This is a work of fiction based on the characters established and defined in the movie Proof of Life.  It is strictly for entertainment purposes. Please do not copy, publish or alter this work in any way without the written permission of the author.  As it takes place in a fictional Latin country, all dialogue will be in English with references to when they are actually speaking Spanish.  All computer expertise is TOTALLY the imagination of the author.  

Jungle Dance - Part One

By: Songbyrd

©06/2003

Prologue – Jungle Villages, Tecala, Mid August

“Are you sure you’re ready to leave?  Classes don’t start for another six weeks. You could stay a little longer.”  Emily pleaded with her baby sister.

“I know, but I need some down time to get things in order at home and I really need to be there two weeks prior to the start-up of classes.  Otherwise, it’s total chaos in the department, and you know how I am about chaos in my department.”  Victoria said with a smile,  she knew how much her sister missed her right after she left from one of her visits, it was the same every time.

“But I miss you already.”  Emily’s eyes pooled with tears as she stood grasping her sister’s hands, not willing to let her go.

“Oh, me too; I wish I could stay with you.  But Em, this is your calling, not mine.” Victoria longed for her sister to come home and stay close and safe.  “I worry about you among all of these drug dealers and illiterate cutthroats.”

“There are a lot of good people here too and they wouldn’t be illiterate for long with the world’s best English Teacher in their midst,” Emily coaxed.  Victoria laughed.  Then she hugged her sister tight. 

 “Sorry Em, this isn’t my area of expertise, nor do I want it to be. I told you when you decided to move down here that I’ll visit, but that’s all.” She looked over her shoulder to see the small plane boarding. “I need to go; I don’t think they’ll wait for me.”   She pulled reluctantly from her sister’s warm embrace, wanting to go, but not wanting to leave her behind.

She walked away with a sinking feeling. She had a funny feeling she’d never felt before. She turned and looked back before she boarded the small plane to see her sister standing there, her pale skin looking so out of place among the dark faced natives. She waved good-bye.

“Senorita, please, we need to leave.” The young man spoke softly from inside the plane reminding her that they would not wait.  Victoria nodded, and moved to the back of the plane.  It was a small plane with no such thing as seat assignments; besides it was a short hop.  She stored her backpack under the seat and fastened her seatbelt.  She preferred the back; the plane only seated a dozen or so- a few behind her and an older couple in the very front.  She was by the window with no one next to her; she looked out to see her sister still standing there, looking to catch a final glimpse.  They made eye contact and waved.  A sense of dark foreboding she couldn’t shake overtook her. Her heart started to race.  SHIT! What was going on?  She had always been a good flier! It was one of the reasons she liked to travel.  She took a deep breath to try to calm herself. She saw the plane lift off the ground and her sister fade from view.  A tear snuck out and trickled down her cheek, all alone. She brushed it away.

The tiny plane moved with grace down the small airstrip.  No bumps or grinding.  Victoria leaned her head back and felt her heart start to relax.  Where had that feeling come from? She slipped into a light doze. They were soaring above the beautiful lush jungles when out of nowhere there was a loud pop.   Victoria snapped awake and glanced at her watch; they’d been in the air about 45 minutes when she felt the plane dip. She quickly looked around; the others were doing the same. Then she saw the flames.  The engine was on fire!  The plane started to lose altitude; she could hear the whine of the engine losing its power. Victoria felt the lump in her throat tighten and her heart begin to pump wildly.  The young man managing the passengers was frantically trying to render assistance as he informed them that they were preparing to land. 

Victoria looked out the window.  LAND?  WHERE?  All she saw was jungle.  Trees and more trees. (Now she knew why she’d felt strange.  Her body knew she was going to die, her heart had tried to warn her.)  Fear the likes of which she had never known gripped her entire body.  She buried her face into her lap and grabbed her knees. OMIGOD!!! She thought of her family; Emily, Jessica, Steven, and Kevin.  Her mom and dad. HOLY FUCK!  She didn’t want to die in God forsaken Tecala of all places.  Then she heard the rendering of the plane as it broke through the trees and there was screaming.  So much screaming; was it her, or someone else?  She didn’t know.  She saw her house with its lovely white fence and daffodils in the spring.  She forgot to make her bed before she left.  The sheets were still in the dryer.  They were her favorites; white with eyelet lace trim. Who would take care of her cat? Regret filled her as she had never fallen in love nor had a child! Then Victoria’s world went black.

******************************************************************************************

Chapter 1 – Same Jungle, A small distance away

Terry felt the leaves brush against his face, the moisture from the humidity leaving a damp trail on his cheek and neck.  His footsteps crushed twigs and such on the jungle floor.  His M-16 was starting to get slippery from the wet leaves as well.  He could hear Dino about ten meters behind him.  It was routine, they were always cautious in Tecala.  They could never let anyone know they were here given what happened with the Bowman case. 

So the path back to their small headquarters was always one of stealth and caution.  Dino stayed at the hangar and kept track of things there while Terry stayed at the small stilted hacienda placed on the side of a hill, hidden in the trees.  They used it for all of their computer transmissions to the main office in New York.  They kept track of e-mail etc from the house, all with hijacked phone lines and bootlegged electricity, and a multitude of batteries and generators.  Unless you were really looking for it, you wouldn’t see it.  That’s the way they wanted it.  Dino had managed to set things up so they could readily tap into the military command center or any of the other government agencies in Tecala.  They were all relatively crooked anyway. 

Terry remembered the fuss when Peter Bowman had been held and OCTONAL took over the construction of the pipeline.  The ELT had managed to get a shit load of money from somewhere and laid a major offensive against the construction of the pipeline, and OCTONAL had pulled out after less than a year because it was too fucking dangerous.  A day didn’t go by that someone wasn’t killed or kidnapped. So the United States’ attempt to bring oil as a major economic development to Tecala was at a standstill for the moment. The drug trade was thriving. The K&R business was booming down here as well.  Just about all the agencies were busy here.  Luthan Risk had at least two negotiations; Inherent Risk had at least two or three as well. Those were the ones they knew of. Dino and Terry had one each.  ELT’s negotiators were working overtime. But it was soon going to backfire on them because all of the people worth kidnapping would soon be gone and Tecala was going to fall, and fall big.  Dino and Terry were going to see to it.

Terry and Dino’s company, Intervention Consultants, Inc was doing well, but their desire for ‘no more fucking front lines’ had not quite materialized as yet. So here they were, back in the black jungles of Tecala. 

“So mate, did you manage to pack anything to eat that doesn’t mold in this humidity?” Terry asked as they stopped, leaning against a large tree and lighting a cigarette.  He kept them in a plastic bag to keep them dry. He inhaled, feeling the comfort of the smoke fill his lungs.  For some odd reason, he smoked more when he came to Tecala.  Didn’t really know why.  Maybe because he hated this fucking country, always had. He’d been here two months and it didn’t look like he would be leaving any time soon. Damn it, he missed Henry. They e-mailed regularly, but it wasn’t the same.

Dino handed Terry the standard Peanut Butter and Crackers, they ate and then lifted their M-16’s to continue their trip when they heard a horrendous explosion behind them, the splintering of wood and metal tearing. They scanned around in full combat stance.  About a kilometer away they saw the tail of a small twin engine plane make a flaming dive into the brush and trees. They could see the black smoke billow into the sky.

FUCK! Terry glanced over at Dino, and they exchanged a glance.  “What do you think mate? Drug or passenger?”

“I didn’t see an insignia of any kind.  But that doesn’t mean anything, it was just the tail.  We better check it out.”  They knew they had to be careful because they didn’t want to be seen by anyone who might be connected to the ELT.  It was so risky.  They didn’t want to be seen by anyone. But the humanity in them wouldn’t let them stay away if people were hurt. It was too ingrained, to help the helpless.

They moved quickly towards the source of the smoke.  Guns at the ready, they approached and saw the smoldering plane.  No flames. The wetness of the foliage seemed to extinguish the fire.  All that was left was acrid smoke ascending over the trees.  The pilots had managed to bring the plane all the way down into a small section of low- lying brush, avoiding the large mahogany trees.  Dino looked at Terry; the pilot was good.  Probably ex- military of some kind.  When they got closer to the wreckage, they heard moaning.  There were definitely people aboard and the windows told them this was a passenger plane, not cargo.

They flung the M-16’s over their shoulders and drew their handguns.  As they were able to survey the damage, the plane had ripped apart.  The cockpit was nose deep in the brush with the wings in a jumble of torn metal broken away from the main fuselage.  Upon inspection, both pilots were dead, as was the one attendant. They recognized him from the burgundy jacket still on his lifeless body.  The inside of the plane was intact; it was very close quarters.  An older couple in the front was dead.  Terry grimaced as he took their identification from them to notify the authorities when he was able to do so. Then on second thought, decided to leave it.  They could send an anonymous message with the location of the plane and keep their names out of it.

Dino found a man alive in the very back, but as he looked at Terry he just shook his head that he had died right then, Shit!  Terry was just about to reach Dino when he felt something grab his leg.  He looked down to see, holding tight on his boot, long manicured white fingers splattered in blood.

**************************

Victoria couldn’t move, she had something on her back; she was sprawled on the floor, her head pounding, her cheek flat on the cold vinyl of the floor.  She could see the small strip of emergency lighting right by her fingers.  She couldn’t hear anything but the crackling embers of the plane. She had no idea where it was in relation to her, but she was alive.  Her midsection hurt and she could feel something sticky dribbling down her leg; blood probably.  Then she heard voices, American voices, Thank God!  Were they friendly?  If not, then she was as good as dead.  But then she’d die anyway, she had nothing to lose.  She could barely move, her arm was still on the black vinyl floor.  All she could see was a foot, a black booted foot.  She reached with every piece of energy she could muster and grabbed with all her might.

She heard speaking, couldn’t identify the words but knew they’d noticed her. She felt warm fingers pressing against her neck, checking for her pulse.  Then she heard close to her, “Dino, she’s alive.  But I think she’s pinned under the seat.  Help me here, mate.”  She heard them moving and pulling on things, then the weight that was keeping her down was lifted.   She groaned. She heard the voice again, not American, not English but something else.  Irish maybe.

“Can you hear me luv?”  He was running his hands down her body, they were warm and gentle.  He squeezed her arm and she winced, she nodded, but didn’t say anything.  “I’m sorry if I hurt you, but I’ll have to pull you to get you out.” He explained.  Victoria could only groan.  She hurt all over.  “Dino, help me lift her out. Christ, it’s a miracle she’s alive at all.” 

