“It’s lovely to meet you, Claire. I’m Joe Merino,” he said, thinking that her slightly husky voice was sultry. She was certainly attractive. Her long auburn locks fell perfectly to the middle of her back. She was a woman of understatement and class, which the Underground had taught him to hone in on.
“Would you like to get out of here? I’d be happy to buy you a drink that has more of a kick than the watered-down, over-priced beverages they serve here,” she said staring him squarely in the eyes.
“Yes, I’d love to, Claire,” he heard himself say with a politeness that seemed straight out of the Underground classroom.
Nathaniel was quite surprised by her forwardness, but maybe this was how the POAs worked. He wasn’t sure she was the best one for him, but turning her down would seem rude, and he could suffer repercussions.
Nathaniel checked out of the party without incident and slid comfortably into the passenger seat of her BMW 7-Series, as though he had sat in one every day of his life.
“I thought we were going to get a drink somewhere?” he said when she pulled into a parking spot of the Plaza Marquis, an apartment complex synonymous with wealth. He read about it in the literature Crosby gave him before he left the Underground. This was certainly a good sign, but he still felt funny that she had been so quick to invite him out and then she was taking him to a residence rather than a bar. He was starting to have a hunch for what she had in mind.
“We are getting a drink here at my apartment. That okay?” she asked casually as she led him to the front of the building.
“Of course,” he said. Her unit was beautiful with perfect city views through the large bay windows. He had never been in such an apartment. The clear glass motif offered a modern, minimalist look with glass statues delicately balanced on end tables and bookshelves. He felt like a child in a boutique where it was important not to touch anything for fear of breaking something he couldn’t afford to buy.
“Have a seat,” she said, motioning for him to sit on the couch, before she disappeared.
She returned with a bottle of wine and two long-stemmed glasses. They sparkled as she filled each one with a deep red wine.
“Cheers,” she said, handing Nathaniel a glass and they toasted, their glasses lightly touching which set off a perfect pitch beautifully reverberating from the delicate crystal.
“Thank you,” he said taking a sip. She smiled broadly as she inched a little closer to him on the snow-white leather couch. He worried about spilling, but he felt good. It had been a long time since he sat in anyone’s living room to relax.
“What do you do?” he asked lightly.
“I am a senior VP over at Crown Center. I work hard, and when I’m not working hard, I like to pamper myself with fine wine and good company. Just as you see.” Her compliment embarrassed him. She was clearly interested in him sexually, but beyond that he didn’t know. Was she even open to marriage? He tried to put aside his own personal desires, remembering that finding a mate was paramount. Anyone better than Janice was a step up, but obviously he wanted someone with a big income and influence for the benefit of the Underground.
“I certainly like walks on the beach, although there aren’t any near here, and I do enjoy an occasional rock concert too. Do you have any more questions?” she asked before draining her glass.
“Well, I do have one more question, actually,” Nathaniel said, taking a draw on his wine glass.
“Ask me,” she said before topping off his wine glass and filling her own.
“What are you looking for at the POAs?” he asked, looking her straight in the eyes. The question was loaded, and his gaze of intrusion indicated he wanted to know and understand exactly what he was getting into.
“Well, Joe, you’re quite a fellow, aren’t you?” she said laughing.
He was immediately uncomfortable, afraid that he might scare her off.
“I’m sorry if I seem too forward,” he said apologetically. “I hope I didn’t offend you. It’s just that I’m looking for something long term and I hope we’re on the same wavelength.”
“I appreciate your honesty.”
Nathaniel wondered whether this was true. He became unsure of how reliable his instincts were. This felt like a game, and she had more experience at it.
“This evening, I went to the POA looking for something, and I found you,” she said. “I found Joe Merino, a lovely gentlemen who is handsome and witty and kind. She moved closer to him on the couch, until she forced her eyes onto his and she whispered.
“That’s enough talking for this evening, don’t you think?”
