Captured Desire

by Tasha Winters

  “If you don’t mind, I would prefer changing clothes a little more privately, thank you.”

  Amara’s eyes sparkled with her teasing. “Well none of you seem to mind when I need to change that I’m not getting very much privacy.”

  Finn walked behind her and swatted her bottom. He grinned at her yelp. “That’s because there isn’t anything private about you when it comes to the three of us.”

  Wilder laughed as he left the room to have a quick shower and change. When he returned, Finn had begun to pull their dinner from the oven and the refrigerator as Ethan grabbed plates and glasses from the cupboard.

  “Hey, isn’t that my job?” asked Amara.

  “Isn’t that a rather sexist remark?” asked Ethan.

  “Well only if you said it.”

  “Imp.”

  As they sat down to a well-prepared dinner, Wilder explained about the morning spent in validating the program. “The group really liked the program. With a few changes and additions, they could see using it in other areas as well. They did use it for the projections and their decision was rather good then.”

  Wilder continued with dinner much to Amara’s chagrin. “And?”

  “Sorry, I was tied up in knots all day and am finally able to eat.”

  “Let the man eat, Amara. The decisions won’t have changed in the next ten or so minutes,” admonished Ethan.

  “You’re right. It’s just hard to wait.”

  “I’ll eat quickly.”

  “No, don’t do that. I want you to enjoy your dinner. I can wait. I won’t like it, but I can wait.”

  As they gathered in the family room a little later, Amara sat in a chair alone. Finn did his normal approach, but something seemed to redirect him. Wilder expected it to have been that Amara was intent on the conversation. Finn must have realized his placing her in his lap would not have been appreciated right now. Wilder knew that might change as the discussion progressed. They might all need comfort by the end of the evening.

  “After some discussions, and I don’t mind telling you a few were heated, the committee decided to make the program limited to a small control group. Massey was fuming, but it made such good sense to the cautious scientists that he couldn’t push too hard against it. He was the only hold out until the end.”

  Ethan asked the obvious question. “Good. I’m glad he ultimately gave in. How small is small, though? Effectiveness is also important.”

  “It will also extend the time frame from universally offering it, but we found it only extended the timeframe by a few years off the original plan. Of course, we know that first plan didn’t stick to the initially outlined two years as it was designed to do,” added Finn.

  “Yes, we covered that at length. We have the numbers produced by Amara and Finn’s program. We also have the projected outcome using those numbers. The distribution table was discussed and with few changes we are following what the program recommended. We’re using the recommended timeframe necessary to achieve the desired outcome.”

  “That’s still a lot of people, Wilder.” Amara seemed worried.

  “Not when you compare it to the world population. We have schedules and plans to work up as well as governments to sign on and agree to the stipulations and controls we will have in place.” Wilder turned to Amara. “You have to understand that while we will do what we can to control the replenishment, there are no guarantees because we are dealing with other governments, other world leaders, and scientists that would like to make something like this universal.”

  She nodded. “I know, if you do the best you can, I think it will be enough. I hope it will.”

  “Amara,” continued Wilder, “There isn’t any way we can be sure your family is unaffected by this change. You don’t think they will be, but you really don’t know. We won’t know for quite a while because we don’t put this into action until next year.”

  “I know, but I’m not worried. I have decided that even if I am returned to the island, I will retain my memory as I have done in coming here. If I can remember how I got here, I could do it again. Right? I would simply get to the cave again.”

  “God, I hope it’s that simple, love,” said Ethan. His fingers were moving his ring in concern.

  “Good,” said Finn, “Can we all agree that we live our lives the way we want and then, if something happens, we will deal with it. I don’t want to live under a cloud and lose what happiness we could have now. Fuck the future.”

  Ethan nodded as though he had made a decision. “Okay, if we are fucking the future, I think we should take turns fucking the present, too.”

  “What?” asked Amara. The others murmured their agreement, but she had a puzzled expression.

  “You, my girl. You are the present.” She blushed as she realized what they were saying.

  “I think it should be Wilder then, because he has worked hard today.”

  “Amara is right. Wilder can have her for dessert and I’ll have something else, like ice cream.” Finn grinned as he stood.

  “No fair! Can’t I have both?”

  “Greedy little minx, isn’t she?” Wilder asked the others. “I think we might be able to do it this once.” He made his best impression of the big bad wolf and chased a screaming, giggling woman to his room. “’Night!”

  Finn

  Three men, most of the regional leadership of Ambrose, appeared at the front gate right after lunch the next day. That had never happened before. No one other than Paxton had ever come to their home. As Finn was speaking to them over the intercom, Wilder grabbed Amara and put her in a hiding place. Ethan linked to the compound to signal for assistance.

  “Something’s wrong,” Ethan told Paxton’s image when he answered the call. “You’re one of the leaders, why didn’t you tell us they were coming?”

  “Yes, I’m the fourth but I’m seen as a close friend to Amara and you, so they would not have informed me of their visit. It’s what I would have done if I wanted to surprise you. It might have nothing to do with Amara.”