Then she felt her body move, sliding across the damp floor onto something softer and full of warmth.  She opened her eyes, all she could see was dark green; she was in warm arms, holding her close.  She raised her head and gazed in dark green orbs, her eyes barely open.  But she managed to croak, “Thank you, oh God, thank you.” Then she relaxed her head onto the muscled chest and her world was again dark.

“Fuck, Terry, what in the fucking hell are we going to do with her?  We can’t take her all the way back to the city.  How would we explain her?  No one is supposed to know we’re here!” Terry stood, lifted her and noticed the leather bag that had been under her.  It had to be hers.  He nodded towards it with his head, and Dino grabbed it.

“Well we sure as fuck can’t leave her here. She’ll die and you fuck well know it.  So we take her back to the house and see if we can help her.  Then we’ll figure something out. To be honest, I hope she lives, because I wouldn’t know what the fuck to do with her if she dies.” Terry’s words made sense; they really didn’t have a choice. Neither of them would leave her there to die at the hands of the scavengers and elements. He positioned her in his arms; she just surrendered more into the hardened warm shelter his arms provided.

Terry carried her easily the two miles or so back to the house, her golden hair dangled over his arm from beneath the baseball cap she wore. She didn’t stir but cuddled in closer to Terry’s chest for the duration. Dino was on point, fully armed with gun at the ready.  When they neared the house, Terry held back while Dino conducted full reconnaissance on the perimeter of the home.  They did the same upon entrance; taking nothing for granted.  Especially in the jungles of Tecala. When Dino was convinced everything was secure they moved with precision.  Terry moved quickly to the back of the house where the two bedrooms were.  He placed her in his bed because it was bigger and closer to the toilet. 

She rebelled against losing the warmth and Terry knew he was going to need to remove her clothing to assess her injuries.  It was going to be tricky, because she didn’t have a change unless there was something in the carry on.  He doubted it, because women rarely packed things they needed.

“Dino? Check her bag and see if she has a change of clothes in there,” he said.  Dino immediately opened the large leather back pack and was amazed at the volume of supplies inside, all in waterproof containers and clearly labeled.  Passport and pocketbook in one with currency for local and American; tickets and various government paperwork in another.  She had anything and everything neatly compartmentalized should she find herself in an emergency. He whistled,  “Holy Shit!" This is one fucking organized woman.” His voice filled with admiration.

In a side pocket they found a plastic bag with four pairs of underwear, if you could call them that.  Dino pulled a pair out and held them up, nothing more than two little lacey triangles with elastic on the sides.  Both of them raised their eyebrows.  Upon further inspection they found a spare bra, a light cotton shirt and drawstring pants along with various items she might need;  small containers of shampoo, soap, lotion and of course sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste and even a small container of cosmetics. It was clear this woman knew how to travel.  Terry then went over to her and started to unlace her shoes.

Her socks were practical, heavy cotton.  Her boots were low rise breathable canvas.  Her clothes were practical as well.  Light cotton cargo pants, with white shirt and another shirt as a light jacket.  As Terry slowly removed her socks he looked at her for the first time, she was very lovely.  Her face was relaxed and he could see the beginnings of a bruise above her left eye, but it just made her more appealing, vulnerable and feminine.  He removed the hat and pulled the band from her hair.  It was longer than he had earlier thought.  A beautiful golden brown, streaked from hours in the sun; kind of a mix of honey and ripened wheat. When he started to move her arms to remove the jacket she groaned.  He leaned over into her ear.

“This is going to hurt luv, but there’s no other way. I need to see you to assess your injuries.”  He spoke softly.

Victoria heard his gentle explanation, but she shook her head.  She pulled on his sleeve to bring his ear close to her mouth, “Cut it off, I don’t give a fuck.” Then she closed her eyes.

Terry had to smile. “Okay luv, I’ll cut it off.”  With that, he took out his knife and cut the garment from her crash ravaged body.  Upon inspection after removal, he found she just wore a heavy white tank shirt, it was spotted with blood.  He could easily see her arms, which were bruised, scraped and spattered in semi-dried blood.  He could also see different stages of tan lines all across the top of her chest.  Again he smiled, no vanity here. He moved his hands, gently squeezing her arms looking for breaks.  She winced some but not enough to indicate a break. She seemed just badly battered.  He raised the lower half of her shirt to look at her abdomen.  It was tanned brown and he could see a large red welt across her lower abdomen.  The seat belt.  SHIT!  She could be bleeding internally.  There was nothing he could do but wait and see if her condition worsened or improved.  He didn’t have anything to give her for the pain other than ibuprofen and booze.

He took the knife to her pants, cut them up the sides and pulled them off.  Terry couldn’t believe his eyes, God -what beautiful legs. Perfectly shaped calves over two gorgeous knees with a light brown tan. He saw a bruise on the right knee with a small gash, there was blood down the side of the leg.  Thighs that were made to surround a man’s waist with; well, he wouldn’t think about what she looked like with just that pale pink scrap of lace she called panties.

Dino came into the room as he finished removing the trousers. He whistled,  “Holy Fuck Terry, when was the last time you got a gander at a pair of legs like that?”

“Shut the fuck up, she’s awake.  She can hear you.  What did you find in her bag?” Terry tried to divert his attention somewhere else, even though he agreed with Dino.  This was going to be difficult, an incredibly beautiful woman, injured with no way to get her out, yet. Terry felt the perspiration start to bead up on his forehead and upper lip.

“Only everything, according to her passport, she’s Victoria Elizabeth Montgomery. Born October 24, 1969 in Stanfield, Washington where she currently resides. Currently employed by Stanfield University.  She entered Tecala this trip on June 14 of this year.  Her airline ticket has her on a flight back to the states the day after tomorrow.  Which it’s obvious she isn’t going to make.” Dino explained.

“What do you mean? This trip?” Terry asked.  Dino followed him into the toilet as he retrieved a wet wash cloth and bowl to clean away the blood.

Dino leaned against the door and explained, “Christ Terry, her passport reads like a K&R travel guide.  She has been in Tecala every summer for the past three years.  Before that, Romania, Russia, Italy, Turkey, and here...” He pointed to the dates. “She spent two months in fucking Chechnya.” 

Terry sat down on the bed and cleaned her up the best he could. He washed away the blood with warm water.  She only stirred when he cleaned and bandaged the cut on her knee.  He used a butterfly and then wrapped it in gauze to keep it clean.  Then he covered her with a light blanket and let her rest. He watched her for just a moment as she snuggled into the covering and was in a deep sleep. Then he looked at Dino.

They looked at each other. Questions on both their faces. What did it mean?  Who was she?  What was she doing down here?  Well, until they could find out, they needed to shelter her away from what they were doing. That wasn’t going to be easy. SHIT!! Just what they needed, an unknown person with unknown connections to unknown parties.  Because if word got out what they were really doing down here, the shit would really hit the fan and both Terry and Dino’s lives wouldn’t be worth shit.

*****************************

Victoria slept for two days.  Terry watched her like a hawk, the first night he slept in a chair next to the bed so he could  wake her every hour just to give her liquids.  He was sure she had a concussion and wanted to be certain that she could get through it.  Any other motives he wouldn't dare think about.  The fact that she was incredibly beautiful to any man's eye was irrelevant.  The way she would move in her sleep, the innocent seduction of her body on his eyes without her knowledge was enough to keep Terry in the room, not to mention hard as a rock. 

He would leave for a few minutes to take a cold shower, come back and find that she’d have kicked off the light covering and would be in just that white tank shirt and miniscule bikini panties.  The tank shirt would pull down to the point where her breasts were almost completely exposed.  He could see the tan lines from various clothing items. He could only wonder if her tips were tanned or rosy pink. He licked his lips wondering how they would taste.  Sweet as honey, probably. SHIT! What was the matter with him? He was spinning fantasy about a woman injured and totally dependent on him.  He’d been down here in the jungles with no one but Dino for company for far too long.

Terry was lying in the extra bed, it was about four a.m. and all he could think about was Victoria. Such an old fashioned name.  An English name.  Was she really American?  She was traveling under an American passport.  Did she just have an English background?  Her passport had been everywhere; what was she doing in those places?  Hardly places for a tourist. And the way she packed; she was a seasoned traveler,  that’s for sure.  He knew there was a logical explanation, the alternative was just too ludicrous to contemplate.

He closed his eyes and wondered what color her eyes were.  He had never seen them completely open.  He imagined they were blue, probably a light clear blue, given the golden color of her hair.  He was smiling to himself in the fantasy when he heard a soft thud come from Victoria’s room.  He leapt out of bed not thinking about his own state of undress in his rush to get to her.  He found her on the floor. He rushed to her side. He saw she was awake and wincing as she was holding her bandaged knee.

“FUCK!”  Her eyes were squeezed tight.  He could tell she was in pain.

“Don’t move, I’ll help you.” His voice was soft, so he didn’t startle her. “What happened?”

“I lost my balance; tripped over the edge of that damned rug and banged my knee on the chair. SHIT! It hurts.” She squeezed her eyes closed tightly in an effort to circumvent the pain.

“Let me take a look.” He flipped the switch on the bedside lamp, illuminating the room in a soft glow.  Then he bent down to the floor, not realizing when he did so the soft cotton of his jockey shorts pulled taught against his groin leaving nothing to the imagination about his physical assets.

For the first time Victoria got a real look at her savior.  Her head was still a bit fuzzy, but a woman would have to be blind not to see that this was a man of all men.  Broad shoulders, slight furring of the chest, wonderful strong biceps.  Tight abdomen and thick thighs.  His hair was brown with a touch of red and just unruly enough that you wanted to run your hands through it.  She recognized the accent- Australian.  She loved accents. This one was no exception; deep resonant with a lilt that sent a shiver down her spine to parts that hadn’t had a shiver in a very long time. 

“It’s bleeding again,” she stated with a grimace. Christ it hurt. She saw the bright red starting to soak the gauze.

“I agree.  Let’s get you over to the bed so you can be more comfortable and we’ll fix you up straight away.” Without another word he simply picked her up and carried her to the bed.  Victoria could feel the hair from his chest tickle her bare arm.  It was a heady sensation.  She was sorry it was such a short distance to the bed. The fuzz cleared so she looked him right in the eye; what an incredible shade of blue- or was it green?  They were framed by dark lashes.  SHIT!! Her mind was going places it hadn’t been in a very long time. 

