Click Ch. 09

"You can open your eyes," I said to Erika. She stepped away from me and looked around; nothing was out of place save that the three men were gone.

"What... what just happened," she asked as she looked up at me. Click. The flash from my phone hit her square in her upturned eyes.

"Nothing, we had a lovely time and you had the best time of your life. The only thing you will remember is that we met up and we spent some quality time together." She smiled up at me as the madness that had threatened to come crashing down on her faded into nothingness.

"I remember a sound, no a voice," she said dreamily.

"Oh that, it just thanked me for the snack," I said smiling.

"Oh, that's nice."

Iram or Bust:

There were a dozen or more words floating around in my brain to describe my surroundings and they all had one thing in common wealth. The palace of the Saudi prince was nothing short of mind boggling. The sheer amount of opulence was simply staggering. There was art that belonged in museums the world wide, gold leaf was everywhere along with marble, granite and other even rarer building materials. But there was also an air of hostility that was barely concealed. The anger was not directed at Nick or other members of the archaeological party only me. I was the center of the simmering hatred among the Saudi nobles. Because I was the one that not only solved the Zero Point Energy equation but also built a prototype to utilize the technology. The only thing that kept me alive was the fact I was a member of the Order, just like the nobles and they were honor bound to treat me as a brother. I could tell they would have broken that rule if they could figure out a way to do it. I was the source of the one thing that so greatly threatened their stranglehold on the world and their continued flow of wealth. I wondered how they would feel if they knew I spoke Arabic and that each and every one of their snide little comments, wicked insults and vile rants of contempt were understood by me.

We were waiting on the King to arrive so that the celebrations could begin. He was running late but when you are monarch timeliness is not a major concern. Nick was never far from my side and his gleaming avatar, Surfer, was hovering by his right shoulder like a holographic bodyguard. There was movement and we were being ushered into a huge vaulted chamber and on the far side was the Saudi king. He stood wearing his finest clothing and on his hands were several rings including his ring of office as a Full Master of the Order. He welcomed all of his western brothers into his presence and with a gesture the festivities began. We all took our seats as food and drink were brought in to celebrate and bring good fortune to our endeavor. Most of the conversations were in English but scattered among the group were those who only spoke Arabic. Whether this was from their inability or inclination to speak the language there was no way to know. Nick was his charming self and it seemed to me that no matter his surroundings he was at home. I had to learn his secret for maintaining his calm in extreme situations. I continued to endure the jibes and verbal assault for most of the evening as Nick negotiated rights to dig in the harshest part of what is known as the Empty Quarter. There were few who attempted excavating in this area due to the harsh climate and distance from civilization. It didn't take long for Nick and the King to reach an agreement. I think since I was going along they hoped that maybe the desert would do what they could not. Once the negotiations were completed the celebrations ramped up and the mingling began. Nick drifted towards the Prince and his retinue while I just moved among the rest. That's when I dropped my little bomb, the fact that not only did I understand Arabic but spoke it fluently. I found quite a bit of joy when I began greeting and chatting with my Saudi brothers in their native tongue. The look of shock on their faces was priceless. I smiled and toasted to their health while they had done nothing but curse me and compare my bloodline to that of an ill-bred animal. Once I had made my way to every corner of the room I found Nick and the King and told them I was calling it a night. I bid the King a good evening in Arabic and he actually laughed.

"Ha, our western brother is full of surprises," he said. "He has made fools of you all. I must make amends for the poor hospitality of my house. You may go among my treasures and pick something that takes your fancy. No, my own honor is at stake, go!"

I nodded and turned to leave. I had Arianna scanning each and every piece of art to find the rarest and finest of the collection.

'Master, I don't believe it but I am picking up on a rarified radiation,' she said.

'I don't understand, what does that even mean,' I asked. She directed me among the thousand or so rooms of the royal palace. It took her some time but she located the source of the radiation. The gilded door opened onto yet another massive chamber filled with objects dárt. Arianna led me to an elegantly carved bureau that looked French and centuries old. I opened the top doors and gasped. There under a dome of the finest Austrian crystal was a gleaming gem stone. At the heart of this jewel was a flickering radiance that seemed to dance and move.