Before he knew what to do, she kissed him. He wasn’t surprised, and he wasn’t unhappy, but he wasn’t thrilled either. For the moment, he decided to let his feelings slide by. His body wanted her.
Her kiss continued as she climbed on top of him. Nathaniel could tell that Claire was used to being in charge, and she certainly was this evening. She pulled up her dress so she could straddle him and lunge her hips into his, a preview of what she would do once they undressed. She wore thigh high stockings that brought Nathaniel’s excitement up a level as his thoughts moved back and forth between Shayla and Claire. Claire pawed him aggressively, stopping slowly over his hardness to feel its shape beneath his clothes.
It felt good to be taken. Yes, he needed to find a wife, but right now he wanted nothing more than to plunge into Claire with all his might, and he could tell that’s how she would like it.
“That feels so good,” he said when she moved her hand on him in a rhythm that made him want to let go. Tonight, he was hers. He closed his eyes and kissed her, pretending she was Shayla, and before long he came with a powerful thrust that made her cry out.
“I came too soon. I’m sorry,” he said.
“Enough talking, remember?” she asked rhetorically as she led him to her bedroom revealing a king-sized poster bed.
“Lie down on the bed, on your back,” she commanded.
Nathaniel was a little nervous, but did as he was told.
“Have you ever been tied up, Joe?” she asked playfully.
“Once,” he said, preferring not to lie. It had been one of the Underground tests, by a large sadistic woman. He didn’t love it, but he wasn’t going to say that now.
“After tonight, it’ll be twice,” she said with a devilish grin. “I promise not to hurt you… too much,” she said as she pulled some cotton scarves from a drawer.
“I’m game,” he said, trying to act casual but when she tied his wrists up with her belt, but he wasn’t at ease. She left his ankles free and slowly took off her dress, her underwear, and lastly she slowly removed her bra. Her breasts were pert, and she ran her fingers over the nipples, teasing him. She now wore only her garter and stockings. He had to admit she looked sexy, and he felt the blood rush to his groin.
“Somebody’s excited,” she said before pulling herself onto him with a force that rivaled the Underground’s roughest Sexpert. He closed his eyes and thought of Shayla and his excitement grew. He couldn’t help but enjoy Claire as she moved herself up and down quickening her pace. He soon heard her voice of pleasure, but it wasn’t the voice he wanted to hear. He opened his eyes and couldn’t deny that Claire was attractive, but that’s not who he wished to see looking down to him. Still, Claire was kind enough to wait for Nathaniel’s pulsation, a well-needed release. After that, she collapsed before rolling over on her back.
“Oooh, you’re good Joe! That was just what I needed,” she said, laughing.
Nathaniel caught his breath and he hoped she would untie him, but she got up and left the room, returning with a pint of ice cream and a spoon. The devilish look in her eye had been tamed, and her focus was on the ice cream.
“Want some?” she said, playfully licking the chocolate-flecked vanilla ice cream.
“Of course!” he said. She slowly fed him, purposefully dribbling some on his chin. He struggled to lick it. Before he could reach it, she pulled it back and put a big hunk
of it on his belly and then proceeded to lick it ever so sensually. Finally, she untied him and wordlessly handed him the ice cream container before she settled alongside him.
After that, she rolled onto her side, moving close to him as she rubbed tufts of his chest hair between her fingers. He thought of getting up, but soon drifted to sleep. Between the wine, the sex, and the ice cream, he was spent.
His sleep brought Shayla to his dream. She was topless, but wore stockings identical to those Claire had.
“Nathaniel, why are you playing these games?” Shayla asked. She ate from a pint-sized container of ice cream. “What are you doing with that woman? Can’t you tell she only wants your sex? I want all of you! I love you Nathaniel. I love you. I love you. IloveyouIloveyou…”
Nathaniel woke up next to Claire who was fast asleep. He wondered if Shayla was also sleeping next to a lover who had satisfied her in a way that made Nathaniel nothing more than a distant memory.