Terry placed her carefully on the light cover while trying not to think about the lovely picture she painted in her very skimpy state of undress.  Then he looked down and noticed his rock hard cock peaking out of his jockeys. FUCK!!!  He lowered his head without looking at her and said, “I’ll be right back, luv.” Then he rushed into his own room.  He closed the door and took a deep breath trying to quell the racing of his heart.  What was he going to do with her?  He couldn’t keep her here.  If he wasn’t careful he would end up in bed with her. At that fleeting thought, his cock reacted in the age old way. He sighed.  He got a look at her eyes- lavender- an unusual lavender with silver flecks. They were just as beautiful as the rest of her.  SHIT!! He had really done it now.

But she needed him, he had to get a grip on his urges and see to her injury.  He quickly donned jeans, a polo shirt, took a deep breath and went back to see how she was doing.  She was leaning against the pillows exactly the way he’d left her, one leg slightly bent to keep from making it bleed any more.

When he entered she opened her eyes, “It isn’t too bad.  I think another butterfly will suffice,” she stated as she was examining it herself.  She seemed very awake.

Terry sat down on the edge of the bed, slowly removed the bandage to look at it as well.  “It’s not that deep.”  He replaced the bandage and then sat back in a nearby chair to talk to her.  His curiosity was working overtime.  “I’m Terry Thorne.” He smiled.

“Victoria Montgomery.” Then she seemed to pause; she closed her eyes and went on, “I don’t know how to thank you.  I would’ve died if it hadn’t been for you and your partner.  Thank you just isn’t adequate. But I thank you just the same,” she stated bluntly, and meant every word. Her eyes were direct just like her words.

“You’re welcome. Can you talk about what happened with the plane?” He asked softly. He sat back  and gazed at her features.  She’d pulled the blanket up over her body and his seemed to calm down a bit.

“I’d only boarded  the plane about forty-five minutes earlier and I was dozing when I heard this pop and the next thing I know the plane is careening into the jungle with flames flowing out of one of the engines.  SHIT!  It was the scariest thing I’d ever experienced. I’d been visiting my sister in Collahara.  She’s a nurse and has been living there for the past three years, much to our parents’ dismay.  Before that, it was Chechnya.  Christ, she picks the most God awful spots to be a guardian angel.  I asked her once, why couldn’t she be a nurse in places like Tahiti or Rome, or how about Cancun?”  Victoria joked, not realizing the relief coursing through Terry at her open explanation. 

Terry laughed, “Those aren’t the places that need help.”

“Isn’t it the truth.  When she graduated from nursing school ten years ago she was adamant that she make a real difference in some tangible way.  She joined the United Medical Service and does her thing here, there and everywhere.  I visit her every summer. However I took one summer off and went to Italy and Turkey. I love to travel. But this is the end of it.  The year I went to Chechnya I had an appendicitis attack, and spent a week in a hospital there.” She saw him grimace at the mention of the word hospital.

“Ah, I see you’ve been there.  A picnic it wasn’t.  Luckily my sis is a nurse so she was able to take care of me.  Otherwise I think I would’ve left in worse shape than when I arrived.” Then she was looking around. “Uh, I don’t mean to be picky but do you mind if I have a shower?  I feel dirty and would love one.  Also, I could use a change of clothes of some kind. Absolutely anything will do.” 

Terry nodded, rose and went into the other room to fetch her bag, they’d replaced everything just as it had been, or so he hoped. When he walked back in to give it to her, she was asleep.  She was in a completely relaxed position of repose.  On her side, her hands curled under her head with her knees bent. He set the bag down on the floor as he saw her shiver.  He covered her with another blanket and went back to bed.  But it would be long time before he too would find sleep.

**********************************

 Victoria woke to the sound of voices.  They were speaking Spanish.  She just translated in her head as they spoke, their voices carried down the hall; her door had been left open. She just lay there, not moving.  

“Terry, are you sure she’s telling the truth?  Her passport could mean anything.  It could be innocent like she said or could be something else all together.  How do you know for sure?”

Victoria had only been listening with half an ear until they started talking about her.  Then she perked up, she wasn’t prepared for what they said.   Who did they think she was? A drug dealer? They had her passport?

“Christ Dino, you see conspiracies everywhere.  No, I’m not sure.  We only spoke for a few minutes.  She was pretty natural about it. Only time will tell. If we don’t tell her anything then there’s no problem.”

Tell her? Tell her what? Victoria’s mind was racing at a hundred miles an hour.

“Keep her away from the radio and the computer. Don’t give her a chance to contact anyone.  If our location is breached then we are both fucked and you know it.” Dino’s voice was strong. 

They had a radio and computer? Where?

“You’re right, we don’t trust her with anything.  I’ll keep the telephone hidden and everything will be fine. We have to get her out of here as soon as possible.  But getting her back to the city without anyone knowing we’re here will be tricky.  If she says anything to anybody, with the exception of Dover, then we can kiss our asses’ good bye,”  Terry concluded.

They had a telephone as well. Out here in this godforsaken place?

“Dover would shit bricks if he knew what we’re up to.  I know he wouldn’t tell anybody but I don’t trust anyone else in that fucking embassy.  Are we still on for tonight?”  Dino asked.

She didn’t hear a response.

“Alright then, 10:00.  I’ll be back uptown or do you want to meet me downtown?”

“I’ll meet you about 9:30 and we will gear up downtown,” was Terry’s response.

Downtown?  Uptown?  What the hell did that mean?  What exactly were these guys doing here anyway?  Who the hell was Dover?

Just then Victoria felt her stomach rumble and she stretched her body, only to be met with painful resistance.   Her knee was throbbing like a drum and her arms were so sore she couldn’t hardly lift them. She pulled the sheet away and caught a glance at her knee.  She spoke out loud, “Holy Fucking Shit!” It was swollen up to three times the size of the left.  The gauze had pulled away and she could see the swelling just above the cut, the butterfly bandage had come loose.  The skin was stretched tight. And it hurt like a son of a bitch.

Terry and Dino stopped talking as soon as they heard Victoria’s exclamation.  Dino bid Terry goodbye.  He really didn’t want her to see him; the less she knew about them the better. Terry rose from his chair to check it out. He stood in the doorway watching her.  She was on the bed with the covers pulled away, her legs bent.

“Good morning.” His voice soft.  “What’s the matter?” Then he got a glimpse of her knee. “Holy Shit!” He rushed to her.

“No kidding.  I think the bang against the chair did something besides hurt. I must have twisted it as well because it hurts like a son of a bitch.”  She was trying to hold back the tears because it really hurt.

Terry sat next to her on the bed and put his hand out to touch it, it was  hot. “Let me get some ice for a pack and see if that helps.  All I have is ibuprofen, do you want some?” He looked back at her as he walked back to the kitchen to fetch some ice.

“It’s better than nothing.”  She felt helpless and wasn’t sure it was a good idea to get too dependent on this man.  He was very sexy and seemed very kind.  But who was he?  He didn’t trust her; should she trust him? Only time will tell.

He returned quickly with a bag of ice and he set it gingerly on the swollen joint.  She placed her hand over it. Their fingers touched and Terry felt a sensation so warm and fleeting he wondered if he could’ve imagined it. The exposed leg was still tantalizing but she was obviously in a great deal of pain.  Terry felt bad for her as he left again and retrieved the pills with a glass of water.

She took them and swallowed. “I’m sorry to be such a bother.  I still want to take a shower but I think a bath is in order because I can’t seem to walk, nor can I lift my arms to wash my hair in the shower,” she admitted.

“That might be a problem, I don’t have a tub. That is the only loo. I’ll help you with the shower any way you want.”

“Right now, I don’t think I’m in a position to be finicky, I appreciate it.” She confessed.  “How about this, I’ll stay dressed and you can wash my hair and then I can do the rest. If you have a chair that will fit in the shower.” She suggested.

Terry thought for a minute and said, “That should work.  Let me find a chair.”  He smiled as he left her on the bed.

Terry left to set it up and Victoria leaned back and pondered her situation. Either this guy was the greatest actor in the world or he was down here doing something positive and didn’t want certain people to be aware of what he was doing.  She prided herself on being a pretty decent judge of character and Terry had a good heart, she was pretty sure. Otherwise he would’ve left her there in that smoldering airplane wreckage.  Then she saw her bag on the floor.

“OMIGOD! What a life saver.”  She leaned over to reach for it, in the process lost her balance and tumbled to the floor with her knee hitting the floor first. Victoria yelled in pain.  Terry came rushing into the room to see her writhing in agony on the floor.

“Holy Christ! What the fuck did you do?”  He reached down and gently picked her up. When she looked at him there were tears coursing down her cheeks.  He smiled tenderly, “Do I need to put rails on the bed?” He chuckled to try to relieve her distress. 

She leaned her forehead onto his chest and tried to calm her heart. “I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass.  You’ve been so kind and I just keep making things hard for you.  I’m not used to being dependent on anyone and this is really difficult for me.”  Her words were muffled in his chest. “I saw my bag, reached for it, lost my balance and went ass over apple cart to the floor.  God, I’ve never been such a klutz in my life.” Her fingertips were resting on his chest for balance making his heart race.

Terry’s entire body tingled with having her so close. “You’re not a klutz, you’re recovering from multiple injuries. I’m sure you had a slight concussion. I know it’s difficult to depend on people when you’re not used to it.”  He set her on the edge of the bed. Those eyes, drenched in tears made her even more intoxicating.  He handed her the bag. 

“I apologize Victoria, I went through your bag looking for a change of clothes before I cut your others.  If it’s not in its right order, that’s why.”  He thought hiding the fact about her bag wasn’t a good idea. So he was straightforward about it.

She swallowed at his honesty, “I understand.  I learned a long time ago with the places I’ve been, to have something with me at all times to sustain me if my luggage should decide to take its own vacation.  Happened when I went to Turkey 5 years ago.  What a mess that was.  So I carry a small container of everything with me on the plane, just to be safe.”  Her explanation made perfect sense.

“Your pack job was impressive Victoria, I travel a lot and you’re better at it than I am.”  He stated honestly.

“Please, only my parents call me Victoria, I’m Tori to everyone else.  I always feel like a character out of an Emily Bronte novel when people call me Victoria.”  She had calmed somewhat.

“Okey Dokey, Tori, lets see if we can get you a shower without you falling on your ass again.”  He looked at her and she laughed, as did he.  “Everything is all set.”  She had dug her toiletries out of her bag and in the blink of an eye he lifted her again and was carrying her to the shower.