"What the hell," I said gasping at its alien beauty.

'Scanning archives,' Arianna said. 'I have located only one stone that matches this one; this must be the Fire of Ashurbanipal.' I lifted up the dome of crystal and picked up the gem. It felt strangely warm in my hand and I chose this as my reward. Boy was the shit going to hit the fan when the King discovered what I had taken, serves him and his buddies right. Arianna guided me back to my room and I was shocked to see a lovely Japanese girl sitting on my bed. It took me a moment to place her face, she was the gal I had seen by Nick during the flight here. She had stunning good looks and an almost predatory look in her eyes.

"My name is Akira, I am here to make sure you leave the palace alive," she said in nearly flawless English.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance," I said and her gaze moved to the shimmering stone in my grasp.

"What is that," she asked.

"Oh, this little thing, the King had me pick from his treasures to make amends for his fellows poor behavior. I believe it is the Fire of Ashurbanipal, a unique jewel that will look nice as a paperweight on my desk at work."

"You can't be serious," she said rising to her feet.

"Yeah, I am kidding, I have a nice safe place for it, somewhere where no one can get their hands on it," I said thinking of the submerged lab in the Atlantic Ocean. "So you are my bodyguard then?"

"Yes, until we leave this building," she said smiling.

"How will we pass the time until then," I asked and she shook her head.

"You are just like him you know," Akira said smiling. "He is brilliant in his own way and you in yours. He handled people like pieces on the chessboard while you, well; you are what he would call scary smart. But both of you are very charismatic and I can see why you have so many women in and out of your home."

"Wait a second, have you been spying on me," I asked.

"Nick has been protecting his investment, besides you are a sacred treasure," she said turning to get a bottle of water from the mini fridge.

"Sacred treasure, what is that supposed to mean?"

"In my country there are people who are masters of rare arts, fighting styles or unique skills. They are living treasures and revered. I believe you fall into that category. Like Hawking and other great minds you should be taken care of so that your brilliance can unlock the great mysteries." She took a sip of her water but maintained eye contact.

"I feel a great burden now. Talk about performance anxiety," I said and she laughed almost spitting out her water.

So we sat and talked until the wee hours of the morning. My bodyguard drifted off to sleep and it was I who was watching over her. She woke up with a start and looked around to make sure all was well. I laid my hand on her shoulder to assure her everything was okay. I could tell she was angry that she had fallen asleep but I assured her it was alright. I couldn't tell her my physiology had changed so much that I required only an hour of sleep per day to function at full capacity.

"I can sleep on the road," I said.

"You didn't take advantage of me while I slept," she said with what sounded like a hint of disappointment.

"Should I have," I asked raising one eyebrow. "I mean you and Nick are pretty close."

"Yes, but a woman likes to know that she is wanted," she said as she stood up and stretched.

"Trust me, if you weren't so damn close to Nick..." I said and she just smiled.

"Good, my pride remains intact," she purred. "I will have to ask Nick for his permission to rape you then."

"You can't rape the willing," I said and she laughed again.

"So I am told," she said biting her lip in a very suggestive way.

I went to the bathroom and started a shower. The thing was big enough to accommodate six people easy and had state of the art digital controls. I set out my desert clothing and returned to the bathroom. I stripped down and stood in the center of the triple stream of hot water. The shower sprayed water from the ceiling as well as the front and the back. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift. I never heard her approach on bare feet. She made herself known by pressing her tits against my back. Then I felt her hand on me as she reached around and began to stroke me. I thought about asking about Nick but her hand kept distracting me. I turned to face her and she dropped down to her knees and produced a clear plastic bottle. She squeezed out the gel and rubbed it onto and all over my iron hard flesh. Once it was covered with the glistening substance she took her hand and rubbed what was left over her pussy and ass. My cock began to tingle and a single breath from her over the tip made me shiver. I watched as she worked the goo into her pussy and ass slowly. Once she was satisfied that we both were slathered up nicely she lowered her lips to my dick and deep-throated me in one smooth motion. Then her tongue and lips were working their magic.

