Tuesday, June 4, 2024

Cáel and the Manhattan Amazons: Part 8

Cáel's tombstone: For the love of women, women put him here.

In 25 parts, edited from the works of FinalStand.

Listen and subscribe to the ► Podcast at Connected.


 

‘‘Victory in battle is a matter of skill. Victory in war is a matter of persistence.’‘

(Tuesday)

Aya followed me to Medical for my daily checkup. It seemed I was no longer to be trusted with my welfare. Aya found the visit fascinating; not because it was new. Because she knew so many of the personnel. That sucked. The frisky doctor took care of me with the bonus of a little exchange with Aya.

‘‘He's got a really big 'thing',’‘ Aya chirped.

I was suddenly wishing Elsa had given me a concussion.

‘‘Oh, I know,’‘ the doctor smiled at Aya.

‘‘He's quite proficient too. Loraine said he has had over 150 sexual encounters and he's so good he gets stabbed a lot,’‘ Aya related. I wasn't sure how one led to the other, though they did.

‘‘Do you like having sex with women, Cáel?’‘ the doctor teased me.

‘‘Not when I'm sleeping,’‘ I sighed.

‘‘I keep him safe when he's sleeping,’‘ Aya provided. ‘‘Its real serious work.’‘

‘‘Aya sleeps in your bed?’‘ the doctor was a tad bit suspicious.

‘‘To be specific, she sleeps on top of me, like a bear cub on a Momma Bear,’‘ I informed her.

‘‘He's my Daddy Bear,’‘ Aya piped up.

‘‘What does your real Momma Bear think of that?’‘ the doctor poked playfully.

‘‘She wants him to be my Daddy Bear too,’‘ Aya beamed kittens and rainbows.

‘‘Oh, I bet she does,’‘ the doctor gave me a playful wink. Sex.

‘‘This is all great, but I'm getting a bit uncomfortable and would like to flee to the dubious safety of work,’‘ I mumbled.

‘‘All done,’‘ Doc said then patted my cock.

Oddly, that was one of the only two places on my body that hadn't been clobbered; my face being the other. They wanted me pleasing to the eye and sperm-functional. I dressed and crutch-walked away. At the elevator door, Brielle and her friend were waiting.

‘‘Guarding you is going to be a full-time job,’‘ Aya took my hand and looked up at me.

She saw the lascivious look those two were shooting my way.

‘‘You brought a child to defend you?’‘ Brielle teased me as the elevator headed up.

‘‘It worked, didn't it?’‘ I countered.

‘‘Aya stand in the corner and cover your eyes,’‘ the companion directed.

‘‘Sorry; I apologize, but I can't do that,’‘ Aya said defiantly. ‘‘He's my bed buddy.’‘ That earned me some looks.

‘‘Jeesh ladies, give me some credit,’‘ I groaned. ‘‘She's nine.’‘

‘‘Ugh; fine,’‘ Brielle relented. ‘‘So Aya, what's he like in bed?’‘

‘‘Warm and he smells wonderful,’‘ Aya sighed dreamily. I was getting dreamy looks from the other two, but most likely a very different dream. ‘‘And he hugs me before I go to sleep and the first thing when I wake up.’‘

‘‘Fine Aya,’‘ Brielle's eye sparkled. ‘‘How about I trade you a band of 'honor gold' for a night with Cáel?’‘

‘‘I can't do that,’‘ Aya reasoned. ‘‘He's the only Daddy I have. I think he is the only Daddy any of us have.’‘ Thank God the elevator opened on my floor. The philosophic elements of this conversation had become way too convoluted. I was the last one of us to get to Katrina's office which seemed to amuse Katrina.

‘‘Cáel, you have the day off,’‘ Katrina informed me. ‘‘Didn't anyone tell you?’‘

‘‘Oh, I'm not here to work. I'm here as your newest hire's; Aya's; lap-monkey,’‘ I replied gravely.

‘‘Very well. Aya, stand in line with the others to receive your work review and assignments,’‘ Katrina ordered calmly. Aya took her spot next to Violet.

Aya nearly cried when she got my work review for Monday. Apparently I had done the equivalent of threatening World peace, or created a tidal wave generator that swamped the Maldives.

‘‘Look on the bright side,’‘ Violet patted Aya's shoulder. ‘‘You can't do worse.’‘

‘‘How does it feel to know you will be less productive than a child?’‘ Fabiola taunted me.

‘‘It is nothing new,’‘ I snickered. ‘‘After all, I've been working with you for a whole week.’‘ This insult was compounded by the other five girls snickering at the jest. Aya didn't get it and Katrina was undoubtedly laughing on the inside.

‘‘I'm going to get you,’‘ Fabiola ground her teeth.

‘‘Come on,’‘ I sighed to Fabiola, ‘‘it was a joke meant to give a little levity before charging off to your days.’‘

‘‘Well, don't mock me,’‘ Fabiola snapped.

‘‘But it is so easy,’‘ Paula giggled. Fabiola turned on her.

‘‘Enough,’‘ Katrina demanded gracefully. She handed out assignments and the group departed. Aya had my job from yesterday. She also had Katrina's Nerf gun. Seconds after the first incoming bolt, Aya decided she loved working at Havenstone. After my fellow Executive Services sisters discovered that I had a secondary gunner, they began to triple team us in true Amazon fashion.

Aya countered by building a fort using sofa cushions. She'd also scamper out and round up spent darts every time her work queue was filled. To change things up, and gain a lesson in simple tactics, Aya would move furniture around the office. When a woman, or women, would pop in to shoot me, Aya would shoot at them from an ambushing angle.

Honestly, for a warrior culture, these ladies were remarkably fooled by a pile of towels on Katrina's sofa; hiding a miniature sniper. Lunch came by way of Buffy and Dora. I had a feeling that Buffy was still stung by Daphne's betrayal. Watching Aya try to stare down Buffy was both amusing and a tad chilling. I was going to have to do something about her frustration.

After Katrina released us, I pleaded with Desiree to entertain her niece; Aya, while I went to grab a few drinks with 'the guys'. The club they chose screamed overly-pretentious, overly-privileged and insanely over-priced. I didn't have the Class Ring, or Mummy/Daddy's bank account to go to a place like this. I had a sudden unsettling feeling.