There was a light chair, more like a stool with no back sitting in the tiled shower with steam running down.  He set her down and she hobbled in and sat down with her back to the showerhead.  She handed him the small container of shampoo and then she saw him unbutton his jeans and step out of them and then step in behind her.  She didn’t turn to look at him; it would be way too obvious.

“God, that water feels so good.” She moaned as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back. Her long neck stretched with her shoulders raised.  Terry looked down her body and saw the water soak into her top, the splatters of blood ran pink as she surrendered to the spray cascading rivulets along her silken skin. The wetness surrounded her breasts  and then covered them like a wave covers the shore. The peaks were soft and he could see the rosy areolas through the saturated cotton of her shirt.  He closed his eyes to try to focus his mind on the task at hand.

The water drenched her hair, he pooled a small amount of shampoo and sunk his hands into her golden locks.  He reached deep to her scalp, his fingertips kneading and massaging.  The soap made foam that slid down her shoulders and flowed across her chest. “Christ you have magic fingers Terry.  Don’t stop on my account.”  He chuckled but said nothing. Tori just moaned and continued to drown in the sensation of Terry’s hands in her hair. She was totally unaware of her own innocent seduction on his senses.

Over and over again he pulled the soap through her strands then he would stand back and let the water rinse her.  His eyes would rivet on her breasts that were so clearly delineated by the soaking of her shirt.  She had no bra on and it was as if she had nothing on at all, or maybe it was sexier than wearing nothing.  The water made the pink lace she was wearing transparent as well and he could easily see the luscious furring between her legs.  He really needed to get out of here before he lowered his lips to that beautiful shoulder and slid his hands down her chest to those luscious mounds of perfection.  But instead of retreating he just re-soaped her hair and reveled in the wonderful feel of that soft hair in between his fingers.  It was like the finest spun silk.  When was the last time he had a woman’s hair in his hands;  this soft, this luxurious?  Had he ever?  “Do you have conditioner as well?”  He asked in a hushed whisper right next to her ear.  He saw the goose bumps form from his voice, her nipples stood out like they’d been called to attention. Beautiful!

“It’s the small green bottle on the floor.” He leaned over to pick up the bottle by her foot. He turned his head and was at eye level with her breast.  He could see her chest rise and fall with her breathing.  She didn’t look up, but was absorbed in the warm water spraying over her.  God she was incredible; natural and sensuous.  He stood and put a small amount in his hand and then stretched it over her hair.  When the water rinsed the excess, her hair was even more silky than before.  Terry realized how long he had been luxuriating in her hair and quickly finished.

“Oops, got carried away there.  Let me get out of here so you can finish before the hot water is all gone.”  And then he was gone.  He closed the milky glass door and took a deep breath.  He turned and saw her movement in silhouette as she leaned over to remove her under pants.  Then he heard her groan as she tried to remove her top.

“Shit!  Terry!  Do you have some scissors?  I can’t get this fucking shirt over my head.”  She called. “I need some help.” 

Terry took a deep breath and opened the door, she was leaning modestly over, all he could see was the wet cotton stretched across her back and the symmetrical round firmness of her buttocks.  “ Okay, I will grab this from the bottom back here as you lean over so you don’t have to raise your arms.”  He gently brought the cotton over her wet hair to the front.  Then he stepped away and closed the door.  “Is that better?” He said through the door.

“It is, great. Thank you so much.”  She called back.

Terry left her in the shower.  He returned to his room to get dressed. This was getting more and more difficult.  How long was he going to be able to continue like this?  He had no idea.  He needed a break from her, but that wasn’t possible. SHIT! What was he going to do tonight?  How was he going to explain his absence that late at night?  He went to the kitchen; she was probably hungry so he set about making something simple.  Just eggs and potatoes.  She would not like his cooking; fuck, he didn’t like his cooking.

Tori sat on the edge of the seat and let the water calm her.  What was Terry doing to her senses? Shit! She never ever recalled being such a clumsy oaf.  He seemed to have a direct affect on her equilibrium. She lathered her body and recalled the feel of his hands in her hair; the smooth massaging of her scalp. It was so much like a lover’s caress, she could’ve just left the shower and taken him straight to the bed.  Her thoughts wandered to that chest and what those hands could do to more sensitive parts of her anatomy.  She snapped her eyes open. Christ, she barely knew this guy and she was fantasizing about him making love to her.  Making love, hell, she would settle for hot, mind boggling sex. She was sure Terry Thorne would be capable of either. She rinsed and turned off the water. Then she sat there, clean and naked.  How was she going to get back to the bed?  She stood up on one leg and pushed the door open.  The towel was right there, within her reach.  A big fluffy light blue towel.  He was so thoughtful.  Then she felt her stomach rumble loudly and realized it had been 3 days since she’d eaten anything substantial.  She wrapped the towel around her modestly and then carefully tried to hobble from the shower.  But she couldn’t put any weight on her leg at all. This was so exasperating.

She wasn’t sure what to do, so to avoid falling again and not wanting to bother Terry further she lowered her body, oh so slowly to the floor and sat down.  Then she proceeded to scoot across the floor on her ass towards the door.

That was how Terry found her, sliding across the cold tile floor.  He chuckled at the humorous picture she painted.  She was an independent woman; it made him like her all the more.  The towel was more modest than the wet t-shirt, but knowing there was dripping wet skin underneath made Terry’s temperature rise.  She was still sexy as hell no matter what she wore; or didn’t wear.

At the sound of his voice she craned her neck sideways and saw him leaning against the doorjamb, softly laughing at her. Then he spoke.

“What the hell are you doing on the floor?”

She was slightly miffed that he would laugh at her. “What the fuck does it look like I’m doing? Learning to knit?” she snapped, hating for anyone to see her so weak and incapacitated.  Her tone just made him laugh harder.  She glared at him.

“Why didn’t you just yell?  I was right in the next room.”  He explained.

She stopped moving, took a deep breath and relaxed her position on the floor so she could speak to him clearly. “I didn’t want to bother you anymore.  It seemed simple enough to just scoot across the floor to the bed and get dressed.  You’ve done so much already and I’m just stubborn enough to want to do something on my own.”  Her voice serious, she looked up at him; she could see the compassion for her plight in his eyes.

Her look sobered him immediately.  She didn’t really trust him.  It never occurred to him that she wouldn’t trust him completely.  He was a trustworthy guy but she didn’t know that.  He squatted down to be eye level with her.  He was just close enough to see the few droplets of moisture flowing in between her breasts. “Look, it’s not a bother.  Actually, it’s nice to have company out here in the middle of fucking nowhere,” he stated simply.  And on that final comment he leaned over and picked her up. She was able to put her arms around his neck.

“Thank you.  Do you have an old shirt that buttons down the front.  I can’t pull anything over my head and I want to be dressed.  I feel better that way.”  She asked when he set her down on the edge of the bed.

“Sure, no problem.  He walked over to the closet, opened it and pulled out a pale blue button down.  He handed it to her.”  The gesture was automatic, but Tori looked at him strange.  “What?  What’s the matter?”

“This is your room?  I’ve been sleeping in your bed?”  She asked. She lowered her head into her hands.

“Yes, I moved into the spare.  It doesn’t matter,”  he said softly. Why did this bother her so?

“It’s just that I’ve been such a royal pain in the ass.  You’ve given up a lot for me and I can’t do anything but say thank you.  It isn’t anywhere near enough.”

“Okay, you’re being way to hard on yourself.  Shit happens! That’s a fact of life.  You’ve been around enough to know that.  I was in the right place at the right time and that’s also a fact of life.  I don’t do anything I don’t choose to do.  You’re obviously a very independent woman and not comfortable with relying on anyone for anything and I can’t say I would be any different if the situation were reversed, But you’re in a spot right now where I can help you.  If you pamper that knee for a couple of days, it should be fine.  Look, the swelling is already down.  So stop apologizing every five fucking seconds, get some clothes on and I’ll have eggs for you.”  He walked over to the door.  Then he turned, “Call when you’re ready.”  Then he left, closing the door behind him.

Well, that was straightforward enough. She opened her bag and decided to make herself look presentable.  She’d looked like the walking dead long enough.  She sat back on the pillows and brushed her hair. Moisturized her skin, just some lip gloss and then worked at getting dressed.  The undies were easy enough, she wondered if Terry had found them when he was looking.  She smiled at the idea.  She scooted to the edge of the bed, and very gingerly placed her arm into the sleeve, the first one was easy but she was struggling with the other.  But she succeeded.

“Terry, I’m ready.”  She stood up, balanced on one leg. The shirt hung down to her mid thigh, her knees still exposed.  She needed to re-wrap it, maybe in an ace.  She knew she had one in her bag. Later, after she had something to eat.

Terry was waiting to hear her call.  He was actually looking forward to her company.  He opened the door and saw her standing there, balancing on one leg. The look of her in his shirt was enough to topple his equilibrium. Those beautifully sculpted legs with just a hint of tan made his shirt look better then he had ever seen it. He could picture her with her leg bent around the post of a bed with only a few buttons buttoned.  Her glorious golden hair soft and flowing around her shoulders.  Maybe the shirt would be off one shoulder to expose that incredible neck that made a man just want to slather with his tongue. He swallowed.  “Well, look at you.  Do you feel better? Your knee doesn’t look near as swollen as it did earlier,” he observed.

“I do feel better.  I think that if you just come to my side so I can lean on you,  I can make it to the table.” 

But Terry just bent over and picked her up anyway. He loved the feel of his hands on her bare skin.  He would enjoy it as long as he had it.  “Christ! Fuck that. This is easier.”  In a matter of moments he had her seated at a small wooden table with two settings.  Nothing fancy, just two plates with serving ware and a glass. “I’m not a very good cook but it’s filling. No complaints or I won’t feed you again.”  He placed a plate in front of her.

She looked at it and laughed.

“What are you laughing at?  It doesn’t look that bad.” He looked at the diced potatoes and eggs.

“Oh no, it’s not that.  I was preparing myself for some God awful concoction and it is simply eggs and pots.” She picked up a fork and took a bite.  Not bad.   “Do you by chance have any salt and pepper?”

“Sure,” he leaned back in his chair and grabbed two little metal shakers and handed them to her.

Tori applied them liberally and then dove in with relish.  She was starving.  “These are really okay, after the creative stuff I had at my sister’s, this is a feast.  My sister is a horrid cook.  So after about four days of her crap, I took over.  It was fun working with the different ingredients.  I loved the fresh produce.  Cripes, she didn’t know what half of it was and she’s been here almost three years. She told me she was there to fix bodies, not cook.  I told her if she cooked better she wouldn’t have so many bodies to fix.” 

