ExplicitNovels

Based on a post by SilverRyden, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.

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.

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 wha

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 difficul

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

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 tongu

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

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 s

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 fe

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 w

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