I double-checked my bank account. I had around two grand squirreled away when I got the job with Havenstone and I knew that cache had to be running dry. I checked it and I had over five grand. Unless banks had radically altered interest rates, somebody was propping me up financially. Barring a rich girlfriend, I had a rich girl friend. Every guy I knew and liked was as poor as me.

I hobbled in on my crutches, drawing some stares. No one called out, or recognized me, so the general snobbish assumption was that I was a person who didn't 'fit in'. A few more hobbles forward and the looks began to change. My suit was tailored, I was an impressive physical specimen and exuded a charisma that implied 'eminently fuckable'.

Felix, Trent and Brian were polite enough to turn my way though they didn't call out. They hadn't grabbed a side booth, or a place at the bar. No, we had a table sans chair in the middle of the place because I had a bum leg and crutches; sadistic fuck-nuts. My first introduction was almost comical.

‘‘Hey, Jared, isn't it?’‘ some stranger tapped my shoulder.

Did he know me? No. His current female work-in-progress had noticed me and kept noticing me so he was playing the humiliation game. Fake intro; 'shocked' I wasn't who he thought I was; the revelation I wasn't from a Top Ten school; belittle me to his potential lady.

‘‘No, Jared was my brother,’‘ I sighed. ‘‘You didn't know? He died in a jet-ski accident three weeks ago. Where you two close?’‘

‘‘Ah;’‘ dumbass stuttered.

‘‘I am sorry to hear about your loss,’‘ the girl spoke up. ‘‘Were you and your brother close?’‘ She had a Columbia ring, three years back on a gold chain around her neck.

‘‘He was my twin,’‘ I mumbled. I leaned against our table and turned away (masking my grief it could be assumed).

She left Dumbass' table and came over to mine. By the looks of my three buddies, they were floored. In less than one minute, I had my arm around a stacked, pretty redhead who was rubbing her hands over my chest. My plan crystalized. I had to let someone bump into me, grunt in pain then have this nice lady; Nicole; take me to the rest rooms.

Once in that back hallway, it was a stumble and a bump into a stall in the ladies room and a quick sexual encounter. A junior corporate lawyer named Stevenson provided the catalyst. He was more apologetic to Nicole, but she was getting angrily maternal over me, my pain and grief. She blew Stevenson off and helped me to the restroom area.

Of course, I was 'sure' I could take care of everything by myself. Two stumbles later, she was insisting she take me to the men's room. I argued with her rather firmly. She couldn't come with me. After all, there were usually only one or two stalls and I didn't want to embarrass her. Nicole's inspiration was to take me to the women's room where there were plenty of stalls.

I begged her to let me go into the stall alone; despite my obvious discomfort and agony. She overrode my concerns and joined me. She took off my pants, my cock sang out 'hallelujah' and Nicole was mesmerized. I told her I found her attractive and hadn't had sex in a while. Nicole began administering a blowjob.

There were no 'uh's and 'ah's. That would be selling it in the wrong direction. I went the other way. I gritted my teeth and made as little noise as possible. When she finally broke down and asked if what she was doing felt good. I hissed out a 'yes' then explained how I didn't want to embarrass her with my vocalizations.

The resulting victorious smile and follow-up question were foregone conclusions. 'Yes, I did have a condom'. The girl wasn't stupid. She didn't ask me if I wanted to have sex. I had her where I wanted her; wanting sex; and she knew I wanted her. Clothes were lain over the toilet seat; the floors looked clean but still; and we got down to business.

Once Nicole decided she wanted intercourse, I took over. I had her one knee on the toilet, one leg on the floor and both hands against the back of the stall wall while I thrust her from behind. She was huffing like a steam locomotive as I was into her gushing depths. Unable to do cunnilingus this time.

Her first euphoria had her hissing like a pit of vipers and beating one fist against the porcelain wall tiles.

In the interim, with a bit of friendly finger play, I had discovered Nicole was a fully accessible sex partner. ‘‘Too much?’‘ I whispered. Yes it was. We both knew it. This was a sexual gauntlet I was tossing down. How vigorous was she willing to go? Nicole was a hard-charging, go-getter for who life was a series of challenges. My words weren't an act of compassion; they were a dare. She could back out, or she could take my sizable rod up her unprepared sphincter.

‘‘Don't hold anything back,’‘ she gasped. We twisted, turned our necks as far as possible and entered a deep, tongue twisting kiss. In the midst of that, I began pushing. Nicole was no anal virgin; that was a certainty. Equally certain was the pain she was going through as I drove all the way down. She was stretched out, her hips and cheeks were trembling and she was sweating up a storm.

She was in pain and loving it. Not out of some masochistic fit, but because she'd confronted a personal test and triumphed. All the while, we remained lip-locked. I soaked up her moans of pleasure, groans of pain and the combination of both when I was done. Only when I completed her, did I relax my pressure and let her adjust.

Nicole was the one who initiated picking up the pace. Again, I took over, upping our tempo until I was slamming into her rectum with all my might. Nicole was coming like glacial melt, tearing off huge chunks of her resolve every time she orgasmed. A few chicks peeked through the stall door to make sure I wasn't murdering her.

Nicole really was a vocal treasure. She could really keep the noise down when needed. Four climaxes in eleven minutes; I am a sex god. Nicole and I cleaned up. She couldn't stop smiling at me.

‘‘I hope I've helped you deal with the loss of your brother,’‘ she purred as she snuggled against my chest.

‘‘I'm an only child, Nicole. All that twin thing was for the dick-head who was hitting on you and decided to make a mockery of me with the whole 'you went to a loser school' thing,’‘ I told her.

‘‘Oh;’‘ she digested that. Sexual aftershocks helped her decide she didn't care. They never do.

‘‘Where did you go to school?’‘ she asked as we finished cleaning up at the sink; with three other women.

‘‘Bolingbrook in New Hampshire,’‘ I grinned. ‘‘I live in a small, five room apartment, with my roommate in lower-middle class neighborhood, I don't have a car; I have a bike. That's good because I absolutely love biking, on and off-road,’‘ I kept going. ‘‘I work at Havenstone Commercial Investments making a quarter million a year starting out, plus a 'Gold level' benefits package. Mom's gone. My Dad is a working stiff, scoured by the elements most days, his sister works on a crab boat and that's my lineage. I'm Cáel Nyilas, by the way.’‘

‘‘Do you like picking up rich, successful women from well-heeled families?’‘ Nicole and the other women around the sink blatantly listening in, studied me.