Terry laughed as she chatted on.  He loved listening to the sound of her voice.  It had just the right timbre to it.  It sort of washed over him like a caress. He ate his eggs without comment.

“I remember when she did this six month thing in St. Petersburg, Russia. God the food, it was fantastic.  She lived in this hostel with nine other nurses and they’d hired this cook.  Holy Shit!  I didn’t know what half of it was but it tasted fantastic.  I gained ten pounds that trip.”

“Really, most people don’t like Russian food.  Too heavy and rich.” Terry commented; personally he loved it.

“Oh I know, Em thought most of it was disgusting.  But then she likes vegetarian meat substitute.”  Tori opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue as if to gag. Terry laughed at her theatrics. “I loved the food in Italy, but God, talk about heavy.  They eat so late and I couldn’t handle it so I opted to eat about four o’clock and then not again until morning.” 

“I saw on your passport that you work for a university, what do you do there?” he asked.

“I teach English.” She said.  “Actually I’m head of the department, I only teach to seniors and then it’s only one class per term, and only in relation to their final projects.  I do some post graduate tutoring.”

“Maybe if I’d had a teacher that looked like you I might’ve stayed in school.”  He grinned.  She smiled back and Terry went hot all over.  He was just about to say something when they heard a noise and Terry jumped. In a flash he was standing in front of her with a giant gun in his hand with it cocked and pointed at the door to the living room.  He slowly moved towards the door very carefully. It happened so quick.  Tori couldn’t believe she’d seen anyone move that fast. Where the fuck had the gun been, under the table?

“Terry, what is it?” she asked softly from behind. Her heart started to race. He put his fingers to his lips to signal her to be quiet.  She nodded and quieted immediately.

He opened the door and moved his head so swift it was a wonder he saw anything.  Then she saw him relax his stance and lowered his gun.  He went out the door and closed it behind him. 

“What the fuck is the matter with you mate, you almost got your head blown off?” Terry spoke to Dino.  Dino responded in Spanish so as not to be overheard.

“I got word that Manillo is moving his camp tonight so we will need to re-configure our strategy.”  He nodded toward the bedrooms, “How is sleeping beauty with the beautiful legs?” his voice softened.

“Awake and eating in the kitchen.”  Terry wasn’t sure he liked the way Dino talked about Tori.

“So what do you think we should do? Go back to Torino’s or something else?” Dino asked.

“We could just skip tonight all together and wait for Manillo to get settled.” Terry suggested.

“Terry! Shit, you don’t want to leave her do you?  Shit!  I was afraid this was going to happen.  Don’t get involved with her.  You don’t have a fucking clue who she is or what she knows.  If she found out too much she could get us royally fucked.” 

The Spanish was rushed and anyone with an ear could tell he was agitated.  Tori understood every word and she hadn’t wanted to interrupt but she felt the need to put their anxiety at rest.  She hobbled to the door to listen and when they started talking about her she decided it was time to interject. She pushed the door open wide, leaned against the doorjamb and spoke in perfect, fluent Spanish.

“Just to set the record straight gentleman.  I don’t care what you’re doing or why.  You saved my life, which is worth any and all loyalty you need.”  She turned and closed the door to the kitchen separating her from them,  leaving them stunned.

Dino switched immediately to Italian. “What are you going to do with her?” he asked.  Then they heard a voice from inside the kitchen.

“I also speak Italian, some French, German and Russian.  You might try Chinese, I don’t understand that at all.” There was laughter in her voice.

Then she spoke again, “Since you’re talking I’m going to eat your eggs Terry, before they get cold.”   There was a pause. “Too late.”

Dino stood there open mouthed and Terry just grinned and chuckled.  He scratched his beard and looked at Dino.  “Well mate, I think you’ve been bested.”   Dino just raised his eyebrows.

“Well, I’ll be off.  Tonight is off, negotiate tomorrow, so we wait.”  And then Dino was gone shaking his head.

Tori smiled to herself as she thought of the look on his face.  What did Terry say his name was? Dean, or was it Dino?  Be that as it may, she meant every word.  She owed them her life; that was worth any silence no matter what they were doing.  Somehow, she didn't think it was drug dealing, but maybe the other side of it.  The way he’d talked about not trusting anyone in the embassy.  It was pretty common knowledge that the American Embassy was just as crooked as the rest of the government down here.  So she had a feeling they were trying to make a difference in some way. 

She dove into Terry's plate of eggs and pots.  A little cold, but she had definitely eaten worse.  When her knee got better she would make both of them a great meal. That was something she could do, it would be a small token, but it would be something.  She had a mouth full when the door opened. Terry filled the opening with a sexy grin on his face.

"Well, you’re full of surprises aren't you, luv?"

She loved the way he said “luv”. She remembered he'd called her that in the plane.  "Sorry if I startled you, but I didn’t like the idea of deceiving you into believing that I couldn’t understand what you were saying. I meant everything I said.  I do owe you more than I can ever repay. You can trust me with anything.  I would never betray you. NEVER!,” she stated fervently.

He sat down across from her, picked up a fork and ate from the same plate she was eating from.  "Dino and I are K&R Consultants. We’ve been working on releasing two men being held by the ELT. Dino is negotiating for a German precious gem merchant, and I have this stock broker from Brussels." 

Tori raised her eyebrows in question.  Terry went on to explain what they did and how they did it and why it was so important that the ELT not know they were around. He told her about the Bowman case and how it went sour but they were still able to do their job within limits.

"That explains a lot. God, the ELT are such animals.  I worry so much about my sister, but they seem to have left her alone,” she said simply.  Filled, she put her fork down, drank a  gulp of juice, and yawned.

Terry noticed the droop in her eyelids.  "They don’t bother her because she doesn’t appear to have money and she doesn’t work against them. You need to rest. We can talk more later. Just one thing- don't, under any circumstances leave this house without me or Dino. Do you understand?"  His voice was stern.

She nodded, “I don’t think that’ll be happening anytime soon.” She yawned again. It took only a moment before Terry picked her up and carried her back to bed.  Terry wished he could carry her here for a more intimate purpose. But that wasn’t on the agenda.  Yet. He smiled at the possibility.

Tori snuggled under the light blanket and started dozing. In a sleepy voice, laced with the sexiest overtones Terry ever heard.  “Thank you for taking such good care of me. Some day I shall return the favor.” Then she was asleep.

*******************************

When Tori awoke, the room was dark and the house quiet.  She listened for any signs of life.  Had Terry gone out afterall?  She reached over to switch on the light, nothing. She just lay there until her eyes adjusted.  She moved her arms and found they weren't as sore as earlier; she lifted them over her head and did a few stretching exercises with them. She tried to bend her knee and found it to be less sore and it wasn't as swollen as before, either.  As she moved, she felt the soft cotton of Terry’s shirt rub next to her skin.  It made her tingle to think of the same cotton next to Terry's softly furred chest.  What a man he was! 

She wondered, was he married? Did he have any kind of girlfriend? Anywhere?  How could he not?  He was a perfect specimen.  There must be someone back home in Australia.  He had such a caring way about him.  He was so compassionate, from the first moment he touched her on the plane she felt it.  A gentleness of nature too natural to be anything but learned; some of it was just being human but the bulk was absorbed by living in an environment of gentle, caring parents.  

She looked around and began to recognize the shapes of the room; there was a small amount of moonlight coming in through the windows in the other room to assist her. She had no idea what time it was, but her stomach was rumbling again.  She sat up and waited for the darkness to become more familiar.  She moved her leg.  It felt so much better.

The lack of light really didn't bother her, with all the places she'd been over the years, she was well accustomed to not always having amenities at one's disposal.  Tecala was like Chechnya, Romania and Russia.  Electricity only worked when it wanted too, or when the government decided you would have it.  She didn’t think that was the case here; she had a feeling this house was totally independent of anything anywhere.   Terry controlled everything.

She leaned back on the pillows and thought about the crash; she’d never been so frightened for her life- all of the things she’d thought about right before.  But the most clear was the fact that she hadn't fallen in love, not really.  Nor had she had a child; she always thought she had plenty of time.  But did she really?  Calvin had wanted to get married and have babies, but she hadn't been ready then. Or was it that she didn’t want them with him? But what about now?  What had she wanted to accomplish that was so important?  Had she accomplished it?  Did it matter anymore? 

Jessica had two children and a husband, but that was all, for her it seemed to be enough.  It had always been enough for mom.  But their lives seemed so central on others.  Tori wondered if she was just too selfish to be a mother.  She’d always loved kids, her nieces and nephews were fun and she adored them,  but they weren't her own. Did she want her own?  She recalled the women that came to the clinic where her sister worked; they wanted so much for their children but were limited by poverty.  Those women would give up anything for the sake of their children.  Tori wondered if she would ever feel that.  Did she want to feel it?  Good question.  Why was she thinking about this now? Another good question.

Steven was married and had kids.  Five kids, and it seemed as if they took all of his and Suzie’s time and energy.  They didn’t seem to mind, and loved taking them to ball games and ballet recitals.  It sounded boring to Tori.  Was there something wrong with her?  Her mom kept telling her that she hadn’t met that special someone to spark the maternal side of her.  Then her mind wandered to Terry. 

She tried to stand and found she could and that her knee felt pretty good.  She took a couple of steps and made it with ease to the toilet.  She journeyed into the hall, then she heard it- a noise, clackity clack.  It was the familiar sound of computer keys and a mouse clicking.  But where? She looked in the kitchen, nothing.  The living area, nothing.  She went back down the hall to the spare room.  The door was open, she peaked in- empty.  But the sound was louder in here.  She looked around and saw the closet door.  It was different than the one on her room.  This one had a knob with a lock on it.  A lock on a closet?  She smiled.  She limped over to the door.  Reached for the knob, in the blink of an eye the door swung open and there was a very large gun pointed  right at her face. She jumped back and fell on the bed, her legs generously exposed as the bed bounced with her.

Terry swore. “Fuck! Tori, announce yourself, I could’ve shot you.”  He lowered his weapon and looked at her.  Her face still registered the shock of being surprised.

