And Adam, her husband, lover and mate, was the source of the immense calm she now experienced.
“I will tell you everything. I will inform Edward that I have done so and will no longer keep any secrets from you, no matter how small or insignificant. He will have to understand that if you can’t know it, neither can I. Then I will tell you what I have done. All of it.”
“Thank you, Misti.” Adam smiled a smile of deep gratitude, relief and peace. The puzzle pieces that had swirled in the vortex of confusion that had been his life before her were finally beginning to align in proper order. In time he would gaze upon the complex mosaic that was his life. He hoped he wouldn’t be repulsed by the sight. But it no longer mattered.
Misti took Adam’s hand and gently urged him home. Adam put his arm around his tiny wife knowing the deep contentment that only love can provide to those most fortunate to experience it deeply.
“I love you,” Adam said, looking down at his girl, as she looked up.
“Of course, you do, silly. Why wouldn’t you?”
***
Misti put away her things, threw Adam out of the bedroom while she did whatever she was doing. She emerged an hour later, bathed and refreshed, looking more beautiful than Adam cared to contemplate. She covered herself in a deep blue silk bath robe, falling just above the knees, revealing nothing of the perfection Adam knew lay beneath.
“Before we … nap, I need to tell you a couple of details about my job I might have left out.”
“Oh?”
“And a few that Edward may have missed too.”
Adam looked at his wife, filled with the urgent anticipation she generally knew she caused in him. He asked, “And, will this take long?”
“Down boy. The wait will be entirely rewarded by the patience you show me right now. I promise.”
“Not even a peek?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. A peek, a touch, a little squeeze. Next thing you know, erotic Armageddon! You don’t want Armageddon, do you?”
“I suppose not. Can we discuss? Pros and Cons?”
“No. But, listen up. If you are patient, I might accelerate your sex education if you’re really attentive. You know what that means?”
“I do. Hurry up and talk. I have homework.”
Chapter 9
Misti began, “So I want to tell you two things, but I won’t need to go into super detail now. I don’t want you to hurt yourself waiting.” She smiled, reading the eagerness and anticipation in his face.
“It could happen you know. I’m here one minute, then kablooey! Next thing you know I’m tomato paste on the wall.”
“Kablooey? What the hell is kablooey?”
“It’s bad, very bad and very dangerous. It’s an atomic bomb type explosion.”
“I don’t recall kablooey from any of my college science classes.”
“As usual, you’re obviously doing your research in all the wrong places. I saw it on the Cartoon Network. A very reliable source for cartoon explosions.”
Misti screwed up her face, looking at her chosen life mate, “You never cease to amaze, do you?”
“I’m good that way. You’re a lucky girl.”
“Alright, we’ll talk later. I can see you have the attention span of a gnat right now.”
“Oh, don’t pretend to be like that. I know you better. I married you, woman. I’m on to your tricks.”
“Well, there is that.” Misti paused. “And you do have some interesting and worthwhile skills.”
“Tell me more.”
“Come with me then. Step right into my office.”
“You have treats? Cake perhaps?”
“Better. Much better. Pie”
***
When their play date was over, they returned to the living room feeling quite refreshed and renewed. Nothing like tension and high drama as the best aphrodisiac among consenting adults. Misti really wanted to deliver bad news to Adam then be forgiven in the usual way between newlyweds. But, some things can’t wait, so she’d had to deliver the good news first and hope the afterglow was sufficient to assuage the bad.
“So, what have you Dr. Alarcon?”
The reference was vague, television and Canadian. Misti ignored it. “A new last name, unless you’ve gone senile already.”
“OK, Mrs. St. James. Stop stalling and get to the facts. Just the facts, ma’am.”
Again, with the references. “So, you already know that I work for your Dad, right?”
“Yes, yes I do. Quit stalling with the stuff I already know. This conversation is about the stuff I don’t already know. Let’s just get this all out and move it along.”
“OK, OK. So, what I want to share with you today are two things. One will be helpful when you talk to your Dad next week for that confession he promised us.”
“Yeah, like he’s really coming clean. That’ll be the day.”
“Anyway, the first thing is that I want to explain to you what exactly I do for a living. For Edward.”
“I know what you do Misti. We covered all this when you took the job and moved here.”
“Well, we did cover part of it.”
“Which part didn’t we cover?”
“Most of it.”
“Good to know, I guess. Finally, anyway.”
“Then the other thing I want to talk about is what your Dad has done for me over the years. From the time I was little.”
“He paid for your school and tutors and for summer vacations when you did well. And you always did well.”
“Well, that certainly was part of it, for sure.”
“I repeat; which part didn’t we cover?”
“Most of it, I guess.”
“You guess? Who actually does know?”
“I do. And your papa, of course.”
“Then this should be easy, right?”
“I’m thinkin’ ‘no’ to that. Yeah, that would be a definite ‘no’.”
“Anything as a husband I should not want know? Old data?”