‘‘Normally you couldn't have dragged me into an establishment like this,’‘ I chuckled. ‘‘This isn't my crowd. Three of the new male hires at Havenstone invited me out for some after-work drinks and they chose this place.’‘

‘‘Is that the whole 'class warfare' thing?’‘ one woman, African-American, accused me. Sigh.

‘‘I'm far more concerned with labor and land rights riots in China, gender unrest in India, the rise of religious fundamentalism all around the globe and receding polar ice caps than the anemic class struggles going on inside the United States,’‘ I engaged her.

That shut them up.

‘‘What about a Free Tibet?’‘ an Asian cutie interjected. My bet was Myanmar.

‘‘Go to a few rallies, buy a bumper sticker then pat yourself on the back and delude yourself that you are doing something,’‘ I shrugged.

‘‘Inside 50 years you are looking at Tibetan cultural annihilation. It is a numbers game. Keep adding Han Chinese into the population and Tibet ceases to exist outside of a few history books,’‘ I explained. ‘‘If you want to make a difference, recruit up nine friends, gather a war chest of a million dollars and take six month of intensive weapons and arctic survival courses.’‘

‘‘Sneak over the border into Tibet. Attack Chinese settlers, firebomb Chinese-owned shops and ambush PLA patrols. Cross back over to Nepal for resupply and reinforcements. Create an insurgency large enough to gather real media and governmental attention,’‘ I told them. ‘‘Otherwise you are wasting everyone's time.’‘

‘‘Violence is not the answer,’‘ a blonde joined the fun. Yes, I can be standing in a women's rest room without drawing outrage. Nicole was hanging all over me.

‘‘How about this: give me your purse so I can take all your money, your ATM card and your PIN number?’‘ I requested of the blonde. She took a step back.

‘‘Okay, I'm going to ask you for that again, and if you don't give it to me, I'll ask a third time,’‘ I continued and I did just that; asking a third time. ‘‘Congratulations, you have the China; Free Tibet debate. If there was any doubt,’‘ I pointed to the blonde, ‘‘you are China.’‘

‘‘It is not like that,’‘ the Blonde insisted.

‘‘Why not? China is using Tibet as land to put their expanding population on that doesn't involve emigration; a reduction in the tax base,’‘ I reasoned. ‘‘Therefore, Tibet has value. You are offering nothing of value to the PRC, expecting them to give you something they value, for free? How rational is that?’‘

‘‘That's crazy,’‘ Myanmar chick stated. ‘‘Nonviolent protest works.’‘

‘‘I agree,’‘ I nodded. ‘‘It needs to be truly passionate to achieve its ends.’‘ Translation: I didn't believe it worked, but clearly these babes believed in it and getting snitty about some belief system I didn't really care about wasn't going to get me into their panties.

Pleased that they had impressed their enlightened approach to life, the other women let Nicole help me struggle back to my table. We managed to exchange digits and for her to give me her business card; cool, she was a criminal defense attorney with a firm that had five names and Esquire attached to the end.

They also had offices here, in Los Angeles, Mexico City, Hong Kong, London and Berlin. Nicole deposited me back with my 'buddies' who had sprouted some girl pals in my absence. Introductions went around. Nicole did a wave, winked at me then went off to her own clique of pals. Seconds after she joined up, there were multiple lusty looks from her group aimed my way.

Not every lady is looking for a commitment. For some, a hook-up hits the spot and they were not particularly jealous about sharing in their adventures. Nicole was going to go home, a smile on her lips, take a nice hot bath and go to bed worry-free. Her company was envious and planning how to get their own piece of my unworthy hide.

Fucking Nicole into a transcendent state didn't earn me a place in their 'educational elites only' world. That wouldn't keep them out of my bed, only someone they wouldn't mention to their parents. I didn't care. I wouldn't care unless they became clingy. Then I would have to parade her friends and colleagues past her as sexual conquests until she got the message that turning a guy into her 'dirty little secret' was doubly unfortunate.

Mind you, having a pair of wandering eyes myself, I had never enforced monogamy on any girl I'd ever been with. Deep down I was always looking for 'the one', I assumed that my sex partners were too and I never held that against them for looking somewhere else when I was clearly not the one for them. My sense of fair play rarely translated over to understanding on their part.

Back to my little crowd. From the start, I know we were all freaking gorgeous men. We were also bright and well-educated (though the rest thought I was a bumpkin). Having ladies stop by was a veritable given. How we handled it was multifaceted.

Brain Fung was a 'one foot out the window' kind of guy. He led off with how engaged he was, how wonderful his fiancé was and finished up with how arranged the marriage was. See, this gave him an out with every women he scored with. He was engaged, yet he was unhappy with the arrangement so some lucky girl might convince him to re-chart his course.

It would never happen. Brian thought too much of himself to be romanced. Besides, he had a five, ten and twenty year plan. The Prick shouldn't have joined Havenstone. His fiancé was from a good family, educated (Stanford) and willing to knuckle under to her family to marry Brian so he could assume she would knuckle under to him too.

He was never going to leave that comfortable future for some sweet piece of tail he could pick up at a bar, or nightclub. Girls were nothing more than a release valve for his sexual frustrations and by the end of the encounter, the girl would know that was exactly how he felt. He was good-looking, wealthy and confident; he'd always find someone else.

Felix was of a different mold. He was a player. Unlike me, he was all about hash marks, conquests and stroking his ego. You couldn't totally blame him; Felix was a Winner; capital 'W'. Awards, work accomplishments and pretty women were all the same to him; an aggrandizement of the Felix Melena saga.

He'd hunt the wildlife of the city until he was thirty then marry an early twenty-something virgin. Virgin? He had to be the first and only man she ever knew. Felix would have no trouble naming names and bragging over all the details of a sexual encounter because the only thing that mattered was Felix, his successes and everybody being aware of just how bad-ass he was.

Don't get me wrong. Felix was the type of person who got the job done and would never claimed the accolades that he didn't deserve. He wasn't a thief. He was really damn good. He was simply an asshole for constantly pointing out how damn good he was as a means of cowing/enticing people he encountered.