Tori swallowed; it was such a shock seeing Terry’s eyes glazed with, what would you call it?  Killer? She was practically hyperventilating. Her chest was rising faster and faster as she looked at him there in the semi-darkness. “I was just trying to find the source of the noise, it sounded like computer keys.  It was so dark and quiet.  I’m sorry.”  She scooted back on the bed to get away- away from Terry? Her eyes were wide with, she didn’t know, was it fear?  She slid off  the bed and started towards the door.  This was a side of him she hadn’t seen.   This Terry scared her. “I’ll go back to my room.  I didn’t mean to disturb you,” her voice was quiet and distant as she left the room the way she came, faster than when she went in.

Terry saw the look and recognized it for what it was, FEAR!  Tori was afraid of him.  He’d scared the shit out of her.  He was as jumpy as a jackrabbit these days.  He’d heard the boards creak and hadn’t even considered that it might be her.  What was wrong with him?  He watched her retreat away from him to the other room.  Before he thought better of it- “Tori wait!”  He rushed to catch up to her.  She wasn’t moving very fast; then, he realized she was moving on her own.  “Tori! Shit I’m sorry.”  She didn’t stop.

It didn’t take much to catch up with her. He did so in the hall.  “Tori, luv please stop!” His voice softly pleading, he didn’t want to alarm her further.  Fuck! He could kick himself.  She was the last person he wanted to be afraid of him.  Then she stopped and turned around, her eyes wide and the fear still very clear.  Then he saw the tears.

Terry stepped forward to her, “I’m more sorry than I can say. If it’s any comfort, which I fucking doubt.  I wouldn’t ever hurt you.”  He reached up with his fingertips and lightly brushed some tendrils away from her forehead.  He touched the teardrop resting on her cheek.  “What can I do?  I don’t want you to be afraid of me.” His voice was soft and tender.

Tori was still breathing heavy and the adrenaline was still pounding in her veins.  But his words penetrated her fear.  “You took me by surprise, that’s all.  I really didn’t mean to disturb what ever you were doing.”  She explained.

“I was answering an e-mail from my son, not protecting the world from nuclear attack,” he explained. Then he took her hand. “Come on, I’ll show you.”  He saw the look on her face, “What?  Didn’t think I could be a father, eh?” he grinned, and looked down at her legs. “You’re walking, that’s a good sign; but you don’t want to overdo it. He led her back through the bedroom and opened the closet door, which led to another door into a larger room.  This room was a wonder- Tori stared at all the electronic equipment.  This wasn’t just a computer, this was a media system.  This was state of the art communications.  She saw the PC and a short wave radio, and then another PC.  “The radio is how we negotiate for the hostages.  We never use telephones. They are too easy to trace. Here, have a seat.  I can let you surf, but I can’t let you answer any e-mails, I’m sorry.”

“But my family will be worried, they’ll think I’m dead.” Her concern evident.

“Let me show you something.”  He pulled up a chair to sit next to her.  He clicked a couple of windows to show some devastation caused by the ELT; people dying and buildings being blown up all over Tecala.  Then he showed her an older article about an unknown group of soldiers destroying ELT drug hideouts.  Some authorities were looking for a vigilante group of government soldiers, but weren’t looking very hard.  Evidently, these soldiers were really putting a cramp in the dealings of the ELT.

It didn’t take much for Tori to realize that the soldiers were Terry and Dino.  The K&R was a cover, to justify them being here.  But they were really working to rid Tecala of the ELT.  “This is you, isn’t it?” She said softly. She turned her head and was just inches from his lips.

“Yes, it is.”  He took a deep breath.  “I can’t let anyone take a chance on finding us.  If they find us, we are dead.” His look bored into hers.

“What if I could notify my family without anyone being able to trace it?” She asked.

“How would you do that?” he responded, his look skeptical.

Tori placed her hands on the keyboard and looked at him quizzically. “This is how,” Then she went on to explain about how she could hack into another server in another country and send cryptic message to her brother in Stanfield that she was okay and that this was her only opportunity at a PC but that she would be home soon.  She went on about hacking and alternate web URL’s and a lot of computer lingo that went right over Terry’s head.

“You’re really good at this aren’t you?”  He asked.

“Yep, I could make millions if I chose to use my knowledge in an illegal  manner.  But alas, I have a conscience.  So I stay poor.”

“I’m afraid I’m skeptical.  Maybe tomorrow, okay?  Dino and I reported the plane anonymously right after we found you.  But they haven’t done anything to try to find it.  Very typical!”

“If there’s any other luggage on the plane that belongs to you we could go get it,” he suggested,  trying to make up for the fact that she couldn’t let her family know she was safe.

“No, I sent my baggage ahead of me.  I learned the hard way – I sent it as cargo straight to the hotel in Tecala City with instructions to hold it until I arrive. They’ll stick it in storage and then stick me with the storage fees.  If I wasn’t American they would probably just open it and divvy it up among the employees. But they want me to return and tell my friends what great treatment I got.  It’s bad business to insult the Americans,”  she explained. She totally understood his reasoning; her family would have to wait, for now. But not for long.

“Christ you really do know the way things work around here,” he chuckled. 

“So you said I can surf.  Are basic websites okay?” She asked.

“What kind of websites?” 

“Commercial ones you visit as a lurker?”

“A lurker? That sounds risqué.”  He wiggled his eyebrows.  Tori laughed.

“No not really, a lurker is someone who visits websites or bulletin boards without registering. They just watch and read without registering or participating. I’m surprised you don’t know this.  You seem to know your way around this PC pretty well.”  She typed some letters and soon he was looking at a website dedicated to a popular American Television show. Then in a second they were looking at a site for woman’s lingerie.  She went to at least a dozen sites in as many minutes.

“I only know what I need to know to do my job and communicate with my son.  I don’t spend any time other than that. Are you sure no one can track us from this machine?” He asked. 

“Nope, you have anti-spy ware and firewalls with extensive assorted security here. Besides,  If you don’t spend money or offer opinions they don’t give a fig.”  Tori looked over at Terry and saw him roll his head around; he had computer neck.  She knew the signs.  “Turn around.”  He looked at her in question.  “You have computer neck; turn around and let me help it.  This is something I can do.”  She stood up and he took his regular position in front of the terminal.  Tori was behind him, leaning against his back.  She placed her hands on his shoulders and began to knead the muscles in his shoulders.  Deeper and deeper she went around the shoulders and up the neck to his hairline.  She loved the feel of his muscles.  “God, you are so tight.  You should have a full body massage.  Have you ever had one?” He nodded.

“It’s been a long time. I’ve been here a long time. But I could use one when I get home.”  Terry was thinking what it would be like to have Tory’s hands on his body, all over.

“How long have you been here?”  She asked as she dug her fingers into a particularly stiff knot, just left of his neck. 

“Going on three months. Christ! That feels fucking great. You have great hands.” Terry closed his eyes to surrender to her ministrations when he heard the beep for mail.  He opened his eyes to the instant mail. It was Henry.

He hit the button and the message popped up.  “It’s my son, he’s back at his dormitory.”  He feasted his eyes on any connection.

“Dorm?”  She equated dorm with college.  “Your son is in college?”  She asked. She stopped her massage but rested her hands on his shoulders. She was still leaning against his back.  Terry loved the contact.  It made him feel human again.

“No, just a private school on the outskirts of London.  That’s where I live,”  he explained. He laughed as he read the message, “He’s got himself a new love, and this is the third one since I’ve been gone.  He’s not into lengthy relationships, he’s 15.”

“That sounds about par for the course.  What’s his name?” She was leaning over, reading the mail.  She laughed, Terry turned his head and their lips were right there.  He could see those gorgeous silver flecks in her eyes.  She licked her lips, her tongue just barely seen in a split second. God he wanted to taste them.  Then it beeped again. The spell broken, for now.

“Henry.  He’s a great kid. But I hardly know him, except for lately.” Then he gave a very brief explanation of his relationship or the lack thereof with his son.

“I don’t have any children.  Never really wanted any until lately.  I remember when the plane was careening down into the jungle it was the last thing that went through my mind.  I felt cheated because I’d never had children.” Her look was wistful.

“That’s normal you know…” His voice was soft.  “…To think about serious life issues when you think you might die.” He recalled in his mind a number of instances when he’d done just that.

“Why do I suspect you’ve experienced it more than most?” she suggested softly.

“Occupational hazard,” he quipped, trying to lighten the moment. Tori turned and leaned against the table and crossed her arms in front of her, breaking the contact between them. But she seemed closer somehow; he looked down to see her gorgeous legs peaking from the slit in the sides of his shirt. The opening in the front was higher as the bottom button had become undone and it was just inches away from her core. His eyes slowly worked their way up to her face.  There was no hiding his desire.  She had to be able to see it.

“What crosses through your mind? You already have a child, so I doubt it’s that.”  Her voice was very soft.  She reached out and very lightly combed her hand through his hair, the fingers paused behind his ear and softly stroked. 

Terry closed his eyes to absorb the full sensation of her hands on his skin and in his hair. “Well, the one thing I think about most, is………” he paused, opened his eyes and looked up at her, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that could set the room on fire. “……is being alone.  I’m so fucking tired of being alone.”

“Terry,” her voice very soft, “you’re not alone.  Not now anyway.”  She leaned forward, and did the one thing she’d been dreaming about ever since she saw him in the plane. She lowered her lips to his.

Terry reached into her hair and pulled her down and claimed her lips just as he'd been fantasizing about since the day he brought her home.  He instantly opened his mouth and his tongue played with hers, scorching them with a fire that snapped like a keg of dynamite.  They were consumed,  she slid onto his lap, legs spread, and he could feel the warmth of her softness on his bare legs. God, how he wanted her;  she wrapped her arms around his neck and played with his hair.  His fingers were working on the buttons of his shirt, trying to rid her of it as soon as possible. But he wanted to kiss her more, their lips just fused one after the other. 

She devoured his upper lip as he enclosed her lower lip with as much passion as he possessed. They just mouth fucked for what seemed an eternity, Terry’s hands roamed downward to reach underneath the shirt.  He felt of her skin, it was like satin.  He stroked the roundness of her buttocks, kneading them as she did his neck.   His hands wanted her softness; they slid under the soft lace and the tips went deep, he was there.  She was hot and oh, so wet.  “Oh God Tori, you’re so wet.  Just as I knew you’d be.  I want you;  I want you now, so much. I’m going to explode with how much I need to be inside you.” 

Tori just groaned and slid her hands under the back of his shirt.  She pulled, Terry pulled away only for a second and he was rid of it.  Over his head and on the floor.  Her hands roamed all over him.  Stroking and kneading, turning him on more with each deep stroke of her fingertips. 

