail. "I don't know. I don't know, but it's worth a try. We have to move fast though. There's a time limit on how long we have to get it done." "Then we'll make sure when the Air Force gets here with their chopper, Natasha and the dead body are on the first bird out." Parker said no more as they walked. Dave only spoke to guide her on the path. When they got into visual range of the truck, Parker's steps took on an extra urgency, like she wanted to run, but held herself back. Dave signaled for her to fall in trail behind him and wait when they neared the truck. "Natasha? Natasha, it's David. I'm here with the nurse. The compound is secure now. The Air Force is on its way. We came to check on you. Did you find the clothes in the truck?" A blonde head slowly peeked over the dashboard, only one eye visible. That one eye held enough wariness for a dozen faces. The head scanned about carefully, never spending much time away from Dave and Parker. "All of the attackers are dead, Natasha. They can't hurt you." Her head cleared the dashboard and moved towards the passenger door, the same side Dave and Parker stood several feet away from. The door opened at a glacial pace. Then two legs clad in grey sweatpants stepped down. Natasha stepped clear of the door, wearing a thin white shirt, grey sweatpants that threatened to fall off, and a look of nervous hope and apprehension. Dave tried to ignore what the cold was doing to her nipples. Rigidly holding his eye contact on her face, he said, "Parker here is an ER nurse. How about letting her examine you? And then join the rest of the women. The ladies abducted with you are all; asleep, but there are women that were captured previously, like Parker here." Natasha glanced quickly at Parker. "They captured you too?" "Nearly two months ago. Our transport was hijacked after we'd already had our injections. We were on our way to our Oracle match partners when the attack happened." Natasha's wariness fell in the face of shared trauma; and the knowledge of traumas she'd been spared. She closed the distance and hugged Parker. The nurse initially stood shocked, unresponsive, her arms limp at her sides. Slowly, her hands rose, clasping onto Natasha's shoulder blades before she began shaking with sobs of relief. Reluctantly, Dave stepped in. When he spoke, he used the softest tone he was capable of. "Ladies, we need to get back. I'd rather not walk back into the clearing after the Air Force folks arrive, armed. That tends to make them nervous." He pitched his words softly, but firmly. Parker nodded in acknowledgement. The two shared a look that communicated; something. Then Dave noticed the older blonde still had nothing on her feet. "No socks in the bag?" he asked. Natasha shook her head no. Dave sighed, walked in front of her, turned his back to her and crouched. "Come on." He lowered his weapon to dangle from its sling. "What?" "Get on my back, I'll carry you." "Uh, are you sure about this? With your arm like it is?" Parker queried. "My back can carry the burden without straining my arm muscles." After a brief pause, he heard her moving hesitantly before her weight rested on his back. Her arms came around his neck. Then he hooked his hands under her knees and stood carefully. With Parker following behind, Dave navigated the path quickly. He maintained a slightly stooped posture that Carter had taught as the best way to carry a ruck. It worked quite well for carrying a person, too. The trio made good time through the woods and emerged from the tree line very deliberately, so as not to startle Liv, who was still on guard. The smile on the brunette's face when Dave emerged with Natasha on his back was unmistakable. Dave studiously ignored it. Once they were over soft grass, he lowered Natasha to the ground. He was uncomfortable sending these two to huddle with the rest of the women, but he wasn't sure what else to do. Until the moment he was ready to open his mouth. "Liv, take Parker and inspect the houses. Check on the women that got imprinted. Keep an eye out for kids or other adults. If it's just kids, reassure them the best you can. Keep them where they are if possible." Parker spoke up. "What if we bring; Natasha?; with us. I think my spare shoes would fit her. I can get her a jacket too." Dave looked at Liv, questioningly. She gave a short nod in response. Dave shrugged his agreement. After a long backwards look at Dave, Natasha followed the other two, leaving Dave on guard over the women huddled against the building. Most of them wore some manner of jacket and long pants. A few were in pajama pants and thick housecoats. All remained quiet, barely even talking amongst themselves. One brunette, a bit older, kept glancing at Dave. After several minutes, she rose and slowly approached him. As she got closer, Dave had a strange sense of recognition. Like he should know who she was, but couldn't place her. "Hi, um, I just wanted to say thank you. I've been stuck here for over a month. Several of us have, including the nurse that was with you earlier." Her dark eyes gleamed as she continued. "Listen, I know we'll need new partners soon. I think you should know that a few of the girls are already discussing the possibility of getting paired with you." Dave stiffened. His spine, not his cock. "Well, that's very flattering, but I didn't come here for that. Hell, I already have nine partners. My house is getting kinda full. I know the CDC guy that showed up a month and a half ago said I could wind up with twelve or more, but, uh, I could be just fine with stopping where I am. So, thank you, but no thank you. I mean, unless you specially match to me and don't have anyone else nearly as good a match." Her eyes widened. "Oh, no. No, I wasn't speaking personally. I mean, I appreciate what you've done, but not that far. The others just asked me to come over, sort of as a spokesperson. You know, use my fame in the hope that would help get your approval." It was the mild gravelly tone in her voice that finally did it. "Oh. Oh, shit. Aurora Hensley?" Dave shook his head. "Sorry, I knew I recognized you, but my brain just didn't place you until after you spoke for a bit. How the hell did a star like you wind up here?" Miss Henley tried to grin to cover up her grimace, but it didn't work. "Please, call me Rory. Lockdown stopped production on my show. You may have noticed we don't have a new season out." Dave nodded. "Yes, a few of my partners grumbled about it." "Ah, but not you, huh?" she said with a real grin this time. "Oh, I've watched some re-runs with them a few times. It's just that cop shows are only a fifty-fifty interest for me. Mostly, the ones I like get into the crime lab stuff, and yours didn't have that. No offense." Dave shrugged with the last statement. She examined him coyly. "Ah, so the fact that the two leads were women has nothing to do with it?" The words were accusatory, but something about her tone suggested she was playing with him. "Naw, not particularly. The story is well executed I think. It's just a type that only sometimes grabs my interest. I did appreciate that the show featured two female leads, without pounding the fact in the viewer's face. It stood on the writing and acting, and didn't beat some political drum." "Well, thank you. I think." She smirked at him. "Sorry for dodging, it's just; it hurts you know?" A shadow passed over her features, causing Dave to place a hand on her shoulder. He also forced himself to scan the group again, making sure no one was using his distraction to do something. He kicked himself for his obliviousness and made sure he kept his focus where it needed to be, without sacrificing the conversation. "Look, I know this is all still fresh, so if you don't want to talk about what these guys did to you here, you don't have to. I'm sure they'll have profess--" "Oh no, not that. I mean, I might, but honestly, you wiping them out is already a big help. That's why I came up to thank you." Then Rory grinned slyly again. "It's also why some of them want to thank you." "Well, with the vaccine, that's a rather permanent thing. They need to take some time to think it over first, and use the matching system, um, Oracle." "True, very true. You know, it's tempting to come at you like a rescued princess, just like the others. But in truth, I have a friend I was on my way to meet when our transport was hijacked. He's been a good friend for years, but we never dated or anything. He showed up as a reasonable match, so I was supposed to be with him. I'm going to call him as soon as I can to see if he's still interested." "More than likely, he'll be thrilled to hear you're alright." "Yes, probably. He's a good man. The girls like him." As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Rory grimaced like she'd been stabbed and the wielder was twisting the knife in her guts. Dave got a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I, uh, I have to go." She turned away briefly, then turned back. "No, wait." She took a few deep breaths before continuing. "The reason I came over in the first place." She paused for a hiccupping sob. "Um, look, I can never express how much I appreciate what you've done for me here. If you need anything. Anything at all. I know people. People in entertainment, and in politics. Just call me. I'd be glad to help." With tears in her eyes, she turned back towards the wall and walked swiftly, managing not to run. Rory's rushed return and obvious emotional turmoil was greeted by consternation among the small crowd of women. Two took the time to stare at him, worry clear on their faces. Quiet conversations started up and rapidly turned internal. The women clustered around Rory, wrapping her in hugs. When they finally parted, they began speaking again, in low tones, and long periods in which all were silent. It was quite some time before Liv, Parker, and Natasha came around the right side of the building. All appeared in good spirits. Natasha now sported a denim jacket over her white T-shirt and a pair of tennis shoes on her feet. As they approached, Dave noted that Natasha was no longer grabbing at the waist band of the sweatpants to keep them up, so some solution had been found. The jacket was of sufficient length to conceal whatever that had been. Likewise, it was likely she had socks to go with the shoes, but there was no visible gap between pants and shoes to confirm that deduction. The relaxed look on her face would have to do. Parker spoke first when they came within a reasonable speaking distance. "Sixteen women are in imprinting sleep in the houses. I checked their vitals, and nothing appears amiss. Except that they're all blondes." "I told the others while we were out, Drew, the man we were paired to, only had blondes in his; team." Natasha spoke slowly, not quite reluctantly. "It was a fetish of his. Though there was variety, of a sort. Cheerleader, businesswoman, that sort of thing. I was the 'older woman' blonde. One is a teenager, just barely survived to get injected. I; I knew him before this, or at least, I thought I knew him. We went to many of the same charity dinners and such. He was so cordial in public." Parker hugged Natasha around the shoulders, a supportive measure to remind her that problem was in her past. Then Olivia spoke. "A few houses had kids. They are awake and hungry. A little worried, but not frantic. I was thinking we could get a meal going in the main cafeteria instead of separate little meals in each house." "Sure," Dave replied. "That's a good plan. First, we'll need to get the body out of there." "Body?" Liv asked. "Drew, the man all those women are partnered to. These guys were re-imprinting the women to themselves in the cafeteria space." Dave kept his voice carefully neutral. "How the hell does that work?" "We're not supposed to know, but what I saw here and at our house, I made some good guesses that Parker confirmed. You and I are probably going to spend a lot of time explaining ourselves, so the less I share the better." Liv's nodding reply carried an undertone of expectation that, once all this blew over, Dave had better spill what he knows. A small traitorous part of Dave's heart took that as a possible indication that Liv wanted to know a way out of the bonding effects of the serum. Dave's brain was pretty convinced that was B S, though he would certainly ask if she wanted out later. The idea of keeping any woman bound to him against her will made him physically nauseous. Doing that to his Livy Bean was unacceptable in the extreme. "Tell you what," Dave continued, "You stay here for a few minutes. I'll haul the body out of the cafeteria and around to this side of the building. Then, Liv, supervise getting breakfast going in the cafeteria; and I mean supervise, you maintain control and security, someone else cooks. Parker, you can escort the kids from the houses to the cafeteria." Still facing the nurse, he asked, "Who would you recommend do the cooking?" "Sandy and Rory are pretty good. Together they should be able to handle breakfast for all the kids." "OK, sounds good. Wait 'til I get the body moved around to this area before you get moving." All three women nodded. Dave immediately stalked off, eager to get things in motion before the military arrived and brought everything to a halt while they took their time coming to the same conclusions Dave had already arrived at. The kids needed to be fed. He went around the right side of the building for once, since it provided the shortest route to his destination. As soon as he stepped inside, he was greeted by the older man's corpse lying flat on the floor, up against the wall, his silk pajama pants still pulled down to his knees. That was the first thing to fix. Doing his best to avoid touching the corpse (or another man's naked body), Dave took hold of the waistband near each knee and pulled them up and over the man's hips. That done, he stopped to consider the best way to get the body moved. Rigor. Rigor mortis had set in. None of the man' joints would move. And he'd been left on the floor, jammed into the corner between wall and floor for hours. There were two options Dave could see: grab and lift by the man's shoulders and drag him with his heels on the ground. A little awkward, but doable. The downside there was the chance his pajama pants cuffs could snag on something and come all the way off. Hell, even part way was undesirable. The second option was to get this guy onto Dave's shoulder like a two by four. A one hundred and fifty pound two by four. Sure, no problem. Mentally retracting all the curses he'd flung at Carter during upper body workouts, Dave went to work. First, he knelt beside the corpse. Then he lifted the torso so it lay on his shoulder. The next part was tricky. Silk didn't give a lot of traction to grab with. Neither did flesh. It took three tries that quickly returned to the floor-kneeling position when the body began to slip before Dave managed to successfully gain his feet on the fourth attempt, the body securely balanced on his left shoulder. And every single time he used his left arm for anything, a serenade of pain accompanied the act. He'd had experience getting through doorways with lumber or pipes on his shoulder, so while it was cumbersome, Dave managed the maneuver just fine. Though he had to use his left arm to operate the door. He couldn't avoid whimpering as he forced the injured limb to comply. Once outside, it was quite easy to make the brief trek around the building and dump the body in the grass a reasonable distance from the line of dead pointing towards the trees. He also picked up the staccato sounds of a chopper, low, and building quickly. Parker was halfway to the houses and Liv had disappeared into the cafeteria building with Rory and Sandy when their heads turned, picking up the sound. Figuring it was the safest course of action, Dave walked to the middle of the open space he'd fought in, away from others, his hands away from his body and his weapons slung on his back or holstered. He knew Olivia had the presence of mind to do the same. One Blackhawk landed to Dave's left, on the other side of the unused building. A second landed beyond the community building, presumably beyond the first house and to the left of the others. The third Blackhawk landed to Dave's right, well clear of the community building. The rotor blast was strong, but not overwhelming. The moisture in the air guaranteed no dust blown around, and the cold snap was too recent to kill off any grass, so at least there was no debris kicked up by the artificial cyclone. Troops began to disgorge from the chopper the moment the wheels touched grass, running straight out, hunched over, weapons in hand. Dave slowly turned to face them, his hands clearly away from his body. "You David Belsus?" The voice was pissed, loud, and behind him. Oops. Of course the team leader was on the first chopper that landed. Hadn't Carter harped something about leading from the front? "That's me." A short, strongly muscled man stepped around into Dave's field of view. "You blew my fucking op, dammit. Hunting these boys down was my job." "Considering the number of women enslaved to these fucking animals you clearly aren't doing your fucking job!" "Don't piss me off asshole. I'm willing to consider you're one of the good guys, for now. Fuck with me and I'll throw you in a hole so deep, you'll water the rice paddies in China when you pee." Dave wisely shut the fuck up. Carter had told him there were two very important times to know in the military; when to shut up, and when to shut the fuck up . This seemed like the latter. "You got the wanna bees at your house. A few real troops here. You got lucky, Boy Scout. Stand down and let us do our jobs." Before the short, powerfully built man turned away, Dave noted the nametape on the man's uniform; Barnett. The two chevrons upside down on the top of his rank insignia meant he was a Technical Sergeant; an E-6, a middle level NCO. "Sergeant Barnett?" Dave called to get his attention. The little bantam turned, one eyebrow cocked. "The kids in this place haven't been fed breakfast yet. My partner is inside the community building with a few women who've been stuck here for over a month. They're getting something cooked up while the nurse moves the kids. You think you can let that plan roll forward? Otherwise, you'll have some cranky kids to deal with soon. "Is she armed?" "My partner?" Dave got a nod in response. "Yes, she has a slung rifle and a holstered pistol. If you go in cautious, and announce yourself, there shouldn't be a problem. Or you can send me in ahead of you." "Sure, fine. Just know if you try anything stupid, my two partners behind you will drop you in a heartbeat." "I think we understand each other." Dave stepped off deliberately, at a steady pace, getting around the corner of the building with Sgt Barnett two arm's lengths to his right. He could hear the soft footsteps in the grass of two more people behind him. Barnett wasn't bluffing. Dave reached the door of the cafeteria space. He knocked twice, then slowly opened it. "Hey, Liv? It's me, I'm coming in. There's some Air Force folks with me. Keep your weapons holstered and your hands visible. These folks seem a mite twitchy." Olivia stood in the Archway between the dining side and the kitchen side. The sounds of pans and utensils and sizzling meat were quickly joined by the aroma of bacon. Dave's stomach grumbled. Two voices behind him tittered. Seems his guards and executioners heard him. They guffawed when Barnett's stomach responded. "Should we let you two get a plate boss?" The laughing voice behind Dave almost had a Tinkerbell fairy quality to it. Great. My erstwhile executioner leaves pixie dust in her wake. Liv kept quiet. Verbally that is. Her eyes were laughing though. Laughing loud enough to make up for the silence of her lips. "No, they're cooking for a bunch of hungry kids. Leave 'em alone." Barnett paused, looking between Liv and Dave, and sizing them up. "You two, one at a time, very carefully, place your weapons on that back counter. You're closer, young lady, so you go first." Liv sighed, staying stony faced. Dave widened his eyes and nodded his head, with a slight tilt towards the counter. With an exasperated exhale, she unslung her rifle, touching only the sling, and only with her thumb, laying it on the counter. In doing so, she now had her back to the archway leading to the kitchen. She deliberately used her left hand to remove her pistol. Liv then placed it beside the rifle. Her combat knife came next. Placing it with her firearms, she stepped away from the counter and faced the others. "Boot knife." Barnett said flatly. "Excuse me?" Liv asked blankly. "Remove the knife from your boot and place it on the table." Liv pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, and then complied. Tinkerbell tittered. "Step over there." Dave waved his arm towards the opposite corner from where Liv had been, along the wall separating the kitchen space and the dining space. Olivia moved as indicated, her eyes locked on the two behind Dave. "Okay, now you." Dave walked to the counter. He unslung his SMG, again, using only his thumb, and placed it beside Liv's rifle. With open, deliberate motions, his pistol quickly followed. "Don't make me say it again." "I don't have any knives. Never been any good with 'em." Liv snorted. "You shittin me? You came in here with no knife? Better a weapon you're only mediocre with than no weapon at all." Dave just shrugged. "You're doing a great job of convincing me you merely got lucky; twice; rather than win by skill and teamwork." Dave elected not to rise to barb. "Stand over there with your girlfriend." Dave turned and walked along the wall. He took the opportunity to look at the two guards. One was a wasp waisted, svelte brunette with her hair back in a bun. The other; fucking well looked like Tinkerbelle. Pale skin, silky blonde hair in a braid that wrapped around her head like a home-grown crown. Give her a pair of wings and no one would even blink if she claimed to be the fictional character. Well, Tinkerbelle never carried an M4 with a daylight scope. Sure as shit would have given that saucy wink though. Once Dave was beside Livy, Barnett spoke to the two of them. "You will both get a full debriefing at headquarters. For now, let's start with the disposition of the corpse of one Andrew Bilk. He was a very rich man, and someone wants an accounting of his death. Starting with where his body is." "Out in the grass. The goons in this camp had his body on the floor, up against the wall there" Dave pointed, "since we had kids coming in soon, I thought it best to get him out of here, so I carried him out into the grass near the other bodies. He's the one in the silk pajamas." "Silk pajamas? That should be easy to distinguish." "Oh, uh Sergeant Barnett? There is a time critical element here. The blonde lady we rescued first, Natasha, she was bound to the rich guy; Bilk you said? Anyway, she needs to be re-partnered. I don't know the exact timeline, but he died around or just after midnight. Problem is, the nurse around here couldn't get any more semen out of the rich guy's nuts, so her only shot is if a lab geek can eke out enough for her. She and the body need to get back to Dallas fast." "Right. Okay, Silvia?" The brunette focused on Barnett. "Yes, sergeant?" "Find this Natasha woman, get her and the silk clad corpse on a chopper and send them back now." "Yes, sergeant." She slipped out the door like vanishing smoke. "Also," Dave interjected, "in the houses are several women that the nurse, Parker, was forced to re-pair from the rich guy to one of these clowns. That was this morning, so they're all in imprinting sleep at the moment. The ones that imprinted later might be able to recognize which redneck imprinted which blonde." Barnett raised an eyebrow. "Apparently, the rich guy had a fixation with blondes." Tinkerbelle ran a hand down her side, giving her body a little wriggle as she did so. "Alright, I'll let lab techs and medicos sort that mess out. We've got a convoy of trucks enroute to haul these folks back to Dallas." As Barnett spoke, the sound of rotors could be heard. As the sound built, the door opened and five kids went straight to the nearest table. Parker followed in after them. "Oh, hey Dave. Listen, some Air Force woman pulled Natasha away. I think they just left on a chopper." Dave nodded. "Are you the nurse that used the Dead Man's Switch on these women?" Barnett asked. Parker stiffened. "Yes, I am. It was either that or let them die." "Relax, I'm not your judge or your jury. I'm just trying to establish a few facts and identities. Do you think you can remember which woman paired with which man?" "Not all of them, but some. The first was the one with the enormous" she suddenly remembered there were kids in the room, "uh, assets. The boss man took her for himself." "Okay, that's fine. Uh, Jessie, think you can find a notepad for ;” "Parker." "Parker here to write down what she remembers on the pairings this morning. The ones from before should be able to tell us themselves." The short blonde exited with haste. Parker checked in with the kids before approaching the sergeant. "Can I check in with the kitchen, to see when their breakfast is ready?" "No need," said Rory, passing through the arch with a plate in each hand, "breakfast is served." Sandy was right behind her, carrying three plates, one in her left hand, and two more up her left arm. The kids cheered. Sandy also had silverware in her right hand. She set that down first. Unburdened, Rory came across the room to Dave. "Listen, Parker mentioned being paired increases a man's metabolism. We made some extra. Would you like something?" "What if the kids want seconds?" "We made enough in case the older two ask for seconds, and still serve a couple of adults." "Like me and the sergeant here?" Rory grinned, "Correct. Why don't you two sit, and I'll bring out two more plates." "I appreciate that, Rory, but Liv hasn't eaten either. Neither has Parker, or you, or ;” "I know, I know, I've got five more servings in here. Sandy and I can make more shortly." "You don't ha--" "Hush. I want to." She leaned in close. "It helps keep my mind off other things." Immediately, Rory exited to the kitchen. Sandy followed after. As they passed through the arch, Jessie, the little blonde Air Force attack pixie came back bearing a portfolio containing a yellow legal pad and a pen. She handed that off to Parker and found herself an out of the way spot along the wall. Dave watched as Parker took a seat several spaces down from the children. After staring blankly at the page for almost a minute, she began writing at a steady pace. Absorbed in watching her, Dave was surprised when Sandy brought him a plate and silverware. Bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast. A perfectly worthy American breakfast. As he ate, Dave noted his companion / captor's face. The man's fair skin was as unpale as possible without adding descriptors like 'sun-kissed'. His jet-black hair strongly suggested an eastern or southern European heritage. That presumption was supported by the darkening along his jawline. Clearly a man that had to shave twice a day to remain within military regs. Unless of course, he went undercover, in which case he could grow a partial disguise in short order. Liv caught his eye as she returned from the kitchen. She took a seat next to Dave, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before digging into the scrambled eggs on the plate of food she'd carried in. She giggled at his pro forma protest when she stole a piece of bacon off his plate. Liv, on one side of Dave, missed the small grin on Barnett's face over the exchange. Her partner saw it though. Another enlisted woman came through the door carrying a sizable hardcase, the kind that usually has thick foam padding inside. She proceeded directly to the counter and swiftly stowed the weapons in the case. Then she carried the case back outside. "We're going to cycle the civilians through here for some breakfast before we entrain for Dallas," Barnett said. "When you're through here, meet me out on the lawn space where we started. Both of you." "You got it." Barnett took his plate and silverware through the kitchen archway. Shortly after, Dave heard the outer door to the kitchen open and close. Dave took a few more minutes to finish his meal. Liv spoke as he arranged his silverware on his plate. "Before you go, you should talk with Aurora. I think you two have something to share." Dave looked at her flatly. "She'd bonded, Liv." The young woman's smile broadened. "Not quite what I meant." Then she grew serious. "Just talk to her. Really, I think it could be good for both of you." She smirked when Dave walked away, fixing her with a wary eye. He found the sink, with a dishwasher beside it. Quickly, he rinsed his plate, placing it in the dishwasher. Rory and Sandy both objected, but he waved them off. Dave went ahead and rinsed the plate and silverware in the sink as well, along with a few cooking utensils. After drying his hands, he approached Rory. "Olivia said we should talk. She didn't say what about. Is this just her idea, or something you want to discuss?" Rory looked downward and swallowed. She looked back up. The haunted look in her eyes tugged at Dave's heart. Sandy noted their faces and suggested they step outside for a private conversation. Rory took his hand and led Dave out of the kitchen's heat and into the cool damp outside. Following her example, he leaned one shoulder against the wall, facing her. He waited for her to speak. "When we were surveying the houses; checking on the women and kids; Liv was asking me how I got here, what I dealt with getting here and being here. Honestly, she was just trying to make conversation. She didn't know what that would lead to." Dave waited again as Rory screwed up her resolve. Hopefully, his eyes were communicating support and patience. He could try speaking words of comfort or support, but the moment seemed too fragile to withstand him saying anything. "One of her questions was why didn't I try to escape after we were captured, before we were imprinted. Or why didn't we try signaling for help once we were stuck here. I can't speak for the others, but; I was not in a good place mentally when I was captured." She paused again, but not as long this time. Her shoulders came inward though, like she was trying to shrink; or hide. "Casey, the man I was supposed to partner with after getting my vaccine shot, is a good friend. He; spent time, when he could, talking to me by Zoom after; after ;” Rory shook with silent sobs. In Dave's heart, he knew what was coming next. The cold hand that gripped him, sapped the joy out of moments with his new family. His brain kept trying to reject the knowledge. Finally, she looked him directly in the eyes. Her composure shattered. "I had two daughters. They were both teenagers." As her tears poured out, Dave stepped in closer, wrapping his arms around her, his own visage twisted with the shared pain. He said nothing, merely held her for several minutes. When her shaking subsided, he waited a bit more. Finally, he took a deep breath and brought his mouth near her ear. With a shaky voice, he said, "My son's name was Eddie. He was twenty-three years old." Her arms around him tightened. Neither spoke. Several minutes later, Rory pulled her head back, an empathetic look on her face. She kissed Dave on the cheek and went back inside. Dave took a few minutes to collect himself. Feeling reasonably steady, he walked around the building. Liv and Barnett were there, waiting. "Okay, so here's what's happening. Most of these people are going back by truck. The convoy is nearly here. You two have a date with Air Force Intel, DPD, and possibly the FBI. You're going back in a chopper, now." Barnett paused, giving Dave a moment to process what he'd said. "Is that white pickup about three hundred meters back along the entry road yours?" "Yes." "Keys." "Excuse me?" "Gimme your keys. I'll have one of my people drive it with the convoy. We'll have it waiting for you when the intel boys and detectives decide to loosen the thumbscrews." Dave pulled his keys out and tossed them to the sergeant. "What about our weapons?" "They'll be in your vehicle." Dave nodded in acknowledgment. Jessie, the little pixie blonde, motioned for Dave and Liv to follow her. She led them to the nearby chopper and walked them through the seat harness mechanism. Two other Air Force personnel took seats on either side of the pair. Jessie returned to Barnett as the rotors began to move. Two minutes later, Dave watched the ground recede. Air Force personnel were scattered all over the compound. As of yet none of the kids had been in the big grassy area where the bodies lay. Just as the nose dipped and turned, Dave caught sight of military trucks edging down the dirt road into the camp. To be continued in part 12, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 10 Dave & Olivia use skills meant for a last resort. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Let’s review the list of characters: David Belsus – 46, physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair. Lupie Ramos – 32, former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupie has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile. Esme – 9, daughter of Lupie, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave. Becca; 18, Lupie's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupie, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small tits, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends. Janice Wheeler; 33, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Janice is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home. Shawna Cooper; 36, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from O U, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog sci-fi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large tits, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow. Olivia Tyler (Liv); 21, senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large tits, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile. Melanie Ustanich; 22, graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile. The ladies came through, leaving one mug beside the detective and swiftly exiting with the pot, several mugs, a milk jug, and a small container that may have just been repurposed as a sugar dish. Verratti pushed her mask up to her nose to take a sip, holding the mug like a sacred talisman, her eyes closed and a look of bliss dawning on her face. It was a short day. She opened her eyes and the distance they contained sent the brief appearance of joy below the horizon once again. Laying her mug back on the table, she pulled her mask back into place. "The man that was with you that day at the range?" "Yes, my friend Carter. He was the one that arranged the time on the range." "And how did he manage that? Didn't you say a few times he was a security guy?" "He runs physical and digital security checks for sites his company guards. He and his guys also get hired out by insurance companies to check out their client's security plans as well." For a moment, Dave allowed himself to forget the pain and use the present tense. "I think you mentioned a few times before class that he was in special forces?" "Yep. He likes to say his civilian job is kinda similar to his work in the army, just with paintball or laser tag gear." "Good." She motioned him to sit close, so she could speak lower. "You've stumbled into something no one seems to be working hard to solve." Dave's eyebrows stitched together. Her tone was more ominous than her words. "Nine weeks ago, a truck carrying seven vaccinated women was attacked. It was on its way to some rich neighborhood to deliver partners to the McMansion set. The attackers covered their tracks reasonably well, so we never caught them. Two weeks ago, a shipment of vaccine got hit between Grand Prairie and the Vax Center. They didn't even try to take the whole shipment, just grabbed a bunch and ran like hell. The chopper that was following them didn't have infrared on it, so they lost track of them in the trees in the dark." Dave stayed silent as she paused to gather her thoughts. "Look, I shouldn't have said any of this, but nobody's doing anything. Your friend has the skills to deal with the problem. And the way you've always presented yourself, if he's your friend, then he'll want to apply his skills to right a great big fucking wrong that's being ignored. There's an Air Force liaison office in the station right now. They're supposed to coordinate a military response to big attacks, but they've been blasé about both attacks." "Wait? Military to take out crooks? I mean, even big deal shit like this? Shouldn't that be done by SWAT or ATF?" She stared at him. If he had to guess, her lips were tightly pressed together under her mask. Her words were tightly spoken as she continued. "The fact your attackers cut their fallen buddies' nuts off suggests they had bonded female partners. That means either the hijacked transport, or the vaccine attack. Maybe both. And that means they may have been coming here to abduct your partners and bind them to themselves." "But that would kill them!" Dave started out as a loud interjection, but at her look, and as his own self-control kicked in, he dropped to a strenuous whisper. "There; is a way. But only if the man is dead. There was an ER nurse on the first transport. She would have known about the procedure, at least in broad terms." She pulled a map from her valise. Unfolding it, she pointed to two locations. The attacks happened here, and here." "Yeah, that stretch of I-20 is a bit empty, even being in the middle of urban sprawl." "Because of that attack, they moved the flights to Love Field." "No rural hideouts along the way." "Exactly. Now look, here's where the chopper last was sure they had an eye on them." Her finger indicated a spot southeast of Athens. "What I'm asking you is to get a hold of your friend. See if he and some of his team are willing to investigate; and maybe rescue some of these women. No one else is doing anything about this. And they are escalating." "Do you think they'll try again here?" "I don't know. Not anytime soon, you gave them plenty of reasons to give this place a wide berth. I can't swear to that, but I'd say they'll at least leave you alone for a while." Which means they may be coming for my family again. Whenever they feel like trying again. No point in telling her about Carter. I'll have to do this myself, but I'm not telling her that. A trained, former special forces operative that still does security testing is a reasonable person to ask to do this. A community college professor that's been trained by his prepper buddy doesn't sound nearly as reassuring. Fuck Carter, why the hell did you have to die? "How sure are you on that last sighting?" She flipped her notebook back several pages. After consulting her notes, she carefully laid her finger again on the map. "Right there." Dave stared at the indicated location, noting nearby major road intersections and the distances from each to the tip of her finger. Mainly, he looked at the roads that formed a boundary around the area. The raiders may not be inside that space, but it was a place to begin. "Be very careful. There's suspicion that some army deserters are with these guys." She took a deep breath. "It's like pulling teeth getting anything out of the Air Force woman about this. Please professor, talk to your friend. I'll contact you in a day or so to see if he's responded." "Why don't I just call you?" "I'd rather have that discussion when I'm not at the station or around other officers." "Okay. You need anything else from me detective?" "No. No, I should be going. I'll call in a few days." "I'll be ready." Hope I've found them by then . Dave walked her to the door and locked up behind her. He slipped over to the parlor to check the window patch for any air leaks. Dave ran his hand around the edges, slowly, but felt no movement, not cold streams. Some of the family had come downstairs, now that the weather was once again outside. Dave sat in a chair, staring off into space while the others red or talked. This may take more than a day, just to find these guys. And once I do, I'll need time to observe, and then time to plan. Food, water, ammunition. I'll need something long-range. My best bet will probably be picking them off one at a time at first. I've got silencers for the MP5's, but no subsonic ammo. It's still going to be obvious when I shoot. Carter has all the subsonic ammo. Imagine the look on the face of whoever finds his armory. Fuck, what if they just bulldoze the place? Yeah, Liv and I need to try and get his weapons and equipment. Wait, I have subsonic.22LR. I could use that for the first few. Fuck, I'm really doing this. That means I'll be gone for a few days. It's already been two days for Rebecca, and she's on such a short fuse. We really ought to ask the vaccine experts why that is. Gee, what a call to make. "Hey, vaccine guys? Yeah, look, I've got this eighteen year old cutie that just insists on having sex every four days. Like, she's climbing the walls by day five. What's up with that?" I'm sure they'll have all kinds of sympathy. Well, I have my first thing I've got to do before I go. Dave found Becca in the room she and Reena shared. The one they'd previously used as a 'hotel room' the night the ladies put together for prom. Reena was not around. "Hey, sexy nerd girl, what're you up to?" Becca rolled on to her back from her book reading. Her face was glowing, though she was also blushing from her scalp to, well, lower than her shirt collar. She very cutely bit her lower lip. Dave chuckled. "You are so damn cute, ya know that?" Her face twisted a little. "Demotion huh? I've gone from sexy to cute in less than a minute." "One does not preclude the other. There is an intersection of the two. In my opinion, you exist within that intersection." "God, you know how weirdly sexy it is that you can talk math about sex?" "You know how great it is that you're one of two partners I can talk to that way? Most of the others either won't get it, or will be turned off by it." The radiant look Becca got from the compliment was exactly what Dave was going for. She wasn't just a teen hottie, or gamer girl, or some other check box. She was his younger nerd partner that he got to introduce to so many things he loved that were new to her. Or, things she'd heard about, but not yet experienced. And she was fun in bed. Becca's hand slipped to the hem of her t-shirt. Dave stepped swiftly up to her bed and grabbed her hands. He pulled her around so her ass hung off the edge of the bed and her head was braced against the wall. She and Dave were still experimenting with different ways to have sex. She'd recently mentioned that quickies sounded kinda hot. Dave figured now would be a good time to try. He grabbed her shorts and panties at the hips and pulled both down to her calves, bringing her legs straight up in the same motion. Dave leaned against her, her ankles on one of his shoulders, as he unbuttoned his pants and shoved pants and boxers to mid-thigh. The aroma of Becca's arousal reached Dave's nostrils, matching the signal that her panting breath and lust-filled eyes were sending. Truth to be told, he was fairly revved as well. The little gasp she gave as he hand-fed his mostly hard cock into her saturated pussy was delicious. Dave leaned in closer, folding her legs back onto her body, her ankles on either side of his head, her shorts against his collarbone. He drilled her fast and hard. This wasn't love making, wasn't a tantric exercise, and was not 'the full Dave'. A quickie was just that; hard, fast, and get 'er done. Becca's cute little huffs and grunts urged him to keep going, her moist, rippling channel gripping his shaft and egging him on. In due time, Dave felt that familiar tingle in his balls rising up through his cock and he began firing his hot seed into her eager passage. Becca shuddered and convulsed the same as if Dave had taken most of an hour lifting her to ecstatic heights. Dave leaned a bit further in to kiss Becca tenderly on the lips. Becca giggled. "That was fun." "Good, we can add that to the repertoire," Dave said, buckling his pants. He leaned in for another kiss, this one with just a moment of lingering, before walking away. Becca's eyes shone brightly as they followed him. Now I wait. Dave spent the rest of the evening sitting with his ladies, sometimes talking, mostly listening. Lupie called everyone to the dinner table. A nice warm casserole that soothed the insides after most of the day with the inside matching the weather outside. Downstairs anyway. Mostly what Dave remembered from the evening was looking around the table at his family as they chatted and moved on from the events of the morning. Mostly. Every once in a while, someone's attention wavered, or they flinched from a sound. That's why I have to do this. Dinner was late enough that some began their night time routine once it was over. It had been a draining day, even for those that had huddled upstairs. The emotional impact, the fear and anxiety they'd gone through took a physical toll. "Hey, Shawna, let's meet in my office in a few minutes, okay? I'll find Liv and Mel and have them join us." "Sure. Night security?" "Yeah. The detective was reasonably sure there wouldn't be a repeat tonight, but let's be safe." "Okay." Shawna hugged him tightly. Dave went off to find the other two, then made his way to his office. Even though they'd just finished dinner, he felt a bit munchie. He pulled a half-eaten pint of blueberries out of his fridge and snacked slowly. Each woman smirked as they entered. Shawna started imitating the guitar intro of a certain song by Black Sabbath. Dave just shook his head with a rueful smile. Then he popped a few more berries in his mouth. "We need to maintain a watch tonight," he informed them once he'd cleared his mouth. "The threat is perceived to be low, but I'd rather not take a chance. I'll take first watch, then wake Shawna to relieve me. She can wake Liv, and when Liv's shift is over, she can wake Mel." The way Olivia stared at Dave made him wonder if she suspected his real plan, but she said nothing. "We'll post guard here in Shawna's morning room with the door open. It's right at the top of the stairs, so anyone would have to come past the guard to get to any of us. I'll drag the chair from that room to the door, far back enough that anyone looking in will see darkness, but near enough the guard can see the head of the stairs and part of the hallway in each direction." "That's it. Get some sleep. When it's time to switch over, get up and get moving. We'll have one pistol out and transfer that over. Don't go to bed until your relief is in place." Shawna came in for a kiss before she left. A long, slow kiss with no tongue. She looked meaningfully into his eyes before she walked out, saying nothing. Dave waited over an hour for all the activity in his house to settle and everyone to fall asleep. He slowly and quietly rose from his seat. He slipped in to the master bedroom to find Shawna on the outer edge of the bed. Of course she'd thought ahead so she wouldn't disturb the others. Dave lightly tapped her foot, and she stirred awake. Dave went back to his post while she dressed. Once she got there, he handed over the pistol. "You're going after them aren't you?" she whispered low and urgent. "Yes. It's the only way to ensure everyone's safety. These guys are a danger to us, and others. The detective was so frustrated with the inaction, she told me other events that have happened, but no response from the police." "Other houses have been attacked?" "No, the other attacks haven't been on houses, but they look related." "How far away are they?" "I don't know for sure. She gave me some information on the last place they were seen." "Then how long will you be gone?!" She kept her voice low to not disturb anyone, but there was a 'shouting' tone to her whisper. "I don't know. I'm taking food and water in addition to the rest of the gear." "David, please be careful. All our lives depend on you." He wrapped his arms around her for a tight hug. "I know. I'm doing this for your safety. No more middle of the night break ins." He paused for a moment. "Carter took me through a few scenarios that apply. We had to use paintball guns for those trainings, but I've spent plenty of time on the range with all of these weapons. I won't be as good as Carter, but I'm good enough to pull this off. I'm coming back to you babe." He pulled back so they could look each other in the eyes. "You are plenty of reason to come back." "Me and eight others," she said with a teasing grin. "Anyone of you alone is enough to go fight this fight and get my ass back here in one piece. I finally understand Carter now. Somethings you have to fight for." He slipped away from her and went to the master bedroom closet. In a box tucked away in a corner, he pulled out a set of lightly used 90's era BDU that Carter'd urged him to get from an Army-Navy store. It was not the only set, but he wasn't going to be gone that long. Hell, his partners would all be screaming for doses by then. After dressing, and donning his combat boots, he walked silently out of the bedroom. That he had to pause and prep his mind for. Carter had shown him how to walk quietly in these boots, it just took practice and care. It had been a long time, so he ran through the lessons and practices in his head for a minute after he had them on. He trod gently down the stairs to the gun closet. He typed in the code and swung open the door. That's when the darkness at the end of the unlit hall moved. "Go to bed Olivia." His voice was flat. "You are not going after these guys alone." Dave flipped on the light in the small space. The illumination spilling into the hallway revealed Olivia in a matching pair of BDU. "How the hell?" "I mailed myself a box to this address before I reported to the vaccine center. Mostly other stuff, but one set of woodlands and my best broken-in boots." "Livy, you need to stay here and watch the others." "I need to watch over your ass and bring you home so you can keep fucking all these women that are addicted to your cum." Dave felt a wave of shame at the comment. That he was risking himself, some, but their safety required he take out this threat. That he was; unfaithful to any of these women, because none of them were the only one. Yes, he could personally enumerate all the reasons why, but that didn't change the visceral reaction of a man that never wanted a lot of women, just one that he could be devoted to, and vice versa. "Liv ;” "I'm not trying to talk you out of this. I'm certainly not condemning you for having multiple partners, David. On behalf of myself, and all your partners, I insist I go with you and provide overwatch. You know I'm a better sniper than you. You're better at CQB. We do this together." A cold hand gripped Dave's chest. "Olivia, I already dragged you into one gunfight. I won't do it again." "You didn't drag me into anything. The world sucks and some people are assholes. The same guy that taught you raised me not to just stand idly by. I'm going with you." She came in close, molding her hand to his jawline. "You didn't cause the attack this morning. You stood in the gap, and I stood with you. What you're about to do is needed. And I'm standing with you again." Without another word, she slipped around him and started gathering her gear. Dave joined her. Within half an hour, they loaded tactical gear, ammo, weapons, water jugs, canteens, and field rations in Liv's pickup and got on the road. They were completely in sync, though neither spoke a word. Chapter 12; A Walk on the Chaotic Good Side. October 29, 2020 12:30am The hum of the heater fan on its lowest setting combined with the warm air coming off the windshield were not helping Dave maintain alertness. Livy drove while he checked their route against what he'd seen on the detective's map. So far, it was just a matter of 'drive towards Athens'. Dave snuck the window down a little, inviting some cool air to help him stay fresh. Not too far, though. Occasionally, they'd run into an isolated cloud still giving up a pittance of drizzle, remnants of what passed over their house yesterday morning. Mostly it was just cold. "I miss the little triangle windows that pivoted open on Dad's old beater pickup." Dave chuckled. "Yeah, those were useful. Guess somebody decided to save money and make them fixed instead of movable." Olivia humphed in response. When she said nothing for a few minutes, he reached into the bag on the seat between them and pulled out an apple. She didn't notice until he took his first crackling bite. "Damn. Again?" she laughed. "Fill up too much and you'll bust out that stab shirt. Sorry, it's just;” "I'm eating way more often than the rest of you, and not gaining any weight. Yeah, I know. They said this serum shit has weird side effects. Seems for me it's kicked my metabolism into the stratosphere." "Oh, big words like 'stratosphere' huh? Hmm, ya know, the higher metabolism would explain why you're outrunning me." Dave turned his head towards her, a mock annoyed expression on his face. "I've been faster than you for years. For a bit there in your teens you gave me a good challenge." Liv giggled. "I got faster so you'd have to look at my ass." "I worked harder to stay ahead of you so I wasn't looking at a sixteen-year-old's ass." Out of the corner of his eye, Dave noted Livy giving him a rueful look. With a quiet voice; and one eye on the road; she asked, "Is this the only way we could have been together?" His heart skipped a beat. His voice was deepened with loss when he replied, "I don't know, Olivia. I just don't know. The two of us together would have been a very unusual pairing in other circumstances. No law would have stopped us being together but a lot of custom and tradition would interfere." He reached his hand out and she took it. "So it was either this, or an asteroid hitting the Earth for me to get you?" Dave laughed. "Maybe not quite that dramatic." Their joined hands lay on the seat between them for a time, enjoying the union of their lives as the cold, damp miles passed. Half an hour later, signs proclaimed a junction ahead as they neared their first waypoint. "Want me to stay on 175 and go east around Athens?" "No, west on 7. When we get to the southside of town, we'll take 19 south." Dave waited before asking, "You need to switch out. We've both had long days." "I'm good. Just hand me another Dr. Pepper." Dave knee-stood in the seat, reaching back to the cooler with water, soda and reusable freezer packs. Ice would have been too loud loading at the house, and going to an automated ice station was more deviation than he was willing to take. The drinks weren't ice-cold this way, but they were at least cool. Between the caffeinated soda, and the No-Doz bottle in the glove box, they could fight off the drowsiness the road hum threatened to induce. Weirdly, the squeeze from the compression shirt for the stab plates helped keep him awake, though it did make it tougher to twist around for things. Maybe if he wore it more often, he'd know how to move better in it. With the late hour, and pandemic rules in effect, they hadn't seen another vehicle since pulling out of their own driveway. They crossed three overpasses for major roads out of town before exiting to southbound 19 / Palestine St. The creepy feeling intensified as they took their exit. The north side of the road held a hospital with what was undoubtedly the only ER for thirty miles around. In some directions, even further than that. And there was no activity at all. The lights were on. But no signs of human movement. A few miles down the road they passed the middle school, completely abandoned since March. Liv's hand slipped back to the middle of the bench seat. Dave added his to hers, holding her gently but firmly. Ten minutes later, with their headlights boring holes into the pitch black, Dave's phone buzzed. He pulled it out, noting the time was now approaching 2am. -There's been another attack, this time on a very rich man's estate. Bodyguards dead, left laying there. -Rich man dead, carried off, along with most of his partners. -Last seen southbound on 45, suspect they are taking that to 287 until Palestine. No intelligence beyond that. Please ask your friend to decide quickly. Dave quietly fumed. Another attack meant more suffering that he hadn't prevented. That was the whole point of this crazy scheme wasn't it? Immediately, he recalled a story Carter had told only once, after they'd been roommates for more than a year. It was a 'Boy's Night In' with two pizzas and a tsunami of beer, and some typical action flicks playing. Dave's friend related a time when they'd been too late to protect a local villager that had cooperated with the Special Forces team. The local government goons had not been kind to the collaborator. Or his family. "We found out too late, got there too late, not a fucking thing we could do. Not one fucking thing. Except," he raised his head so his bloodshot eyes were revealed, "we tracked the fuckers and took them out before they got back to their base. It was beyond our mandate. We were supposed to train only, not engage directly. We did it, and never talked about it." Track the fuckers down and take them out. Little wonder why that particular memory surfaced now. "Something wrong?" "Text from the detective. They hit another house. Successfully this time." "Oh shit. What are we going to do?" "What an old friend once told me was the only real option. Track the fuckers down and kill them." "Dad was such an eloquent man." Dave barked a laugh as he texted back. -We're already enroute. -We'll locate them on the run and track them to their base. -Thank God. -And thank your friend for me. Dave still saw no reason to inform her of his omission. Well, he felt a little guilty, but she'd get over it. Lupie on the other hand, might just tie him to the bed and spoon feed him between each woman's 'dosing' turn. Shawna might or might not help Lupie, but she was not going to help Dave avoid Lupie. Hell, by the time he got back, Lupie might be so worked up she'd chew him out exclusively in Spanish for over an hour. In between kisses and hugs because his dumb ass came home in one piece. Getting his mind back on the present, Dave pulled up a map on his phone. "This may make it easier to find their base. They're coming down 287. Previous attempts tracked them as far as Palestine. We'll intersect with 287 just outside Palestine, so we'll pick a good spot when we get there and wait. I suspect they will be an hour or half hour behind us." "K." Dave zoomed and scrolled on his map for several minutes. "There's a community college north of the intersection. It has a parking lot that will give us a good view, but far enough away we could miss something. There's also a gas station and a convenience store on the south of the intersection, on the west side that would give better views, but higher risk of detection. It's probably closed. If we're the only car there, it's going to be awfully suspicious; especially if we pull out right after they pass." "Don't worry, Dad gave me a few lessons on shaking a tail, and on tailing. Just before I went off to college, he even had me drive back country roads with no lights; on the road or car. If we can avoid getting noticed when we first pull out; by waiting 'til we can just see their tail lights; we should be fine." "Let's go for the convenience store first. If it looks too dicey, we'll move off to the college parking lot." Liv nodded her agreement. The silence that followed persisted until the intersection loomed. The community college parking lot had all of its lights on, as did the Exxon just south of it. The Valero on the west side and south of the intersection had its awning lights on, but no more. No lights were on around the convenience store south of the highway confluence. Even better, there were two vehicles parked in the lot. Liv pulled into a space near one of the other vehicles. But not too close. She killed the lights, lowered the windows halfway, and turned off the ignition. Both occupants of the truck surveyed first the near vehicle, then the more distant one, looking for any sign of occupancy. If these guys were good, they might have a lookout posted to watch for a tail. During the forty-five minute wait, neither their eyes nor ears detected any sign of another person in the parking lot. For that matter, there was no sign of anyone around the college, or in the gas station south of them. The station across the way probably had an attendant inside. A low rumble coming from the northwest initially alerted Dave and Liv to their approaching quarry. Without exchanging words, they each hunched down in their seats. Both were on full alert. Hunter versus hunter was a dangerous game. Of course, if one hunter doesn't know the other is around, so much the better. For the other at least. Five S U V, varying from mid-size to huge, rolled swiftly through the interchange. They slowed from far in excess of highway speeds, down to something reasonable for the possibility of merging; if one had incredibly sparse traffic to handle. Which worked just fine, since there was absolutely zero traffic to merge with. As the engine sounds began to fade, Livy sat up and started the engine. She quickly doused the lights that automatically lit up before backing out from behind the vehicle two parking spaces over. Hopefully, it shielded them from the target's notice. Well, that and the fact the targets were headed away from them, and presumably keeping hostages in check. With swift, smooth motions, Olivia got the pickup on the highway following the distant trail of tail lights. Noting the woodlands on both sides of the highway limiting visibility around the curves, Livy began rapidly closing the distance. Balancing that were the few streetlamps and the need to not show up in the last vehicle's rearview mirror. The train of S U V passed under one, went dark again except for the taillight; which brightened briefly; then were illuminated again for a flash before disappearing. "Shit," she muttered. "It's gotta be the underpass for the loop. That's why they went left and cut off. They went behind the embankment. Just take the loop to the left and keep pressing. We'll catch them. Just be careful of more street lamps. I'm not sure if this loop they're hopping on is limited access. If they hit stoplights, we'll need to be very careful to avoid notice." "Right." There were a few traffic lights to negotiate, but both were solid green the entire time the runners and the pursuers were in view. The greater concern was the street lights near the intersections. Increasing their following distance once a traffic light became visible bought them some grace. They also took the risk of allowing the convoy to get out of view over a small rise while they waited just outside the pool of light before making the left at Park Ave. That was followed by mild panic until they could catch up with their quarry. A sweeping left turn awaited just over the crest. Dave spotted tail lights turning right as they finally hit a straight section. It turned out to be another curve in the road. This road had just enough curves to allow Livy to close the distance and remain unobserved. As the pursuing duo came around one curve, the convoy ahead was disappearing around the next. Just as they cleared a shallow 's' turn, Dave spotted tail lights disappearing to their right. "Ease up, I think we're going off onto a narrower road." By the time they reached the turn, Liv had them at an appropriate speed. No sign of the convoy ahead, and greater darkness with the trees closer in, she had to go slower. Fortunately, the road was winding through a few tight turns which caused the convoy to go even slower. They managed to catch sight of taillights and hear engine noises through the trees before they got close enough to be noticed. The asphalt took a gradual rightward curve, but a faint red glow inside the dust cloud ahead signaled the convoy had plunged ahead onto the dirt road. Hunter and unwitting prey slowed again, but the frequent braking and the scattering effect of the dust kept Dave and Liv well aware of their quarry's position. Liv coasted and maintained distance so she never had to touch the brake. To do so would reveal their pursuit. The convoy slowed further and Liv allowed the truck to coast to a stop. "Let's find a place to park this thing and dismount." Dave pointed off to a small pocket beside the road where the trees curved away from the dirt track. Each opened their door gingerly, sliding quietly to the wet grass. Liv and Dave first checked their own gear, then each other's. Satisfied they wore or carried everything they thought they would need, they eased the doors closed, latching them softly. "One benefit of this weather; the gators will be hibernating, and maybe the snakes too," Dave said in a whisper. "Brumating. And probably yes on both counts. The gators will be in the water, but the snakes will find a burrow or hollow log. So stay away from likely hidey holes." "Yes, professor." Dave's wry grin was both smart ass and respectful. Liv's nature knowledge far exceeded his own. Her reply smile was appreciative. Then both faces went blank as the two focused on their mission. Using every technique Carter had taught him, Dave slipped stealthily through the trees. Crouching, he moved swiftly from bole to bole, taking care to avoid rock piles and downed logs. The red glow in the distance was diminishing. He noticed sets of tail lights lining up side-by-side before extinguishing. They were parking. That was a good thing, because Dave and Liv were already on foot. That also meant the possibility of guards on the perimeter. Dave paused a bit longer in his position, searching for any sign of patrols or stationary sentinels. Seeing none, he dashed forward to a new location and watched again for any sign of an observer. Liv moved from her prior spot to the place Dave had just vacated. Morning twilight was in full swing, so the pair had good lighting. Periodically, Dave observed men moving to each vehicle, removing a woman, and leading her to one of the buildings. A few men guarded the vehicles, but their focus was on the occupants, not someone outside. All the better. Dave and Liv found themselves places within whisper distance a few feet back from the tree line. Unobstructed views with low probability of getting spotted. In better circumstances, they would observe for hours, from multiple positions around the clearing, gathering information and striking in the wee hours, or at first light tomorrow. But; those women being taken inside compelled faster action. Whatever these assholes were doing needed to be stopped. At the same time, they couldn't just rush in, or they'd lose, Dave would be dead, and Liv would be dead or worse. And not long after, the rest of his family would be in very dire straits. So don't fuck up, asshole . This had to be what Carter meant about walking the razor's edge. One thing was clear; these guys had no security posted. The pre-dawn twilight was sufficiently bright that someone looking out the window would spot them if they got stupid. The trees opened up into a large clearing. Within the open space sat the parked S U V, two large buildings, and several smaller ones. The two large buildings were corner adjacent and perpendicular on their long axes. They were somewhat longer than they were wide. The large building stretched wide across their eyeline seemed to be where everyone was gathered. That's the building the women had been taken into. Several others converged on that location not long after. About half an hour after the last man disappeared into the big building, Dave and Liv spotted someone leaving. He had someone over his shoulder. He headed for one of the smaller buildings. About five minutes later, it happened again. Time to communicate. He pulled out his phone, already set to silent, no vibration. Fortunately, he had a few bars. -Compound located. Track my location. Stuffing his phone in his pocket without waiting for a reply, Dave slid closer to his partner. "I'm going in closer. I'll get under the windows and listen in." Liv's face was unconvinced. "Is that wise?" "We need to know more before we do anything. I've got to get close enough to hear them. Get your rifle ready to snipe. Keep me covered. I'll pass on the outside of the first building," he pointed to the one that lay along their line of sight and