Trent was superficially similar to Felix but different in several important ways. The most important thing to Trent Grant was Trent. Trent seemed to talk endlessly about Trent. If the conversation wandering, he would insert a 'Trent moment' into things to bring the words back to where they belonged; talking about Trent.

The Havenstone women's description of Trent now made sense; he was dull. If you considered that so much of what he bragged about; his lineage dating back to Colonial America, his long family history in politics and business, and the collegiate successes of both him and his ancestors; made no impression on them; basically Trent might as well have been babbling in Martian.

Their bloodlines traced back 3000 years. 300 was nothing to them. If you had something they truly wanted, they killed you and took it from you; they were a cult of psychopaths after all. Colleges? They had built up a global powerhouse without the help of any male-founded institutions of higher learning, thank you very much.

Trent could be civil, polite and congenial when he made the effort. He had punched in all the proper markers for a posh college career. Fraternity president, winning Captain of the local intermural basketball team and Dean's List. He even had a bookend; Brooke Lee of Virginia and Vassar girl.

She was darkly tanned, shoulder-blade length silky black hair, and luminescent green eyes. Her curves were in all the right places and her smile must have cost her parents a fortune to be that white and perfect. By the familiar way she hung on Trent, he had lied to Havenstone; BAD, bad move, Trent. The look she gave me implied that Trent shouldn't trust me around her, or her around me.

It wasn't that buddies couldn't trust me around their girlfriends; actually buddies couldn't trust me with their girlfriends. I was of low moral character and perpetually horny with a glib tongue and a sexual charisma that was a threat to nuns, Christian cheerleaders and grandmothers alike. Brooke knew this to be true. Trent would have if I hadn't been so 'beneath' him and Brooke.

Brooke had brought some friends; all Vassar girls. The two who wanted to be there glommed onto Felix and Brian. The third girl basically knew she was 'settling' for me. I didn't belong to their exclusive social club. My three 'new hire' pals sealed the deal (screwed me over) by informing the girls that I was with Executive Services; the gophers.

I saw some sympathetic eyes from the first three ladies to my 'date'. Libra Chalmers attempted to make the best of it.

‘‘Do you like your job?’‘ she gave a weak grin. I sighed.

‘‘I wish the President and CEO didn't know me on a first name basis; or her daughter and granddaughter,’‘ I shrugged. ‘‘Most of the Board of the Directors are nice enough.’‘

Blink.

‘‘Did you bring them their laundry?’‘ Felix chuckled.

‘‘That and other stuff,’‘ I grinned right back. ‘‘Mostly its drudgery with the occasional bizarre request covered by corporate confidentiality.’‘

‘‘Like what color shoes to wear?’‘ Trent snorted. My face became deathly calm.

‘‘No Trent,’‘ I stared at him, ‘‘things that I cannot talk about. Do you seriously think Executive Services has long term employees picking up birthday presents and detailing cars?’‘

‘‘But you are a 'nobody',’‘ Brain blurted out. I was sure that how he really felt.

‘‘Where did you go to school?’‘ Libra inquired.

‘‘You've probably never heard of it. Bolingbrook in New Hampshire,’‘ I smiled. I was proud of my school. I even showed her my class ring.

‘‘Holy Cow!’‘ Libra laughed. ‘‘I'm from Bolingbrook.’‘

‘‘Chalmers; as in Marla Chalmers of the 'Seldom Read' bookstore?’‘ I chuckled.

‘‘That's my little sister,’‘ Libra nodded. Whoops, I'd nailed Marla and how. Took her virginity.

‘‘Hold on,’‘ she grinned as she pulled out her phone. ‘‘What's your name again?’‘

‘‘Cáel Nyilas,’‘ I answered. I was too insulted she hadn't remembered it the first time.

Five rings later,

‘‘Marla, it is Libra and I'm with an old friend of yours; Cáel Nyilas,’‘ she winked at me. There was a long pause. Libra put the phone on speaker for the group's amusement.

‘‘Well, how is he?’‘ Marla asked.

‘‘He's on crutches,’‘ Libra answered.

‘‘Well, you can bet a girl did it to him,’‘ Marla sounded a bit pissed. Not good.

‘‘I was shot with an arrow by a woman who I actually hadn't slept with,’‘ I confessed.

‘‘Cáel?’‘ Marla yelped. ‘‘Oh my God, is that really you?’‘

‘‘Sure is,’‘ I tried to remain upbeat.

‘‘Damn Sis, does he still look hot?’‘ Marla inquired.

‘‘Very much so,’‘ Libra smirked my way.

‘‘Cáel; I still miss you,’‘ Marla sighed. ‘‘Even after that; thing.’‘ That thing was her finding me in bed with her aunt; and me not being her uncle.

‘‘Yeah,’‘ I groaned, ‘‘I really screwed that up. I can't apologize enough for what I put you through.’‘ Brian and all the women at the table were attentive and curious.

‘‘Well, I should have figured you didn't get all that sexual prowess from the internet,’‘ Marla mused. ‘‘So, are you seeing someone now? Let me rephrase, how many women are you seeing at the moment?’‘

I was busted. I was also looking down the barrel of 'make-up sex'.

‘‘At present it is a waitress, an heiress, two teachers, a CPA, a security operative and a policewoman, but I'm not having sex with the last two,’‘ I related. They thought I was lying.

‘‘That sounds about right,’‘ Marla laughed loudly.

‘‘You had sex with this guy?’‘ Libra gasped. The whole 'my little sister must still be a virgin' thing.

‘‘Oh yeah,’‘ Marla exulted. ‘‘He took all three of my virginities. It was one hell of a great summer. Even after I nearly killed him, I still missed his loving.’‘

I was a deviant pervert. I could see it on their faces.

‘‘I miss you to, Marla,’‘ I told her.

‘‘Really; what do I like?’‘ Marla teased.

‘‘Inside of the triceps; little kisses,’‘ I immediately responded. Those kisses drove her nuts. There was a long pause.

‘‘I miss you, Cáel,’‘ Marla moaned.

‘‘He's on a date with me right now,’‘ Libra interrupted. ‘‘Talk to you later, Marla.’‘ The connection went dead. ‘‘You took my little sister's virginity?’‘ she got heated.

‘‘Apparently she gave it all up to Cáel,’‘ Felix chuckled. Idiot.