Terry finished unbuttoning her shirt and pulled it back to see those beautiful breasts.  “I saw these in the shower and I wanted so much to taste them.”  With his comment Tori said nothing but arched her neck, which brought them closer to his lips.  He lowered his lips over the dark distended tip and surrounded it with his lips.  He sucked it hard.   He was on fire for her. 

Tori’s hands were on his shorts; the snap was easy.  She rubbed the hardness of him through the soft cotton; immediately he responded.  Terry closed his eyes and groaned when she reached in to find that strength. Then the radio crackled. 

“Nico this is Reno, come in.”  

Then again, “Reno here, Nico come in.”  Their hands and bodies stilled at the interruption.

“FUCK!!!” was Terry’s only response.  “It’s Dino, I have to get it.”   Tori sighed, but knew his work had to come first. That’s why he was here.

“Of course you do.”  She rose slowly, moved to the other chair and sat down to quell the trembling of her entire lower body.  Shit!  She knew he’d be like this, an all- consuming fire.  It had just begun and she already felt like she couldn’t get by another day without him. 

Terry re-zipped his pants, his heart was thumping. “Reno, this is Nico, come in.  What’s up mate?” 

“Coming uptown, need to see you.  It’s urgent.  We need to make a quick journey.”

“Okey Dokey, I’ll be expecting you.  Twenty minutes.  Out!”  He turned to see her sitting very quietly on the chair.  She had it turned so that she was straddling the back, much as she had his legs.  He could see the moisture between her thighs from the short distance. She was still hot and wet.  He went over and bent down to eye level with her.  He put his hands on both sides of her cheeks and kissed her, long and wet. Then pulled away and sighed in disappointment.

“God you’re so amazing, I would love nothing more than to carry you to that bed and fuck you until we can’t take another breath.  But I can’t. This,” he pointed to the equipment, “must take precedence.  I’m sorry.”

She reached out to stroke his cheek with her fingertips.  “I’ve waited this long I think I can wait until I have your undivided attention.”  She smiled.  Then she rose and went to the kitchen to fix something to eat.  She turned at the doorway. “Before you get absorbed in work, can I ask you a quick question?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“Why was the power only on in here?  I tried my lamp but it didn’t work.”

“Whenever I’m transmitting on the computer, I cut as much of the power as I can.  I want to make sure I don’t crash the system.  I’ll turn it back on.”

“Good, because I’m hungry and I need to eat.”  Then her voice lowered to a seduction level, “so I’ll have strength and stamina for later.”  She winked saucily and moved out of sight out the door.

Terry shook himself, WHAT A WOMAN!!!  He went to the breaker box and flipped some switches while he thought about Tori. How was it that she came into his life now?  When he was here in this God forsaken hell hole of humanity?  She was such a breath of fresh air. Then he thought about what he was going to do with her.  As much as he wanted it, he knew she couldn’t stay.  She had a life, somewhere else.  She didn’t have kids though, that much he knew.  How about a man?  How could she respond to him the way she did if she was committed to someone else?  Then he realized,  if she had someone she wouldn’t be traveling alone.  He went to search for her in the kitchen.

Terry found her scrounging through the refrigerator. She was bent over and he could just see the satin of her panties barely covering a fantastic ass.  “What are you looking for?” There was no way he could resist her like this. He came up behind and put his arms around her waist, rubbing the lower half of his body against her.  His cock was still rock hard and he wanted her so much.  Maybe, the countertop was the right height. It had been a long time for him, surely he could finish her and him in 20 minutes.

Tori straightened, leaned back and rubbed up against him.  His arms were under the shirt in record time.  They were spreading her legs reaching for her softness under the satin and lace of her miniscule panties..  “Don’t start something you don’t have time to finish.” But she did nothing to stop him. He felt so good.   “If you must know, I’m looking for something to eat.  How do you get by on this stuff?”

“Training.” His lips were on her neck and his hands were submersing themselves into her wetness.  She was jerking her body towards his hands. “There is peanut butter in the cupboard. But no jam.” The words were generic enough, but the voice sent shivers all over her aroused body. His hands were tickling and pulling on her clit. Rubbing her moisture into the heat and swollen membrane of her softness, she had trouble keeping her balance.  She lifted one leg to brace it against the refrigerator for support and to widen her stance.  “You’re so wet. Did I do that Tori? Did I make you want me?”

Tori had her hands behind her up around his neck, working them in his hair, arching her back.  Totally surrendered to the magic his fingers were working on her.  “Yes, oh god yes.  I want you so much. Oh Terry, I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you, fuck me Terry.” Her voice was barely a whisper.  Her entire body was on fire, centered on the heat his fingers were working on her clit and inside her.  Then she felt it, that crashing of wave after wave of orgasm. The rush of sensation from the tips of her toes all the way to her ears. She hadn’t felt it in so long. Had it ever felt like this?  She gave into it.  She thrust into his fingers, “OMIGOD!!!!” she screamed.  Her body was jerking and thrusting uncontrollably in a pleasure so deep she wasn’t sure she would recover. The panting of her breath and the thumping of her heart would remain long after he removed his fingers.  He continued his assault on her body by slathering hot wet kisses on her neck and shoulders; she pulled away and turned in his arms to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him down for another smoldering kiss.

“You didn’t have to do that.  I could’ve waited for the bed.” She said huskily. Her hands were on his chest, lowering down to the massive bulge. “But I’m so glad you didn’t.”  Her hands were very busy with the closing on his light cotton shorts, they left nothing to the imagination as she worked at getting him the same release she had just experienced. She hadn’t done it in a while, but sucking cock was like riding a bike, once you learned, it only took a sec to reacquaint yourself.  She was leaned over kissing his abdomen when they heard the stomping.

“Fuck!” Was Terry’s response. How could twenty minutes have gone by so quickly?

“Not quite.” Tori responded with a smile in her voice as she stopped and re-zipped him, oh so carefully. “I’m sorry.” She looked up into his eyes to see the lust blazing there. He stroked her cheek with his fingertip.

“Not half as sorry as I am.” Then he chuckled.  “Dino’s timing tonight definitely leaves something to be desired.  Why don’t you put more clothes on while I talk to Dino. One of us rock hard in the room is sufficient.  And the sight of you in that shirt could make a ninety year old monk hard.” He chuckled.

Tori’s eyes lit up, “Really?”  She turned and sashayed down the hall, kicking her back leg for affect. 

She retreated into her room to put a bra and some pants on. She did have the drawstring lounging pants still in her bag along with the sports bra she kept in there for emergencies.  She tried the light again and it illuminated the room in a soft glow. As she removed the shirt, she caught herself in the full- length mirror on the closet door. She walked over, the knee was bruised but the swelling was way down and hardly hurt at all.  Her arms were in the yellow bruise stage, but across her abdomen. She had felt a twinge earlier when she was bending over at the fridge, but just thought it was basic soreness.  She had a two-inch wide bruise stretching from the back of her hips to her entire belly.  What the hell?  It must have been the seatbelt.  But it looked God awful. 

In addition, she also saw the little red marks on her breasts from Terry’s kisses.  Also marks on her neck and just a touch between her legs where he stroked her to orgasm.  She was sticky from the residue of her own wetness flowing.  When had she ever been this wet for a man?  Calvin had been a very giving lover, but shit.  He was like a bologna sandwich and Terry was a seven course meal.  She had a feeling she was only on the appetizer.  She thought of what Dino might say; he didn’t trust her.  He wouldn’t approve and Terry would catch hell so she decided if Dino was going to find out it wasn’t going to be from her. When she looked in the mirror the second time she was fully clothed.  Terry’s shirt was back but there was a bra underneath, all buttons buttoned, underwear replaced with her gray cotton drawstring work out pants. She rolled up the sleeves of the shirt.  She pulled her hair back into a scrunchie just to look more plain, less seductive. She’d save the seduction for when they were alone.

Terry fixed his pants and took a deep breath to calm his racing pulse. Dino was going to see through him in a moment if he didn’t get a reign on his body.  He went back to the bedroom and put on a shirt with the tail out to camouflage his raging erection.  What ever was going on, it had better be good.   He walked out to the living room to see Dino sitting calmly with a drink in his hand.

He looked Terry over, but didn’t appear to notice anything. “Did I interrupt anything?”

“I was in the back reading mail from Henry.  What’s up mate?  It’s 10:45.”

“So, where’s the flying goddess with the beautiful gams?  Off learning Chinese?”  Dino said sarcastically.  Terry laughed

“You’re just fucking pissed off because she got the better of you and that doesn’t happen often, if at all,” Terry responded lightly.  Truthfully, the comment was just a bit pissy but Terry decided to let it slide for now. “I believe she’s in her room.  Sleeping probably. Why?”  He lied.

“No reason, I found out Merendoza has just readied a shipment onto a load of trucks about 20 clicks uptown.  We could take care of it tonight before it leaves the country. My guys are ready when we are.  We could be over and back before sunrise if we leave right away.”  Terry nodded and was halfway to the door to the kitchen when Dino’s voice stopped him.

“Are you going to tell her where we’re going?”

Terry turned and looked at him, “No I’m not.  It’s better for everyone if she doesn’t know.” Dino’s look was one of surprise.  Terry simply didn’t want her to worry, and he knew she would.  But he wasn’t going to tell Dino that because he would shit canal bricks. 

As he passed her door it opened and there she was, a far cry from the sexy vixen of earlier, but beautiful just the same.  He nodded towards the spare room and put his fingers to his lips to keep her from speaking. She followed him in as he walked to the bed and pulled out a big duffle bag and started pulling stuff out.  Gear, battle gear. She sat on the bed to stay out of the way, as he seemed to be in quite the hurry to dress up. She whispered, “Are you going out afterall?”  Her eyes searched his.

“Yes, I have to work.” His voice was just as soft. “But I should be back before sun up.” He removed his clothes and quickly donned layer after layer; jockey shorts; cotton shorts; battle fatigues in jungle camouflage; black tank shirt that just accented his broad shoulders and narrow waistline and the camouflage over shirt.  He pulled out two large handguns and carried extra clips with them. In a matter of moments he was ready and sitting down to don his boots ,which he zipped first and then tied at the top.  Before he stood up, he leaned over and kissed her. “It’s going to be fine.  Here, let me show you how to get into the communications room.” He walked over and showed her the key to the lock on the closet door, pushed on the far wall panel and it popped open to the hidden room.  “If for any reason you don’t feel safe, just lock yourself in this room.  There’s a cot with a blanket over in the corner and you can stay there until I get back if you want.” He didn’t touch her further, he didn’t dare.  For the first time since he’d been here, he didn’t want to go.