"Oh damn," I moaned. Her lack of any sort of gag reflex allowed her to do some amazing things to my cock. The way she attacked my erection was almost scary, I wondered how long it had been since Nick and her had gotten together. I grabbed her hair to keep it out of her eyes and that caused her to moan around my cock. That sent wonderful sensations through me. I wonder what sort of lube she had used because every little thing she did felt magnified by a factor of five or more. Then she was standing up, facing the inner wall and offering me her pussy from behind.

"Don't make me beg," she said as she bent over further.

"Only a mad man would make a beauty like you beg," I said as I moved behind her. I took the head of my cock and teased her slit for just a second before sliding it inside of her. I pushed until I was buried deep. Akira let out a low guttural sound that made me want to make her cum all the more. I grabbed her hips and began to move slowly. She whimpered and ground against me as we fucked. As I moved faster she was muttering over and over in Japanese, it's been so damn long. What the hell was wrong with Nick? How could he let such a lovely creature as this want for affection? I moved faster now and she thrust her hips backward to meet me halfway.

"Fuck me... make me cum please..." she said switching back to English.

"You are begging," I said.

"Yes I am, please make me cum it has been so damn long," she growled.

"I would never let you beg for my cock, but since you are here is your reward," I said as I slammed into her now.

"YES... feels so damn good," she cried out as her body began to shake. "I'm close, just a little bit more!" The rest was unintelligible as her climax enveloped her. I held her close and wanted only to make her happy. Was I crossing a line? She was Nick's after all. Akira was panting in front of me and grinding against me. "It is your turn. I want to feel you shoot inside of me." I pulled out, spun her around and drove my cock into her in one brutal thrust. Her back arched and her mouth opened in surprise. Then I did cross the line, I leaned forward and kissed her. She paused for a moment only before returning my kiss. I jack hammered into her pussy and she moaned into my mouth. I cupped her ass cheeks and lifted her up the wall so that she could wrap her legs around my waist. Our tongues were dueling as my cock slammed into her over and over again. She pressed her tits against my chest as my dick swelled up inside of her. She broke our kiss and cried out as I got close to filling her pussy with cum. The slapping sound of our bodies was loud in my ears. Akira lowered her lips to my neck and kissed downward as I pushed towards my climax.

"Almost there," I howled. "Almost..." Then I jabbed my cock into her as deep as it could go. I felt Akira's teeth pierced my flesh as she came at the same moment. "SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS that's a first for me. I've never had a lover bite me before."

"MMMMMMMMMMMMM you taste so unusual," she moaned in my ear. Then she was licking the wound at my collar bone. "You're not done yet."

"I'm not," I said as she leaned close and whispered in my ear.

"My ass is waiting for that long thick cock of yours, please don't disappoint me."

I stammered as I eased out of her and she spun around. Akira grabbed her ass cheeks and pulled them apart. I picked up the bottle of lube and reapplied to my cock and her puckered ass. I pressed the tip against her entrance and pushed nice and slow. We both moaned when the head slid inside of her. She begged me to as she put it 'drive it deep into me'. I moved my hips slowly and watched my dick disappear into her puckered hole. It had been a while since a woman actually asked for me to fuck her up the ass. Well in this case it was more like a demand. The lube worked its magic and the tightness of her ass was heightened to a new level.

"I don't know what's in that bottle but damn it works," I said as I began to move now.

"Uh Huh," she whimpered as I began to thrust faster now. "Faster... fuck me faster..."

"Take that and that," I growled as I drove my hips into her. "So fucking tight..."

"You like that don't you my tight little ass wrapped around you," she moaned.

"Yes I do," I said as she began to thrust against me again.

"Fill my ass," she begged.

I moved harder and faster now urged on by her words and the way she drove her body against mine. She looked over her shoulder and I leaned in for another hungry kiss. My cock swelled inside of her and she whimpered eager to feel cum paint her insides. She was moaning in time with each thrust of my hips. I moved as fast as I could now as my orgasm got closer and closer. I was seconds away when Akira's body began to shake as I slammed into her and sent my load deep inside her ass.