‘‘You really took Marla's virginity?’‘ Brooke jumped in. ‘‘Where?’‘

‘‘Lake Carrie; freaking cold water. Marla loves the place so I took her to a location she'd feel comfortable in,’‘ I explained.

‘‘Did it occur to you that she might want her first time to be with someone who was important to her?’‘ Brian prodded.

‘‘Brian, it's a hymen, not the Ark of the Covenant,’‘ I smirked. ‘‘Wanting a girl to be a virgin is more a matter of a guy's fears of penile inadequacy than a woman's promiscuity. Certainly if I was a woman I'd want the guy to know what he's doing as opposed to fumbling around until the mood died.’‘ That brought some chuckles from the girls.

‘‘Let's get a bite to eat,’‘ Trent broke the tension. Libra had no trouble sticking close to my side as we left. We ended up sharing a taxi with Trent and Brooke. We learned what a fantastic job Trent was doing at Havenstone. From his version of events, the company would have been teetering on the brink if not for his historic efforts.

‘‘What about you?’‘ Brooke shot me a look. Yep, I was going to have sex with her. No doubt.

‘‘Apparently I sunk the Maldives Islands yesterday. Friday I caused Umpa Lumpas to spontaneously combust all over the chocolate factory, so I consider Monday to be an improvement in the fewer fatalities I caused,’‘ I stated straight-faced.

Trent didn't understand my job place revelry. The girls cracked up laughing.

‘‘Honestly, I get abysmal work reviews for no reason I can understand. I don't respond to instructions, am rarely locatable and never, ever answer my phone,’‘ I frowned. ‘‘Trent gets away with it, so why shouldn't I?’‘ More laughter and Trent was being pissy.

‘‘Ms. Shore thinks I will make a Lead Investigator in two years,’‘ Trent bragged.

‘‘Olympia is a smart cookie,’‘ I nodded. ‘‘You may end up globe-trotting with a bevy of young ladies most of the year.’‘

‘‘Who is Olympia?’‘ Libra questioned.

‘‘Olympia Shore,’‘ I beat Trent to the answer. ‘‘Everyone at Havenstone is on a first name basis and very friendly. I mean, as the only five guys in the entire corporation, it's different than what I expected.’‘

‘‘Trent, do you work with many attractive women?’‘ Brooke inquired lethally.

The lesson being: don't screw with me without a game plan. Making me look bad as a causal thing in front of women isn't wise. The restaurant was nice, but Katrina's place had been nicer. I ordered, talked, flirted with Libra openly (and Brooke covertly). Libra and I were working on a hook-up when a chilly voice killed the ambiance.

‘‘Cáel Nyilas, come with me,’‘ the female voice droned. Why did the other guys flinch? She was one of those stone-cold bitches from the Security Detail. On Saturday, they had manhandled the other as if they were nothing. Since the SD were most likely all full-blooded Amazons, they were correct in that assessment.

‘‘I don't know your name and what is this about?’‘ I turned and asked the Arabic swimsuit model.

‘‘Aisha and you need to check in with Medical,’‘ she stated. At least she wasn't too rude.

‘‘Thanks for the drinks and dinner, guys,’‘ I staggered up. ‘‘Libra, it was very nice to meet you.’‘ I put a few twenties on the table, grabbed up my crutches and followed Aisha out.

She was double parked. Aisha went around to the driver side, got in and waited. It wasn't like she'd missed the crutches. I stumped out to the car and rapped on the door.

‘‘A little help here?’‘ I requested. She looked my way, returned to looking forward and did nothing. I had obeyed. I had been nice. This was simply punishing me for having a dick.

I hobbled back to the street and headed across town under my own power. Three blocks away, she put the car in my path. She stepped out of the driver's side, clearly unhappy.

‘‘Get in,’‘ she commanded.

‘‘Are you going to help me?’‘ I countered. She glared at me. ‘‘You are in the cross walk.’‘

She didn't respond, so I hobbled down the street. I didn't try to get past her. I was going to cross at the next street. She didn't reappear so I painfully dragged my sorry ass over to the first taxi I could find and was dropped off at Havenstone twenty minutes later. She was waiting for me at Reception.

‘‘Come with me,’‘ she snapped as she grabbed my arm.

‘‘Let go of me,’‘ I yelled. ‘‘You failed at your job. Hell if I'm going to cover for you.’‘

‘‘I didn't fail,’‘ she pointed out. ‘‘You are here.’‘

‘‘Without any help from you,’‘ I stated.

She dragged me to the elevator and up to Medical we went. Aisha pushed me into a medical bay then left. A medical type; who was a physician or a physician's assistant wasn't clear; appeared, my pants went down and she got to work. There is nothing like grabbing your own calf and pulling it up to your chest while a doctor examines your wound.

‘‘Hot date,’‘ she caught me off guard.

‘‘I was working on it,’‘ I grunted as she swabbed the wound. She looked around my thigh and into my eyes.

‘‘When was the last time you had sex?’‘ she intruded.

‘‘Uh; six-ten; this evening,’‘ I answered.

‘‘This was before your date?’‘ she was puzzled.

‘‘Well, when I met girl #1, I didn't know girl #2 existed,’‘ I explained.

‘‘Wait, you met one girl randomly at six and had sex with her then were aiming for a second girl,’‘ she blinked. ‘‘It isn't even 8:30 yet.’‘

‘‘How is this any of your business?’‘ I grumbled.

‘‘Do you want me probing your wound with a cotton swab, or with a steel scraper?’‘ she threatened.

‘‘Yes. I went out for drinks, met the first lady, we hit it off and we went to the ladies room and had sex; a trifecta if you are curious; and parted on good terms,’‘ I said.

‘‘When I got back to my buddies' table, they had several other women, one who was my assigned dinner date. It turns out I had sex with her sister a few years back,’‘ I sighed. ‘‘We were hitting it off when Aisha showed up with the personality of a marble slab and made me walk back here.’‘

‘‘Really?’‘

‘‘Okay, she wouldn't help me get in the car, so I stomped off like a spoiled child for a few blocks then took a taxi the rest of the way,’‘ I grinned. ‘‘All I asked was for her to help me in the car and she wouldn't even do that.’‘

‘‘Is any of what you told me the truth?’‘ she let my leg down, on the outside of her so that my crotch was pressed against hers.

‘‘Everything after the probe; yeah,’‘ I nodded.