“I’ll call you,” Claire said, the next morning. He didn’t know whether she would or not. He hoped she would, if for no other reason than there was no other living soul who knew his alias: Joe Merino.
Chapter 23
“I doubt that Grounders were involved in that last protest,” Simon said, as though Gerald was some overprotective parent.
“Why are you so sure?” Gerald said, his voice icy.
“The Webavision photos.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Gerald said, with a biting laugh. “The Webavision photos are your intelligence data? That reflects a fraction of what’s out there,” he said, unable to filter anger from his voice. He wanted to tell Simon to get his shit together.
“Okay, Mr. Palace, tell me what you know,” Simon said.
“There were three hundred protesters. I can’t get my hands on the names, but they are supposedly all in custody, spread around dungeons of area jailhouses in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. From what I can glean, the Queen is trying to figure out what to do with them. Any idea how many Grounders are late checking in?”
“We don’t have regular check-ins with everyone anymore. It’s too risky,” Simon said.
“If they are in custody, they will be forced to talk,” Gerald stressed as best he could. Simon didn’t immediately respond. Clearly, he didn’t know what to say. Finally, Gerald thought. He’s listening.
“Is there anything you can do?” Simon asked, sounding slightly humbled after a pause.
“I doubt it. The Queen is scared,” Gerald said calmly, even though he was angry. Gerald couldn’t help but wonder when they stopped having regular check-ins and who made that decision.
“That’s good. She should be scared because we are going to take over,” Simon said with excitement.
Gerald realized just how clueless this guy was. How he had risen in ranks was a mystery. In the olden days… he started to think, but stopped himself. It was a waste to think like that.
“Don’t delude yourself. When she’s scared, she tightens the noose. You think the laws are tough now? Just wait and see.”
——–
“Something smells delicious,” Shayla said, as soon as she stepped into the apartment.
“Your mother mentioned that tuna steaks were your favorite, but you are probably smelling the fresh bread.”
“I’m impressed,” she said, feeling annoyed at her mother for butting in. Did she really have to tell this guy her favorite food? Already?
“Let’s just say I’m very comfortable in the kitchen,” he said, sounding both modest and confident.
“Glass of wine?” he asked.
“Please,” she said, following him into the kitchen as piped classical music paved the way.
“Nice place,” she said, looking around. The kitchen wasn’t large, but nicely decorated and organized. The living room was homey, tastefully furnished with original paintings that complemented the formal couches and inlaid wood coffee table.
“It came from Singapore,” he said, watching her study the table. “As did the dining room table,” he said, motioning toward the beautifully set table, cloth napkins and all.
“My phone.” she said, pointing to the ringing from her purse. “Work has been crazy.”
“By all means, take your time.”
Shayla stepped away from the kitchen and opened her phone.
“Hello?” The phone clicked dead. That had been happening with some frequency, and it was annoying. She looked at the number, but like all the other calls, it appeared as some sort of weird scrambled phone number. Somebody was blocking the real number. Could it be Janice? It could be, but that didn’t make sense. Would she even know how to block a call? Plus, the few times she called before, she was drunk and rambled, and the last time she called was months earlier.
Maybe these calls had something to do with Nathaniel’s disappearance. She swore she wouldn’t think about the possibility of him returning anymore. She turned off her phone, thinking it might be time to enlist the help of her mother’s head of security to get to the bottom of these crank calls.
“Sorry about that,” she said, turning around to see Michael setting down two exquisite plates of food that were as beautiful as any gourmet dinner she had ever seen in the Palace. “Wow!”
“I hope you’ll say that after you taste it. Why don’t you have a seat?”
Chapter 24
“I’ve only got a few minutes,” Garrett said, after a sweaty handshake. They were at a café down the street from Nathaniel’s first assignment.
“I got you an easy job to start. It’s at a bank. Think of this as a favor that I might need returned someday,” Garrett said, looking at Nathaniel with a distrustful eye. Nathaniel hated the idea of being beholden to anyone, but he knew he’d better get used to it.