perpendicular to the target building, "and then cross along the near wall of the one they're in. You'll be able to see me for most of that time, and you can see either end. You'll know if someone's about to come around and spot me." "We need Dad's low watt tactical radios." "If wishes were horses, hun." He gave her a quick kiss, then silently backed further into the trees. This allowed him to move more quickly without detection, though he still remained on alert for any sentries out here in the trees. There were none. Approaching the tree line again, he scanned thoroughly with eyes and ears, for any sign of someone that would spot him emerging. With still no sign, Dave dashed from the trees to the near wall of the likely empty large building. There he waited, listening for any sound suggesting he'd been seen. His heart was pounding. He worked to calm himself so he could hear anything over the roar of the blood in his ears. Of course, that could just be the contrast. This rural fall morning was incredibly quiet thus far. Satisfied he was as yet undetected, Dave moved stealthily to the far corner of the building. He put a hand on the wall, feeling the rough brick exterior. It was distinctly not new, but not decrepit either. A few short steps brought him to the building's corner. Using the 'slicing the pie' tactic Carter taught him so long ago; and re-taught over and over and over; Dave passed around the corner to find no one there. Hugging the wall, he crept by, pausing at each of the two doors, listening for any sign of occupancy. By the time he reached the end of the building near the occupied building, the sun was not yet up, but the sky was well-lit. As was the compound. With more on the line, Dave took more time with his pie-slicing cornering technique. The rest of the compound, then the side wall of the other building, and then the back wall of the target building came slowly into view, all devoid of other humans. He slid carefully along the sidewall of the empty building until he was near the corner closest to his target. With his head only he once more rounded the corner, verifying no one had entered the small area bounded by the two buildings on two sides in the time he'd been behind the first one. Sure that he was clear, he crossed the gap to the second building. He watched his footfalls carefully since the area conjoining the two buildings had been cemented in a rectangular shape. Postholes along the edges suggested this might be some sort of outdoor area with an awning during warmer times. A broom at the corner Dave was heading for suggested someone took the time to keep it clear of debris. At least he didn't have to worry about stepping on a twig. Dave heard a door open, then close. Footsteps in grass reached his ears but receded. He swiftly slid along the wall to the front of the building and took a cautious peek. Once again, a man was walking toward one of the smaller buildings, this time carrying a woman in his arms rather than over his shoulder. Dave eased himself away from that corner and back to the corner proximate to the back wall. He had to step carefully around the broom again as he came around to the semi-enclosed courtyard. Dave eased his way carefully along the back wall. At least now he had the benefit of knowing Liv could watch the area around him and cover him as needed. He crept carefully, listening for sounds through the wall. Primarily though, he knew his best chances were under the three windows, two of which were close together, more than halfway down the building's length. As he approached an exterior vent for a dryer, he paused. For a moment the thought flashed through his mind that this would be the ideal place for a snake to hide. Then his rational brain took over, reminding him that the intermittent nature was likely insufficient to help a snake survive through the winter. They were more likely off in the woods somewhere or hiding in the walls of one of the houses. The first window was just past the vent. Dave paused. He waited for a few minutes, but heard nothing. He edged up, his face upturned, his nose turned away from the building. Edging upward, he allowed his peripheral vision a first glimpse in the window. It was dark. He turned his head slowly, seeking greater detail. A few shadows and a small light on the back wall limned out an empty kitchen space for a community. Efficient, but a little too regimented for Dave's taste. A little too zombie group think. Dave moved forward. This time he skirted around a pile of small diameter metal pipes. Must be for a future irrigation project or outdoor faucet. The next window was only a few feet past the pile. Dave had to be careful how far out he went. He crouched and quickly got back to the wall once past the pipes. He could already hear voices. Someone was angry. "I said sit the fuck back down. You dumbasses cost us three men with your half-assed raid. No, you don't get a shot at any of the women from this raid. You're lucky we let you fucking live. One more fucking word out of your fucking mouth and I will shit-can all your asses. And you, big mouth, you'll go last; after I ass fuck your sister without a new dose! You can watch her melt like somebody poured battery acid in her shithole, then I'll kill you, with the memory of her screams in your fucking ears!" Dave went cold. His mind called up one of the videos about the dangers for a woman exposed to the semen of any man other than her partner. Anger welled up in him, but he tamped it down. A berserker rage banged against the walls of Dave's discipline. He held his focus, knowing he would only accomplish his goal with cold efficiency. All the things Carter said over the years, words that had been whirling in his ears since the moment of the break-in, all settled into cold clarity. Yeah, they were gonna die. In due time. He crept closer. Again taking care to avoid detection, Dave saw a woman select a syringe full of a vibrant green substance. She moved over to; a dead body on the floor? What the hell? Why is she injecting the dead guy? Wait, now it's purple inside? Maybe he just misidentified the earlier color? The woman with the syringe stood. A man dragged a blonde woman over to a table near the lady with the syringe. Dave heard her whimpering once she was close. A second man took the woman's other arm. The two men held her pinned, face down, against the table as her whimpering turned to active cries. Dave's stomach turned over. A third man pulled the woman's pajama pants down. She wore no panties. The woman with the syringe approached. The way she walked, and the look on her face, gave the impression she was walking to the gallows. Dave swore she mouthed the word 'Sorry' to the pinned woman before injecting her with the purple contents of her syringe. Immediately, the woman jerked and thrashed. The man behind her dropped his pants. Dave dropped low, not needing to see anymore. Hell, he'd seen far more than he ever wanted to. The cries and sounds he heard had a certain resonance with the priming and later imprinting orgasms of his partners. But overlaid with a guttural, raw emotionality. Then there was no more sound from the woman. A few low conversations between the men, and then Dave heard the door on the other side of the building open. Dave duck-walked away from the window and around the pipes. Once against the wall again he raised up a bit and paused. He needed to collect his thoughts. What to do was clear. Kill every man here. Given what they were doing, there were no innocents. The only questions revolved around how to do what needed to be done. Ideas formed in his head, but he needed to confer with Olivia. At the very least, she needed to know his intentions. Teamwork would be vital. He also trusted her judgment. Her input could prove useful. It often did. Something more about Olivia was rattling around the back of his head. A thought jumping up and down, demanding attention, but not coming forward. Like a word sitting on the tip of your tongue you just can't say. Something he knew, but wasn't fully acknowledging. It didn't seem related to the immediate task, so Dave moved his attention elsewhere. The number of trips from the large building to the smaller ones was very nearly the number of trips from the cars to the big building earlier. That meant soon the men would no longer be occupied with; what they had been doing. Since some had recently come back from a raid, they were likely to bed down soon. That would be a good time to strike. Time to move and communicate. The door had cycled twice more during Dave's thinking. As he rounded the corner of the empty building, free to move unobserved, he heard the door slam open. He froze in place, a few steps past the corner, where he could listen without being detected. Multiple footsteps approached, and sharp mutterings between two men. The footfalls changed as they crossed from the grass onto the concrete. Their voices became clearer too. "Why drag her all the way out here? It's fucking cold and wet." "'Cuz I don't wanna clean up the fucking mess when the old bitch slags, that's why! Grass will just eat it up and get nice and green next summer. Inside, the carpet and the fucking pad have to be replaced." Dave's blood boiled. He tamped it down for immediate purposes. He also started moving back the way he came. Weapon at the ready, he rounded the corner again. Three figures were just crossing off the concrete pad and back into the grass. Two males in hunter camo and a naked blonde woman sobbing as they dragged her between them. They stopped several steps off the pad. One man was out of view, the empty building blocking Dave's line of sight to him. Liv surely had a good shot on him, but she might not yet know enough to take it. She'd know soon enough though. The man Dave could see was turned away from Dave, with the woman collapsed, on her knees in front of him, looking away from Dave also. By their orientations, the man that was out of sight was probably facing the corner and would see Dave the instant he came around it. Fortune favors the brave . One of Carter's favorite phrases. Dave slipped the MP5 back behind him, on safe, he pulled the.22 pistol from his holster, and the silencer from his cargo pocket, mated them gently, and carefully began screwing the silencer in place. The woman cried out, pleading for mercy. Unseen by Dave, the second man slapped her, the sound unmistakable. Dave was moving as the slap echoed. His face etched in stone. No anger in his visage, no mercy in his eyes. His weapon came up smoothly as his feet accelerated him along the wall towards the man in his vision. Dave was now a fire and maneuver platform for the pistol. Just before he cleared the corner, he fired three rounds, all into the man's upper left back. His shot group was as perfect as the practices with Carter over the years. At least one of the rounds went through the man's heart. The suppressor dulled the sound of firing, and the subsonic ammunition avoided the supersonic crack of the rounds that would surely draw attention. The stricken man fell even as Dave came around the corner, rounding on the next target. That man was just beginning to look towards the corner with a curious expression. Dave fired again. Three rounds, just as Carter had trained him. He also dropped with no further resistance or sound. The first target was on the ground and the second descending, knees buckling beneath a falling torso, when the shuddering blonde woman registered the changes. She began to rise and turn around. Dave reached her at that same moment, grabbing her bicep and hauling her to her feet. To forestall undesirable attention, he shifted his hand from her arm to her mouth, clamping it shut. He got there just in time. The woman stared at him, terror in her wide-open eyes. He held his pistol low and to the side, but her eyes ping-ponged several times from it to his face. As frightened as she was, her eyes settled, then roved over his face. Within seconds her terror was held in check. Not gone but shoved aside. Like she was ready to believe something less evil than that of the other men's plans was now upon her. "Stay quiet, I need to get you out of here." She nodded. Wariness was present, but also a willingness to believe in; something. Grabbing her hand, Dave led her across the concrete pad and around the corner of the empty building. He didn't stop until they'd passed the length of the building, now leaning against the short wall, in full sight of Olivia. In pausing, Dave was reminded consciously of what his subconscious had of course noted; the woman wore not a stitch of clothing. He quickly averted his eyes, but not before registering her phenomenal figure. Granted, the condition of her skin on her face and her body indicated a woman with more than just a few decades of experience on this little ball of rock, but she was none the worse for wear by any means. Fit was an entirely apt description. Her tits had a natural sag, but still bore a certain firmness as well as a modest heft. And her eyes. Her eyes were captivating. Penetrating even. They stared at him from a gently rectangular face. Modestly arched eyebrows topped those gazing deep green orbs, and model perfect cheekbones provided a pedestal for those eyes to rest upon. Shapely, proportionate lips still trembled slightly beneath a nose that was not quite angular, and more than a button. Her face would fit in on a magazine cover or a boardroom. A face that could launch a thousand simps. "Let's get into the trees. My partner, Olivia, is waiting for us. Once we get away from prying eyes, we can give you something to cover up with. What's your name?"" Her face warmed briefly even as her arms instinctively moved to shield her tits. "Natasha." Her voice was unsteady, but not weak. "That way, Natasha." Dave pointed to a small gap between two young trees. Nothing he'd seen suggested she was a plant or any other kind of trap, but with only himself and Liv, he realized there was no room for fuck-ups. He spent much of his time walking sideways, keeping an eye to their rear. They entered the trees easily and without getting spotted. Natasha immediately slowed, picking her places to step more carefully with her bare feet on the woodland surface. They proceeded straight back from the buildings, in reverse of Dave's approach. He caught her arm when they reached the point to turn left towards Liv. Pointing quietly, Dave directed her on the new course. She nodded and kept moving. A few steps later, things started getting exciting. "Oh, holy Shit!" Even before his head turned, he knew the speaker was in the same vicinity as the two bodies he'd left behind. Through the intervening trees, Dave spotted a man standing in the gap between buildings. He safed the pistol and started unscrewing the silencer. There was no angle in stealth anymore. Once separated, the pistol went back in the holster and the silencer in his cargo pocket. He brought his MP5 back around. The man circled the two bodies slowly. Dave quietly moved closer to Liv, until they could see each other. With her attention on him, Dave drew his hand across his neck, then pointed at the man still examining the space where his friends had fallen. He heard the report of the rifle at nearly the same instant the back of the man's head sprouted a jet of blood and tissue. Dave hustled the last several steps to Liv's position. Liv gave him a wry smile as she looked behind him. "Recruiting more ladies, David?" As Dave began to object, her smile dropped. "I saw the whole thing. I didn't hear what was said, but they had it coming, that's for sure." "Yeah well, we need to get her warm and clothed. And still deal with these guys." "I've got spare clothes in the truck. Let her hide inside. At least get her out of the elements." Two men appeared, one on either end of the occupied building. Dave, Liv, and their charge were too deep in the trees for the men to spot. Besides, they were focused on the three bodies they could see. "Okay, I'm going to get her in sight of the truck, and then head down the backside of that building," Dave pointed to the empty building. "Got it. So, do I let these guys go back inside?" Do I tell her to take the shot? We're already all in here . Something in Dave went cold. "Once they turn back, take the shot." Liv merely nodded, her attention, earlier divided between her scope and Dave, was now fully downrange. Dave ushered Natasha along a tiny foot path, giving her some ease in foot placement. He tried to keep his eyes off her naked form, but when she jumped at Liv's first shot, the jostling of her tits was magnetic. He turned his eyes away quickly. Fortunately, he was able to spot the truck at this range. "We're going to have to work quickly to shut these guys down. Can you see that white patch through the trees?" Dave pointed in the direction he wanted her to look. Natasha nodded. "That's our truck. The door is unlocked. Get in there and get out of the wind. That will help you warm up some. Liv says she has a change of clothes behind the seat. Take a quick look to see if you can find a shirt or something. Then stay low, stay out of sight." The woman nodded again. "You are leaving me?" "I have to stop all of them before they hurt anyone else." Another shot rang out. She lunged at Dave, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was alarmed for just a moment, but he felt the shaking of her silent cries. She jolted again with the next shot. He gave her several seconds, then peeled her arms off of him. "I have to go." With that, he turned and hustled to a spot along the tree line proximate to the edge of the empty building. He was still covered by trees when he spotted a man moving toward him along the building. He's trying to flank Liv . Dave took up a firing position braced against a tree. Then he fired three rounds. The man dropped without a sound, though the shots echoed through the compound. Another crack from Liv's rifle announced her continued engagement with their opponents. If Dave didn't get engaged soon, they could overwhelm her. He sprinted across the gap and raced down the building's length. Another shot rang out. Dave reached the corner of the building, breathing hard, heart pounding. He heard feet slapping concrete and then go quiet. Swiftly turning the corner, he saw two men sprinting away, through the gap between buildings, and one more passing the other end of the building in the distance. Then another came around the corner near him, the follow-on to the two with their backs to him. He noticed Dave as Dave's SMG reached chest height. Dave's trigger finger pulled three times, smoothly, in quick succession. Three widely spaced red spots erupted on the man's chest. He fell against the wall and slid down. The man's weapon clattered to the concrete pad. Immediately, Dave shifted to the men headed away. One was beginning to turn. Dave fired on him first, this time with his weapon fully raised, taking aim and grouping his shots. Dave shifted to the second man that hadn't yet keyed on Dave's position behind him. With three rounds in his upper chest while running full tilt, the man tumbled to the ground. While Dave was taking out his targets, he'd registered two shots from Liv's rifle. That meant ten men in total they'd killed. But how many were there? At least ten, since the S U V had two men each. What Dave didn't know was how many were left behind to hold down the fort while the attackers were out. As he mulled over the issue, he dealt with two more immediate concerns. His weapon locked open on his last shot. He triggered the magazine release with his right, catching and removing the spent magazine with his left. Quickly, he stuffed the empty mag in his cargo pocket before pulling a fresh magazine from his tacvest. With a fresh magazine in place, he pressed the bolt release, driving a new round home. To be continued in part 11, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 9 A talk with a detective leads to a decision. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Jan visibly relaxed as she followed Dave out. Olivia was checking in with Shawna and Mel. Dave waited until it looked like Liv had reached a stopping point in her conversation, then signaled for her to come back up. "Dave, how long until the cops get here?" Shawna asked. "Patrol isn't coming. Said since we aren't in immediate danger, they'll focus on 'higher priority calls and get to us when they can'. Which means they aren't coming. A detective will come out to investigate, but that will take time." "How much?" "Dunno. I have a plan though. I'll talk it over with the others and hash out the details. I'll come back out and fill you two in shortly." "Okay." Mel replied. "I'll call Mitchell. See if he can cover for me. He already has morning shift. Between him and April, they can manage for a day." "You sure?" "He's ready to work without a net for one day at least. Probably longer, but I don't want to fry his nerves unnecessarily." "You're a good boss, babe." Dave gave her a quick kiss, then charged back up the stairs to Esme's room where Lupie, Nessa and Olivia waited, with Esme and Roscoe of course. Currently, Esme had her face buried in the big dog's neck, giggling. As Dave took and held each ladies' hand briefly, he heard Jan come in with Becca and Reena in trail. "Okay, here's what we're going to do. We'll take pictures to document the damage and the bodies. Then we'll make repairs. We've got four people with weapons skills. Until the breaches are sealed, at least two of us are armed, on sentry duty downstairs. Once we've got the holes patched, at night at least, we'll go to one person on guard." He paused a minute so everyone could absorb what he'd said. "Does anyone have a good digital camera? We should use something other than cellphones if we can." "Depends on the camera and the user," Mel said. "Unless someone's had classes in photography, they're probably better off using a high-end phone camera." "Does anyone have a high-end phone camera?" Dave asked. "I know mine is decent, but not great." "Mine's pretty good, Liv's too." The other just shrugged. "I have a couple of good digital cameras at my office." Nessa replied. "Listings without photos don't do so good. The cameras are the best available last year, so they should show all the needed detail. I took classes at the El Centro to learn how to make the most of them. Well, the classes were three years ago when we different cameras. We got new, better ones last year." Dave nodded, then thought for a moment. "Okay, I'll escort Nessa to her office for the camera. We'll document everything. Then we'll assess the damage and figure out what we need for repairs. Liv, you and Mel will go to the hardware store for the supplies. Watch your; " his eyes flitted to Esme, "butts. If anything looks sketchy, get back here, supplies or no." Olivia nodded. "Just keep the same in mind yourself." Lupie gazed at him like she wanted to burn Liv's words into Dave's mind. She was not alone. "Vee, we should get going as soon as you're dressed. I don't think you want to go out in the cold drizzle in silk peejays." Vanessa smirked, rising to go change. "I'll be in shortly to grab a coat." As Nessa walked out, Dave sat down beside Lupie. Neither said a word, he just folded his arms around her as she leaned into him. Her shoulder pressed against his chest. Her head settled into the crook of his neck. Dave stroked her other arm, from the top of her shoulder, all the way down to her elbow, slowly, gently, hoping to give her the reassurance that no words would convey. He looked up to see the imploring look in Jan's eyes. With a flick of his own eyes, he signaled for her to sit on his other side, which she promptly did, leaning against him. Lupie reached out to softly grasp Jan's hand. The two sat on either side of Dave, just feeling his presence. While the other two snuggled against him, Dave made eye contact, individually, with Olivia, Becca, and Reena. Liv, while still working through some understandable nerves, seemed otherwise okay. Rebecca looked worried but trusting. Kareena looked like she was on the verge of losing it. Dave waved her over. Reena rose from where she was sitting on the opposite side of the room and streaked over to sit in Dave's lap. Lupie and Jan both made space for the younger girl to sit. The hands that they clasped together, rejoined, encircling Reena. Meanwhile, Reena buried her face in the crook of Dave's neck. Dave's eyes fell on Becca and Liv, the only two of his partners in the room not already huddled with him. Becca looked worried, but trying not to intrude. Not surprising for her, but not an accurate assessment of how Dave or the others would feel about her joining in. Quite the opposite of course. Beginning to understand Becca's feelings of inadequacy, was, however, shining an uncomfortable light on Dave's own lingering personal demons. Then there was Livy. The one that stood by him, protecting the others as the barbarians stormed their gates. He could see the conflicting emotions bounding across her face. She needed this comfort as much as he did. Today was the first time either of them had fired a shot at another human being. Dave waved them both over. "Let's make some space for Liv to sit here. She's got to be pretty spent too." Lupie looked at him plaintively. Like she knew the rightness of what he suggested, but some selfish part of her, that was losing, did not want to move. She did. Then she wrapped her arms around Olivia. "If it weren't for you, he would have been all alone down there, Liv. Thank you." Lupie hugged the younger woman closely. Olivia leaned back into her, while staring at Dave. That's when she started shaking. Dave tried leaning into Liv, But he still had Reena on his lap, and Jan on his other side. Becca, not yet in the cuddle pile, knelt in front of Liv, stroking her thighs soothingly, not erotically. "If you start singing soft kitty, Becca, I swear I'll drop you from the roof." Though Olivia's voice was unsteady, her essential snark came shining through, evoking the laughter she was seeking. None laughed harder than Becca, who threw her head back, snorting hard, with a wide grin that suggested Liv might have been prescient. "Okay, okay ladies," Dave said as the laughter subsided, "I need to go tell Shawna and Mel what's going on, get a coat, and escort Vanessa to get that camera." He patted Reena's leg. She immediately rose halfway up and slipped over to sit beside Liv, sandwiching the brunette between herself and Lupie. Dave addressed the room. "On security issues, Liv's in charge." He fixed his eyes on Olivia. "You know the drill; two on duty, one off, staggered relief. No one downstairs except guards for now. Well, people will start getting hungry once the nerves wear off, so let Lupie and a helper in the kitchen to make something." "And two more helpers at the end to carry everything else up." "Yeah." "And have the third in the kitchen on guard during cooking time." "Yup. and the guard is not doing anything but guarding. Just do your best to keep the guards rested and alert. Hopefully it won't take more than an hour or two to get the camera, but we'll maintain the watch while we document and repair." Liv nodded, as did Lupie and Jan. Nessa opened the door just then, smartly dressed for the weather in jeans and a stylish but sturdy jacket, and Dave's coat in hand. "Thanks, hun." Dave said as he approached her. "Let's go tell Shawna and Mel what's going on, and then head out. We'll take Liv's S U V." The brunette gave a thumbs up from the midst of the loose cuddle the family sat in. Esme and Roscoe had joined them. "Oh, and make sure Lupie and anyone else that cross the living room knows to steer clear of the broken glass, both to preserve evidence until we document it, and spare their feet." Passing Shawna, Dave motioned her to follow him part way down the stairs, then signaled Mel to come up and meet them. The looks on their faces as Dave spoke morphed from incredulous at the dispatcher's comments, to mild worry and trust when Dave explained his plans. Shawna stood up as Dave did, hugging him tightly. In his ear she said, "You be careful. I just got you, baby. I need you, and not just because of the serum." She punctuated her statement with a kiss on the lips that clearly wanted to linger, but self-control did not permit. "Escorting Nessa, armed, is just a precaution. I really don't expect any more trouble. We just need to be smart about this; be ready if something does happen." The first part was to allay their fears, the second to bolster their vigilance. Two steps down, Mel gave Dave a hug as well. "Just come back. You hear me? Come back to us. I don't want to change families anymore." Dave picked up on the allusion to the constant moves while in foster care. He hugged her tightly. "I promise, Red." Then he adopted a bad Austrian accent. "I'll be back." Mel giggled and smacked his shoulder with a wry smile. She followed Dave and Nessa down the stairs until she reached her station. The other two continued through the house and out through the garage. Liv's vehicle was in the driveway and it would have been much shorter to just go through the front door, but Dave was trying not to pass through any portion of the crime scene until after they'd documented it. Nessa drove. For one thing, it was her office, and Dave didn't know the way. For another, in the passenger seat, Dave could scan all around the vehicle, keeping a constant watch. He meant what he said earlier, the risk was likely zero now. Still, caution would be far better than getting caught unawares. Again. The streets were empty of course. While that should have lowered Dave's anxiety levels, the current risk factor was not the only thing that could gnaw at him. Dave had nearly a hundred hours of practice at shoot / no-shoot ranges, hundreds of hours of raw target practice, and had successful hunts every year he'd gotten a license. And no, despite all the bullshit coming out of those idiots at PETA, shooting a deer was not the same as shooting a person. Not even close. What they only knew as a pseudo-intellectual exercise Dave now had logged as real life experience. He didn't regret it. They were attacking his home. They broke in, in the middle of the night, carrying arms. Their intent was unknown, but there were no innocent reasons fitting those facts. But they were dead, at Dave's hands. And Livy's. He needed to find a way to console her, help her through this mental minefield even as he tried to navigate it himself. The look on her face as he left hovered in his mind. What had he led her through? Maybe he should have taken the low position on the stairs, and had Liv wait at the top of the stairs as backup? Then maybe she wouldn't have to have fired a shot? Maybe he could have fired quickly enough to hold off the attackers on his own. Then Liv wouldn't have to carry the burden she now had. "Babe?" Vanessa called out. Seeing no change in Dave's face, she tried again. "David? Honey, can you hear me?" "Huh? What?" "You're spiralling. I'm no expert, but that look. I've seen it before. A couple of our younger realtors are vets." "Not the same. This was a single incident that only lasted a few minutes. Those guys lived in hell for months." "Only one has chosen to open up to me, but it seems it's only a few minutes that the mind can't let go of." Dave kept his face stony and doubled down on his scanning. What could he have missed while his brain was wasting time with obsessions? "David, please don't run away on me, on us. We need you. You've been a good man for us every step of the way." Her voice got shaky as she continued. "We needed you this morning, and you stepped up. I've never been one to consign manliness exclusively to feats of strength or military prowess, but those are included. What you did this morning was another way to show your love. You stood between us and harm. You took the risk, and I am grateful for that. I know the others are too." Dave didn't reply, but did take a deep breath. The rest of the ride passed in silence. It took forty-five minutes to reach the realty office. Since most were working remotely; or dead; the place was empty. Dave followed Nessa in as she went straight to the cabinet and extracted a camera and a fresh memory card. Then they headed right back out. As she was locking the outer door, her stomach rumbled. Dave chuckled. "Maybe we should swing through a drive-thru for some breakfast. Any preferences?" "I'd really like a coffee. I think I saw an open Starbucks three blocks back. I don't know if they're working in bubbles; like a fixed group for each shift; or maybe they got dosed already, but they're lit up. A big coffee and a pastry and I'd be fine." The lobby doors had large "Closed, Use Drive-Thru Please" signs. Nessa pulled in and placed her order, then looked over at Dave. "Almond croissant, bacon gouda sandwich, and; a trenta pink drink. Easy ice." The look on Nessa face was priceless. She managed not to laugh, or say anything, just turned to the speaker to relay the request. While they were waiting their turn in line, she reached her hand under Dave's chin. She pulled him toward her, even as she leaned in, giving him a long, slow, loving kiss. "The man that can hold off armed assailants in the middle of the night, with no warning, doesn't need to be embarrassed about what he drinks with his breakfast, baby. You've certified your manliness in so many ways, even before this morning." Tears rimmed the bottom of her eyes. Dave was just brushing away her tears, trying to think of something to say when the car behind them honked. The car ahead was now two car lengths away. Both settled back into their seats. "Thank you," Dave said huskily as she edged forward. They passed the remainder of the return trip in silence, though a few meaningful glances were exchanged. Shawna and Mel left their stations and met them in the middle of the living room as soon as the two heard Dave and Nessa coming in through the garage. Dave had also texted as they turned on to the right block. "Upstairs, now mister." Shawna's voice was stern, uncompromising. "What?" "I didn't think about it before you left, but these guys might be carriers of Duo. We're vaxxed directly, but you're only safe through us. The briefing we got was clear; if the man we're bonded to is exposed, or even potentially exposed, renew his immunity with sex. Lots of it. Nessa and I will start documenting. Liv and Mel will stand guard." Footsteps on the stairs announced Olivia's descent. "Go on. Becca and Reena are in the spare bedroom waiting. Others will rotate in. You don't have to finish in us for your immunity. Once we gush, with or without you, switch to the next girl." "But y’all won't get your dose that way." "That's not the concern right now. Your immunity is. Go on." Dave recognized that tone, plus the looks in every eye present. He was sure the looks of those not present would match. Sure enough, when Dave opened the door to the bedroom, he saw his two youngest partners already waiting. Becca, her blonde hair cascading past her shoulders, small, pert tits standing out proudly as she kneeled on the bed wearing nothing but a smile. Reena was identically attired, her warm brown skin and large tits the most notable contrast with her friend. Dave began stripping off his gear and clothing, double checking that his pistol and smg were on safe, even though they had been for a few hours now. He set his weapons away from the bed, but further from the door than the bed. Coos and sexy comments from the girls had him half-chubbed by the time he pulled off his boxers. "Oh, yeah baby. That's what I'm looking for." Reena purred. She pulled Dave's face down to hers and locked his lips in a passionate kiss. Dave immediately began stroking her sides, then moved to caress her lush tits. As his hands contacted her big soft mammaries, Reena hummed. Dave pushed her back onto the bed. Whether this or his fingers grasping her nipples caused her to gasp is anyone's guess. Dave settled himself between her thighs. He felt a hand grasp his cock and notch it in Reena's entrance. Then a small hand delivered a soft slap on his ass. He felt Reena's hand reach around his back, but never saw the thumbs up she gave to Becca. That hand immediately switched from signaling to grasping as Dave's cock surged into her wet and waiting pussy. "Oh, fuck yes. Fuck me, David. Fuck me with that magic fucking cock." She started nibbling on his earlobe as he drove in and out of her slippery passage. It was one of his 'drive me wild' spots. His thrusting rapidly accelerated in speed and power. He raised up, taking his ear out of her reach, but her lascivious smile and her bouncing tits provided incredible visual stimuli. Reena managed a few encouraging erotic words, but quickly devolved into grunts and moans as his animalistic attack on her eager vagina brought both of them to the edge of ecstasy. She got there first. Barely. Her rippling inner muscles touched off his eruption, in turning kicking her into a second orgasm just as the first was reaching its maximum. The power of the doubled orgasm drove the air from her lungs and all thought from her mind. She clutched Dave fiercely with her arms and legs, claiming him as an anchor as pleasure wracked her body. She finally relaxed, flopping back to the bed, panting. "That; was; Awesome!" Dave sat up, his ass on his heels. Then Becca grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to half-turn so she could kiss him. He could feel a turmoil of emotions in that kiss. He brought his hands up to grasp her shoulders while his tongue tangled with hers. Dave barely felt the washcloth Becca slipped under his cock as he slid out of Reena's ravaged little hole. Reena grabbed it to capture any leakage. Meanwhile, Becca pushed Dave flat on his back and straddled him. She leaned down to kiss him again. Then Dave felt an extra hand on his mostly hard shaft. It was elevating him to Becca's hot, moist, little pussy. Reena was returning the favor. Becca sat back slowly at first, until Dave was seated in her entrance. The stimulus of the kiss, the hand on his cock, and Becca's small tits and tiny nipples rubbing his chest had him nearly full hard again. The young blonde's eyes fluttered slightly as she eased her way onto Dave's rod. Probably leftover semen on me setting off a serum reaction , Dave thought. Becca grasped his shoulders with her hands as the ripples passed through her. The effects of the brief exposure ran their course quickly. She sat up, bracing herself on his shoulders as she slowly began to ride him. Her eyes locked on his. Her hips bounced and rotated and snaked, all while Dave's cock stayed buried within her. Dave reached up, grazing her torso with his palms until he cupped her petite and alluring tits. He began massaging the lovely mounds with his palms. His fingers rubbed, rolled, and lightly pinched her nipples. Dave felt the bed shift, and then heard the door click shut. Reena must have slipped out of the room. He returned his attention to Becca, fixing his eyes on hers. So much life was there, waiting, yearning, to become. Her face bore worry; understandably; but something more. It was the something that gave him peace with their relationship, despite his natural doubts about their age difference or himself. He curled up to kiss her lips, which she returned before he lay back down. Her sleek body hammered up and down on his cock, the motions getting increasingly rapid. Her breathing grew ragged and punctuated by moans. She slammed herself down one last time, fully seating Dave inside her as pleasure shot through her body. Dave lowered the exhausted girl to his chest and held her while she caught her breath. Her fluids saturated his cock and leaked slowly out around their joining. A discrete knock preceded the door opening quietly, and closing almost as quickly. Almost imperceptible footsteps approached the bed. The silence of a librarian. "Becca, time to switch." Said Jan in her usual soft voice. "Try to understand, he's a magic man." Her voice was slightly muffled as her head was slightly mushed against Dave's chest still. Both adults chuckled. Then Dave said, "Been watching seventies music on MTV?" Becca nodded. "Mostly concerts since they didn't make many videos back then. People wore weird shit back then." "Hey, I was a kid in the seventies. Those people were my parents, aunts, and uncles." "No more stalling." Jan said in her firm voice. Becca slid up, so that Dave slipped out of her, then clambered off the bed. She immediately grabbed a washcloth, from a stack the ladies must have staged there. House Belsus had no shortage of women that could plan ahead, in detail. As Becca cleaned herself, Jan cleaned up Dave. Then she climbed over Dave to lie between him and the wall. Dave looked at the light tan blouse and mid-thigh, navy blue cloth skirt she wore. "Overdressed aren't we?" Jan's eyes twinkled as she took Dave's hand and placed it high on her thigh, under her skirt. Taking the hint, he slid his hand up her leg, finding her happy place bare and wet. The next hour became a blur as Dave's lovers each took turns 'topping off' his immunity. Well, except Niki. She'd only arrived last night, and was still in her imprinting sleep. When Dave and Shawna; who had been the last in line; had finished cuddling afterwards, they dressed, grinning at each other like a couple of teens that had the house to themselves. A quick kiss and they left the room. As they stepped out, Shawna leaned back in and gave a sniff. "We're gonna need to light a candle in there. Several candles. And lay down some carpet deodorizer." "That's a later problem. Right now I want to check in on Niki, then see how things are going downstairs." As they walked, Shawna spoke. "Well, Nessa and I photographed everything in excruciating detail. Multiple frames, multiple angles. Both breaches, and each corpse, along with the blood trails. She even took close up photos of each man's fingertips and captured decent images of the fingerprints." "Good enough for id purposes?" Dave asked as he opened the door to the master bedroom. "Dunno. Hopefully. We'll see what the police say." "They'll have the bodies to print the old fashion way." "Yeah, couldn't hurt though. Besides, we copied all the images on a second memory card. We're keeping that and handing over the original. Mel swears there's no difference in file integrity." Dave stood by the side of the bed, reaching out to place the back of his hand against the cheek of Niki as she slumbered. She was warm, but not feverish. He pulled back the blankets to examine her legs, remembering their discussion the night before about her injury. There were lots of flaked off skin in the bed surrounding Niki's legs, and some kind of residue along her legs as well. "Best to wait until she wakes to clean her up David. We don't want to disturb her during imprinting sleep." "But we can't wake her during it, no matter what we do." "Still, whatever's going on could be a delicate process. Let's err on the side of caution hun. Let her heal, then we'll help her cleanup later." Dave nodded his agreement and neatly pulled the covers back over Niki's sleeping form. As he adjusted the bedding, Shawna spoke. "Let's go see if Lupie's managed to get the glass out of the carpet to her satisfaction." A wry grin grew on Dave's face. "Is anything ever clean to Lupie's satisfaction?" he asked as they hit the top of the stairs. "When it comes to glass shards in carpet, I'm a fan of Lupie's exactitude." "Fair point. Hey, has Roscoe gotten out yet?" "Oh yeah. We took him out through the garage after you and Nessa left. Esme and Liv walked him around in Lupie's yard 'til he settled down and did his business. Then they played for awhile. Mostly Esme played with him while Liv kept watch." "Bet he loved that." "Yeah, those two are like peas in a pod now." Shawna said as they reached the floor of the living room. Dave walked over to Lupie, who leaned back onto her heels from her work looking for glass shards. The overhead lights were off. She had a flashlight in one hand, using the glint from the shards to locate them. She tilted her head up and Dave gave her an appreciative kiss. "I think he likes her more than me at this point," Liv groused from her position against one wall of the living room. "Aw, he's not replacing you. He just has a new buddy to have fun with." "Yeah, yeah. I'm still getting replaced by a younger model." Shawna rolled her eyes and snickered. "Oh, yeah, you're such an old hag, Liv." Olivia's only answer was a smirking scowl. Dave motioned Liv over to a quiet corner of the room. "How are you holding up?" "I'm okay," she said in an uncharacteristically small voice. "The others kinda dogpiled me for awhile. It's just; it's not like I thought it would be." Both were silent for a minute. "Dad did stuff like that for years." Her voice started to crack. "How? I mean shit, now I get why he was so strict on some things, or why he would get distant. How the fuck wasn't he a bigger asshole?" As she started to shake with sobs, Dave wrapped his arms around her, tears streaming down his own face. Lupie noticed and came over, with other members of the house following to join a group hug. It wasn't even noon yet, and already a very long day. Chapter 11; A Nudge. October 28, 2020 9:15am After Livy's entirely understandable emotional outburst, Dave suggested she remain at the house while he escorted Mel to the hardware store. Liv stomped that idea down, hard. "I will not leave my duties for someone else to perform. I thank all of you for your support. I'm okay. My dad didn't raise me to leave people hanging." The facial expressions several of them shared indicated a mutual desire to object to that particular characterization, and a mutual recognition of the futility of any words they could say in that cause. Liv was calm and collected when she and Mel left, both of them armed and masked up. Each wore full-length pants, long sleeves and gloves as well, to maintain the appearance of quarantine protocols. The NDA's they'd signed were still in effect, so they couldn't give anyone a reason to wonder why they were not concerned about the virus. All the gear they wore managed to dwarf Melanie's medium frame and curves, but nothing could hide Liv's large bust. That and the contrast of Liv's milk chocolate brown hair with Mel's auburn locks allowed the others to distinguish the two as they walked out. A few texts from Mel to Lupie kept the family reassured they were both fine while they were out. Liv drove, using the argument that she'd had combat driving training with her dad. He'd slipped her in when one of his security teams were going through annual training. Still, getting the lumber and fasteners to make temporary fixes for the broken window and sliding door took the better part of an hour in-store. The drive itself was short. While Liv and Mel were gone, Dave gathered a couple of sawhorses and tools from the garage and set up on the back deck. Even though they'd photographed everything, Dave didn't want to disturb the two bodies lying on the deck. Arranging the tables had a new dimension to consider. A creepy one that should have bothered him more than it did. He pulled out a plastic table from a hall closet to serve as a tool stand and laid out the cordless drill and everything else. The saw he placed on the table and immediately connected the extension cord to it, leaving the other end disconnected from, but near, the outside outlet. Finished, Dave settled into a patio chair. The chair was made of stretched grey fabric on a black metal frame, one of four on his low back deck. Given the size of his household, he needed to pick up some more. Or better yet get some nice wooden deck chairs. With the combined incomes in the house, they could afford to splurge a little. Except, they're supposed to move. How soon he didn't know, but why buy new furniture when they'd just have to move it; and might not have a deck or patio to put it on? Dave's gaze wandered across his yard. The greenhouse drew his attention. With the lower temperatures, the potted bay tree had been moved in there. Would they get to move the plants? Restarting his entire food base would suck. His practice platform would have to be carefully dismantled, assuming they had enough warning time. The platform was well worn and smooth. He'd even practice barefoot sometimes to get a feel for it. No splinters. That smooth. Starting over again; on so many things. Seems like that was the new refrain in life; starting over. Dave shook himself out of that downward spiral. Nothing good lay down that line of thinking. His eyes landed on the body on his deck, and the red stain beneath it. Once the body was removed and the detritus cleared and scrubbed, he'd need to sand it and re-stain it. Well, maybe not. Depends on how long until they moved. Dave realized he needed to talk with Vanessa about the timeline on this thing. But what the hell did it mean? Why would they cut the nuts off their own dead? What was going on? None of this made sense. Nothing had made sense for months. Why not pile on one more inanity? "David?" Jan's soft voice, loaded with concern, snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. He turned his head to face her. Her slender frame easily fit within the break in the glass door. "David, it's freezing and wet out here. Wouldn't you rather be inside?" She looked about the deck and all of his preparations. She crossed from the door to his chair and slowly knelt beside his knee. Her soft brown eyes pleaded even more than the words from her mouth. "It's not good for you to be out here like this, David. Please, come inside." Dave stood, reaching her position at the door in three quick steps. Kissing her softly on the lips, he pulled back with a cheeky grin. "Yes, dear." Her bemused smile was just what he needed. He let her guide him to a spot on the couch. It was only slightly warmer, but a lot drier. Plus, Jan snuggled in close. After a few minutes, she got up to pull a blanket off the back of the other couch. She rejoined Dave, wrapping the blanket around the two of them. They said very little. Jan's calm, quiet presence prevented any further worrisome mental tangents. When Liv got back with the supplies, his first order of business was to check that they'd had no problems and hadn't been followed. In that, they were clear. With weapons slung, the three of them unloaded the lumber and such from the truck and into the backyard via the side fence gate. They were careful to avoid the corpses, giving them a wide berth. Where the fuck were the cops? "Okay, Liv, can you make one last verification on the window measurements while I get the plywood on the sawhorse?" "Sure. You wanna screw it straight to the wood frame, right?" Liv asked. "Yup." Dave replied. "Hmm, you could just screw it straight to my frame, Dave." Mel purred and waggled her eyebrows. Liv was out of earshot by the time she'd spoken. Dave sagged for a moment. Mel was one of the several he hadn't ejaculated in earlier, so she would still need dosing in the next four days. Mel immediately felt bad, as expressed on her face. "Sorry, Dave, I'm just messing with you." "Yeah, I get that. And I like the quick jab jokes most of the time. I'd rather a sharp mind that occasionally nicks my fingertip than a dull one that needs every non-literal comment described and outlined for her." Melanie snickered appreciatively. "Still, I'm responsible for all of you, and your needs. I take that seriously; as much fun as any one of you are to be with, it's also a job that I gotta get right or someone gets hurt." It took Mel about half a second to close the distance and press her body against Dave. Her arms latched around him. "Hey, you do a great job taking care of us, each of us. This morning was one of the more obvious proofs. You're really good at the less obvious stuff too." Dave gave her ass a light pinch that made Mel yelp. "Thanks, kitten. I really am getting in a better head space with your help and others. Sometimes my instincts are from the old days, though." Liv stepped back out onto the deck just then. Mel's wicked grin reappeared. "Well, in the old days, you didn't have me to fuck; or your big tiddy daughter slut." Liv backhanded Mel. "I'm not his daughter, dammit! Don't say shit like that. I won't get laid for a week if that's in his head!" "Damn, that was my tit! That fucking hurt!" Olivia looked completely unapologetic. Mel's face switched back to lascivious. "That's okay, I know what could get him revved and ready to fuck." She sauntered over to Liv and took her friend's face in her hands, softly. Then she kissed her, long slow, and deep. Liv's response was surprise at the sudden switch, but not unaccustomed to the familiarity. Melanie broke the kiss, then turned to look at Dave with hooded eyes, her cheek pressed against Olivia's. "What do you think David? You up for nailing a couple of kinky bi-sexual college babes?" Dave drew in a breath and was about to reply when she continued. "Even if one of them is your big tiddy mfm--" Liv's hand sealed over Mel's mouth to block a repeat of the undesired phrase. "With dead bodies lying right here in view? Not so much." Dave hoisted a sheet of plywood and settled it on the sawhorses. Liv released Mel, who spoke only with her wicked grin and gleaming eyes before heading back inside. Liv called off the measurements, which matched what she and Dave measured earlier. A few minutes with the measuring tape and pencil and they had two panels marked off, one each from two different corners of the sheet. Liv held the plywood while Dave cut one panel, then they switched roles for the second panel. After securing the saw, Dave grabbed the drill and screws while Liv snagged the cut sections. They passed back through the broken glass door and proceeded to the entryway to patch the broken window. Nice thing about drywall screws; they're very good for more than just drywall. The frame of the window was wide, and solid wood. Dave held the one section in place on the inside as Liv used the cordless drill to run two pilot holes each on both sides of the frame. She quickly changed to a driver bit and put drywall screws into the holes. The pilots were large enough for the shaft of the screw, but not the threads, that way the screws had a good, firm, bite in the wood without cracking it. Once Liv had four good screws in the plywood panel, Dave stepped back, making room for her to run a few more pilot holes and screws; two more on each side and three each across the top and bottom. Liv was a little annoyed having to use the step ladder for the top screw on each side as well as the three across the top. "Don't worry about it. Hell, I'm gonna use it when I do the outside. Yeah, if I really had to, I can reach and do it. But, with less strain, I can be sure to get the screws level." Liv looked slightly mollified at Dave's admission. To further assuage her injured ego he delivered a gentle, lips only, kiss after she descended. She rolled her eyes and smiled before leaving to find the hand vacuum to get the sawdust. Dave started shuffling the equipment through the never-breached security door around to the outside of the window. He was just running the extension cord back to the outlet near the door when Liv came out. This time, she held the panel in place while he drove pilot holes, quick changed to a driver bit and put screws in place. Liv backed off so he had room to run the rest of the pilot holes. Dave was just driving the last screw holding the panel in place when he heard an engine coming down the street. Two engines. "Get inside, use the door as cover," he ordered. Dropping the drill in the grass under the windowsill, he hoofed it around the corner of the house. The brick would give him some small measure of protection if it was needed. He pulled the SMG around on its sling, from against his back to the ready position. Almost the moment he was in position with weap. As the S U V came to a stop, Dave registered the markings and got a mental jarring. Black background, two blue stripes, with white letters spelling out 'Police' and 'Garland'. Garland was three towns away, on the other fucking side of the lake! The officer stepped out of her vehicle, standing between the body and her driver's door. Typical for an on-duty officer, her hair was hidden up under her hat. More importantly, her right hand was low, hidden by the vehicle's body, likely on her pistol. In fact, given what Carter had taught him about procedures, she'd likely already removed the safety strap, her thumb hooked around the grip. She was exposed enough that Dave could see her badge. She was too far away to identify the authenticity of said emblem, but everything was falling into place as legit. "Sir, please place your weapon on the ground. My name is Officer Korman of the Garland Police Department. We are here in response to multiple 911 calls from this address." Dave held both hands, empty, out to his sides. "Yes officer, we called several times in the early morning while we were under attack, and after. I'm going to disarm myself, and hand my weapons inside to my family." The officer's eyes flicked to the door. Clearly, she'd been distracted enough by Dave that she hadn't noticed Olivia. Or Olivia's gun. Even at a distance, she flinched visibly, realizing she'd committed a fatal error. "We have no beef with law enforcement, officer. We've been a bit on guard since the incident. My partner will secure my weapons inside and close the door." Dave used his left hand to reach slowly across his body at shoulder height. He hooked his thumb under the strap and slid it off his shoulder and across his arm. Leaving it to twist, dangling from his thumb, he held his arm straight out, full length, as he slowly walked to the door and handed the weapon off to Liv. Keeping his right hand still up and visible, he then unstrapped his thigh holster and handed that inside as well. Liv had a wary look as Dave pulled the front door closed between them. Dave turned back to the officer. "Ma'am, as you can see, I am now unarmed, everyone else is inside. We were just repairing the damage from the attack, and staying vigilant." "You altered the crime scene?" The voice should have been annoyed, but was too monotone to convey any meaning beyond the words themselves. "We took extensive pictures of the bodies and both breaches. We haven't sealed the rear breach yet. We'd just finished the front when you arrived." The policewoman stepped around her door, closing it. On alert, she came around the front of her patrol vehicle and approached Dave. "Sir, the young woman that entered the house, is that your daughter?" Does she know about the vaccine? Best to play it cagey . "She's my best friend's daughter. I've known her since she was punching her mother's belly from the inside." The officer approached a few more steps as he spoke. At this range, Dave could see the drained appearance behind the weak smile his jest evoked. "You say you took pictures?" "Yes ma'am. We have it saved on a memory card for you." Dave shivered involuntarily. The drizzle had let up and the temperature had risen slightly with the sun. Not that the Sun's presence was particularly notable today. Working on the patch had kept him moving and focused so he didn't register the chill. Now he had the luxury of discomfort. "We carefully took photos of the bodies, the area they fell, and the path in between. We didn't move them ourselves, their buddies did that. Then they, well, take a look." Still wary, the cop walked over to the corpse still splayed out on the driveway. "And you didn't do this?" "No ma'am. We haven't touched the bodies at all. Shot 'em when they were inside the house. Their pals drug them back out here and did this. There's three more on the back deck. We shot two of them in the house. The third was shot by one of his friends, out on the deck." "I'm going to have our mortuary contractor collect the bodies for the Me. Please bring me the memory card with the original images." She beckoned towards the van as Dave moved to the house. Mel once again assured Dave the copies she made were full copies, indistinguishable from originals. Dave took the copied memory card and walked back out. The two figures in hazmat gear carrying the encased body between them were approaching the back of the van when he stepped out into the dreary day once again. "Here's the memory card officer." "Thanks. Two more in the back you say?" "Three. Two that we shot and one shot by his buddies." "Right." "There's a side gate so we can go around the house." "The shooting occurred inside?" "Yes ma'am." "I'm going to need to examine the area myself, and take some notes. There should be a detective along later. I'll make a note in the file that I've collected the pictures you took. She can get them from the station house." "Do you know the detective that's coming?" "No clue." "Then how do you know it'll be a woman?" "Probability, sir." Dave's heart sank. While the officer sounded drained for most of their conversation, those last two words were absolutely desiccated, the depleted echoes of a mind that had seen everything torn asunder, replaced with a nightmare even Wes Craven would run away from. Once the body movers returned, Dave led the three of them through the side gate into the backyard and pointed out the corpses on the back deck. He stayed in the grass to give them plenty of room for their work. The officer scribbled notes as the two body collectors packaged up one corpse and carried it off. She kept a distance from Dave the entire time, with her weapon hip carefully away from him; and the broken glass door. When the collectors came for the second body, she remained at a distance from the scene as they worked. For the third body, she followed them out. She fixed Dave's eyes with her own as she walked off. "I'll be back in a moment to examine the interior." Dave passed into the house through the breach. Lupie was busy in the kitchen with a couple of helpers. Shawna and Liv were in the living room. The younger woman was more obviously on alert, and maybe on edge. An attentive eye could discern Shawna was similarly watchful, but more calm. Liv picked up Dave's SMG to hand it to him. "No, hold on to it. Actually, put the SMG's away. Let's keep the pistols for now though. The policewoman is coming inside shortly. Let's keep the weapons out of sight. She's not a threat, how 'bout the two of you skedaddle up stairs while she's here?" "Sure," Liv replied. "You know the code?" Shawna asked. "Yup. Mom & Dad's wedding year." A sharp rap at the door announced the officer's arrival. Dave was a few steps away from the door, so he strode quickly in that direction after checking that Liv was already inputting the entry code for the gun closet. If he could keep the officer examining the parlor space first, and long enough, Liv and Shawna could get clear before the officer came into the living room. No point in agitating the woman. Dave noticed she was wearing a face mask and gloves when he opened the door. His plan to stall worked. Hell, he didn't even have to try that hard. The Lady asked enough questions about the attempted breach of the door and the eventual entry through the window that Dave heard his two partners ascending the stairs well before he and the officer moved towards the living room. "So this is where the shooting actually occurred?" "Yes ma'am. Liv stood over there at the landing, and I was initially braced against that corner where the hallway meets the room." "Initially?" "Once they broke through the window, I was concerned Liv would be exposed from that direction. They didn't seem interested in coming through the glass door anymore, so I crept forward behind that couch so that I could hit anyone that might try to get an angle on her. I don't think the guy I shot saw her before I shot him." She scribbled furiously in her notebook for a few minutes. Then she asked to speak with Liv. His partner descended; Dave was relieved to see she'd left her firearm upstairs. Lupie, Jan, and Reena passed upstairs after Liv cleared the stairs. The dishes they carried smelled great. If Dave hadn't heard the officer's stomach grumbling, he might have felt sorry for himself. She must have seen the look on his face though. "No, thank you. That would still be inappropriate," she said. "I will need to speak with ;” "Olivia." "; Olivia, alone please." Dave nodded and headed upstairs. Carefully, he lowered himself to a crouching position in the hallway beside the head of the stairs. He couldn't hear the words, but by tracking tone he would be alerted to impending trouble. There was none. It took several minutes, but then he heard Olivia walking the officer to the door. Dave was at the bottom of the stairs before Liv made it back from securing the front door. "All good?" he asked. "Yup," said the brunette. "She look exhausted to you?" "Very." "She say anything about who did this?" "She only asked questions, no answers. I tried a few while the body boys were away from us. No dice." "Boys?" "Dunno, I actually wasn't paying attention." "With the residency of this house, you're having trouble identifying male from female?" Liv said with a wink. Dave's only reply was a bemused glare. Liv's bounteous bust bounced with her laughter. "I love hearing that sound." Shawna's rich tones rolled into the living room as she reached the landing. Dave turned to face her. "Speaking of sounds I love to hear ;” Shawna came closer and kissed him. The feel of her magnificent bust pressed to his chest and the smell of his lover's skin gave Dave thoughts he couldn't address just yet. "I'd tell you that you have me already and don't have to win me over, but I love hearing those sweet nothings." She wrapped her arms around his waist and rubbed her nose on his. "Melanie and I ate already. We'll stand guard down here. You two eat and finish the repairs." Dave kissed her once more, then headed upstairs. Melanie passed him at the foot of the stairs. Liv followed immediately behind him. Dave had to 'endure' a lot of hugs, and a few kisses, within a few feet of entering the spare bedroom Lupie had set up lunch in. Homemade chicken soup with all the rich, deep flavors from multiple ingredients missing from the canned stuff. Plus fresh rolls. He was getting used to being spoiled like this, but damn, it was so good to have a woman around the house. Having nine women around the house sounded like a recipe for disaster, but it hadn't been an issue at all. Which reminded him. "Anyone keeping an eye on Nicole?" "I just came from the master bedroom before you came up," said Jan. "She's still solidly out. As long as it's been, she must be experiencing a regeneration. There's no telling how long she will be unconscious." Dave stopped before her for a lingering kiss and a minute or so of gazing into her eyes before getting a second bowl of soup and two more rolls. Liv lingered over her first bowl, then spent some time talking with Lupie while Dave finished up. "You ready?" Liv asked as he added his bowl to the dirty stack. "Yep. Now for the tough part." He paused in thought. "Did you pick up the glass handling gloves?" "Yeah, bag's on the couch. I don't want either one of us losing a finger." They grabbed the gloves on their way through the living room to the deck. Then things got tricky. First, they removed the fasteners holding the two frame pieces together. The glass was sandwiched between them. Then, with Dave holding high on the large pane, well away from the shattered area, Liv carefully pried the inner frame piece away. Dave had to step over it as she moved it out of the way. The most delicate part came next. Liv ran a flathead screwdriver around the edge of the glass to ensure it came away cleanly. Very gingerly, they pulled the top edge away from the frame, then slowed its descent as its own weight rotated it the rest of the way out. They laid it in the grass. "I really expected the edge by the break to fall apart." "Guess we got lucky." "Damn lucky. Let's get that plywood in place, then we can break that thing into large pieces and dump 'em in the trashcan." With Becca, Esme, and Lupie living in Dave's house, the large rolling trashcans for Lupie's property were empty. One of those had plenty of space for the glass pane. The plywood took some trimming to fit vertically. But there was open space horizontally, so a second piece of plywood was needed to fit the gap. With the frame back in place and secured, Dave and Liv ran a few 2x1's across the seam. A bit of caulk squeezed into the crack would prevent any air leak; or whistling. Breaking and stashing the glass in the spare bin and cleaning the deck area took another forty minutes. By the time they got inside, Jan had already vacuumed the last of the sawdust and glass bits from the carpet adjacent to the sliding door. Dave and Olivia washed up. Liv joined Mel in their room, watching a streaming show on the latter's laptop. Dave went down to the living room, finding most of his family present. "Hey, babe." He slid onto the couch beside Lupie. She immediately nestled into his shoulder. She placed one hand on his chest, the other on his thigh closest to her. "I appreciate everything you've done to keep things working smoothly here while Liv and I dealt with what happened. That helped keep everybody's nerves; manageable." Her hand on his chest gripped tighter, like she was trying to palm him. "You're the one that stood in the line of fire and faced down armed men coming to kill us. Or worse. Making food and cleaning up is not the same." "The value of one act does not negate the value of the other. Cleaning up is the first step in returning some normalcy after the disruption. A hearty meal helps soothe the soul. What you've done matters." Dave barely heard her next utterance. "Just don't leave me David. I need you. Please be careful." He pulled her in tight. "I will." A knock at the door interrupted anything else he might have said. The late afternoon gloom and the chilly air seemed perfect for the woman standing on Dave's doorstep. Not overly short for a woman, she sported jet black hair pulled into a loose ponytail at the base of her neck, and pale skin on an oval face. Her cloth mask covered her mouth. Dave half wondered if the darkness around her eyes was makeup or weariness. Oh good, Detective Wednesday Addams is here . "Hello, sir. I'm Detective Carmen Verratti. I'm here to investigate the break-in and deaths that occurred earlier." The mask she wore muffled her words slightly. An emotion detector would not have registered the tiniest blip as she spoke. One for weariness would have pegged. "Would you like to start with the outside or inside?" Dave queried. "Let's get the outside done before the temperature drops." She took a sip from her insulated beverage bottle. Dave picked up a vague whiff of coffee as he followed her out to the driveway. "I'm not sure what woke me up in the first place. We have a dog, but he was upstairs and deaf. He didn't start barking until after the shooting began. There's chickens in the next yard over. I suppose they might have made a noise, but not once I was awake. I armed myself and left my bedroom. I encountered; one of my housemates on the stairs." Dave continued, walking through each step of the encounter. Once they were past the part where the guys coming in the front broke through the window, they walked around to the back deck. As with the blotch in the driveway, the detective seemed transfixed by the stain on the deck for several seconds. When she was finished with her visual examination of the deck and backyard, she motioned for Dave to lead her inside. Waving to the plywood she asked, "This is the second breach?" "This was the first place they got through. By the sounds of things, they were trying to breach the sliding glass door and the front door at the same time. They just weren't ready for a security door. The guys in the front came through the window, but by that time we'd already taken out two guys coming through the back." "And that's when you heard two men arguing about someone's sister?" "Only one voice got loud enough to pick out words." Liv supplied. "He seemed pretty pissed, so whatever the quieter voice mentioned must not have been pleasant." "So could one of these men be the brother or brothers of one of your partners?" the detective queried. Dave shared uneasy looks with Liv, Shawna, and Lupie. Four brains looked stuck in feedback loops trying to figure out how to respond without breaking the NDA's they'd all signed. "I'm aware of the vaccine and its effects. I was finally informed this morning, though I haven't been partnered yet. It explains some of the changes I've seen around the station." All four visibly relaxed. "That certainly makes this easier. So, I think a few of us have fathers still hunkered down and alive, but no brothers." Shawna supplied. "Well, Niki mentioned she has a brother hiding out in his college dorm somewhere out of state," Lupie mentioned. "Out of state? Not likely to be involved, but can you ask her to come down so I can speak with her?" "She just joined us last night. She's still out as of an hour ago when I last looked in on her." "Please check again. If she's still out, then I may have to come back to follow up with her." Lupie moved like swift water off the couch and up the stairs. She came back down shortly, shaking her head once the detective's attention was on her. While Lupie was away, the detective began asking questions directly of Liv and Shawna. Liv said she'd heard some sort of thumping sound in the back yard, like maybe someone had fallen coming over the fence. It explained her wakefulness, but not mine, given the master bedroom was over the front of the house. Maybe the guys approaching the front made a noise. Maybe my sleeping brain sensed a disturbance in the force. Sometimes you just fucking wake up at an opportune time. Detective Verratti asked the others as well. Shawna hadn't awakened until I was exiting the room, and didn't get out of bed until the glass door was broken. The others didn't wake until the first gunshot. Lupie slipped upstairs to invite the rest of the family to come down, a few at a time, to share their observations. Since most had been upstairs the whole time, they had little to share, and the questions wore out quickly. Dave watched as she spoke with the others. The detective was mildly more relaxed once she admitted to knowing about the serum. Those that had been out of the room for the revelation were informed as they came down, so all of House Belsus seemed mostly comfortable. It was still an interrogation. But Det. Verratti seemed; uncomfortable. She was scratching in her notebook, having just asked one last question of Esme (while she sat on Lupie's lap) when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Lupie looked at her expectantly as Verratti checked her phone. "That's all I needed, thank you. You can head upstairs little miss." She said with a smile. The smile faded once Esme's back was turned. "I have to make a call. I'll step out front, but I have a few more things I want to wrap up with you Mr. Belsus." She grabbed her heavy coat as she headed out. The temperature had been cold all day, and was beginning to drop now that the sun had gone down. "Yes ma'am, I'll be waiting." "I'll make some more coffee." Shawna rose and headed to the kitchen. Liv got up and sat beside Dave, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her hands around his bicep. Dave was at one end of the couch, leaving her room to draw her feet up behind her. She killed two men. She's going to be coping for a long time. I never should have let her into that mess. I should have left her at the top of the stairs holding a second line of defense. Then again, with only one target for them, would I have succeeded? What if they had killed me, got to the stairs and then Liv gunned them down? She'd still have these feelings, but I'd be dead. She and all the others would be in deep shit because I'm not around to pump out cum anymore. So I did the right thing right? Maybe. Fuck, if Carter was still here, I could; what did he call it? Do an After Action Review! That's the phrase he used. Tell him what the fuck happened and let him pick it apart, or back me up. Probably a little of both. Fuck, if Carter were still alive, I'm not telling him I'm fucking his daughter! A knock at the door announced the detective's return. Shawna opened the door and led her into the living room. The detective was stony face as she entered. She was also carrying a valise. As she reached the chair she'd used earlier, she took a sniff. Taking the hint, Shawna informed her, "Coffee will be ready in another minute or two. I put on a fresh pot when you stepped out." "Thank you." The detective's face actually showed signs of life. "Professor Belsus, could we speak privately? Somewhere with some table space if you please." "Sure, we can use the dining room. Nice big table in there." The coffee machine chimed just as Verratti placed her valise on the table. She looked expectantly back towards the living room. Lupie and Shawna were already on their way in. "We'll be quick. How do you take yours?" "Black, one spoon of sugar, please." Lupie nodded and kept moving. "Now that I think about it, the library is more isolated, but it doesn't have a large surface like this." Dave confessed. "This will do. I'll wait until they've passed back out to start anything sensitive." She paused briefly. "Well, it's been years, so I don't know if you remember me, but I took your astronomy class about twelve years ago. We ran into each other again on the shoot / no shoot range about five years ago too." "Right. I remember that." To be continued in part 10, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 8 Intruders! Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 26, 2020. Monday afternoon, Reena took lunch duties. Lunch was often individual or in small groups, but she really wanted a crack at cooking for everyone. She said it could be 'come and go' to still facilitate varied schedules around the house. Her idea was ramen. But, it wasn't just basic out of the package. Well, it was, but with a variety of add-ons. You could pick your flavor of ramen, then she'd prepared chopped carrots, nori, sesame oil, diced onion, spam, eggs (fried up for each bowl individually) and Korean red pepper powder that Jan had gotten added to the spice rack. Oh, Reena still cooked it up, but each bowl was individual, and made on request. When Jan came in for lunch, she laughed warmly. Beaming, Reena asked hopefully, "Just like mom would make?" Jan placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder. "Not exactly dear. This is ore like what my Caucasian aunt would make when she tried to be authentic." Reena's face and shoulders seemed to suddenly melt. Jan stepped in beside the teen, wrapping her arms around her. "And the one time I made fun of my aunt for it in my mother's hearing was the last. She pulled me aside and scolded me for being insensitive, and ungrateful. Mom said that ramen was always about making something tasty, with love and what ever ingredients were available." Jan made a point of looking over the prepped ingredients arrayed on the counter. "And this is exactly what you have done." She kissed Reena on her cheek. "Thank you. Thank you for the meal, and thank you for reminding me of two lovely, caring women in my life." Reena hugged her. Then she got the specifics of what Jan wanted and got busy making it. Dave stepped out of his office and got two steps down the hallway when Lupie found him. "Dave, could I use your office and computer for a bit? It's kind of urgent. I was in the middle of some trades and my laptop died." "Again?" Dave chuckled. Lupie looked chagrined and rolled her eyes. "Good thing you have your software installed in there already. Just log me off and do what you gotta do. How long do you need me to stay out?" "Rest of the afternoon?" "Okay." Dave started to walk away but Lupie snagged him by the shirtfront and tugged him towards her. They kissed softly. They didn't hear the small footsteps approaching. "Oh gag me with a tamale." Both adults laughed too hard to maintain the kiss. "I do need to get in there," Lupie said. A quick peck and she scampered into the office. Dave knelt down and wrapped Esme in a hug. "And you, rascal, need to give it a rest. We keep a lot out of your sight because; well because it should be out of your viewing. So give us a break on the kissing once in a while, huh?" "Yessir" her tone sounded reluctant, but the grin was hard to suppress. She took four quick steps away from him before turning. "Dave?" "Yes, sweetie?" "Thanks for making mom happy." "Never have I ever; used a pay phone," Reena said with a wicked grin. Shawna and all the ladies over thirty took a drink. Dave first reached into his pocket, pulled his hand back out, and tossed a quarter at Reena. Then he took a drink. Liv busted out laughing. "One of Dad's favorite songs!" she cried as she cackled loudly and leaned a bit too far over into Mel. They'd been going for over half an hour. And she and Mel had pre-gamed. "Song?" Reena asked. "Pay phones used to cost a quarter to make a call. Early nineties, there was a country breakup song called 'Here's a Quarter, Call Someone Who Cares'," Dave filled in. Reena pouted, then stuck out her tongue. "Okay, Lupie, your turn," Jan prompted. 'Never have I ever; done the splits." Reena threw one back. Liv joined her, while Dave laughed. "That laugh suggests a story," Nessa observed. "Yeah, yeah," Liv replied. "I was; oh, about ten or so?" "Eleven," Dave corrected. "Right. Anyway, the girlie girl types were saying I was not really a girl if I couldn't do the splits. So I did." Dave cleared his throat. Liv blushed. "On top of the monkey bars." All the older ladies burst out laughing. "Well, that showed them!" Shawna rejoined. "And I believe it's Dave's turn now." "Alright, never have I ever; taken a nude or semi-nude selfie." Reena's eyes bugged out. She reached for her drink, threw back a slug, then covered her face with her hand. Mel, Liv, and Nessa followed suit. That was no shock to anyone. Jan doing so caught a few looks. "Nope, not gonna talk about it." Jan's face was as red as Melanie's hair. "Okay, moving on; " "Not yet. Someone hasn't drunk." Dave said. He looked at Becca, clearing his throat. "What?! I've never sent nude selfies. You're the first guy I ever got naked for!" "I believe you." Then Dave held up his phone and waggled it. Becca's eyes got wide. "Oh, crap, I forgot about that!" The young blonde blushed about six shades of red before reaching for her drink. "Oh, this I gotta hear." Melanie breathed. Becca hid her face in her hands, peeking between two fingers. Lupie laughed loudly. "Okay, you busted me out, so spill." Becca looked pleadingly at Dave, then shrugged her shoulders, giving him a nod. "Loops, you remember that very first day, when the vax guy came around?" Lupie nodded in reply. "And you wondered why Becca was acting all embarrassed after I told you I'd accepted you both?" "Yes?; oh!" "I told you she'd be the one to say it was okay to tell you what happened? She just did." Lupie just nodded in reply. "Uh, care to fill the rest of us in?" Mel asked. "So the CDC guy came around mid-September. He got to Lupie's house first. She sent him over here with a letter asking that I request her and Becca, giving her reasons why I should say yes. After setting things up with Arthur, I texted both of them that I would make the request. Becca replied with a selfie. With her shirt and bra pulled up. Still have it by the way." Dave winked at Becca. "Shit, we shoulda thought of that! Right after the video call!" Liv groused, nudging Mel. "Another missed first." "Becca was weeks before that call, so still first. Well, first amongst this group, not first ever." "Oh, yeah?" Dave dodged. "Old girlfriend, long time ago. So, who's turn is it next?" Thankfully, they let it slide. October 27, 2020. Dave descended the stairs to see Olivia, Becca and Reena watching a 90's movie. The two teens were making a concerted effort to take in as much of the movies and songs that Dave had grown up with, particularly the ones he had physical copies of. Reena had taken some adjusting to the idea of watching without streaming. Not that they didn't stream at all. Last night, Dave had discovered several of his partners, including Reena, hadn't yet seen Hamilton. That required immediate correction. "Wow, really? It's a great story, well executed, and it's historical. I mean, yeah, they take some liberties, but Miranda was pretty true to the essence of the characters." "But history?" Reena whined. "It's just a bunch of old white guys." Dave looked askance at her. "You're sleeping with an old white guy." Reena's face fell, and Dave's heart with it. In a soft voice, she said, "You're not just an old white guy to me." Her head wasn't exactly hanging, but she didn't meet his eyes. Fuck, emotional landmine triggered. Splash damage accumulating. Dave got up swiftly, without rushing, to stand in front of her and take her in his arms. He kissed the crown of her head as her face nestled in his chest. "I'm sorry honey, I didn't mean to sound so disparaging." Reena slipped her arms around Dave and took him in a hug. Several others joined in, circling the pair in their arms. "Reena, honey?" Shawna prompted. "The guy who wrote it had a vision to make the story more interesting than 'just a bunch of old white guys. Give it a try. I think you'll like it." As often happened, Shawna was spot-on. This morning though, the trio were watching Dave's blu-ray of Twister. "You know, we'll have to watch this in April. Before or during the first severe thunderstorm warning." Dave said as he rounded the back corner to pass them without blocking their view. All three girls chuckled lightly and accepted the kisses Dave planted on them as he passed behind them on his way to the library. Entering, he found Vanessa lounging with a book. He took a seat in easy speaking distance without crowding her. "So, how are you settling in?" "Pretty well. It's; so peaceful here. I really expected a house with this many people in it to be more chaotic. I mean, there's a fun energy here, and a lot of life, but it's; so soothing here. Thank you, David. For accepting me, for just; being here to match with." "I'm enjoying having you here. Beyond the obvious, I mean." Nessa snickered at that. "You've slipped rather smoothly into the family and already I couldn't imagine this place, or us, without you." "That's so sweet, thank you." "Maybe once the whole state's vaccinated, we'll get some normalcy and get out to do the usual family things together." "When we get some normalcy again, you ought to marry Lupie." "I should marry all of you." "No. No, I don't feel that way. Lupie does. Olivia does. And maybe Janice. Shawna too, she has it bad for you. Becca is still young and sorting it all out. Same goes for Reena and Mel. I don't share that depth of bond. I wouldn't want to cheapen what they have with you by sharing a marriage ceremony when I don't have that connection. I damn well better be one of the bridesmaids though" A wry smile crossed Vanessa's face. "I care for you. I love you. I love this family. I am not in love with you." "If it weren't for this damn serum, you would be free to find someone to have that bond with." Vanessa's eyes watered. "Don't ever say that again." There was steel in every syllable. "I may not be in love with you, but this is one of the best relationships I've ever had. I have more joy; not mere happiness; joy in my life now than I have had in a very long time. If the serum caused this, then Thank God and bring it on. I wouldn't change what I have right now for anything. I know you care for me. I can feel it. I feel it from each of the others. What we have is special and I don't ever want to let it go." Dave stood and walked towards Vanessa. From one eye, a tear rolled down her cheek. "I haven't felt this safe and accepted since I was a little girl that didn't know what emotional pain was." She closed her eyes, surrendering, hopeful, to what he might do next. Dave bent down, bringing his face to hers. He kissed each eye gently. He kissed each tear streak. He kissed her gently on the nose, eliciting a small giggle. He kissed her lips, softly at first, growing firmer as she responded. She broke the kiss and opened her eyes in time to see his eyes opening. She could see the tears watering them. "You're going to make me fall in love with you aren't you?" "No. I'm going to give you every reason to, and let you decide." Dave reached underneath Vanessa and lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him as he carried her. Olivia noticed them coming out of the library. With a small grin she began singing in a soft voice "Who; knows what to-morrow brings; in a world; few hearts survive ;” Dave tried scowling at her, but he couldn't get the grin off his face. As they neared the base of the stairs, Vanessa ceased her slow circuit of kissing Dave's cheek, neck and lips. "I think you better let me walk from here stud." Dave chuckled and lowered her feet to the floor. They rose up the stairs, side-by-side joined at the hips, shoulders, and lips. From below, they heard Olivia mutter "God that's hot." Reena Umm-hmmed her agreement. "My nipples are freaking diamonds right now." Entering the bedroom, Dave and Vanessa began removing each other's clothes, quickly, but without frenzy. They stood naked, at the end of the bed, kissing, holding and softly groping each other. Dave pressed in close and gripped Vanessa under the curve of her ass. He lifted her and tossed her into the middle of the bed. She squealed happily as she flew. Dave slowly crawled up the bed, kissing Vanessa as he went. He started by kissing the big toe of her left foot and proceeded down the top of her foot to her ankle. Then he switched to her right foot. When he reached her ankle, he continued laying soft, gentle kisses up her shin. Then again up her left shin. He avoided the backs of her calves, her kneecap and the inside of her knee. These spots were very ticklish for Vanessa. Becca loved the loss of control when Dave tickled her. Becca and Janice loved the counter play of tickling and sexual stimulation. Vanessa would mule-kick him through a wall if he tickled her. And be out of the mood. And be pissed for a few days. So no tickle-y He kissed his way up the tops and outsides of each leg. He kissed a wandering path around her abdomen, taking time at her belly button like a caravan merchant at an oasis. Vanessa moaned. Her belly button was one of her favorite places for Dave to play with. Dave began working his way upward again, kissing in a straight line that ran up from her navel between her tits. He looked up as he rose, seeing her eyes locked on him, hungry and happy. Pure joy radiated from her face. He reached the hollow of her neck and alternated kissing with light nibbling. Vanessa moaned again and shifted beneath him. This was another of her favorite spots. He kissed up to her jaw, across her jawline, to her lips. "Umm" Vanessa hummed as Dave settled in, his body pressing firmly against hers. He rested his weight on his elbows and knees (outside of hers) and took her hands in his, out to the sides of her head, their fingers interlaced. It was more sensual than sexual. After several minutes, Dave slipped his hands loose and moved lower for the next step. He broke the kiss. Vanessa whimpered and opened her eyes. She bit back a complaint about the end of the kiss, because she knew what was coming would be better. Dave kissed her chin, then her shoulder. He stroked the outside of each tit with his fingertips. He kissed from her shoulder down to the top of her tit. He kissed around her tit, never touching the areola. Then he placed tiny, soft kisses just at the border of her areola without brushing her nipple. Vanessa whimpered. His hand played with her other tit, likewise avoiding the areola. Vanessa squeaked as he took her nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled, flicking his tongue against her nipple. "Yes; ;” she clutched the sheets and writhed beneath him. It was delicious torture. He had her worked up and ready, but kept the foreplay going rather than enter her. One finger of his hand lightly brushed across her other nipple. Back and forth. Back and forth. Light pinch. "Oh, David, please baby." Dave chuckled. He met her eyes as he descended down her body again, taking less time than when he rose. He kissed her hip, then across her pelvis and down. He kissed her mound of Venus and descended with his mouth hovering over her labia, but not touching. He let his breath brush over her entrance. Then he pulled back further and kissed her inner thigh. He heard a strangled whine from above. He nibbled. He switched thighs. More shifting and squirming. Dave latched his mouth onto Vanessa's labia and suckled like a newborn. "Yes!" Her body lifted off the bed for several seconds. He flicked his tongue against her entrance before easing it inside of her. She let out a contented moan. He slid his hands along her sides and thighs. Dave lifted his eyes to look at Vanessa. Her eyes were closed in bliss. He moved marginally forward and took her clitoris into his mouth, massaging it with his lips and tongue. "Oh God!" her eyes flew open. Hands gripped sheets and pulled hard. Her feet lifted. Dave backed off, giving her a moment. He started crawling up the bed, over top of her. Vanessa pouted and locked eyes with him. Desire and need echoed back and forth between their eyes. Dave inserted himself into her wet, relaxed passage and slid forward purposefully. Vanessa issued a sound that was both a sigh and a moan signaling her satisfaction. Once again, Dave interlaced his fingers with hers. With his hands on top of hers, and all four hands beside Nessa's ears, Dave began to rock his body overtop of her. He held himself just low enough that his chest and ribs softly grazed over her erect nipples. With slow, gentle strokes, he raised the two of them towards ecstasy. Kissing softly, they communicated without words, just sighs, moans, and hums. Time stopped and the world fell away. Just two lovers wrapped in gauzy layers of lovemaking. Nessa's body trembled with anticipation for what felt like an eternity as Dave caressed and stimulated her, hitting all her pleasure spots just so, raising her gently to one delicious climax. He buried himself to the root within her as the dam burst forth. Her erotic writhing alternatively pushed him away and strove to swallow him within her. The oscillations of her wet passage seized his organ and sent him cascading over the cliff with her. Struck by the serum induced orgasm, Nessa clutched him tightly and howled her pleasure. When Nessa's grasp loosened, Dave slipped to lie beside her, holding her close. Drifting back into the conscious world, Nessa snuggled in close, draping an arm over him. "Hmm, so that's what the girls have been calling 'the full Dave', huh? I like it." Shawna's rotating early shift was today, allowing all of us to sit down as a family and finish discussing housing preferences. Mel came in from the kitchen once Shawna arrived. "We didn't quite get there last time, but with 12 or more people, we need a bigger kitchen." Lupie said emphatically. "Preferably with a double oven and a cooktop with five burners and a grill. Four burners and no grill is still okay. And gas, not electric." "Anything else for the kitchen?" "Well, an island, preferably with power to it, but with a cutting board top, and large enough for rolling out dough." Lupie paused, looking pensive. "Did I go too far?" "Not at all, that sounds great. Especially if I actually get to use it." Dave grinned back. Lupie smirked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, and one other condition; a nice big batch of tamales after we move in." Lupie's eyes danced. "Absolutely." "I was thinking," Reena said, "how about a backyard deck?" Dave interjected "Not really necessary. It would be good to have, but I can build a reliable deck. Especially with Livy involved. You can help too if you want." "If you can do renno, I may have work for you." Vanessa smirked. Dave laughed. "I still have a day job. Our house sure, but I'm not looking to make it a job. Oh, and what ever we get needs plenty of electrical outlets. If it's really necessary, I could run a few new breakers and circuits, but seriously, I'd rather stay away from that." Shawna looked alarmed. "Baby, I believe you when you say you've got skills, but I don't want you around one-ten, or worse, two-twenty." Dave returned with a scowling laugh, "That's why you turn it off at the box, dear." "Just be careful honey." "Yes, Peaches." That earned a laugh all around, as Shawna blew a kiss at him. Nessa looked at her. "Are you from Georgia?" "No, but my parents met there in college. Mom's from Georgia, Dad was just there for school. They raised me and my brother in St. Louis." "And you went there for your degree?" "Oh no. I knew I wanted to be a meteorologist since I was a young teen. I went to O U. With the National Weather Service center right there, I got experiences I could never have gotten elsewhere. Spent a good chunk of my upper-class and grad years chasing storms." "Sounds like a lot of fun." "Oh yeah." Nessa grinned with Shawna, then turned to Dave. "I have been asked to press the idea of the towers one more time. Not so much our immediate supervisor here, but the folks back in DC. Their argument is that it's more efficient." "Unbelievable." Dave managed to avoid grumbling. "You do realize that the same people that want to shove us into a shoebox are the same little hypocrites that scream their heads off when a CEO lays off workers to make his company more efficient. Both of them are promoting the math of what they want, ignoring what they don't, and neither actually gives a shit about the people they are using like pawns." Shawna, seated beside him, stroked his arm, a slight grin on her face. "Yeah, okay, I'll climb down off my soap box. But no, I do not want to live in an apartment tower. A neighborhood, sure. A diverse neighborhood sounds great. I'm not a fan of monochrome anyway." "Clearly," Nessa said. "Just looking around the room proves that." "I'm sorry, but the whole 'I know better than you' crowd pisses me off, whether it's the church variety, the lefty variety, or the old money variety." "Okay, okay," Nessa replied light heartedly. "I had to bring it up again. I've done so, and you've been quite clear. I'll get on the search tomorrow. It may take a bit, but I'm sure we can find something that meets our requirements." The conversation turned to other subjects, and the family splintered into little knots of discussions. Mel slipped back out to check on the meal she was making. Dave didn't know what it was, but it smelled really good. Well, he knew it was something with chicken. He decided to join Mel in the kitchen. "Hey, Mel, how's it goin'?" "Almost done." Mel turned her face to his and received the offered kiss. "Smells really good. Chicken soup?" "Chicken and dumplings. From scratch. I boiled the chicken earlier this afternoon. It's about time for me to mix the dumplings. After that, it'll be ready to eat in twenty minutes." Dave wrapped his arms around her, holding her close from behind as she watched the pot. "Perfect choice for a dreary day like today. And, I haven't had chicken and dumplings in a long time." "Well, I hope you like mine." "Oh, Mel," Dave said as he nuzzled his head against hers, "you know I like your dumplings." He traced the middle finger of each hand up her sides, pulling away before reaching her tits. She cackled, turning to face him. With a light smack on his shoulder she said, "You're an old lech," she stepped in for a kiss. "But you're my old lech." She waggled her eyebrows. Dave chuckled, resting his forehead against hers. Then the doorbell rang. "Go, I need to get on the dumplings anyway." Mel swatted him on the ass as he walked away. Jan was already at the door when Dave arrived. The soldier was just handing over the clipboard. Beside her stood a young black woman with her hair in several tight braids. She stood about 5'6", with eyes that appeared to prefer laughing, but bore the potential to penetrate obfuscation, a cute button nose and a bright red lipstick on her perfectly sized mouth. Large golden hoop earrings in her ears and tight black jeans on her legs were the only attire visible other than her thick coat. Given the near-freezing temperatures and drizzle that had gone on all day long, Dave could hardly blame her. The black handle and ribbing stood out starkly from the vivid, deep pink of her umbrella canopy. It looked thoroughly functional, and infinitely girlie; maybe a bit more Wednesday Addams than cheerleader, but that didn't bother Dave in the slightest. Jan handed the clipboard back to the soldier, who departed immediately. "Hello, my name is Janice, though I prefer Jan." She held out her hand, which was taken without trepidation. "And this is Dave." He likewise reached out and shook the lady's hand. "Come on inside. We were just about to sit down for dinner." "About twenty minutes," Dave supplied. "Mel; Melanie; is making chicken and dumplings." "Oh, that sounds really good. Especially with this weather." She pulled her roller case through the foyer and parked it just inside the living room. The ladies approached her, no more than three at once, and the early few drew her towards the center of the room as they greeted her and introduced themselves. Mel, having not taken a seat yet, exited to the kitchen again, reappearing barely a minute later. "It'll be about ten more minutes," she replied to the expectant faces that turned her way. Becca and Olivia immediately stood, heading to the kitchen. Apparently, it was their turn to set the table. The light conversations and sharing continued through the meal, interrupted only by nearly everyone asking for a second bowl (Dave had four, but made sure everyone else was done eating before the last two.) Of course, each family member took multiple opportunities to praise Mel for the quality of the meal, and the excellent choice for the dreary conditions. Dave listened in on the conversations around him, paying special attention to the ones involving the new arrival, Niki. Between his own conversations with her, he learned her full name was Nicole Lassiter, and she worked as the network administrator and network security administrator for a bank headquartered in Dallas. With all the losses, she was now over all computer issues that were not customer facing. Her little brother was still in college, hunkering down in the UGA dorms. Niki, her mom, and her dad each called him at least once a week both for their own peace of mind and to keep his spirits up. Niki's parents were recently vaccinated. Her mother had styled her hair before 'her baby girl' left for the Vax Center. The tight braids she wore were called a Senegalese twist. Since her mother was a hairdresser (not that she was seeing customers at the moment) she had extensions on hand to do her daughter up right. Niki's dad had just retired from road construction work, looking to open up a barbecue restaurant; right before the lockdowns hit. Dave also noticed a slight unsteadiness on occasion when Niki walked. It made him concerned for her well-being, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up without being rude. As the evening wore on, he noticed Niki making furtive glances his way. The next time she did, he made eye contact, lifting one eyebrow. She bit her lip and nodded. Dave rose from his seat and strode to her side. A few eyes followed them as he took her hand and led her upstairs. Dave guided her to the master bedroom. Niki quickly took a seat on the bed. "You know, I didn't ask you earlier: do you want to do this here, or in a separate room? Here, you're going to wind up with several other women in the bed as well. We still have a room you could wake up in with some privacy. Shawna and I use it sometimes to spend time together when she gets home from work, and she stores clothes in there so she can dress and not disturb anyone when she has an early morning shift, but nobody uses the bed in there." "No, here's fine, thank you." Looked pensive for a moment. And a little pained. "Are you okay? If you don't want to do this; " "No, no I'm fine, really. Well, I'm not fine, but you aren't the problem, not by a long shot. I pushed myself too hard this evening. I should have spent less time standing." Dave waited while she ordered her thoughts. "I haven't been completely honest with you, Dave. I only recently got to a point where I can walk without a cane. Over a year ago, I was t-boned by a drunk driver. Shattered my legs. It'd be a good bet that half the metal in this room, is in my bones right now." She let out an annoyed snort. "I used to run track. Even got a partial scholarship that helped me get my degree. I spent months in a wheelchair, and then a walker. After that, I moved up to those forearm crutches. During lockdown, I couldn't go to the doctor, so when I felt annoyed enough with the crutches I shifted to a simple cane. And now I've been walking without any aid for over a month, but it hurts like hell; and it's tiring." "You are one tough cookie." Dave said from the spot he'd taken beside her as she spoke. "I don't feel so tough. I feel beat up and worn out." Dave hugged her. "You want me to tuck you in and let you rest? We could do the imprinting tomorrow." "No, no I want to do this with you Dave. I just may need you to go easy. And probably help me undress." "Just to be clear, you're asking me to strip your clothes off, handle your body gently, and blow a load inside you?" Dave said with a hint of sarcasm. Niki giggled. "You seem man enough to handle the job." Dave answered her with a kiss, full on the lips, pressing firmly but with moderation. His hands drifted behind her shoulder blades. Niki responded, humming into the kiss and parting her lips. When Dave's tongue probed undemandingly, hers welcomed the visitor. Dave's hands roamed slowly, taking the first steps in learning the body of his newest lover. He enjoyed the feel of her in his hands. There was a looseness, as would be expected for an athlete that had been benched. Beneath that slight layer, there was a firm core. She was; exciting. And excited. Whatever she wanted in a man, she seemed to think Dave had it. Well, that and the serum had her amped up. Dave was finally getting past feeling guilty about that. Mostly. Dave started consciously directing his hands, seeking the buttons or clasps or zipper to loosen the neck of the tight black top she was wearing. Solid black panels with a black lace overlay stitched in at regular intervals. Finding the short zipper took no time at all. He next dropped his hands, seeking the hem of her shirt under her jeans waist. There was no hem. As his hands quested, he found bare hip, with cloth from the top still diving down her front and back. Just like a swimsuit. Then it struck him. He came up for air and play scowled at her. "You could have just said it was a bodysuit." She snickered. "Aw, where's the fun in that?" Dave kissed her. Then he gently shoved her backwards onto the bed. Her torso lay flat on the bed, her legs dangling off. Dave stood and faced her. Reaching down, he unbuttoned her jeans and lowered her zipper. Niki's eyes twinkled as Dave took hold of the cuff of her jeans and pulled them off. He missed the worried look in her eyes as the scars on her legs were exposed. That's because his eyes were locked on her trim brown legs. They stayed fixated on those lovely legs as he kneeled between them and began kissing her legs, first one then the other. All over her thighs, then, gently lifting, careful not to lift too high, he kissed her calves and shins. He lavished every inch of her legs with his lips and tongue. Niki moaned. Then she sniffled. Alerted, Dave brought his head up, locking his eyes on hers. Tears watered the bottom of her almond shaped sockets. "You make me feel beautiful again." "You always were." He kept his eyes on her as he kissed the inside of her knee. The kiss extended into suckling. He gave the spot a little nip, then moved his position by a few inches and giving the same attention, adding in a few strokes of his tongue tip. Niki's chest heaved. Dave could hear sobs amongst the moans as he switched to her other knee. He would have been alarmed except for the clearly cathartic tone. "Umm, David, please, I need you up here." With a grin, Dave worked his way, unhurried but not dawdling, up her leg, kissing and huffing hot breath on her exposed skin as he went. Reaching her fragrant core, Dave brought his fingers softly to the three little snaps holding the gusset of her bodysuit together. A gentle flick separated the two soaked flaps of cloth and revealed that Niki wore nothing underneath. The engorged, richly black outer labia of her nethers drenched in her arousal. Her inner labia petaled outward, yielding a peek at the pink interior. Dave blew one long, slow hot breath over her bare, quivering sex before latching his mouth on her. He suckled her lower lips as her back arched. Niki keened her pleasure while her arms beat a tattoo on the bed. "David, now, please, now." Dave shucked his shoes and quickly slipped his cargo shorts and boxers to the floor. In a flash, Dave was over top of her, dragging her up the bed like a leopard securing his prey in a tree. Niki's breath caught as he took charge of her body. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He kissed her deeply, then pulled away. With his eyes locked on hers, he moved himself to her entrance and pressed his cockhead just barely inside. The fluids leaked all over his throbbing cock touched her most sensitive places and set off a riot only attributable to the serum. Dave anchored her motions with his knees, pressed against her rear, but not enough to force her legs too far apart. "Fuck that was good." She paused for a deep breath. "Hmm, I'm all yours now Dave. Send me off to neverland, lover." Dave worked within her, slowly and gently at first, picking up pace slightly and a little more force when she signaled it was needed and acceptable. Her hums and moans continuously reminding him his actions were still mutually desired. His peak arrived and he shot hot ropes of cum with his cock buried deep in her, his cockhead brushing her cervix. Immediately, she shuddered, racked with the serum induced pleasure that forever locked her life with his. Dave held her in her throes until she went limp muttering "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” He rose, going to the bathroom to clean himself before returning with a wet washcloth and a hand towel to clean Niki. Once she was cleaned and dry, he snapped her body suit closed again and arranged her comfortably on the bed, beneath the covers. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead before heading downstairs to spend social time with the rest of his family. As he descended the staircase into the mild buzz of the other eight women happily sharing his life, his home, and his bed, Dave marveled at how amazing his life was. Chapter 10; Storm Winds. October 28, 2020 4:18am David's hand was halfway to the palmprint secured gun safe on the back side of his headboard before he realized he was even awake. With the vertical placement, and the; activity frequently occurring in the bed, he'd installed two Velcro loops to hold the pistol and magazine inside. He released the pistol and placed it on his chest before reaching back for the clip. Fortunately, only two hands and a part of one leg were draped over him at the moment. The four younger girls were in their rooms, leaving Lupie, Jan, Shawna, Vanessa, and his newest partner Nicole to share his bed. Nicole was one of the hands, and the partial leg. By consensus, the ladies decided she should get to curl up next to Dave for her imprinting sleep. Gingerly, Dave slipped free of his partners' limbs and slid down the bed onto the floor. Only then did he insert the magazine and work the slide. Flipping the safety on, he padded softly but quickly to the closet to grab a pair of shorts. He decided not to wear slippers this time. He might need the extra footing. Keeping close to the wall, he approached the bedroom door. With the door still shut, he took the safety off, but kept his finger out of the trigger well for the moment. Slowly, Dave eased the door open. Slipping through, he noticed a shape in the hallway, against the wall, at the top of the stairs. Too dark to identify an individual, the figure made the 'Join Me' signal his friend Carter had taught him long ago. He did not raise his weapon. Sliding along the wall silently, just the way he'd practiced at least once every year, Dave approached. Proximity gave the reassurance the lighting denied at a distance. Liv crouched in the hallway, pistol in hand, wearing only a light nightgown that reached most of the way to her knees. With a quick series of hand signals, Dave told Liv to follow at a distance as he prepared to descend the stairs as quietly as possible. Liv signaled back that she should lead, but apparently had no signal for why. Dave negated the suggestion, and started down the stairs. He reached the lower landing with no incident. His nerves had been raw as he got halfway down and the solid wall gave way to railing. Now he crouched on one knee, Liv a few steps up from the landing, but with good vision on the living room area, both of them listening. The nighttime chirping of mockingbirds was absent. No flutter of wings or rustle of raccoons, possums, or skunks. Out here on the wild edge of the metroplex, there was always something moving at night. Dave signaled for Liv to post up on the landing and then moved along the wall of the stairs, in front of the media center to the corner of the living room where the downstairs hallway started. He was now directly below the spot Liv had occupied when he first emerged from the bedroom. And just two steps from his secured gun closet recessed under the stairs and hidden behind a normal looking panel. Dave had only one twelve round magazine. Liv had purchased a larger safe and had a spare ten round magazine in addition to the one in her weapon. It was a bit awkward carrying it since she had no pockets, but Carter had taught a variety of firing stances, one of which allowed carrying something in the non-dominant hand. By the absence of natural sounds, somebody was outside. He did not know how many, or how they were armed, but he was sure they weren't here in the oh-my-god-it's-early hours for a friendly visit. He slid the cover for the pin pad open so he could punch in the unlock code. Dave heard a crashing thump at the door followed by cursing. The security door worked just fine. He didn't get a chance to smile though. The glass door at the back of the living room shattered from several rounds. Dave squared his body with the opening just as two men stepped through. The first man fell as Dave brought his weapon up. The second went down just as his head turned to his right to see Liv's position flanking their breach. Dave heard a tinkling sound from the entry. Someone was breaking the window in the front parlor. Now he was worried. The thick pillar at the free corner of the landing would give Liv scant protection against a firearm. Dave stayed low, stepping away from his corner. It gave him protection against someone firing from the sliding door breach, but he had no angle to fire into the entryway. With the furniture screening him from the glass door breach, he approached the arch between the entry and living room. Loud whispers drifted in from his right. The remaining attackers on the deck seemed to be hesitant about testing themselves against the defenses. He was straining to pick out words when a head began to resolve itself in the entry. Dave fired two rounds. The body fell. He held his position, weapon ready. Out back he heard an angry growl, "Hey, one of those women is my sister!" The reply was too low to understand the words, but the snideness came through clearly. As did the answering gunshot. What the hell is going on? They're shooting each other now? Hey, they don't need to be on my property for that! The fallen body in front of Dave slid backwards. Hands appeared from the foyer and the broken glass door, but they were empty. The hands gripped a pair of ankles of one downed man each and yanked them back to where the hands came from. This repeated for the second body near the glass door. Wet sickening sounds ensued, backed up by an occasional retching noise. Murmurs were heard. Someone said something about a marker and a bag. "David?!" Shawna's voice called from up the stairs. That wasn't the only sound from upstairs. Roscoe was barking his head off. Furtive whispers indicated some of his family were at the top of the stairs with Shawna. "Keep everyone up there. Open up the armory in the main closet and distribute weapons to the adults. Everything Lt. Malcolm Reed gave us is in there. Arm up and take defensive positions upstairs." That was a bluff. Hopefully enough of one to drive the attackers away. Dave was sure Shawna would recognize the name of the armory officer from Enterprise and catch on. The sounds from the foyer and back deck took on a hurried pace before Dave heard footsteps rushing away. Dave and Olivia exchanged glances, and then immediately darted their eyes back to the penetration points. This happened a few more times over the next several minutes. "Looks like we're clear." "Yeah, just stay on your toes." "I know. I grew up under the same guy that trained you, remember?" "Vividly." Cautious footsteps descended the stairs. "David, Olivia, it's Shawna. I'm coming down." Slowly, Shawna came into view, feet first on the exposed portion of the staircase. Her pink satin nightgown falling just past her knees gave her some coverage, but made Dave aware of the cold, damp air pouring in from both breaches. "Are you two okay? Is it safe?" "For now. We've got two big holes in the house, so maybe keep everybody up there where it's warm unless they're needed down here." Dave paused for a second. "Ask Nessa and Mel to look out the upstairs windows. See if they can spot these guys leaving, or lying in wait." Shawna disappeared upstairs, then came back down after a brief verbal exchange. Shawna came down to the lower landing and spoke briefly with Livy, giving her a hug. Then she came to Dave. She hugged him fiercely. Her voice shook as she said thickly, "For a little bit there, I thought I was going to lose you." "We held." Dave managed to keep most of the nervous tension and post-adrenaline shake out of his voice. By the look in her eye, Shawna wasn't fooled a bit. Dave led her to the beginning of the hallway, the cubby under the stairs. He whispered the passcode in her ear so she could unlock it. That had been the galling thing during the attack. His full stash of weapons had been right beside his shoulder, but he couldn't spare the attention to unlock it. Clearly, he needed to rethink his arrangements. Shawna handed out a thigh holster for him, which he only saw peripherally as he kept watch. The weight told him immediately she'd placed two pre-filled magazines in there for him. He pulled one out for a quick check. No use him having Livy's mags. "I go to the pistol range about every other month. Nothing fancy, but I'm a decent shot and I know the difference between ten mil and nine mil. What? It's a very satisfying skill to have, and a great way to blow off some stress." Dave chuckled and turned his head, with a quick lean to her and gave her a peck on the cheek. Then he stepped back out to his post. He felt Shawna walking out, so he moved to the other side of the hallway so she could make her way to Livy with the other thigh holster without crossing Dave's line of sight. She paused at his shoulder. "Dave, do you want the other weapons in there?" Dave thought for a minute. He knew which ones Shawna had to mean. He sighed, "Yeah. A tac vest and one of the MP5's. Tac vests should already have six loaded magazines in the pockets. Get two and give the other vest and weapon to Liv. Then find out if anyone upstairs has any weapons training. You said you shoot, how good are you?" Shawna handed out a vest first, which Dave quickly donned. "With silhouette targets, I can put four out of five rounds through the heart. Now, I haven't gotten to shoot since the lockdowns, but I was pretty regular before." She handed him one of the MP5's which Dave quickly slung over his head and shoulder, inserted a magazine he'd pulled from the vest and chambered a round, then safed the weapon. "Are those; ?" "Semiauto. Carter went to a lot of work to make sure we had everything we could legally have, but never anything illegal. They do have the integral noise suppressor. It was expensive as hell and took forever plus a mountain of paperwork, but it's all legal. At least in Texas." "God Bless Texas," she said with a gleam in her eye. Shawna gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before sauntering over to Livy, a thigh holster clutched in one hand, a tac vest in the other, and an MP5 slung over her neck. A second thigh holster, with a nine millimeter and magazines was strapped to her sleek, powerful thigh. Shawna handed off the gear to Olivia, then swiftly moved back to the concealed weapons closet. She was in there for quite a while before emerging. "There was only one more pre-loaded nine mil mag, so I had to load a few or just walk around with one. The second choice didn't sound viable." "Agreed." Dave grasped Shawna's bicep and pulled her in for a quick kiss on the cheek. She beamed at him after returning the kiss, then headed upstairs. Dave heard Liv saying something to Shawna as she passed by. An eternity and a short time later, two sets of footsteps descended the staircase. Melanie followed behind Shawna. "Carter and Liv both took me to the range several times. I even went to a tactical course once my aim was; acceptable. But only with pistol. I've never shot anything else." "Good enough. There's another thigh holster and pistol inside. What did Carter train you on? "Nine millimeter. He said it was so common it made a good starting point. Once with Liv, we rented shotguns at an outdoor range and I was decent with it." "Pistol will do fine. Shawna, help her get some magazines loaded. Has anyone called for police?" Mel swallowed nervously. "I didn't see anyone waiting in the back yard, but the deck;” "Yes?" "It's; disturbing. Dave, be careful." Dave nodded, as did Liv. Shawna spoke up as she followed Mel in. It was tight with two adults in there, but doable. At three it would have been cramped. "Lupie called. They didn't know how long before someone responds. They're stretched thin and the night shift is the least staffed." Wordlessly, she handed over a t-shirt she'd grabbed while she was upstairs. Dave slipped the tac vest off, donned the shirt, then the tac vest again. While he dressed, he spoke with his partners. "Fuck. Okay, here's what's gonna happen. You two take defensive positions on the stairs. One of you take the lower landing, one further up, just below the ceiling line. Then Liv and I will go out through the deck, and check the exterior all the way around." "I'll take the landing," Mel said. "I've had training with Carter, I should be the one exposed." "You sure?" Shawna prodded. "Yeah." "Okay, take your positions then." Dave kissed each one on the cheek before they walked away. When both had taken their places, Liv came over to him. Dave had one more instruction for Shawna. "Oh, and tell Lupie to call the police again, let them know we are clearing the grounds so they don't just shoot us on sight." Shawna nodded and crept upwards. Jan came down the stairs, bearing a pair of shoes for Dave and Liv, a pair of socks stuck into one shoe for each of them. After handing over the shoes, Jan headed back upstairs. They shod themselves quietly. "So, me on point?" Liv asked as she finished. "No, I'll take point, you cover me." "Dave, if anything happens to you, we're all in big trouble." "That's why you're watching my back. Otherwise, I'd go out there solo and leave you in charge here." "Like hell you would. I ain't some; " "I know you are capable, but I'm still going to shield you from as much risk as I can." Liv rolled her eyes. "Gee, I feel safe and offended all at once." Dave stared at her stony. "Are we done here? Ready to go?" "Shit, Dad really rubbed off on you. Yeah, let's do this." Olivia fell in behind Dave as he headed straight for the glass door breach. Both held their weapons ready, jutting forward with the strap taut around their necks and backs. Dave paused at the breach. "Off safe." "Roger." Dave examined the scene visible through the broken glass and the flapping curtain. Blood trails led out the breach from the various points where the bodies of the invaders had landed. He could see the legs of a few of them still on the deck. He turned his head to catch first Shawna's then Mel's eyes, nodded, and proceeded cautiously but swiftly out the breach. He swiveled right going out, knowing Liv would go left, just as her father had taught them for years. Each stopped at the furthest extension of the deck in their direction, scanning the deck and yard in a full semicircle, their backs to the house. There was no damage to the fence, and no apparent damage to the greenhouse or anything else in the backyard. The deck however; well, it wasn't damaged. The bodies on it were. Each had the pants and underwear pulled down and a huge bloody mess where the genitals once were. Blood continued to ooze out of the wounds, though clearly it had poured out initially. Dave signaled his intent to clear the greenhouse. Liv followed him. It didn't take long to clear. They emerged quickly, rescanning the backyard as they did. With Liv trailing, Dave exited the backyard through the side gate. The side yard showed no disturbance. In the front yard, they found the same gruesome sight as the back deck. Here though, they found an empty plastic baggie with blood spatter. And a few bloody fingerprints. The bag snagged under the heel of the corpse, ensuring the light wind was insufficient to blow it away. Dave and Liv finished the sweep, checking the other side yard, which showed no signs of disturbance. "I think we're safe, for now. These guys bugged out." "Yeah, but why did they cut their buddies' junk off?" Dave shivered, and not from the crummy weather. Well, maybe a little from the weather. He was barely dressed after all. "Let's get inside." Since the front door was still locked, they traipsed back through the side yard to the gate and came in through the broken glass door. "Coming in." Dave called before entering. "No sign of anyone out there." The relief on Mel and Shawna's faces was evident. Their shoulders relaxed slightly. "Can you two keep watch here? I'm gonna talk to the others, then we'll both get dressed, and then I'll call the police again." At the top of the stairs, four of Dave's partners wrapped him in hugs muttering their relief that he was still in one piece. He could see Lupie gazing at him, beseechingly as she held Esme close, soothing her. A loud bang against a door at the end of the hall reminded Dave of other necessities. "You better go let Roscoe out so he can see that we're all intact," Dave chuckled. As Olivia opened the door, Roscoe bolted from the room, turning only when she bellowed "Roscoe, Heel." That cut through his canine brain fog of 'defense mode'. He turned to her, sniffing as if checking on her condition. Liv knelt in front of him. She placed her hands on either side of his face and began stroking his neck and back while speaking softly, in calm tones. After a few whimpers, he started aggressively licking her face and putting his paws on her shoulders. Addressing his family, Dave said, "Liv and I need to get dressed. We need to call the police again, and we need to get those holes sealed." "Holes?" Jan asked. "Yeah, they busted in the sliding door and a window in the parlor. It's not quite as cold and miserable downstairs as it is outside, but it's close enough. For now, stay upstairs unless you have something you need to do down there. You can still run down to grab a book, or make meals or snacks. For tv, use the spare room that Shawna uses when she has morning shifts." "We could just use our laptops for streaming, Dave. We'll be fine." Reena added. She looked a bit bleary. To be fair, everyone seemed caught in some whipsaw state of alert and drowsy. Not surprising, given what they'd just been through. Dave patted her on the shoulder and kissed the crown of her head in appreciation. Releasing Reena, Dave knelt in front of Esme, who was showing clear signs of worry and strain. He enveloped her in his arms and held her close. "It's okay now, baby girl. We're all okay now." He held her, stroking her hair and back soothingly. After several minutes had passed, he loosened his grip and began to stand. Esme's arms immediately came up, wrapping Dave in a vise-grip hug. She didn't say anything, she didn't cry or whimper. She just clutched him tightly. Dave eyed Lupie, but she just looked back at him imploringly. He reached a hand out to her and she grabbed on immediately. He looked around at the others and saw the need for reassurance was still there. Olivia had already slipped into her room with Roscoe to get dressed. Becca, Reena, Jan, Nessa and Lupie all rushed to surround him the moment he waved his hand to 'bring it in'. Esme was wedged between Dave and Lupie. She finally relaxed her grip on Dave, and switched over to her mother. With a silent chuckle, Dave kissed Lupie on the cheek and slipped off to the master bedroom. Jan followed after him. "I thought I'd call the police and put it on speaker so you could talk to them while getting dressed." Dave nodded, then wrapped her in a hug and gave her a closed mouth kiss that was no less affectionate for its chasteness. Reluctantly, he released her and headed into the closet to collect some clothes. Jan dialed 911 as soon as Dave emerged. Police staffing was so low, all calls went through the emergency center. Long held habits are hard to break, though. Especially when those habits are codified in a manual. That's what they call 'procedure'. "911, what's your emergency?" "We called earlier about a break in. The people trying to break in have left, except the ones we shot," Dave called out in clear, even tones for the speaker. "Is anyone injured?" The operator droned, as if she been on duty too long, too many days in a row. "No, ma'am," Dave said. "No one in my family was hit, and the ones we shot are dead." "Are you sure they're dead?" "Yes ma'am. The guy that taught me how to shoot didn't teach me to miss. Besides, before they left, the invaders; mutilated the bodies. If they hadn't died from the gunshots, they'd have died from the blood loss." Dave was watching Jan's face when he mentioned the mutilation. Not the best choice, since he nearly fell over pulling on his cargo pants. It did allow him to see the flinch that briefly flitted across her face before she reasserted control. "Did you say mutilated, sir?" The tones were even, obviously someone that had worked 911 for years. Still, there were notes of 'oh shit' blended with 'what fucking else?' "I did." "Would you please specify the nature of the mutilation?" "The genitals of the deceased were removed." A short silence reigned on the line. "Could you repeat that sir?" The operator's voice sounded slightly more alert. Dave pulled his pre-tied sneakers on as he said, "the scrotum was removed from each of the corpses." This conversation was now added to the thick stack of reasons to be very glad of the distance between the master bedroom and Esme's bedroom. Lupie and the others had taken her there when Dave walked away. Between the walk-in closet and Dave's office, there was little chance sounds from the bedroom penetrated that far. "Are you certain the perpetrators have left?" "Yes ma'am, one of my partners and I swept the area; our yard anyway; and found no one remaining. All we found were the bodies that the survivors had drug back out of the house and carved up." "So the shooting happened inside the house?" "Correct." "I'm noting all this in the file sir. I'm appending this report to the prior calls your partner made requesting assistance. Since you are no longer in immediate danger, I am diverting the patrol response. They will get to you to you after attending to higher level calls." Even as she spoke, the woman's voice grew more exhausted, like a Walmart employee on Black Friday at about 3pm. "It's been almost an hour since the initial break in. Why has it taken so long?" "Sir, I'm not at liberty to discuss that, but I do apologize. I have no control over response times. I will dispatch a detective to investigate as well. Until then, please leave the scene undisturbed." "How long will that take? Can you give me an estimate?" "Probably a few hours, sir. There are very few detectives working night shift, so they'll likely hand this over to the dayshift investigators." "Hours? These guys busted in my sliding door and broke a large window in the parlor. It's making for quite a chilly cross breeze. And that's not even counting the blood stains and blood trails in my living room and entryway." Dave's voice had begun to rise. "Sorry, I'm trying to maintain a level tone here, but that's a bit difficult given what's happened and what you're telling me." The voice on the other end reached its most hollow state. "I'm sorry sir, I can't change those realities. Please understand that it will be three hours minimum before a detective would reach you. More likely it will be three hours before a detective is assigned to your case. Patrol won't take that long, but it won't be immediate." Dave took a deep, cleansing breath. It was only marginally useful, but it helped him keep his tone level. "And what is the longest likely time before a detective gets out here?" "Possibly six to eight hours sir." "That's; " Dave caught himself. And formed a plan immediately. "Fine. We'll be ready when the detective arrives." He hung up. Dave took a deep breath, staring intently at the far wall, fully aware of Jan quietly and patiently waiting off to his right. He rubbed his face, then snatched up his t-shirt and pulled it on. "Okay, let's meet with everyone else. I have a plan, and we can deal with this." Dave said as he stood. With a concerned look to Niki's slumbering form, he strapped the thigh holster in place and fastened the tac vest as he walked. The MP5 he slung over his neck and shoulder, then pulled around to his back. To be continued in part 9, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 7 What the hell was that? Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. The ladies all mingled quietly as they awaited the appearance of the teens. Lupie of course, made extras of the appetizers, plus a few extra finger foods, so the rest of the family wasn't held up for a meal, but Lupie and Mel didn't have to make 'prom dinner' for everyone. At last, they heard footsteps descending the stairs. When the sounds reached the point the stairs peeked beyond the partial wall in the back of the living room, the first thing they spotted was shimmering metallic medium blue cloth that nearly reached the step the foot rested on. Becca's nerd-pale feet and ankles clad in low-heeled strappy sandals was enough to identify her, if they hadn't already known the order the girls were arriving. A bit more intriguing was the amount of her right leg, on the opposite side of her body from the adults, was visible. As she descended, more leg was in view. Each step down exposed more leggy flesh. By the time Rebecca's torso could be seen, it was obvious the skirt of her dress had been slit all the way to her hip. She turned at the last landing before the final three steps. Her short height meant she was fully visible to all as she paused. The dress was very flattering. Spaghetti straps over her shoulders held up the top, and a plunging neckline left no opportunity for a bra. Yet, some miracle of undergarment managed to give her small tits just a hint of cleavage; enough to enhance the femininity of her look on this special night. Small diamond stud earrings completed her ensemble. Becca had been letting her hair grow longer, after learning Dave leaned toward long hair. Her naturally blonde hair reached a few inches past her shoulders when straight. It was a bit shorter than that at the moment as bands of joined hair strands fell in loose curls from her head. As Dave suspected on Becca's descent, the skirt gathered just above Becca's right hip, leaving her entire right leg exposed. "I think someone got the memo that Dave is a leg man." Liv muttered. There was light laughter following the comment, but Dave only had eyes and ears for his date. The first of his dates to arrive. He walked steadily, and slightly spellbound, to meet Becca at the base of the stairs and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. Becca was beaming before and after the kiss, though the slight apprehension seemed to disappear during. Dave led her over to the others, clustered around the small bar area Janice had setup. Lupie slipped away to the kitchen after giving Becca a hug and beaming like a proud mother. Well, older sister. Mel handed them each a 'mocktail' before Dave conducted Becca to her seat on one side of his, at the head of the table. He gave her another kiss once she was seated. Then he caught Mel putting away her phone as she cleared her throat. With a quick pat on Becca's hand, Dave slipped away to observe Reena's entrance. Kareena's feet first appeared, clad in white, open-toed wedge heels bearing a black line design on the upper. As she descended, a flowing, forest green skirt came into view, bearing a design done in gold thread. Her midriff was exposed. Her top was made in matching green to her skirt, also bearing tracery in gold thread along its bottom edge and the hem of the quarter sleeves. A green drape, again with designs in gold thread, lay across her shoulders. Medium-sized gold hoop earrings hung from her ears, but her head piece nailed the appearance she was after. One golden chain, bearing alternating clear and red crystals ran down her middle part, with two unadorned gold chains lying to each side. A pendant the size of a silver dollar, made of pearls and red gems fixed in gold dangled from the central chain, resting on her forehead, centered between her eyes and between her hairline and brow line. Her face was supremely confident and demure in equal measure. Dave met her at the base of the stairs, taking her hand gently and kissing her cheek. Then he led her to the cluster of ladies observing the festivities. "That dress is lovely, Reena, dear." Vanessa said. "It's traditional is it not?" "It is. The entire outfit and the skirt are called a lehenga, while the top is a choli, and the drape is a dupatta." The ladies cooed over the garment a bit before Dave escorted Reena to her seat on the other side of the head. After a quick conversation with each lady, he made two small plates with a few appetizers each and placed them in front of his dates. He made a quick plate of his own and took his place at the head, Becca on his right and Reena on his left. Reena's dark hair gathered in a thick braid down her back contrasted with Becca's blonde curls cascading onto her shoulders. Both girls were bubbling over with excitement. The others took turns circulating past and joining the trio's conversation while holding a small paper plate with an appetizer or two, emulating a real prom. When Lupie called Mel in to help plate up the dinner, the rest of the family filed out, after delivering a few hugs. The two cooks brought in the warm plates, each bearing a small steak, mashed potatoes, and a vegetable medley. Lupie gave Becca a quick hug from behind, whispering something in her ear. Whatever it was, it made Becca smile and blush. Mel did the same for Reena, though without the blushing aspect. Dave ate one-handed, though not the same hand the whole time. The girls switched off holding his hand. They generously gave him time to slice up his steak into strips every few minutes. The talk was light, catching up on unshared activities of the past week, mulling desired amenities to be discussed with Vanessa and the rest of the family, 80's and 90's songs the girls had picked up from MTV's renewed format, and so on. Of course, Dave took a few opportunities to complement each of his dates on their hairstyle, the outfits they'd picked out and how it accented some feature or other. The girls were glowing. Keeping his compliments specific was apparently the way to go. Eventually, the three arose, having finished eating several minutes prior. Dave escorted them both, simultaneously, one on each arm, to a couch against one wall of the living room. Initially, they continued their conversation. Janice and Olivia slipped in to clean up the dishes. Mel started up the next playlist, labeled 'Mood Setting'. The songs were chosen to get the celebrants relaxed and enjoying each other's company. The last few songs ramped up the beat. Recognizing a song she'd chosen, Reena leapt to her feet, turned to grab Dave's hand, and drug him out on the 'dance floor'. For the next three songs she danced and hopped, her hands spending most of their time above her shoulders, unless they were draped over Dave's shoulders while she rocked her hips and stared into his eyes. Her braid flipped about as she cavorted. The next song was a slow one. Reena let out a sigh, hugging Dave, her head against his chest. "This is Becca's song. Can you walk me back, and ask her on to the floor? She's getting more confident being here, but you'll need to ask her to dance." Dave kissed her full on the lips, more than a quick peck, but less than a steamy passionate lip-lock. Then he walked her back to the couch where her best friend, his young blonde lover waited. Becca's eyes shone with anticipation as she watched her friend and her man approach, walking casually, loosely, with Reena occasionally leaning in to bounce her shoulder off Dave's arm. He pulled her in for one more kiss, before releasing her to take her seat. Then he took Becca's hand, asking her, "May I have this dance?" Becca giggled. "Of course!" She leapt to her feet, squealing happily when Dave pulled her in for a kiss before leading her out to the open space. Becca's chosen songs were slower, which allowed her to cling to Dave, and gave Dave the kind of dance he was fully prepared for; shuffling his feet and swaying. His lack of skill at rug cutting didn't faze his lovely blonde nerd girl in the least. Holding him close and shuffling fit her needs just fine. He could feel her contentment in the way she held him. In this moment, her world was peaceful and perfect. Becca looked up to stare into Dave's eyes. "Thank you, David. For so much. Everything you've done." Her eyes watered. "I never would have gotten through those first weeks without your help." She swallowed. "Then again through the long months, the three of us together, in two houses. And after; " her voice became too thick to talk. Dave kissed her. She calmed as he held her. "You gave me a new life David. You gave me love. I would never have gone to prom before, but with you, I want all of this." A few songs later, an energetic tune began. Becca looked up to Dave. "Her turn." She gave him a kiss just as Reena tapped Dave on the shoulder. "May I have this dance?" "Certainly." Dave stepped back from Becca and offered her hand he held to Reena. Both teens laughed heartily at the joke. Then Reena stepped in and started dancing with Becca. The young blonde looked a bit surprised, but game to play along on this happy night. The girls danced half the song together, before turning to Dave, who had stepped a short distance away, and pulled him in. The three person dance worked for the remainder of the song but just barely. As that song ended, Dave walked Becca back to the couch before returning to his dark haired lover on the dance floor. Her moves over the next several songs got more daring. A few moves in which her ass was rubbing on his thigh; including the one time she twerked; Dave noticed an odd firmness between Reena's cheeks. For her last song, she'd picked a slow dance. She confirmed to him that this was her last song, not Becca's first. Reena clung to him tightly, partly from exertion, partly for the feel of him against her. "David, I need to be honest with you," Reena said sometime after her breathing steadied. "This dress, the lehenga, it's a special dress. It's not for every party, just special ones, like prom; or a wedding." Dave looked into her eyes as she continued. "Most Indian brides wear red, but my family is from Decca. We wear green for our wedding lehenga. This is the one my mother had made for me. I made sure to bring it when I came here. I'm; I'm not saying you have to marry me, but; this is my declaration. This is where I want to be, for the rest of my life, David. Here, in your arms, sharing life with you." Dave's head spun with the revelation. I mean, damn, this young woman had just pledged herself to him for a lifetime. Granted, the serum made that a reality already, but; damn. "Reena, I; I don't know what to say. I know we've only known each other for a few weeks, but you are deeply embedded in my heart already. I; worry about you and Becca, and Mel and Olivia; bound to me for the rest of your lives; or at least the rest of mine, and then what happens to you? I am glad you are in my life. You bring your own special light to this house, this family. I can't say that I'm in love with you, but I am taken with you; you , not just your body; and I feel that I am moving towards love." Kareena's eyes watered softly as he spoke. When Dave finished, she moved in, offering her lips to him. Dave kissed her slowly and passionately. It took a moment for them to realize the music had stopped. Mel had paused the playlist because Reena's last song had finished, but the two lovers were not yet done. Dave walked Reena back to the couch one last time, and brought Becca out to dance again. Hers were slow dances, but the pace seemed to pick up as they progressed through the set. The last song was of the high energy type that Reena leaned towards. Becca writhed all over him like a stripper on a pole. She was blushing and biting her lip the entire time. She was also smiling; a smile that grew wider when she brushed her ass across Dave's crotch and felt his fully engorged cock straining to get out. She got bolder with that affirmation. Fortunately, the song ended before she escalated to dry humping. "You are wild, and crazy, and wonderful, Rebecca Sampson." Dave kissed her full on the lips, long and slow. There was a definite hunger in her eyes when they broke the kiss. With Becca on one arm, Dave approached Reena. He offered her his other hand and she rose. A beautiful lady on either side, Dave waved to the rest of the family and went upstairs. A few catcalls followed them. Liv even called out "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Reena snapped back, laughing "Short list!" All the women laughed at that, with Liv clapping as she joined in. Dave and his young lovers ascended the stairs, turning down the hallway to the 'hotel room'. He opened the door, standing back to let the ladies enter first. He was relieved at what he saw. Or rather, what he didn't see. He'd been a bit worried that Liv would do up the room like a cheesy bachelorette party, with sex themed decorations, and um 'accoutrements'. No such thing was in sight. A foot and a half (half a meter) to the left as he entered was the foot of a full size bed, with its upper left corner nestled in the corner of the room. A small rectangular table just slightly taller than the bed sat against the same wall as the head of the bed, with a second full size bed beyond that, fitting neatly into the corner of the room diagonal from the door. The room was clean and spare, and slightly cozy. Just like a hotel room. Both girls turned to him, hungry and excited. Becca pressed herself against Dave as she pulled his head down for a long, slow kiss that promised a lot more to come. Her hands wandered over his chest, back, and butt, encouraging him to do the same. Dave started with his hands on her shoulders, rubbing down her arms and back up. Then he progressed to her shoulder blades, and her back, tracing his fingertips lightly up and down her spine. Settling his hands at her waist, he slowly brought them around to her front, his thumbs making circles as they lead the way onto her tummy. Becca was neither athletic, nor out of shape. Her tummy was soft and yielding. It was also sensitive, as were her sides. With a twinkle in his eye, Dave let a few strokes land just the way he knew would stimulate her tickle reflex. Becca leapt backwards, letting out a shriek and a giggle. "Must be my turn now." Reena purred. Dave was already erect with the inducements he'd received thus far. The young woman's sultry tones made his cock ache. She pulled herself to him, planting her soft lips on his, darting her tongue briefly into his mouth as an invitation before holding her own lips lightly parted for him. Her full tits pressed firmly into Dave' lower chest as she undulated her hips against him. Then she broke the kiss, sighing. "Hmm, I'd love to keep going, but I did agree to the plan." "Plan?" "Umm-hmm. I got to dance first, she gets to get naked first." Dave turned back to Becca, who was advancing on him again. She rose up to kiss him hungrily, while sliding her hands under his dark brown suitcoat and shoving it off his arms. Not hearing it fall to the ground, or feel it against his legs, Dave surmised Reena had caught it and was putting it somewhere out of the way. Taking his cue, Dave slipped his hands around behind Becca's back, seeking out the zipper on the back of her dress. He found the line of it, and located the pull just as Becca finished unfastening the black buttons of his satiny purple shirt and began pulling the tails out of his pants. He pulled her tight, slowing her actions, as he lowered her zipper unhurriedly. The flash of color on her face told Dave she knew he was stretching this out on purpose. Her look only got more determined as she pulled his shirt down his arms. Dave helped her cause, lowering his arms and folding his thumbs in so the cuffs fell free. He'd already gotten the zipper to its base anyway. Becca stared at him, bit her lip, and shrugged the straps of her shoulders. The dress fell smoothly and quickly to the floor. On her chest, at the sides of her tits, leaving her medium brown areolas and firm nipples exposed, were two foam pads, that adhered to her curves and pushed her modest tits together, forming the bit of cleavage Dave had been admiring all night. "Well ain't technology wonderful?" Dave drawled. Becca giggled. "Wanna take them off?" she said before nibbling her lower lip. "Slowly, please." Dave stepped close, picked her up, and kissed her as he placed her across the bed, on her back. He kissed his way to her jaw as the fingers of his right hand found the top corner of the foam. As he nibbled on the corner of her jaw, he pulled gently, persistently on the pad. It came free with only two flinches on Becca's face. Each one faded as Dave moved the assault of his lips to sensitive parts of Becca's neck. He kept up the distraction of his lips as he removed the foam piece on the left. That one came of easier. Dave moved down to kiss her tits. His kisses and licks brought only moans, so the pad removal seemed to have no ill effects. Dave continued down Becca's body, kissing and suckling as he made his way to her panties. There; wasn't much there. Smaller than a G-string, and the string forming the waist of the panties sat high, obviously, to stay out of view of the slit. The tiny piece of cloth running between her legs just barely managed to cover her privates. If Becca'd left any hair on her pubis, none of it would be under the cloth. Her clit must have been ducking all night just to stay covered. Dave looked up her body to see Becca bushing furiously; and grinning wildly. With his eyes locked on hers, he brought his lips to her gusset and kissed firmly. He felt light moisture as he made contact. Her back arched as he tongued her through the cloth. The panties became sopping wet in short order. Dave slipped his fingers into the string and pulled them down her legs. Becca now lay on the bed crosswise, her hips hanging just off the edge, her toes touching the floor. She lifted her head, and with a lift of her eyebrow and jerk of her head urged Dave to switch his notice to her friend. He kissed the inside of her knee before moving on. Dave took a beaming Reena in his arms. The two lovers fell into a passionate kiss. Dave allowed his hands to roam for a little while, then brought them to her back. He found the ends of the string and pulled slowly on them, untying the knot securing her top. With the tension released from the string in the back, her weighty tits lowered slightly. Reena looked up at Dave adoringly as he lifted her top and freed her tits. She raised her arms as he continued the motion upward. A moment later, she was bare from her navel up. She wrapped her arms behind his neck and kissed him, pressing her lush chest against his firm torso. Dave held her steady as she kicked off her shoes, then did the same himself. When her hands reached for his belt buckle, his sought out the zipper he expected to find at the back of her skirt. It wasn't there. Reena giggled and wiggled her hips. Picking up her cue, Dave sent one hand to each hip, finding a zipper on her right one. The placement made sense as it aided in the taper of the skirt fitting snuggly to her lower torso. He felt his zipper lower and his pants dropped. Her skirt followed shortly thereafter. Her hands went straight to his boxers, pulling them off his hips and shoving them downward. He slipped a finger into each side string of her panties and slowly lowered them. He paused as his arms reached their lowest extent, her panties dangling from his fingers. Reena stood essentially nude before him, though they were too close for him to fully appreciate the sight. Two weeks since her arrival, he had seen it all, but he hoped it never got old, with any of them. Them. Dear God, he had multiple women willing sleeping with him, in full knowledge of the others. And these two. Two teen girls, in some ways so very different, but both just starting down the path of life. And both emphatically dedicated to him. Dave felt the weight of his responsibility to them as thoroughly as he felt elation at their enthusiastic company. And tonight was for celebration, and enthusiasm. He dropped Reena's panties and knelt in front of her. As he leaned in, drawing a breath to fill his nose with her scent, she tapped him on the head. When he looked up, she pointed to Becca, lying on the bed. Right. The plan. He stood and led Reena to the bed, guiding her to lay down beside her friend. Like Becca, Reena lay crosswise, her hips just past the edge of the bed, her feet brushing the floor. Dave knelt before Becca. He placed her legs over his shoulder, grinning at her sharp intake of breath. He kissed her inner thighs, alternating legs and slowly advancing towards her already soaked and flowered open; pussy. Dave took her lower lips in his, suckling on her sex, drawing her juices into his mouth and reveling in her excited squirming. The low, drawn out groan issuing from her throat played soundtrack as he gave her his devotion. When her pleasure plateaued, he switched his attention, driving his tongue into her passage, lapping at her fluids and massaging her walls. His hands held her hips firmly as she bucked, her back bowing, her hands grasping the comforter. Then he moved up, taking her nub between his lips, flicking the end with his tongue and suckling firmly. Becca exploded in ecstasy. Dave noticed signs of arousal from Reena throughout the oral session. Reasonable, given the visual display and the certainty she would soon receive the same attention. He was not prepared for the raven haired Indian teen to curl into a ball and wail her pleasure in unison with the nerdy blonde he was lashing with his tongue. He came up grinning wildly. "Wow, two orgasms with one tongue, that's new." Reena looked at him, startled, confused, a wild look of hunger and pleasure in her eyes. Dave knew how to deal with that. He gently lay Becca's legs onto the bed, leaving her curled in a loose fetal position. Then he slipped over in front of Reena. Settling between her legs, the small black protruding knob peeking out between her butt cheeks confirmed what he'd felt while dancing. As he kissed the inside of her knee, she moaned. "No, no David, no more foreplay. Please get inside me." Dave looked up to see her earnest face and rapacious eyes. He stood, still holding her legs. He held her legs lightly parted, ankles resting on his shoulders. As her approving eyes watched, he stepped in closer, then leaned forward. Dave lined his organ up with Reena's excited sex and pressed forward steadily, his length and girth filling her at a measured pace. "Ho, God, David, Yes! Yes, baby, fuck me, fuck me so good!" Dave stroked in and out of her, slowly at first, then building to the faster, demanding pace he'd come to understand she enjoyed. As his energy built, he moved his hands to the back of her knees. He pushed them forward, pinning them to the bed just below her armpits. The sensation of additional pressure from the plug in her ass was odd, but her pleasure rose rapidly as he nailed her to the mattress, just like she liked it. She sang her approval in howling cries that accompanied the riotous actions of her passage a few minutes later. Becca crested with her. That; Dave could not explain. Granted, his specialty was in the physical sciences, not biological, but this little conundrum was way outside anything he understood about biology. Then again, so was the serum. Could they be linked? After a few minutes of panting recovery, Reena placed a hand on Dave's chest. "David, I know you've noticed; what I've prepared. It's time now. I did some research. I've had two orgasms now, you still haven't climaxed yet. It's perfect timing." "Reena ;” Dave started, hesitantly. Tearfully, she said, "Please David, this is something I want to do. I'm a little surprised at myself, but I want this. I want to feel you back there. I want to give you what I would otherwise be afraid of someone insisting on. I want to be fully and unreservedly yours." "I have no experience with anal. I've looked it up a few times in the past month or so. It's something I'd like to try, eventually. I figured at some point in the future, I'd bring it up with one of you. But it's a new thing for me." Reena's face suddenly glowed. "The future is now, David. We can explore it together." She planted a big kiss on him as she undulated her body against him. Dave slipped one hand down to grope her firm ass, kneading the yielding flesh possessively. Reena's breathing picked up again. "There's a bottle of special lube for anal in the drawer of the nightstand. I asked Janice to put some there, after swearing her to secrecy. She helped me learn what I needed to know for this. Seems librarians know how to find any information you could want." "Especially the naughty ones," Dave quipped. Reena giggled in response. Dave checked the drawer of the table, finding a small lube bottle with labeling declaring it was made thicker than normal to facilitate anal sex. Dave slathered a bit on his cock as he moved back to Reena. With smooth, patient pressure, Dave pulled the plug out of her ass. He applied a bit more lube to the slowly shrinking ring of her gaping anus before setting the capped bottle aside. Dave pressed the head of his cock against her open hole pressing forward. He gradually increased the applied pressure until his head slipped inside. The resulting thrust buried another inch of his cock up her backside before he met resistance. "Huh." Reena voice was guttural. Dave waited for her to adapt. To call for him to back off or continue. "Nice and steady Dave." Dave moved as she asked, adding maybe two inches up her ass every minute as he made small thrusts that were slightly more ins than outs. "Oh, David. It's weird and good. It's a little scary and a little bit of hurt. Please keep going. Steady, just like you're doing." "Should I get more lube?" "No, no, not more lube. Just; slow and steady. It's so different, but I want it. Keep going." Dave continued working himself into her rear entrance until his pelvis compressed her ass cheeks. He held himself there, making small motions, tiny thrusts, small circles, anything he could think of. Reena breathed steadily, giving him short encouragements. Becca turned over to watch. Taking his cues from Reena's reactions, Dave pulled back out slowly, but continuously. When only his head remained within her, he moved forward again. Slow and steady, Dave sawed his cock in and out of Kareena's lovely, tight teen ass. After a few minutes, She called for more lube. Dave added it to both her ring and his cock while he was mostly out of her. A few measured thrusts distributed the lube everywhere it needed to be. "Oh my God. Oh wow, that; that feels good. Fuck, David, I just wanted to give you something special. This, this feels good. Uh. Pick up the pace, lover." Dave began a moderately paced drilling of Reena's forbidden hole. Not enough to make her grunt, but each impact of his hips on her cheeks elicited an exhale from the girl. Initially overwhelmed with concern for her, Dave was getting into it now. His cock was in her ass. It was so tight, so warm, so taboo. Holy shit, this girl was giving him her ass! Unbidden, he picked up his pace. The guttural groan from his lover signaled her approval. Dave slipped one hand from her hip, around her waist, seeking out her sensitive nub. The moment he made contact, a shudder washed through Reena's body, not quite an orgasm, but her accompanying moan was gratifying. Two more small shudders later, and her whole body spasmed, her arms collapsing and her ass clamping down on Dave's half-inserted cock so hard it arrested him mid thrust. Dave held still, waiting for her to ride it out. He rested both hands on her butt, just waiting. And watching. Not just Reena. Becca had again curled herself tighter, shaking and moaning. Reena's fluids dripped from his sack, having squirted on her climax. Becca's wide eyes and the wet spot behind her curled hips indicated she had as well. This was; weird. Maybe he should talk to someone about this? Who though? How would that call go? "Yeah, Vaccine Expert Guy? Look, I'm having sex with one girl and get her to climax, but her friend beside her, that neither of us is touching, also gets one. Any clues how that happened? What's that? You're sending someone to pick me up? Okay, just make sure they bring that lovely white jacket with all the pretty little straps and buckles." In his musing, Dave completely missed Reena's recovery. He snapped back to reality when she grabbed his hand. He caught her eyes, alive with joy, pleasure, and excitement. "Hey stud, let's finish this." "You just came with a cock in your ass. I think we hit peak ass-fucking, girl." Reena and Becca laughed. "No, we haven't, I'm taking a load of your cum right up my back door. Fuck me David, fuck me hard. I am so completely yours." The emotions rippling across her face freed Dave of his renewing worries for her. Dave took hold of Reena's hips, pulling her close as he drove himself to the hilt inside her warm, tight anus. She groaned her approval. He started slow. "Harder, David. Faster. Fuck me like an animal." David picked up the pace, energized by her words and Becca's heavy breathing. The little blonde's nipples were erect, the areolas bumpy with arousal. Taking Reena at her word, Dave got an idea. He reached his right hand up her body, grasping her braid between its center and the base of her skull. Using it like a rein, he pulled her up and into him as he accelerated his thrusting, hammering her ass with savage thrusts. "Hah, Yes," was the last intelligible speech she let out before devolving into grunts, forced exhales, and subvocals of pleasure and arousal. Becca watched, wide-eyed and rubbing herself. Dave felt his peak arriving with the subtlety of a freight train doing 60. He shoved himself deep inside, compressing her ass cheeks just as he erupted. He howled in primal triumph. He was too distracted by his own climax to see Becca shuddering through one as well. Reena he could feel clamping down on his cock again as he fired rope after rope of hot cream deep in her asshole. Reena went limp after her orgasm subsided. Dave lowered her gently to the bed before collapsing to her side. "That was intense." Becca said softly from the other side of Reena. Without the energy to lift his head, Dave looked in the direction of Becca's voice, seeing only Reena's back as he replied. "Yup." Dryly, Becca added "You're gonna have to wash that before touching me with it." Dave and Reena busted out laughing. They all lay there, panting and recovering until Dave levered himself up, heading for the door. "Where are you going?" Reena asked. "Wash my cock. Becca hasn't gotten any yet." "There's wipes in the drawer where the lube was." Dave looked askance. "Is that enough though?" Both girls nodded. After cleaning Reena and himself with the wipes, Dave slumped to the bed between his lovers. The girls had moved to lie 'properly' on the bed. Now all three lay awake, cuddled together, basking in each other's proximity. Presently, Becca rolled closer to Dave, kissing him softly with a hand on his chest. When he only responded with his lips, she took his hand and placed it on her tit. He grinned into the kiss as he fondled her softness. Shortly thereafter, his other hand began stroking her side. He also felt soft kisses on his neck from behind. Signaling Reena to scoot over a bit, Becca rolled Dave onto his back and slipped herself on top of him. Grinning broadly, she rocked her body on top of his as she hovered above him, her small tits dragging along his chest. At the top of each stroke she planted a quick kiss on his lips. The desired effect; his erection; was not long in coming. Becca felt it bump against her backside on her down strokes. She raised herself up, reaching back to grasp his organ and lining him up. Becca sighed contentedly as she impale her sopping wet and very relaxed sex on Dave's stiff meat pole. Then she started riding him. Slowly, eyes fixed on his, shining. This one wasn't a wild fuck. This was making love. Slow, luxurious, wondrous. Reena's kisses moved down Dave's shoulder to his bicep, then across to his pecs. Becca reached a hand to ruffle Reena's hair playfully. Reena moved her kissing target slowly down Dave's side. Then she reached Becca's thigh. Dave watched with anticipation as Becca stiffened slightly when Reena kissed the top of her thigh. The kisses crept up Becca's leg, some on top, some on the inside, as the young blonde's breathing grew rapid. As Reena reached Becca's torso, the nerdy girl leaned back, accommodating the attention she was receiving. She let out a soft moan, telling Dave Reena had reached Becca's navel. She loved getting kissed and tongued on her belly button. Then the Indian teen's head changed angles. Becca's eye flew wide in recognition. She also leaned back further as she kept rocking on Dave's cock. "Oh David, Oh David! She's, she's oh she's going to; Oh! She's On My Clit!" moments later, Becca's inner muscles ran riot on Dave's cock. Reena reached an arm up to keep her blonde friend from toppling backwards. Reena pulled her head out of the way and Becca collapsed on Dave. The dusky skinned girl curled in tight beside Dave and the three passed out. Chapter 9; The Full Dave. October 24, 2020. Dave and his prom dates slept in Saturday morning. As light crawled across their bodies from between the window curtains, the ray of warmth eventually caught Dave's attention, dragging him from Hypnos' arms and back to the waking world. Becca and Reena were both curled tightly against him, one under each arm, their heads resting on his shoulders. All three were nude. Dave felt Becca's modest rises on one side and the lushness of Reena's full tits on the other. In superficial ways, these girls had a lot of differences. Yet both had made a mature decision when faced with little time and an alarming change in the way of the world. Dave really needed to get over his anxieties and honor the commitment the young women had made. That they had reiterated last night. The whole family had pulled together to make last night as special as possible. It was; amazing. As a socially awkward nerd through high school and college, Dave never really expected to attend a dance. And even though he was the only guy present, and it was in; their living room, the whole evening was, well, magical. The attestations of his two youngest partners certainly made the evening special. And then there was the after. What the hell was that? Though, without the weird orgasm wave that happened to his lovers, the sex last night was a-mazing. Anal with Reena. And then Reena went down on Becca; while Becca was riding him! Dave was beginning to think he should be writing some of this down. "Dear Playboy, you'll never believe what happened last night ;” Becca stirred next to him. Not for long. Having been awake for a few minutes now, certain morning needs were making themselves known. Becca snuggling tighter against him signaled he was not going to easily extricate himself anytime soon. He had the choice of easy, and later, or now, but not easy. His bladder was making a decisive argument for now. It took some careful wiggling, but Dave managed to slip out, though both girls were on the verge of waking from his disturbances. Becca was half awake already. Dave found a pair of shorts in his bag, staged there by Jan and Liv, maintaining the appearance the three had checked into a hotel room. He pulled on the shorts and t-shirt and made his way to the bathroom quietly. He was just stepping inside when he heard a voice behind him. "Hey, magic man." Dave turned to see Olivia and Melanie standing in the hallway. Olivia smirking, Mel looking; uncertain. "There's a song about that. One of your mother's favorites, actually. A bit before our time really, but she loved to sing it while staring straight at your dad." "Gross. And don't try to change the subject." "Which is?" "How did you manage to induce orgasms in a woman that wasn't even in the same room with you." Dave stared at her blankly, then blinked. "Uh, once more with clarity?" Mel blushed, fidgeting. "I, uh; I was downstairs in the gym last night. After the dance was over. I was working off; excess energy. All of a sudden, I'm losing my grip on the rowing handle, and my legs feel like water. Now, I like a good workout, but I've never cum from one." Dave just stared for several heartbeats. "You felt that?!" He drew a breath. "Shit, it was weird enough watching both of them climax when I was only touching one." He stepped backwards, swinging the door shut. "I'm willing to finish this conversation, after I attend to business." When he came back out, Mel and Livy were no longer in the hallway. He slipped back into the room to find Becca waiting, mostly awake, and Reena stirring. Dave gave each young lady soft kisses to ease their introduction to the day. Smiles and stretches greeted his efforts. Reena wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a longer kiss. Then she relaxed her grip, opening the distance between them to gaze into his eyes. "I love you, David." Dave was shocked. Becca, similarly shocked, recovered faster. "Oh shit," she said. "You beat me to it." Dave looked at his young blonde lover. "It's not a competition, Rebecca. You are dear to me, and I know you feel the same." He turned his attention back to the young lady currently pressing her sizable tits against his stomach. He stared into her liquid brown eyes, shining with emotion and certainty. "Kareena; I've rushed into saying those words before. I; " "I'm not asking you to say those words back to me, David. I can see it in your eyes, and feel it in your arms around me. That's what I need. You give me what I need, and that's why I feel safe saying those words." No words came to Dave that were equal to the moment, so he held her close, resting his cheek on top of her head as she nuzzled into his chest. Until her stomach growled; and then his replied in kind. The teens dressed, Dave watching and appreciating the show. Reena noticed first and threw a little extra something in her movements. Becca caught on quickly, wiggling her ass as she pulled a pair of green cotton shorts over her pale blue thong. Dressed, they left the room and headed downstairs to meet the rest of the family gathering around the dining room table, laying out breakfast. This being a Saturday, everyone was home. Reena and Becca split up, each working their way around the room, giving each woman a tight, meaningful hug that lasted more than just a quick grasp. There were a few quiet statements of "You're welcome, dear." Jan, beaming brought a plate from the stove over to Dave. "Over medium, just like you like them." There was a slight nervousness in her smile. "Thank you, Jan." Dave received the plate with a grateful smile and motioned her closer. He gave her a firm, lingering kiss. Jan blushed, then turned to get her own plate. Dave piled a big helping of hashbrowns on his plate beside the eggs before adding bacon. He dug in with gusto, listening to the light-hearted conversations passing amongst his partners. Smiles and happy tones wafted about the table. As the meal wound down, Dave spoke up. "Esme, please take Roscoe out back and play with him for a while. He needs a bit of exercise." "Are you calling my dog fat?" Liv asked mockingly. "He's going to get antsy cooped up in the house all day and as social as he is, he ought to have company." "It's fine, Aunt Livy," Esme said. "I like playing with Roscoe. He's fun." "Thank you, Esme," Dave said. As she passed by his chair, he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. After Esme headed upstairs to find the large canine and his leash, Dave addressed the rest of the family. "Let's all gather in the living room, please." "Okay," Lupie said cautiously, "can we get the kitchen and dining room cleaned up first or is it urgent?" "Depends," Dave rejoined cheekily, "on if I get to participate in the cleanup." Lupie narrowed her eyes and stared at him. Dave relented first. "Okay, okay, no point in letting food harden on the dishes, it's not that urgent." Dave chuckled as he acquiesced. Jan and Lupie, having made breakfast, were exempted from cleaning and joined Dave in the living room immediately. Shawna and Nessa waved the younger four off and took care of the morning cleanup. Six women made their way to seats in the living room, along with Dave. They shared perfunctory conversations about their plans for the day. Aside from the Belsus Grand Prix, of course. That was due to start shortly after lunch. "Okay, Dave, what's up?" Shawna asked as she and Nessa joined the others. Suddenly, Dave looked uncomfortable again. "Well, first, I just want to convey my gratitude to each of you for last night. Ya'll did an amazing job. I enjoyed the evening, and I'm sure Becca and Reena did as well." "Hmm," Shawna began with a wicked grin, "I'm sure the young ladies' enjoyment had more to do with events we were not a party to." The others snickering elevated to a few guffaws when Reena and Becca blushed. Then Becca spoke up. "No, seriously, last night was wonderful and I want to thank all of you for putting it on. You are each so special to me, and for you to do all of that; I can't thank you enough." Reena hugged her bestie and nodded. "I haven't been here as long as the others, but for myself, it was a treat to be able to give you that special night." Vanessa said. The nods of the others added their agreement. "Well, the thing is; uh, wow, I swore I wasn't going to discuss details about each of you with each other, but this is kind of a unique circumstance. And well, I probably should be the one to describe it, since I was the only one; external to the situation." "I was there, you were not external." Reena's rejoinder garnered another round of giggling. Dave blushed, then closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Look, here's the thing, while we were; intimate, uh, I mean, I would be; giving attention to Becca, and as she; climaxed, so did Reena; and I wasn't touching Reena." "Let your fingers do the walkin' did ya?" Nessa teased. "Actually, no, I was enjoying just watching," Reena said quietly. That got the other's attention. "And it kept happening all night. Every time I brought one to climax, both of them peaked." "Yep, even when Dave was in my butt, Becca hit the high notes with me when I got there; which I didn't even expect to happen." "Well, they said whenever the guy cums, we would too, no matter where he was," Nessa offered. "No, I mean; sure yeah, that happened too; but I wasn't expecting to actually enjoy it. I just wanted to give Dave something special. I didn't think it would feel so good." "Neither did I," Becca added. All of the ladies looked pensive for a bit. Shawna was the first to speak. "You're saying that the girls climaxed together, no matter who you were touching?" Dave just nodded. "Lemme tell ya, it was one heck of a bonding experience," Reena added. "I'll bet." Quiet reigned again. "You gave him your ass?" Olivia grumped. Reena nodded, hesitantly. "Damn it, they beat us to it," Liv said, looking at Mel. "Guess that just leaves threesome as the only remaining first." When Becca looked at Reena side-eyed and Reena looked at the ceiling with a suppressed grin and a slight reddening of her cheeks, Liv's eyes flared. "Oh hell no, you little sluts did that too?" "I'll gladly be Dave's little slut," Becca replied. Reena inhaled, puffing out her chest. "The smell of your jealousy is delicious." Liv threw a pillow. Vanessa and Shawna laughed. "Now hold on, the two of them in the same room taking turns with him ain't the same as a threesome." "Oh, we know." Reena replied. Even with her darker skin, the blush in her cheeks was notable. Dave sat there with a wry grin on his face, not saying a word. "Are we embarrassing you Dave?" "Nope. I was there when it happened and this conversation still makes me feel like I fell into the Twilight Zone," Dave chuckled. "My brain keeps trying to make sense of everything that's happened, while my cock keeps saying 'Dude, shut up! Hot women are happily fucking us!'" That earned several chuckles. Then, the women shared looks, a certain gleam in their eyes. Almost as one, the women rose from their seats and approached Dave. It could have engendered a sense of foreboding, but he knew these women too well to think they had any ill intent. They encircled Dave, taking turns slowly kissing him. Lips on his, more lips on his ears, yet more on his shirt covered chest. Hands stroked his body, avoiding his cock; barely. Fingers played in his hair. Soft moans from Dave and each of the ladies of his house lightly covered over the heavy breathing. A loud bark from Roscoe, just outside the door, threw a bucket of cold water on the proceedings. Chagrined, the women drifted back to their seats. Dave took a shuddering breath and adjusted himself. "We need to keep the Esme rule in mind," Dave said levelly. "No one mounted you, and you were in a recliner, not on the couch," Mel replied. "The letter of the rule might not have been violated, but the spirit got shot so full of holes it'd whistle in a good wind. In four-part harmony, with reverb." "I was as much a part of instigating that as anyone," Lupie interjected. "But yes, we need to be careful. There's so much sexual innuendo everywhere these days, we don't need to give her a live demo." "With her own mother in a starring role." Lupie blanched at Dave's reply. "Getting back to the topic at hand; it was strange enough that Reena and Becca were climaxing sympathetically. At least they could see what was happening, they were in the same room together. This morning; Mel, why don't you take this part?" "Yeah, uh, as I was telling Dave this morning that, um, last night, I was working out in the gym room. On the rower. Well, all of the sudden I; had an orgasm. Mid-stroke. I had no idea what was going on, but I nearly fell off the rower. It was weird enough that I called it quits for the night and cleaned up the gym, heading to bed. On my way up the stairs, another one hit. I caught myself with my hands, so I didn't stumble too hard, but that was; really weird. Since the gym is almost directly below the room they were in, and the stairs run up right beside it, and given what happened in the room, they have to be linked." Silence settled on the room again. "Wow, so, some kind of shared orgasm, with a broadcast range?" Nessa asked. "Looks like it. I have no idea how, but that's what appears to have happened." "We didn't feel anything like that in the master bedroom. This is something we should report David." Shawna was in full on science mode. "They may already know about it, and can tell us why, or maybe they don't and the researchers need to find out what caused this. Either way, it has to be the serum doing it." "Agreed. It didn't happen to us before, so let's work through possible variables before we call." "Okay," Shawna said, staring into space and beginning to count off on her fingers, "One; your first partner arrived roughly seven weeks ago. Two; you've just reached eight partners. Three; it was a special night, so maybe something about the hormones of being that happy?" "All those sound reasonable. It was also the first threesome." Dave replied. "Anybody else?" "You two are the scientists," Lupie commented. "And both of us specialize in the physical sciences, not squishy stuff," Dave replied. "Don't sell yourself short baby," Shawna rebounded, "you're quite good with our squishy stuff." The women all laughed as Dave blushed again, his eyes wide and his mouth scrunched tight. With a grin. "Okay, so I'll call the Vax Center to tell them what happened. Assuming they don't haul me away in a padded van, we'll do the Mario Kart tournament this afternoon." "And movies afterward!" Reena exclaimed. "Sounds good to me," Shawna replied. "What are we watchin'?" The person at the Vax Center sounded like Dave's report was the first time they'd heard of this happening. They also sounded like they were no longer surprised by weird effects of the vaccine. So no padded van. Dave made it to the semifinal rounds but got knocked out by Olivia. She shot him with a spread of green shells right before the finish line and crossed ahead of him to seal her spot in the finals. In a playful whine he cried out "I thought you loved me!" His pouty lip drew laughter from the rest of the house, but only a tongue sticking out from his college age paramour. "All's fair in love and Mario Kart!" Livy proudly proclaimed. Dave managed to notice the extra, conciliatory bounce she gave to her tits as she laughed. Watching those big pec pillows jostling under her shirt did have an ameliorating effect. Doubly so since he had gotten intimately familiar with said fun bags. Dave took a moment to savor the mental image of Livy's lush, full tits, free of her bra, jostling back and forth, her medium brown areolas and thick nipples hopping like the bouncing ball in a sing along video while he pounded into her rapidly as they neared a mutual climax. Well, double for her, as Dave generally worked to get the lady there for real at least once before he allowed himself to let loose. And that was for quickies. If they had more time he never let himself release before she'd gotten three. Granted, that was getting a bit more difficult when he was juggling the needs of eight women. Dave shook himself back to reality. A couple of the ladies were smirking. Others were studiously looking away. Reena offered a high-five to Olivia. "Daydream score!" Reena cried out as the college girl accepted the congratulations of the recent high school grad. Both busty ladies laughed. A bit of shuffling ensued as everyone made space for Liv, Mel, Esme, and Shawna to take prime playing spots for the final game round. Spacing had gotten easier over the past few rounds as Lupie and Jan were eliminated and headed to the kitchen to start a movie night friendly meal. They hadn't told anyone what they were making, but no one had asked either. The smells were getting yummy though. Nessa decided to slip away to see if she could offer any help. Esme once again played Liv and Mel against each other. For one lap. Then all three noticed Shawna was well ahead of all of them. Then an all-out slaughter ensued as the three jostled each other, trying to surge ahead and battle with Shawna. Each one prayed for a blue shell, but none manifested. Esme finally got a lightning bolt, but miniaturized Princess Peach sailed across the finish line with room to spare. "How did you do that?" Reena cried incredulously. "I mean, you're this put together professional woman. How'd you get so good at Mario Kart?" "Professional scientist," Shawna replied. "How's that not set off your nerd alert? I was playing Mario Kart when it was 16 bit," she ended with a smirk. "Okay, hipster." Reena giggled back. Dave stepped close to Shawna, singing "This is how we do it ;” Together they started dancing, though Shawna clearly knew how, and Dave; not so much. He danced more like a caricature of a middle aged man breaking out old 90's moves in a dance club. The dance quickly morphed into a kiss that bounded between chaste and passionate. "Aw, it's so cute watching nerds in love." The two lovers laughed, breaking the kiss, and rested their foreheads together. "The table is all set," Lupie announced. "Make your plates and find a spot for the movie." There was a slight waver in her voice on the last part. Lupie was still adjusting to folks eating in the living room. Something she never allowed in her house, though when she went over to a family member's house for a big gathering, they all did it. She was making baby steps. They had plenty of evening and night left, and probably two movies before it was reasonable to send Esme to bed. First up was Inside Out, which Esme hadn't yet watched, and loved. Dave put away the disc after the movie ended. Reena took the lull to speak up. "How about we watch something streaming next? Maybe, The Babysitter?" "Are you nuts girl?" Shawna asked. "How 'bout we watch something that won't keep Esme from sleeping for a month?" Lupie, unfamiliar with the movie, took on a worried look. "That bad?" "Bad enough I'm not even going to describe it with her around. And She would never look at Becca the same again." Reena snorted. "To be fair, Becca is in a sort of cult now, with a much different sacrificial totem!" "Ha. Ha, ha. ha." Dave replied. Jan, seated beside Dave because it was her turn, chuckled while clutching his bicep and nestling her head on his shoulder. "Oh! How about The Mummy? The Brendan Fraser one, not Tom Cruise," Becca said from her seat on the floor between Dave's legs. Not doing anything frisky, that was understood, but often Becca or Reena; and occasionally Livy; sat there for family movie time. "Hmm, good movie, not sure if we should with Esme out here. Lupie?" "She's probably old enough now." Esme loved the movie. Almost as much as she loved Becca imitating the "I; am a librarian!" line, complete with a flop into Jan's lap. Everyone got a good laugh out of it; including Jan, who rolled her eyes as she did. October 25, 2020. Dave joined Lupie in the library for the Bible study she hosted for Becca and Reena. Originally, it was just Lupie by herself, but Becca had once shared a church with Lupie, and quickly asked to sit in with her. Recalling that Reena had mentioned church attendance in the past, Becca invited her to come as well. With his appearance this week, Dave made four. Lupie started with a prayer of invocation. When she finished, she gave Dave a shy smile. "We usually sing a few songs next." She bit her lip. "Just, please don't judge." Dave scowled, "Of course not." Then he softened his look. "That would be doubly inappropriate. People who give others grief for singing badly in church forgot the point of singing in church. And then there's the whole 'building your partner up' being violated like crazy if I gave you grief about your singing. I seem to recall there are a few verses in the Bible that have something to say against that." That earned another shy grin from Lupie, who then nodded to Becca. She and Reena launched into a song, obviously, they had planned ahead. As the first lyrics ushered forth, Dave recognized it and joined in. He closed his eyes and felt the meaning of the song, adding his own voice to the harmony. I will not forget you, you are my God, my King and with a thankful heart I bring my offering and my sacrifice is, not what you can give but what I alone can give to you! Dave finally re-opened his eyes, primarily to catch the cue for when the girls would start the second verse. He noted the eyes on him. Not exactly impressed, but surprised. Maybe they had expected him to just add a mumbling bass, but Dave had never been that guy. After two more songs, Lupie delivered her prepared lesson. They closed with another prayer. As each picked up their Bible to leave, Lupie tapped Dave on the shoulder. "The girls and I have talked about rotating who would give the lesson. They both agreed in principle, but didn't feel quite ready to actually do it. I think they feel uncomfortable taking the position of a moral authority. Do you think you could take the next lesson?" Dave caught his breath. It was one hell of an 'Oh by the way request'. It was also entirely reasonable. And honestly, it was his duty to either take on the role, or at least share it. "Sure. Maybe I can come up with something that will ease them in the right direction; or nudge them. I'm not quite sure which is more appropriate at the moment." To be continued in part 8, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 6 Planning a Future. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 17, 2020. All of Dave's partners were at the park, setting up the folding table and portable gazebo. None of his partners were wilting flowers, so he couldn't exactly muscle his way in to doing the set up. But, they had taken off with the intent that three would return to clean the dishes while the rest hung out in the park for Shawna to get off in barely an hour. Roscoe and Esme, of course, were among those getting to run around in the grass and fresh air. So, Dave was at the sink, scrubbing dishes with some of his favorite songs playing out of his Echo Show in the kitchen. The volume was cranked, and so was Dave's voice as he sang along, rather skillfully, but a bit out of practice. Currently, he was belting through a Kenny Loggins song. One that got him energized and moving. Isabella's eyes, Oh, shine your light and make your momma smile "Who, yeah, shake it baby!" Dave spun around, caught in the act. Doing dishes, and singing. And dancing. Sort of. Mel and Becca stood at the entrance to the kitchen, clapping and whistling. Lupie was beside them, with a smile and a raised eyebrow. "I claim dibs on naming my first daughter Isabella!" Rebecca called out. Melanie pursed her lips and looked defeated. "I'd fight you for that privilege, but with a daughter named Esmeralda, that'd be too close. Besides," Lupie added with a wry smile, "some would say it's the same name, so I guess I got there first." Then, she playfully stuck out her tongue. Now, Lupie is often fun loving, but this was a level of silly unheard of for her. Everyone was too busy laughing with her to show much in the way of shock though. Dave moved in to hug her and delivered a soft kiss. Lupie hummed into the kiss and smiled before pulling back with a playful scowl. "Don't think I forgot you were doing basic chores, David." "They needed doing, and I didn't have much on my plate at the moment, corazon ." Lupie just narrowed her eyes at Dave's reply, but the smile below gave away her jest. For added measure, Dave slapped her ass and then squeezed. That and Lupie's 'Eep!' got Mel and Becca laughing again. Then they took up position behind Dave's shoulders, so he was surrounded by his partners. Their hands slid along his sides in ways that were chaste, for now, but hinted at an interest in something more. "No, horny girls, remember this is Shawna's celebration. Picnic party in the park, the gift from Becca and Reena, and then she gets Dave all to herself until after breakfast." The younger women groaned, but acquiesced. "Shawna's heading straight there from work, and she texted me a few minutes ago she was on her way out the door. We need to wrap up here in short order and get to the park." Lupie sent Dave to wash up and change for the party while the ladies finished the remaining dishes and picked up the last needed items for the party. They got to the park about ten minutes before Shawna, or just enough time for Roscoe to finish saying hello to each of them. The other ladies greeted Shawna warmly, then she advanced on Dave, who had been waiting his turn. "Congratulations, babe. I'm proud of you and happy for you." Shawna wrapped him in a tight hug and a long, lingering kiss that was smoky rather than fiery. "I've been looking forward to that all day." Dave smiled and dropped a quick peck on her lips. "So, just the two of us until tomorrow morning huh?" Shawna grinned. "Umm-hmm. Very accommodating crew you've drawn to you, darling." "And pretty good cooks too. You should get something to eat. I made that cucumber tomato salad you like." "Ooo, with the fresh veggies you just harvested?" Dave nodded. Shawna skipped happily to the table, Dave beside her, holding her hand. Dave ate a double helping of everything. Each dish was tasty, and he was hungry. He sidled up to Shawna. "So how's Skippy the Wonder Boy doing?" Shawna's department now consisted of her, a young and fresh out of college guy with his master's in meteorology, and a young lady that was on her internship last spring when lockdowns hit. Each had different levels of skills, and each had shortages that Shawna, as the boss, had to train them up from. At least 'Skippy' had finished all the classes. He seemed like a pleasant guy on air. Unfortunately, he looked perpetually 14, wearing one of daddy's suits. The scruffy attempt at a beard was not helping. Shawna's scowled. Hard. "Mitchell is coming along just fine. Especially for a young man thrust into a position with far more responsibility than he should have to carry this soon out of school." "I'm sorry, hun. He always comes off as very pleasant, but he also looks way too young." "He is too young. He's handling his professional duties quite well, though. It's his personal life I worry about occasionally." "How so?" "Well, his first partner was a former Cowboys cheerleader, and looks it. She's been off the squad for two years, so she didn't get snapped up by some rich guy wanting a trophy." Shawna paused to a rough exhale. "But yeah, this earnest, and rather naïve, nerd boy has the devastatingly hot, bubbly woman three years older than him dumped in his lap. His first day back after she'd joined him, I thought the top of his head was going to fall off, he was smiling so big." Dave snorted at the image. He could understand the boy's predicament. That made him think. "That was just the start. His second partner was his sister's best friend; she was homecoming queen and prom queen. The sad side is, his sister didn't make it." Shawna's voice caught. "So sometimes he's having sex with this beauty that he never thought would come near him, and sometimes they're crying together over his dead sister and her dead friend." "Damn this fucking virus," Dave said huskily. He blew out a breath. "He really is one of us isn't he?" Shawna nodded. "How many partners does he have?" "Mindy, his fourth partner joined him last week. He's probably getting a fifth soon." She thought for a moment. "Guess that means you'll be getting another lady soon as well." Dave shrugged. "Yeah, maybe. I'm at seven now, so maybe that's it. That would be fine by me. Any one of you alone are incredible." He paused for the appreciative kiss. "I was thinking, if both families are plused up enough to be safe, then maybe we should invite him and his partners over. For games, or just talk and some background music." Shawna brightened. "Now that's the man I fell for." She kissed him firmly on the cheek. "I don't know if he has any friends or family left, and his girls are nice ladies, but not nerds. Well, Ginger, his third partner is an anime fan, but I think that's the extent of her nerd creds. Mindy's an athlete. Now, all of them love him to death, and they may share some of his other interests, but not the nerdy stuff." Dave frowned. "Sounds like Oracle isn't working out for him." "Oh, no. He has interests that aren't strictly speaking nerdy. And I know there's some sharing going on there. Kelly, the former cheerleader, shares his love of gardening." "And that's something Liv and I can share with the both of them." "Yup." "Okay, let's talk it over with the others and plan something." Dave looked chagrined. "So, uh, what's his real name?" Shawna gave him a pursed-lip grin with narrow eyes. "Mitch. Mitchell Westfield" "I'll work on that." Shawna gave him some side-eye, but with a grin, as they walked back to the others. Becca and Reena were waving them over excitedly and everyone had gathered around the box with the cake Lupie'd made. Shawna opened the package Reena held up for her. In the small box was a black t-shirt with the station logo over the heart on the front and "Weather Boss" across the back. The girls had carefully made sure it was just the right fit, not too snug or too loose for Shawna to wear to work. She laughed and hugged each teen. "You two are pretty awesome you know?" Both young ladies beamed. Shawna draped the t-shirt over her shoulder as Lupie opened the box to reveal the cake. It was three layers, with milk chocolate icing. On the top was the station logo, with the words 'Chief Meteorologist'. Around the sides, as one walked around, there was a sun breaking through clouds, a cloud with rain falling from it, and the third tableau depicted a tornado, with a bit of dust obscuring the bottom. "Oh, it's perfect Lupie! Thank you so much!" The ladies embraced before Lupie set about slicing the well-crafted dessert. Naturally, Shawna got the first slice. Between the layers was a thin puree of strawberries; Shawna's favorite. That was good for a small happy dance, which in turn, made Lupie happy. With everyone chatting happily, Dave slipped away from the others. He just had a small side trip he needed to make. About fifteen minutes later, Shawna came around the bend in the sidewalk as it exited the trees near the base of the bridge. She moved, unhurried, to Dave's side as he stood at the peak of the bridge, looking down at the stream passing below. In flood stage, it took a wider path, and might legitimately be called a river. Most of the time, it remained within the narrow channel with broad margins that were pleasant to walk along if you wore the right footwear. "You know, we all saw you leave. We just thought you needed some space. Or some time." She looked into his face, seeing the evidence of tears, but not a full-on bawling episode. "This is Eddie's bridge isn't it?" Eyes watering again, Dave didn't trust himself to speak and merely nodded. Shawna stepped closer and hugged him. They stood like that for a few minutes before she slowly released him. "Thanks. I needed that. I just; I'm such a damn wimp. I know I need to be stronger for all of you, but I; I can't move past this." "You keep focusing on the times you fall down. I see the man that gets back up, shoulders the burden, and keeps going." "I don't want to though, I only do it because I have to." "That's what makes you the man I've fallen in love with. No one wants to take the burden, and some people refuse to do it. You do it, knowing how much pain you'll go through again." "This world sucks ya know." "It always has, we just papered over it and let ourselves forget. Now is one of the times the ugliness rips through the paper walls and makes us look it in the face." Shawna paused to stroke the side of Dave's face soothingly. "Do you remember the Kurlan Naiskos, in TNG?" "Yeah." "One of your voices is an ox. Carry any burden, push through any problem, get the job done no matter the cost to yourself. A low-key hero. Maybe not the only hero within you. All I'm saying is, I am very glad to have you in my life, and to be a part of your life." They stood there at the railing, looking at the water for a minute or so. Then Shawna spoke again. "Honestly David, we're talking about your son's death here. I'd be worried if you weren't having bouts of sorrow. Hell, that would scare the shit out of me. I'd much rather come home to find you curled into a fetal position bawling your eyes out, than you just blithely going about your life as if nothing happened." Dave looked up at her and smiled weakly. "Okay. Sorry, I just feel like such a pussy when I get like this." "Don't make me tell Becca on you," Shawna said with a grin. With a sly smile, Dave rejoined, "So, how may I convince you to keep my dirty secret?" "Hmm, kitty's hungry, Davey." Shawna said in a low tone. Then she nibbled her finger and switched to a higher pitched schoolgirl pleading tone. "Kitty needs cream. Please Davey, pump your cream into my hungry, wet kitty." "Kitty hell, I'm looking at a strong, capable panther that could eat me alive and make me smile the whole time." Shawna grinned, excited. The skirt she wore that day was long and loose, without being flowy. Dave knelt briefly to reach his hands up and pull off her thong panties. He stuffed them in his pocket as she gathered the lower part of her skirt in her hands and leaned back against the railing. Fortunately, Dave was wearing jeans instead of cargo shorts today. Cargos would have dropped to his ankles the moment he unbuckled, leaving his bare ass out for anyone to walk by and see. Though no one seemed to be on the trail today. Instead, he unbuckled and unzipped, lowering his jeans and boxers just enough to bring his already half-erect cock out. When he stepped closer to Shawna, she wrapped her left leg around his waist and draped the skirt to cover the both of them. A few minutes of hungry kisses and energetic groping had Dave at full mast. He slipped himself inside Shawna's drenched pussy while she groaned. They fucked hard. Shawna focused mostly on staying upright and close, but put some effort into fucking back at him. Dave drove himself into her, his hunger matching hers, one hand behind her torso, the other fondling her tit through her shirt and bra roughly, the way she liked when they were going fast. His thumb and forefinger grasped at her nipple, and Shawna hit her first orgasm. She shook in Dave's arms, her rippling inner muscles running riot on his intruding organ. As she calmed, he approached his peak. She could see it in his eyes and urged him onward with soft, lusty whispers. As Dave erupted, she clutched him tight, her body overcome with spasms as the serum renewed her attachment to him, giving her pleasure when he attained climax. When her shuddering subsided, she kissed him warmly. Dave slipped himself out of her and quickly fixed his boxers and jeans. He handed her panties back, so she had something to stem the fluids flowing out of her. There were knowing smiles when they rejoined the others, but no commentary. In the mid-evening, with dusk sufficiently fallen outside, Dave and Shawna lay cozily tangled in the bath. With darkness outside and only the smallest, dimmest light on the vanity, the lighting gave a warm, inviting ambience. Peach bubble bath scented the air more than the water. It was just a little late in the year for a fresh peach; Dave checked that early in his planning. Shawna took another deep breath, a big, lazy grin on her face. "My favorite scent ever." "So can I call you my Georgia peach, even if you're not from Georgia?" "Well, I sort of am. My mother's from Georgia. Mom and Dad met at UGA. He was majoring in Civil Engineering and she was majoring in Music Education. When they graduated, they moved to St Louis to start their new life together. Dad grew up in Creve Coeur, a town near St Louis." "That's a sweet story." "Umm hmm. I'm hoping to have the same happily ever after here. They're both alive and quarantining hard. Hopefully, the vaccine will get there soon. I haven't said anything to them directly, but they are being careful." Dave gave a slight extra squeeze to the hug. They sat there in silence again for a while. Then Dave's hands slipped downward a bit, cupping her tits lightly as he hummed '; really love your peaches wanna shake your tree ;” Shawna recognized the tune and chuckled. It was a long, slow, comfortable night, with more cuddling and light touching than sex. Ditto for the wake up. Chapter 8; Planning a Future. October 19, 2020. Shawna's early shift meant she was home for dinner with enough time to change and sit with the family talking while Lupie and Reena prepared the meal. "Mom was a pretty good painter. She actually sold a few at small auctions. The one she was proudest of, she gave to Dave though. He's a fan of seascapes, so she made this beautiful painting with a cliff in the upper left and a roiling, storm-tossed ocean filling most the canvas. Lots of white caps and ocean spray, dark stormy waters, the whole works. You could almost feel like you were on the deck of a ship struggling to stay afloat in the storm." Liv looked wistful as she spoke of her mom's talents. "Oh! I've seen that one!" Jan exclaimed. The others looked between Livy, Dave, and Jan. With a neutral face that they had become accustomed to