‘‘Very well,’‘ smile. ‘‘Is there anything else I can help you with?’‘ Needs no translation.

‘‘Oh, I wish you could, but I need to work out three hours of non-stop sexual frustration and neither one of us has the time right now,’‘ I moaned. ‘‘Maybe later.’‘

‘‘Mmm; I get off at 4 am,’‘ she licked her lips. ‘‘What is your address?’‘

‘‘Sadly, I'm rooming with Desiree for the rest of the week,’‘ I frowned.

‘‘Are you going to work out some frustration on her?’‘ she pouted.

‘‘Noooo,’‘ I declared. ‘‘No sex with any Havenstone women for 75 days. When I told you later, I meant 75 days later. It is corporate policy for interns.’‘

‘‘Pity,’‘ she sighed. ‘‘You are good to go. I'll see you tomorrow.’‘

‘‘Cool. Maybe we can squeeze in a massage next time,’‘ I grinned. No rest for the wicked.

‘‘What do you want me to massage?’‘ she teased.

‘‘I was thinking that I could start at your neck, work through your shoulders, down your back and jump to your thighs before finishing up on your calves,’‘ I offered.

‘‘Are we sure that won't violate the rule about sexual contact?’‘ she purred.

‘‘Of course not. It is a public service. You have a high-stress job and need a break,’‘ I met her hungry gaze.

‘‘I think this is only a ploy for you to get your hands on my body,’‘ she wiggled closer. Duh.

‘‘Absolutely. It is absolutely a ploy for me to get my hands on your body,’‘ I promised.

‘‘Go,’‘ she gave a throaty chuckle. I got on the elevator and; nothing happened. I didn't have clearance to go down to that level. Since my humiliation could get worse, it did. I was dialing up Desiree when Aisha stepped on the elevator. She looked at me.

‘‘Yes?’‘ she stared.

‘‘I need to get down to the housing level,’‘ I muttered.

‘‘Which one?’‘ Oh; there was more than one; fuck.

‘‘The one that Desiree lives on,’‘ I sighed. Aisha hit the proper button and down we went.

The door opened to a familiar level. Oh well.

‘‘Thank you, Aisha,’‘ I acknowledged her kindness.

‘‘You are welcome, Cáel,’‘ she answered. The doors shut and I was sure she enjoyed the 'what the fuck' look on my face. I didn't know what to make of that at all.

Aya didn't charge me at the door. She vibrated excitedly until I put my crutches aside and could pick her up. I saw Desiree putting a book away as she looked me over. It turned out none of us had further plans so we all turned in around 9:30. As we settled into the tight confines of the bed, I decided to ask Desiree for her advice.

She listened to my tale of the encounter, shook her head and looked at me with something akin to pity.

‘‘Elsa sent Aisha to ruin your fun. Aisha stalked you up to and including your encounter with the doctor, which she listened in on,’‘ Desiree explained. ‘‘Aya, what does that mean?’‘

‘‘Daddy is even more desirable than ever!’‘ she proclaimed loudly.

‘‘Idiot,’‘ Desiree muttered. Me; not Aya.

‘‘Aya, we have a new project,’‘ I whispered to my little friend.

‘‘What is it?’‘ she was all excited.

‘‘You are going to research Leonardo Di Vinci's flying machine. We are going to build one on the roof so I can make my getaway on my last day at work,’‘ I informed her.

‘‘Can I come with you?’‘ Aya hoped.

‘‘Aya, it has never successfully been tested before,’‘ I told her.

‘‘After I take off, if I can circuit the building, I'll land, pick you up and we can head out for Patagonia; just you, me and the penguins,’‘ I teased her.

‘‘You can count on me,’‘ Aya yawned. I let her drift off.

‘‘You can count on me too,’‘ I whispered to her. I caught Desiree studying me through nearly closed eyes.

(Wednesday and Thursday)

On Wednesday, the floodgates opened. Aya and I had barely settled in; Katrina had banned the use of all Nerf products until 3pm Friday; when the front desk gave me a call. I had a female visitor. It was Odette; crap. I excused myself from Aya and was gathering my crutches when I saw Katrina staring at me.

‘‘I have a guest at the front desk,’‘ I explained.

‘‘Are they a bomb-wielding maniac, an expert assassin, or an investigative journalist?’‘ she inquired.

‘‘No Katrina,’‘ I gulped. She called down to the front desk and told them to let her up.

Ten seconds later, she told the front desk to let all female visitors requesting me to come up; then she added Timothy to the list.

‘‘Katrina, if I ever stop being afraid of you, please understand that I am either high, or stupidly drunk,’‘ I pledged.

‘‘Noted. Aya, get to work,’‘ Katrina captured her nieces gaze. ‘‘Cáel is on Sick Leave. You are here to pick up his slack.’‘

‘‘Yes Katrina,’‘ Aya nodded then put her cute little nose back to the grindstone. Odette was the harbinger of disaster.

She had stopped by late Monday night; and had crashed with Timothy. Bright and early Tuesday, Officer Nikita showed up. Nikita wasn't happy. In more precise terms, she was going to rip my nuts off. Timothy told Odette not to worry, but Nikita had a firearm and a uniform, so she worried. Odette polished this revelation off by requesting some 'private time'.

I wouldn't swear on a stack of Bibles that Katrina smirked, but I'd take those odd in Vegas. Aya had a different approach.

‘‘Cáel, can you take Daddy Time when you are at work?’‘ Aya smiled politely. I was weighing no puppy dog eyes from Aya for a few hours versus my dick's desire to be a dick and do what dicks are meant to do.

‘‘Please don't make me transfer Buffy after she murders you,’‘ Katrina offhandedly remarked. She had an excellent point. I decided to give Odette a nice, toe-curling kiss at the elevator.

‘‘If all you are going to do is kiss her, you can do that here,’‘ Aya grinned.

‘‘Okay,’‘ I nodded. Aya was my buddy. I steamed up Odette good and proper then sent her floating on her way.

Three hours later I hadn't even gotten a 'hello' out of my mouth before Aya provided this cute piece of information to Buffy and Daphne; our food providers.

‘‘Buffy, Cáel kissed a girl so much she was walking on clouds when she left.’‘ The lesson here? No woman is your friend, buddy, or otherwise.

The food dropped to the ground and Buffy came storming around my little desk.