We washed off the remnants of our love play and dried off. I slipped into the clothes I had laid out while Akira dressed in a khaki outfit that she produced from one of the drawers in a nearby dresser.

"You planned this from the beginning," I said and she smiled and nodded.

"I have seen the beautiful young ladies that frequent your home," she said. "They all appeared quite satisfied so..."

"I'm not complaining at all, just a little surprised," I said.

"Nick has been so very busy with many irons and many fires. Now this journey into this hellish desert and I must follow and see things to their conclusion."

"I am sure things will slow down," I said trying to soothe her. "I've seen the way he looks at you."

I packed my clothes along with my newfound treasure. We met Nick and the others for breakfast. He took one look at us and smiled. I looked at Akira and saw she had that freshly fucked glow. It didn't take a genius to know what had happened. We ate and introductions were made for the late arrivals to the group. I noticed that most of the brains of the group were female. I didn't know if that was by coincidence or if Nick just liked to surround himself with beautiful women. After breakfast we headed out to the waiting limos that would take us to the staging area. I went in the limo with Nick, Akira and an archaeologist named Nichols as well as an engineer named Mendoza. It took about fifteen minutes to reach the private airfield and the caravan of trucks. Most of them were large transports but there was one oddity among them a semi pulling a flatbed trailer. What the hell was that for? After transferring tools, equipment and personal gear to the vehicles we were off.

It took five long days to reach the edge of the Empty Quarter. According to Nick's charts we were three more days to our destination. The drastic change from a bustling city to third world wasteland to barren dessert was disheartening. I wasn't the only one that felt depressed at our surroundings. The wealth of the royal family compared to the everyday citizen of the country was appalling. I knew that home had its wealthy and poor but at least at home there was a support system here there was nothing. I sat next to the driver as we followed the lead truck driven by Nick. I wondered how the billionaire handled all the stress and then something like this happens and I see a side of him that I envied. I mean how many people got the chance to find a lost city. The odds were that there was nothing out here but if we did manage to find Iram, the City of a Thousand Pillars, not only would Nick have earned another notch in his prodigious belt but we all would garner a little fame out of it. Careers would be made for that hot red headed archaeologist running the show and her crew. But what I didn't understand was why I was here along with some up and coming engineers, physicists and mathematicians. What part did we have to play in all of this? It didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. But if I knew anything about Nick Shaw he never did anything without a plan. I checked the time on my brand new wrist device that Kat had given me before I left. She had customized and built it herself, with a little help from some of the guys in the lab. The storm clouds on the face of it brought back some pleasant memories. But it also provided a new home for Arianna as well as two empty matrix crystals for other A.I. if I chose to add them later on. Looking at it I wondered how she was doing. She had stayed behind to keep the ship of industry on course. I doubt anyone outside the expedition and the royal family knew what we were up to.

'This is your daily update on production of Zero Point Energy Cells,' Arianna chimed in.

'So how are things going,' I asked.

'We are ahead of schedule Master,' she said cheerily. 'I have had time to accelerate a few side projects.'

'Such as,' I asked as I looked out over the bleak landscape.

'The humanoid prototype is nearly completed and testing will begin in the next few days.'

'I am glad, that will give you a way of physically interacting with the outside world,' I said proudly. I had put what free time I had on designing this particular machine.

'Yes Master,' she said. 'I will...' There was a blast of static and then nothing.

'Arianna.'

'Master, I have lost contact with my other selves,' Arianna said from the wrist device. 'We are completely cut off.'

'Calm down I am sure there is an explanation for it,' I said trying to ease her concern.

The lead truck came to a halt and the caravan stopped in its tracks. Nick came out and gathered everyone around to explain the break in communication. He said there was a circular area with a severe magnetic field that surrounded Iram. It acted as a kind of optical and electronic cloaking device. That is why there are no satellite images of the city because of the lensing effect caused by the field. He said he was prepared for it and not to worry. We got back in our vehicles and continued on. The next three days was the most unnerving part of our journey. We had no contact with the outside world but thank god for my enormous play list I had transferred to the wrist device. As long as I had my music I could weather anything.