“No, we’re all good there. This is more ‘meat on the bones’ stuff as you so often say. And one more teensey weensey speck of a factoid.”
“Alright, what about?”
“One of my colleagues. And one of yours. In Portland. Maybe London by now.”
“Probably Bitsie. No worries, I can’t stand that chick either. Geez what an unhappy woman she is.”
“Not Bitsie.”
“Who then?”
“Uh … Hannah Parker.”
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, it just keeps getting weirder and weirder. Please tell me this is all you have.”
“For today. Yeah. But you know there’s more, I’ve always been open about that. I just don’t like overloading you with shit we really can’t change anyway.”
Misti paused, drew near, and whispered, “I love you.”
“Nice try. But your womanly wiles won’t work on me … for at least another half hour or so.”
Misti giggled again, “You braggin’, husband?”
“Yes. And complimenting you at the same time. You’re in my head and you know it.”
“In or on?”
“Enough of this banter! I’m lighting up and you’re doin’ the talkin’. So, you can tell me your whole freakin’ story while I relax on the couch and totally close my eyes. Start with your job. Then the … whatever it was you want to tell me about your childhood with Fast Eddie. Save the Hannah story for last. This ought to be good.”
“I love you, Papa.” Misti giggled.
“I’m not a Papa yet.”
“Practice makes perfect.”
“Get talkin’ woman and stay on topic.”
Misti feigned misery and hurt. She managed her best faux petulance and whispered, “Now who’s the tyrant?”
“You are, my queen, you are. It’s one of the big reasons I love you so much. Now, please get on with it while we’re still young.”
***
Misti began by reviewing what she had told Adam. Insofar as she had said anything, it was all true. What she omitted, however, was just about everything important.
“So, when all this stuff came up about the Gens Collective, which you accidentally discovered, Edward realized he needed to get as much talent involved in whatever way he could. His options he decided, were few. He decided to divide his resources into two broad groups or categories and see what he had. He knew he could get researchers and good ones to do a lot of the work. But the complicating matter was whether and what he could share with them. A little, a lot or nothing at all?
“A conundrum, for sure, for a notorious liar and con,” Adam editorialized, not moving an inch. Misti sat next to him, rubbing his head and busily computing the parameters of her narrative.
“A conundrum indeed. A two-edged sword, seen from his viewpoint. If this was a hoax, he didn’t want too many colleagues in on it. There would be professional embarrassment to avoid, after all. But if it wasn’t a hoax, he likewise didn’t want too many people in on it. Impossible to control the spread of the discovery. To Edward, a way worse result, with impossibly complex consequences for us – and for them. Them being, you know them.”
“They call themselves the Gens, I’m told. Latin for the People, if I’m not mistaken. Not them.”
“Just so. Anyway, after doing his little calculation, he decided that the only people who would be allowed to know would be those he was closest to and could trust the most. To his delight and consternation, his family was just about perfect. That included me and your former love toy, what’s her name.”
“You said it before. Don’t be such a baby now.”
“Anyway, Hannah would be recruited, without telling you or me. You I understand but Edward should have told me.”
“Probably thought you’d aid in her relocation to the afterlife.”
“Probably.”
“Well?”
“Well what?”
“Was he right?”
“I did not have then, nor do I have now, any plans to off that little bee-atch.”
“Comforting and yet barely persuasive. I can see why Dad wasn’t worried. But, wife, you must give me your solemn promise to not ‘off that little ex’ in the future, too. Promise?”
“What?”
“Promise me Misti. On your word of honor and pinky swear.”
“I’m not a child.”
“Promise me this instant.”
“Alright, alright I promise. You happy now?”
“You best not be lyin’ to me, woman.”
“You and Edward. What is it with that whore that you two seem so gaga over anyway? I could fuck her up in two seconds.”
“You could. And every other girl in the Eight Families. So, what?”
“Just sayin’.”
“Look, Hannah used to be important to me. And Dad likes her. She’s smart and nice and very trustworthy.”
“Me too!”
“You too. Totally. But I don’t love her, I love you. You’re my world and she is a very nice part of my past. Painful too, but in my past. I have no future, no chance at happiness without you, my sweet. So, although I think it’s kinda hot that you are an insanely, over the top jealous of my former lover, there’s really no reason to off her, is there?”
“Yes.”
“C’mon. Like what?”
“Like, she’s still breathing, and I’d like her to transform into a pleasant and distant memory. She disturbs my chi.”
Adam laughed, and poked his head up to smile at his adorable wife. But Misti would not off Hannah. Not because Adam wouldn’t allow it; Misti wouldn’t touch the girl because Edward forbade it. Quite specifically.
She confessed, “No, the slut is safe around me. Good thing Edward is here to protect her though. I don’t like making promises to you that I know I can’t keep. Without Edward, I fear what I might do to her in a fit of rage.”
“Seriously?”
“Just sayin’ it could happen. You’d be mad?”