“I really appreciate it,” Nathaniel said, forcing himself to sound friendly, but he didn’t like this guy.
“Any questions?” Garrett asked.
“This kind of work is new for me. Any tips about working at a bank?”
“It’s not rocket science. Be extremely attentive, especially to the ladies. That’s about it. I’ve got my own shit to deal with. My two year old has a cold, and I’ve got to work today and then take him to the doctor and get home and clean the house and put a decent dinner on the table. Otherwise there will be hell to pay. If you really need to contact me, here’s my number,” he said, jotting it down on a napkin. With that kind of endorsement, Nathaniel thought he would almost rather call the Tasers for help. Garrett nodded, got up and left.
“Thanks again,” Nathaniel said, calling after him. This job would be sink or swim.
He watched Garrett’s chubby body scurry toward the café’s exit and was glad to see him go. He was unkempt; his jacket slightly wrinkled, his pants a little snug. Nathaniel figured they probably fit when he bought them. Despite his looks, Nathaniel knew Garrett was a success as far as the Underground was concerned. He had a job that helped their cause, tithed his salary, and was married.
Nathaniel finished his coffee and walked out the door, nearly bumping into a group of Tasers. Whenever Tasers were in the area, he felt more nervous than he had before he was in the Underground. He breathed deeply and continued down the street. Looking straight ahead, he did his best to shoo away the paranoia that crept into his thoughts.
The bank entrance was a few blocks away. As soon as he stepped inside, he felt immediate relief from the threat of Tasers. The environment felt very professional with a lot of women but many men, too. Just being in the building was pleasant. The high ceilings and pristinely clean bay windows lifted his mood. After months spent with the Underground, he had a job that allowed him to look outside whenever he wanted. He would never again take the sunlight for granted.
“Stand here and when anyone comes in, direct them to the right area of the bank to speak with the appropriate person. Here’s the chart, okay?” said Eve, who was assigned to manage him.
“Anything else I need to do?” he asked, wanting badly t
o do a good job.
“If there is, I’ll let you know, alright?” she said, smiling. His eyes drifted to her ring finger and he was sorry to see she already wore a wedding ring.
——–
“We’re moving you out of this position,” Eve said two days later.
“Did I do something wrong?” Nathaniel asked.
Eve smiled. “Just the opposite. People keep talking about how much they like you as the first face they see. The Bank President’s administrative assistant is ill, so they need someone good, pronto. You’re movin’ up, Joe!”
As Nathaniel rode the elevator to his new job, he thought of all the hard labor he had done at the Cambridge Public Works. He had used jackhammers, fixed broken water mains, and responded to emergencies of all kinds for years. Much of his time was spent underground in the sewers. Now, he was on his way to a skyscraper penthouse office where he would report to a bank president, answer phones, serve lunches, coffee, and run errands. He would be trusted by women in ways that he had never experienced. He had become a white-collar worker, the very kind he and Brigg used to look down on.
And he liked it.
——–
While his work life was progressing, dating was laborious. He religiously attended the Parties of Availability. He often got dates, and even found himself in fancy houses of wealthy women. Still, he couldn’t stop wishing for Shayla. He remembered making love in her dingy office. That’s all he wanted, even with the annoyances of that tiny room – like the annoying sound of that hissing radiator.
He tried not to think about her, but did look her up on the Internet when he first got out of the Underground. He found a single news report dated just weeks after he went to the Underground. “Shayla Smith, daughter of the Queen has left the Cambridge Public Works to pursue interests in the private sector.” He read the short article a few times, but it rang false. She was passionate about being a public servant. Why did she leave?
He sighed as he remembered their time together, but living in the past and wondering what the hell she was doing was futile. He needed to lure a wife, preferably someone high-powered and financially successful who would make the Underground happy. He braced himself to enter his umpteenth POA. He had been attending a few a week, for months. He pulled his identification card out of his wallet and went through the registration line before heading to the bartender.
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