  “You and I both know that is highly unlikely or you would be here with them.”

  “True. Tell me what you know.”

  In fast clipped sentences, Ethan explained the dilemma they were facing, and that Wilder was on the population redistribution committee. He said they had all agreed on a solution even though Massey didn’t get what he wanted.

  “Right, we’ll be right over.”

  Unfortunately, by the time the men arrived Amara had already been taken by the three. Wilder and Ethan went with Amara, transporting her themselves in their own vehicle, assured that they would be able to take her home later. The men had their doubts that later would be today.

  Finn had been left at home to gather all the recordings and all their notes they had digitized and put in an easy access index file, but he was anxious to be on his way. “I can’t leave her for long.”

  The men from the Compound nodded their understanding. Finn gathering their evidence was a good call. They also knew that Finn would not be able to allow anyone to do more than speak to Amara and live to tell about it. The handsome Norwegian had agreed to stay back only long enough to gather the required information and to wait to fill in their friends.

  “Unfortunately, what they’re going to do is talk to her intimately and alone. I’m sure it’s very much like what they wanted to know about Maya,” said Paxton. “It would have been Ambrose knowledge, at the minimum, that Amara is living here. When they researched and found there was no birth certificate or a record of her birth on the island she states she came from, that would have piqued their interest, at a minimum.” Paxton said. “It is possible someone has an agenda, and this will help them accomplish it.”

  Sterling nodded. “Then, when the two created that program, it would have made them even more interested.”

  “Finally,” finished Zander, “if anyone suspected her of having paranormal abilities, that would have been the trinity as far as they were concerned: Mystery, inte
lligence, paranormal talents.”

  Paxton spoke to a now distressed Finn. “I’ll go with you to help the process. I won’t let them railroad anyone. Ambrose can handle the fallout this might all bring if she is exposed, but they’ll extract a price. Amara will have to help their endeavors when it’s appropriate and when you three approve.”

  Finn spoke his thoughts out loud. “But there’s something else going on here. Something we have to deal with as well: Amara is a threat to someone getting what they want. That would include, most likely, Massey. It’s hard to understand why this project is so important to him but it is. She recognized him and by that we have to infer he was either the surgeon or the administrator of the training center on the island. Now it’s not possible in theory because of the time difference but it was either his relative or he’s found a way to walk back and forth in time. It would make sense that he walked back into this time to make himself a member or maybe he was a member historically. That being the case, he would be able to chair this committee, steering them to come to a response that he wants. The problem is, he saw Amara and while he, by his own admission, had never actually met her, he would’ve seen photos in the records. He could have gone back into CCTV footage within the training center and identified her. It might have been him that brought her to the leadership’s attention.”

  Paxton concluded. “So, what you have to do is expose Massey for who he is, what he is, his goals and capabilities. That won’t be easy. Ambrose will help them control him while the process is being done. They can keep him occupied for a whole generation, maybe longer if necessary, but you have to get there. You have to bring all of your data and you have to walk them through step by step. You also have to disclose she’s an empath. You have no other choice.”

  “Got it. Let’s go.”

  Pax and Finn headed to Ambrose, ammunition in hand. The other two returned to the Compound. Finn connected to Ethan and Wilder.

  “Ethan, we don’t have a choice anymore. You’re going to have to unblock Amara’s memories. It’s the only way that we will be able to prove our case and show the progression. We need her memories.”

  “How am I going to do that?” Ethan demanded. “It could destroy her if we have to open up all of those memories at once. Memories that still lay raw behind this psychological wall we built.”

  “Wilder has all the information he needs from those meetings, am I correct?” Finn verified.

  Wilder nodded and then spoke because Finn couldn’t see his head. “Yes, you’re right. I did grab the folders. I have all my digital notes. I haven’t organized them more than in chronological order, but I think that’s enough. You have access to everything else that we have. And then we have Amara. I think we have enough.”

  “I hope so.”

  “I have Paxton, but he can’t go in because of the perceived connection. He’s there to advise us if we need it.”

  “I hope we don’t need him,” ended Wilder.

  Amara at The Ambrose Society

  So, this is it, huh? Amara had expected to see an entryway and rooms off a central hall, but she was surprised when there was a sleek modern desk not twenty feet inside the door. The whole foyer was clean lines, marble and chrome, and cold. She stopped after crossing the threshold and tried to absorb the ambience, but it was so frighteningly confusing. She was immediately assaulted with a myriad of thoughts and emotions. People were in mental anguish in such a variety of ways, not all destructive but all causing her more stress. She leaned into Wilder who was closest to her.

  “It hurts,” she whispered and then whimpered, “this place is painful and scary.”

  “You’re okay, Amara.” Wilder reassured her. “This is a place not like any other that I know. The intellect here is on a grand scale, the projects immense, and the abilities of those here are many.”

  “Yes, parapsychology is the norm in this section of the building here at Ambrose,” said one of the men accompanying them.

  “But there are a lot of hurting people here and I can’t turn it off. I need a space where it’s not so overloaded with sensations. Ethan?”