“Probably. But then a little make up sex and then it’s … Hannah who?”
“Really?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Case closed. No offing of ex-girlfriends. And I will restrain myself similarly with your exes. Deal?”
“I don’t have any exes.”
“Nonsense. You didn’t learn all your bedroom gymnastics from Sex Ed in high school.”
“Of course not. I legitimately fucked my way to becoming the goddess I am today. But no boyfriends or girlfriends. There are only four people in the universe that I’ve ever said ‘I love you’ to. Mama, Papa, Edward and you. You’re the only man I have ever loved, you know, in that way. Knew it when I was eight and saw no need after that to ever say what I knew I didn’t mean afterwards. Not for sex, anyway. My God, all you have to do with men is ask. Not that complicated.”
“So, I’m the only one?”
“The only one. One and only. So now do you understand why I should off little Miss H?”
“No, I most certainly do not. No hurting Hannah and that’s final. Move on please!”
“OK, OK, settle down. Don’t get all … that way.”
“You were saying?”
***
“So, your Dad decided that only family could know, but he also needed skills. He obviously knows yours and those of the usual suspects, along with Hannah and me. Hannah has all the Anthro covered, plus Edward claims she’s got organizational and leadership skills – nowhere near as good as mine, he said, but good enough.” Misti paused for effect.
Adam said, “Quit being a brat and tell the story, goddess. I get it. I’m not that thick.”
“Just checkin’.” She then continued. “He seems to think she can be guided and needs some support, unlike me, but his assignment for her is quite, well, huge.”
This was news to Adam. “Huge? What does that mean?” Adam was now sitting up and paying attention in a new way. “What kind of ‘huge’ are we talking about, exactly?”
“Oh, so now you get interested? No sex for an hour!”
“No, I mean it. What exactly is Dad having Hannah do?”
“I don’t know everything, you know your Dad, but she’s doing field work. I’m helping but it’s not my main job. I’m strictly a lab rat for now.”
“What kind of field work?”
“Ask your Dad. He hasn’t shared those details with me yet. All I know is she was in Portland working with Bitsie and Tony, hooked up with some other slut and then left for London. Where she presently resides and apparently enjoys bangin’ her new honey. That’s what I know. For more details on this exciting episode … tune in tomorrow to ‘Edward TV’, channel 420.”
“OK, then. Let’s see what other fun stuff I can learn today on Misti TV.”
“So, as I said, Hannah does Anthro. Edward has me doin’ … translations and such.”
“Bullshit.”
“What?”
“Bullshit. Edward would never waste you or your time on ‘translations’. You are family and he doesn’t waste family on shit any UN translator can do. So, what does he really have you doing?”
“Seriously, translations. I am looking at all the languages employed in the Library and looking for clues to actually do a translation”
“And, what else?”
“And ciphers. He has me learning code, encryption and ciphers. Or rather relearning them.”
“Meaning?”
“Edward had me learning all the basics years ago. One of my summers in Europe.”
“And what did you learn?”
“That the Brits are fucking sneaky and very polite.”
“And, to repeat, what else?”
“I learned the history, use and development and modes of code making, encryption and communication. Also, code breaking, decryption and communication countermeasures. The history part wa
s interesting, going back to some pretty cagy shit by the Romans, who were more than badass engineers. But I digress.”
“What has this to do with your work for Dad?”
“I assist Hannah in preparing tasks for her upcoming field work. I analyze translations from the Library and some of the initial decrypted data from New Jersey and send it on to her. Then Hannah determines if it means anything. If she thinks it does, then she discusses it with Edward. Then they set and prioritize tasks.”
“It would be faster if I did some of it. Quicker more accurate results and better data capture.”
“Yes, it would, mister. And we’re using EncryptoWorld 1.0 for data transmission.”
“I could devise some processes to speed up your work, at least I think I could.”
“This whole project could use you and your talents. You should think about that. And stop being mad at your father for things you don’t fully understand.”
“Maybe you should’ve married him.”
“No, I should’ve married his son, which I did. Now who’s being a baby?”
“Continue on. We can discuss my potential assistance later.”
“So, you’ll help?”
“Let’s see what else Rod and Cindy filched from good old Paulo Fortizi, aka Sal. Rod and Cindy say they think they have the Rosetta Stone. If they do, we’ll know something soon enough. Then I either will, or I won’t. You may not need my help, after all. Deal?”
“Talk to your Daddy. He’ll be happy and give me all the credit for managing you so well.”
“Is that why you married me?”
“Naw. That was just for the sex.”
Chapter 10
Misti continued on, moving into her past and how that all connected to her present, and future. She had not shared “the Promise” Edward had made throughout her young life with Adam and contemplated withholding that nugget. Then she considered the pain and anger Adam might feel on discovery and decided to get it all out in one big Ted Talks. There was nothing really to set Adam off but considering how events unfolded, she suspected Adam would see sinister plots and conspiracy theories everywhere.
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