She followed him at a platonic distance out into the living room.  She saw Dino. Smiled and said, “Hey, learned any new languages lately?”  Then she laughed.  She was teasing him, hopefully to get him to trust her.

Dino laughed, “Not since this morning.  You’re looking healthy.  How do you feel? You looked like the goddamn walking dead when we brought you in.  It was a good thing Terry carried you all the way from the plane.  You would’ve never made it on foot with that knee,” he explained. 

Tori stole a glance at Terry, He carried her the whole way?  “Look, I know what you’re doing is on a need to know basis and I don’t need to know. To be honest, I really don’t want to know. But please, you are both so precious to me.  I owe you more than I can ever repay. So for me, be careful and come back alive. I need you to help me through this.”  She leaned over and kissed Dino on the cheek and the same to Terry.  Her hand secretly stroked his wrist out of Dino’s line of vision. With those final words they left.  She lifted the ladder away from the jungle floor as they’d shown her and went inside the house to lock everything up tighter than a drum, and  killed all the lights except the one in the back bedroom and went to try to get some sleep – good luck on that one.

*************************************

“Well, she really is something isn’t she?” Dino stated as they moved at a steady clip to the hangar where their men were waiting.

“Yes, she’s pretty nice. She’s upset over not being able to contact her family.  But she has complied, very graciously I might add,” Terry explained, trying to keep his passion for her out of his words.

“We might be able to find a way, maybe through an alternate server if we could hack into it. She could send an anonymous e-mail.” Dino was talking the same way Tori had earlier. “But not for at least another day. Her family must be going fucking bonkers about this.  The airline has done absolutely nothing about the plane. Did she say if she had any other bags on board that we could abscond for her?” 

“Nope, she sent them ahead as cargo to the hotel in Tecala City; the same hotel where I stayed during the Bowman case. They’ll hold onto it indefinitely, her being American and all.” Dino nodded his agreement.

*************************************

Tori did sleep, and quite soundly.  When she woke it was morning, the bright morning light was streaming in through the tops of the windows.  She stretched; she felt good. She flexed her knee and it was on the mend.  Still sore and sensitive but that was to be expected.  The rest of her body was still just a tad achy, but it was getting better every day.  She grabbed her watch on the bedside table, 6:30 am.  She wondered immediately about Terry.  Was he back? Why hadn’t he come to her?  Unless something went wrong! Her heart started to pound as she bounded out of bed. All she was wearing was her undies and the tank shirt she had on in the shower.  She listened for any sounds that he was back but heard nothing.  She had kept the door closed; she thought it better that way. 

She cautiously opened the door to the hallway, no signs of life at all.  She peaked into the bedroom, it looked just as it had when he’d left the night before.  He wasn’t back? It had taken longer than he anticipated.  SHIT!! What if something had happened to them, what was she to do?  Then she took a deep breath- don’t panic. She quietly crept down the hall towards the kitchen when she heard a very small sound, a liquid trickle of some kind.  She leaned her head around the corner to see Terry sitting with his back to her at the table, his jacket was gone, as were his boots and socks.  She could make out the top of a bottle.  He was pouring it into a glass.  Other than that, he didn’t move. Something was unquestionably wrong; of that she had no doubt.  Where was Dino?

She spoke quietly, “Terry, are you alright?” He didn’t move a muscle, she knew he heard her.  He heard everything around him.  She walked very wide around him so she could see his face.  When she saw him, she was shocked.  The entire front of his shirt was torn, there was blood on his face and down his arm. His shirt was soaked with it.  He sat stock still, staring at his gun which was flat on the table, magazine out.  The bottle was half empty.  How long had he been like this?  “Terry? What’s wrong? Are you alright?” Still no response.  “Terry, talk to me. Let me help you.”  She sat down in a chair next to his. She put her hand over his. He didn’t make any effort to move it.

With her last words he looked up at her.  She could tell he was drunk, that was the only thing to cause his eyes to glaze over the way they did. “I hate my life.” He stated flatly. “All I do is deal with death or the threat of death. It makes me sick.  These mother-fucking animals don’t care one dot for any life.”  Tori let him vent, he obviously needed it.

“Will you tell me what happened?  If you don’t want me to know I understand but I think you need to tell somebody.”  He looked into her eyes and let go. They had gone to destroy trucks loaded with a huge shipment of drugs.  They had gotten the word, everything had gone as planned. The trucks were right where they were supposed to be, loaded to the gills with mounds of cocaine.  They rigged each truck as it sat with explosives.  They would wait until the convoy got on the road so they would be further apart and they wouldn’t be able to help each other.  Then it was too late to stop the timers and they saw that the ELT decided to play it safe and use women and children to transport.  There was nothing they could do, Terry felt sick inside.  He had killed children, innocent children. 

“OMIGOD!  Oh Terry, I’m so sorry.” She rose from her chair and kneeled on the floor in front of him,  her hands on his knee.  She reached up to stroke his face. She could see the torture there.

“THEY KNEW!  THEY FUCKIN’ KNEW AND SENT WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO DIE!!  I became a murderer tonight.” He searched her face for condemnation. There was none.

“Terry, listen to me.  You’re not a murderer. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Those ELT animals purposely sent people to their death.  They’re the murderers, not you.”  She rose up and kissed his dirt crusted cheek.  “I’ve never met anyone who cares more about the living than you do.” She kissed him again. Then she saw it, that spark of lust she’d seen before. She looked at him.

“What do you need?  I’ll do what ever you want! Tell me!” Her voice was firm.  “Let me take your mind away from all this,” she offered.

Then it was lust filled fury. Terry grabbed her and pulled her mouth to his; mouth open, all consuming fire.  His hands went to his pants.  He pulled her back and then said,  “Strip for me, I want to see your body. All of it.  I need to see that you’re alive.  You want me, tell me you want me.”  His voice was urgent, desperate, needing. 

Tori didn’t hesitate,  she took her hands and pulled the top over her head, quickly with no seductive fanfare,  baring her entire upper body to his gaze.  Then she tugged on her slight panties and they were gone. She stood, unashamedly naked to his lustful gaze. Her hands tugged on his shirt and just tore it away from his blood dirty chest.   “Yes Terry.  I want you, I want you so much I’m going to melt onto the floor if you don’t fuck me right here and now.”  Her voice a harsh whisper of urgent, pent up desire.

“God you’re so fucking beautiful.  Get on the table and spread for me…  I can’t wait to be inside you.”  He stood and swept the bottle to the floor as she sat on the cold tabletop in front of him; he dropped his pants and she saw how hard and proud his erection was.  How much was animal lust and how much was just adrenaline was up for a vote.   Then they were together, a crashing of bodies; he was pulling her legs further apart and in one giant thrust he was inside her.  No foreplay, no introduction.  He pounded into her, it wasn’t sweet; it was hard and hot.  He slid in and out with ease, and she bounced on the table with her legs wrapped around his waist.  Her arms were around him, keeping him close as she rubbed her breasts against the hair on his chest.  His hands were around her on her ass from behind probing into the softness he was invading from the front.  Their lips stayed fused together as he fucked her long and full.

Her pubis was convulsing in its need for fulfillment.  God this was mind boggling, she couldn’t think. Didn’t want to think.  Again and again he pumped his cock into her, stretched her to capacity.  He was so big and hard, and kept getting harder.  She wanted him to burst inside her, drench her with his liquid life.  She just kept thrusting and pushing towards… what?  The juices from both their bodies were dripping down her.  “Don’t stop, whatever you do, don’t stop,”  she yelled. She bit into his shoulder. 

He pulled away from her, she looked at him, her eyes bright and sparkling with unfulfilled lust. He turned her and gently pushed her face down on the table. “Spread for me, luv. Show me that wetness.” His words were gentle but the tone a command.  Tori spread her legs, brought her left knee onto the table to show him everything she had.  Then much to her surprise, instead of entering her with his cock, he lowered his mouth and started sucking; she almost slid off the table.  She came in an instant, an explosion of electric shocks right through her.  But he didn’t stop.  His mouth just latched onto her swollen clit and sucked like a vacuum cleaner.  She pushed into his tongue and lips and then as soon as he was there he was gone and his rock hardness was there. 

He shoved into her with power and heat.  He leaned over her, thrusting like a hard piston.  In and out, harder and harder.  “FUCK! I knew you’d be like this,  I fit your pussy perfectly.  I’m going to cum hard, are you ready?”  His harsh words said it didn’t matter; he was already there.  But he kept pumping, “Just a little more, I want more of you on me.  Surround me, suck me in. I’m not leaving until I can feel your fire more. Squeeze me hard.” Tori contracted her muscle walls, Terry was unable to move.  “Ahhh, more… more…!” She pulled with all her strength on his cock and she felt him quiver, their bodies were shaking uncontrollably.  Then he leaned across her back, his arms holding him above her, pinning her with his lips on her back, licking the sweat from her shoulders and upper back. “Your sweat just turns me on more. You make me so hot”. He pushed and she felt him erupt inside her.  She was on fire inside, feeling every drop of heat he pumped into her.

“Just pull me harder, bring it in.  I need to be hot with you.”  His words were right there in her ear. He came more and more.  Then she came again,  his hot liquid combined with his fingers from one of his hands just pushed her right over the edge of sanity.  She shook with it.  More feeling and more heat than she thought two people could ever feel.  He was still over her.  As their bodies started to settle and still, Terry pulled back and brought her with him. 

He turned her around and held her in his arms.  Her legs were back around him and his semi-flaccid cock flush with her opening. He buried his face into her neck and she could feel him kissing and licking her;  she did the same with him.  Her arms stroking his back,  kneading and massaging. The heat and wet from their bodies created an aroma that was unmistakably sex.  Tori loved it.  But it compelled her to speak softly, “As much as I love this position, do you think we could possibly move to the bed?”

Terry said nothing but just grabbed her legs wrapped around his waist and carried her to the bed.  Where he entered her yet again before they even got to the mattress.  With their earlier fervor sated, he lowered her to the softness of the bed.  Never breaking the connection, he just pushed further up into her body and luxuriated in her warmth and softness. “Make me alive again.  I need to be alive.” Those were Terry’s only words for the next hours as they indulged every way and means to bring life back to Terry.  He was alone no more and wanted every possible connection with the one person who had brought him back to life.

Part Two

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