‘‘Please don't kill me,’‘ I cringed. Buffy hovered centimeters away, her intense struggle for control evident to everyone present. Finally, she clasped her hands behind her back. Balancing a hand on the back of my chair and the desk, I pushed myself up.

My hands came to rest on Buffy's shoulders then I tenderly started turning her around. She resisted initially before curiosity took over. I brushed the left side of her hair back first. We started with the traditional small puffs of air on her neck and ear. My tongue flicking on the back of her earlobe gave her a jolt which she quickly suppressed.

While the air and tongue play along her neck and ears was going on, I was able to sneak my hands around to her stomach right above the belt. Buffy found her hands were pressing against my cock. She stroked it with an unexpected gentleness. My hands migrated up until I cupped her breasts. I didn't squeeze them yet the intention was there.

‘‘Are we okay now?’‘ I whispered.

‘‘I'm thinking about it,’‘ she looked over her shoulder. ‘‘I'm still having trouble waiting.’‘

‘‘You have to understand you are not my number one girl, Buffy,’‘ I told her. Oh, look. She was about to treat my weenie like silly putty.

‘‘I'm his number one girl,’‘ Aya declared proudly. My penis was saved.

‘‘As long as I'm the first one he sleeps with,’‘ Buffy asserted.

‘‘Too late,’‘ Aya said before I could find a more political way to approach the crisis.

‘‘You sleep with Cáel?’‘ Daphne teased.

‘‘Yes, of course I do,’‘ Aya sighed in exasperation. ‘‘Why do all the girls keep asking me that? Where else would I sleep, but with Cáel?’‘

‘‘Is he a wonderful and considerate bed-buddy?’‘ Daphne teased. Ow; cock; Buffy's hands.

‘‘Best Daddy ever,’‘ Aya beamed.

‘‘I go to sleep in his arms to the sound of his breathing,’‘ Aya got dreamy again, damn her. ‘‘If I have a bad dream, all I have to do is touch his hand and he wraps it around me. He keeps me safe and I know he'll never let anything bad happen to me.’‘ That statement stumped all three women listening.

Buffy could have had a father. Whatever relationship they may have had was severed now. Daphne and Katrina didn't even have that. Mothering an Amazon was tough work. It required a callousness not normally associated with maternal instincts. Every Amazon had to be a killer; it was their cultural imperative.

I doubted Daphne had the opportunity to continue her genetic legacy yet. Katrina would never have the chance, being sterile. What Aya was describing was more associated with a three year old than a girl of nine. A few Amazon women scorned this as weakness. Daphne and Katrina didn't. It was almost a wistful jealousy.

‘‘Where did you learn to take care of little girls?’‘ Daphne inquired softly.

‘‘What do you mean?’‘ I kept my attention on Buffy.

‘‘Aya, Silly,’‘ Daphne grinned.

‘‘That's your mistake,’‘ I sighed happily. Buffy smelled good. ‘‘Aya is both a child and my comrade-in-arms.’‘

‘‘I can never let her down because she'd never let me down,’‘ I added.

‘‘She can't save you if you get in trouble,’‘ Daphne said.

‘‘That's your problem,’‘ I looked to Daphne. ‘‘I don't expect her to save me. If all you look for is results, you'll always get the same results.’‘ Not true, but what the fuck.

‘‘To me, it is the effort that matters. Only through effort to we excel,’‘ I winked to Aya. ‘‘And why does Aya excel?’‘

‘‘Because Aya is a winner,’‘ she glowed.

‘‘Repeating that phrase won't feed you in the wild, or craft you a weapon,’‘ Katrina reminded her.

‘‘Aunt Katrina, everyone is afraid I will fail,’‘ Aya's tiny body became taut as a bowstring. ‘‘Cáel waits for me to succeed. I'm so afraid of letting everyone down, except with him. When I'm with Cáel, I feel the stillness you and the others tell me about. The fear goes away and I feel right and good.’‘

‘‘Aya, one day you may have to kill Cáel,’‘ Katrina studied her niece. Aya looked at me and wept silently.

‘‘He's died for me twice already,’‘ Aya choked back her sob. ‘‘He'd do it again to protect me.’‘

‘‘Eat up,’‘ Katrina ordered. That ended the discussion. As they were leaving, I noticed Daphne had cried a bit as well.

Nikita showed up at 2 pm, in uniform, with a senior female co-worker/training officer. I imagine the novelty for the other woman of going into a skyscraper like this allowed this unfortunate event to happen to me.

‘‘Nikita!’‘ Aya squealed. She stayed at her station; good for her.

‘‘Hey Aya,’‘ Nikita smiled at my cohort. I got the dark, grumpy frown.

‘‘What are you doing; here?’‘ she sizzled. ‘‘And, what are you doing making Aya do work? There are Child Labor Laws you know.’‘

‘‘Its National Take A Death Dwarf to Work Day,’‘ I informed her. ‘‘Hello,’‘ I addressed the partner.

‘‘Officer Skylar Montero,’‘ she replied with a more positive attitude.

‘‘Odette,’‘ Nikita bit off the name, ‘‘told us you had a three-way Sunday night.’‘ Thanks Odette.

‘‘That's not really fair,’‘ I spread my arms out in a placating gesture. ‘‘There were five of us, but we tag-teamed in and out so there were only three on the bed at one time.’‘

‘‘I see why she wants to shoot you,’‘ Skylar chuckled.

‘‘Don't shoot Cáel, Nikita,’‘ Aya piped up. ‘‘He loves you.’‘

‘‘He loves a bunch of women,’‘ Nikita growled.

‘‘That's not so,’‘ Aya persisted. ‘‘He has sex with a whole bunch of women. He loves you enough to not have sex and that makes you special.’‘

‘‘That makes her unique,’‘ Katrina muttered.

‘‘It makes him bizarre,’‘ Skylar agreed.

‘‘Cáel, am I the only girl you are seeing who you are not having sex with?’‘ Nikita sighed.

‘‘Do you mean didn't intend to have sex with, or was intending to have sex with but was interrupted?’‘ I inquired.

‘‘Don't make me pistol-whip you into obedience,’‘ Nikita menaced.

‘‘It is not as easy as you would believe,’‘ I groaned.