at certain times Dave said, "I put it away in a closet to keep it safe. I; went through a dark time there for a while. I didn't want to damage it." "And I found it when I was looking for the book boxes you mentioned. I'm sorry I brought it up, Dave." Olivia nodded her agreement with Jan. "Don't be ladies. Janelle's gift is a bright point. Honestly, I'm at a place now that I would feel safe bringing it back out. And the photos." A small relief settle over the gathering. There were a few spots that obviously held a picture or painting for some years, but had been bare when the ladies arrived. The general state of the world, and the events of Olivia and Melanie's arrival made each reluctant to broach the subject. "It would be good to see pictures of Eddie, Janelle, and; Carter?" Shawna said softly. "I don't think I ever saw Livy's parents, but I met Eddie a few times." Becca chimed in. "He was a nice guy. Kinda handsome too. But, I know where he got that from." She blew an air kiss to Dave. The others grinned or chuckled, with a few nods. "Well, she made the painting in Eddie's senior year, and he was between girlfriends when Mom finished. She had me bring it over on a weekend she knew Eddie was staying with Dave. Dave hadn't moved to this house yet." Dave chuckled, in memory, as he realized where Olivia was going with this story. "Keep in mind, Eddie is almost three years older than me. At the time, I was a few months past fifteen, and Eddie was shy of his eighteenth birthday by a few months. Mom drives me, but hangs back a bit, having me talk to Dave and Eddie. I get to Dave's front door, all flustered, 'cuz here's my crush, that I fantasize about spending my life with," Olivia is beaming a big smile at this point, with Dave replying with a shame-faced smile, "being all happy for this gift I'm giving him and showing me all this affection, but like I'm a well-loved daughter, not a woman he'd go out with. And all these little-girl-in-love feelings are just going haywire." The older ladies all showed some level of sympathy for Olivia. For her part, Becca slipped off her spot, nestled in beside Dave and said, "I don't know what you're talking about." The play-act was good for a chuckle. "That's when Eddie pipes up and offers to take me out that evening. He looked uncertain, but somewhat interested. We were friends, but there'd been no romance, no attraction. I was torn, because Eddie is a; " Olivia swallowed "--was a great guy, but he wasn't the guy I was after. I agreed, though. A week later he admitted that Dave put him up to it, and Mom was almost certainly involved. The three of them made multiple attempts at throwing us together. Hell, Eddie was the only boy Daddy didn't try to scare off." "Wait, so you dated Eddie?" "Not really. It was just two friends hanging out. It happened a few times as Mom, Dad, and Dave kept trying to get us together, but it never stuck. We both thought the other was an incredible person," she paused for a second again, "but there was no; no spark of desire. I mean, yeah, he thought I was pretty, I thought he was handsome, but it just wasn't there." "OK, 'cuz that would have been really weird. Especially if you two had; " "Nope." Olivia said it awfully quick, with a bit of extra color rising in her face. That caused everyone else to lean in. "Girl," was all Shawna said. Olivia rolled her eyes and exhaled hard. "They were trying so hard, and we really liked each other, and we thought maybe if we just tried; but we couldn't kiss without giggling. Like we couldn't bring our lips together we'd bust out laughing first. On the cheek was fine, but lips touching was just too goofy." Olivia stared off into space for a moment. "Okay, there was one time we tried to go all the way. I was over eighteen by then. We each undressed ourselves, but by the time we were both naked, we both had the nervous giggles. On paper, we should have been a great match, but something big was missing." "Oh, I've felt it," Becca said, waving her hand in the air, "I know what the big missing thing was." The whole house cracked up laughing. "Hey, we are talking about my friend here. And he's Dave son, so he was no slouch there. It just wasn't hard. That was a little demoralizing. I'm standing there, naked, tits out, not trying to hide anything, and I was already keeping it trimmed, so it's all out there where he can see it, and he's limp. Full length, but limp. That was a blow to my ego." "Coulda been worse. If you had slept with Eddie ;” A collective shiver ran through the room. "Yeah, yeah that would be weird. I may or may not have gone out the next weekend and found a guy to assuage my hurt ego, though." A few sympathy nods occurred in response. "About two months later, I found another boyfriend, but by then, I knew in my heart I was just biding time 'til I was old enough to pursue Dave. I was over eighteen, of course, but I knew I needed to be a bit older to really get his attention. That relationship eventually petered out, and every guy since has been a month or two fling about twice a year so I don't go crazy." "And now you have your dream guy." Jan supplied. Just then, Reena came out to the arch separating the dining room and living room. "We're starting to bring dishes out to the table. You can start taking seats." Looking at Becca, she added, somewhat resignedly, "Did you tell him yet?" Becca squealed. "I almost forgot! Thank you for reminding me! We were watching MTV earlier, and they're going through a leadership change. Like all the bigwigs got fired, and now they have a new CEO." Dave looked askance. "I haven't been interested in MTV for a few decades, back before they should have stopped using the 'M' if they were being honest." "That's just it though! The new guy has announced they will refocus on music." "But I liked The Real World!" Kareena grumped. Becca stuck her tongue out at Reena, before turning back to Dave. "And you'll never guess who the new head of MTV is!" "I don't follow music industry executives, so no, I really have no idea, who it could be." "But you know this guy," she said with a wide grin. "He's a little white, a little nerdy. He likes polka; " "No. Way." Dave said with a grin on his face. "Weird Al?" Shawna started chuckling. "Seriously?" "Yep! Weird Al Yankovich is the new head of MTV! They're having a grand re-opening Wednesday, noon, Pacific Time. They said there will be themed hours, so certain times will be 80's music, or 90's, or girl-pop, or hard rock, etc." "Wonder if they'll borrow VH1 'Pop-up Video' with the little factoids. That could be a good hour-block too." That's when Lupie appeared to summon them all to the table for dinner. Firmly this time. As dinner wound down, Lupie turned to Becca. "Have you asked him yet?" The little blonde shrunk into herself. "No," she said softly. "Ask me what?" Dave inquired. Reena looked at Becca like she was waiting for her to take the lead, but wouldn't for much longer. Rebecca swallowed hard, inhaled like she was steeling herself, and looked at Dave. "We didn't get a prom. Reena pointed that out last week. And, back then, it wasn't an issue for me. I mean, even without; everything that's going on. But now, it'd be kinda cool. So, um, the others are putting a prom on for us; me and Reena, I mean; so, uh, Dave, would you take me to prom?" Dave was surprised, and a little stunned. "I, uh," he sputtered, until Lupie, Jan, and Shawna fixed him with very determined looks. "Of course. Yes, Rebecca Sampson, I will escort you to prom." The cheers around the table settled after a moment, and attention turned to Reena. She beamed. "Dave, would you take me to prom also?" With a big grin, Dave replied, "Well, I dunno, I already have one prom date ;” his tone was playfully enough to keep most of the panic flutters out of Reena's stomach. "I would happily share a prom date with Reena." Becca interjected. "Then yes, Kareena Agrawal, I will escort you to prom along with Becca." Another round of cheers as both girls laughed. "So, you get a second prom Dave, this time with two hot dates!" Jan teased. Dave looked at her side eyed. "First actually. I wasn't in any kind of social demand in high school." "Wait, you didn't go to prom?" half the ladies exclaimed. Dave scoffed. "It was a social thing. I was a nerd. Okay, I'm still a nerd, don't give me that look. Anyway, I didn't belong at social events. Dances, football games, I didn't go and nobody missed me." "I'm a nerd, and I went to prom, David." Shawna replied. "You're a pretty girl. Boys like to go to dances with pretty girls. Girl nerds still get asked out, especially when they're attractive." No one wanted to ruin the mood by pursuing that line of discussion further, but they all noted an undertone in Dave's comments. October 21, 2020. Dave planted soft kisses on Lupie's shoulder as he drove himself in and out of her hot, wet tunnel. He held her hip with one hand and traced lazy patterns on her abdomen with the other. Lupie's hands rested on the wall as she bent over, pushing her ass out so Dave could pump himself into her sex. They were ten minutes into what was supposed to be a quickie, but both enjoyed the union so much they were subtly stretching out the encounter. Of course, the fact that Esme's room was right next to Dave's office added some need for quiet. And quiet fucks were generally slower. Still, they couldn't take forever. With this many people in the house, no matter how quiet they were, if they kept going, someone would walk in on them. Dave slipped his hand from Lupie's belly up to her tit. He took a firm, possessive grip and rubbed her nipple with his palm and massaging the bulk of her tit with his fingers. Lupie's right hand left the wall and flew to her mouth. Her shoulder braced against the wall, Lupie's eyes rolled back as her torso convulsed. Her low moan of ecstasy was largely stifled by her hand. The undulation of her inner muscles set Dave off, and he fired several ropes of hot cum into her waiting passage. Both stood there for a minute, steadying themselves and luxuriating in the primal satisfaction of the completed act. As Dave softened and slipped out of her, Lupie reached to the side table and grabbed some tissues to catch any leakage. She turned, resting her back against the wall and staring into her lover's eyes. "You know David, tomorrow is the day. Hopefully." Dave looked at her quizzically. "I ovulate tomorrow. I've been tracking it. This time could be the one that gets me pregnant." Dave leaned into Lupie and took her in his arms. A shudder passed through him as he realized he might soon be a father again. A dark, demented voice rose up to remind him just how well that worked out the last time. "Still," Lupie purred with a grin, "I wouldn't mind a second dose tomorrow, just to increase our chances." Dave kissed her slowly on the lips, with no tongue. "Purely for reproductive purposes of course." He added a wink. Lupie hugged him tightly after barking out a short laugh. Then they dressed and she headed back downstairs. Dave opened the new microfridge and pulled out a bottle of water and a pouch of tuna in sunflower oil. Livy and Mel picked up the fridge last week, during the grocery run. The same trip they'd gotten the palmprint secured gunsafe for Livy's headboard. Mel and Reena put it in place while Dave and Liv installed the safe. He guzzled about half the water bottle before setting it down. Then he took his time with the tuna and the other half the bottle. Time enough to mull over his problem. His game might be dead in the water, for good this time. As with so many others, he hadn't heard back from the artists that made the images for him in too damn long. The background artist, Harrison Black, had been incommunicado for months. That may not be an insurmountable problem. There was only one background missing from the scenes he had planned out. Those scenes might be movable to one of the existing settings. Or maybe he could find an artist to make that last image and match Harri's style; but that would be a dicey prospect. As long as he didn't add any new locations, he was good there. But; his character artist was also not responding. His last email two months ago mentioned he was sick. He had finished all of the characters through the last update, but the game had three more characters to complete the cast, and one played a pivotal role in the last two scenes of the pending update. He needed to find a new artist. And negotiate a new contract. For a game whose market may have shrunk drastically. Who the hell would pay money for a game about a guy surviving an apocalypse and fucking hot babes when they're in the middle of an actual apocalypse and every surviving guy had several women addicted to his cum? It was still worth a shot though. After mulling over the wording, Dave opened Discord and navigated to UnVale, the site he'd used before. He found an appropriate thread and started typing. budget: $800 plus 10% of revenue work: headshot and 3d poly-rigged female character, character description (rough physical and detailed personality) provided in further communications. three characters needed. possibly three artists, one per character. Upfront and percentage applied per character. timeline: 6-8weeks Commercial use, erotic game respond by DM please With that done, Dave left the server. There were other things to do. He logged into the email server for Eastfield and checked for messages. His dean emailed with a list of classes for spring semester. Technically, she was offering the list for his approval. Yeah right. She's the dean. Yeah, He'd made full professor rank five years ago, but getting in a pissing match with the dean over class assignments was never a good idea. And she'd never given him reason to anyway. The 'check these to make sure they are right' note always elicited that rebel reaction in him. Interesting. Math department must be shorthanded. Dave had one section of college algebra in addition to two sections of physics. One of those was calc-based, the other algebra & trig based. And then a section of gen ed physical science. That had been awhile, but something he'd done before. He emailed back the list looked fine, but he'd need a copy of the texts for the math and physical science classes, and quickly, so he could start planning. Hard copies if possible. At least a looseleaf version. He tagged in a suggestion they offer an astronomy class or earth science or oceans class. Something more focused that could get the kids attention. Student interest tends to improve student scores, after all. He pointed out with a little review time, he could teach the astronomy or earth science class. If they went with an oceans class, he'd need one of the biology folks to cover the portions of the class on sea life. Ugh. College algebra had some interesting and useful tools but teaching it to a class of mostly 'why do I have to take this'? whiners could make for a demoralizing semester. Well, maybe that would be the plus side of an apocalypse. The survivors might be all that much more desirous to grow and achieve. Okay, plan with positive thoughts. Expect hungry, eager young minds. Or even hungry, eager older minds. And a little bit scared. Some more than others. Lastly, he suggested that whichever of the three they offered should have a field trip component. Now more than ever, it was important to break students out of their doldrums and really see the stuff they talked about in class. "Dave! Dave! Dave!" Becca burst through his office door. "It's on! It's coming on next! Come down!" She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and raced back out. Dave was chuckling by the time she turned around, and rising as she passed the doorframe. He joined her in the living room in short order, without running. Lupie, Liv and Mel were waiting as well. Jan and Esme came out of the library just as Dave hit the bottom of the stairs. "All of you are music video fans?" Dave asked. "Or Weird Al?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm a you fan, David," Lupie replied, "and a Becca fan. You two are so excited by this, I had to be here to watch." "You exposed me to Weird Al when I was young and impressionable. My interest in him is all your fault." Olivia observed with a smirk. "Hey, I'm just band wagoning here," Melanie chortled. Then Jan chimed in. "This is a cultural event. It would be educational for Esme," she said with a sly grin. The commercial cut away and an aural cascade of celebration sounds issued from the TV. "Hello, all you beautiful people, I'm Martha Quinn, your Video Jockey for this inaugural segment of the renewed Music Television channel. Yes, we are concentrating on music again, and, in honor of the impending Halloween holiday, we have an oldie but a goldie; Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'." The screen cut to the iconic video by the king of pop. The full version. When it ended, Quinn was back. "I get chills from that every time." Martha shook her head, smiling. "Now, with the Thanksgiving holiday not far away, our new CEO has whipped up something to make the meal; just a little extra special." Guitar chords from Eric Clapton's 'Cocaine' start playing. When you eat leftovers, And you're feeling averse, ptomaine Half the room cracked up laughing. Dave didn't hear most the rest of the lyrics, but hell, his family was laughing. And surely the song would play again. It was good to laugh. By the time they settled down, the video was over and Martha Quinn's face stared back at them. "I hope you all enjoined that as much as I did. I'll be back to host 'The '80's Hump Day Show' this evening, but until then my younger colleagues will host shows featuring current, or at least more recent, styles. Our new formatting is geared to exemplify and introduce the unique and wonderful flavors of different eras and genres. We here at MTV would like to foster greater understanding and appreciation between peoples of different generations, so please, at some point during the week, take the time to sit in with us as we cover an era or style you are unfamiliar with and get to know some of the things that make other people in your life tick." Dave couldn't shake the sense that Quinn knew about the Quaranteam serum and was trying to foster connections between partners of well separated age groups, without talking about the serum in even the slightest. Then again, the sentiment had its own value, without the serum issues. October 22, 2020. The doorbell was still an unusual sound to hear these days, even though the house no longer felt like his own pyramid. It definitely wasn't quiet at the moment. House Belsus was in the midst of a round robin Mario Cart championship. Although, this one was a warmup. Shawna wasn't here, so they'd have another contest when the whole house was present. At the moment, Mel and Olivia were frustrated with each other and Esme's otherworldly ability both in the game and playing the two off each other. As the two of them attacked the other, Esme got ahead of them both. Becca was laughing, and well ahead of all three, sailing free and clear of any competitor or trap. Until Esme got a blue shell. Just as it detonated, the doorbell sounded. "I got it!" Reena shouted, leaping to her feet and rushing for the door. Dave rose to follow, but was tackled by Becca, Liv, and Mel. Lupie began to object, since Esme was in the room, but the girls were mostly just hugging, with some kissing. Lips only, no tongue. "Hey, come on! I need to go answer the door," he protested. "Nope," Becca retorted. "Reena hasn't gotten to welcome a new lady to the house yet. And you need to make a proper first impression when she walks in; smothered in adoring women!" Dave rolled his eyes but stopped trying to wiggle free. Lupie and Jan chuckled off to the side. "I heard that from outside." said a voice carrying a tinkle of amusement. All three young ladies scrambled up so Dave could stand and face their newest sister. She stepped forward, offering her hand. "Hi, I'm Vanessa Worton. You must be Dave. You have quite the entourage here." Dave reached his hand out to accept her greeting. Champagne blonde hair; with dark roots; fell from a middle part down the sides of her face to drape a few inches down her shoulders. Round, olive green eyes stared back at Dave from a face balanced between oval and rectangular. The wide smile, with plenty of teeth showing, appeared a mix of forced and natural while her cheeks gathered into pleasant apples above and beside her mouth. Vanessa wore a tight-knit thin teal sweater under a medium beige cardigan. Light tan slacks and slip-on comfortable walking shoes in dappled white and dark grey finished her business casual look. At 5'5" she wasn't exactly short for a woman, but neither was she tall by any stretch. She appeared to be a well-kept late thirties. The skin of her face was supple, but showed signs of experience in life; not all of it positive. Vanessa chuckled. "Well, it's always ego boosting for a man to be speechless upon seeing me. Especially one surrounded by such lovely ladies already." Dave collected himself. "Would you like a seat?" When he saw her noticing the paused game, he added, "We were having a playoff. Although this is really just practice, since Shawna's at work. She'll be home in another hour and a half. That's her usual time, though depending on her shift some days could be earlier or later." "So all of you are into video games?" Vanessa said as she stepped around her large pink rolling suitcase to find a seat. "No, some of us are into video games, and some of us join in for family unity." Lupie rejoined. "I can appreciate that." Vanessa smiled back. "Family sticks together." Her smile looked slightly artificial for a moment. "I like that you all refer to each other as family, rather than a team. It sounds; cozier, comforting. And the whole dogpile thing? Very Norman Rockwell. If Rockwell painted polygamous families," she added with a wide grin. "You must be Lupie," she said approaching the Latina. "I think your letter was the most convincing, and intimidating. I almost passed over Dave so I wasn't getting in the way of, or being overshadowed by, two long term loves." Everyone but Jan, Lupie, and Becca bore puzzled looks. That's when Jan cleared her throat and spoke up. "I was contacted the end of last week to type up a short mention of my time here, my thoughts, and such. I sent that in Sunday night." "I got mine in yesterday." Lupie said. "Me too," said Becca. "It was interesting getting three uniquely different people saying slightly different things that all painted the same picture." Vanessa walked back to Dave. "You're an interesting guy David Belsus." Dave looked slightly uncomfortable by instinct, but quickly applied some of the confidence he'd been gaining or faking. "You seem to have me at a disadvantage, Ms. Worton." "Vanessa. Or preferably, Nessa. Given how; close we are going to be." She flashed him a playfully wicked smile. Dave was getting enough practice now to see beneath the surface. Under the playfully strong woman exterior was a deep current of uncertainty, even nervousness. "I have professional reasons to be here as well. I'm a realtor, so I'm involved in the re-housing project going on. If I hadn't matched to you, I would have been by to visit sometime next week, but as it is, I'd like to start that conversation now, lay out the parameters for all of you and after I wake up from imprinting we can talk about what you; well, what we want," she ended with a grin. "Sounds good," Dave replied. "Re-housing, huh? Are we really supposed to wind up with many more ladies in the house?" "I don't know any more than you've been told, really, but I've seen some families much bigger. Most seem to be heading that direction though. The metroplex - all of North Texas - got hit hard, David." She paused. "Harder than some other areas because of all the deniers. I don't know the numbers, since I'm not involved in that work, but we have a lot fewer men here. We also had a higher loss of women, but not nearly to the same degree as the increased loss of men. Only a few of the women are interested in re-locating, so families here will likely be bigger than families in California or New England; on average anyway." "That's how it's been before all this though too." "Well, yeah," she said with a chuckle. Then she cleared her throat and seemed to settle into a 'professional' facial set. "To ease the logistical load for utilities and other services, the government is encouraging folks to gather into consolidated neighborhoods or downtown living areas. They mostly want people to live in multi-use towers. Basically, skyscrapers with stores and service shops on the bottom floor or two, and residential spaces above. Each family would have one entire floor. A large family might get two floors." "I would rather not live in a high-rise." Dave kept his tone neutral and even, in a way that suggested much more passion behind the sentiment than that actually expressed. "Well that brings us to the communities being formed. Some are on cul-de-sacs with enlarged houses. And the cul-de-sacs are clustered. There are some that have semi-circle roads with houses on the outer edge and a park or shops in the middle. The smaller ones of those are also clustered." "Of course, the Las Colinas and South Lake folks already have their gated communities. They may bring a few others in to occupy a house that was already empty, or vacated by a; casualty, but mostly, they are 'keeping to their own'. I wouldn't expect you; us; to get in there." "Not sure I'd want to." That earned a few nods. "There are a variety of sizes in the midrange communities. Those also vary by amenities in the house. Some houses in the same community have different amenities, inside or outside. In fact some of the nicer communities in the midrange are; choosy, so, again, they could be hard to get into." Dave, Lupie and Liv just shrugged. "Now, generally speaking, the communities will be mixed so there is, as best as possible, a cross section of races, political views, and interests in each community. The intent is to hopefully negate the polarization we've all seen increasing over the past twenty years." All of the older members of the family nodded. Everyone old enough to watch the news knew exactly what she was talking about. "But, there will be some; themed communities. In the Mesquite area, there will be a community of multiple cul-de-sacs near a stables." "And a country bar?" asked Reena, teasingly. "Please," Dave rejoined, "Mesquite is for ropers. They wear bright colored boots and never rode a horse. They drive lift kit pickups without a single scratch in the bed. A whole community of truck balls, rattails and mullets." He paused for a second. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. I could do with never seeing another mullet or rattail." "Or a lift kit." "Or truck balls." "I'll scratch Mesquite off the list of possible destinations for this team. Um, family," Vanessa corrected. "What about Park Cities area?" Dave looked at her balefully. He started ticking off on his fingers, "I make less than six figures, I do not own a tux; and only one suit; and I have no idea what to do with my pinkie finger when drinking tea or coffee." All of the ladies giggled. "Worse," he made quote fingers in the air, "Lupie is Hispanic, Jan is Korean, and Shawna, who's at work at the moment, is black. Not exactly a picture of Park Cities demographics." Vanessa looked like she was about to object, but held off. He wasn't wrong. Changing the topic, she said, "So, all we really need right now is to think about what spaces you will want, and what spaces you will need. Do you need an office? Do any of the women need one as well? Can those be combined?" "That could wind up as an excuse to visit with you more often during the day," Mel asserted. Reena and Becca giggled. Esme hadn't left the room, so she slightly veiled her meaning. "I will need a separate office. Sometimes I just need to focus. Besides, having my own office hasn't stopped y’all from making 'visits' during the day." Lupie blushed at the implication. She wasn't the only one though, just the most recent. "But Dave, I might need some math help," Becca pleaded. Vanessa looked slightly amused while the others laughed. The tale had been shared around. "I should never have told you that story," Dave said with narrow eyes and pursed lips. Though there was a twinkle in his eye and his lips curled up at the corners. "So, something for you ladies to share with me later, I take it?" Dave threw his hands in the air theatrically. "I'm surrounded." "Well, Dave, that's how; " Liv cut herself off as she remembered Esme was still in the room. Esme rolled her eyes. "Do I need to leave?" "No, you do not." Dave replied. "We will watch ourselves. This conversation is one you should have some input on. You might not get what you ask for, but at least I'd like to hear your preferences as much as anyone else's." Vanessa nodded, looking at Lupie. "Yup, just like you said." Lupie blushed. At Dave's reaction, Nessa looked to him and added, "All good things, all good things." "Olaf!" Esme cried. "You should be Olaf for Halloween. That's next week right?! We're doing something for it, right Da- uh, Dave?" Dave did not miss what Esme almost said. If she finished the original word, he might have lost it altogether. As it was, he managed to maintain his composure. He wasn't the only one. Lupie looked ready to bust with joy. Nessa bore a knowing grin that matched the others around the room. The shaky breath he took to steady himself was all they needed to confirm the impact the verbal slip had on him. In their eyes, he could see that for some, it was the reaction they needed him to have. Well, one more proof they all matched well. His natural reactions were what they wanted. Sometimes, anyway. "I think I just ovulated." Livy muttered. "What was that?" Dave asked. "Nothing darling, nothing at all," the busty brunette replied with a mild blush. The cackling of half the room did not help deter attention. "Maybe we should just get back to the discussion topic," Dave said with a wry grin. "Esme, any thoughts?" "Adults are crazy." Vanessa and a few others laughed. Dave just stared at Esme, a slight grin on his face and one raised eyebrow. Esme giggled. "Okay, I'd like a big backyard, a pool and an indoor play space that can also be an art room." Then, with an impish smile she added, "And a pony." "Ponies do not come with a house." Dave observed wryly. "The pool idea is a good one. If there's no community pool close by, that is. I mean, having one in the backyard would be great, but so long as it's easy to get to, a shared pool will do nicely. Is that doable, Nessa?" "Absolutely. Most of the communities either have a pool space already built, or have one planned. Some of the houses have backyard pools." She cleared her throat. "Though, none of the houses have enough yard space for a horse." She winked at Esme. "But two communities are reasonably close to riding stables with lots of pastureland." Dave chuckled and shook his head. "And let's list the art, craft and play space as a want, not a need, but a really want. An indoor space like that could be very handy when the weather sucks. It could also work as a classroom. After all, you can do a lot of science with craft supplies." Esme groaned and slapped her forehead. " That's my signal to leave. Besides, I still have a geography assignment to work on. Let me know when you're ready to finish the game." She slipped out to the library. Vanessa looked at Lupie. "She's adorable." "Thank you. She's also a handful." "I can see that." Vanessa replied. "Doesn't stop me from wanting one. Not right away, I mean, but, sometime in this coming year, I want to start trying." She turned to Dave as she said this. "Is that a problem?" "No. Not at all. We haven't talked about timing or anything, but I'd like to have kids with each of you. At least, I think you all want kids. If I'm wrong, let me know." All the ladies nodded, some adding a few words to express their interest. "Timing is the issue, though. We don't want the whole house pregnant at once. And some have college to complete and careers to establish." "Anyone trying now? If it's not too personal." Lupie raised her hand. "You're family now, or soon will be. It's not too personal. We hadn't said anything yet, but we are trying." The others squealed happily and rushed to hug her. "I think the conversation just came to an end," Dave observed. "That's ok, the main need for tonight was to get you all thinking about what you want. By early next week we should get together and nail down a specific list of needs and wants." She shifted in her seat. "Speaking of which, I'd like to wait until after dinner, maybe an hour after. I'd prefer to have dinner first and give it time to settle." "That's perfectly understandable. We can talk again just before. I'll; " "I am sure of my decision. But that's ok, feel free to ask again later for your peace of mind." At Dave's puzzled look, she explained, "Lupie and Jan mentioned you would be concerned about my comfort level with this decision." Her eyes twinkled. "Your ladies know you, David. I'm looking forward to being here." Dinner was a simple, quick affair of burgers, mac n' cheese from scratch and steamed green beans. Lupie and Mel offered to make something a bit more exciting, but Vanessa insisted quicker was preferred. They smiled and got busy in the kitchen. Nessa recognized Shawna as soon as she entered the living room. She didn't fawn over the local celebrity, exactly, but it took her a minute to adjust. After dinner was a slow time of conversations in pairs and triples. Nessa spent a lot of time listening but shared a few things about herself with the family. Eventually, she gave Dave a look that he was becoming accustomed to. He rose, approached her, and offered his hand. She took his hand and rose to stand beside him. The two ascended the stairs together. Everyone watched but said nothing. There were a few grins exchanged. When they entered the bedroom and shut the door, Vanessa turned to him, pulling herself close and burying her face in his chest. Then she looked up, meeting his questioning eyes. "I want this David. I want to be a part of the family you have here. I want to be with you. I talked with the others downstairs. I know you like to take your time. This isn't your first imprinting though, so you know I won't; get there except at the priming and imprinting; surges. I'll enjoy the efforts, but don't spend too much time on it, it will just be frustrating for me. So, show me your kind, attentive side, but don't overexert yourself on it, ok? Save it for one of the others this evening." Dave stroked her back gently and kissed her forehead. Nessa raised up on her toes and kissed him full on the lips. She hummed when he responded. They took their time, reveling in the closeness. She could feel in his body the desire to give her an emotional bond before the physical one, but the serum did not permit that. Still, that he wanted to do that for her bode well for a future together. The kiss grew more intense. Hands roamed from the 'safe' areas towards the more stimulating parts of the partner's body. Dave and Nessa's breathing increased in unison. That was the best part. That the person getting you all excited was just as excited as you. The hunger in their eyes rebounded, building in power like a laser. The frantic energy powered their hands as they tore at each other's clothes. They were stripped bare in short order, at nearly the same moment. Dave put an arm around her back and began kissing her again, turning himself one quarter away and walking toward the bed. As they arrived, she crawled quickly up the bed, turning on to her back and laying her head on a pillow as she reached the headboard. Dave gazed at her as he drew himself up on the bed with Nessa. Her body was smooth and lovely, well maintained, but not young anymore. Quite alluring. Neither washboard abs nor a paunch. Smooth, medium sized tits with a natural sag, medium brown areolas a bit larger than a half-dollar coin, and nipples slightly smaller than a pencil eraser that were fully erect. Below, her bush was neatly trimmed away from her vulva, which was clearly engorged with arousal as her inner petals flowered themselves outward, her outer lips parted slightly, just barely exposing the tip of her clitoris. Her face had dropped any sense of demur acceptance. She needed him. It was time, she was his and he was hers, for this moment. Dave crawled between her legs and positioned himself over her. He lowered himself enough to make contact over much of their bodies, without resting his weight fully on her. His erection sandwiched between them. He lay soft, gentle, languorous kisses on her forehead, cheeks and lips. She hummed her approval. As his kisses proceeded down her neck to her clavicle, her breathing picked up again. Her pelvis rubbed against him, seeking what only he could give her, seeking the fullness she needed to feel. Dave kept kissing and progressing down to her tits, kissing the yielding flesh there as she began to whimper. The yearning radiated from her in palpable waves. Dave repositioned his face to Nessa's, with his hips arched over her core. She steadied her tumultuous hunger, recognizing his preparation. Dave moved slowly until the tip of his organ rested against her wet, open entrance. He thrust forward, smoothly, firmly, penetrating her depths with half of his length over the course of several seconds. Vanessa responded with a cross between a groan and a cry, clutching him tightly with her hands on his shoulder blades. He pulled back out, eliciting a brief whimper until he thrust full length into her, which earned him a moan of pleasure. Her enthusiasm brought Dave quickly to the point of leaking precum, which had the expected effect the moment the fluid made contact with her velvety interior. Dave held her through her serum induced ecstasy. As she settled, she wrapped her arms around his back and looked into his eyes. He kissed her again as he began thrusting once more. Then he lowered his lips to her ear. "You're mine now Nessa. No other man may touch you." She gasped, excited. "Mine to take care of." He felt her shuddered beneath him. "Mine to enjoy." He felt her inner muscles flex and grasp his thrusting cock. "All mine. Your heart." "Yes." "Your mind." "Yes." "Your body." "Yes." "and your will." He thrust deep, holding himself there and working his hips to strike all of her inner surfaces. "Yes! Please David, please more!" Dave began thrusting with more vigor, pounding her sex with his own. Pummeling her interior as she writhed in her enjoyment of his actions. Her hips rolled and bucked. Her hands clutched and groped on his back; and her eyes. Her eyes implored him to take her like a beast. His breathing ragged, he savaged her lower body, stoking his own fires as surely as hers. So lost he was in the primal act, he never noticed his own building arousal until he'd fired off a few spurts into her, arresting her cries of pleasure and replacing them with a primal scream and orgasmic spasms which ended with her flopping to the bed in a naked heap. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” October 23, 2020. With the exception of Shawna, who was gone for work, the entire house devoted all of Friday to prom preparation. Lupie went to the store and picked up a few items she'd held off getting until day-of. On her return, she immediately lay into her prep work, getting the cold appetizers ready. Melanie came in to help in the early afternoon, once she had finished curating the song lists. She was the designated DJ for the evening. Becca and Reena both spent time with her a few days prior, nailing down what they wanted to listen to during dinner and dance to after. Liv and Janice were the decorating committee. They left the living room re-arrangement for last, starting that after Dave and the girls went to upstairs to dress. During the day, they set up the unused bedroom as a hotel room. It was close enough to the upstairs bathroom not to break the illusion. And it was well away from Esme's room. Esme was instructed to use the master bathroom from bedtime until after breakfast. By early afternoon, Becca and Reena retreated to the master bathroom to do their hair and nails. Reena did Becca's nails, and then her own. Once that cycle was done, she did Becca's hair and guided Becca through the steps for doing Reena's. Each girl did her own makeup, though Reena added a few touches to Becca's. Vanessa awoke by lunch time. She was tickled when Dave asked her to help out. He wanted a bit more dance practice. Dave was not a dancer. Mel and Olivia gave him some practice, about an hour or so each, on separate days earlier in the week. Those sessions went about how'd you'd expect. Started off with some innocuous club dancing, progressed into something steamy, and wound up in the horizontal mambo. On the plus side, each coed got her dose before prom night. By mutual acclamation, prom night was exclusively for Reena and Becca, and Dave reserved himself during the day as well. With Vanessa, he practiced a few more sedate dance styles, and a couple of the club moves, without the steamy stuff. She was still a bit sore from the vigor of last night. Although, she said so with a smile. Shawna took an early shift that day and arrived home shortly after Dave and Vanessa wrapped up their dance practice. Shawna first changed into an orange halter dress before taking possession of Dave, hauling him off to their tv room where his clothes were laid out. Nessa went downstairs to help Liv and Janice move the living room furniture to the borders of the room, leaving a respectable dance space in the middle. Once Dave and Shawna were both convinced his suit was laying perfectly, with no lint, and all the colors just right, they descended to the living room to wait with the others. Dave initially proposed he come to the master bedroom door and escort each girl downstairs, but they decided they would rather make their entrance on the stairwell, letting everyone, including Dave, see them as they came down. They drew straws to decide order, only to find out that Reena was drawing to go last and Becca was drawing to go first. A bit more communication would have saved them the whole drawing process and the debate on whether to draw straws or flip a coin, or rock-paper-scissors. The other ladies were dressed nice, but not prom nice. Lupie was looking lovely in her dark blue sundress with 2" (~5cm) diameter white polka dots. Mel & Liv wore 'club wear'. For Mel that meant 'liquid look' black pants and a tight white crop top showing a modest amount of midriff. For Liv it was tight jeans and a frilly blue blouse showing modest cleavage. Janice wore a red cocktail dress with her left shoulder exposed, a skirt that hugged her hips gently and fell past her knees. Nessa borrowed a green sundress from Lupie with similar polka dots. To be continued in part 7, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 5 Celebration: Some happy moments to cling to. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. October 5th, 2020. Dave and Liv spent the morning getting lumber and gate hardware. Other changes would take much longer to plan, and would need professionals to implement, but today they were putting in a gate between the backyards to facilitate caring for the chickens. And give more play space for Esme and Roscoe. He'd made no move to threaten the chickens. It took over an hour to tear out the boards from the section that would be a gate by the end of the day. Dave worked from Lupie's yard, while Liv worked from Dave's. Both were being careful to preserve the boards that were still in good condition. Those could be reused. If not today, then for another project. As they each pulled boards from the fences, Dave gained a view of Liv as she worked. Granted, he'd seen her working in the yard, or building things before. But back then, she was the young girl he helped guide to adulthood. Now, she was the young beauty that shared his bed in addition to his life. And god was she beautiful. He'd only appreciated her looks in an esoteric sense previously. 'Why yes, Livy is a lovely young lady' in response to another's comment or question. Things had changed. Knowing she'd be fence-building today, Liv had worn a sturdy bra that could keep her; assets from flopping all over the place. But pulling nails and tugging boards loose still had them moving under her denim shirt like two quarreling kittens. Her ass filled the seat of her jeans just right too; not a bubble butt, just nicely curved. Thank God she wore work jeans and not skinny jeans. Dave had enough blood in the wrong place without her jeans clinging to the silhouette of her legs. Man had to get some work done. They'd removed the pickets, trimmed the rails and the kickboard when Dave heard the sliding door. "It's lunch time you two," Lupie called out. "Knock off for a bit. Come in and get a sandwich and a drink." Dave brushed most of the saw dust off as he walked to the house. He kissed Lupie when he got to the door. Lupie returned it, but when he moved to press himself against her, she shoved him away. "Not 'til you've had a shower mister," she demanded. He chuckled. "Yes, dear." She just laughed. Melanie joined them. Her footfalls stopped, briefly, right behind him. Lupie and Liv looked at each other with knowing looks, but he didn't ask them or Mel why. She did have a quick, quiet conversation with Liv and Lupie as Dave headed out to finish. It was a short conversation as Olivia was not far behind. The next few hours were more physically demanding than the morning as Dave and Olivia dug new postholes, mixed cement, then filled the holes and placed the posts. Even so, the hardest part was adjusting the guidelines keeping the posts vertical until the cement set. Constantly adjusting the lengths of each line until the level red true seemed to take more time than all the other work. Now they had to give the cement at least a day to set before hanging the gate. Dave and Olivia secured their tools and left the work area neat before heading in. As Dave pulled back the sliding glass door he was tackled by a mass of flesh that he could tell by feel was female. Well, the only other bodies in the house were ladies, so that helped too. She was also very excited. A flash of red hair as kisses rained on him helped him identify Melanie as his enthusiastic paramour. He had to back pedal a few steps to keep the two of them from falling to the deck. "Get a room, ya slut," Olivia laughed. Melanie finally came up for air. "I don't need a room. Just this hot, sweaty man." She planted her lips firmly on Dave's as her hands sought out the hem of his shirt. She yanked it over his head swiftly, barely pausing her lips in their quest for more Dave. "Seriously? We're doing this right here?" Dave inquired. Mel nodded as she got her hands on Dave's belt. "The Esme rule," Liv interjected. "This isn't the couch." Liv laughed and rolled her eyes. "Lawyers and coders, always looking for the loophole. I think Esme's in the library studying. I'll make sure she stays there for a bit." She pulled the curtain closed after the glass door. Mel slowed her kissing, and moved from Dave's face to his shoulders as she unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his jeans. She took care to kiss every curve of his modestly defined shoulder muscles. No, more like savored. Dave decided to start evening the score, and grabbed her t-shirt; one of his actually, with the logo "University of Mars"; and pulled it over her head. It made her pause and grin, but barely slowed her progressive kissing down his body and getting his jeans and boxers down to his knees. Mel immediately took him in her mouth, working him to full erection quickly before plunging her head up and down. Satisfied he was at maximum stiffness, she straddled him while pulling the gusset of her shorts and panties aside revealing her already wet slit, her labia flowering outward in readiness. Mel sank herself on to Dave in one motion, letting out a grunt as he filled her. She opened her eyes and lowered her torso to his, kissing fervently as she rocked her hips up and down and rubbing her tits along his chest. Both of them found this quite stimulating. Hands roamed, tongues tangled, lips meshed. They seemed to hit a plateau, until Dave rolled them over. He began thrusting long swift strokes, causing Melanie to moan and lift her legs upward in a 'v' shape. She clutched his back and lifted her pelvis. As his thrusting pace increased Mel's vocalization devolved into happy grunts. Her fingers rotated, digging her nails into him. "Oh! God Yes!" Melanie arched her back, finding her release. A few moments later, Dave cascaded over the cliff with her, triggering a second orgasm in her even as the first had barely descended its peak. Dave held still and Mel clung to him as she shook. He nuzzled the side of her face with his cheek. When her breathing slowed, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a fiery kiss. Mel had an enormous grin as the two separated and began fixing their clothes. October 6, 2020. "Why are you cooking dinner, Dave? I thought it was Mel's night." "She is making the house dinner conejita, but I am taking your mother on a date today. We'll probably be gone through dinner." Esme made a face. "Ew, gross. So you two will be feeding each other little bites and doing other cutesy stuff?" "Probably," Dave chuckled. He scooped out a small portion on the tip of a spoon and held it out for her. Esme gamely took a bite. She swallowed but made a face. "Ew, what was that? Something popped and was bitter, or pickle-y." "Capers. I like 'em. I think your mom might too. I get it if you're not a fan." "Not. Most definitely not." Esme watched as Dave packed the container into a bag with sliced bread, several water bottles, a container of homemade whipped cream, and a box of strawberries from the greenhouse. As Dave stood, re-evaluating his packing, Esme spoke again. "It's not like I don't know what's going on around here. Ya'll get kinda loud sometimes. I know, I know 'I'm too young to talk about these things', but seriously it's a basic part of life as an adult right?" "I won't go sticking my nose in," she continued, "and yeah, I don't want to see it going on, but you don't have to walk on eggshells around me." "Oh, seriously though? We should get more candles or something, 'cuz something about that gets kinda funky afterwards. I've gone into the master bedroom to talk to mom a few times and, Wow dude. I can tell which mornings you get lucky. Or they do." "The way y’all act it's like you're both sure you got more out of it than the other, or more than you deserve or something. At least you're all happy. All though, yeah, sometimes if too many of you are walking around dreamy faced it gets kinda suspense film creepy." "Seriously though? I'm really happy for mom. And Becca. Mom's been lonely for a long time, and Becca spent about half the year looking like her heart had been ripped out. They are way better now than they were. I haven't seen mom this happy in; ever. And Becca is as bouncy happy as she's ever been. So yeah, whatever weird stuff is happening, is fine with me. I'd rather not see it though. Or hear it. Or smell it." After laying out the blanket for the two of them, the first thing Dave pulled out of the basket was an MP3 player. "You could have just used your phone, papi. Why go old school?" "Because this has more memory than my phone mi luz." Lupie chuckled lightly. "Your pronunciation is all wrong." She stepped in closer, their faces inches apart. "But your delivery is all right." They kissed softly, holding each other loosely. The romantic appetizer lasted a minute or so before they settled down to the blanket. Lupie smirked, one eyebrow cocked as Dave adjusted the position of the music player. "Well, it's not like I brought out a Walkman." "Don't you mean a Discman?" "Discman came a decade later. The Walkman was in the eighties, and it used cassettes." "Old man," Lupie smirked. "So I shouldn't tell you about my parents' blue panel van with an eight track player back in the seventies?" Lupie laughed. "Sometimes it's hard to remember you really are that much older than me. But when I do, it's a good thing. I have an appreciation for age and wisdom." She leaned in to plant a warm, lingering kiss on his lips. Dave rolled his eyes. "On a date with a thirty two year old and I'm still robbing the cradle." "Umm, you can rock this cradle all day long, papi," she purred. They bantered for a bit as Dave put together the chicken salad sandwiches, and grew quiet as they ate. Lupie did appreciate the capers, and the celery seed. As they were feeding strawberries to each other (after dipping them into some whipped cream lightly laced with rum) 'Brown-Eyed Girl' came on; the Jimmy Buffett version with steel drums. Dave swayed with the rhythm as he offered a strawberry to Lupie. As it got to the later lyric '; making love in the green grass, behind the stadium with you, my brown-eyed girl; ' Dave wiggled his eyebrows. Lupie giggled at first, then realized he wasn't just being silly. "David, no! Out here, where anyone can see us?!" "Loops, there's a row of tall bushes between us and the path. If someone is out getting some exercise, they'll never know we're here." "You have a way of making me loud, mi amor," Lupie beamed. "Then we'll take it nice and slow, darling," Dave said as he buzzed his lips next to her ear. He took a firm hold of her tit, massaging it just how she liked. Lupie sucked in a breath and closed her eyes. They made out like teenagers before shucking his pants and boxers. Lupie surprised him with the revelation she hadn't worn any panties. She blushed at her own daring. Then they made love. Long, slow, passionate joining of two hearts giving and taking in unison. The sun had set long before they left. The temperature dropped with the sun, but holding each other close and making their own heat, they never noticed. October 8, 2020. Dave was in his office, wrestling with code for his game when Becca came in, with Kareena. He'd left the game on hiatus for a while, with bigger issues to deal with, and a suspicion that an erotic harem post-apocalyptic game may not be interesting any more, between the actual apocalypse happening and the 'addictive sperm' serum now running through women's veins. But, he had started the project, he wanted to finish. "Hey Dave, looks who's here!" Becca announced. Dave looked up and was immediately confused. "Are they waiting for me to come down and sign?" "Oh, no, they said since I was one of your partners, I could sign." "Hello Dave." Kareena's entangled fingers wouldn't stop moving. Her shoulders were rounded, pulled inward and down. Her feet shifted. Her deep brown eyes wouldn't rise above his knees. Dave motioned her to a chair. "You seem worried. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes." Her eyes flicked up to his for just a moment, before dropping again. "It's just different from what I'm used to, what I expected for my life for several years. But I want a change. And I was relieved when the match system said we were eighty three percent compatible. I was worried it would be a lot less." Dave motioned for her to take a seat. "So, how are you feeling?" Reena blushed at the implication. "I'm okay. Not antsy like they said would happen, but it hasn't been too terribly long just yet. I mean, I could right now if you want to." She rushed the last sentence out. "It's okay. This is a big step in life, bigger than society made it out to be in the past couple decades." Dave paused for a minute. He caught Becca's eye then cocked his head towards the door. She took the hint and left, pulling the door shut. "It's just the two of us now, face to face, with no one listening. Is there anything you want to say or ask?" Kareena looked at him, looked away, and back. "I don't want to be everybody's salon girl." Dave blinked and nodded his head. While he was waiting for her to continue, he took the time to notice her attire. It hadn't been his instinct in the past, not anything beyond 'That looks nice' in a sincere tone. He'd begun to learn that what a woman was wearing may be a clue to her general intent in a conversation. If in fact, she had dressed for him, and not some other purpose. In this case, it wasn't egotistical to believe Reena had dressed for him. Her orange half shirt played counterpoint to her lovely brown skin balanced between milk chocolate and sienna. Her tits stretched the top to pull ripples into the fabric. below her shirt, her smooth, flat, tummy bore no adornment. Neither did her lovely oval navel. Her jeans rode low on her hips, and were so tight they may well have been painted on. "I know I said I was good with that stuff, and I kinda am, at like, an amateur level, but I don't want to do that all the time. Like, just as a hobby, if something special is happening." She started tearing up as she talked. Dave reached out, taking her hand in his, gently. A gazed at her face until she met his eyes. "I didn't bring you here to do nails and hair a such. I brought you here because as a family, we agreed you would be a welcome addition. We all realize you are young, and still figuring out where you want to fit in the world. We did not expect you to fill in any particular house duty." He brushed a loose lock of raven black hair behind her ear, and received a smile. "When colleges re-open, take a few classes, see what interests you; " "My dad said since I wasn't going to accept an offer from the guy he wanted me to pair with, he was cutting me off. I don't think I'll be taking classes until after I can get a job to build up tuition money." Dave chuckled. "Family sticks together, Kareena. Jan and I both work for the community college, which can get you a tuition discount. Given that they've already forgiven all student loan debt, the government is probably going to fund all tuition, or most of it, going forward. And, well, there are four adults in this household with established careers and we've all been fairly careful with our money. You want college, you can get college." Reena relaxed a bit, but not entirely. "Also, there is a spread of skillsets among us. Sit and talk with each of us. Shadow us while we do our jobs. Get to know our fields of expertise. Well, the remote part anyway. Probably going to be awhile before you can actually go to our places of work, even once we can go back. Odds are, something will sound interesting, if not our exact jobs, something related. Worst case scenario, you learn a lot of what you don't want to do and get to know us more than you might want to." Reena giggled. It made Dave feel better, knowing he could rouse her out of her anxiety. He kept his eyes on her, smiling. Reena shifted in her chair and adjusted her leg position. "Dave?" "Yes?" "I think I'm ready now." Dave blinked for a moment. Two and a half weeks living in the new serum-world and it still took him a bit to register what she meant. "Oh. Um, are you sure?" She nodded. Her breathing was deeper than when she'd come in. Dave stood and reached a hand to her. She lifted her hand to his and stood. Reena followed Dave to the bedroom and stood, still and uncertain, as he closed the door. Turning from the door, he noticed her shaking. "Reena, this is only going to work if it's something you want to do." Panic washed over her face. "I want to, I do. I'm just a little scared." She licked her lips and tried to steady her breathing. "It's just; I, uh; well, Becca talked about how you, uh; do; things. It's never been like that before. I mean, both boyfriends that I've; been with; just kinda; did their thing and got off." Dave approached her. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "I'm not the greatest lover, so I hope Becca didn't put me on too high a pedestal. I do take the time to pay attention to a woman's needs. That said, this first time, you're only going to get there when the first bit of my fluid hits you, and then again when I pop. I could be the greatest lover in the world, and nothing will get you to climax other than those two events the first time." Reena smiled warmly and laid her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his torso. "I came here for the long term Dave. The short term is less important." After gathering her thoughts, she continued. "Just show me I matter to you, that's all I ask." Dave stroked his hand through her long, dark hair. He kissed the crown of Reena's head and ran his hands gently down her arms. He pulled her closer by the waist and she raised her head. Their lips met and each let their hands roam across the others' body. Kareena moaned into the kiss. Dave took that as encouragement and allowed his hands to rise to caress the sides of her luscious, sizable tits over top her shirt. She shuddered and pressed herself to him. Dave picked Reena up gently and seated her on the edge of the bed before joining her. He kissed her neck and nibbled her collarbone. Dave slipped his fingers under her top and lifted slowly, pulling his face back to allow her half shirt to pass. He dropped his face to kiss the upper slopes of her tits as his hands sought out the bra clasp in the back. He briefly recalled the mistake with Shawna, just as he found the interfering component. It yielded quickly to his touch and Reena shrugged off the straps, allowing the bra to slide to her legs and fall to the floor. Dave pulled his face back to admire the view. Even at what must be a D or E cup, her tits stood out proudly with the perkiness of youth. He locked eyes with her and latched her lips with a hungry kiss. Reena groaned with a hunger that matched his own. He placed his hands beside her tits, thumbs stroking the underside of the soft orbs enflaming his desire. Reena's breathing sped up with his caresses. She gasped as he took one dark brown nipple and areola in his mouth and suckled. "Oh, David; oh God, that feels good." She whimpered as he released her aroused nub, then hummed passionately as he engaged her mouth again with his own. As their tongues danced, he lowered her torso to the bed, her defiant bust yielding only slightly to the insistence of gravity as each hung off to the sides. Dave kissed down her cleavage and nipped and kissed about her abdomen before bringing his mouth to rest just above the button of her jeans. He looked up her body, between her tits. Only when she lifted her head to return his gaze did he unbutton her jeans and peel them back slightly as he began kissing the small exposed area of her pelvis. He half stood, still dallying his lips on her taut flesh as he moved himself around her knee to settle between her legs. He peeled her jeans down to her knees before pulling upwards, lifting her legs in the air and stripping her jeans off. He stood, bring the jeans clear of her feet, then caught her legs against his chest. If the look in her eyes and her rapid, deep breathing hadn't been enough to confirm her arousal, the warm, musky scent of her sex screamed it loudly. It was heady, rich, and inviting. He parted her elevated legs and slowly knelt, his eyes on hers, a lecherous smile on his face as he lowered it towards the lace panties covering her throbbing center. The black tracery woven through the garment gave accent to the richness of the red base. His face only inches from her sex, he paused, inhaling the scent of her, reveling in her arousal. He kissed her over top her tanga-style panties, applying just enough pressure to transmit the sensation from his lips to hers. Reena groaned, her hands reaching for his head. Dave looped his fingers through the sides of her panties and pulled them towards him, then up. She bent her legs at the knees to ease their removal and she hissed her assent. Understanding the actions of the serum now, better than he had previously, Dave took her engorged labia into his mouth, suckling at them as he probed her slit with his tongue. Reena cried out, arching her back, yearning for release. Satisfied she was as aroused and ready as the serum would allow, Dave half rose, keeping her knees on his shoulders and lifted her up the bed as he crawled on to it. With a firm purchase on the bed, He kissed her again and worked his hips to align his shaft with her entrance. With his tip lodged just inside her opening, she nodded to him, urgently. Dave steadily edged himself into her, her passage relaxed and accepting him. The warm moist tunnel held him firmly, stretching to accommodate his girth as he penetrated her fully. His tip pressed against the very top of her tunnel as his pelvis made contact with her clitoris. Dave began with a slow, gentle grinding action. Reena held his arms as he worked himself in her. Her breath suddenly caught before she howled and shook. Dave knew he must have leaked out the first bit of precum, triggering her priming orgasm. He held still while the ecstasy rebounded through her. It took her well over a minute to recover. She clasped her hands behind Dave's neck and kissed him fiercely as her legs locked behind the small of his back. "I'm yours now, forever. Work that thing in me and finish your claim." Her eyes were hungry, certain, and unyielding. With a smile, and his eyes locked on her, Dave worked his hips back and forth, plunging in and out of her. Reena grunted with each impact of his pelvis against hers, a look of joy on her face, her breathing growing ragged. Dave accelerated his motion as he felt himself building to the eruption they both needed. The yearning in Reena's eyes exhorted him onward until he felt the familiar tingle and let loose inside of her. Immediately, all of Reena's muscles contracted, seizing and spasming. Dave held still, embedded in her depths as he pulsed more and more of his essence into her. He held himself still as she writhed, giving some anchor to her flailing until she crumbled to the bed beneath him. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting;” October 13, 2020. Dave sat in the station chair, in cloth shorts only, working through a third set of butterflies. He actually preferred free weights, but he wanted to push himself hard today without bugging someone to spot him. He'd been cycling curls, chest presses, and butterflies. Though he went to free weights for the curls. Melanie came in as he was straining to get out the tenth rep. The slightly amused face she wore added into something else entirely as she spotted him bare but for a pair of shorts, glistening in sweat from forty minutes of strength training. Her breathing deepened, which drew Dave's eyes to her chest. He faltered, kept straining, but couldn't quite finish the rep. "Uh; um;” She shook her head and gathered her thoughts. "So, I caught our two youngest ladies messing around in your office. They're in the living room now. I think you should come talk." The smirk returned, though her eyes kept lingering on his sweaty abdomen. Dave was sure she was slipping a little extra sway in her hips as she walked ahead of him to the living room. He quickly checked his phone on the way, noting several texts, all from family members. Most of his family had denied the virus was real or that masks or lockdowns worked, so most of them were 'not responding' on social media. The few that remained had posted mournful bits on social media, still not acknowledging reality. Since he'd pointed out the absurdity of their positions before people started dying, he was now dead to them. Not really something that affected him much actually, since they lived three states away and never thought much of him in the first place. But why the fuck; ok, wow, yet a new level of hate texts? And why all of them, all of a sudden? Becca and Reena sat on opposite sides of the couch. Reena's eyes were downcast. She appeared to be on the verge of crying. Becca's lips were pressed into a flatline, her eyes not meeting Dave's. Dave cleared his throat. Becca looked briefly at him, then quickly away. Reena let out a small whimper and kept her eyes on the floor. "So y’all want to tell me what happened?" Becca finally met his gaze. "We were only trying to help." "Oh good, so many wonderful things have followed that statement." Dave took a seat between them and pulled them close. "How about dropping the preamble and just getting it out." "I broke into your computer and we used your Facebook profile to contact two women that show up in your feed a lot. We were going to contact a few others when Mel walked in. It took a while because we were trying to say something unique to each one." Becca monotoned. Then she perked up "we just thought since you requested some of us, you could request other women you already knew." If I blow my top, I'll not only hurt Becca whom I most definitely love but cause super skittish Reena to withdraw completely. The girl's trying to find herself a new place in life. Unless she's clearly reverting to past behavior I have got to treat her with kid gloves. Dave suddenly made a connection in his head. "Who were the two women you propositioned in my name?" "Janine Farkel and Mary Pharns" Dave's head lolled back as he chuckled. "Well, that would explain the texts I just red. Every woman on my mother's side still alive are royally pissed at me. None bothered to explain why, but went to great lengths delineating what an utter worthless beast I am." Becca looked at him confused. Reena did as well, though she was ready to start bawling again. He took a deep breath. "Janine Farkel is my cousin. Her mom and my mom are sisters." Becca rolled her eyes at their mistake. Reena looked like she wanted to bury her head in his shoulder, but wasn't sure she was allowed. "To be fair, I did think she was awfully cute when we were kids. But once I realized what romance was focused around, I was instantly aware that wasn't something you do with your cousin." That got Becca to give a small snort. Reena's frown almost became a grin. "Mary Pharns is Janine's niece, her older brother's daughter, making her my second cousin." Both girls groaned. "You know what you did wrong?" God, he shouldn't be talking like this with a sexual partner, yet the situation called for it. "I should have checked relationships before sending out a message?" Becca asked softly. Dave looked at her stonily. "You should not have used my social media profile without my permission. You should not have acted in my name, without consulting me first. You acted because you had the skills. Just because you can do a thing, it does not necessarily follow that you must do that thing." "Did you just use Star Trek 6 as a rebuke?" Becca said with narrowed eyes and mouth. "If the shoe fits, wear it." She rolled her eyes. Dave looked to Reena, on his other side. He bent his head down to hers, lifting her chin with the hand around her shoulder. Their lips met and he kissed her sweetly. They held the kiss, lips moving, but only that, for nearly a minute. When they broke, Reena batted her eyes and blushed. "Well, it's not a boring life." Dave observed. Both girls barked out a laugh and snuggled into him. "So Dave, um," Reena temporized, "is there anything we could do to; make it up to you?" Becca jumped in. "We've been talking about, maybe you know, both of us?" Dave's eyebrows rose. "Like maybe, you could; um; fill one of us up; and then the other one; uh; licks it out while you; uh; do it in her. So, there's this line of you and then both of us." "I'm willing to be the in-between one," Reena interjected. Becca's eyes betrayed her surprise. "That would be amazing. But only if you want to, and not as punishment. I don't want anything sexual to be punishment." Reena popped her head up. "Not actual punishment. Roleplay and BDSM are different. That's for mutual pleasure, with agreed upon boundaries." Reena relaxed against him again, nodding her head lightly. "I'll put out a message to my family members about what happened, including a tightly worded appreciation of the faith in me they displayed with their responses. After a few more days of bitching, that should keep them off my back for a good six months while they go back to savaging each other. Or whoever they've collectively deemed as 'other'." Dinner in the Belsus household had been moved back to accommodate Shawna's frequent shifts on the 5pm and 6pm broadcasts. Today, however, she'd taken the early morning duty and arrived home shortly after five. She found Dave in his office, staring at another set of lab instructions for the online physics offering he'd been instructed to develop. One month out from spring semester registration, he was supposed to have already submitted a final number for the course fee needed to cover any kits or supplies the school would require to accompany the course. "Dave?" He brought his head up and smiled when he saw her. "Hey Shawna. How long have you been standing there?" "Less than a minute." Her broad smile that fully engulfed her eyes pulled his brain out of its work fog. He saved his work and logged out. "We have about two hours before dinner's ready. What would you like to do?" "I could use a massage, if you're up for it." "Sure." Shawna took his hand and led him to an unused bedroom that had been converted to an alternate TV and game room. Not entirely unused. Shawna's work clothes were in the closet so she could dress before work without disturbing anyone in the master bedroom. On walking in, she picked up the remote and flipped through menus. "It's a shame they don't have Babylon 5 or original Galactica on streaming. How 'bout some TNG?" Dave nodded. Shawna setup an episode, then settled on the floor, placing herself between Dave's legs as he sat on the bed. Dave slipped his hands to her neck and began working his thumbs in the crease there. His fingers held the sides of her neck, mostly giving a base for the thumbs, but doing small motions on the flesh they contacted. Shawna let her head droop slightly. "Umm, I love feeling your hands on me, baby." She turned her head so she could see him out the corner of her eye. "Once you've got my neck nice and loose, feel free to; roam a bit." The lusty grin those words slipped out of punctuated her meaning. Dave chuckled and gave her a kiss on her cheek before she dropped her head loose again. Within the first minute, Dave could feel the tension in her and went to work helping her relax. He thoroughly massaged her scalp, taking care not to mess with her hairstyle. He massaged her forehead, then around her ears and jaw before descending to her neck. Once that was feeling loose, he moved down to her shoulders. He worked her upper back as well, working out the physical manifestations of the stresses she may or may not share later. She was already running the entire meteorology department for the station. The official promotion had not yet come through, but she was the one that all the folks in the department looked to for direction. She was the one the higher ups passed their instructions through. Every day had at least some stress. He rolled her neck in his hands, feeling the looseness that hadn't been there when he'd started. Satisfied the primary task was accomplished, he allowed his fingers to stretch down from her shoulders, caressing her front progressively lower from her collarbone. "Umm. uh-hmm." Dave slipped his hands under her silky blouse and directly stimulated the flesh just above the upper slopes of Shawna's tits. He carefully sought out a path that took his fingers down the sides of her tits, cupping them as he massaged them. Shawna sucked in a breath before saying "Oh, yes baby. God I love these hands." With his hands inside her shirt and bra, Dave deftly stroked her tits and nipples Until she stood and began stripping her clothes off. He matched her actions and the two fell to the bed naked, their hearts pounding. Shawna landed on top, but quickly rolled to put him above her. Taking his cue, Dave got his knees between her legs and made the connection they both sought. Excited as she was, he slipped himself in easily. They lost the need for words as he pumped in and out of her. Both roamed their hands and lips across the other, but the primary need was the stimulation below as she bucked her hips up to him and he thrust into her offered portal. The long, slow, burn of the massage had them both well on their way before they entangled themselves. Shawna lit off first, shuddering and moaning as they kissed, her body convulsing in the throes of a 'normal' orgasm. The actions of her inner muscles on his cock pushed Dave the last bit of his peak and he let loose within her, triggering a serum-induced orgasm even as her body was beginning to come down from the natural orgasm. They held each other close, panting, for several minutes. Another few minutes were spent kissing, until the unmistakable sounds of a dinner nearly ready intruded their thoughts. They dressed carefully, unrushed, but ready to move on to the next part of the evening. They descended the stairs holding hands and crossed the living room into the dining room. Esme passed them as they took seats, a bowl in her hands as she helped lay out dishes for the meal. Passing behind Shawna, Esme gave an audible, obvious sniff, then looked at Dave and shook her head. Chapter 7; Celebration. October 16, 2020. Dave's heart was handling the exertion just fine, only slightly elevated beyond his usual while doing this. His breathing was ragged though. He was having trouble finding his rhythm. And his legs felt like rubber. "Come on, Dave," Olivia said over her shoulder, "You can do better than this. Tell ya what, you beat me back to the house and I'll give you my ass tonight." She blew a kiss over her shoulder, then kicked hard. Roscoe let out a bark that was both happy and plaintive, then loped faster to keep pace. They were about a quarter mile from the house, nearing the end of their three mile run. Dave frequently ran five miles in a morning, but he'd slacked off gradually as his living situation changed. Last week he hadn't run at all. Having a woman's warm body snuggled up against him just made it that much harder to get out of bed and run. Multiple bodies pressed against him, each with its own unique, warm, fleshy wonder, made getting out of bed nearly impossible. Dave kicked out after Livy. He gained on her at first, but the view of her firm, muscular ass was just amazing. Dave decided it was worth it to keep the view and let her win. Anal would be fun to try, but they had their whole lives together. This view, now, this morning, gave him the satisfaction he was looking for. At the entrance to the driveway, they slowed to a walk. Arms over their heads, they walked circles in the driveway and yard. Roscoe, tongue out, huge canine grin, circled about them. Occasionally, he bumped his head against a thigh and got a pat on the head for his efforts. "For taking a week off, you didn't lose much ability. You let me win that." "Well, to be fair, watching your ass in those leggings is a reward all it's own." Dave took her in his arms and kissed her forehead, the tip of her nose, and softly on the lips. He could feel her smile into the kiss. When he pulled back and her eyes reopened, he saw a lingering uncertainty in them. "This still has an undercurrent of weird, but a whole lot of wonderful. I sometimes get paranoid your dad's going to come around the corner and catch me kissing you." Olivia smacked his chest, then buried her face in it with a giggle. "I'm also amazed that I have this beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman in my life that has admired me for many years. A young woman I watched grow up, becoming one of the finest human beings I've ever had the privilege to know. And she chose me to live her life with." Olivia's hug on Dave squeezed tighter. She had her dream. Everything she ever wanted was right here. Then Dave's stomach rumbled. "Guess I better get my butt in the kitchen and feed my man." Dave rolled his eyes. "Sure," he said, with a pat on her ass as she turned towards the door, "get in that kitchen and cook my food woman." Olivia's only response was to wiggle her ass. Halfway to the door, she turned her head over her shoulder and stuck out her tongue, through a great big grin. She shrieked and ran, giggling, when Dave started to run towards her. The first order of business was to let Roscoe into the backyard, where he lapped water from his bowl before plopping onto the deck. Once in the kitchen, Dave snatched a bowl from the cupboard while Olivia pulled the egg carton from the fridge. Lupie's chickens did a fine job keeping up with the needs of Dave, Lupie, Becca, and Esme. Add Janice, Shawna, Olivia, and Melanie to the mix, and those chickens made a nice supplement, but would never keep up on their own. When Dave reached for the carton, Liv slapped his hand lightly. "I told you, I'm making breakfast for you. Take a seat." "Maybe I should just go take my shower now, and come down to a hot breakfast made by my hot babe." She threw an appreciative grin over her shoulder. "Maybe you should go find the sweat slut and give her what she wants." "She does like it without being sweaty too ya know." "Are you talking about Melanie?" came Janice's voice from the dining room entry. Soft and melodic, Dave would never get enough of those carefully crafted tones. "Gee, how'd you guess?" Dave gave her a gentle kiss in greeting. Janice hummed in the kiss, but kept their bodies separated. "I'm kinda in between Mel and Lupie here on this one. It's not my kink, and don't want to be pressed against you when you're all sweaty, but I'm not shoving you away when you look all manly and accomplished." Jan blushed lightly at the end of her statement. She let go of Dave to move to Liv's side at the counter. She watched Olivia crack the eggs one handed, then split the shell, still using one hand only, over the bowl to drain the egg out. "Hey, that's just how Dave taught me to do it." Olivia looked at her with a smile and a raised eyebrow. That caused Jan to laugh. "Okay, okay, for me it was just a few weeks ago. I take it you were, what, fourteen?" "Eight. Eight years old, standing on a step stool with one of the two greatest guys in the world standing beside me." Olivia said wistfully. Jan gave her a quick shoulder hug. "Can I do anything to help?" "Sure. I'm just going to scramble these with some seasoning. Maybe some toast or fruit? A little late to start bacon." Jan, with her head in the fridge called out, "We've got a package of pre-cooked breakfast sausage. Just need to be heated through." "Sounds good." "Hey Jan?" Dave asked. "While you're in there, can you grab me an apple or a pear?" Dave easily caught the pear she tossed his way and began eating it after polishing it on a dry spot on his shirt. "I can't seem to stop eating lately. I'm surprised I didn't gain weight the last few weeks. Eating more than usual, and little to no exercise." Tossing a lid on the skillet to keep the steam inside, Jan turned to Dave. "Little to no exercise? Dave, you have energetic sex at least twice a day, with three or four blowjobs or quickies as well. If you're denying your hunger and not eating, that would explain the; what, five pounds you lost?" "Hmm, hadn't weighed myself in a while. Too afraid the scale would just scream 'Get off me fatso!'" Olivia snorted, but immediately gave him a scowl that matched Jan's. "Dave," Jan said, "you are far from overweight. If you keep over restricting yourself by not accounting for your activity, you're going to hurt yourself, and us by extension. You should stash snacks in your office, so you can have something as soon as you get hungry." She paused for a moment. "Maybe we should get a small fridge for your office, to hold some snacks that would be better cold, or water bottles. You like your fruit and water cold." Just then, Dave's phone chimed the tone he'd set for texts from the ladies of the house. Looking down and unlocking, he saw it was from Shawna. Shawna Posted; It's official! I got the promotion! WFAA Chief Meteorologist Shawna Coulter! That's great! I'm proud of you! You put in a lot of work to get here, babe! Shawna Posted; a heart emoji. They even did a video call with Troy! He still wears those wonderfully dorky bowties! He congratulated me, said he's been watching, and he's proud I'm holding the department to a high standard of science and reporting! Then she posted a star-eyed emoji, smiling face with tear emoji You earned every bit of those accolades. Shawna Posted; face blowing a kiss emoji, It's just, oh my God, he's a legend around here, and well-regarded in the weather community! And then he's on a Zoom call, telling me I'm doing the station and profession proud! I remember watching him as a kid, hun. I can imagine the impact. You put years of work into this. Enjoy the fruits of victory, my love. Dave froze. The first time he'd used the 'L' word with Shawna, and it was by text! Dammit! In the silent minutes of self-recrimination, his phone chimed again. Shawna Posted; I love you too, David. "What's with the dopey-lovey grin, Dave?" Olivia's voice brought him back to the dining room as she sat a platter of scrambled eggs on a wooden trivet and centered it on the table. Jan came in and did likewise for a platter of sausage. "Shawna got the official promotion to Chief Meteorologist." "Hey, that's great!" Jan said, with Lupie chiming in as she entered with Esme. Mel came in a few steps behind. "Mel," Liv said, "could you grab the fruit tray and toast?" Mel nodded her agreement. Lupie shooed Esme to go help. "We should do something to celebrate Shawna's promotion." Lupie said. Heads nodded around the table. "She's got the six o'clock duty tonight, and they'll probably do some kind of cake thing there, so I wouldn't expect her home until after dinner." Jan supplied. "Tomorrow, she's going in for a few hours to give guidance and get some admin work done. No on-air duties though. She said she'd be home by two, maybe three at the latest. Oh, and she's not going in until ten at the earliest. She swore she was getting to sleep in." "How about a picnic in the park?" Melanie suggested. "The way she gets nostalgic talking about the smell of grass or the air from her storm chasing days, maybe she'd like that." "Hopefully sans storm," Liv said dryly. Mel stuck her tongue out in reply, then both giggled. "So, an early dinner tomorrow, after Shawna gets home. Let's figure out a menu and divide up duties." Lupie guided the ensuing short discussion. She tried to dissuade Dave from making a dish, again cajoling him that he should let them take care of such things. Dave pointed out that he enjoys cooking and seeing people enjoy his efforts. Shawna had shown an interest in his tomato-cucumber salad, and they did just pull in a fresh harvest of both. Then he got a little dirty. Would Lupie deny Shawna a dish she loved from someone she cared for on her celebration day? Okay, that was a little not cool, but he wanted to make something dammit. Lupie's look was by turns hurt and chagrined. "I'm sorry Lupie, that was over the line." Dave stood and walked to her chair. He took her hand and kissed it. "Please, I love to cook, and I feel like I'm getting shut out here. I love what you and the others cook too. And I understand your position about my role, leading the family. But please, step back once in a while and let me make a dish." Lupie got a saucy look in her eye. With a smile and a wink, she said, "Very well, you may work in my kitchen." Dave rolled his eyes, but as she stood to begin clearing the table, he swatted her butt, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Eep!" She turned and buried her face in his chest. As she turned, he could see her face was as red as the tomatoes he'd use tomorrow. Just then, Becca and Reena stumbled in, bleary eyed and messy haired. They'd been working on some project and stayed up late, sleeping in a different bedroom. "Why don't you let Heckle and Jeckle here get their breakfast, and then let them clean up?" Lupie screwed up her face, ready to object, but both teens nodded their assent, Becca holding out a thumbs up as she flopped into a chair. Then Lupie mentioned Shawna's promotion and the planned party for tomorrow. Both girls livened up, huge grins on their faces. They leaned towards each other, speaking in quick whispers before pulling back and high-fiving. Whatever was going on had them completely awake with broad grins. "You girls care to share?" I asked. "Not yet, it's a surprise. A good one this time, promise." Becca flushed with remembered embarrassment from the 'hook Dave up' fiasco. Reena blushed as well, nodding agreement. Jan lay under Dave on the bed, her legs wrapped around his waist. Since he was already sweaty, she thought she'd give it a try. Might as well, right? Try different ways? As Dave pumped in and out of her, he paused between kisses to study her face. "You are not feeling it are you?" "You, yes. The sweat, no. Sorry, David." Dave stopped his motions, beginning to pull out. "No, no, please. Finish in me. Then we can take a shower together, and maybe; my turn in the tub?" Dave was still working his way through individual dates with each lady, but they had added a twist. Each wanted a soak in the large, sea-shell shaped garden tub in the master bath. To make it special (they argued getting tub time with him made it special) he'd managed to personalize the experience with different settings. Lupie loved lavender, so he arranged lavender bath scents, two candles on the vanity, and four candles around the tub. Every time before, when Dave was near lavender, his eyes, nose, and mouth got itchy, so he took a dose of his strongest allergy meds (over the counter, but behind the pharmacy desk) half an hour before the bath time. It; didn't work. He didn't sneeze or have too much sinus irritation. But Lupie's time luxuriating as she leaned against him in the bath was cut short when she noticed red bumps all over his arms as they wrapped loosely around her. She was furious with Dave as she pushed him into the shower stall to wash off the offending aromatics. She pulled the plug on the bathtub and kicked on the fan before joining him. He was grateful when the steamy air got into his lungs. When Dave pledged to try again, Lupie pointedly suggested almond and vanilla. After that, all the ladies insisted on knowing what gave him allergic reactions. As far as scents go, they were relieved the only remaining problematic scents were eucalyptus and any form of mint. Mel was slightly bummed about the mint, but wasn't that attached to it. "The feeling of Dave going down on me vastly outweighs the pleasantness of a mint-scented bath." So after Dave finished, and a few minutes of snuggling, he got up to shower quickly. Adjusting the tub faucet to Janice's preferred temperature, he left it running. Then he pulled the special items for Janice from the one locked closet in the bathroom. The one he stashed all the special prep stuff for the ladies. Yes, they'd picked scents and lighting, but that's no reason to give away all the details. With the tub about half full, he drizzled a small, short stream of rose oil into the water with a slight sideways motion to help start the mixing process. The tub's curvature and the current due to the filling should do the rest. Next, he killed the lights. Jan wanted natural lighting, which is why they were doing this in the daytime. There was a large window that let light into the master bath. No one could see in from that direction, into an upstairs window anyway, so it was safe, even before the pandemic. As the tub neared full, Dave cut the water and sprinkled rose petals on the surface, around the tub margins, and then some on the floor. With his back to the door, he surveyed the scene to make sure it was right. Satisfied, he placed the partial bag of petals in the closet and locked it again. Then he stepped back into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He led Jan from the bed to the bathroom door and had her cover her eyes with her hands before opening the door. Jan walked slowly into the bathroom, marveling at the setup. As Dave joined her, she wrapped him in her arms and delivered a warm, passionate kiss. Then they climbed into the tub, Janice lying back against Dave's chest, as the two enjoyed the closeness without any overtly sexual play. It was a good morning. "Why do you smell like roses?" Reena asked as she lay curled into Dave's side on the laid-out recliner. "Because I gave Jan her couples tub time earlier and she likes a rose-scented bath." "So you're really working your way through romancing each of us personally?" "There's no other way. You are each unique. Different desires, different needs. I'll do my best to give you what makes you feel happy and accepted." "This is pretty good right here." The teen gave him a soft kiss. "I like Jan. She has good taste in bath scents. And men." Dave chuckled, giving her a soft squeeze in appreciation. They were in the living room, though no music or shows were playing. Just a quiet snuggle. Kareena wore cloth shorts and one of Dave's nerd shirts. This one looked like a computer's BSOD. Melanie cringed when she saw it on her way out the door earlier. Reena must have been wearing a bra, since her large tits were somewhat contained and her nipples were not poking through. Given her past behavior it was a 50/50 toss up whether she was wearing any kind of panties, but there was no outward indication either way, and this wasn't the kind of snuggle to facilitate an exploration to find out. "So I've been talking with Becca and Jan, and the others. I think I'd like to take some classes in the Spring?" "Why are you asking that like a question?" "I wanted to make sure you're okay with it." "Reena, we are partnered. We will spend the rest of our lives together, and eventually have kids together. I don't own you." Dave looked her straight in the eye for this part. "Sure, there are somethings you could choose to do that will impact all of us and therefore require some prior notice or approval. What schooling you pursue is not in that category. Now, if you're looking for advice, I'm here for you. It sounds to me like you've already gotten some from the others. And I happen to think highly of their opinions, so you should be good to go." Dave got a full kiss on the lips for that, with only a little tongue. "I'm going to go undeclared and just take some basic classes. Becca and I plan on taking composition and speech together. Not math or science. She really helped me through high school, but I'm not at her level and I don't want to hold her back. As soon as we can, I'll take the placement tests and hope I get into college math instead of remedial." Her face fell at the prospect of starting below college level. "Becca will probably get into precal or calc right from the start." "You'll do fine, no matter where you place. If you're really worried about it, talk to Jan. I have some math prep books around here. Take some time to brush up before your test." Dave kissed her nose. "Regardless of what course you place into, you'll need to set aside some study time. And fortunately, you have plenty of people in this house that can help. Becca of course, and me for math and science, Lupie's good with numbers and presentations, and management or decision making. What Jan doesn't know she knows how to find. Shawna would be great for math, science or public speaking, but she still has a full time job that keeps her out of the house eight hours a day at least, so she may be less available." Reena smiled. "Yeah, she's kind of a badass. Like she's so completely feminine lovey dovey with you, but work wise, she rules the roost and gets things done." "Feminine does not mean weak, baby doll." Over the past week or so, Reena had shown a preference for diminutive names and pseudo-possessive treatment. Dave suspected it was partially due to her high school relationships with jocks and trust fund boys, but he fed her what she asked for while making sure she still felt loved and appreciated. The caramel-skinned teen smiled back. "I know. But it's nice when you say that too." She paused to change direction back to the main topic. "I think I'd like to go into interior design. That would mean an associate's in, well, anything really, but business might be a good idea. Then a trade school for my focus classes. I thought about fashion for a while, but all that cutting and sewing sounds really annoying. Placing furniture and décor, choosing the right painting and lighting, that sounds challenging and fun." "I like the passion I hear in your voice. I'm right behind you. Just; don't ask me to tell the difference between jade and emerald." "They're totally different!" Dave chuckled and gave her another hug. "Hell, half the time, someone has to remind me that chartreuse is a green hue, not a red one." "Ugh!" Reena rolled her eyes and huffed. "Isn't this the same guy that cried at two different movies last night?" "Hey, anyone that doesn't cry when Goose dies is a heartless brute. Ditto for Spock." Dave pitched his voice slightly lower and made it raspy and slow. "I have been, and ever shall be; your friend." Reena smacked his chest, water rimming her eyes. The whole house had been on an 80's movie kick, with an emphasis on sci-fi, since that was beloved by Dave, Shawna, and Becca. Livy and Mel were mild fans of science fiction as well. Lupie, Jan, and Reena just wanted to understand their partners better. Reena had sobbed during Spock's death scene. Becca had earlier led Kareena through a few of the original Trek series, including 'Space Seed', 'Amok Time' and 'City on the Edge of Forever' to give her some context for the movies. Before either of them could continue the conversation, the front door opened. Melanie and Olivia came through with several bags straining from each hand. Reena and Dave rose, heading for the door as his two returning partners crossed to the dining room to set down their burdens. Two trips each emptied the car. Melanie and Reena set about getting the cold items stowed first, while Liv grabbed the bag from the sporting goods store and headed upstairs. Dave went to the garage for his tools before joining her. One room had been claimed by Mel and Liv as their own. Primarily just as a private space for the two of them, but of course for those times that privacy was a little more intimately desired. Carter's suspicion was in error, at the time. Neither girl had been intimate with another woman. Prior to moving in, the girls had never shown an interest in each other. Now though, they were somewhere along the road of experimentation. But, the lessons taught to Olivia by her father were deeply rooted. And that lesson was about responsibility as well as security. Which is why they were making this installation, behind Livy's headboard. "This last bolt will do it. Which one are you going with?" "The ten. If someone's trying to hurt us, I want a big punch." "You know what your dad said, aim makes caliber an extra." She narrowed her eyes. "My aim is fine. Better than yours even." "Okay, ok, easy there Annie Oakley." Liv smirked. "You read the programming instructions for the palm print scanner yet?" "No, it's the same model I used in Stephenville, though." "Well, I've got it installed," Dave said, crawling out the small space between the headboard and the wall. Bigger than normal, since they'd pulled it out to do this work, but still tighter than Dave would like. "Time for you to program it. You remember the code to the gun cabinet?" Dave's gun cabinet was built in the understairs area, covered to look like a normal part of the hallway, except the small hatch over the keypad. "Yep. Kinda hard to forget." Liv gave him a kiss as she slipped past and began the programming process. To be continued in part 6, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 4 Shenanigans: Fun times at House Belsus. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Let’s review the list of characters: David Belsus – 46, physics & astronomy professor at Eastfield college, a community college in the Dallas area. Prepper, survivalist, has a greenhouse in his backyard and lives in an outer ring suburb. Six foot, fit, short cropped hair. Lupie Ramos – 32, former financial advisor, Dave's neighbor, got caught out of state when the lockdowns started. She spent two frantic weeks trying to get back to her daughter. Lupie has been in love with Dave for over a year. Long, dark brown hair, medium build, and a lovely smile. Esme – 9, daughter of Lupie, prone to the occasional snarky comment. Adores Dave. Becca; 18, Lupie's babysitter, was watching Esme when lockdowns occurred. Her refusal to abandon Esme, as her mother insisted, likely saved Becca's life, since her extended family ignored precautions and died of Duo. Esme, Lupie, and Dave are all Becca has left in the world. Short, medium build, small tits, with short blond hair and a smile that is shy with strangers and beams with family and friends. Janice Wheeler; 33, Dave's first partner to arrive, a librarian at Cedar Valley, another community college member of DCCCD. Slender build and medium height, Janice is 3/4 Korean, her paternal grandfather is Anglo. Medium length black hair often pulled back in a bun for work or ponytail at home. Shawna Cooper; 36, senior meteorologist at WFAA, Master's degree in meteorology from O U, worked at NSSL and spent time as a storm chaser. Whole hog sci-fi nut, beginning with Start Trek TNG. 5' 10", large tits, medium brown skin, dark brown eyes, shoulder length black hair styled like a frizzy weeping willow. Olivia Tyler (Liv); 21, senior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University, near Dallas. Daughter of Carter and Janelle, Dave's best friends since college. Had a well-known crush on Dave throughout her teen years. Since her dad was former SF and a survivalist, Liv is skilled with several firearms as well as bladed weapons. Never failed to take a deer any season she's hunted. 5'10" long, dark brown hair, large tits, lightly tanned, brown eyes, and a wide smile. Melanie Ustanich; 22, graduate student in IT at Tarleton, Liv's roommate, recently found a passion for cooking. Spent most of her life in foster homes, Liv's parents accepted her like family the first time she went with Liv on Thanksgiving Break. 5'8" medium length auburn hair, green eyes, small mouth with a ready, mischievous smile. During the interlude, Dave took some time to look over Melanie. He knew less about her than the others, but more than he'd known about Jan or Shawna when they'd shown up on his doorstep. He knew from a glance that she dressed more stylishly than Olivia, though he'd be hard pressed to describe why. He thought both looked great, even if he could tell a difference instinctively. He was always a fan of variety. Silver studs in her ears support three short silver chains each, drawing the eye tantalizingly into the chasm of her russet mane. The verdant green of Mel's satiny top provided the perfect counterpoint to the auburn tones of her hair. The cinched belt securing the crossing panels of her blouse held it together well, yet giving tantalizing views of her medium sized tits. The black slacks clung closely to her well-shaped thighs and calves without the 'painted on' look. "Dave, could you make me one of your 'ginger ales' please?" "Sure, Liv. Anyone else want something?" "Can you make me one of those drinks you made that first time?" Becca asked. "Yeah, that's what Livy is asking for. Seven-Up and Captain Morgan mixed to look like ginger ale." "Oh, okay, then one of those please." "You got it." Dave got to mixing drinks. Jan asked if anyone else wanted wine. All the others voiced their interest, Jan pulled two bottles of blush from the pantry and brought them to the living room. Lupie grabbed wine glasses for each of them and handed them out as Jan poured. Dave watched Becca's first sip carefully. He'd mixed this one normal strength, not the light pour he'd given her last time. Eyes flared, she took a smaller sip than usual, but nodded before setting it on the side table. "Olivia, dear," Lupie asked softly, "I hesitate to ask, but can you tell us about your parents? Should we contact them that you are here, or, are they; ?" "Dad died six weeks ago. Mom passed a week later." Olivia took another sip. Melanie hugged her loosely. Olivia's voice took on a husky note. "She called me, near the end. She told me Dad had died. That she was very ill and wasn't; wasn't, ah,; She knew she wouldn't make it." One hot tear dallied along the top curve of her cheek before coursing downward. Dave took her hand. "She said I should pursue my dreams. All of them." Livy looked Dave dead in the eyes. "She said she'd known for a long time it was more than a crush, that she was sorry she'd belittled it by calling it that. And then ;” Olivia sucked in a breath. Mel hugged Olivia again. "We're all here for you. Let it out at your own pace." Lupie encouraged softly. "She said 'Love him. Love him like I never did. Love him like he deserves.' And then she closed the call." A hard sob shook through Olivia as more tears fell. Dave and Mel hugged her, one from each side. Dave did so while looking at the ceiling with a distant gaze. After several minutes of silence, Jan got up for a second plate. Dave stood to join her. "My mind still doesn't want to eat, but my stomach got a taste of that bruschetta and wants more. Of that, and everything else." Jan smiled and gave him a quick kiss, which he returned. "Can you tell us something about Eddie?" Shawna asked after Dave sat back down. Dave thought for a minute. Slowly, a proud smile spread across his face. "His Eagle project." Olivia smiled and nodded. "Eddie was an Eagle Scout?" Jan asked. "Yes, he was. Got his Arrow of Light as a Webelo too." Livy provided. "Eddie and I were just beginning to reconnect when he began working on his Eagle rank. For his project, he decided to build a foot bridge across the stream in the park." "Armadillo park? The bridge on the south end?" Becca asked. Dave smiled broadly. "That's the one. Before that bridge, anyone walking the path and crossing the bridge at the north end would have to turn around when they hit the ends of the u-shaped path. For some folks, that was more walking than they could handle, so they wound up getting less exercise, or taking their walks in the few areas with sidewalks or walk along the side of the road. Either way they got very little 'green time'. He found a bridge design appropriate for the location, one that would last with little maintenance and convinced a local construction company to donate materials. He met with the city manager and then spoke before the city council to arrange an agreement for maintenance." "The foreman of the construction company and his best concrete specialist offered their services to supervise the volunteer workers and ensure the quality of the work. I think Eddie had a hand in that." Dave's pride in his son couldn't have been any louder on his face. "The kicker was, he vetted the design to make sure the angle of the curve was suitable for someone in a wheelchair. So at the ribbon cutting, the young lady that cut the ribbon, and the first to cross was in Eddie's class. I think she wound up the class Salutatorian. Anyway, she was paraplegic, lost the use of her legs in an accident during her eighth grade year." Dave paused. "I think she and Eddie started dating not long after." Olivia snorted. "They were already dating. I think that night was the first time she gave him the goods though." "Go Eddie." Shawna said huskily. "Seriously?" Dave asked Olivia. "Pretty sure. Not 100%. I mean, I know they did it. Like a lot. Once they opened up that part of the relationship they were like bunnies. I'm not absolutely sure that night was the first night though." "Hell, I was nineteen before my first time. He was always better with people than I ever was." Dave's looked wistfully into the distance, like he was seeing through the walls at something beyond. Then he swallowed hard. He took a steadying breath and blew it out slowly. Becca rubbed his shoulder lightly before giving it a soft kiss. Dave smiled at her, then leaned in to deliver a light peck on her cheek. He looked outward again, scanning across the room. "Thank you all for putting up with this. I'm sorry for acting like such a p--" Becca pressed a finger firmly to Dave's lips. "If that word crosses your lips, you'd better be talking about our body parts. The man that I've watched, relied on, and come to trust implicitly sure as hell isn't one of those. And he deserves better than that." The fire in her red-rimmed eyes put the punctuation to her statement. Dave just nodded in concession to his young lover's demand. With an impish grin she added, "And for the record, anytime we're getting frisky, or flirting, I'm perfectly happy with you calling it: or me: a pussy." She grabbed his hand and shoved it between her shorts-clad legs for emphasis. Becca's addendum broke the somber mood of the room. Everyone got a good laugh. A brief quiet descended as everyone ate a few bites or stared into their drink. Dave looked up to see Jan and Lupie gazing at him, concern and sympathy clearly written across both of their faces. "Well, Becca, since you have some history with our man, tell me something to catch me up with all of you." Shawna requested. "Oh, tell her about the cupcake exchange." Jan suggested. "Dave told me about it while the two of you were getting vaxxed." "Oh that one she told me already. Good story." "Okay, so something new." Becca paused, then blushed. She bit her lip and looked sideways at Dave and cringed. Then she flicked her eyes to Lupie. Lupie caught the look and rolled her eyes. "Go ahead." She said with a sigh. Then she turned her face away. "So, um, you know how Dave runs a couple times a week, and works out with his staff in the backyard about as often?" Shawna nodded at Becca's narrative, then turned to give Dave an appreciative leer. "Ahem, well, it's cooler now, so he does he work outs in a t-shirt and shorts." Shawna nodded again, then stared at Dave's torso like she was imaging him bare chested and sweating. Well, she'd seen him shirtless often enough. Melanie's breathing became slightly deeper and slower as she sized him up as well. "Well, remember we used to live next door. And Lupie's second story windows are high enough to see over Dave's fence." Mel, Shawna, and Jan all looked at each other. "Oh." They said in unison. "You lucky bitches." Jan added. Dave's mind was working at a slower pace and caught up a moment later. He closed his eyes and shook his head. With a small grin. "Well, that's not all of it. See, I made no pretense about watching him work out. I mean, mid-August, heat pounding down? Ten minutes into his work out his whole torso is covered in sweat, with rivulets running down his front and back." Shawna looked transfixed. Jan had her eyes closed. Mel tightly gripped her thighs, staring intently. "Usually I watched from one of the back windows, and just put up with the oblique angle. One day, a few months back, I realize it's very quiet in the house, and I seem to be the only one on the second floor. I decided to move over to Lupie's room, which is at the back corner, with two windows looking out over the backyard, one on each side of the corner." Lupie blushed hard and brought her hands up to cover her face. "So, there was a small space between the curtain panels and I was staring at Dave through the gap as I walked up. I walked as quietly as I could so Lupie and Esme wouldn't hear my footsteps from downstairs. I pulled back the curtain to get a better view. Lupie was hiding in the curtains, eyes fixed on Dave. We both screamed, and Lupie's hand flapped backwards hitting the window frame." "That's how you bruised your hand?!" Dave exclaimed, trying to suppress his laughter. "You flap your hands around when you're surprised?" "No. Just, um, I, uh ;” Lupie's muffled response trailed off. "She took care to wash her hands thoroughly before she let me bind it." Becca interjected. "Initially we thought she'd hurt her wrist, so I stabilized it. But, I recognized later what I had smelled while we were leaving the room." Lupie peeked between her fingers at Becca, pleading. "Okay, never mind." Becca conceded. "I've said too much already." The others looked confused at the abrupt ending until Melanie burst out laughing. When they looked at her questioningly, she said, "I know what I would be doing standing there watching him work out shirtless." And flopped back into the couch giggling furiously. The others started cackling and Jan, chortling, reached over to pull Lupie into her for a hug. "Not like we all don't do it." Dave sat there open mouthed, shocked, and feeling like he'd won something undefinable. He moved to kneel in front of Lupie. He took her hands in his own, pulling them away from her face. He pulled her into a hug. Into her ear he whispered, "I love you." Her hug on him tightened. "And if I hadn't been so dense I would have been in that room to take care of you properly. Or at least, lick your fingers clean." He punctuated his comment with a light nibble of her earlobe. Lupie swatted him on the back as she released him. Her face was still flushed to the tips of her ears. The tight, prim smile and her laughing eyes testified to her approval of the idea, and her mortification it was said out loud. Even at a whisper. Dave got up and refreshed his drink, and Olivia's as well. Becca sipped hers more slowly, and still had more than half a glass. Jan topped off her wine glass, along with Mel's and Shawna's. Lupie got up and made a fresh plate, then headed for the stairs. "I'm going to take a plate to Esme, just in case she didn't get enough earlier. Besides, if I tell her Dave likes the bruschetta, she might try it." Lupie said with a knowing mom smile. Shawna came to Dave once he was seated. She gave him a soft kiss and held him to her. She spoke no words, but conveyed clearly her heart ache for him, and her availability should he need something. When Lupie returned, she took her seat and looked to Olivia asking "Can you tell me something about your father?" Livy squirmed for a moment, then nodded. She took a breath. "He was a security consultant. Worked for a firm that advised companies on the weak points in their physical and cybersecurity. Dad was on the physical side. He'd been a Green Beret before going to college, where he met Mom and Dave." "Oh, wow. So your dad was a badass?" Becca asked. "Carter was so badass he was chill," Dave interjected. "He had that confidence of the guy that knows he'll win if things get physical. Smart too, though." "Yeah, Dad made supervisor pretty fast. He and his team would walk the grounds of a company and show them where a person could slip in or out without detection. Then the cyber guys would do the same for the company's networks. Sometimes, Dad would have to prove the point. He loved that. He and a couple of his team would don tactical gear and break in. Dad always left a fake tarantula with the company logo on its back on the boss' desk, or somewhere critical." Olivia chuckled. "One time, this one CEO was particularly resistant. Dad had to go in a second time. The first time he left a tarantula on the main server station, and one in the research lab; that by law was required to be restricted access. To drive his point home, Dad went to the CEO's office and installed this box on the ceiling, where most don't look. It had some kind of trigger because once the guy sat down, this tarantula drops on a thread from the box, right on the guy's paperwork." Several smiles broke out. Dave laughed soundlessly, his mouth closed so it didn't become a cry. The tears in his eyes were tattle-tale enough. He absently played with Olivia's dark locks. Olivia turned to look at him, eyes soft and happy. She leaned against his hand. Dave realized what he was doing, got self-conscious and pulled back. With downcast eyes, Liv turned back to the room and took in the other faces. A couple of looks exchanged suggested that most had caught what had just passed. Dave tried to process what just happened by staring off through a blank spot on the wall. It wasn't terribly helpful, once he recalled the picture that hung there just a few weeks before. Then Lupie cleared her throat. Dave fixed his eyes on her. He was never particularly perceptive of the looks on people's faces, but this time it seemed pretty clear. She stared at him with a stern look, then shifted her eyes to Liv and back to him. He looked to Jan, who just nodded. "Maybe someone else can share a family background story." Dave temporized. A few pensive looks passed. A tight smile grew on Jan's face. "My aunt Carolyn." She paused for a second. "My dad's sister. They were half-Korean, half European. Aunt Carolyn took more after the European side of the heritage, especially in the kitchen. She made an awesome meatloaf." She chuckled and looked over at Dave and Becca. "She would have loved that meatloaf cupcake." Her eyes watered at the bottom edge. "Visiting her was a way to encounter the white half of my ancestry. She had prints from famous artists. Classic books. If I was there on a Saturday night, she'd serve cheese and crackers, sometimes with a little sausage. As I got older, she'd let me have a small glass of wine as well." Jan took a light breath. "She played some classical music, but mostly it was Michael Bolton and Kenny G. Maybe some Cranberries and Matchbox Twenty when she felt wild. I haven't heard from her in over a month. And she has asthma." Jan trailed off into silence and the room observed it with her. Lupie reached out a hand to Jan's shoulder. She in turn, put her own hand on top of Lupie's. She turned her head and smiled. With a small nod, she turned away again, staring at the floor. Both hands dropped away. After a reasonable silence, Becca spoke. "When I was thirteen, my cousin Kimberly, who was sixteen, offered to pierce my ears for me." Half the women groaned. Dave sat silently, suspecting this wouldn't end well. "She got a large sewing needle, a bottle of rum, a small bowl, and a pair of my mom's stud earrings." "Rum?" Jan asked. Becca rolled her eyes. "Yeah," she said with a sigh, "she said she had to soak the needle in alcohol before using it." A variety of gasps, groans and sighs walked around the room. Dave's sympathetic grimace did less than his hand patting her knee to communicate his support. "Oh, but it gets worse. Wrong kind of alcohol at too low concentration, plus lots of sugar are only enablers. She cleaned my earlobes thoroughly with antimicrobial soap, so maybe that was the one thing she did almost right. But she didn't clean her own hands. And when she stuck the needle through; which hurt like hell; she stabbed her finger." Multiple hands struck foreheads or mouths. "Oh yeah. So we're both bleeding like stuck pigs, and crying. She's freaking out because 'the blood is mixing'. I never figured out what that meant. We bandage each other up the best we could, hide all the stuff from our parents and then hide ourselves. Three days later I have a raging infection in one earlobe and have to go to the doctor AND admit to my mom what happened." Becca paused, shaking her head. "Chewed my ass out. The doctor said because of the infection, I had to wait at least six months to get piercings. Mom added another six as punishment. She did take me to get professional piercings one year to the day after the doctor's visit though." Becca's eyes watered. Dave leaned over and kissed her cheek as a single tear slid down her face. Dave noticed Melanie getting increasingly fidgety. He thought he first noticed something during Becca's tale about his workouts. Maybe when the stories ran out, he'd have his head right. It wasn't fair to her to make her wait too long for imprinting. Or Liv. God, he really needed to get his head around this. He loved Olivia, he truly did. He was just so used to it being a non-sexual, non-romantic relationship. He'd looked on her as nearly a daughter for, well, for her whole life. But she wasn't his daughter. And she loved him. That was so clear in her eyes, every time she looked at him. Not just today, but thinking back over the years. It's crazy to think he could hurt this person he cared so deeply for, by not having sex with her. Fuck, it was Kim Dawson all over again. Shawna sat placidly, attentive as others told their stories. As the room lay silent again for a time, she took her turn. "I once caught my brother coming out of the shower with his girlfriend." Grins and giggles passed around the room. "Mind you, this is after my mother had chewed me out for getting frisky with, um, my best friend in my room." "Oh" several said in unison. "We were experimenting," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "It was my first Thanksgiving Break home from college. We were just friends, with nothing going on physical, since sixth grade. We were both single at the time, but we'd each had boyfriends, and each had sex before. We just thought we'd try out the other flavor. Who better to try that with than your ride or die?" She grinned. "Mom walked in when we had our shirts loose and hands inside each other's bras. Mom got all pissy about it and made some comment along the lines of 'Darian would never disrespect me by having sex under my roof.' Yeah sure Mom." Shawna rolled her eyes. "The bathroom smelled of" she looked straight at Becca, "pussy, so they'd been going at it in there. Mom wasn't home, so the obvious sounds of continuing humping came from his room almost immediately." "Hell of it is, she was this tiny little thing. Barely five foot tall and a nothing waist. And since I'd seen Darian stumbling around out of the bathroom when we both had midnight potty urges, well, he wasn't great at covering up when he's drowsy, and in his case, the stereotype is true. I don't know how he'd didn’t break her in half." "After she left, I confronted him with Mom's comment. Now Darian ain't scared of shit; not a machismo thing, he uses his brain; but Momma. She's a foot shorter and at least a hundred pounds less muscle but that boy will cringe and genuflect if Momma is mad. He starts bargaining with me. Of course, he can't offer money since he's just getting his feet under him. He had plans, and he did eventually move out, but he was scrimping and saving so paying me money to shut up would have crippled him." We all hung there, waiting. "Well, Darian had been incredibly protective of me growing up. He over did it, by a lot. So my price for silence was for him to set me up with a friend of his that I had always wanted to date, but Darian kept getting in the way." She paused for a minute. "You know how you really want something, and imagine what it would be like to get it? And then you do, and ugh. Darian meant to protect me against a guy getting handsy. In this case he was protecting me from getting bored. The guy was about as much fun as a wet paper towel. I gave him a handshake at my door when he dropped me off." All the ladies shook their heads in commiseration. Dave closed his eyes and kept his mouth shut. Becca however, didn't. "Dave, how many of your dates ended in handshakes?" "None, from now on," he said flatly. "You got that right." Shawna said. Jan just shrugged and nodded. Becca and Liv hugged him tightly. Mel rubbed a hand against his back. Lupie sat still with an enigmatic grin. Dave knew there were thoughts churning behind those dark chocolate eyes. While he wondered what those thoughts were, he had a thought of his own. Maybe it was what she was thinking, maybe not. Here he was, sleeping with four women, two more about to be added to their ranks, and he hadn't taken a single one of them on so much as one date. That couldn't stand. Granted, movies and restaurant dinners were out. But they had two backyards to have a picnic meal in. The parks were open too. Maybe the Botanical gardens? He'd need to talk with each one, find out what they wanted, and find a way to make it happen. "Well Becca already told a story for me," Lupie said, breaking the silence. Becca blushed and chuckled. "So Melanie, what can you share with the family?" "I was orphaned so early, I don't really remember my parents. Just a few fuzzy images. I bounced from one foster home to another. One time I got to stay in the same place for two years. Usually it was more like eight to ten months. The social workers tried to at least let me stay in one school for a full year. Some of them anyway." "I don't have any horror stories about it. Other kids I fostered with told me about other homes they've been in, and some of those were bad. So I don't want to suggest it doesn't happen, it just never happened to me. The worst for me was not being connected to anyone for long. Honestly, living with Olivia is the longest I've shared a place with anyone. And she brought me home on holidays." Her face darkened. "Carter and Janelle were nice to me." Then she laughed. "I think Carter suspected I was Liv's lesbian lover though." "Oh my god." Liv rolled her eyes and brought a hand to her forehead, covering her eyes. Only Dave noticed Jan wincing at the hated phrase. Then Mel's face went blank, trying to hold back the intense emotions. "You're the closest I've ever had to a sister." The two college girls hugged. After a brief pause, Dave chimed in. "Now that is a tough life, having Olivia as your sister." Melanie laughed. Olivia turned and punched him in the shoulder, with a tight smile on her face. Laughing and rolling with the punch, Dave couldn't help but notice the way her large tits jiggled with the turn and the force of her punch. When she leaned against him, he found himself wishing her neckline was cut lower. The thought was surprising, and conducive to future events, but still slightly disconcerting. Before he could get too lost in his head, Jan spoke up. "So, how about a story about young Olivia?" she asked. Liv groaned. Dave grinned. "Okay, so we've mentioned before she hunts, hikes, does all kinds of outdoors She-Ra stuff." Liv glared up at him. She adjusted her head so the backs of her round silver stud earrings wouldn't poke her head. Mel rubbed Liv's back reassuringly. "You may have noticed that fishing was not mentioned in that list." "Oh God, no." Liv covered her face with her hands. The grins on every face in the room showed realization dawning in each of the other minds present. "So, Carter and I took Eddie and Liv fishing. Carter preferred drift catfishing, so we'd get out on the lake very early, usually by three am, four if we were running late. We had a small casting net we'd use in the shallows to catch bait fish. Then Carter would take the boat to a point up current from where he suspected the cats would be, and we'd drift across with our hooks in the water. Well, the bait fish had to be cut into two or three pieces to be useful. Olivia objected. But not to cutting the fish. To holding them. She squealed every time we put one in her hands. She loved casting the net and hauling it in. she liked fighting the fish on the rod, put touch one with her hands? Oh, no, not happening." Olivia buried her head in his chest and glared upward. "Oh, did I mention her fishing rod and tackle box were Barbie themed?" A series of giggles followed that assertion. "Don't talk about that!" "But you were cute!" "Shit like that is why you keep seeing me as a little girl for you to protect and raise instead of a woman you could sleep with." Olivia humphed. "Beginning to think the only way to change your mind is to sit here topless. I wait like that long enough and your cock might start taking charge." She accented her words by puffing out her generous chest and turning partially towards Dave. "You go girl," Shawna laughed. "How about some big titty solidarity?" She unbuttoned two buttons on her blouse. Jan joined in the laughter while Lupie shook her head, smiling. Becca stared a chant of 'Do it!' quickly joined by Mel. They both shook their chests in time with the chant. "No." Dave said, staring at Liv with no hint of a smile. He swatted Becca on the knee. "Hmm, what do I need to do to get a spanking Daddy?" Melanie purred. "Do not start that shit." Dave tried to be stern this time but didn't quite manage it. "Speaking of getting something started, I'm getting kinda itchy here. I don't know if either of you are in the mood yet, but this serum is starting to eat at me." Liv and Mel exchanged looks. "I don't want to jump the line on banging your dream guy, but please girl, let's get this started. If you don't go, I will." "Sexier words were never spoken," Dave noted dryly. That got Liv laughing. Dave stood. "Do you two want to do this one at a time, or side-by-side?" "One at a time," Mel stated emphatically. "After walking in on you masturbating once, I don't need to see that pussy again." Liv groaned and turned her head to the ceiling. Then Mel turned to Lupie "hashtag justiceforLupie." She grinned. Lupie just rolled her eyes while Becca laughed. Jan laughed, but reached out a hand to Lupie's shoulder. Dave took Olivia's hand and turned to the stairs. She interlocked her fingers with his and walked beside him with her head against his shoulder. They stayed like that until they reached the bed. Dave turned to face Olivia, placing his hands on her shoulders. She looked into his eyes, hungry, pleading. Dave took a deep, shuddering breath and pushed aside the thoughts of the little girl that kissed him on the check at bedtime as he tucked her into bed. He stared into Olivia's eyes, focusing on the woman in front of him, as she is now, wanting to be with him. She loved him. had for a long time. She had been dedicated to the idea of being with him for life, for longer than, well, any woman in his past or present. The reality of that finally washed over him. His love for her did not need to end or change, merely grow. He had always been hers. Dave pulled Olivia into him and kissed her with passion. Olivia moaned into the kiss. Dave felt her hot tears as their cheeks brushed. He pulled back, their faces parted but close. "I love you Olivia Barnes, always and forever." A heart-rending sob burst from her as her dearest dream manifested. She jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist, and kissing him fiercely, their tongues dancing. Dave slowly walked them to the edge of the bed and sat her down. Mostly. Olivia was not letting go. Dave tugged at the bottom of her blouse and lifted. Olivia broke the kiss and raised her arms, her legs still clutching him tightly. Dave paused removing her shirt when her lips were exposed, but her eyes still covered. He moved in for a kiss. He felt her grin as their lips moved in unison. Olivia then grabbed Dave's shirt as he finished removing hers. Dave moved to her jeans and quickly removed those as She reached for his waist band. Olivia grasped his pants and boxers as one and removed them. Dave, standing, naked and half-erect. Olivia, seated on the edge of the bed, in a lacy white bra and matching panties. They drank each other in. She looked up at him. "Well, part of you is getting interested," she smirked. "You get all of me, Olivia, just as you always have. I'll show you my love every day. It will just manifest in a few new ways from now on." Olivia scooted up the bed as Dave crawled up, aligning himself over her, kissing as they moved. Dave's hands wandered along her thighs and sides. Olivia's fingers coursed lazily along his back. "Just one request." She gave him an impish look. "When you go get Mel to bring her up here, leave my legs spread so the first thing she sees when she walks in is my pussy." "You're rotten ya know that? I have to live with her too ya know." "She'll laugh. It's just roommate hijinks." Dave returned to kissing Olivia. He moved his lips lower, down her neck, to her collarbone, and then the slopes of her tits. He slipped his hands underneath her, unclasping her bra. Gingerly, he removed it. Olivia's large tits, no longer supported by a bra, formed two delicious lumps on her chest, that looked like they were about to slide off her chest. Olivia's eyes glistened, radiating joy as Dave took her tits in his hands and began kissing them. She moaned as he ministered to her bosom with his mouth. When he took one nipple in his mouth and suckled, she gasped. "Oh, David, Yes!" Pleasure and unbridled joy left her breathing ragged, her mind awash in bliss. His hands remained at her tit, massaging gently, easing her higher with delicate caresses. His mouth proceed lower, kissing her ribs. Her abdomen. Kissing and licking her belly button. She giggled and twisted her torso. Dave brought his hands down to Olivia's hips. He grasped her panties and pulled them down to her ankles, raising himself and her legs up. He tossed them aside and brought his face to kiss the crease of her pelvis and her hip. She shuddered. Her arousal scented the room. Her lovely light brown vulva filled his vision as he breathed softly across her bare essence. The hairs of the small landing strip on her mons tousled in the artificial breeze. She lifted her head to look at him. "David;” she pleaded. He grinned. He locked eyes with her and closed his mouth around her lower lips and began to suckle. Her body arched and she sucked in a breath. His tongue played across her sopping wet slit. He tasted her juices. He nibbled her flowering inner lips. He slipped his tongue into her entrance. "Oh God David Yes! Oh please put it in me." Olivia whimpered. "Darling, you've wanted this night for a long time. I intend to make it worthwhile." "You are enough David, that's al; Ah" she cried out as he took her clitoris in his mouth and suckled. He slid one finger gently inside, massaging her tunnel. Every stroke drew her natural lubricant in greater volume than the last. He inserted as second finger and she moaned, writhing, hips bucking. He released her button and withdrew his fingers. She eased her motions. Dave crawled up her body, a victorious and hungry grin on his face. She beamed, breathing heavily. He caressed and kissed her tits briefly as he moved up. Finally hovering over her, face to face, bodies aligned, his erection resting between them, Dave kissed her once again. She clutched him and returned the kiss. Dave maneuvered his member with his hips, aligning with her fully relaxed and open entrance. He pushed in gently, a small distance just to lodge the tip of his helmet in her. The precum coating his cockhead set off a body-rocking orgasm that stole her breath. When her eyes re-opened, Dave drove himself into her, full length, in one smooth stroke. Her eyes glowed with joy. He began moving himself in and out of her. Slowly at first. Always firmly, gently. Staring into her eyes as he worked them both to ecstasy. He picked up his pace. She began rocking her hips with his. Soon they were pounding into each other, breathing raggedly, eyes still locked, her hands braced behind his shoulders until their passion pushed him over the brink, firing rope after rope of hot cum into her waiting vagina. The effect on Olivia was immediate. A primal scream of pleasure burst from her lips as her body convulsed like a marionette in the hands of an angry child. And then she fell to the bed, limp. "Imprinting,; imprinting,; imprinting, ;” Dave kissed her forehead and extracted himself from her body. He crawled off the bed and left to clean himself in the bathroom. He returned with a damp washcloth to clean her. After dressing in loose shorts and a shirt, he arranged her as she'd requested and left the room shaking his head. Melanie met him at the bottom of the stairs with a passionate kiss and a tight hug. "You need a minute or two?" "Yeah, let me get a drink and I should be fine." He returned the kiss, then slipped from her arms to search out some juice from the fridge. "Oh, I thought you meant you needed a little something to steel yourself for doing me." "Please." Dave guzzled half the glass. "One, you are hot. Two," he blushed a bit, "I have a thing for redheads." Melanie smiled. "Oh yeah?" "Hell, if you had freckles, I'd kiss each one of them." That made her blush. After Dave finished off a second glass of juice, he and Melanie headed upstairs, pursued by catcalls and wolf whistles. Esme, who'd been invited into the living room after Dave and Olivia had gone upstairs, just laughed at the shenanigans. Opening the door, Melanie exclaimed, "Oh my god, you left; " she pursed her lips. "No, she put you up to this didn't she?" Dave chuckled and grabbed a light blanket. "No," Melanie said, "save that to cover us both when you finish with me." She cupped her hand under one of Liv's shapely thighs and brought the leg over the other, giving her friend a bit of modesty she hadn't asked for. Dave noticed that her hand seemed to linger just a bit on Liv's thigh. It certainly looked like Mel gave her rump a light squeeze. Maybe he just imagined it. She turned to face him. "Reading between the lines, from everything Liv's told me, you don't think you deserve any of us, do you?" Dave swallowed hard, trying not to react. "I'm going to tell you something harsh and reassuring. You don't. And you know something else? We don't deserve your love either. I learned bouncing around those homes that love isn't earned. It's too valuable to be earned. No one is ever worthy of someone else's love. Body, heart, or mind. Love is a gift. We each give our love to you, by our choice. And you give us your love by your choice. I barely know you and I'm more comfortable being here with you than I've ever been with any man." She