  Ethan turned to the gentlemen standing behind them. “Amara needs a quieter environment. Can we find a secluded room? She’s too frightened to maintain the control that she is learning. I’m not going to subject her to something that could damage her psyche or cause her irreparable damage.”

  The obvious leader of the three men standing behind them inclined his head. “Of course, we should have been more considerate and brought her in the back door.”

  The group sat in a conference room of sorts that had a large circular table in the center. Amara immediately understood the meaning. It was their attempt to make everyone feel as though they were on equal footing. Amara was not deceived into thinking she was considered an equal. It took some minutes for everyone to settle in and distribute beverages which she, Wilder and Ethan, declined. Folders were opened and Wilder, just coming from two days of meetings presumably in the same place or the same building, interrupted the person who began speaking.

  “Excuse me but we need to record the session.” Wilder was calm and matter of fact. It helped her nerves.

  “Record the session,” said one of the men aloud.

  The three males identified themselves as Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones, and Mr. Martin.

  “Yes, now that we’ve started the session, and we are recording, we have some questions to ask you dear. To begin with, we need to know your name.” The man who called himself Mr. Jones raised a pen to a tablet as if to take down her name even though the session was being recorded.

  “Miss Wilson.” Amara stared at the men in front of her and waited to see if they would challenge her name.

  “And your first name?” Amara’s head was bursting with all the things her men were saying to her but keeping their mouths shut. She wasn’t positive, of course, but gauging by their emotional confusion, they couldn’t understand why she was not giving her real name nor were they sure they should correct her at this time. Ultimately, they must’ve decided to wait her out. She looked at the men again and said, “Mary.”

  The pause was tangible as Amara absorbed the mental confusion about her name. They must’ve come to some sort of conclusion because Mr. Smith challenged her. “Mary Wilson. That’s a rather common name for what I can see is a very unusual woman. I was led to believe your name was something different.”

  “And who gave you a different name? Obviously, they were mistaken.”

  “Or,” offered Mr. Martin, “you aren’t being entirely truthful.”

  “I’m being as truthful as you are about your name.”

  The men looked over at Ethan and Wilder, the unspoken question loud in the room. When her companions did not offer any different name than she had given, it must have been decided to go on because they didn’t linger on the discrepancy.

  “Well, we’ll leave that for the moment. Now can you tell us your date of birth?”

  “Tell me what date you have, and I will verify it. In fact, tell me everything you know about me and I will then be able to verify the information.”

  “Miss Wilson, that isn’t how this works. We ask the question, and then you answer. We’re not here to cause you any trouble, we just have some information we need to investigate concerning yourself. Now your date of birth.”

  Amara was frustrated and was at her wit’s end as to what to say. Ethan explained how exhausting it is to be empathic. Wilder discussed the health implications of too much stress. Just as both had exhausted their explanations, the door opened and in walked Finn, his ever-available equipment bag thrown over his shoulder. He stopped inside the door as though he had everything necessary to saving the world and all its professed ills within him.

  Amara immediately connected with his feelings of confidence and she relaxed enough to not protest when he walked directly to her as she sat between Wilder and Ethan. He tapped Wilder’s shoulder and then Ethan’s. Both men needed no more communication than tha
t. They all had an established place in her life and in their family. Duties that only they performed. Both men moved their chairs away from Amara as Finn whispered in her ear.

  “Stand up, baby.” She marveled that she did so without hesitation. These men were part of her life’s blood. She understood their needs, felt their pain, rode the emotional tide with them. They were hers and she was theirs.

  As she stood, Amara felt the confusion of the men seated across from her and was not inclined to help them settle their unease. The predominately silent communication between the four, the ease with which each allowed Finn to walk in and take center stage so to speak, allowed her to relax even more. Her men knew exactly what they were doing. Each, in their own way, had publicly staked a claim on her. She had not protested their ownership. That made them four strong instead of four separate individuals. The odds were in their favor.

  As she expected, the chair she had been sitting on was pulled back away from her and Finn sat in it, bringing her to his lap. She didn’t need his lap, but it felt good to have her protector. She hadn’t needed Ethan and Wilder to flank her and each place a hand on the thigh closest to them and turn toward her, but she loved that they had done so. She turned with solid footing and waited for the next question, reveling in the fact that these men who were supposed to be running this meeting, were now being orchestrated.

  “Ah, Miss Wilson we understand that you were trained to service men. Is that right?”

  “I don’t understand your question. If by service you mean as a paid employee to perform duties such as housekeeping, then I must answer no. If you mean, to have sex with them, you should ask Ethan if I was a virgin when he met me.”

  Her men were laughing inside, and they were chastising her naughtiness, but she was secure in herself, now. Her men gave her that confidence. They were distracting her. Ignore them and pay attention, she told herself as she tried to redirect her focus.

  There were murmurs as the men chatted amongst themselves. When they faced Amara again, Mr. Smith said, “It appears we may have been given false and misleading information. Can you tell us how you got here? Or how you received your injuries that were treated upon your arrival? Education, can you tell us your education? Where you were born? Anything?”