‘‘That's true,’‘ Aya added. ‘‘Elsa beat him into unconsciousness Monday afternoon and he didn't learn a damn thing.’‘ Aya was so proud of me; for getting my ass beat. This happens more than you would believe.

‘‘Elsa? That wacko at the door Saturday night?’‘ Nikita gasped with disbelief. ‘‘Why did you let her get close to you?’‘

‘‘She came at me in the gym while I was on the sparing mat with a; lady I met,’‘ I told her.

‘‘Dude, do you ever rest?’‘ Skylar chuckled.

‘‘We were practicing Brazilian jujutsu,’‘ I evaded. ‘‘There was suddenly an issue and that led to Elsa coming at me.’‘

‘‘The lady you met,’‘ Nikita fumed. ‘‘She was your date, right? The one you were interrupted from fu; having sex with.’‘ The 'fuck' was cut off for Aya's sake.

‘‘Yes; yes she was,’‘ I confessed.

‘‘Aya, come here,’‘ Katrina summoned her diminutive kin.

‘‘How badly did the psycho hurt you?’‘ Nikita sighed. No good answer, so I went for the truth.

‘‘She beat me with a spear,’‘ I informed her. ‘‘The only places she spared were my face and testicles.’‘

Nikita, trusting me as fully as she did, opened my shirt. Both she and her partner gasped.

‘‘How is this not a crime?’‘ Skylar remarked.

‘‘It was a training exercise,’‘ I joked. They weren't laughing. ‘‘Look at it this way; I will never press charges and no one will bear witness to the beating; end of story.’‘

‘‘Damn it,’‘ Nikita pulled me tight, ‘‘what are you going to do?’‘

‘‘What do you think?’‘ I grinned. ‘‘I'm going to make Elsa pay.’‘

‘‘You can't take the law into your own hands,’‘ Skylar inserted.

‘‘This is not about a beating, or revenge. This is a Human Resources complaint,’‘ I reasoned.

‘‘At Havenstone, this is the process we all agree to. Elsa disagreed with how I mishandled a resources issue. She came at me and I lost,’‘ I explained.

‘‘If she had a spear, what did you have?’‘ Skylar asked.

‘‘I didn't get a weapon,’‘ I replied. ‘‘That and my bad leg are my reason for 'revisiting' the dispute.’‘

‘‘What lethal weapon to you plan to use?’‘ Nikita mumbled.

‘‘The New Jersey,’‘ I teased her. Skylar snorted. Katrina opened a drawer.

‘‘Take these to the nice policewomen,’‘ Katrina handed two Nerf guns to Aya. Aya gave me an apologetic look as she dispensed the pain.

‘‘What are these; ,’‘ Skylar got out before Nikita started unloading into me; in the stomach.

‘‘If you are not going to use yours, give it to me,’‘ Nikita reached out to Skylar.

‘‘You know that female violence against men is a rising epidemic in this country,’‘ I pointed out.

‘‘We can classify this as police brutality then,’‘ Skylar smirked and fired off her six as well.

‘‘Do you really pay this monkey a quarter million to do this?’‘ Skylar asked Katrina.

‘‘No,’‘ Katrina said with iron-clad certainty, ‘‘we pay him to save the world.’‘ Wow.

‘‘How do you see that?’‘ Nikita grumbled.

‘‘Do you know how many armed law enforcement agents have gotten past the front desk; ever?’‘ Katrina began.

‘‘I'll make it easy on you; none,’‘ Katrina gazed at the two outsiders. Funny, I was thinking of myself as a member of Havenstone. ‘‘Do you know the last time I was in the same room as a person with a firearm who did not either work for me, or with me? It has never happened. This has occurred now because of him and 'no', I am not having any level of intercourse with Cáel.’‘

‘‘What would you do if I arrested you right now?’‘ Nikita challenged.

‘‘For starters, you wouldn't get off the floor. Your communications would be jammed, all doors locked and elevators kept at their current floor. You would not be negotiated with. Your surrender would not be considered. A military force would examine the scenario and then neutralize you,’‘ Katrina recited in a bored manner.

‘‘Murder us?’‘ Skylar gawked. ‘‘What about the witnesses?’‘

‘‘What witnesses? Two Havenstone personnel who can pass for you will dress in the appropriate uniforms then drive your car to a distant location. Your dead bodies will be delivered by a different route, the patrol car burned and all evidence eradicated,’‘ Katrina droned on.

‘‘The only person who might testify is Cáel, but he won't do it because it will solve nothing. You two will still be dead, no one worthwhile will believe him, and it will result in his eventual relocation. More to the point, his personal sense of loyalty won't allow him to betray me,’‘ Katrina was finishing. ‘‘None of that will happen though because Cáel is saving the World.’‘

By the flabbergasted expressions on the two cops' faces was pretty much what I expected. Sure, I had told Nikita I worked for bad people, but she was thinking 'gun runners', embezzling from government contracts, or the illegal dumping of toxic waste. Sure, they might beat a nosy reporter up and even kill someone who couldn't take the message.

Katrina was a totally different creature than what she had imagined. Katrina had No respect for the law and order Nikita and Skylar represented. Of greater importance, she had the ironclad belief that she didn't need to respect them, or their uniforms. This was movie-CIA spooky. The specter of tens of thousands of Havenstone employees on seven continents came rushing in.

‘‘Cáel, if Elsa hadn't been sure I would have opened fire, would she have forced the door Saturday night?’‘ Nikita whispered.

‘‘Without a doubt,’‘ both Aya and I confirmed.

‘‘Cáel, do you want to get out of here?’‘ Nikita offered. ‘‘Right now, with us?’‘

‘‘Where I come from, you don't leave others to pay for your mistakes,’‘ I explained. ‘‘I have to see this through, or one Angel, one hellspawn and a truckload of depraved souls end up not doing so good.’‘

‘‘This is not the time to joke,’‘ Nikita hissed.

‘‘I'm not, Nikita. There are people out there putting their lives on the line so that I can keep mine,’‘ I repeated Katrina's words. ‘‘It would be the height of ingratitude to leave before I see how things turn out.’‘ Nikita didn't know what to make of that.

‘‘We need to leave,’‘ Skylar pulled on her partner's sleeve.

Nikita gave me a quick hug before they left. Skylar warily scanned her environment until they stepped into the elevator and the doors shut.

To be continued in Part 9

By FinalStand for Literotica.