paused to let that sink in. "David, just accept that you are a damn good man, and we are all happy to be here with you. Enjoy what we give you. Let us enjoy what you give in return." Dave felt like this beautiful young woman that barely knew him was staring straight into his heart, laying it bare and spearing it with the cruelest weapon; hope. He stretched out his hand tentatively, reaching for the sash holding her blouse closed. She looked down briefly, seeing his hand. She immediately looked into his eyes and gave the smallest nod, and a smile. Dave pulled slowly on the loose tail of the cinch and dropped it. The belt ends fell to her sides and the halves of her blouse hung loosely, exposing the center of her chest and abdomen. Melanie had a belly button piercing. A small chain with two small clear crystals near the top and at the bottom, a butterfly done mostly in silver metal clasping tiny crystals, except for a soft pink pearl serving as the body of the faux insect. "You like? Your profile said you weren't a fan of body modification, but I was hoping you would be ok with this." "It's cute and sexy and innocent and naughty all at once." Dave smiled. He stepped up to her, sliding his hands into her blouse and around her back. He pulled her into a soft, slow kiss. They explored each other that way for a few minutes. Dave brought his hands up to her tits, cupping them and kneading them through her black satin bra. Melanie sucked in a breath and hummed. She broke the kiss and drew his attention with her eyes. "The others told me how you like to take your time, maximize a woman's pleasure. I am super fucking horny right know. You can take me to the heights later, we have forever for that. Right now I just need to pound your stake into me and lay claim to my body." "What about your heart?" She grinned "Just like they said you would. It's getting there, just takes a bit more time." She shrugged her blouse off and shucked her pants. The panties were also black and satiny. "Come on Davey, fuck my brains out and make me yours." She tossed her bra and panties aside quickly and crawled up the bed, turn over on her back once she was alongside her friend. Dave stripped of his shirt and shorts rapidly and joined her on the bed, pressing his body lightly against hers. His erection sandwiched between their torsos, her medium sized tit and their pointy nipples pressed against his chest. He kissed her again and she hummed. She worked her hips against his and together that got him lodged in her. A few strokes inside her passage caused him to leak out the first drips of precum and she exploded in a howling convulsion, her eyes rolling back, one hand flailing and bashing the insensate Olivia. "Fuck that was good. Give it to me David, give your woman what she needs. Seal your claim." She kissed him fiercely and they both rocked their hips savagely. No sensuality, just raw primal fucking of two hungry bodies. Despite his recent bout with Liv, this carnal frenzy brought Dave to the pinnacle faster than he anticipated and he crashed through, erupting a geyser of cum inside her depths. As the hot load filled her cavity, Melanie wailed in ecstasy, her mind shattered by the biochemical overload. Then she flopped to the bed, repeating the new world's chant of family harmony and togetherness. Chapter 6 – Shenanigans. October 4, 2020. David Belsus awoke to three beautiful young ladies lying beside him, all nude. As yet, none of his partners had elected to sleep in another room. Last night they all emphatically wanted to be near him. No one piled over anyone else. Lupie came to bed in a rich blue camisole with matching high cut panties. Shawna clad herself in a soft pink camisole and pink boy shorts. Jan wore one of Dave's sweatshirts as a baggy night gown, no panties underneath. He'd checked by way slipping his hands under the hem of the shirt to dance along her skin. Finding paradise exposed, he impishly fingered her to heaven as she begged for his cock. She beamed when he finished. She kissed him deeply after he sucked all her juices off his digits. None of the three were in bed at the moment. Shawna was likely on her way to work already. Which meant Jan and Lupie had gotten up with her to talk and share breakfast, or at least coffee. They had developed a morning routine rather quickly. That left Liv and Melanie nude, side by side on his left, and Becca, nude, curled tightly under his right arm, his hand resting just above her hip. She slumbered peacefully, unperturbed by the small motions he made as he took in the morning tableau. Becca's insecurities stemming from the near-abduction at the vax center had faded quickly with the reassurance of imprinting on Dave. What followed in its wake was the desire to be close to the person she'd just started sleeping with, magnified by this being the only person she'd ever slept with, further multiplied by the vaccine-clad certainty this was her person for life. Becca wasn't pushy about it. She knew enough to leave some space for the others to get their 'Dave time' too. In and out of bed. And the others, having experienced a similar phase in life, and happy that, for her, it really would be for a lifetime, accommodated her wherever possible. And then Dave's mind recalled a text conversation. "; Oh god, I just had this thrill run through me at the idea of waking up with you already in me, on top of me." Dave stroked her hip softly, slowly easing his fingers toward the crease where her leg met her pelvis. After several minutes of this, he brought his left hand up to cup her tit, massaging lightly, avoiding the nipple. He wanted to slowly raise her towards wakefulness, and ignite her libido, but he didn't want her awake until after he'd penetrated her. Just as she'd asked. Dave carefully eased himself out of her arms, rotating himself until he was kneeling on the bed, behind her knees and 'under' her butt as Becca lay curled on her left side. Dave leaned in and began kissing along Becca's outer thigh of her top leg while gently stroking the inner thigh of her bottom leg with his right hand. His left hand stroked softly along her side. A quick brush of her lower lips indicated her unconscious arousal, or the serum effects. Either way, Dave rubbed his half-hard cock between her thighs, rubbing against her labia, to get them both ready. He kept kissing her hand and arm while softly playing with her tit. "David?!" Came the scandalized whisper. Lupie and Jan stood, frozen, in the doorway, not believing what they were seeing. "She expressly asked for this, you can even check my text messages." Both ladies looked concerned, but said no more. A few more minutes of play time had Dave fully hard, regaining what he briefly lost with the interruption. Becca was ready as well. Dave seated himself at her entrance and pushed slowly, steadily forward. He was half inside her, leaning over her when Becca's eyes flew open. Wide-eyed, mouth agape, she turned her head and moaned. She writhed against David and clutched his upright arms. When her breath returned, she kissed him hard. She pulled away, winking as she deliberately flexed the muscles of her inner passage. Dave took that as a signal to continue. He steadily worked himself in her. Becca grinned madly, moaning and encouraging him. In a few minutes, both were racing to a peak they reached in tandem. Becca fell limp against the mattress, gasping. Dave steadied himself by resting his ass on his heels. Both dismounted the bed and began searching for clothes. Lupie gave Dave a quick kiss on the cheek and hugged Becca before heading downstairs. Jan stayed to change clothes. Jan viewed Becca with a grin. "Get your jollies little freak?" Becca beamed and blushed. "Umm hmm." "Just razzing you, ya know." "I know. I'm still learning what I like, and that is one of them. You know, the way you get off when a guy has a big; book collection." Her eyes twinkled. She squealed and caught the pillow Jan threw as she joined the laughter. "Oh my god, a naked pillow fight. I knew they were real!" Dave laughed and ducked as both partners chucked pillows at him. Dark brown irises set in almond eyes gazed at Dave from Becca's laptop resting on the folding table Becca had set up in one of the unused bedrooms. Raven black hair framed an oval face of chocolate brown before cascading over shoulders set with remembered power, but a hint of sag. The plain white scoop necked t-shirt stretched into small ripples between her tits. The shirt was mostly opaque, yielding evidence of a white bra of exactly the same tone as the shirt, but nonetheless unable to disguise two ripe, thick nipples making their presence known. As the call began, her small, tight mouth had appeared balanced between the promise of lighting up the room with a smile, or unleashing a verbal tirade that would leave all within earshot cringing. Dave's skeptical, reserved approach was pushing her more towards desperation. "Yes, I have been; unkind to people through all of high school. I thought I was better than a lot of people. I had a group that I hung out with, and we deemed ourselves 'the betters' of everyone else. Becca knows some of what I did, more from hearing about it or seeing it than experiencing it directed at her. I; held back since she helped me study." Reena swallowed before continuing. "I've had all these months to think about life and people and a lot of stuff okay? I'm not proud of my behavior. I was a bitch." Her eyes began to water at the lower edge. "Being isolated, knowing people are dying, finding out from a few friends they only have another day or hour left; " her voice caught. A few tears coursed down her apple cheeks, but she batted them aside quickly. "Do you know what it's like to stop hearing from someone that you thought you'd invite to your wedding, or have your kids play together?" Becca inhaled, about to speak, but Dave stayed her with a gentle touch. It wouldn't do to interrupt when Reena was clearly pouring her heart out. The words she spoke over the next several minutes could be the ones he really needed to hear to make a good decision. "The kids in grades below us stopped answering a long time ago. There's an internet rumor that this thing takes more men than women, and everyone under eighteen, but even the ones over eighteen are hard to find someone that answers, boy or girl." Reena's 'queen of the school' composure was cracking. While that allowed a glimpse at the person behind the mask, it wouldn't do to let her fall apart. Time to say something reassuring, but realistic. "Reena, just tell me about why you want to be here." "Honestly, Becca may be the only friend I have left I the world. And I was never a very good friend to her before. I; I want to do better. I've been thinking a lot about what I should change. Specific things I should stop saying or doing. Remembering to say 'please' when I ask for something instead of expecting compliance because of 'who I am.' Or saying 'thank you' when someone else does something for me. Doing something for someone else just because they need it, even if they never asked." Shaking, Reena paused to collect herself. "Becca has told me about you. I'm not smart like you and her, but I would like to study something past high school. Please, please choose me. I'll; I'll do anything you want." Her voice lowered and her eyes dropped at the last sentence. "There's a lot I still don't know about sex, but I'll learn. I'll be your little; " "Hold up. Kareena, I'm not out to push you to be some kind of play toy. If we are compatible in other ways, we'll figure out the sex part. Why don't you tell me about your hobbies, things you do just because they're fun? May be things you did even if your friends weren't into them." "Well, I do like to read; even though I joined in with the others when we made fun of 'bookworms'." Her eyes were downcast for the end of that sentence but came back up. "Becca mentioned you're a big book lover. But; I don't read; like nonfiction, or high class stuff. I mean, I have red Lord of the Rings, but that took forever. I could only get through like the first three pages of Moby Dick and Tale of Two Cities before passing out though." She still looked scared, so Dave gave her some reassurance. "Yeah, I think I maxed out after the first chapter of each of those. Some people love that style, but for me, it was a snooze fest too. The last two I mean. I love Lord of the Rings. So tell me, what do you like to read?" "Well, there's this series about this guy that keeps monsters in check in the San Francisco area." "Monsters?" Dave tried not to sound dubious. "Well, magical creatures. Fairies, unicorns, vampires, stuff like that. Oh, the author's name is Blake Conrad. It's a lot of fun if you like magic stuff. I have the full collection. Everything that's out so far. The next book was due out already, but the pandemic hit and who knows when they'll publish it now. For all I know, the one that's waiting is the last one. Chances are the author caught this thing and died months ago." Her face darkened again. "Well, if this does work out," Dave said, "You're welcome to bring your complete; Blake Conrad collection with you, and we'll look for similar books, similar titles. I know Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Ursula K. Le Guin use a lot of magic themes in their works. Sounds like they might be right up your alley." Hearing Dave endorse her reading interest perked Reena up. "You know, I could help the other girls too. I like doing nails. I'm pretty good at it too. I can free hand designs and stuff." "I could see where that could come in handy. So to speak." Dave grimaced at his unintended pun. Becca laughed. Reena just shook her head. "Anyway, I'm sure some of the ladies would appreciate that. I'll stick with natural myself," Dave said with a wink. That got a chuckle out of her. "Look, I'm not expecting you to have everything planned out. You're eighteen. There's still a lot to decide. And speaking of decisions, I'd like you to meet virtually with the other ladies of the house and we'll talk as a family after." "Also, take some time yourself to think this through completely. I know you want to be here so you can be close to someone familiar, but bear in mind, that means being sexually bonded to me, a forty-six year old man, more than twice your age. By the time you were born, I'd finished grad school, got married, had a kid, and divorced." Reena looked pensive but nodded. Dave left her to talk with Becca more. He caught Jan in the library with a notepad, apparently noting possible additions. On his suggestion, she left to join Becca. In the dining room, he found Olivia munching a bowl of cereal. Lupie sat with her. The two were sharing an easy conversation which halted when Dave walked in. He'd seen Lupie's bible on an end table in the living room when he passed through. Liv must have come down to get breakfast while Lupie was conducting a bible study on her own. Not like it was safe yet to go to a church. Especially when so many church goers around here seemed to buy into the 'just a hoax' nonsense. Dave shook his head. Christian Nationalism seem purpose built to destroy conservatism and faith in one fell swoop. Sure had a good shot at it with this damn plague. Dave shook out thoughts of things he couldn't control. Here, now, was one woman that had been interested in him for a few years as she lived next door, and another that had pined for him for; a decade? And both were happy to be bound to him by this weird vaccine, even though it meant sharing him with other women. This world was wonderful and terrifying in the same breath. "Morning, Hermosa," Dave said before kissing Lupie on the lips. She hummed into the brief contact. "Morning, love bug," he said as he greeted Olivia in the same manner. As he pulled away, she slugged his shoulder, smiling scowl pulling her lips tight. Lupie shook her head. "David, I'm with Olivia on this one. Terms of endearment you used when she was a child are not conducive to her feeling she's being accepted as a woman." "I meant it as continuity. She has a lot of love to give. Always has. And I appreciate that." Olivia's scowl relaxed but did not become a smile. Well, not immediately. Lupie raised an eyebrow at him with a gentle smile. Dave realized what he needed was a change of subject. "Becca is upstairs Zooming with a friend of hers from high school. She; would like to join us here." Both ladies smirked. Dave sighed and rolled his eyes. He brought a hand up to his face and rubbed his eyes before leaning into the hand, the elbow of the same arm resting on the table. "Look, it's not like I'm seeking women out. I'm not out pursuing young girls." Olivia shifted in her seat. "I mean; " "I get it Dave. Don't apologize." Her voice was soft, with a hint of iron. "I talked with her for a while. She's apparently been talking with Becca since before the two of you got vaxxed in the first place." He said, looking at Lupie. "And it seems Becca has been telling Reena all about us, especially about vaxxed life with me." "Kareena Agrawal? The one Becca calls 'the Indian Karen'?" Olivia barely managed to contain the mouthful of cereal and milk at Lupie's interjection. Dave held back a laugh. "She seems genuinely heartbroken and lost, Lupie. And she has taken time in isolation to examine her past behavior." Dave paused, looking each of them in the eye. "I'm reserving judgement for now. I think it would be a good idea if each of you took time to talk with her, probably with Becca as host. I ran into Jan already, she's probably up there with her now. All I'm asking is that you get with Becca sometime today to find a time you can Zoom with her and form your own opinion. I may be 'the man of the house'; " Dave bowed his arms out from his sides, leaning side to side with a faux stern look on his face; "but this is too big not to get ya'lls take on it as well." Both women giggled at the display. "Okay, okay, I'll seek Becca out in a few minutes. I'll give Reena a fair hearing, just understand, I've heard enough of her exploits to be a bit wary." "Wouldn't have it any other way, cielo." The warmth of the smile Lupie gave him was enough to power an entire town. It was a few hours past noon when Dave heard voices in the bedroom. He left his office to see if that meant Melanie was up. She'd been out for eighteen hours. Opening the door, he found Becca and Liv sitting on the bed, talking. Mel was nowhere to be seen. "Mel up I take it?" "Yup, been awake for a few minutes. She needed to use the bathroom," Becca informed him. "She'll probably be in there a while." Liv chimed in, just as Mel emerged. She had a huge smile on her face. "Wow, usually a night like last night would leave you crying on the toilet for an hour. And I needed a hazmat suit to go in there afterwards." Mel smirked. She strode over to Dave and gave him a big hug. He recognized the t-shirt she wore, black with a white line drawing of Einstein sticking out his tongue. Recognized, because it was probably the one from his closet. "Looks like I unlocked the special bonus. They did say sometimes a healing process happens during imprinting. How long was I out anyway?" "About eighteen hours," said Liv. "Longest of any of my partners. What's the healing you're talking about?" "I have; had; I B S. I tend to be careful about what I eat, or go ahead and indulge once in a while, knowing I'm going to pay the price in the morning." She turned to face Liv, with her hands on her hips. "And for your information missy, I was somewhat careful last night. The wine was dry, and I only ate a little bit of cheese. And I didn't have any deviled eggs." She grumbled that last sentence. Liv looked at Dave. "She loves deviled eggs, especially made with dill relish instead of sweet, which I've told her was the way you do it. Not that you made last night's, but that does mean the only relish in the house is dill. Problem is, the protein in the whites plus the fat in the yolk and mayo is an issue for her. If it weren't for that, she'd gobble deviled eggs like she's trying to set a world record." Dave chuckled. "As a deviled egg lover, I can testify that that much deviled egg will cause intestinal issues that oughta be against the Geneva Convention, without any medical conditions." The trio giggled. Becca sat bolt upright for a minute. "Hey, weren't there deviled eggs leftover in the fridge?" Mel was already up and moving. "Clear square sandwich container with the see through blue lid!" Mel's happy cackle faded as she sprinted down the stairs. To be continued in part 5, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

  Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 3 Houses Belsus bonds over pain. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Becca took a small sip of her drink. Her eyes flared lightly, but she didn't cough or choke. "Dave, tell me a story from when you were younger. Something stupid you once did." Dave's head fell back against the couch. "Oh boy. I didn't do any of the usual stupid stuff. Far too insular for that, no group of friends to drag me into wild, hilarious mistakes." Dave thought for a minute, trying to decide if he should tell this particular story. Or if he could. Hell, they were stuck living with him, they deserved to know. "Okay, so this happened in my second summer of college. I was tutoring a lot, and one lady in particular met with me at least once a week. Really nice person, pretty too. Her name was Kim Dawson. She'd gone all in on the late 80's media image of what pretty looked like; dyed blonde hair, boob implants, blue contact lenses. That helped her professionally of course; she worked as a stripper and did well enough to pay her tuition out of pocket, plus a small but nice rent house for her and her son." "You went to her house?" Dave nodded while swallowing the sip he'd just taken. "After the first several sessions, we got comfortable with each other, and it was helpful to her for me to come over on days she didn't have classes, especially if she had to go to work after our tutoring session." Dave paused for a moment, gathering the courage to continue. "So, about two months after we started working together, I'm at her house, sitting at her dinner table. It's a small round table to one side of her kitchen. Like I said, it's a small house, but good condition and she kept it well. Big enough for her and a six year old. Anyway, she gets up to take a brain break and decides she's going to change. She wasn't heading to work, and had come back from running errands, so she wanted to put on something more comfortable." Dave noted the ladies exchanging glances amongst themselves. "Just,; don't judge okay?" He paused again for a moment. "She left her bedroom door open, but the table was well away from the door, like a big angle away." Another look shared. "I didn't follow her with my eyes or anything, but she started talking to me through the open door, so naturally I turned my head towards the door. There was a mirror on the wall that I could see. Now, no, no she wasn't visible in the mirror. At least not from the angle and distance I was at." The looks passing among the ladies were both cryptic in the specifics and utterly obvious in the general meaning. "Oh, I forgot to mention that earlier we had discussed payment. She said this might have to be the last session for a while because she didn't think she could afford to pay. I had told her we could work something out." Three sets of eyebrows raised. "No, not like that. I just assured her I'd let her pay it out if she needed to. I was trying to be accommodating. She needed the help, she put in the work, I was just trying to be helpful." "Oh, baby." Jan said sympathetically. Dave winced. "So then she says she can't hear me well and asks me to come to the door to talk to her." He sighed. "I didn't. I told her I couldn't, I didn't want to violate her privacy. I don't think those were the actual words I used, but it was something like that." Dave couldn't even look at the others, just stared up at the ceiling. "She insists, says she strips to a G-string multiple times a night and she's already in a bra and shorts, she's just looking for a shirt, so it's no big deal." Another sigh. "Then she finally says she wants me to come back there; to; be with her. She; she said I could sleep with her in exchange for tutoring." "Oh my god, David you didn't did you?" Lupie asked. "No, no of course I didn't. And that was the problem. I couldn't. I felt frozen. What she was asking me to do was against everything I'd been taught about being a good guy. And I had nothing against her, but I'd been taught that all the guys at the strip club were abusing her, and I didn't want to do the same, so I stayed put and told her I couldn't do that to her, we can work something else out. After a bit more back and forth, she got pissed and told me to leave. My legs had been frozen the entire time, locked up. I finally managed to force myself up and walked out." All three ladies were absolutely silent. "That wasn't the end of it. After waiting a week, I tried calling a few times to see if she wanted a tutoring session. She never answered." More silence. "Two semesters later, I take organic chem, and one of my classmates and study partners is a friend of Kim's. I didn't know that at first, she waited until we had been working together awhile. She finally told me it was a ruse. Kim made enough in two or three nights to pay rent for a month, and another four covered all the groceries for a month. Mind you, this was early 90's so a lot of things were cheaper. Hell, gas was barely over a dollar a gallon. Kim had set it up to make a fantasy play and I blew it. According to Beth, Kim felt hurt. That was absolutely mind boggling to me. I just couldn't accept the idea that I could mean enough to a woman to hurt her in anyway, certainly not by not having sex with her." Becca shifted against him, turning toward him. "Yeah, I know. I'm an idiot." "You really had no idea?" Jan queried. "Not a bit. I just didn't want to hurt her. I didn't want to be the jackass. Turns out I was anyway." "David," Becca asked, "could I get some help with my math?" She kept her tone even, but her face belied her joke. "Oh hush." Becca worried about missing out on college, so Jan suggested she work through some of Dave's history and biography books as a substitute for a history course. The two were downstairs in the library, reading and talking. This left Lupie and Dave alone in bed. Both were certain it was not a mere coincidence. Lupie curled into Dave's side, her head resting on his chest. She wore a light camisole. He wore his usual; nothing. "David, I wanted to thank you for backing me up the other morning with Esme." "You're welcome. I just thought it was important she not get the idea she can play me against you." Lupie snuggled him tighter. "Still, I think it fair you know what she was about to say." "Only if you think it necessary." "It's a little embarrassing. I thought she was asleep. And I thought I was being quiet." Lupie paused, blushing. "Still it has been several years since I've,; um;” "Gotcha." "Yes, so, um, there have been times when I've; taken care of certain needs. And I was thinking of you. She must have been awake and heard me call your name." Lupie's head was buried as hard into his chest as possible without breaking ribs. "Well, now you don't have to imagine. You have me, and I have you." "You're not upset?" "More like flattered. And frustrated with myself. If I'd picked up on some signs, maybe;” "Let's not go down the 'what if' road David. You're right. We have each other now. We'll build from here." Dave tightened the hug for a moment. "You know, I passed by when you were on your computer earlier. It's kinda cool to see you work. You have this penetrating gaze, like you're dissecting everything you read, weighing each word in a balance and jettisoning the unworthy." "Hmm, must have been when I was working on that memo about handover protocols. Those details can give anyone a headache." Lupie kissed his jawline. "But I don't want to talk about work now. Just hold me, David." September 23, 2020. "What do you want to make for dinner tonight?" Dave asked as he and Janice entered the kitchen. "Not sure just yet. Tell you what, you check the fridge, I'll go into the pantry and check the shelves. Let's see what we come up with from what we see." "Okay." Dave started scanning the fridge shelves for ingredients when a thought occurred to him. The pantry was private. It had been a day or so for Jan. He walked over and opened the door. "Oh good, I was wondering if I'd have to play damsel in distress needing my big strong man to help me find something in this tight little space." "Well, I do have a probe made especially for tight spaces." He kissed her, balancing hunger with tenderness. Jan hummed into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around Dave's neck and pulled her body against his. "Umm-hmm, and that probe is so very good too." She nibbled lightly on his lower lip. Knowing they had little time, and Jan was up for a quickie, Dave took hold of her slacks and panties at the waist band and pulled them down to her knees. Jan emitted a delighted squeak. Her eyes shone with excitement as he stood and picked her up, carrying her to a bare patch of wall between shelves. He shoved his cargo shorts and boxers to his ankles, then hooked his hands under her thighs and lifted and folded her in one motion as he pressed her to the wall. She gasped and moaned, giving her approval and yielding herself to his power, confident that he would meet her needs as he saw to his own. Dave drove himself into her, the serum effects having made her fully wet already. He slid full length on the first thrust. She groaned happily, hungrily and gripped his shoulders. They were pressed for time, so he pounded into her hot wet tunnel with fervor. Such was her excitement that she reached her first climax in just a few minutes. Desperately trying to contain her enjoyment, Jan bit Dave's shoulder as he accelerated his thrusting, pounding more vigorously than he ever had, racing Jan to a second climax a minute before he burst inside her, kicking her over the orgasmic abyss a third time. Dave stopped, holding her in place as both panted for air. The enclosed pantry suddenly felt hot and muggy. His legs felt wobbly. He carefully lowered her legs to the ground, allowing himself to fall outside of her as he did so. Jan pouted for a moment, then dropped to her knees to clean off his cock. "Can't make a mess in here now can we?" She said with a wink. She pulled his shorts up before drawing her own pants into place. Then she sauntered out the door. Dave followed, but nearly ran into her when she stopped short two steps out the door. Lupie and Becca stood there, smirking and clapping. Jan blushed and turned, burying her face in Dave's chest. "Get over it girl, we're all gonna catch each other like that once in a while." Becca said. "I'll remind you of that when it's you," Lupie razzed. Dinner was only a little late, but it was good. Lupie winkingly attributed the good taste to the fact it was made with love. September 24, 2020. Dave looked into the kitchen and saw Lupie at the counter, her back to him, working away. He walked carefully up behind her and gently placed his hands on her hips. She started for a second, then settled into him, allowing her back to rest on his chest. She laid her work down and lay her head on his shoulder. "Hmm. This, this right here." Dave turned his head to hers and they shared a slow, soft kiss as he brought his hands around to her abdomen. They rocked slowly together, swaying to unheard music. What Dave had intended as a happy little moment escalated when Lupie started grinding her rear against his crotch. A moment later, she brought his hands up to her tits. Dave was caught between excitement and control. He very much wanted to paw at her lovely mounds. A wonderfully medium size, Lupie's tits were just barely less than a handful. About as pert as could be natural for a woman in her early thirties. She moaned as he groped. Lupie spun in his arms, kissed him, grabbed his hand, and took off to the bedroom. Dave kept up easily, grinning and laughing the whole way. He stopped her twice to pull her in for a kiss. Once the door closed, they each ripped off their own clothes and sprinted to the bed. Lupie pulled Dave on top of her, her legs apart, insistently rubbing her body against him. "Hungry much?" "What's going on is a tragedy of epic proportions, but I also feel more free than I have in ages. Since I was a teen. Now fuck your bitch in heat David." She snagged his head in her hands and kissed him passionately. Her legs wrapped around him, leaving him enough room to maneuver himself to her entrance. Her own thrusting and abundance of lubrication had him sinking deep into her the moment he lined himself up. She kept up her pelvic motions, timing them with Dave's thrusting. They fucked frantically, frenetically, neither pausing or relenting until Dave burst into Lupie, shooting several thick ropes into her warm, waiting depths. Lupie shuddered with his emissions, griping him tightly with her arms, legs, and inner muscles. They lay panting for a few moments and then looked at each other and laughed. September 25, 2020. Friday mid-morning found Dave on the couch, debating a point of fandom with Becca. "Picard was way wilder than Kirk. They just seem the other way around in contrast with their first officers." "That's crazy talk, Becca. Picard is the staid diplomat that negotiates treaties. Kirk is the bar-room brawler that fought every alien in the sector, or bedded them." "Kirk was the A-student that cheated on the big final exam but got a pass afterward since he was a teacher's pet. Picard was an athlete and got into a bar fight with Naussicans. And got stabbed through the heart." "How dare you speak so insultingly of Jean-Luc the great?" Dave mock-scowled. "Because he's good but not great." Becca giggled. "Blasphemy! I'll shall exorcise the demon from your mind young one!" "And just how to do you plan on doing that?" The grin was the same, but her eyes had picked up a hungry glimmer. Dave did not answer. He lunged at her, hands reaching for her ribs. And then he began tickling her. Becca let out an "Oh!" As Dave barreled into her, pressing her against the couch arm. As soon as he began tickling her, she let out a loud happy shriek, followed by a series of cackles. Dave relented briefly and she caught her breath. Becca gave him a quick kiss, then slipped from under him, heading for the stairs with a look over her shoulder. With a huge grin, Dave shot after her, catching her at the top of the stairs and tickling her again. Her legs gave out from under her during the pleasant bombardment on her sides. He scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom. He kicked the door shut, then walked over and tossed her on the bed before jumping atop her, kissing and groping. She responded in kind, hungry and happy. They started shedding clothes wildly, paying no heed to where they landed. Mutually nude, mutually aroused, hands roaming they rolled on the bed. Dave slipped his hands to her ribs again. Becca squealed in anticipation just as he began to tickle her. Laughing and cackling she wiggled about, half-heartedly trying to escape his grasp. In the commotion, Dave still managed to align himself with her entrance, and pushed himself partially inside. He stopped his assault on her ribs just as he penetrated. A cross between a gasp and a sigh ushered from Becca. Eyes closed, she grinned wildly. Dave drove himself slowly, methodically within her. She draped her hands around his back and her legs around his waist. A look of blissful contentment blazed forth from her. He coaxed her to climax three times before finally allowing himself to spill into her. Afterward, they lay spooning in bed, Dave's chest against Becca's back, his right arm draped over her side, hand resting on her tummy. Breathing, just being close. Until Dave heard soft sobs from her. "Becca?" "I'm sorry. It felt so great, and then I thought about telling my Aunt Teresa about how my life is changed, how good I feel in bed with you, having you in my life like this." She shuddered with grief. "She's; she's; I'll never get to talk with her again. She's the one; I could talk to. When mom was stuck on rote doctrine, Aunt Teresa talked to me. Even if she echoed mom's position, she talked to me. Now they're all just gone." Dave held her firmly, letting her cry, letting her know he was there with her. After several minutes of silence, he spoke. "We live in dark times, beloved. For now anyway, happiness comes in bursts, sadness in buckets." He paused to compose himself. "We cling together to weather the storm. Separately, we may all drown." She placed her hand on his, reassuring herself he was there, as she cried herself to sleep. She never noticed his tears falling in her hair. September 28, 2020. Dave opened the door, half-expecting a National Guardsman with a woman to add to his house. He wasn't wrong. The lady in question stood ready, with a bright smile. A telegenic smile. And Dave recognized her after a moment. "Holy crap. You're Shawna Cooper! How the hell did you wind up here?" "Well, according to Oracle, you were my best match at 93%" with that same rich, assuring voice he'd come to appreciate from the TV. "Wow, okay." Dave paused to sign the form. He hadn't paid too much attention the first two times so he scanned the document quickly. He burst out laughing. The soldier grinned. "Yeah, some chairborne ranger had a little fun with that one." Shawna looked at him funny. "Something I should know?" "I'll tell you inside, with the others. They should hear this too." Dave waved as the military truck pulled away, then lead Shawna into the living room. The rest of the house must have heard the door. All three ladies currently bonded to Dave were already in the living room. "Hello" said Shawna, cautiously attempting to engage the other women. "Hey aren't you; " "Shawna Cooper, Senior Meteorologist at WFAA. Although, I may get promoted to Chief Meteorologist soon." A short round of congratulations circulated for the next minute. "Wow, Dave, you're accumulating a real smorgasbord of women. A blonde, a Latina, an Asian woman, and now a black woman." Jan smirked. Dave shook his head and closed his eyes. Shawna chuckled. "If she hadn't said it, I would have." "I'm surrounded by smart alecks." "Each of whom was selected by a computer especially for you." Apparently, the new arrival wasn't giving a holiday on sass. The playful smile on her face was already enchanting Dave's heart. "God help me." "He did David, He sent you us." Lupie punctuated her statement with a quick kiss. The others laughed. "Okay, what was that at the door about the form?" Shawna inquired. "And something about an airborne ranger?" Dave smiled. "No, a chairborne ranger. It's the army version of a desk jockey. Someone that works an army office job, but probably has a bunch of military memorabilia. They think they're a badass, but they've never been in the field without a GP medium and a heater." "You served?" Jan asked. "No, but I had a good friend that was special forces. Taught me a lot." A grey cloud of uncertainty fell across Dave's face. He shook it off. "Anyway, desk jockeys handle the paperwork and sometimes make new forms. All government forms are identified by letters signifying the department that created it, followed by some numbers. The form I have to sign when y’all get dropped off must have been created by an army guy because it's Form DA-6969-R." After a two count, the meaning of the numbers sank in and everyone burst out laughing. "Hmm, now that's giving me ideas" purred Shawna, her eyes slightly hooded. "I try to give each of you some time to get used to me and the house before making that last leap." Lupie piped up, "But we do have precedent for no delay." Becca blushed. "Oh, poor baby," Shawna teased, "did the pretty little blonde jump your bones before you were ready?" "There were some extenuating circumstances, which you will learn in time. I'm sure it will be part of the family story as we go forward. We did know each other before she got vaxxed, so I had some comfort level that she wanted this without the serum effects." "Could I get a quick thumbnail description?" "I'm Dave's next door neighbor." Lupie pointed through the wall towards her house. "Becca was my babysitter," Becca gave a shy smile and a head nod "who was watching Esme, my daughter when the lockdowns hit. We all worked together, staying isolated to get through all this. When the CDC guy came, Becca and I asked Dave to request us. Jan," the lady mentioned waved her hand "was delivered the next morning to Dave's house as we were picked up to get the shot. Something bad happened at the vax center that I don't want to go in to fully at the moment, so Becca was adamant about not waiting when we arrived. Our tender loving man didn't get to be as tender with Becca's first time as he intended." "Sounds like I have a lot to catch up on later." A look of sorrow settled on Shawna. "I'm sorry to ask but where is Esme?" "Oh, she's upstairs reading. We didn't want her down here in case the conversation got a little; risqué." Lupie replied. "She's nine. According to the CDC people, she'll be safe when she reaches eleven. I didn't understand the full explanation, but the important part is she is safe and will remain safe from this thing." "Got it, so no mounting Dave on the couch." "Preferably not." Lupie's Cheshire cat grin matched Shawna's. "Then I think it's time we headed upstairs, tender loving man." In the bedroom, with the door firmly shut, Dave and Shawna stood before each other, gazing at each other's face, eyes roaming across the other's body. "Nervous?" Shawna asked. "Never been with a black woman before?" "My lifetime dance card is a little short, so yeah, still working through the nerves somewhat." Dave temporized. "And no, actually, I've never been with a black woman, but I suspect all the parts work the same." That made her laugh. "See, I can be a smart ass too. Actually, until the last week, I'd never been with a Latina, and Asian woman, or a blonde. Well, not a natural blonde. And I've dated a Latina, but it never went that far." Shawna kissed him. Dave gratefully accepted the interruption of his babbling and joined her. Lips gently merging, pressing. Slowly probing with tongues. Twirling against each other. Mutual tongue stroking turned to suckling on each other's tongue. Hands rubbed backs, pulling insistently. Her soft upper body sandwiched between them. His hands roamed to her sides, then to her bosom. Dave began unbuttoning her blouse. Shawna pulled Dave's t-shirt over his head. "Hmm, nice. Fit without being gross. I like a man that finds balance. Huh." Dave kissed Shawna's neck at the clavicle, suckling and licking. His hands finished with her buttons, he shucked her shirt over her shoulders and she shrugged to drop the shirt off. Cupping her bra-clad bosoms from below, Dave dove into Shawna's cleavage, reveling in the feel of her ample tits surrounding his face. "Yeah baby. Feast on these boobs. You lovin' the size or the taste baby? I'm different than the others in both respects." "Infinite diversity in infinite combination." Dave lifted his head to speak. He brought his hands around to the back to unclasp her lacy orange bra, but couldn't find the mechanism. He pulled his head back from her chest to focus his eyes. Shawna just chuckled as his hands came back to the front, in the center of her bra to release the imprisoned twins. Her hands roamed his back and tousled his hair as he dallied with her chest. With her bra tossed away, Dave took a nipple in his mouth and suckled. Shawna gasped and hummed appreciatively. Her hands moved down his sides, seeking his waist band. She caught hold of his shorts, hooked her fingers beneath them and his boxers, and shoved both to his ankles. One hand grasped his shaft, the other massaged his testicles. Dave groaned from the stimulation of her efforts. "Yeah baby, that's it. You and me, we're gonna give each other a lot of happy." Shawna cooed into his ear before nibbling on it. Dave switched his attention to the other nipple. One hand teased the wet nipple, while the other dropped to the waist band of her slacks. One handed, he unbuckled her belt and unsnapped her pants. He worked the zipper a few inches down one handed also, until they loosened. Then he tugged downward, revealing her lacy orange panties. Dave caught her under the curve of her rump in both hands and lifted her to his body. Shawna squeaked and then hummed her approval as he continued to nibble her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist. In two steps, he had them at the edge of the bed. Dave crawled onto his knees on the bed and brought his hands under her shoulder blades before lowering their torsos to the bed. Dave hooked his fingers through the thigh straps of Shawna's panties and slipped them from her. Her naked essence now exposed, Dave brought his face to her core and inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent of an aroused woman. He pressed in, his lips and tongue investigating his new partner, caressing her most intimate area. "Hmm, baby that feels so nice, but I need you in me." Shawna tugged at Dave's head. "Dock that thing in the shuttle bay captain." Dave crawled up over top of her with a huge grin on his face. She was sloppy wet below, so he slid in easily as he moved up her body. They were instinctively in sync so that they aligned themselves without discussion or fumbling. Dave was aroused as well, of course, to the point he already had a few beads of precum at the tip of his cock. As he entered, Shawna's body stiffened, then shook. She let out a loud groan as all the air left her lungs. Dave held her until the shaking stopped. "Damn," she said when she caught her breath, "they weren't lyin'." Hunger dominated her features as a wicked smile spread over her face. She rolled them, still connected, taking the top spot. "Ride 'em cowgirl." Shawna laughed as she began rolling her hips, her body writhing sinuously with the motion. Her bounteous tits swayed rhythmically, hypnotically. Dave grasped them, curling his torso up to bring his mouth to her pec pillows and feasted greedily upon the supple flesh. Shawna moaned louder with the attention. Her hips moved faster, beginning to hop an inch or so with each swish of her hips. "Let's kick this to Warp 10 baby." Shawna braced her hands on Dave's shoulders, pushing him flat to the mattress. Using him as an anchor, she began lifting and lowering herself along his rod, riding him hard and fast. Immediately her vocalizations were louder, more primal. Dave could feel the tremors rising in her body just as his own arousal raced to the peak. Dave held off for several minutes before letting loose. As she received his load, Shawna's body shook like she had gripped a live electrical wire. Her torso collapsed on to him like a marionette with the strings cut. Dave heard her chant "Imprinting;” twice before the room started to spin and everything went black. September 29, 2020. When Dave awoke, he was alone in bed. For a moment, by the light level, he thought it had only been a few hours. Then he noticed the angle of the shadows and realized it wasn't later that afternoon, it was several hours past the following daybreak. On the plus side, he felt great. And,; something was wrong. He couldn't place it. No, was something right? It'd be easier to concentrate if Esme's giggles from the kitchen weren't punctuating his thoughts. He couldn't hear any words, but the background sounds sure made it seem like she was helping someone in the kitchen. What? How the hell could he hear them that far away? He hadn't heard that well since his early twenties. And Where The Hell Was His Tinnitus? Ho-lee shit. The high-pitched whine that filled his days and haunted his nights was gone. Shit, now it would be easier to hear women and kids again. Dave barely remembered to throw on shorts and a shirt before sprinting downstairs. He picked up Esme and spun her around. "I hear you! I hear you! All the way up in the bedroom and I could hear you!" He hugged her close. She giggled, once she realized he wasn't mad. Dave set her down and gave her a big kiss on her forehead. "You are officially my favorite stepdaughter." This apple didn't fall far from the tree. She narrowed her eyes and grinned. "I'm un-officially your only stepdaughter." "Still my favorite." He said, his voice receding with him. Dave went upstairs to his office. He had a Zoom call to make that he'd been putting off. "Hi, Uncle Dave." The deep brown eyes, framed by pale skin and equally brown hair of Olivia Barnes stared back at Dave from the screen. Her father's hawkish features softened by the influence of her mother's rounder ones. Except the skin around her eyes was reddened, and somewhat puffy. Dave feared he knew why his goddaughter had been crying. It had been more than a month since he'd heard from his best friends, Carter and Janelle Barnes. "Hey Livy Bean." Maybe his longtime nickname for her would be comforting, of a sort. She did brighten slightly. Like a slightly less dim twilight. "Sorry I haven't called in a while. Things have been changing a bit around here." "Oh, that's fine." She couldn't have sounded more like Eeyore if she tried. "I just; " Olivia was cut short by the playful screech of Esme rocketing into the room, obviously being pursued. She hid behind Dave's chair as Becca entered. "Hey, you two, settle down, I'm on a Zoom call." "Oh, sorry." Both said. "Dave?! What the hell are people doing in your house! Why aren't you quarantining!?" "Yeah, that's part of the busy." Dave looked to Becca and Esme, starting to leave. "Don't go just yet. I should introduce you. Liv, this is Esme, she's the daughter of Lupie, my next door neighbor. Becca was Esme's babysitter doing a long-term babysit when the lockdowns started. We quarantined in separate houses, but worked together to make sure we each had what we needed." They each waved as their names were mentioned. "I recognize the names from earlier conversations. So how are they in your house now Dave?" Energized by questions that needed answering, Olivia strangely seemed more alert than at the beginning of the call. Dave shooed Esme out, Becca following after her and shutting the door. "About two weeks ago now, a guy came to my door, telling me they had a vaccine for this virus. But it has some weird effects." "What kind of weird effects?" Olivia's redheaded roommate Melanie Ustanich popped her head into view. "Well, they can't give the vaccine to men at all. At least not directly." This is not the way he had intended this conversation to go, but here they were. "Women can take the vaccine, and then; transmit the immunity to a man." "How?" Melanie asked with a scowl. "Oh boy. That's were this gets surreal." Dave temporized. "Giving the vaccine directly to a man is 100% fatal. But, a woman can share her immunity with a man directly, through, um,; intercourse." "Okay, I'm calling bullshit." Melanie huffed out of frame. By her footstep sounds, she left the room Olivia was transmitting from. "That's crazy Uncle Dave." "Yeah, that's what I said. But then I red all the documentation, I took the survey. And I have four partners." "Four?" "The effects of the vaccine only partially transmit to the man, and have to be reinforced by frequent; contact. In order to keep a man; safe; he should have multiple partners." Dave winced. "Last I heard, the ultimate goal is twelve to fifteen women per man. And it's permanent. Once a woman gets the vaccine and; sleeps with a man, sleeping with any other man would be dangerous, even fatal." Dave paused while Olivia absorbed what he'd just said. "It's for a lifetime, Liv. Look, if you know someone you think you can make it work long-term with, you should find him and talk to him. The people doing the vaccination should be getting out to Stephenville in another week or so. Maybe you can find someone suitable by then." Dave squirmed in his seat. "I don't have to look anywhere Dave. I know who I'd want to bond with for the rest of my life. The same man I've yearned for; for years." "Good, you should call him immediately. And tell your roommate to think about who she'd want to partner with. And she might want to consider the same guy." With a small smirk Liv replied. "Not a bad idea. This guy likes redheads. But he has a blind spot though. Has trouble noticing when women like him. Especially younger women. He keeps passing it off as infatuation. 'Just a crush'." "Well maybe you need to; " Dave stopped with his mouth hanging open, frozen. He had to remind himself to blink. "Dave, you ok? Do I need to turn you off, then turn you back on?" The sarcasm snapped him out of it. "Very funny Liv." He gathered his thoughts, or tried to. They kept scattering like cats at bath time. "I'm more than twice your age Olivia. I changed your diapers for god's sake! I helped raise you. You came to me when you were afraid to talk to your parents. Biologically it's not incest, but damn." "It's not the same David! Please; " a knock at the door interrupted them. Shawna slipped in. "Is everything okay in here?" She brought herself into the camera's field of view. "Uh, hi. I'm Olivia, David's goddaughter. Who are you?" "I'm his newest partner. I just imprinted yesterday." Shawna settled gently on Dave's thigh, keeping part of her weight on her feet. "Imprinted?" "That's what they call the binding process that happens when the vaccine serum mixes with a man's semen inside a woman's body." "Huh." Olivia looked pensive. Melanie had come back into view. Presumably, she'd been in hearing range for a minute or so. Olivia squinted at the screen, as if trying to pick out an important detail. "Anyone ever tell you that you look like the weather lady on channel 8?" "It's been known to happen." Shawna said coyly. "You may have noticed I wasn't on the air last night. And I won't be for two more nights. Vaccination leave. Some places give longer, but there's only so much staff at the station these days. I couldn't drop that much load on the rest of the weather room staff." "Oh wow. Wow. Just. Okay. This is a lot all at once." Behind Olivia, Melanie typed furiously on her phone. When the site she searched for came up she held the phone out, as if beside Olivia's laptop screen, her eyes scanning back and forth between the two. "No fucking way. Your uncle is banging the channel 8 weather chick?" Shawna's eyes narrowed. "I have a master's degree in meteorology. I have five years’ experience storm chasing, another four years’ experience at NSSL, and six years’ experience at the station. I am a scientist as well as a broadcaster. I am not a weather chick. Hell, I have three scientific papers as the PI." Melanie looked cowed. "I'm sorry. I got a little caught up in the moment. You're right that was out of line." She paused. "Wait, you're a detective too? How does that work?" "No," Shawna said with a hand to the bridge of her nose, "PI is principal investigator; it's the polite term on a scientific team for the HMFC; head motherfucker in charge." Dave stroked her thigh, keeping his face blank. He wasn't going to laugh at her phrasing, nor admonish her harshness. "Yeah, now I need to dial it back. Sorry girls." "Don't. It's fine. Kinda funny actually." Melanie's face began receding from its earlier attempt to match her hair color. "I apologize for being brusque, but can we get back to the topic at hand?" Olivia pleaded. "David, have you ever noticed or wondered why all my relationships never lasted longer than three months?" "I just figured they weren't good enough for you." "Well, you're not wrong there. I measured them; all of them; against you and they came up wanting." "I would have thought a better comparison would be your dad. I mean, let's face it, he's a much more manly guy than me." Dave hoped he'd kept the bitter tone out of his voice. No one showed any hint it registered with them. "I never wanted to fuck dad." Olivia stared at him like she could bore holes in the screen. "Damn girl." Shawna chuckled. Melanie turned her head to Liv with her eyes wide. "When I first heard about how babies were really made and what those parts of me were for, I thought about doing that with you. When I started feeling the desire to have sex, you were the one I wanted to be with. All of you said it was just a girlish crush. I tried dating other guys. I threw myself into relationships with, nice guys, good men, but none of them were you." She paused to catch her breath. Her argument was turning into an emotional plea. "I can't give you my virginity David, but I can give you all of me forever." "Olivia, I; I just; " "David, how about you let us girls talk for a bit. After all, she's been an important part of your life for many years. I'm your brand new partner. I'm sure she has some juicy stories to tell." Shawna winked at the screen. Dave nodded and left. Dave spent some time in the greenhouse, tending the plants and 'smelling the green'. A few grow beds had separated at the corner so he repaired them. He checked the time to find it had been almost two hours since he'd left Shawna on the Zoom call with Olivia. He went back in to discover the ladies all gathered in the library. They shooed him out the moment he opened the door. "Yeah, they wouldn't let me in either. I finished my last book and wanted a new one, but they have some important discussion going on, so here I sit, rotting my brain with TV," Esme said, with air quotes for emphasis. "You could always choose a documentary instead of anime." "You could always eat a tofu burger instead of red meat." Esme giggled. "Blasphemy." Dave said, ascending the stairs. That brought a full chuckle from his nine-year old housemate. Dave sat at his computer, working out a reasonable set of instructions for a physics lab students could do from home, with materials they already had. It was maddening to think they'd gotten a sizable grant only two years ago for some great equipment, which would now sit unused in a storeroom because everything was moving online. His focus was broken by Esme's voice. "Hey Dave, they're in the living room waiting for you. I'll be reading in my room." "Thank you, my sweet Esmeralda." Esme rolled her eyes, but accepted the hug. Entering the living room, Dave found all four of his partners smiling, but serious. In just a moment's read of the resolve written there, he knew which way this was going to go. Huh. Maybe he was getting better at this. He chose a seat that could easily view everyone else's and lowered himself. Then he realized, they probably chose their spots so he'd be in this spot. "So, what's up?" Lupie spoke up. "We think you should accept Olivia, David. Her roommate Melanie is interested, and we think you should accept her as well." "I spoke with both of them for about an hour and a half, David." Shawna added. "Olivia's earnest in her feelings for you. I work beside media types, onscreen talent and production executives. I have a good feel for when someone's bs ing me. If Olivia isn't in love with you, she's very close to that. My bet is, she madly in love with you. She'd be unhappy anywhere else." Dave stared at Shawna. That last bit hit home. Olivia's happiness meant a lot to him. He suspected that last sentence was calculated, not just a lucky shot. He swallowed once and looked away. "You don't understand. I've known this girl since before she was born. I changed her diapers. She's stayed over at my house. I helped her understand boys as she got older. I've watched over her while camping or at the pool. Hell, I've seen her in bikinis since the time she started developing tits and I've never allowed myself to think of her in; lascivious terms." "Do you think she's pretty?" Jan prompted. "Absolutely. She's as lovely as her mother." A very quiet ripple ran through the room. Dave realized he'd left an opening for another tale. One he did not want to get into. "And that's just the wrapping paper. She's got a hell of a lot more than her looks going for her." All the ladies grinned. "David, do you hear yourself?" Lupie prodded. "Not just what you've said, but how you say it?" "Yes, she is dear to me. I'd do anything for her." "Then do the one thing she needs you to do right now. Love her as a woman. Allow your love for her to grow to encompass the physical." Dave breathed heavily. A whole host of emotions welled up within him. "I held her in my hands; hand; when she was only a few hours old. I cleaned her boo-boos when she fell off her bike." He chuckled through tears. "You've given her unconditional love her whole life, David. Is it any wonder she fell in love with you?" "I just worry I'd be betraying their trust." "Who?" Shawna asked. "Carter and Janelle. Livy's parents." "So ask them." Shawna suggested. Dave replied with a pained expression. "I haven't heard from them in over a month. And when we started the Zoom call, Olivia's eyes were red and puffy." A sobering silence held the room in its grasp. "David, wouldn't that mean you're all she's got left?" Lupie asked tenderly. "Yes." Dave sighed. Well, he did know walking in how this would go. "Okay. Okay. I'll contact the vax center and see what it takes to put in a request." "And you need to include Melanie, Olivia's roommate in the request." Shawna added. "I know nothing about her." "We took the time to talk. Olivia told her enough about you she said she would be willing." "That's an awfully thin data set for a life altering decision that you can't take back!" Dave objected. "David," Lupie said in her most soothing tone, "when you requested Becca and me, we still got a sheet of information about you, our match percentage in Oracle, and the chance to say no. If we said no, we'd be given a list of ten other men with their data and match percentages." "This is a lot to take in." Dave paused. "You said a bio and a match percentage?" "Yes." "And she can refuse?" "Yes. "Okay. Hell, I like redheads anyway." Dave smirked. "And she's doing something in computers. That could be very handy. And if she can share a small off-campus house with Livy, she's probably reasonably compatible anyway." "So we're resolved on this?" Becca asked. She'd been quiet during most of the conversation, although she nodded in agreement with some of the points made by the other women. "Yes, Becca, I'll request both of them. I'll call them tomorrow to confirm, then I'll call the vax center." "David, when we finished the call today, I made sure to get a clear answer from each of them." Shawna said. "Go ahead and call the vax center first, then call them to let them know the request is in." Dave stared at her for a moment. "On something like this, I want to ask them myself. Hell, there's a chance with a night to think it over, they may have decided this is a bad idea. But I will call them a second time after I call the vax center." Becca "Um, Dave, so, a friend of mine from school has been talking to me." October 3, 2020. When Dave opened the door he was greeted by an enthusiastic "Woof!" and two paws immediately planted on his chest. "Roscoe!" Dave rubbed the large Rottweiler’s flanks and dipped his head to kiss Roscoe's forehead, then quickly back to dodge the dog's tongue. "Oh look, you brought Livy and her roommate with you. Good boy." Dave signed the form, thanked the soldier, and led the ladies and Roscoe into the living room where most of the house waited. Roscoe spotted Esme and bolted to her. She let out a squeak, then giggled as he licked her face. "Roscoe, down! Heel!" The happy canine trotted back to sit beside Olivia's feet as she sat on one end of the couch. "He sure is friendly. I thought Rotts are supposed to be mean, like guard dogs." Becca said. "If you train 'em mean, or abuse 'em sure. Or if they are seriously inbred. You treat 'em like family they will love on you like nobody's business. And rip the head off anyone that hurts the family. So, Esme, you play with Roscoe anytime you want. He'll love it. He's great with kids." Lupie grinned appreciatively at Livy's suggestion. She'd clearly understood Livy's implied meaning of acclimating Roscoe to see Esme as family for the purpose of defending her. "Yeah, when we go to the park for walks, it can be a real job to keep him from running and frolicking with the kiddos." Melanie chimed in. "So where's Shawna?" Liv asked. "Work. Her new partner leave was up. She has the five and six o'clock broadcast, so she won't be back until this evening." "And she's the only one Mel and I have met, so to speak." Liv said dryly. Her big toothy grin capturing attention of everyone. "Although, I've heard bits and pieces about Lupie and Esme over the past few years." Olivia introduced herself, telling everyone she had been a junior studying horticulture at Tarleton State University when lockdowns started. She's into shooting and hunting, and lots of outdoor activities. Becca looked pensive. "Oh, but don't worry," Liv assured her, "I'm usually down for group games and such. I take it your more of an indoor person?" "Mostly. I mean, I like going to the pool, and sometimes the park." Becca's spoke in soft tones. "Great. You show me some games you like, and I'll show you how fun hiking and camping can be. Maybe even teach you how to shoot." "You can do that? I mean, teach me?" "Liv manages to hit the target once in a while." Dave chuckled. "Hey, I'm a better shot than you! I've taken a deer, first shot, every season I've gone out." "I was teasing Liv." Dave temporized. "I'm still working to wrap my head around; this." "Well for me this is the realization of a dream I couldn't let go of and didn't think I'd get." The room fell quiet for a moment. "Oh, one thing about Roscoe, I almost forgot. He has some hearing loss. He's still got some hearing and a great sense of smell, so he won't get jittery when surprised as long as there aren't any unfamiliar scents." "So give him time to sniff us and adjust for a few days before walking up behind him?" Jan smiled. "Sure. That would work. And if he does get spooked, just hold still and let him sniff. By the end of today, he might not register everyone here as family, but he will understand you're all accepted by Dave and me." Another moment of quiet, and all eyes turned to Melanie. "Oh, hi. I'm Melanie Ustanich. I'm Olivia's roommate. I was a senior last year at Tarleton. I'm working on a four plus one degree in cybersecurity and network administration." Melanie's green eyes and hair balanced between coopery and auburn accented the face set in a perpetual impish smile to tell of the Irish part of her ancestry. "Four plus one?" Becca asked. "It means I began working on my master's while I was still an undergraduate. Instead of four years for a bachelor's and then two or three years for a master's, I get both done in five years." "Oh cool." "It should have helped me get into the workforce faster with less student loan debt." Melanie rolled her eyes. "I think we're going to find the financial sector changes a lot with what's going on." Lupie supplied. "Hi, I'm Lupie, Dave's neighbor; well used to be. I also used to be an investment advisor until our firm shutdown." "Oh wow. So like stocks and bonds and shit?" Lupie nodded in reply. "Do any day trading?" "Yeah, it's been handy. The market tanked, but if you know what you're doing you can still manage something positive out of it." "Good to know. And thanks about the loan info. That's something I've been worrying about. Not in school means I have to start paying my loans, but I have no job so I can't, and there's no one answering the phone lines to set up a deferment." "I thought President Pelosi suspended all debt payments and interest accrual until Congress could get together and pass something permanent." "I wish." "I'll check into that later today. You shouldn't have to worry about debts in all this mess." "Thank you, that would be a huge relief if true." "So, Tarleton isn't holding any classes?" Jan asked. "Not this semester. They said they might hold some online classes in the spring, but wouldn't commit to it. They emptied the dorms too, but Liv and I had an off-campus apartment and a trickle of income to cover the basics. We still cut into some savings. The landlord was happy to still have some income, so she cut our rent in half since; May? June?" "June." "Yeah, so that helped." Everyone talked a bit about interests, hobbies, and happenings but eventually the suitcases loomed large and we decided it was time to get Olivia and Melanie's things put away in a dresser like they lived here. They each carried their own up the stairs, only using the roller wheels as they got to the upstairs hallway. "What happened here? Why is the wall patched? Dave?" Olivia curious expression evaporated when she looked at Dave. His face twisted in pain. His heart exploded with repressed mourning. "Eddie." That one word, spoken in anguish, struck Olivia like a poleax. She fell towards Dave in faltering steps as he thumped backwards against the wall and slid down, coming to rest in a wailing mess, his precious Livy Bean clinging to him, sobbing her heart out. Janice looked bewildered. Melanie furrowed her brow. "Liv has a friend named Eddie. They even tried dating, but decided to just stay friends. Really good friends." Lupie came flying up the stairs, having heard the heart-rending cry from below. "What happened?" Melanie and Jan both shrugged, trying to catch up still. "We don't know," Janice replied, "Olivia asked why the wall had been patched. Dave looked like his heart was being ripped out and said 'Eddie' and collapsed. Olivia collapsed with him." Lupie's eyes watered and her hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, David." She squatted beside the weeping pair and placed a hand on Dave's shoulder. The other three looked at each other, mildly frustrated. More mourning and no explanation. Lupie glanced up at the confused trio. "Eddie is David's son." Chapter 5: Healing Begins. October 3, 2020. House Belsus was in mourning. Lupie and Jan got an arm under Dave's armpits and lifted him up, guiding him to the bedroom once he got his feet under him. Becca and Melanie did the same for Olivia. Together, the quartet removed the shoes and socks of the weeping pair and draped a blanket over them. Roscoe trailed behind the troupe, whimpering and trying desperately to get in close to Olivia. He planted himself firmly against her in the bed once she was positioned. The pent-up pain manifested itself in force. Edward, Carter, Janelle. Three faces Dave and Livy would never see again. Three laughs they would never hear again. Three hearts they would never touch or be touched by again. It was just too much to hold in any longer. As he wept, Dave could hear a rustling sound off to the side of the room. He knew one of the women of the household was sitting there, ready if he or Livy needed anything. It was one small reassurance as images of a happy little towheaded boy played through his mind. The boy he barely got to see after the divorce. More images of the angry young man, full of his mother's twisted commentary, coming to him, beginning to realize he may have been lied to. That may be the most painful memory. After years of trying to be a dad, and being rebuffed, his boy had sought him out. They'd rebuilt slowly from there, starting on Edward's fifteenth birthday. Eight years. Eight years he'd had with his son as he grew from his mid-teens into a young, twenty-three year old man. A damn good man. And now he was gone. A memory, frozen in time. Forever young, static and unchanging. Never to find love. Never getting to be a father himself. Eddie would have been a great dad. No more Carter either. His friend from college. The man that taught him the value of being prepared. Guided him to take a martial arts class. Taught him how to use a gun. Taken him hunting and fishing. Without that time with Carter, he never would have been able to take Eddie fishing in those early years before his ex began denying visitation. And sweet Janelle. That lovely face seemed so soft. Most would think she'd never keep up with Carter's active outdoorsy life. They were wrong. She would much rather do nearly anything in the city or suburbs, but the guy she'd fallen for was an avid hiker and camper. She took to it with a borrowed passion that never relented. Janelle did everything with so much energy you'd think she could power a city with her smile and peppy personality. She managed to stay just this side of sickening bubbly though. Thanks to his newly healed hearing, Dave picked up the telltale sounds of two people working in the kitchen. Dinner? How long had he lain here, whimpering like a little bitch? It was time to get up. Dave tightened his hug on Olivia briefly, then released her and went to the bathroom to wash up and take care of needs. And wash from the elbows down. Roscoe had taken to nuzzling and licking his hands and arms in an attempt to soothe. When he returned, Lupie sat on the bed speaking soothingly to a quiet Olivia. Roscoe's head briefly turned from Olivia to give Dave a baleful look as he re-entered the room. A quick whisper brought Olivia's head up and around, rolling slightly to see Dave. She sat up and rose shakily to meet him. He hugged her again, and they each steadied themselves to stave off another crying jag. Liv slipped around Dave to enter the bathroom. Lupie met him where he stood. She placed her arms loosely around his neck, bringing their foreheads together. "I love you, David. I wish you had shared this with me earlier, but I understand why it hurt too much to address." She kissed him softly on the chin, then looked into his eyes. "I'm here for you David. Even if all you can handle is a hug, I'm here for you." She hugged him tightly. Olivia emerged, her face cleansed of tear streaks and make up. She chose not to apply new makeup. Why bother when she's liable to start crying again? Her loose black blouse and the large ruffle attached to the neck showed creases and wrinkles from lying in bed. Her work-style jeans showed no such effects, having been made to take more punishment than lying in bed could dish out. As they passed Esme's room enroute to the stairs, they heard a shout of "Dave!" just before 80 pounds of love bug smacked into the man so named and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Esme had met Eddie a few times, had a few memories of him. More than that, she wanted to console Dave in his grief. He was a figure in her young life and he was hurting. The outpouring was almost enough to set Dave off crying again, but he choked it back. Lupie gave Esme a short time to show her support, then shooed her back to her room with a hug and a kiss. "Did you get something to eat mija?" "Yes, mama. And I have a few good books in my room. I'm good for awhile." The trio continued to the stairs and emerged into the living room. Becca sat on the couch fidgeting, not really watching an anime. When she looked up, she immediately rushed to Dave and hugged him fiercely. Their height difference left her cheek bone pressed against the top of his sternum, the top of her head nestled under his chin. Dave stroked her back softly. "All those times you comforted me about my family, and you never once mentioned Eddie was gone?" She said as she pulled her head back, looking up into his eyes. Her arms remained firmly encircled around his chest, not budging a millimeter. "If I wasn't hurting for you so much, I'd be peeved at you." "Wow, didn't take you long to start talking like a wife." "Better believe it buster." "Yes dear." Her eyes laughed as she pulled him down for a comforting kiss. Their eyes stayed locked for a moment after they broke the kiss. Shawna, Janice, and Melanie slipped in from the dining room after each dropped off an item from the kitchen. Shawna still wore her on-air clothes. Today it was a stylish, breezy blouse in a vibrant shade of orange that contrasted beautifully with her dark skin. A long, loose, tan skirt below it reached to mid-calf at its lowest point, the bottom cut at an angle that exposed her right knee when she walked. She typically wore short heels at work, but had already ditched them somewhere downstairs, her feet bare but for her sheer pantyhose. Without her heels, she was barely an inch shorter than Dave, the tallest among his household. She came straight to him and wrapped him up in a warm hug. In his ear she whispered, "Anytime you need me baby, whatever it is you need, just tell me." Dave nodded and she peeled away. Jan came to him next, gently leading Mel along with her. Jan gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, her eyes conveying her sorrow and support as eloquently as words or a hug. "I knew you may not be hungry David, but if you are so inclined, I asked Mel to make bruschetta for the grazing meal we've prepared." A week or so ago, Jan's culinary journey had turned to a discussion of favorite appetizers and finger foods. Dave's number one favorite was bruschetta. "Hey now, I just made the olive tapenade and the tomato topping, you assembled it, including toasting the bread." Melanie took Dave by the hand and led him to the table decked out with several offerings, from of course, bruschetta, to deviled eggs, pigs in blankets, and a charcuterie board assembled from things Dave knew they'd had on hand this morning. Except for the bowl of fresh rolls beside it. The aroma of fresh bread permeated the air. "It looks and smells wonderful. Thank you." He gave them each a soft kiss on the cheek. He stepped back to the living room. "Shawna, I take it you are also partly to thank for tonight's spread?" "Oh, they were well along in the making when I got in from work. I just slapped some canned dough around some smokies and baked 'em." He kissed the top of her head and hugged her from behind as she sat in one of the soft chairs. "Thank you." She patted his arm lightly before he pulled away. Not hungry, but wanting to show appreciation for Jan's thoughtfulness, Dave went back to the table and snagged a piece of bruschetta before returning to the living room. The only empty spot was on the couch, with Becca on one side, Olivia on the other and Mel between the arm and Olivia. Dave settled in before taking a bite. "Oh, wow. This is great ladies." Dave said after savoring for a moment. "And Jan, before you try to turn all of it aside to Mel, proper presentation is important. Besides, the toast is perfect. Just the right amount of olive oil, nicely crisp with just a little give. Those are important parts of getting bruschetta right. And; I really appreciate the thought and the effort." "Thank you," Jan beamed. The others took turns getting plates in pairs while everyone engaged in chit chat. To be continued in part 4, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.

Quaranteam - Dave In Dallas: Part 2 Lupie and Becca return from the Dallas Vax Center. Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Let’s review the List of characters: David Belsus (50)- adjunct professor at Eastfield College, DCCCD with a side hustle in data analysis. GuadaLupie Gutierrez (32); investment advisor, David's neighbor Esmeralda Gutierrez (9); Lupie's daughter Rebecca Sampson (18); Esme's babysitter Janice Hoppler (33); librarian, arrived to partner with Dave the same day Lupie and Becca left to get vaccinated. Shawna Cooper (36); senior meteorologist at WFAA, second woman sent to Dave outside a direct request. Olivia Barnes (21); Dave's goddaughter, horticulture major at Tarleton State University in Stephenville Melanie Ustanich (22); Livy's roommate, cybersecurity major at Tarleton. Dave smiled, a pair of events immediately coming to mind. He launched into a description of when Esme had called him up. Becca had been moping all day and Esme finally got her to admit that it was her birthday, but she hadn't heard from any family. Esme knew Becca loved meatloaf and mashed potatoes, but that was a bit out of her culinary reach. She asked Dave to help out. Well, first off, it was already after 5:30pm by the time Esme figured things out and got a hold of Dave. A meat loaf can take nearly an hour to cook, after all the ingredients are prepped and combined. But, if he made smaller portions, mini-meatloaves, it would cook faster. Oh, then He could Zoom with them and the three of them could eat together. "Wait, three?" "Yeah, in the beginning of lockdown, Lupie was stuck in New York. She's an investment manager and very good at it. She was giving a week-long training seminar when it happened." "But the lockdowns weren't big surprises. We all had some heads up to prepare, maybe unofficial, but it wasn't like they came out of the blue." "Yep, and her company choose to make sure the New York office had gotten the training Lupie had been going around doing, before they lock them away in their homes. They thought they could beat the clock. Lupie was practically climbing the walls by the third day. But that's a different discussion. We can come back to that." "Yeah, we definitely need to come back to that. I can't imagine being cut off from my kid, half a continent away from her with a major pandemic racing around." "It was rough." Dave returned to the original narrative, starting back with the moment he remembered some trick he'd seen making meatloaf cupcakes and piping mashed potatoes on top like it was icing. "You didn't. You can do that?" "I'd only seen it done before, but I managed to get it right enough." "For a teen girl mostly alone on her birthday, the attempt was probably 99% alone. Execution would be bonus points." "She was crying happy on the Zoom call. Esme is young but she's sneaky when she's planning something nice. She took delivery at the door and convinced Becca to sit at the table, not knowing what Esme was bringing over. Becca kissed the camera for the first minute after they brought up Zoom." Janice giggled. "I don't blame her." Janice made a 'lightbulb' face. "Oh, is that why she made you cupcakes for your birthday?" "Well, she might have done it anyway, but it was probably why she insisted she do it herself." In thinking along those lines, Dave remembered the letter he'd gotten yesterday. That would explain why Lupie had seemed a bit miffed that day. She'd wanted to do something special for his birthday, but had bowed to Becca's exuberant need to express her gratitude. His musing turned nearer to the moment. Janice was listening to him talk about two other women in affectionate, familiar terms, knowing full well those women would be here soon and share the bed with him as well, and she showed no signs of jealousy. Yeah, they mentioned something about it in the videos, but it was odd to see. "Okay, your turn. Tell me something about you, Janice." She winced. "Okay, first off, I'd prefer Jan in normal conversation. Janice is fine at some function outside the house, some formal setting, but when it's just family and associates." "Associates? Why not just say - " "Please don't use the same word as the title of that show." Dave was puzzled for a bit, then chortled. "Oh - " "Do. Not. Finish. That. Phrase." Janice glared. Dave nearly fell out of his chair laughing. Janice was thoroughly unamused. He forcefully collected himself. "Damn, I like that show, but I can get why you would not be happy. That character is annoying as hell." Jan stared, nonplussed. "I'll be good. Promise." He picked up her hand from the table and kissed it. Jan continued to give him half-squinty eyes. "So you were about to tell me something about you. Other than your death-ray eye superpower." "It's a good thing you're cute buster." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. The squint was still there, but a bemused smile dangled below it. Janice proceeded to tell about the time the library put on a summer hands-on science series. One week the guide brought frogs and first red a book about frogs and their habitats. They let the kids reach in and touch some of the frogs - after rinsing their hands with deionized water first. Then they red a chapter from Frog & Toad. During the reading, one little boy wanted to touch the frogs again. He had earlier asked to hold one, but had been told the frogs had to stay inside the tub. The budding naturalist snuck behind the speaker, opened the lid, and took out a small frog. The frog of course took the chance to leap away. The startled and dismayed boy jumped back, knocking over the tub which he had not put the lid back on. Sixteen small to medium sized frogs dumped out on the floor. Startled as they were, they began hopping away, some heading through the equally startled mass of kids. Some of the children had declined to touch the frogs earlier and were now shrieking as the second Egyptian plague of Exodus blitzed outward from the tub, directly at them. Dave was holding his sides laughing as Jan continued. Obviously, story time was over. It took an hour and a half to calm the kids down, locate parents, ask a few of them to bring a change of garments for their little one - explaining the need for that took repetition of the same story to each parent, accompanied by laughter and sympathy and one angry Karen. Collecting the frog diaspora took the rest of the day, and three hours after closing. Dave was chortling and wiping tears from his eyes for a full minute after Jan finished. Jan settled into his lap, her arms draped around his neck. They kissed softly, languidly. David jarred backward. "Oh crap, I forgot to put in the order." "What order?" "I was going to order more groceries, especially snacks, and a couple of stuffed critters for Esme." "Lupie's little girl?" "Yep, she's mad about these things called Squish mallows. I could probably randomly pick one and she'd squeal happily to receive it. I held off ordering because I wanted to get your input, you know, anything special you wanted." Dave started leading her upstairs, which had Jan happy, but a bit less so when Dave made the turn for his office instead of heading straight to the bedroom. Gamely, she played along. Truth be told, she was glad to ask for a few things. She'd only been able to bring one rolling suitcase. They made the contactless pickup order for tomorrow morning and decided Dave would pick it up, with Jan remaining at the house in case Lupie, Becca, and Esme arrived while he was gone. As the order progressed though, Jan started laying soft kisses on Dave's cheek and forehead. Then she breathed soft and hot into his ear. Only a steely self-control kept him on task to finish, and Jan could see the battle warring in him. "You are so hot like this. I've never been around a guy that didn't jump me the moment I expressed the slightest interest. Sometimes before." Dave looked at her side-eyed as she wiggled her ass on his lap. His hands trembled. "Almost done. I'm just setting the pickup parameters. And I've had responsible reasons to hold back." He clicked submit on the last page, logged out of the site, and out of his computer. "I want you so bad." He turned his full attention to her, grasping her mid-torso, standing and pressing her to the nearest wall, his body pressed against her. Jan squeaked as he lifted her up, completely under his control. When he pressed her to the wall, her eyes lit up and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist and eagerly responded to his lips as he took hers with authority. She moaned softly. When Dave broke the kiss, they were both panting, fire flashing from eye to eye. She lowered her feet to the ground as he let off the pressure holding her to the wall. They practically raced to the bedroom, Jan in front, her left hand behind her holding his. Jan threw off the t-shirt as she crossed the bedroom threshold. Nope, no panties. Dave reached out and squeezed one butt cheek, causing Jan to let out an "eep!" and then laugh as she turned. She immediately began helping Dave strip off his clothes, walking backward the rest of the distance to the bed. Reaching the bed, Dave was now clad only in boxers, the two of them standing, Jan's legs pressed between Dave's and the bed, their bodies in loose contact. With a double-lift of his eyebrows, Dave shucked his boxers to the floor and placed two fingers of one hand gently on Jan's chest, between her soft, modest, lovely tits. He shoved lightly. Jan smiled crazily as she fell. Dave knelt at the edge of the bed, hooking her legs over his shoulders. He dropped hungry kisses on her inner thighs. Two on the left, then three on the right. One hot, suckling kiss far up her inner left thigh. Two quick kisses on her mound, then a long suckling kiss just to the right of her labia, barely out of contact with them. Emboldened by the heat and scent of arousal emanating from her, Dave sucked the full dimension of her light brown lower lips into his mouth, suckling them, massaging them with his lips wrapped over his teeth. He slipped his tongue gently past his lips, probing gently against her slit. Sliding along it. Flicking the delicate inner labia. His left hand snaked around her right leg. As it came over her hip, he let one finger trace against her skin, moving slowly, without pretense, hurry, or delay directly to her mound, adorned with a well-kempt narrow, vertical strip of curly black hair. His finger slowed to a crawl as it changed course downward. He switched to suckling the inner petals only, bringing his right hand up, one finger standing out, to her entrance. Jan moaned as he paused. Wanting, yearning. Then he slipped his finger in just as his lipped wrapped teeth pulled softly on her inner labia. "Ha! Oh fuck yeah! Fuck. Just like that you magnificent teasing bastard!" Jan's legs worked aimlessly, not gripping him, just loosely, slowly flailing, occasionally resting on the bed, but too worked up to hold still long. One finger of Dave's left hand reached Jan's now exposed clitoris. The touch alone ran through her like an electric shock and she screamed her pleasure again. Dave rubbed her clitoris gently, but firmly as he slipped a second finger into her, driving them in and out determinedly, with a mind to building her to release. Dave moved his hand away from Jan's clit, replacing it with his flicking tongue. "Oh" Jan's back arched. Her hands gripped tightly at the sheets. Her legs pulled back, lower legs dangling from tensed upper legs. Just as she uncoiled from the last wave, Dave turned his right hand over, sliding the fingers in and out in a slightly curved posture, stimulating and locating the much beloved nerve bundle on the roof of her vagina. Jan trembled again. "Fucking yeah, fucking maestro, fucking play me like a violin." Her voice shook and paused as she spoke. Her legs trembled. Dave sensed she was close. He positioned his fingers to flick against her g-spot as he flexed them in the beckoning 'come here' motion. The jolting response from that had not yet settled when Dave took her most sensitive nub in his mouth and massaged it with is lips around its edges and the tip with his tongue. Jan came unglued, shrieking and flailing as Dave pressed his joint oral and digital assault on her nethers. She gripped his head a few times, tightly, but never for more than a couple of seconds, the power of her orgasm short circuiting every ounce of her muscle control. As she collapsed to the bed, spent, awash in bliss, Dave relented and crawled up beside her on the bed. Jan lay panting, grinning like the proverbial cat. Between gasps, she relayed the metaphor. "But I'm the one that did the eating." Dave smiled wickedly. Jan laughed wildly, caught between the need for air and the hilarity of Dave's pun. Well, maybe not so hilarious, but she was certainly susceptible to granting high praise for anything he did over the next half hour or so. As her breathing calmed, Dave and Jan moved up the bed, getting their heads on the pillows and bodies fully on the mattress. With an eager, voracious look, Jan rolled over on top of Dave, slipping on leg to either side of his hips. Reaching behind her, she aligned his rigid member with her soppy wet entrance and threw herself backwards, engulfing his full length in one hungry thrust. "Fuck yes." Jan rocked her torso back and forth, parallel with Dave's, her rock-hard nipples sliding up and down his chest. Dave took to planting a kiss on her forehead at the top of each stroke. Jan placed her dainty hands on his chest and lifted her body off of his, transitioning to a rocking motion, undulating her torso and stirring his cock within her pussy. His shaft rubbed against her g-spot each stroke as her butt moved furthest backward. Her cries signified each contact. As she grew increasingly excited, Jan began riding up and down on Dave's member. He felt his own pleasure building. Dave reached one hand to Jan's tit, gently fondling the soft flesh and thumbing her nipple. His other hand reached to their point of contact, laying his thumb on her nub and gently pressing against it. Her own motions provided a rubbing motion. "Yes" Jan's head lolled back, practically limp. Dave lightly clasped her nipple between two fingers, giving a slight rolling motion. Jan rode him faster, becoming feverish, her breathing growing ragged. Dave felt the early spasms of her pending release and knew he wouldn't be far behind. He slipped both hands to her hips. At the first moment her hips seized, he grasped her firmly, pulling downward as he thrust upward. Jan exploded in a riot of flailing arms and rippling vaginal muscles. Her scream of joy echoed around the room even as it continued to issue from deep in her throat. Dave held as long as he could before allowing his own release to burst forth, erupting into her cavity and drenching her insides with his seed. Jan's body spasmed again, a second peak to her pleasure, a second, airless scream as her breath evacuated her body. Jan collapsed on Dave, rolling off immediately. The weight of her own body too taxing on her lungs attempting to replenish her much needed air supply. Dave held her close, only enough to maintain contact, yielding her space to recover. As Jan lay their breathing, she turned her eyes to Dave. She stared at him, still gasping. Her expression was unreadable, at least by Dave. Calming finally, she hugged him fiercely, kissed his jaw, and snuggled her head against him, but left her chest pulled slightly away to give her lungs full space to do their work. "God, I thought I was going to black out there. They weren't kidding about that 'when he pops' orgasm." "Better pleasure through science, baby." Jan barked a short laugh. "Science only did the last bit. The first two were all you hun." They lay quietly, enraptured by the tender intimacy of lying in each other's arms. Jan broke the silence after several minutes. "This is the one night I have you to myself. Becca and Lupie will be here tomorrow and your attention, emotional and physical will be divided between the three of us." Dave looked at her as she paused. "I should be jealous. But I'm not. I feel like that means there's something wrong with me, even though they said that was another effect of the serum. It's one thing to hear it, but totally another to feel it. Or not feel it. No, to feel it. I almost feel a sister ship with these two women I've never met. I think if you hadn't described them to me, let me feel your affection for them, your concern for the, I might be jealous now, and then it would turn off after they arrived, but the way you talk about them, it feels like they are already here, and part of us now." "I don't know how to respond to that." "I don't either, but I think it's a good thing. The fact is, we are sharing you - your bed, your life, our lives - and we have to get along for all our sakes. I don't regret it at all, it’s just a little weird when you realize it's happening." Dave looked at her silently. "Just hold me David. Hold me all night." Chapter 3 – Reunited. September 20, 2020. Dave awoke to a strange sensation. Not one he was accustomed to. He felt the smooth feel of sheets against his legs and upper torso, but not between. A weight pressed down on his abdomen and a warm wetness encompassed his cock. Oh, right he has a girlfriend now. Sleeping in his bed. Well, not sleeping at the moment. Dave cracked his eyes open to see a large lump moving slowly under the sheets, over his pelvis in time with the wondrous, rhythmic feeling below his waist. He slipped a hand to Jan's back and trailed his fingertips softly along her satiny skin. Slowly, Jan slipped her head from under the sheet. "Good morning lover." Jan placed a soft, smoky kiss on his chin, her eyes locked on Dave's. "You don't have to do that every morning you know." "Of course not." Jan grinned wickedly. "The others will get their turns too. But for now, this kitty gets her morning cream." With that she slipped the sheet down his body, exposing him from the knees up, and settled her face on his organ again. Bowing to the inevitable - and loving every minute of it - Dave slipped a hand to Jan's thigh, sliding firmly, slowly, gently along the inside of her leg. He brought his hand close to her core, then slid slowly away, down to mid-thigh. Then back up. Jan hummed approvingly as he switched from his whole hand to just a single fingertip, adding swirls into the motion. He let the swirls drift closer and closer, knowing where she ached for him to brush against. But not yet. Reaching with both hands, Dave grasped the backs of Janice's thighs, lifting her lower body and rotating it towards his face, aligning their torsos, her mouth the pivot point. She squealed and giggled around his cock before clamping her lips firmly around his organ and doubling her efforts. With her hot wet sex directly in his face, Dave braced his thumbs about an inch to either side of her clitoris and moved them in unhurried circles. He lifted his face and blew hot breath at her slit. Jan's body tensed and flexed, a sign of encouragement even Dave could clearly read. Dave latched his lips on her dripping sex and nursed on her lower lips, drinking in her juices. He could feel her labia convulsing and puckering in response to his ministrations. Jan picked up her pace again. Dave wasn't sure if it was gratitude or a race, but he resolved he would not be the only one peaking this morning. Dave slipped his hands up her torso, taking her lovely pert tits into his hands, his fingers alternately groping her fleshy mounds and teasing her firm nipples. He slipped his tongue along her slit languidly before forming a firm spear of mouth muscle braced with the tip against her entrance. He plunged his tongue inside her. Jan's body seized and convulsed, her inner muscles grasping at his oral protrusion. Jan paused her worship of Dave's cock, bringing her head up to moan softly while his wet cock stood proudly in the cool air. As soon as the waves of pleasure had washed fully over her, Jan bent her head back to her self-appointed task. Dave did the same. In another minute or so, Jan brought Dave to his peak, causing him to jet gobs of the man cream she sought into her mouth as she captured it and swallowed as his balls paused between jets. The shuddering of her serum induced climax could not shake Jan's determination to consume every drop. Her first item of her morning to do list completed, Jan righted herself, then fell into bed alongside Dave. She gave him a kiss on the shoulder and snuggled in tightly with a big, satisfied smile on her face. After basking in the afterglow for several minutes, Jan spoke. "Make me breakfast and show me how?" Jan shredded cheddar while Dave cut bacon into small pieces with kitchen shears. Dave admired the small roundness of her ass pushing out his t-shirt, just a few inches above the hem. Her pokey, pert tits making small mounds to either side of the phrase "√-1 23 S p, and it was delicious." "This is not going to be authentic Mexican. It's barely recognizable as Tex-Mex, more like Messican." Jan raised an eyebrow. "A pile of food using some ingredients connected to Mexico or using flavors associated with Mexico, and so sloppy you absolutely must use a fork or spoon to eat it." Jan laughed. "Okay, Messican breakfast it is. What would this be if it were authentic?" "Migas. But we'd have to use chorizo instead of bacon and a Mexican cheese instead of cheddar. Maybe Oaxaca, that's got a great flavor for this." Dave dropped the cut-up bacon bits into the pre-heated pan hearing them sizzle immediately. "I love that sound." Jan smiled and leaned in for a kiss. Jan loved the counter play of soft eggs with the crunch of the bacon and tortilla strips. After they'd eaten, she offered to do dishes, so Dave went to his gun closet, getting out a back holster and a pistol. Now ready for yesterday's incident, Dave checked on the chickens again, finding nothing amiss this time. Other than the need to top off the food bin and water bucket. Time for the grocery pickup rapidly approached with no word from Lupie or Becca. Jan elected to remain, in case they arrived while Dave was gone. "I'll just have to suffer through sampling the library." She didn't have a poker face. "You already took a sample in the library." That got her laughing. Dave came through the door from the garage carrying a few bags with items needing refrigeration. He paused by the library door. "Hey hun, watcha readin?" Jan startled. "Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you come in. More in the car I take it?" "Yeah, can you grab the cold stuff first? I'll start stowing things in the fridge and freezer, then join you for the rest." As they were putting away groceries, Dave asked what Jan had been reading. "Baa Baa Black Sheep. By the binding and cover condition, I'm guessing you've red it already?" "Oh yeah. I loved the old TV show as a kid, so it was a treat to read about the real life guy it was based on." That started a discussion about 80's TV shows, and the re-runs playing then, and VHF and UHF stations that wound up as a general 80's slice of life retrospective. From a sci-fi nerd point of view. The discussion continued as Dave showed Jan the rest of the house, as well as the backyard and greenhouse. They had settled into the living room, sitting on the couch, on opposite ends with their lower legs tangled together, each reading, for nearly an hour when they heard a knock at the door. As Dave opened the door, Becca slammed into him. She clutched him tight, her head tucked down, pressed sideways against his chest. She was shaking. "Wow. They said the serum would make a woman aggressive. I didn't expect this though." Lupie's face made Dave quickly realize his assumption was misplaced. "Am I missing something?" "Later, David. Please" Lupie begged. "Sign here please sir." The soldier acted as if nothing unusual was going on. Lupie had a look of concern and sympathy. Dave signed quickly and ushered Lupie and Esme in while Becca shuffled along beside him, not letting go. Jan waited, standing, in the living room. "Lupie, Esme, Becca, this is Janice Hoppler, she arrived yesterday morning. She prefers Jan among family." Lupie shook Jan's hand and said hello warmly, slightly guarded. Becca refused to let go of Dave. Jan placed a reassuring hand on Becca's shoulder. Taking a closer look, Dave realized Becca's hair looked like it had been mussed and then raked back down with fingers rather than a comb or brush. On its own, he would have put that off to poor sleeping conditions in their overnight stay at the vaxx center. Other context clues were waking up a little voice in his head that something seriously wrong had happened while the ladies were away. Dave struggled to think of things that might soothe her. "Becca, I have mandarin Jarritos in the fridge and chocolate Pocky in the cupboard." Becca shook her head. "Just take me upstairs please, Dave." "Well, we need to get the three of you settled in, Bec." Becca squeezed tighter. "Please." It came out as a near whimper. Dave's face creased with concern as he looked to Lupie. "What happened?" "I'll tell you what I know before it's my turn." Lupie told him. "We should probably do this now though." "If Esme is fine with it, I can get her settled," Jan volunteered. "Which room is hers?" "Uh, you know, the one with ;” Dave said, walking awkwardly to the stairs. As Becca realized where he was going, she coordinated her movements with his, and then tried to lead the way, nearly dragging Dave the last few steps to the staircase. "Oh, oh right." Jan's look of worry only amplified Dave's concerns. He wasn't imagining then. Something had gone seriously wrong at that vax center. As Dave and Becca neared the staircase, Becca reached the arm behind Dave's back towards Lupie, beseechingly, making a grasping motion. Lupie acquiesced, following the pair up the stairs and into the master suite, and shutting the door behind the three of them. As they neared the bed, Becca began unbuttoning Dave's shirt. Dave reached to lift her shirt up, getting only partial compliance. Becca wanted Dave naked first. Dave played along, shucking his shoes and pulling off his socks. Dave stood there, stark naked, with a still clothed Becca holding tightly to him, but standing tall now, her head resting at the base of his neck. Becca slowly rubbed her whole body against him. Dave rubbed his hands along her back, hoping it would have a soothing effect. Becca began to grind her pelvis against Dave's. "Take me David. Make me yours." Becca stared into Dave's eyes, hungry and scared. "Make it so no one can take me away from you." Dave kissed her forehead, slowly moving his hands from her back to her tummy. It wasn't fast enough for Becca. She ripped her shirt over her head, then pulled her and Dave onto the bed. Taking a cue from her urgency, Dave undid her belt, button, and zipper, then grasped the hem of Becca's pants and yanked them off her. Becca and Lupie both gasped, but it didn't sound like fear, more like,; thrilled? Dave crawled back up the bed to lay beside her. He intended to get her aroused with kisses and touches, but Becca wasn't waiting. She pulled off her panties and lay with her legs apart. "Get on me David. Get in me and mark me as yours." Dave scooted closer, and sped his fingers along her side, resting softly under her lovely, small, bra-clad tit. Becca grabbed his shoulder and pulled, rolling him on top of her. "Now David Please!" her head lunged forward, capturing his lips and kissing him fiercely. Becca's arms took Dave in a bear hug. She wrapped her legs around his waist and began bucking her pelvis. "Just do it David," Lupie spoke in her softest tones. "I'll explain later, but she needs you now. I'm sure you want to give her something gentle and caring, but right now she needs the certainty and safety of being imprinted to you." Becca nodded beneath him, her eyes imploring. Taking a deep breath, Dave maneuvered himself to place the tip of his organ against her lips. He felt an abundance of wetness and felt relief. As frantic as she was, he'd expected her to be dry as a bone. That would have made consummation impossible. Feeling Dave near her entrance, Becca shoved herself downward, but faltered. Dave's cock skidded up her slit. Becca whimpered, but stilled. Dave realigned himself, working his tip past the labia before pushing firmly. Certain of his positioning, he pushed with increasing pressure. He felt something give way, and a sharp constriction as he pushed forward a few inches. "Ah!" Becca's scream, the anguish flooding her face and the knife-like pain threatening to chop off his dick brought Dave to an instant halt. He moved to pull out, but Becca's legs tightened around him, and Lupie pushed gently downward on his tailbone. Enough to signal him to hold position. Then Dave remembered, from Janice and the videos, that the first drop of pre-cum, the first encounter, would give a woman an incredible orgasm. His own arousal was swamped by his concern for Becca, leaving him firmly erect, but not leaking anything. For her sake, he had to relax himself. Well, two birds with one stone. Dave lowered his lips to Becca's. She was now lying flat on the bed beneath him, a modest gap between their torsos. Dave kissed her tenderly and she responded. He worked his way down her jawline to nibble on her earlobe. Becca's breathing caught. Dave whispered softly to her, so that not even Lupie could hear. "I'm going to show you all the love I can for the rest of my life Rebecca Sampson. I will prize your heart and your love above the delights of your body. And when I have passed, and you remain, I pray I have left you with joy and peace." Becca sobbed, clutching him close. Dave could feel a tension leave her body. There was even a tinge of joy in her crying. She began to work her hips again, slowly, the act still a delicate one for both of them due to her tightness. Dave matched her motions. With short, slow strokes, each relaxed into the union, and Dave felt his arousal rise. The first drop of precum finally leaked out of the tip of Dave's cock. Becca's body tensed, then bucked beneath him. A wild, weird part of Dave's brain wondered if Lupie had somehow hit her with a taser. "Hah" she cried out. Becca panted, trying to recover from her first ever orgasm. Dave held her gently, kissing first her cheeks, then her forehead. As she calmed, eyes reopened, looking hungry, Dave brought his mouth down to her neck, suckling lightly at her clavicle, without leaving a mark. He kissed his way down the to the slope of her tit. Recalling her earlier uncertainty about their attractiveness, Dave resolved to dispel the worry. He kissed in an inward spiral around her tit before taking her areola into his mouth and flicking her nipple with his tongue. Becca cried out, her back arching off the bed. When she settled, she took Dave's face in her hands and kissed him. "Thank you, David. Now please, finish this." Dave began working himself forward and back, slowly within her. A little more in than out, until he was fully inside her. He could see pleasure and happiness on her face, with some pain as well. He knew he couldn't eliminate the pain, but he was glad she was now getting some pleasure out of it. He kept up his steady pace, pausing if she flinched. As her pain began to subside, he gradually increased his thrusting speed and depth. Becca's legs unclenched from his waist, hanging in the air beside his hips. "Yes, David. More, please more. Keeping going, fill me up David." Her encouragement, her body rocking beneath him in harmony with his thrusting, her interspersed moans sent David over the edge. At the moment he erupted, Becca's eyes flew open and she screamed louder than before. Her whole body spasmed wildly until she collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting ;” The oddly disturbing chant juxtaposed with the tight, satisfied grin on her face. Dave gingerly removed himself from her body and climbed off the bed. With Lupie's help, he pulled the sheets and covers from under Becca and then gently covered her. "I'll go wash up. When I come back, can you please tell me what the hell is going on?" Lupie just nodded, biting her upper lip. She followed him to bathroom, where she grabbed a washcloth, wetted it, squeezed out the excess, and went back to the bedroom. Dave followed her out once he had cleaned himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." "I know, David. It was a jarring time for me, and I knew what triggered this." "I would love to share in that knowledge." Lupie grinned at the dry humor. "This morning, after Rebecca and I had completed our Oracle questionnaires, a young woman approached the three of us. She greeted Becca and took her hand to lead her away. Now all three of us assumed we were being taken to you. As Esmeralda and I rose, the lady motioned for us to sit back down. When I inquired when Esme and I would be called, and how long we would be separated from Becca, the lady said she had no idea, and began to walk off again, leading Becca. Becca got upset and asked that we all go together, since we are both to be assigned to the same man. The lady argued with her for a few minutes, then noticed another official heading over. She dropped Becca's hand and took off. Becca was disturbed by the encounter and stayed close to the two of us from then on. We got our shots and returned to the holding area to wait out the medical watch period. A few minutes after our return, a man and woman in uniform took us into a separate room to talk. I think they were officers, but I don't know what part of the army they were in. They had two pistols on their right collar. My right, their left." "Military Police." Lupie looked at him questioningly. "I have a friend who served. He thought branch insignia was one of many useful things to know in a Teot Wawki scenario." "A what?" "The End Of The World As We Know It. He's a prepper & survivalist." Dave's face clouded. "I haven't heard from him in a while, but he doesn't communicate all the time. And yeah, I think this qualifies. Big time. The world is definitely changing in major ways." "Yes, it is. So these two officers questioned us for over an hour about every detail of what happened, going over each minute, each word multiple times. I actually started to think we were accused of something." Lupie slumped against Dave's chest. He wrapped his arms around her. The strange shape of the world and the problems of today did not prevent him experiencing a deep thrill at finally having her in his arms. Lupie. Beautiful, charming, enchanting Lupie. Here. on his bed, in his arms, pouring out her troubles to him. The troubles were concerning, but to be her bastion! Her comfort! Dave's heart raced. Lupie continued. "While we were in there, they seemed mostly focused on the woman's motivation. They keyed off something Becca remembered from the woman. Give me a second; the lady said 'Come with me, you can live a life of luxury, fuck a rich man once or twice a week, pop out a few babies and be waited on hand and foot lounging by a pool. None of his blondes do any work, that's for brunettes and Hispanics.' When Becca kept resisting the lady got real mad; 'do you really wanna go off to some suburban slob, washing dishes and mopping floors, and you'll still have to give him your coochie and pop out babies, you dumb bitch?' " "So they finally let us out. Esme was thirsty and Becca needed to wash her face. Becca went in while I watched Esme at the fountain. Becca had only been inside a few minutes when she shrieked and came screaming out. She said the lady was in there. She came out of one of the stalls as Becca was washing up." Lupie paused. "After that, Becca wouldn't let go of my hand. We were held in another room under guard for a while, while they searched for her again, but eventually they brought us here." Dave added a little extra squeeze to the hug and planted a loving kiss on Lupie's forehead. She looked up at him with a smile. "Do you have any idea how comforting this feels, to be able to tell you about a problem, to be held by you, as you listen?" "I know how amazing it feels to be the one you can share your troubles with. To be the arms you want to be in." Lupie sat up, leaned in and kissed Dave full on the lips. Lips meshed and moved. Tongues darted into mouths, tangling, teasing, frolicking. Hands began to roam. Dave delighted in the thrill of touching Lupie. After all this time. All that yearning. Lupie, here in his arms. Wanting him as much as he wants her. He tugged upward at the base of her shirt, pulling it out of her skirt waistband. Lupie wrapped her arms around his neck. Leaning forward, she arched her back, brushing her tits against him, with a slight side-to-side motion. Even Dave picked up that signal. All systems go for launch. Dave slid his hands under Lupie's shirt, skimming along her back. Her skin. He was touching her bare skin! Her kisses became more urgent. More than ok, his attentions were wanted. Dave brought his hands around front, outside her shirt, and began unbuttoning it. He peeled back her shirt, leaving it still draped from her shoulders, but mostly opened, revealing the center of her bra, and the middle of her tummy. She was in even better shape than Dave imagined. He had assumed all that office work and long hours - and the inevitable takeout food - had left her with a small paunch. But no. There might be enough flesh there to jiggle, but no bulge of any kind. He looked back to her eyes and saw hunger, need,; and uncertainty? Dave flung her shirt off, pressing his lips to hers, pressing her body back to the bed with his own. Lupie moaned, wrapping her arms around his torso, lightly raking her nails along his back, pulling him to her with her palms. Her body moved sinuously beneath him, enticing him. Dave slid one hand down Lupie's skirt-covered leg. To his full extension. He grasped the cloth, pulling it up to reveal her well-toned legs. Office work at her level does include a lot of walking. Her legs were masterpieces of girl next door perfection. Dave lowered himself to kiss her thighs. Lue gasped and groaned. "Oh David, please, don't tease me." She tugged on his head to draw him back. Instead, Dave grabbed hold of her panties and pulled them off in one smooth motion, neither hurried nor slow. Lupie's face brightened. Her smiled widened and lusty. Dave leaned back over Lupie. Her skirt now bunched around her waist, her legs apart. Her lovely brown, shorn lips beckoning him inside. Her inner labia fully flowered, the slightest hint of pink expressing her readiness and desire. Dave lowered himself atop her. He rested his weight on his hands and knees, aligning himself with her entrance while staring deeply into Lupie's eyes. The excitement there was unmistakable. Dave slowly pressed himself forward. Lupie brought her legs back, lifting her pelvis to him and making herself completely open to his penetration. Their mutual arousal already had a bead of precum formed on the end of Dave's organ. When he made contact with her soft petals, Lupie cried out like a banshee, her body shaking uncontrollably. She desperately clutched at Dave's torso, trying to anchor herself. When the shuddering stopped, Lupie gazed into his eyes again, the hunger undiminished. Amplified even. Dave reseated himself and thrust slowly into the woman he'd dreamed of for so long. She shook again, but not the chemically amped orgasm. The raw pleasure of being with together, of finally getting what they both wanted. Their eyes locked to one another, Dave thrust slowly, steadily while Lupie gently moved with him. Their passion built, as did the energy of their movement. Lupie clutched tightly to Dave's shoulders. He could see her pleasure building by the telltales in her expressions. He felt his own excitement building, not decreased in the slightest from having just completed the act with Becca. Lupie's body arched as she called out her ecstasy. The muscles of her passage grasped and massaged Dave's cock, kicking him over the edge as well. A second electric jolt surged through Lupie just as her natural orgasm peaked and began its decline. Her eyes rolled back and a guttural blend of cry and moan issued from deep in her chest. Lupie collapsed to the bed. "Imprinting; imprinting; imprinting" Dave held her in his arms for a long, satisfying moment. Dave did have other duties to attend. There were in fact, two other people still conscious in this house, and one was a newly arrived little girl that may need help adjusting to her new home. Dave slipped from the bed and pulled Lupie up so her head rested on a pillow. Her skirt more or less straightened itself as she moved, but Dave did add a bit of extra care, just to be sure. He pulled a light blanket from the walk-in closet, laying it over the sleeping form of his new partner. He draped her shirt over a nearby chair, where she could see it once she awakened. Then he dressed and headed downstairs. He emerged into the dining room to find Esme happily munching a corn dog, her plate also holding mac n' cheese and green beans. A very self-satisfied Jan sat at the head of the table, at an angle to Esme. "Ah, good you made her dinner." "Yep. OK, I just followed the box directions for the mac n' cheese. And the corn dogs were just heat up from frozen - but I did use the oven, not the microwave!" Jan beamed. Esme cleared her mouth, then, waving, said "Hi, Uncle Dave! Momma says we're living with you from now on? And; Jan helped me put my clothes in the dresser before making me dinner. Oh! And thank you for the kitty!" Seated in the chair beside Esme was a large squish mallow, solid black except for the crescents of its eyes. A cat tail and ears completed the appearance. Its presence at the table suggested the much desired 'new toy' love that Dave hoped would ease Esme's transition. Dave gave Jan a kiss. "You did great, babe. Thanks for looking out." Jan's victorious grin and the glow from Dave's praise did not quite hide her concern over the obvious, but yet unknown explanation of Becca's state upon arrival. Dave shifted his eyes in Esme's direction, then back to Jan and shook his head. "You two want to talk without me, Uncle Dave?" "And just what would we talk about Miss Esmeralda?" "I'm nine, Uncle Dave, not stupid. That lady was spooky, and Mom and Becca were in that room a long time talking with those military people. And then Becca shrieked pretty loud coming out of the bathroom. I may not know everything, but something pretty sketch happened." Dave kissed the crown of Esme's head and held her close to him for a moment. "Don't worry about it, Esme, it's over now. Those people are not going to hurt you, or Becca or your mom." To break the uncomfortable silence, Dave prodded Esme to pick a movie for the three of them. It was getting on into the evening, but there wasn't any school in the morning, so it wouldn't hurt to late her stay up past ten if it came to that. Dave did dishes while Jan led Esme into the living room. Esme needed no help setting things up though. She was nine years old after all. Dave rejoined them to hear 'let the storm rage on ; ' and see Esme, at one end of the couch, her head beginning to nod. Old tricks always work. After a tiring day, a hot meal and an old familiar movie work like magic, even on a nine year old. Dave waited another fifteen minutes for her to zonk out completely, but not get a crick in her neck. He scooped her in his arms and carried her up to her bed. Jan followed them with the fluffy critter. Jan pulled back the covers so Dave could lay Esme in the bed. He pulled off her shoes in socks before covering her gently. Jan placed the newly beloved toy beside her before they left. Once Dave shut the door, Jan shoved him against the wall and kissed him fervently. "You knew that would put her out didn't you?" Dave nodded. "That was so fucking awesomely domestic. My ovaries want to latch on to you and never let go. You obviously care for that little girl, and seeing it makes me giddy. Oh my god, I so want to have babies with you." "Did you just say the unspeakable three words?" "Hush," she said with a giggle, "don't harsh this yummy feeling." "Perish the thought." Dave kissed her tenderly. He took her hand and led her back down to the living room couch. There, he proceeded to fill her in on everything Lupie had told him. Janice's eyes grew wider as the grotesque nature of the attack on Becca unveiled. "Dear God, no wonder the girl was so clingy. I'm surprised she didn't mount you in the entry way." "Well, she's - was - a virgin, so I don't think she would be up for something so public." Dave face must have betrayed his mixed emotions. "What is it?" "I knew she was a virgin, that's something we had already discussed. I had planned on; being; more delicate? In my approach with her, you know, taking my time, not rushing things. But this mess happens, and she's insistent that I take her immediately, no warm-up, no gentleness. I; I wanted to do better for her. I wanted this to be a happy memory for her." "You can't control outside events, David. And you can't control her reactions to them. From the sounds of things, I completely understand her response. I think I would have done largely the same in her shoes. And as someone that's been with you for two full days now," she grinned at Dave's raised eyebrow, "I know you slipped in whatever tenderness, whatever care and concern was possible as you gave her what she asked for. What she needed." Dave sat back, taking a deep breath, trying clear his mind. Jan leaned in, whispering in his ear. "Dave, you big stud." She kissed his cheek. "Take me to bed or lose me forever." Dave barked out a laugh, then stood, reaching out his hand. "Show me the way home honey." Three new women join Dave's family. Chapter 4 – Revelation. September 21, 2020. Dave woke to find Becca curled against his left side and Lupie curled against his right, just as Jan had helped him arrange last night before the two had gone to sleep; and after Jan had gotten her turn at Dave. Jan lay beyond Lupie, on her side, facing away. Dave reached over and stroked her back. "I'm awake." Jan rolled over to face him. She gave him a drowsy smile. "Mostly. I could really use some coffee." "I got a coffee maker, grinder and a bag of whole bean coffee you asked for in the pickup order yesterday." "Yeah, but you forgot the maid to make it and carry it up here." Lupie chimed in. Dave thought he'd heard her breathing change in the last minute. "I know, right?" Jan chuckled. "How do you expect to keep a harem of horny babes if you don't give us the amenities." Feeling playful, he gave her guff right back. "Woman, you are the amenities." He kept his face neutral long enough for Lupie to raise her head and stare back at him. He busted out laughing. "Okay, I'd make a terrible dom." He paused while Lupie delivered a light peck on the lips. "Seriously, I never drank coffee. I have no idea how to make it. I got you the tools and ingredients, so if you want some, have at it." "Fine," Jan said, rising, "but I'm taking one star off my review of this hotel because of this." "Still, the room servicing was amazing." Lupie added, with little wiggle of her nude ass, having gotten out of bed as well. Jan barked a laugh and high-fived her. "We'll get some coffee and breakfast started. Why don't you lie here until Becca wakes? I think waking in your arms will do wonders for her. Might be the capstone to last night that will ease her mind." Both ladies dressed quickly, a pair of shorts from their luggage, and one of Dave's t-shirts. It seems solidarity was the theme of the day. Jan chose "Back in my day we had nine planets" while Lupie chose "That's okay Pluto, I'm not a planet either." Dave couldn't argue with that reasoning, so he lay there holding the pretty young blonde in his arms watching the receding forms of his two; girlfriends? What the hell should he call them? Teammates sounded like something for sports, or the brainchild of a particularly lame poli-sci major. The smell of coffee had whispered through the room for several minutes when the enticing aroma of chorizo warmed the air. Dave smiled. He'd bet anything Jan had mentioned the migas from the other morning and Lupie had found the chorizo he ordered. Becca stirred against him. She stretched, cat-like, arching her back. This had the effect of pressing her tits against him. Which in turn brought his presence to her attention. Her eyes flew open and her arms crossed over her chest, suddenly embarrassed she was naked in bed with a man. Further recognition passed over her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fiercely. Becca broke from the kiss beaming. Then an impish veil flitted on her face and she slipped her body atop his with a slight wince as she parted her legs to straddle over him. Dave caught her hips. "Easy there, kitten. Give yourself a little break. Smells like breakfast is ready, and we have our wholes lives ahead of us now." Becca kissed him again, slipping her tongue into his mouth briefly, tentatively. Then she hopped out of bed and dug a pair of shorts out of her bag. "Dave, could I wear one of your shirts?" "Seriously? Jan and Lupie did the same. Well, they didn't ask, they just walked into the closet and grabbed one each." Becca flashed him a smile, saying nothing as she strode to the closet. Dave enjoyed the slightest jiggle of her modest tits as her topless form walked by. "They must have coordinated while they were in there because they both came out in Pluto themed shirts." After a minute of hangers being shifted back and forth, Becca called out "Dave, how many Pluto shirts do you have?" "Just the two I think." "Damn." Said Becca, coming back out to the closet doorway, still topless and facing Dave. She leaned against the frame, thinking. Dave enjoyed the view. "Aw, hell." She walked over to her own luggage, rummaged about and pulled out a t-shirt. Once she donned it, Dave red the print on it ' hashtag justice for Pluto'. He laughed. "Nice. It fits with the other two. Why the resignation?" "Because I could either show unity with them by wearing this, or I could wear one of your shirts. First morning together, I would have liked to wear one of your shirts." "That's a big deal?" "Huge." "Then wear one of my shirts. I'm sure the others will understand. In fact, it's still solidarity, because you're all wearing one of my nerd shirts." "I like the way you think, Dave." Becca ripped off the shirt and raced back to the closet. She came out with his shirt that looks like a NASA shirt, but replaces the word NASA with SHINY, and on the swoop is the image of a spaceship from a short-lived TV show. "Madame has impeccable taste." "Mademoiselle. Madame is for married women." "In broader terms, madam is for a woman who has permanently bonded herself to a man. Just as you have. At least until the bio-freaks undo the little oddity in their mad science formula." "Well then," Jan said from just inside the bedroom door, "maybe you could get your hiney dressed and join your other two wives for the breakfast they just finished making." She looked to Becca. "Coffee's ready by the way." Neither woman left, instead taking the chance to watch Dave emerge from the covers and dress. Becca approached Jan tentatively. She did a poor job of whispering "Why does it feel so much bigger inside?" Jan chortled. "Because it is bigger when it's going inside you." Dave replied. Becca blushed, realizing she'd been too loud. "Some of us get 'compact' when there's no need for size." "But your balls are still big." Becca blushed so hard she had to look away to speak. "Yeah, those don't shrink. I guess that's one way to distinguish a winky dink from a grower." Dave came out of the closet with a t-shirt that red 'I aim to misbehave, and nothing in the verse can stop me' curved around the word 'Brown coat'. Becca grinned broadly and returned the high-five he offered before the three of them headed downstairs. "Dave?" Jan prompted "Yes dear?" All three ladies grinned at that jest. "I noticed you don't have any books for younger people. How about we see what Esme has next door, and then I order some more, you know to give her some variety." Lupie brightened at Jan's suggestion. It seems cooperation was coming naturally to the three ladies sharing his bed. Their bed. Ho. He'd been single long enough, now he had to adjust his head. Anyway, it was an auspicious start. The five of them sat around the table, still nibbling at bits of breakfast. Esme was already waiting when the trio had descended the stairs. Esme, Dave, and Becca had thanked Jan and Lupie for making breakfast. Lupie took care to point out Jan had chopped the fruit for the side and sliced the tortillas into strips while Lupie made fresh salsa and chorizo and eggs. "Oh, yeah. Check the closets first. Either in my office, or one of the bedrooms you'll find some boxes of kid's and young adult books." Dave paused for a bite. "I think you already know I'm a prepper. One thing I wanted to be sure of is to preserve knowledge and; cultural legacy maybe? So yeah, there are books in boxes right now too. We could get some more bookshelves and set up say one in each bedroom maybe." Jan looked at him with dopey eyes. "Feeling the same way you did that first morning?" Dave said with a smirk. "Less immediate, more warm and fuzzy version, but yeah." "I'll order more bookshelves then." Dave smiled warmly. "I already ordered two full beds for the two rooms that are completely empty, plus dressers for all four rooms and more sheets and towels. The sheets and towels are scheduled to arrive in a few more days. The furniture is listed as arriving in a week. We'll see." "Hey, Dave?" Becca asked. He'd have to get used to seeing her without glasses. That was probably why her 'after imprint nap' took longer than Lupie's; the regen effect repaired her eyes. She'd instinctively reached for her glasses and abruptly realized she could see better without them. That had earned her a pair of high fives from Dave and Jan before they left the bedroom. Lupie and Esme hugged her when she got downstairs and told them. Dave suppressed a smirk. "Yes dear?" Three pairs of eyes rolled, over top soft smiles. "Why don't you just get a bunch of bunk beds. There's going to be a lot more women coming. At least twelve total." "Yeah sure, I could fit two sets of bunk beds into each room. Then I can just walk down the hallway to the rooms were I 'store' my women to select the day's lays". Dave rolled his eyes to accent the sarcasm. Jan and Becca giggled, but Lupie glared. Then he remembered Esme was at the table. "Uh, yeah, sorry 'bout that. Uh;” "Oh please, I already learned about sex in health class. And I heard both of you last night, mom. Keep busting Dave's chops and I'll tell him what I hear coming from your room when I get up to get a glass of water late at night." Lupie's eyes went wide for a moment, then settled to mom-stern look. "Watch it mija, no matter what you know or think you know, I'm still your mother." Esme turned to Dave. "I hear m---" Dave put a finger to her lips. "No matter what you know or think you know, she's still your mother." September 22, 2020. "David Jeffrey Belsus!" Dave stopped in his tracks, one foot on the last step, the other hanging in mid-air in its path to the living room floor. He looked around bewildered, not sure what he'd done. "What the hell are you doing?!" Lupie's indignant voice managed not to shout, but clearly wanted to. "Uh, laundry." He had a basket on his hip, loaded with sheets from the bed. "I can see that, why are you doing laundry?" "I had sex with three women in my bed last night, these sheets need some cleanin'." Lupie's hand rubbed her face. Dave imagined this might be the same motion when Esme was being difficult. Only, he wasn't trying to and had no idea what was causing all this consternation. "David, there are four other people under this roof who can handle the laundry. Esme is quite good with regular laundry items. Not yet ready for special items. You should be working, or working out, or resting, or dosing one of us, or thinking about what changes might be necessary as more women arrive. We should be doing this sort of thing. This will be even more important as more women join the family, David. You're a manager of a small company that lives together and makes babies. Eventually." "I'm not comfortable labeling a chore as 'women's work' Lupie." Lupie snorted. "A week ago I would agree with you. The world changed." "I'm still cooking. At least sometimes. And If I see something dirty or misplaced, I'm still picking it up. And you still have your investment job. You have things to do beside playing mega housewife." "The firm is shutting down, the accounts are being taken over by another company since all our senior partners died." Lupie grimaced. "I have about a week's worth of work remaining for the hand over, and then I'm out of a job. The new organization didn't hire me. But, I still have my license. I can manage investments for the family." "Or start your own firm. Surely there are clients looking for someone new. Maybe some clients from your old firm that would prefer a familiar face." "I told you before David, I want to make family my focus. I can do some day trading and manage our investments, but I would love to spend time with you and Esme, and now Janice and Becca, and whoever else joins us. I want to do crafts and sew and garden and cook wonderful meals from scratch. I want to be involved in community projects when we have a community again. I was good at my job, but it was a job. I love family. Please, let me, let us take care of these things." Dave mixed drinks for the four of them and brought the glasses into the living room, where the ladies had spread themselves about the space. There was no tension, but everyone seemed to want a bit of space after waking up in a nude pile this morning. Lupie raised one eyebrow when Dave handed a glass to Becca. Dave mouthed the word 'light'. "Are you sure?" Becca asked. "You looked like you wanted one when I mentioned making them. And you're effectively my spouse; one of my spouses; " Dave rolled his eyes at the weirdness of the concept, "and state law allows it under that condition. If you want it. It's okay if I misunderstood. I did make it a bit light under the assumption you hadn't had alcohol before." "Just once. I had half a beer with Dad one time watching a football game with him." Becca's face darkened and her speech slowed over the last half of the sentence. She slid over to Dave's end of the couch and leaned against him. Dave wrapped one arm around her comfortingly. To be continued in part 3, Based on a post by RonanJWilkerson, in 12 parts, for Literotica.